Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist/Roy

Aesthetics

• As with other previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Roy's appearance is largely unchanged. Like Marth, his design has the various shades of red on his hair, outfit, armor pieces, and cape adjusted to be more vibrant and analogous with each other, with a notably brighter hue of purple for his cape especially. His armor, belt, gloves, and boots have been given subtle detailing. His eyes are sharper, and his skin tone is slightly tanned.
• Roy's sword, previously referred to as the "Sword of Seals" (translated directly from its Japanese name in the trophy descriptions of Melee and SSB4), is now referred to in Palutena's Guidance as the Binding Blade, matching the English localization as of Fire Emblem Heroes.
• Roy has a new crouching animation, although he shifts to the previous animation when holding a small item, like in SSB4.
• Roy's sweetspotted moves now use a unique heavy sword SFX, similar to Ike's sword. He shares this distinction with Marth.
• Roy's cape has better physics and rigging, allowing for more fluid animations. Additionally, the logo on Roy's cape is now part of his model, rather than being a flat texture.
• Like Marth, Roy's voice clips are fully dubbed in English (voiced by Ray Chase) for non-Japanese versions.
  • Roy's side taunt has him saying "I won't lose!"
  • All of Roy's victory animations have been slightly altered with new camera angles. In addition, all of his victory lines have been dubbed in English, "That was a fierce battle!", "Failure is not an option!", and "Now the true battle begins!" respectively.
• The Binding Blade and its sheath are no longer present in Roy's Defeated/No Contest animations.
• As with all previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Roy now has a unique Palutena's Guidance conversation.
• In the Japanese language, Roy's jumping voice clip has been sped up.
• Aside from when his shield breaks, Roy only vocalizes once when stunned, much like the rest of the cast.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Roy's jumpsquat takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Roy walks faster (1.15 → 1.208), slightly surpassing his Melee walking speed.
• Roy runs faster (1.95 → 2.145).
  • His initial dash is significantly faster (1.4 → 2.2).
• Roy's air speed is faster (1.24 → 1.302).
• Roy's fast-falling speed is slightly slower (2.9 → 2.88).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The sweetspot launches at a higher angle (62° → 69°), and has more base knockback (40 → 55), but less knockback scaling (60 → 40). In combination with Roy's faster jumpsquat, this greatly improves its combo potential, even giving it a KO setup into back aerial at high percents.
• Forward tilt:
  • The sweetspot has more knockback scaling (100 → 105), improving its already outstanding KO potential.
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 32 → 34).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 46).
  • It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 1.25×, which combined with the increased shieldstun for ground attacks makes it safer on shield.
  • The sweetspot has more knockback scaling (82 → 85).
• Forward smash:
  • The move has one frame less startup (frame 14 → 13), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 55 → 54).
  • The move's hitboxes have been entirely reworked: the sweetspot is smaller (4.2u → 3.3u) and less extended horizontally (Z offset: 8.4u-5.1u → 9.1u-7.7u), the middlespot is larger (3.7u → 4.0u), and both the sourspot and middlespot have horizontally extended hitboxes with slightly altered placements, which fully cover the Binding Blade's trail (middlespot X/Y/Z offset: 0u/0u/1.5u → 2u-14u/1u/1.5u, sourspot X/Y/Z offset: 0u/0u/7.2u → 2u-9.5u/1u/7.5u).
    • These changes significantly increase the move's vertical coverage, allowing it to hit opponents on low platforms above Roy, such as the ones in Battlefield.
    • However, these changes also make the sweetspot harder to land due to its reduced size and less favorable offset, with the middlespot being easier to land due to having the largest hitbox. The sourspot's higher offset also means it no longer matches the Binding Blade's entire length.
  • Both the sweetspot and middlespot have different knockback values (70 base/70 scaling → 60/75). This worsens their KO power at the edge, especially with rage, but improves it anywhere else without the need for rage.
• Up smash:
  • The clean first hit launches opponents more towards Roy (101°/116° → 118°/127°), whereas the late first hit and second to four hits have lower set knockback (95/60 → 85/55), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The late first hit and second to fourth hits have received a -100% trip chance, preventing the move from tripping opponents on platforms and missing its last hit due to the trip's intangibility.
  • The clean first hit has lower SDI multipliers (1× → 0×/0.5×), but the late first hit and second to fourth hits have become vulnerable to SDI (0× → 0.3×).
• Down smash:
  • The back hit's sourspot is placed farther horizontally (X offset: 0u → -1.6u) and closer to the Binding Blade's tip, increasing its range.
  • The back hit's sweetspot stretches a shorter distance vertically and horizontally (Y/Z offset: 4.1u-5.5u/-13u - -7.5u → 4.1u-4.5u/-11u - -8u). This moves the sweetspot farther from the Binding Blade's hilt and closer to Roy's arm, making it harder to land.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (11 frames → 9 (neutral), 13 → 8 (forward), 16 → 10 (back), 14 → 8 (up), 23 → 14 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The first hit has more base knockback (30 → 32), while the second hit's sweetspot has more knockback scaling (100 → 105). This improves the move's KO potential, without worsening its combo potential due to its lower landing lag.
  • The second hit uses weight-independent knockback, causing it to deal less knockback to lighter targets and more knockback to heavier ones. This worsens the move's KO potential but allows it to combo for longer in the former case, and vice versa in the latter case.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 33 → 31), allowing it to auto-cancel if performed at the start of a short hop.
  • It launches at a slightly higher angle (361° → 42°), and its sweetspot has more knockback scaling (80 → 83), improving its ability to start combos at low percents and KO at high percents.
• Back aerial:
  • The sweetspot deals more knockback (30 base/100 scaling → 35/107), allowing it to KO at around 125% from the center of Final Destination.
• Up aerial:
  • The sweetspot has much more knockback scaling (80 → 105), making the move more potent for juggling and granting it KO potential at realistic percents, starting at around 160% from ground level (compared to previously being unable to KO until around 220%).
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 55 → 52), matching its interruptibility.
  • The sweetspot has larger hitboxes (3.6u/3.6u → 4.4u/4.4u).
  • It has a slightly altered animation, setting the Binding Blade ablaze. Accordingly, it uses a flame effect and SFX rather than slash ones.
    • Due to having flame properties, it now sets off explosive items like Link's Remote Bomb.
    • Additionally, it can no longer damage Olimar's Red Pikmin.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 37 (standing), 37 → 45 (dash), 35 → 40 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 8 → 10 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)).
  • Pivot grab has less horizontal range (Z2 offset: -13.4u → -12.8u).
  • Dash grab has a larger hitbox against grounded opponents (2.6u → 3u) and is placed slightly higher (Y offset: 7u → 7.25u), but doesn't reach as far horizontally (Z2 offset: 9.3u → 9.1u).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
  • It deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has much less startup (frame 6 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 7).
• Forward throw:
  • Roy has a new forward throw: an elbow strike to the opponent's chest.
  • Due to the new knockback speed-up effect and Double-Edge Dance's slower startup, it has lost almost all of its combo potential, to the point where its only true followup is instant dash attack at extremely low percentages against a small amount of characters.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has one frame less ending lag (FAF 43 → 42), improving its combo potential at low percents in combination with Roy's faster jumpsquat.
  • It has much more knockback scaling (60 → 90), worsening its combo potential at mid to high percents.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (8% → 10%).

