Editing Shulk (SSBU)

|image = {{tabber|title1=Colony Type I|content1=[[File:Shulk SSBU.png|250px]]|title2=Ecru Type|content2=[[File:Shulk Swimsuit SSBU.png|223px]]}}

'''Shulk''' ({{ja|シュルク|Shuruku}}, ''Shulk'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Like all veterans, he was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Shulk is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #57]].

{{iw|wikipedia|Adam Howden}} and {{iw|wikipedia|Shintarō Asanuma}} reprise their roles as Shulk's voice actors in the English and Japanese versions respectively, mostly through recycled voice clips from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Howden and Asanuma also reprised their roles for Shulk's appearance in {{SSBU|Pyra}} and {{SSBU|Mythra}}'s [[List of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character trailers#Pyra and Mythra|reveal trailer]].

 

 

Despite his strengths, Shulk is not flawless. He still retains his sluggish frame data and startup on majority of his moves, making him prone to getting parry punished or overwhelmed by faster moves. His recovery is also fairly exploitable due to [[Air Slash]] being his only main recovery option, and his recovery mixups are dependent on having his double jump even if he has the Jump Art active. Despite Shulk's Monado Arts giving him upgrades, they also grant multiple downsides. For example, while the Smash Art significantly improves his KO potential, it also greatly reduces his damage output and gives him the lowest endurance of the roster while it is active. Finally, Shulk is one of the most difficult characters to master since he has many advanced techniques, and properly using Monado Arts mid-match has to account for fast decision-making to determine which Art is best suited for each situation.

Shulk must then be defeated on [[Gaur Plain]] (the [[Ω form]] is used in World of Light).

Shulk is a middle[[weight]] swordsman who sports average [[walk]]ing speed, [[dash]]ing speed, [[falling speed]], and [[gravity]]. When coupled with his above-average [[air speed]] and his below-average [[air acceleration]], Shulk's overall mobility is average to the point of lacking any obvious advantages or disadvantages.

Shulk's greatest asset is his disjointed [[range]]: thanks to the {{h2|List of swords|Monado}}, Shulk possesses some of the longest overall disjoints in the game. Shulk's excellent range allows him to [[punish]] careless moves by retaliating at a distance, or create [[space]] by challenging his opponent with his disjointed attacks. His most useful grounded moves are his up tilt and smash attacks, each of which possess distinct perks. His up tilt boasts outstanding vertical range, can cover multiple get-up options from the edge, and can KO at very high percentages, whereas his smash attacks boast high power and long ranges.

Shulk also boasts a very strong aerial game as his powerful aerials have a great combination of large hitbox size, long hitbox duration, and low landing lag, which plays a key role in his approach and spacing games. Both his neutral and forward aerials possess wide-arced ranges with low landing lag, making them Shulk's best approach options. The former is useful for anything from starting combos to covering landing options thanks to its long-lasting hitbox and low landing lag, while the latter's wide range and dependable speed makes it a very good [[edge-guarding]] and spacing option. His back aerial is a capable KOing option due to it being Shulk's most powerful aerial, with its high horizontal range also allowing it to space or poke from a distance. Lastly, his up and down aerials are, like his back aerial, thrusts instead of slashes. As such, they have minimal horizontal ranges, but can KO surprisingly early should they hit, with the former being potent near the upper blast line, whereas the latter is capable of [[meteor smash]]ing.

Much like in his home game, {{uv|Xenoblade Chronicles}}, Shulk is a character who revolves around adapting to different situations with his attribute-enhancing [[Monado Arts]]. Each Art tweaks his attributes considerably for a certain amount of time (10 seconds for Buster, 8 seconds for Speed and Smash, and 6 seconds for Jump and Shield) and can be manually canceled at any time, even immediately after hitstun ends or during landing lag. With this freedom, Shulk can activate an Art to open up options for virtually any situation while still being able to switch or cancel them if he is in a challenging position. Jump grants him significant aerial mobility by making his jumps the highest in the game while improving both his air speed and Air Slash's height. This grants him an incredible [[recovery]], allowing him to recover from almost anywhere off-stage, edge-guard more aggressively and even perform several KO combos, such as a [[wall of pain]] leading to a [[sacrificial KO|sacrificial]] Air Slash at medium percentages.

Speed amplifies his typically average grounded mobility while reducing his jump height, making his ground-to-air transitions more efficient for aerial combos and spacing, while allowing him to approach and retreat noncommittally. It also lowers traction, making Shulk's pivot grab amongst the longest in the game for its duration. These two Arts grant him outstanding mobility, and when combined with the large hitboxes of his attacks, Shulk can effectively space opponents out of a specific side of the stage with either Jump or Speed, making him very difficult to approach on stages with platforms.

Shield bolsters Shulk's defensive game by reducing both damage and knockback received, which allows him to survive for a much longer period of time and resist getting trapped in combos. His shield also becomes much more durable, making it harder to break with shield-breaking attacks such as [[Bowser Bomb]]. Buster reduces his overall knockback, but increases his overall damage output, allowing him to rack up damage extremely quickly. Buster also makes up and down throws effective and damaging combo starters at 0%, while the increased damage and shieldstun make Shulk's moves both safer on shield and capable of pressuring shields. Lastly, Smash boosts his entire moveset's knockback, making almost all of Shulk's attacks into viable KOing options (especially with [[rage]]), and his down throw becomes the strongest in the game while it is active. Despite his fastest aerial coming out on frame 13 and starting behind him, Shulk has a particular strength in combo breaking. The Shield Art is among the best combo breakers in the game, since it makes him fall out of all combos. He can also switch to the Smash Art at low percentages as another way to escape combos, thanks to it noticeably heightening the knockback he receives.

