What Happens If I Keep Hitting My Villager in Animal Crossing?
Hitting your villagers in Animal Crossing, while seemingly a quick way to vent some frustration, actually has a series of predictable consequences that can impact your overall gaming experience. While it might feel like you’re getting rid of an unwanted neighbor, the truth is far more nuanced. In short, repeatedly hitting a villager with a net, or even pushing them into pitfalls, will lower their friendship level with you and lead to displays of irritation. However, this doesn’t actually guarantee they’ll move off your island. In fact, some evidence suggests it might have the opposite effect. Let’s delve deeper into the effects of your actions and explore why hitting your villagers might not be the best strategy for island management.
The Immediate Effects of Hitting a Villager
The first time you accidentally hit a villager, or even just give them a light tap, nothing dramatic happens. It’s usually “no harm, no foul”. They might react with a slight startle, but they quickly recover. However, things escalate quickly if you start repeatedly hitting them. The immediate consequences include:
- Visible Irritation: Villagers will exhibit clear signs of annoyance. You’ll see steam emanating from their head, and they might stomp their feet or throw their hands up in frustration.
- Vocal Complaints: They will tell you directly that they’re unhappy with your behavior. They might ask you to stop or express their feelings of being mistreated. These aren’t necessarily aggressive complaints, but they are definitely clear indicators that they’re not pleased.
- Friendship Decrease: The most significant impact of repeated hitting is the reduction in your friendship level with that villager. This is important because a higher friendship level usually leads to receiving gifts, photos, and increased interaction opportunities, while a low friendship level might lead to villagers wanting to leave eventually – but it’s not as straightforward as just hitting them.
The Myth of “Bullying” Villagers Off the Island
Despite many players’ beliefs, repeatedly hitting or annoying a villager does NOT guarantee they’ll move out. In fact, the game seems designed to prevent this method from being effective. The core mechanic for villagers leaving is based on a random system that is influenced by neglect more than active negative interaction. If you spend time paying attention to a villager, even if that attention is negative, the game often interprets that as you having some level of attachment to them. Instead of focusing on negative interactions, the actual method is to completely ignore them while actively talking to other villagers.
The idea that you can bully a villager off the island through constant swatting and trap-setting is simply a myth. While the villager will clearly be annoyed, it won’t directly influence their desire to move. In the long run, you are likely doing more damage to your relationship with that villager than you are to increasing their likelihood of leaving.
Long-Term Implications
Continuing to hit villagers can have long-term implications on your gaming experience. This includes:
- Missed Photo Opportunities: Villagers will only give you their photo when your friendship level is high. Repeatedly hitting them makes this almost impossible. This means you’ll miss out on a key collectible and a milestone in your relationship with them.
- Negative Game Experience: Constantly focusing on annoying villagers can make the game feel less enjoyable. Animal Crossing is typically a relaxing and positive experience, so adopting a bullying mentality goes against the core spirit of the game.
- Potential for Stagnation: While a villager’s low friendship can contribute to them wanting to leave, there is no guarantee that your targeted villager will leave first, since the system is still based on a random system that the game calculates. By focusing all your efforts on a single villager you dislike, you may find other villagers you may have wanted to stay, asking to move off your island before the one you actually want to move.
Why Neglect Works Better
The actual method to get a villager to leave your island is through complete neglect. This entails:
- Avoiding Conversations: Do not initiate conversations with them.
- Refusing Interactions: If they run up to you, actively ignore them and continue on with your activities.
- Focusing on Others: Interact with other villagers, strengthening your relationships with them.
When you’re ignoring a villager, the game is more likely to select them as the villager wanting to move. This approach might take time, but it is significantly more effective than repeatedly hitting or annoying them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while hitting a villager in Animal Crossing will cause them to get angry and lower your friendship with them, it does not reliably lead to them moving off your island. The game actually favors villagers who feel neglected, so while you might think you’re speeding up the moving process by hitting them, you’re most likely doing the opposite. The best approach for getting a villager to move on from your island is to ignore them completely. Focus on building relationships with the other villagers, and eventually, the villager you’re trying to move will likely ask to leave on their own.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does hitting a villager make them leave faster?
No, hitting a villager does not make them leave faster. It lowers friendship but doesn’t impact the game’s mechanics for moving villagers out. Active negativity doesn’t make them leave faster. Complete neglect is the more effective approach.
2. Does reporting a villager to Isabelle make them leave?
No, reporting a villager to Isabelle does not make them leave. Isabelle’s reporting options are primarily for resetting a villager’s catchphrases and outfits, not for eviction.
3. How long does it take to get a villager to move out?
It generally takes around 30 days of consistent neglect for a villager to ask to move out. However, the process is based on a random system, so this timeframe can vary. Be patient and focus on avoiding interaction.
4. Can you get banned for hitting villagers in Animal Crossing?
No, you cannot get banned for hitting villagers in Animal Crossing. The game doesn’t penalize players for this kind of in-game behavior.
5. Will hitting a villager more times have a bigger impact on them leaving?
**No, hitting a villager more times doesn't have a bigger impact on them leaving.** The game does not track the amount of times you hit a villager, therefore, hitting them more or less does not affect their chances of moving out. It only affects your friendship levels and how upset they are.
6. What are the signs that a villager might want to leave?
A villager might want to leave if they have a thought bubble over their head, or if they run up to you specifically to talk to you. These are signs they have something they want to say, which could be about moving out.
7. Does low friendship guarantee a villager will ask to leave?
**No, low friendship doesn't guarantee a villager will ask to leave.** While it increases the odds of a villager wanting to leave, it’s not a certainty. Many factors are involved.
8. What happens if I accidentally hit a villager?
If you hit a villager accidentally, they’ll likely just be surprised. A single accidental hit usually has no lasting effect on your relationship.
9. Are there any villagers that are harder to get to leave than others?
**No, all villagers have an equal chance of asking to leave** your island, regardless of their personality type or rarity.
10. Can I make villagers angry in Animal Crossing?
**Yes, you can make villagers angry by repeatedly hitting them.** They will express their frustration through steam coming from their head and stomping their feet, as well as complaining to you.
11. Does ignoring a villager guarantee that they will ask to leave first?
**No, ignoring a villager doesn't guarantee that they will ask to leave first.** However, it does **significantly increase their chances** compared to if you were interacting with them negatively or positively.
12. Can villagers have crushes on you?
No, there are no romantic relationships between the player and villagers in Animal Crossing. Villagers are programmed to be friends only.
13. Do gifted villagers leave faster than ungifted villagers?
**No, whether a villager is gifted or ungifted does not affect how likely they are to leave.** Villager departure is primarily influenced by neglect and the random selection by the game.
14. Can you trap or kidnap a villager off your island?
You cannot permanently trap or kidnap a villager off your island. They will always be able to return to their home. While you can temporarily move them with a boat if they are on the coastline, this is not a method to get them to permanently leave.
15. How often do villagers ask to leave the island?
After a villager leaves, **no villager can ask to move for 15 days.** If a villager asks to leave and you tell them to stay, then no villager can ask to leave for 5 days. This time limit does not start if you say no to a villager asking to move out of your island for a second time.