Is Isabelle actually bottom tier, and is it just me or is Villager worse than Isabelle?
This sentiment seems to be a pretty common occurrence among both pro tier lists, and your average Reddit comments. Even if Villager is usually tagged around the low tier mark, i find it odd that people think Isabelle needs buffs more than Villager when in fact Villager got a few noticeable nerfs in the transition from 4 to Ultimate and is likely worse than Isabelle. Here's some stuff that is objectively better on Isabelle. Damage numbers are base percent.
- 3% faster air speed
- 6% faster run speed
- Roughly 50% more knockback on f-tilt making it a kill move
- Up-tilt covers more space and combos into itself or up-air
- 1% more damage on d-tilt sweetspot
- Dash attack has less endlag by 3? frames allowing it to combo more
- Pummel does .1% more
- Nair does 1% more, has more horizontal range, less landing lag, and less endlag giving it better combo potential.
- Up-air/d-air are equal to Villager's 2 turnip, yet homogenized and thus not luck reliant
- F-smash does 2% more onstage and is (faster and thus) a punish on jab reset opponents. A common situation created by nair, bair, or fair.
- Up-smash combos into up-air from 0 to 40/60, dependent on weight. A good Low percent jab reset option.
- D-smash 2-frames with a decently strong semi-spike.
- Jab induces better advantage state the higher the opponents percent. This lets it true combo into Down smash, f-tilt, and pocket starting around 80/125, dependent on weight.
- Lloid trap creates space with less of a commitment than tree. It is also possible to combo people into and from lloid trap for up to roughly 40%
I'm not sure that most people are aware that some of Villager's nerfs from smash 4 to Ultimate seem to have gone towards Isabelle (She got his f-tilt knockback, up-tilt range, and d-tilt damage). I'm honestly really surprised the devs didn't give Villager any real buffs (Non universal buffs) in the transition despite the community thinking he was just alright/good. To be fair I'll list the things that are objectively better on Villager, but most of them are situational.
- Is 4 weight units heavier without really being any more susceptible to combos
- Jab does more percent by itself and is safe on hit at any percent.
- 2% more damage on d-tilt sourspot.
- Up-tilt kills.
- F-smash can used as an edgeguard/2-frame tool, has more knockback.
- Up-smash has scoop hitboxes on the front and backside of Villager, is potent enough as an OOS option, and hits high enough to poke lower platforms.
- Down-smash leads into follow-ups, better follow-ups on the back end from a hard read.
- Lloid Rocket assists in approaching, being an overall better utility tool when compared to fishing rod
- His rolls go 1 training unit farther
If Isabelle really is Bottom tier, then I'd argue Villager is right there below her. The only real game play positive that comes into account often for villager is his lloid rocket, but the increased movement speeds in ultimate allow for more counter play when compared to smash 4. In comparison, lloid trap will always exert the same presence should Isabelle position herself near it regardless of the opponents speed. I do think it should last longer than 10 seconds though.
Posted Feb 22, 2019, 6:59 PM UTC
Simply comparing individual moves doesn't mean much if Isabelle's moves don't coalesce into a functioning kit.
I've said it previously but Villager forces an opponent to react to his options, in which he can generally cover using his long range aerial pokes. Lloid Rocket operates at the same spacing of his other tools and makes them a lot better than they really are. He has an immediately noticeable game plan that also has versatility; forward smash and Tree also cover a spacing that Isabelle cannot.
Isabelle can't use her aerials to punish reactions, she has no tool to force that. Fishing Rod is punishable at any spacing where her aerials are an option and can even reward aggressive reactions; it's a free zone breaker for the opponent. Her Lloid Rocket is not a threat and loses to approaching hitboxes, again, rewarding aggression for the opponent.
Because Isabelle can't force opponents to react to her options, it also means her better normals are less likely to be used in any consistent manner.
Villager is proactive and pressures the opponent with his options, while Isabelle is mostly passive and reactionary. But Villager actually does a decent job of it while anyone with a brain can play around Isabelle. Her only truly excellent tool is the rod, and that’s only really for edgeguarding.