Due to the technical aspects of activating Monado Arts, Shulk also has access to multiple unique [[advanced technique]]s, the most notable of which is known as {{h2|Monado Arts|Monado Art landing lag cancel}}ing. By jumping and timing the activation of an Art just before landing, Shulk can reduce the landing lag of his aerials to 5 frames while gaining [[intangibility]] for 14 frames (1 frame less than the length granted by his [[sidestep]]). While difficult to perform, it allows Shulk to avoid punishment before immediately responding with a punish of his own, or start [[shield break combo]]s, such as an Art canceled back aerial to forward smash. It can even let him retreat by pivoting in midair, or extend the invincibility of [[air dodging]] via an aerial Art activation. This technique is the only viable way to make some of Shulk's moves (such as back aerial) safe on shield against faster characters.

Several other techniques include the Monado Purge, a 50/50 KO set-up consisting of an up throw to up aerial at high percentages, and {{h2|Monado Arts|Monado Art ledge snap}}, which bypasses edge get-up animations while protecting the user with brief intangibility. When mastered, Shulk's Monado Art techniques can be very effective and unpredictable mix-up options that are inaccessible by any other character.

However, Shulk has some exploitable weaknesses. Despite being [[buff]]ed in ''Ultimate'', his moveset is still mostly sluggish. Aside from his neutral attack, standing grab and Vision, all his other attacks do not hit before frame 10, and majority of his moveset has more than 25 frames of ending lag. Like the aforementioned heavyweights, this means he has to rely on careful reads to land a hit, as a missed attack can easily be capitalized upon. This is made worse by the low shieldstun of his attacks (unless Buster is active), making his attacks inherently unsafe up close and on shield, while still unsafe if spaced against faster characters prevalent in the metagame. Additionally, despite his excellent range, most of Shulk's moves deal more damage with the Monado's blade rather than its beam blade, while several of his strongest combos (such as a landing neutral aerial to a grab or a forward aerial wall of pain) rely on him being extremely close to his opponent/affected by rage to be inescapable, due to his beam blade's lower hitstun. As a result, Shulk is required to take risks before he can start performing any significant combos.

His sluggish frame data also extends to his aerials. Shulk is the only character who cannot [[auto-cancel]] any of his aerials before their entire duration is over, forcing him to endure landing lag every time he starts an aerial attack, even from a double jump (with the exception of forward aerial). While Monado Art landing lag canceling can negate this, it is considerably more complicated to perform compared to auto-canceling, making it very difficult and unwieldy to perform consistently. Essentially, this makes every attack very committal, and makes it important for Shulk to space his attacks carefully as he can easily be punished for missing. Additionally, moves such as back aerial or up aerial are unsafe to use upon landing; unlike many other characters' aerials, their hitboxes only appear after a pause, making it possible to land before an attack even comes out while causing Shulk to suffer from landing lag.

His lack of a [[projectile]] and anti-projectile options also makes it difficult to pressure his opponent from a distance, while making it hard for him to approach against projectile users as well. Even pressure on the ground can be hard to escape from, as Shulk has the fifth lowest [[traction]] in the game. This gives him a poor out of shield game without Air Slash, which is punishable when missed. Shulk's special attacks are also flawed in some ways. Back Slash's knockback is exceptionally weak if hitting the opponent's front, being unsafe on hit at low percentages, has considerable ending lag, and is notorious for its inability to [[edge sweetspot]]. Air Slash provides very minimal horizontal momentum and does not sweetspot edges immediately unless the second slash is inputted right beside an edge, thus making his recovery predictable, even with Jump. Lastly, Vision's counter window decays upon consecutive use, which discourages frequent usage.

The Monado Arts also have debuffs to compensate for their buffs: if an Art is active, it causes some of his other attributes to drop, weakening some of his abilities. A careful opponent can potentially take advantage of them to gain the upper hand, making his Arts a double-edged sword due to his reliance on them to approach and/or perform combos. Jump makes him take very high damage, and when combined with his slow moveset, makes it even riskier to whiff a move. Speed lowers his damage output, requiring him to deal more hits for the same amount of damage and reduces his jump force to the point of hindering his vertical mobility.

Shield drastically reduces his mobility and damage output to the point of making his recovery and offensive potential among the worst in the game. When coupled with his worsened mobility, Shield's increased knockback defense also leaves Shulk heavily susceptible to combos and juggling. Buster increases his vulnerability to damage to the same degree as Jump, while its lower knockback drastically lowers Shulk's KO potential to the point that his smash attacks will not KO until past 150%. Finally, Smash drastically lowers his endurance, hinders his combo game, and makes his attacks the least damaging in the game.

Overall, Shulk's optimal playstyle consists of warding off pressure and having extensive knowledge of his opponent. His range, unique toolkit, and versatile tech grant him powerful abilities when mastered, with some being inaccessible to any other character in the roster; however, players must have reliable spacing skill as whiffing one of his moves can leave him wide open and vulnerable to heavy damage. While his weaknesses are exploitable when fighting head-on, his adaptability allows him to excel when played patiently and while exploiting openings. Regardless, Shulk has an extremely high learning curve because of a combination of sluggish attacks and very demanding techniques, as extensive knowledge of Monado Arts, proper spacing, reads and patient play are each required for him to thrive.

