calling all villains: Story Arc Walkthrough & Tips - Guide

calling all villains: Story Arc Walkthrough & Tips

Follow the villain-focused story route with battle planning, recruitment priorities, ability choices, and Android 21 preparation tips.

2026-07-27
calling all villains Wiki Team
Quick Guide
  • calling all villains follows a villain-focused story route built around linked souls and forced battles.
  • Start with Frieza and treat the early match as preparation for recruiting Nappa.
  • Keep inherited abilities from the heroes route when available, especially recovery and health-focused skills.
  • Build toward Android 21 because breaking the seal requires repeated battles and stronger progression.

calling all villains Story Route Overview

The villain-focused route places the player inside Frieza’s body through the link system. Instead of controlling Frieza normally, the player’s soul becomes connected to him and gains control during combat. Frieza remains conscious, but his power is sealed and he cannot directly resolve the crisis.

The opening establishes the main conflict: Android 16 explains the link system, Android 21 leads the Red Ribbon Army, and the player must fight repeatedly to develop enough strength to challenge the situation. This structure makes the route less about a single battle and more about building a path through villain recruitment matches.

Video Highlights:

  • The route begins with the player linked to Frieza.
  • Frieza’s power is sealed while the player controls battles.
  • Android 21 is identified as the key figure behind the seal.
  • Nappa appears as an early recruitment target.
  • Abilities from the heroes campaign can remain available.

The most important early decision is how to approach the first battles. Do not treat the opening match as a disposable encounter. It is an opportunity to confirm which abilities remain equipped, understand Frieza’s combat feel, and begin improving the route’s progression.

Story ElementFunctionRecommended Response
Link systemConnects the player’s soul to FriezaAccept the mechanic and focus on battle progression
Sealed powerPrevents Frieza from solving the crisis directlyUse the player-controlled fighter to advance
Android 16Explains the initial situationFollow the explanation before selecting battles
Android 21Controls the Red Ribbon Army and the seal solutionTreat her as the long-term objective
Nappa encounterEarly recruitment opportunityPrepare before entering the match
Route Priority

Use the opening battle to test your inherited setup, then pursue the recruitment encounter instead of spending time changing every ability immediately.

Frieza Setup and Early Battle Strategy

Frieza is the starting perspective for the villain route, but the player’s role is unusual. The route’s dialogue makes clear that Frieza cannot freely use his own power while the link system is active. That means your first objective is not to overpower the story through Frieza’s reputation. Your objective is to win battles consistently and strengthen the link.

The first match should be approached as a controlled test. Check your available abilities, confirm the health-related options, and enter with a simple plan. The source material specifically highlights health regeneration and victory health recovery as meaningful choices. These abilities support a steady route because they reduce the punishment from repeated encounters.

Health Regeneration

  • Sustain during battle
  • Helps stabilize difficult exchanges
  • Useful when mistakes accumulate

Victory Health

  • Recovery after winning
  • Supports consecutive encounters
  • Valuable during route progression

Experience Boost

  • Improves progression value
  • Helps strengthen the linked fighter
  • Best when battles are already reliable

Choose abilities according to the route’s immediate demand. If you are taking damage during individual fights, prioritize regeneration. If you can win consistently but struggle between encounters, victory recovery becomes more attractive. Experience-focused options are better after your basic survivability is stable.

SituationFirst ChoiceSecondary ChoiceWhy It Helps
Taking heavy damageHealth regenerationMaximum healthGives more room for recovery
Winning with low remaining healthVictory healthHealth regenerationImproves readiness for the next match
Clearing encounters comfortablyExperience boostVictory healthConverts reliable wins into faster growth
Learning Frieza’s timingHealth regenerationMaximum healthForgives early mistakes while practicing

Frieza’s attitude also provides an important story cue. He treats the player as a servant and demands results, but the dialogue confirms that direct control is unavailable until the seal problem is solved. In practical terms, this means the route rewards discipline rather than reckless aggression.

Avoid the Power Fantasy Trap

Frieza’s story status does not remove the link system’s restrictions. Play the opening fights as a progression challenge, not as a normal unrestricted Frieza battle.

Step-by-Step Villain Campaign Progression

The most reliable progression pattern is to verify your setup, complete the required fight, recruit the available villain, and continue building strength. The story explains that repeated battles may be necessary before the player can stop Android 21 and restore normal control.

1

Review the Link Situation

Read the opening explanation and understand that the player controls the battle while Frieza’s power remains sealed. This prevents confusion when Frieza cannot act normally.

2

Check Inherited Abilities

Open the ability setup before the first major encounter. Confirm whether health regeneration, victory recovery, or experience-related abilities carried over from the heroes campaign.

3

Complete the Initial Match

Use the first battle to learn the route’s rhythm, test Frieza’s available tools, and avoid unnecessary risks. Winning cleanly is more valuable than forcing flashy exchanges.

