Editing Monado Arts

{{articleIcons|ssb4=y|ssbu=y}}

|image=[[File:Shulk Neutral B SSBU.gif|300px]]

|caption=Browsing to select an art in ''Ultimate''.

|user=[[Shulk]]

|universe={{uv|Xenoblade Chronicles}}<!--

 

'''Monado Arts''' ({{ja|モナドアーツ|Monado Ātsu}}, ''Monado Arts'') is [[Shulk]]'s [[neutral special]] move.

Shulk has access to five Arts: Jump, Speed, Shield, Buster, and Smash. They provide passive buffs, altering Shulk's attributes. Only one can be active at a time.

 

Each of the five Arts is indicated by a colored {{s|wikipedia|kanji}} character. When the special button is pressed, a character will appear behind him, beginning with Jump and following the order of Speed, Shield, Buster, and Smash for each consecutive button press. In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Arts can also be "quick-selected" by holding down the special button, moving the directional stick to the Art, then releasing the special button. While an Art is active, several of Shulk's attributes are modified for the duration of its effect, which vary based on the Art chosen.

{|class="wikitable"

!Kanji!!Monado Art!!Color!!Affected stats!!Activation pose

|<big>{{ja|翔|Shō; lit. Soar}}</big>*

|Jump ({{ja|ジャンプ|Janpu}})

|Green

|

*{{buff|Increased jump height (2×), ledge jump height (1.3×), air speed (1.5× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.7× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), gravity (1.3× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.4× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), and Air Slash height (1.3× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.5× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

*{{nerf|More damage taken (1.22× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.3× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

*{{change|Increased falling and fast falling speed (1.22× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.4× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:ShulkJumpActivationPose.JPG|200px]]<br>Holds his hand in the air

|<big>{{ja|疾|Shitsu; lit. Rapid}}</big>*

|Speed ({{ja|スピード|Supīdo}})

|Blue

|

*{{buff|Increased walk speed (1.7×), initial dash speed (1.7× {{GameIcon|4}}, 2× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), run speed (1.7× {{GameIcon|4}}, 2× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), dash attack travel speed (1.5× {{GameIcon|ssbu}} only) and air speed (1.3× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.4× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

*{{nerf|Less damage dealt (0.8× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.7× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), lower jump height (0.77× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.7× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

*{{change|Higher gravity (1.2× {{GameIcon|ssbu}} only), higher traction (1.5× {{GameIcon|4}}, 2× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:ShulkSpeedActivationPose.JPG|200px]]<br>Leans forward, ready to run

|<big>{{ja|盾|Tate}}</big>

|Shield ({{ja|シールド|Shīrudo}})

|Yellow

|

*{{buff|Less knockback taken (0.78× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.6× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}) and damage taken (0.67× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.5× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), higher shield health and regen (1.5× {{GameIcon|4}}, 2× {{GameIcon|SSBU}})}}

*{{nerf|Lower jump height, air speed, and movement speed (all 0.6×), less damage dealt (0.7× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.5× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), and less knockback dealt (0.8× {{GameIcon|ssbu}} only)}}

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:ShulkShieldActivationPose.JPG|200px]]<br>Crosses his arms in a defensive pose

|<big>{{ja|斬|Zan; lit. Slash}}</big>*

|Buster ({{ja|バスター|Basutā}})

|Purple

|

*{{buff|More damage dealt (1.4×)}}

*{{nerf|More damage taken (1.13× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.3× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

*{{change|Less knockback dealt (0.68× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.65× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:ShulkBusterActivationPose.JPG|200px]]<br>Holds the Monado in front of him, much like his down taunt

|<big>{{ja|撃|Geki; lit. Attack/Strike}}</big>*

|Smash ({{ja|スマッシュ|Sumasshu}})

|Red

|

*{{buff|More knockback dealt (1.18× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.25× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

*{{nerf|Less damage dealt (0.5× {{GameIcon|4}}, 0.3× {{GameIcon|ssbu}}), more knockback taken (1.07× {{GameIcon|4}}, 1.2× {{GameIcon|ssbu}})}}

|style="text-align:center"|[[File:ShulkSmashActivationPose.JPG|200px]]<br>Points the Monado to the sky

Also, for all Arts in the Japanese version, Shulk yells out for each respective one: {{ja|跳ぶ!|Tobu!}} (Leap!), {{ja|走る!|Hashiru!}} (Run!), {{ja|守る!|Mamoru!}} (Protect/Defend!), {{ja|叩く!|Tataku!}} (Thrash!), {{ja|ふっ飛ばす!|Futtobasu!}} (Fly away!)

===Activation, duration and effects===

[[File:Shulk SSBU Skill Preview Extra 1.png|thumb|All of Shulk's Monado Art options as shown by the [[Move List]] in ''Ultimate''.]]