Shulk has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition to ''Ultimate'', but he was buffed overall. Some of his most notable weaknesses have been relieved to some degree, and the changes to the game physics grant many of his options more utility to go with his faster moveset.

 

A great amount of the revamped game physics benefit Shulk. The universal reduction of [[landing lag]] grant him a safer approach game, and he has gained the ability to [[autocancel]] some aerials (a trait he was previously notable for lacking). This alleviates his punishable landings, one of his biggest weaknesses in ''SSB4''. The universally faster mobility also improves Shulk overall, as it improves the ease of approaching and retreating, the implementation of [[dash-canceling]] with any ground move allows him to approach with his high-ranged tilts, and the readdition of pseudo-[[dash dancing]] alleviates his previously low [[traction]] and turnaround time. Finally, the changes to knockback benefit [[Back Slash]], as opponents no longer turn around when hit from behind with a move that causes [[tumbling]], making the sweetspot safer to land.

 

In addition to lower landing lag and faster mobility, a few of Shulk's moves possess less ending lag, such as [[dash attack]] and [[neutral air]]. Combined, this grants Shulk a much more reliable approach, which was another weakness that plagued him in ''SSB4'' due to his moveset's slow speed and his trouble at landing. Aside from his [[Monado Arts]], Shulk's special moves have seen some buffs, with Back Slash now grabbing ledges after some time, [[Air Slash]] executing faster and grabbing edges faster, and [[Vision]] having larger hitboxes and less lag after a successful counter.

Shulk's nerfs were noticeable, however. Most notably, his previously heavy [[weight]] has been reduced, which coupled with his lack of options to relieve pressure makes him easier to KO, especially after a combo. His renowned [[back aerial]] has lost its large early body hitbox and has smaller hitboxes, now strictly mapping its range to behind Shulk himself and removing its situational usage for KOing in front of him. His grab game, already below average without Monado Arts active, is even less powerful, with Shulk's grabs having less range in addition to suffering from the universal nerfs to grabs, thus making them more punishable; moreover, all of his throws (except for up throw) deal less damage and knockback, with [[down throw]] no longer being the strongest in the game with Smash Art active, further necessitating an active Art for his throws to be useful.

Other nerfs include his very damaging [[neutral attack]], which deals much less damage and its first two hits range were reduced. In exchange for faster execution and larger hitboxes, a successful Vision's counterattack is less powerful and no longer [[unblockable]], and remains unreliable under multiple circumstances, like activating it while airborne or countering a projectile. While he mostly benefits from the game physics changes, a few of them also hurt Shulk, as the increased mobility makes it easier for opponents to pressure Shulk without his Arts active, and the reduced landing lag worsens his already poor out of shield game.

 

As a result of these changes, Shulk's strengths and weaknesses are more defined, and his playstyle has been drastically altered to be more dynamic. It revolves less around taking advantage of Monado Arts at all times, now depending on using his improved kit to make use of his stronger, shorter-lasting Monado Art abilities when he is able to get an opening. His faster mobility, lower landing lag and the changes to dash-canceling now help him with approaching, but he has to be more careful with dealing with opposing pressure. He still has some of his most noticeable flaws from ''SSB4'', such as a poor approach, frame data, out of shield options and disadvantage (especially when Shield Art is on cooldown), and lack of options to deal with pressure. Regardless, Shulk's buffs outweigh the nerfs he has received, and he is a better character in ''Ultimate''.

Shulk received a mix of buffs, glitch fixes and a single nerf via game updates. Update 2.0.0 enabled forward aerial to autocancel slightly earlier and decreased its edge lockout duration, the latter of which was also applied to up aerial. Update 3.0.0 increased the ranges of Shulk's floor and edge attacks, while update 3.1.0 did the same for neutral attack's second hit. Interestingly, update 8.0.0 granted Shulk a buff that was not mentioned in the official patch notes: aerial [[Vision]]'s [[counterattack]] now grants Shulk [[intangibility]] on frame 1.

 

Update 9.0.0 increased the knockback scaling of Vision's counterattack, which restored most of the strength it lost in the transition from ''SSB4'' to ''Ultimate''. The central hitbox of up smash's first hit gained more hitstun, which enables it to connect more reliably into the second hit. Lastly, the [[Monado Arts|Shield Art]]'s multiplier for knockback received was increased, which worsened its renowned durability and Shulk's disadvantage state.

 

Overall, Shulk fares similarly well as he did at the launch of ''Ultimate''.

|neutralname=Straight ({{ja|ストレート|Sutorēto}}) / Side Kick ({{ja|サイドキック|Saido Kikku}}) / Upper Swing ({{ja|アッパースイング|Appā Suingu}})

|neutral3dmg=5% (clean), 4.2% (late)

|neutraldesc=A jab, followed by a roundhouse kick, followed by an upward slash. It connects much more consistently than it did in ''SSB4'', and the first two hits can now [[lock]], though its slim hitbox makes this difficult on most prone characters. It also has very low range compared to his other moves, but is very fast in comparison to them (frame 5). Its second hit resembles {{s|xenoserieswiki|Tempest Kick}}, one of [[Dunban]]'s ether Arts.

