Rough Villager Strategy

[ChemicalExperiment]

Here I have composed a strategy for Villager based on observing the streams of many pro players. Please note that I do not own the game, and none of this has been tested by myself.

A Focus on Defense: Villager seems to be a character that revolves around camping. He should be based near the edge with his tree, ready to chop it down at any moment. Any ranged attacks against could easily be caught with Pocket, then sent back to punish the opponent. If you don't want to pocket the projectile for any reason, the tree is always there as defense. The Lloid rocket can provide defense from players trying to approach from jumping over or through the tree to attack with ariels.

Luring the Enemy: Villager's various ranged attacks (fair, bair, and Lloid rocket) can be used to provoke the opponent. With this constant teasing, your opponent will have no choice than to attack you head on. However, your defense leaves only one way for the opposing player to go, straight at you, through the tree. You have a vast array of choices there, with his jab, smashes, and grabs. Once your opponent is off the stage, more ranged attacks and the bowling ball forward smash are easy ways of KOing the opponent.

Weaknesses and Precautions: Some downsides of this strategy are that the base requires time to build up, leaving Villager a bit more vulnerable than most characters in the beginning of the match. Jabs, up and down airs, and tilts should create enough time for the tree to be set up. The tree also disappears over time, meaning it must be set up again. Keeping your opponent at distance during this time is crucial, as they are guaranteed to attack. Make sure you are not knocked away from your tree when your opponent attacks. The tree is your lifeline and should be knocked down in situations where your defense has been broken and you aren't in a position to attack. And just in case all this fails and you're sent off the stange, you've got one of the best recoveries in the game.

So, what do you think? I haven't had much experience with smash on a high level, but I decided to create this anyway, as I was noticing this trend a lot in Villager matches.

 

[Mtn64]

Exactly how I play.
You are forgetting something though.
Dash attacks and down tilts allow villager to follow up into more aerials.
He isnt completely defenseless, and his turnips have a lot of priority over other moves.
I'm also under the belief that if in the opponents face, his NAir is one of the fastest in the game.
So he doesn't always have to camp, but unless against a reflective character like Pit, Paulutena, or Fox/Falco, then yes.
This strategy is Villagers basics.

 

[mmik]

baiting reflects and pocketing your own gyroids is hilarious, and probably terrifying to face.

 

[GreatKingBowserKoopa]

-Spam Lloid.
-If they shield, grab them. If they jump over it, Nair them.
-Once their damage is really high, use Dsmash to bowling ball to kill them.
-Edgeguard with the tree. If they jump over a planet tree, try to hit them with the axe.

 

[rabbit.soaring]

I'm no expert, but here's what I think:

Here I have composed a strategy for Villager based on observing the streams of many pro players. Please note that I do not own the game, and none of this has been tested by myself.

Could you link some of the streams? I've been searching for good Villager gameplay.

A Focus on Defense: Villager seems to be a character that revolves around camping. He should be based near the edge with his tree, ready to chop it down at any moment. Any ranged attacks against could easily be caught with Pocket, then sent back to punish the opponent. If you don't want to pocket the projectile for any reason, the tree is always there as defense. The Lloid rocket can provide defense from players trying to approach from jumping over or through the tree to attack with ariels.

Luring the Enemy: Villager's various ranged attacks (fair, bair, and Lloid rocket) can be used to provoke the opponent. With this constant teasing, your opponent will have no choice than to attack you head on. However, your defense leaves only one way for the opposing player to go, straight at you, through the tree. You have a vast array of choices there, with his jab, smashes, and grabs. Once your opponent is off the stage, more ranged attacks and the bowling ball forward smash are easy ways of KOing the opponent.

I don't agree with this. While Villager can play defensively, Lloid Rocket's incredibly easy to evade on it's own, and slingshot is more of midrange tool. I can't think of a single character in the game who couldn't easily avoid a Lloid rocket fired on its own. Villager has some really nice combos, and I've seen aggressive play meant to force the opponent to the ledge and then edgeguard with Villager's great moveset work well. Lloid rocket is really just area denial, as far as I can tell. I can theoretically see people planting a sapling in the middle of FD and trying to push people into the tree as it sprouts with the watering can, just to weaponize it a bit more, but that's just me.