4

Pursue Nappa’s Recruitment Match

Treat the Nappa encounter as an important route milestone. Prepare your health and abilities before entering, then focus on a consistent win.

5

Build Toward Android 21

Continue fighting and powering up. Android 21 is presented as the person who knows how to break the seal, so later progress depends on developing enough strength to confront her influence.

The route does not require you to rush every encounter. A measured approach is safer because the player may need to fight several times before the story’s larger objective becomes achievable. Use each battle to improve familiarity with the linked-control premise and refine your ability choices.

Progress StageMain GoalKey Check
Opening dialogueUnderstand the link systemPlayer controls battles; Frieza remains restricted
First battleEstablish a stable setupConfirm inherited abilities
Recruitment phaseAdd villain-route momentumPrepare for Nappa
Power-building phaseImprove battle reliabilityUse recovery or experience support
Android 21 objectiveWork toward breaking the sealEnter stronger and better prepared
Progression Rule

A safe win with useful recovery is usually better than a risky win that leaves the linked fighter unprepared for the next encounter.

Battle Tips for Repeated Encounters

Repeated battles are the core of the route’s practical challenge. The story frames combat as the method for strengthening the player and creating a possible answer to Android 21’s seal. Therefore, battle preparation should focus on repeatable performance rather than one-time burst damage.

Start each encounter by identifying the opponent’s behavior. If the opponent gives you space, control the pace and avoid wasting health on unnecessary approaches. If the opponent presses aggressively, prioritize blocking, recovery opportunities, and punishing predictable attacks. The exact matchup can change, but the underlying goal remains consistent: finish with enough health and resources to continue progressing.

Control Space

Keep distance when the opponent overcommits and force safer approaches.

Punish Habits

Watch for repeated attacks, unsafe approaches, and predictable defensive choices.

Protect Health

Recovery abilities matter more when several battles may follow.

Confirm Wins

Do not chase unnecessary damage after gaining a clear advantage.

Battle ProblemLikely CausePractical Adjustment
Health falls quicklyTrading attacks too oftenBlock first, then punish unsafe pressure
Wins feel inconsistentOvercommitting to offenseUse shorter attack sequences
Next fight begins poorlyNo recovery planningConsider victory health or regeneration
Damage feels too lowProgression is underdevelopedFight more carefully and invest in growth
Frieza feels unfamiliarLink-system expectationsTreat the player-controlled route as separate from normal story assumptions

The villain route’s dialogue also supports a fourth-wall interpretation: the player is effectively the outside force controlling the linked body. Whether viewed literally or symbolically, this explains why the player’s choices determine movement and combat while Frieza remains unable to command his own body.

Combat Focus

The route is designed around control and progression. Learn the linked fighter’s options first, then increase aggression after your defensive rhythm becomes dependable.

Milestones and Completion Checklist

Use the following checklist to keep the route organized. It separates story understanding from battle preparation so you can identify the source of a setback quickly.

Villain Route Goals:

  • Understand why the player is linked to Frieza
  • Confirm which abilities carried over from the heroes campaign
  • Complete the opening battle with a stable health plan
  • Prepare for and clear the Nappa recruitment encounter
  • Continue powering up before pursuing the Android 21 objective

The route’s major milestones are narrative and mechanical at the same time. Learning the link system explains the unusual control situation, while the first battles demonstrate how to turn that limitation into progression. Nappa provides an early recruitment objective, and Android 21 gives the campaign its larger direction.

MilestoneCompletion SignalPreparation
Link explanationYou understand the player-Frieza connectionNo special setup required
Ability reviewUseful inherited skills are equippedFavor recovery if learning
First clearOpening battle is completedAvoid unnecessary damage
Nappa recruitmentRecruitment match is wonEnter with health support
Android 21 preparationFighter is stronger through battlesImprove consistency before advancing

For a clean completion path, avoid changing your setup after every single match. Make one deliberate adjustment, test it across several battles, and keep it if it improves your consistency. This method makes it easier to identify which ability is actually helping.

Milestone Advice

Track completed story objectives separately from experimental loadouts. Progress remains easier to manage when every change has a clear purpose.

FAQ: calling all villains Story Questions

Q: What is the main premise of calling all villains?

The route links the player’s soul with Frieza, seals Frieza’s power, and uses repeated battles to build a possible path toward Android 21 and the seal.

Q: Why can’t Frieza simply defeat the enemies himself?

The link system prevents Frieza from using his power normally. The player must control the linked body and fight while Frieza remains conscious but restricted.

Q: Which abilities are useful early in the villain route?

Health regeneration, victory health recovery, and experience-related abilities are the clearest early options. Choose recovery when learning, then consider experience after wins become reliable.

Q: Who is the first major recruitment target?

Nappa is presented as an early recruitment encounter. Prepare your health and ability setup before attempting the match.

Final Takeaway

Treat the villain route as a controlled progression campaign: understand the link system, protect your health, recruit Nappa, and build toward Android 21.