|ftiltname=Side Swing ({{ja|サイドスイング|Saido Suingu}})

|ftiltdmg=13.5%/12%

|ftiltdesc=An inward slash. Its impressive damage output and high knockback growth make it powerful for a tilt attack. While near the edge of {{SSBU|Final Destination}}, its blade hitbox KOs at roughly 97%. It also deals high shield damage when Buster is active. However, its range is shorter than Shulk's other moves, its narrow hitbox allows smaller characters to crouch under it, and it has high ending lag. It is almost identical to one of Shulk's [[xenoserieswiki:Auto-attack (XC1)|auto-attacks]].

|utiltname=Hop Swing ({{ja|ホップスイング|Hoppu Suingu}})

|utiltdmg=10% (clean), 10%/9% (late)

|utiltdesc=An overhead arcing slash. It has a wide hitbox and incredible range for a tilt attack, being able to almost reach the top platform of {{SSBU|Battlefield}}, while having relatively low ending lag for its range. As a result, it is a useful move overall and can function as an anti-air attack, limit edge get-up options, pressure shields, or trap landings. Without Arts, it can function as a situational KOing option thanks to its high knockback growth, KOing grounded opponents at 160% without rage. With the Buster Art, it is able to quickly rack up damage against opponents on platforms, and with the Smash Art it functions as one of Shulk's strongest KO moves, KOing within the 105% range. However, it only hits in front of Shulk at its beginning, and has moderate start-up and ending lag.

|dtiltname=Low Cutter ({{ja|ローカッター|Rō Kattā}})

|dtiltdmg=9.5%/7.5%

|dtiltdesc=A kneeling inward slash. Moderately slow for a tilt attack, but it has good range and the lowest amount of ending lag out of his tilts. As a result, it is a good combo starter while Jump, Speed, or Buster are active. Unlike in ''Smash 4'', the hitbox now covers the end of the beam blade. When spaced correctly, it is also able to hit edge-hanging opponents once their invincibility ends.

|dashname=Dash Slash ({{ja|ダッシュスラッシュ|Dasshu Surasshu}})

|dashdmg=12.5%/11%

|dashdesc=An inward slash. Somewhat short-ranged despite Shulk dashing forwards during the move. It has decent damage output and can function as a situational KOing option. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at around 160%. However, it has high ending lag (28 frames). With the Speed Art, it becomes a more effective burst option with more horizontal range thanks to Shulk lunging further forward, but the Shield Art instead reduces his burst range during the move. It is almost identical to [[xenoserieswiki:Stream Edge (XC1)|Stream Edge]], one of Shulk's Break-inducing Arts.

|fsmashname=Monado Smash ({{ja|モナドスマッシュ|Monado Sumasshu}})

|fsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|5.5}} (hit 1), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|13}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|11.5}} (hit 2)

|fsmashdesc=A forward thrust, which causes the Monado to reveal its beam blade. It consists of two hits: the first is from the Monado's blade, which leads into the second hit from its beam blade. It is one of the longest ranged non-projectile forward smashes in the game; when coupled with its ability to be angled, it can hit opponents [https://youtu.be/QTbawhu0xxY?t=140 hanging from ledge] if spaced correctly. The Buster Art grants the move good shield-pressuring potential, as it can deplete half a shield. While near the edge of Final Destination, the non-angled blade/beam KOs at 74%/86%. However, the first hit's low [[priority]] makes it easily canceled by weak attacks, while the move's high ending lag (44 frames) makes it completely unsafe on shield. As a result, it is best used as a punishment option or as a high-risk, high-reward mix-up against approaching opponents. It is almost identical to [[xenoserieswiki:Slit Edge (XC1)|Slit Edge]], one of Shulk's physical Arts, albeit with the Monado being held in a standard grip instead of sideways.

|usmashname=Anti-Air Monado ({{ja|アンチエアモナド|Anchi Ea Monado}})

|dsmashname=Pivot Monado ({{ja|ピボットモナド|Pibotto Monado}})

|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|11}} (hit 1), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|12}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|10}} (hit 2), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|10}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|8}} (hit 3), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|8}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|6}} (hit 4), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|6}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|4}} (hit 5)

|dsmashdesc=A series of circular slashes around himself, with Shulk spinning in a full circle three times. It is capable of hitting during any of its five hitboxes (three at Shulk's front and two at his back), with its first hit being strong enough to KO reliably near the edge at 78%/85% (blade/beam). Each spin quickly loses power, but the final spin has slightly more range. The Smash Art grants the later hits KO potential, despite their weak power without any Monado Arts. It is usually impossible to connect more than one hit together unless Buster is active, in which case it will break full shields if an opponent is cornered at an edge and the first three hits land. Extremely useful for punishing [[roll]]s and [[sidestep]]s thanks to its multiple hitboxes and range, but suffers from the most overall lag out of Shulk's smash attacks because of its considerable start-up (hits on frame 18) and ending lag (41 frames). It is almost identical to [[xenoserieswiki:War Swing (XC1)|War Swing]], one of {{s|xenoserieswiki|Reyn}}'s physical Arts.