Weaknesses and Precautions: Some downsides of this strategy are that the base requires time to build up, leaving Villager a bit more vulnerable than most characters in the beginning of the match. Jabs, up and down airs, and tilts should create enough time for the tree to be set up. The tree also disappears over time, meaning it must be set up again. Keeping your opponent at distance during this time is crucial, as they are guaranteed to attack. Make sure you are not knocked away from your tree when your opponent attacks. The tree is your lifeline and should be knocked down in situations where your defense has been broken and you aren't in a position to attack. And just in case all this fails and you're sent off the stange, you've got one of the best recoveries in the game.

Wouldn't Fair/Bair/Nair be better to keep people out of Villager's face? They have range, range, and knockback, respectively, and if Uair and Dair are being resorted to keep people away things are probably already pretty bad, if you're intent on turtling. I don't see the tree as being Villager's lifeline, it can be useful, but chopping it down anywhere not over the ledge is probably the worst use I can think of for it, it's not very hard to avoid, even for slow characters.

 

[ChemicalExperiment]

I'm no expert, but here's what I think:

Could you link some of the streams? I've been searching for good Villager gameplay.

Sorry, but I can't really link to many streams, because they are mostly just playing multiple characters, with Villager thrown in every once in a while. Or, the streams are small tournaments, which only feature 1 or 2 Villager matches. I'm sure I could find these, but it would probably be too much work that would have just been easier if it was done by you.

I don't agree with this. While Villager can play defensively, Lloid Rocket's incredibly easy to evade on it's own, and slingshot is more of midrange tool. I can't think of a single character in the game who couldn't easily avoid a Lloid rocket fired on its own. Villager has some really nice combos, and I've seen aggressive play meant to force the opponent to the ledge and then edgeguard with Villager's great moveset work well. Lloid rocket is really just area denial, as far as I can tell. I can theoretically see people planting a sapling in the middle of FD and trying to push people into the tree as it sprouts with the watering can, just to weaponize it a bit more, but that's just me.

Wouldn't Fair/Bair/Nair be better to keep people out of Villager's face? They have range, range, and knockback, respectively, and if Uair and Dair are being resorted to keep people away things are probably already pretty bad, if you're intent on turtling. I don't see the tree as being Villager's lifeline, it can be useful, but chopping it down anywhere not over the ledge is probably the worst use I can think of for it, it's not very hard to avoid, even for slow characters.

Thanks for the criticism! I realize my strategy isn't very good, and I personally haven't tested it. Live I said, I've only scratched the surface of competitive in general. I just thought I would post this because I didn't see any other Villager strategies at the time. However, your ideas seem to be very nice! That seems to be a great strategy that can work much better than mine.

 

[Jigglystep]

Am I the only one who plays really aggressively with Villager? Unless my opponent is Rosalina, Palutena, or Falco with an annoying large reflector, I generally go out all with shorthop forward air and down air approaches, throwing in some rockets to add to the pressure. Oh, and I can't even begin to express how amazing of a gimping tool the slingshot is.

I honestly feel like Villager has a lot more offensive potential than people give him credit for.

 

[extremechiton]

most of my kos come from the tree growing. people respect my chopping it down too much.
but the up close game for villager is basically nairs dairs and up airs, f tilts, up tilts and down tilts.
f smash is too slow and short ranged. down smash is too short ranged and not very safe at all
up smash is a decent anti air or roll punish.

fair and bair are good for mid range poking and loid rocket must always be out at all times to provide pressure.

the only time f smash is good is for edge guarding people recovering from below. you can use lloid rocket and fairs/bairs to cover the strait on approach, and the tree is best for high recoveries.

some things to note: a fully charged pocketed mega man f smash, or samus charge shot is a shield breaker. a pocketed tree is a ohko and shield breaker. if someone is dash attacking you and your near your tree, watering the tree as well as your opponent will put them into hit lag and pause in place allowing the tree to grow on top of them. the tree can also cover aerial approaches.

basically, the most reliable way to get a ko is to grow the tree instead of chopping it down except when edge guarding.