Special moves

• Flare Blade:
  • Flare Blade has less startup (frame 23 → 21).
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, increasing its ending lag.
  • It can be reversed during the charge, allowing Roy to catch opponents behind him.
  • The charging sound no longer changes in pitch if Roy is giant or tiny.
  • A fully charged Flare Blade triggers a Special Zoom on hit.
• Double-Edge Dance:
  • As with Dancing Blade, Double-Edge Dance transitions significantly faster into each hit. It can also now be buffered and is much harder to escape from.
  • Double-Edge Dance's last forward hit has significantly larger hitboxes (5.175u/4.6u/4.025u → 7.0u/8.0u/7.0u).
  • Double-Edge Dance's last forward hit has significantly increased knockback (60 base/130 scaling → 80/123), which when combined with the move's other changes, now make it a viable KO option.
  • Double-Edge Dance's first hit has increased startup (frame 6 → 9).
  • Double-Edge Dance's last forward hit has increased ending lag (FAF 56 → 59).
  • Roy uses a single voice clip when performing down-inputted fourth swing rather than three. The voice clip itself is the same one used whenever he performs his down aerial.
• Blazer:
  • Blazer sweetspots edges later (frame 15 → 24), no longer doing so before the last hit comes out.
  • The last hit has more base knockback (40 → 75), but less knockback scaling (130 → 93). This makes it safe on hit at low percents, but also weakens its KO potential, especially at farther distances from the top blast line.
• Counter:
  • Counter has a longer counter window (frames 8-27 → 8-29).
  • The counter grants intangibility earlier (frame 8 → 7).
  • It deals more knockback, with the sourspot incurring a less significant knockback loss over the sweetspot (35 base/100/70 scaling → 60/50 base/90/80 scaling).
  • The counterbox is bigger (9.2u → 9.7u). It's also positioned lower down (Y offset: 9.3 → 8.2), now fully covering below Roy.
  • It has more ending lag on both the counter (FAF 60 → 68) and the attack (FAF 37 → 41).
  • Its base damage is lower (9% → 8%).
  • It has higher hitlag multipliers (1.7×/1× → 1.9×/1.2×), making it easier to DI.
  • Along with an attack grunt, two of Roy's lines during a successful counterattack are dubbed, with him saying either "Now!" or "Gotcha!".
  • If a powerful enough attack is countered, the noise from Critical Hit will play if the counterattack successfully lands.
• Critical Hit:
  • Critical Hit's finishing hit has less knockback scaling (55 → 47), worsening its already below average power.
  • It causes a flaming background to appear once the main hit is unleashed.
  • Roy removes the Binding Blade from its sheath once he has finished sheathing it.