|nairname=Clock Turn ({{ja|クロックターン|Kurokku Tān}})

|nairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8.5}}/{{ShortHopDmgSSBU|7.5}}

|nairdesc=A circular slash around himself. It is one of Shulk's most useful [[approach]] options, thanks to its wide range, full 360 degree coverage, low landing lag (6 frames) and long duration. Unlike in ''SSB4'' , the hitboxes now match the trail until the end where the Monado retracts its beam blade. Its hitbox begins slightly behind Shulk's toes and continues all the way over his head, allowing the initial frames to start combos if an opponent misses a tech, the later frames being able to punish [[air dodge]]s, and the final frames having approach-deterring utility. Overall, it is one of Shulk's defining moves, as it can start combos while Jump, Speed or Buster are active, which can lead into a grab, neutral attack, forward tilt, up tilt, aerials or [[Air Slash]]. It can also neutralize weak projectiles, such as those from {{SSBU|Toon Link}} or {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}}. However, its long-lasting hitbox and very high ending lag (46 frames) make it a very unsafe move to use off-stage when [[fast falling]], as Shulk will be in serious danger of [[self-destruct]]ing. It is often considered to be one of the best neutral aerials in the game due to its large hitboxes, long duration, and excellent combo starting ability.

|fairname=Wide Slash ({{ja|ワイドスラッシュ|Waido Surasshu}})

|fairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}}/{{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6.5}}

|fairdesc=A downward slash. It has the lowest amount of ending lag out of his aerials (24 frames) and low landing lag (10 frames), while its range grants it excellent coverage for an aerial, which makes it great for interrupting approaches and spacing. It is also a dependable combo option with either Speed or Buster active, and a powerful [[edge-guarding]] move, as it can easily cover their options (in Jump) or KO them outright while offstage at percents as low as 50% (with Smash). In Jump/Speed/Buster, it can allow Shulk to perform a [[wall of pain]] ending with Air Slash; this is a damage/KO combo at certain percentages, which has been dubbed the "Fair Slash" by players.

|bairname=Behind Thrust ({{ja|ビハインドスラスト|Bihaindo Surasuto}})

|bairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|12.5}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|12.5}}/{{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8.5}} (late)

|bairdesc=A delayed reverse gripped thrust. The Monado's blade deals respectable damage with high knockback growth, making it a powerful KO move; it KOs at the edge at roughly 94%/137% (blade/beam) without Arts, and 65%/85% in Smash which makes it the second most powerful back aerial, surpassed only by {{SSBU|Zelda}}'s. It has lost its initial blade hitbox near Shulk's body from ''Smash 4'', but is no longer as punishable due to its reduced landing lag (11 frames). Hence, it is a useful spacing tool due to its high horizontal range, but only if spaced spaced correctly or alongside Jump/Speed's aerial drift. However, it has slow start-up (19 frames) and a narrow, brief hitbox, making it very difficult to time; a few consistent methods are to perform it at the peak of short hop before fast falling without Arts, or immediately out of a short hop in the Speed Art.

|uairname=Stab Up ({{ja|スタッブアップ|Sutabu Appu}})

|uairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|5.5}} (hit 1), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|10.5}}/{{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}} (hit 2)

|uairdesc=An upward thrust, which causes the Monado to reveal its beam blade. Like his forward and up smashes, the first hit from the Monado's blade leads into the second hit from its beam blade. It has tremendous vertical range that is capable of reaching through the main platform of [[Town and City]]; however, it has very minimal horizontal range and each hit only lasts 3 frames, which can make it difficult to connect with, especially if Shulk has too much momentum. It is one of the most damaging up aerials in the game if both hits connect (sweetspot only); coupled with its second hit's high knockback growth, it is a fearsome (albeit difficult to land) KO option near the upper [[blast line]]. It also has the second lowest landing lag out of Shulk's aerials (9 frames), giving it some spammability if under a platform. If the second hit of an up aerial lands, Shulk can land, switch into another Art, and combo into another up aerial; this is a KO confirm known as the "[[xenoserieswiki:Monado Cyclone (XC1)|Monado Cyclone]]" combo that can work at a wide percent range with the right Arts active, though it is quite difficult to set up. Except for the Buster Art, if the second hit is sweetspotted, it is the strongest up aerial in the game, KOing slightly earlier than Zelda's.

|dairname=Stab Down ({{ja|スタッブダウン|Sutabu Daun}})

|dairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|7.5}} (hit 1 grounded), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6}} (hit 1 aerial), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|11.5}}/{{ShortHopDmgSSBU|10.5}} (hit 2)

|dairdesc=A downward thrust, which causes the Monado to reveal its beam blade. It hits twice in the same fashion as his up aerial, but the first hit deals more damage to grounded opponents. The second hit [[meteor smash]]es aerial opponents if the blade hitbox connects. Like his up aerial, it has minimal horizontal range, each hit only lasts 3 frames, and its first hit might not connect into its second hit if Shulk is moving too fast. However, it has excellent range and high knockback, making it a decent edge-guarding option, as it can stage spike edge-hanging opponents, reach distant offstage opponents, or even KO outright at the edge starting from 108%. The first hit can also drag opponents offstage for a meteor smash if they are standing right next to an edge.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|pummelname=Grab Hilt Bash ({{ja|つかみヒルトバッシュ|Tsukami Hiruto Basshu}})

|pummeldmg=1.3%

|pummeldesc=Hits the opponent with the Monado's pommel. Average power and speed without any Arts active. It becomes the second most damaging pummel in the game with Buster active (1.82%), only behind {{SSBU|Kazuya}}.

|fthrowname=Hold Swing ({{ja|ホールドスイング|Hōrudo Suingu}})

|fthrowdesc=An upward slash. It lacks true follow-ups because of its base knockback, but it can lead into a dash attack or a forward aerial at low percentages with Speed or Buster active. With the Smash Art active, it is a powerful KOing option, doing so at about 110% at the edge of Final Destination. It is also capable of [[lock]]ing nearby floored opponents, a trait shared with all of Shulk's throws.