To activate an Art, the special button must not be pressed for a few frames until the colored aura appears on Shulk. While scrolling through the Arts, he will be unable to perform any other special moves until one is activated, although Shulk can still move, dodge and attack normally. In ''Ultimate'', it can also be "quick-selected" by holding down the special button, holding the directional stick mapped to the Art, then releasing the special key. The "quick select" wheel is mapped to the following: up for Smash, upper left for Jump, lower left for Speed, upper right for Buster, and lower right for Shield. If Shulk activates an Art while staying still, he poses and announces the activated Art's name upon activation.

In ''SSB4'', each Art lasts for 15 seconds before stats return to normal. In ''Ultimate'', all Arts last for less time, with Buster lasting for 10 seconds, Speed and Smash lasting for 8 seconds, and Jump and Shield lasting for only 6 seconds (with Shield Art's duration also draining a slight amount every time Shulk gets hit while the Art is active). The Arts can be cancelled by pressing the special button three times in succession, or, in ''SSB4'', by holding down the special button for about one full second. Additionally, they will be canceled instantly when the user is hit by the initial rush of [[All-Out Attack]].  In ''SSB4'', once an Art activates or is canceled early, it cannot be activated again until 10 seconds have passed. In ''Ultimate'', each Art has its own cooldown time, with Jump and Shield taking 18 seconds, Speed and Smash taking 16 seconds, and Buster taking 14 seconds. Before then, its corresponding kanji will be grayed out when selecting another Art. The cooldown on all Monado Arts resets when Shulk is [[KO|knocked out]]. No two Monado Arts can run at the same time; if one is active, and a different Art is chosen, the previous Art is overwritten and enters cooldown.

Each Monado Art also affects Shulk's attacking power with battering items like the [[Beam Sword]] (e.g. Smash reduces hitlag and damage while increasing knockback). However, they do not affect firing weapons like the [[Ray Gun]] or thrown items such as the [[Capsule]].

Shulk's [[Final Smash]], [[Chain Attack]], is also affected by the Monado Arts. With Buster, this attack becomes highly damaging, often sending the opponent into KO percents if the Art lasts the duration of the full attack, but cannot KO as effectively. With Smash, Shulk can KO at significantly earlier percents but, should the attack not clear the stock, Shulk will have hardly done as much damage to the opponent as desired, making it arguably riskier than with Buster. Speed and Shield will only reduce its effectiveness while Jump has no effect whatsoever. The Arts can run out in the middle of the Final Smash, so awareness of their durations and the situation is advised. In addition, the neutral special input will activate the Final Smash, and thus the desired Art to use during Chain Attack must be chosen beforehand. However, Monado Arts can be accessed even with a Final Smash on standby; Shulk must hold the button down while in aerial landing lag.

{{InstructionalQuotes

|ssb4-3char=Shulk

|ssb4-3desc=Press {{Button|3DS|B}} to cycle through Arts. Arts increase particular stats.

}}

 

 

 

[[Kirby]] is able to copy the Monado Arts with his {{b|Inhale|Kirby}} and can receive effects from these Arts when he uses this Copy Ability. This can give Kirby incredible benefits and new previously-unseen options, as Jump gives him high jumps that can easily pass the upper blast line after three jumps and, as a result, can extend his throw combos to pursue his opponent. Buster can trap opponents in a string of attacks far past realistic KO percentages; particularly his up tilt which can [[juggle]] most characters for longer than usual to rack up large amounts of damage. Speed also gives Kirby the longest [[perfect pivot]] in the game. Conversely, both Speed and Shield make Kirby's jumps the most ineffective in the game, and Smash makes him the lightest fighter in the game. And unlike Shulk, Kirby's up special moves gain no benefit from the Jump Art.

 

 

Even though Kirby's Monado Arts only gives him massive versatility against a Shulk in 1v1 matches, a Kirby/Shulk team in Doubles with Team Attack turned on can easily allow both characters to use such versatile techniques in tandem.

Special Move customization was added in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. These are the variations:

# '''Decisive Monado Arts''': Arts last for 5 more seconds, recharge 5 seconds sooner, and boosts positive effects of Arts, but once an Art is activated, it cannot be canceled or changed for another Art. A slightly longer pause is added before an Art becomes active, allowing the user to consider whether they want to be temporarily stuck with an Art. This allows the user to take advantage of a specific art for much longer, at the cost of the inability to switch Arts once it becomes disadvantageous. As a side effect, the inability to change Arts also prevents effective usage of Art-based techniques, namely the ones mentioned in the section above.

# '''Hyper Monado Arts''': Both positive and negative effects of Arts are amplified, but the Arts have a shorter duration of 5 seconds. Recharging will also take 5 seconds longer. Becomes a short-duration, high risk and reward ability, as the strengths and weaknesses of each Art become some of the most extreme in the game: an example is Hyper Buster, which makes Shulk's moves immensely more damaging than even {{SSB4|Ganondorf}}'s, but reduces his KO power to almost nothing even at high percents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[File:Shulk with Monado.jpg|thumb|175px|Shulk using Monado Buster during a cutscene in ''Xenoblade Chronicles''. Here, the Art is one single, giant slash with the beam blade, in contrast to its status as a damage buff in ''Smash Bros''.]]

In ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', all special attacks and abilities are categorized as {{iw|xenoserieswiki|Battle Arts|XC1}}, and the term is used as such to describe both playable and enemy character abilities. The wielder of the Monado has access to two additional Arts that are accessed by using their signature ability (or "Talent Art"), "{{s|xenoserieswiki|Activate Monado}}", with more being unlocked as the story progresses for an ending total of eight, three of which return for ''Super Smash Bros.'' Unlike what ''Smash Bros.'' depicts, not all Monado Arts are buff-type moves, as several are status-inducing skills or powerful attacks. In addition, two Monado Arts, Jump and Smash, were tailor-made for the ''Smash Bros.'' series and as such do not exist in the original game.

 

*{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Monado Buster|XC1}} is one of the two Arts available from the start, acting as a single powerful slash attack with an extended purplish beam that deals additional damage to Mechon (the antagonists of the game, which cannot be damaged by normal weapons without support from the Monado). The ''Smash'' behavior of raising attack power is more akin to {{iw|xenoserieswiki|Monado Enchant|XC1}} (both ability and color-wise), the other starting Art which improves damage and allows other party members' normal weapons to damage Mechon. Buster's original color is blue in its game of origin.

*{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Monado Shield|XC1}} creates a barrier around all three party members that blocks a single enemy's Talent Art, as long as Shulk has upgraded the Art to a level that matches or exceeds the enemy's Art. The ''Smash'' behavior of decreasing damage taken is more akin to {{s|xenoserieswiki|Monado Armour}}, an Art that raises the party's defenses.

*{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Monado Speed|XC1}} greatly increases the agility of one party member, raising both accuracy and evasion for physical attacks. This is somewhat modified for ''Smash'', as it gives Shulk increased movement speed instead of evasion and accuracy. This more closely resembles the Art's debut cutscene in ''Xenoblade'', where Shulk uses it to save Sharla from a Mechon attack by enabling her to run at superhuman speed. While the Art in ''Smash'' does not grant an actual "evasion" stat, its attributes are reflected by giving Shulk much more agility, making dodging and moving much easier, which mimics the increased evasion in ''Xenoblade''.

*As mentioned above, the Jump and Smash Arts are unique to ''Smash'', although both use a color that matches an existing Art in his origin game:

**Jump uses the green shade of {{iw|xenoserieswiki|Monado Purge|XC1}} (or "Monado Breaker" in Japanese), which applies a status called "Aura Seal" on opponents, removing any existing auras and preventing them from activating any auras or spike abilities for the duration. Coincidentally, Shulk does a jump before activating the Art in his origin game.

 

Battle Arts in ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' have cooldown times, with different Arts having differing cooldown times. However, this only applies to Battle Arts; Monado Arts are part of Shulk's Talent Art, "Activate Monado", and instead require Shulk to use part of his Talent Gauge to activate them, which Shulk can refill by using auto attacks, Stream Edge, or Battle Soul.

MonadoShieldOrigin.png|Shulk using Monado Shield.

MonadoSpeedOrigin.png|Shulk using Monado Speed.

Shulk reveal Monado Arts.jpg|Activating the Smash Art in {{forwiiu}}.

Monado Jump.jpg|A clear view of the Monado Jump Art kanji.

Monado Speed.jpg|A clear view of the Monado Speed Art kanji.

Monado Shield.jpg|A clear view of the Monado Shield Art kanji.

Monado Buster.jpg|A clear view of the Monado Buster Art kanji.

Monado Smash.jpg|A clear view of the Monado Smash Art kanji.

Shulk SSBU Skill Preview Neutral Special.png|Monado Arts as shown by the [[Move List]] in ''Ultimate''.

*This is the only neutral special move that cannot be performed while on a [[revival platform]] and the only special move that cannot be performed from a revival platform that can be performed in the air.

*Monado Arts is the only neutral special Kirby can copy which can affect a move other than his neutral special.

**The Hyper Jump Art gives Shulk the fastest [[air speed]] of all fighters, surpassing even [[Giga Mac]]'s air speed.

**The Hyper Shield Art gives Shulk the lowest walk speed and run speed of all fighters in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', with his run speed being slower than {{SSB4|Ganondorf}}'s walk speed.

**In terms of knockback, Hyper Monado Arts gives Shulk the most knockback resistance, makes his throws the strongest in-game while in the Smash Art and gives him the hardest-hitting counter if in Hyper Smash while using Power Vision, with power only rivaled by Lucario's [[Double Team]] at maximum [[Aura]].

***Also, when using the Shield Art, Kirby has the lowest air speed of all fighters, being slower than even Shulk's Hyper Shield Art air speed value.

*In ''Smash 4'', Shulk's mobility does not reset when an Art expires unless he lets go of a directional key, meaning that he will keep his high dash speed even when the Speed Art expires so long as he keeps dashing and no increased air speed is granted if Shulk holds down the forward key and switches from the Shield Art to the Jump Art. This was fixed in ''Ultimate''.

 

[[Category:Xenoblade Chronicles universe]]