|bthrowname=Back Breaker ({{ja|バックブレイカー|Bakku Bureikā}})

|bthrowdesc=Pulls the opponent behind himself and performs a reversed gripped thrust. Shulk's most damaging throw and causes the opponent to suffer back-facing knockback, which allows it to be used as a set-up for [[Back Slash]]. With Smash active, it is one of the strongest back throws in the game, as it KOs around 90%, surpassing {{SSBU|Ness}}' back throw.

|uthrowname=Underhand Spear ({{ja|アンダーハンドスピア|Andāhando Supia}})

|uthrowdesc=Heaves the opponent in the air and performs a kneeling upward thrust. It is mostly used for aerial mixups since it cannot true combo into most attacks: at low percentages and/or with Buster active, it can lead into up tilt or [[Air Slash]], or a ground attack if the opponent [[air dodge]]s. With Jump active, it can lead into a neutral aerial or forward aerial, the latter of which requires the opponent to DI away. At high percentages, it can act as a set-up into the "[[xenoserieswiki:Monado Purge (XC1)|Monado Purge]]" combo, which is an up throw to up aerial, though this is extremely situational since opponents can air dodge out of it in any direction.

|dthrowname=Earth Pierce ({{ja|アースピアース|Āsu Piāsu}})

|dthrowdmg=3% (hit 1), 2.5% (throw)

|dthrowdesc=Pins the opponent to the ground and performs a jumping downward thrust. With no Arts active or any Art active aside from Buster, it lacks combo or KO potential because of its throw hitbox's base knockback and very low damage output. However, it is an excellent combo throw with Buster active, as it can follow up with down tilt or forward tilt at low to mid percentages, forward smash, forward aerial or Air Slash at mid percentages, and even start a KO combo into Air Slash or other attacks if Buster is buffer-canceled during the throw's animation.

|edgedmg=9%

|nsdesc=[[xenoserieswiki:Activate Monado|Activates one of five Monado Arts]]: Jump, [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Speed (XC1)|Speed]], [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Shield (XC1)|Shield]], [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Buster (XC1)|Buster]], or Smash. Each Art significantly enhances particular attributes at the cost of significantly hindering others, and all last for varying durations unless manually canceled. A wheel can be used by holding the special button, selecting an Art, and then releasing the Special button, which instantly activates an Art even while in hitstun; alternatively, the special button can be pressed once to cycle through each Art manually, and pressed thrice to cancel a current Art. Each Art has varied cooldown times and durations. Shulk poses and announces an Art's name if it activates when he is not attacking or dodging; this grants 14 frames of intangibility and can be used to replace landing lag animations or change directions in midair. This is pivotal for several Monado Art-based [[advanced technique]]s, including the {{h2|Monado Arts|Monado Art landing lag cancel}}ing and [[Monado Arts#Dial storage|dial storage]].

|ssdmg=10%/9% (front hit), 16%/14% (back hit), 15%/13% (back hit landing)

|ssdesc=[[xenoserieswiki:Back Slash (XC1)|A leaping downward slash]], with Shulk occasionally yelling "Back Slash!" during the move. The Monado's blade beam glows red during the move, referencing physical Arts in his home game. Shulk takes a small leap forward upon start-up, giving it slightly more range and allows him to jump over small projectiles. The distance of the leap can be adjusted by holding left or right during the leap. True to its name, it deals more damage and has higher knockback if it hits the opponent's back: the blade/beam hitbox will KO at around 74%/88% at the edge. Conversely, the front hitbox is incapable of KOing until excessively high percentages, unless in the Smash Art. It has recovery potential since it snaps to the edge if started at a height slightly higher than the top platform of Battlefield, though it is risky since the move cannot be canceled.

|usdesc=[[xenoserieswiki:Air Slash (XC1)|A jumping upward slash]], similar to [[Dolphin Slash]], with Shulk occasionally yelling "Air Slash!" The Monado's blade beam glows pink during the move, referencing Break-inducing Arts in his home game. It is a [[natural combo]]: its first hit has set knockback, while pressing the attack button again will result in a second hit, which is an outward slash that grants a small vertical boost, especially if used late. Its second hit has extremely high knockback growth, which makes it a useful KOing option, especially from [[out of shield]]; its second hit KOs approximately at 106% near an edge. The Jump Art increases vertical distance gained by the first slash. However, the Jump Art can cause the natural combo to whiff due to the additional vertical distance. The first slash will automatically snap to edges during its ending frames.

|dsdmg=1.3× (minimum: 10%/9% (normal), 13%/10% (forward-held))

|dsdesc=Braces himself while holding the Monado near his face to [[xenoserieswiki:Vision|foresee an attack]]. If he is hit, Shulk [[counterattack]]s with a slow, powerful, and long-ranged slash that launches opponents forward. Alternatively, holding forward while counterattacking on the ground causes a fast dashing slash that deals more damage and knockback growth in addition to launching opponents backward, but its speed and Shulk's momentum can cause it to occasionally miss its target. Previously one of the strongest counters in ''SSB4'', its knockback scaling has remained similar and it is nearly as strong as it was, but it is no longer [[unblockable]]. Monado Arts can affect the KO potential of the counterattack. As a downside, Vision loses counter frames if repeatedly used over a short period of time, making it and [[Witch Time]] the only counterattacks that lose effectiveness if spammed. Counter frames are regained over time or once Shulk is KO'd. The counter's pose resembles {{s|xenoserieswiki|Shadow Eye}}, one of Shulk's supportive Arts. The normal counterattack is almost identical to Stream Edge, one of Shulk's Break-inducing Arts, whereas the forward-held counterattack is a reference to {{s|xenoserieswiki|Thunder}}, one of Dunban's ether Arts.

|fsdmg=3% (hit 1), 2% (hits 2-12), 12% (hit 13 front opponent), 2% (hit 13 other opponents) 5% (hit 14). Total: 46% (front opponent), 36% (other opponents)

|fsdesc=Emits a sphere of bright light in front of himself. If it hits an opponent, Shulk summons [[Dunban]], [[Riki]], and [[Fiora]] to perform a [[xenoserieswiki:Chain Attack (XC1)|Chain Attack]] on the opponent, which he then concludes with a powerful slash. Chain Attack's damage output and knockback are also affected by Monado Arts. However, it has a short range, as Shulk needs to be close to the opponent in order for its first hit to land. In addition, Arts can expire during the Chain Attack's cutscene, which affects its damage output and knockback.

*'''Up taunt''': Holds his right hand out and says while shaking his head, "Now it's Shulk time!" ({{ja|穏やかじゃないですね。|Odayaka janai desu ne.}}, ''Not being gentle, huh?''). The animation itself resembles the one Shulk performs when engaging in a conversation in ''Xenoblade Chronicles''. The English phrase is a reference to Reyn, his best friend and one of his party members, who utters the phrase "Now it's Reyn time!" whenever his Talent Art gauge is completely filled during combat. The Japanese phrase similarly references a popular phrase in Japan; in this case, a line Shulk commonly says when accepting quests.

*'''Side taunt''': Grips the Monado's handle with his right hand while triumphantly pumping his left fist and announcing "I'm really feeling it!" ({{ja|だんだんノってきたよ！|Dandan notte kita yo!}}, ''Gradually getting the hang of it!''). This is one of the lines Shulk may announce in ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' when his tension level increases in combat.

*'''Down taunt''': Grips the Monado with both hands, activates it, and poses similarly to when he activates Buster while saying "This is the Monado's power!" ({{ja|モナドの力よ！|Monado no chikara yo!}}, ''The Monado's power! / The power of the Monado!''). If timed correctly, it can dodge certain projectiles, such as {{b|Blaster|disambiguation}}, [[Bow and Arrows]], and [[Palutena Bow]]. This is one of the lines Shulk may announce when he uses his "Activate Monado" Talent Art in ''Xenoblade Chronicles''.

SSBUShulkIdle1.gif|Shulk's first idle pose.

SSBUShulkIdle2.gif|Shulk's second idle pose.

*'''Left:''' Raises the Monado, activates it, and swings it in an outward, downward arc. He then deactivates it and places it on his back, saying either "I got through that pretty good!" ({{ja|よかった、これで解決ですね。|Yokatta, kore de kaiketsu desu ne.}}, ''All good, it's been quite resolved.'') or "This is a good result!" ({{ja|結構よい仕上がりだね。|Kekkō yoi shiagari da ne.}}, ''It was a splendid completion, huh?'').

*'''Right:''' Bows down with the Monado held lengthwise, with the Monado activating before Shulk holds it in a reverse grip, saying either "I can feel the power!" ({{ja|うん、力を感じる！|Un, chikara wo kanjiru!}}, ''Hmm, I feel the power.'') or "I can change the future." ({{ja|未来は…変えられるんだ！|Mirai wa… kae rarerun da!}}, ''The future… I can change it!'').

==In [[competitive play]]==

===Most historically significant players===

<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

 

''See also: [[:Category:Shulk players (SSBU)]]''

 

*{{Sm|Akio|Japan}} - Initially known for his strong results online, Akio made his debut offline in 2023 with several regional-level wins before becoming better known after placing 2nd at {{Trn|LEADD+2}} defeating {{Sm|Paseriman}}. Since then, he has become one of the best Shulk players in the world, especially in 2024, where he placed 17th at {{Trn|Kowloon 12 with Kagaribi}} defeating {{Sm|Kameme}} and 33rd at {{Trn|DELTA 8}} defeating {{Sm|Asimo}} while ranking 76th on the [[LumiRank 2024.1]].

*{{Sm|jaredisking1|USA}} - The best Shulk player in North America since 2022. In addition to regularly placing top 8 at [[Pacific Northwest]] events, he is also the third Shulk player to place top 8 at a major, placing 5th at {{Trn|Rise 'N Grind}}, and has also placed 13th at {{Trn|Port Priority 7}}; these two performances mark some of the best Shulk performances in North America during this time.  

*{{Sm|Kome|Japan}} - The best Shulk player of all-time who regularly ranked in the top 50 between 2019 and 2023. Although infamously inconsistent, he is the only Shulk player who has placed top 8 at multiple majors, including 2nd at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}} &mdash; the closest a Shulk player has come to winning a major &mdash; and 3rd at {{Trn|2GG: SwitchFest 2019}}, {{Trn|Kagaribi 5}}, and {{Trn|Wave 4}}.  

*{{Sm|Nicko|USA}} - The best Shulk player in North America in 2019, and the second-best Shulk player in the world during this time. He is best known for winning {{Trn|Play With Heart}} and placing 2nd at {{Trn|Port Priority 5}} defeating {{Sm|Dabuz}} twice, and has also done well at majors, including placing 13th at {{Trn|2GG: Prime Saga}} and {{Trn|Mainstage}}. Although less active since 2019, he still manages to place well when he attends, such as placing 2nd at {{Trn|Wavedash 2022}}.

*{{Sm|Tru4|Germany}} - The best Shulk player in Europe in 2019, being ranked 91st on the [[OrionRank 2019]]. He is best known for winning {{Trn|DoKomi 2019}} and placing 7th at {{Trn|Ultimate Fighting Arena 2019}}, making him only the second Shulk player to place top 8 at a major. He was less active in the subsequent years and eventually stopped competing, but remains a prominent community member in Germany.

 

Throughout ''Ultimate''{{'}}s lifespan, many players placed Shulk as a high tier or even top tier character in their own tier lists; this is due to the buffs he received such as reduced landing lag and the ability to utilize his Monado Arts faster. However, due to a high learning curve and reliance of advanced techniques like [[Monado Arts#Dial storage|dial storage]], Shulk's playerbase has remained rather small compared to other top- and high-tier characters; his representation has hovered around the top 30 for most of the game's competitive lifespan. Despite his relatively small playerbase, his best players have historically performed well with the character. Shulk was represented in the early metagame by {{Sm|Kome}} and {{Sm|Nicko}}, both of whom were ultimately ranked on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]]. Although Nicko became less active after the online metagame, Kome continued to see strong, albeit inconsistent, results at majors, while {{Sm|jaredisking1}} also achieved some good placements in the United States. As such, despite sparse tournament representation, Shulk's strong performances from dedicated mains led to him being ranked 19th on the first tier list, at the end of the top tier.  

 

However, many players contested Shulk's placement on the first tier list, in part due to his top-level representation remaining small for a top-tier. Further hurting Shulk's reputation was a noticeable hit in representation after the release of the first tier list, as his best players became less consistent and active, leading his representation to slip below the top 40 by the end of 2023. This inconsistency was most apparent with Kome, who, despite always being somewhat inconsistent before 2023, became even more volatile: he would have strong peaks such as placing 3rd at {{Trn|Wave 4}}, but would also have some poor lows, including placing 65th at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 12}}. As such, Shulk slipped six spots to 25th on the second tier list, now ranking in the A- tier.

Shulk's opponents represent one of the [[Monado Arts]] and are fought in the cycling order of each Art in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. The penultimate battle against {{SSBU|Mega Man}} continues the theme by having Mega Man represent [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Enchant (XC1)|Monado Enchant]] from ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' (represented by the kanji for "Machine"), which references that Art's ability of allowing Shulk's party to damage {{s|xenoserieswiki|Mechon}} with conventional weapons.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|1||{{CharHead|Falco|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Lylat Cruise]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Star Fox|Space Armada}}''||Represents Monado Jump.

|2||{{CharHead|Sonic|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Windy Hill Zone]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Sonic The Hedgehog|Windy Hill - Zone 1}}''||Represents [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Speed (XC1)|Monado Speed]].

|3||Giant {{CharHead|King K. Rool|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Jungle Japes]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Crocodile Cacophony}}''||Represents [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Shield (XC1)|Monado Shield]].

|4||{{CharHead|Cloud|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Midgar]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Final Fantasy|Let the Battles Begin!}}''||Represents [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Buster (XC1)|Monado Buster]]. It is also a reference to the name of Cloud's signature weapon, the Buster Sword.

|5||{{CharHead|Little Mac|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Boxing Ring]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|World Circuit Theme}}''||Represents Monado Smash.

|6||{{CharHead|Mega Man|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Wily Castle]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Metal Man Stage}}''||Represents [[xenoserieswiki:Monado Enchant (XC1)|Monado Enchant]].

During the opening cutscene, Shulk is briefly seen on the cliffside when Galeem unleashed his beams of light. After the Master Hands begin turning into energy for [[Galeem]] to absorb, Shulk experiences a {{s|xenoserieswiki|vision}} where all of the fighters are captured and the universe is consumed by light at the hands of Galeem. Shulk turns back attempting to warn his comrades, but before he can tell the other fighters what he foresaw, his vision comes true when Galeem unleashes a shower of light that vaporizes Shulk off-screen and imprisons him with the rest of the fighters except for {{SSBU|Kirby}}.

In the mode proper, he can be found right over a cliff that leads to a waterfall. The area Shulk can be found at is rocky and grassy with many water features, reminiscent to the appearance of [[Gaur Plain]]. His location is guarded by the spirit of [[List of spirits (Fire Emblem series)|Camilla]].

!style="width:5%;"|No.

!style="width:5%;"|Image

!Name

!Type

!Power

!Stage

!Music

|57

|[[File:Shulk SSBU.png|center|108x108px]]

|Shulk

|{{SpiritType|Attack}} <center>{{color|#dc1029|Attack}}</center>

|8,200

|[[Gaur Plain]] ([[Ω form]])

|''{{SSBUMusicLink|Xenoblade|Xenoblade Chronicles Medley}}''

{{clr}}

Shulk's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Shulk has been unlocked. Unlocking Shulk in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork in ''Ultimate''.

SSBU spirit Shulk.png|951. '''''Shulk'''''

==In Spirit Battles==

|{{SpiritTableName|Beedle|size=64}}

|''The Legend of Zelda'' Series

|{{SpiritTableName|ProtoMan.EXE|size=64}}

|''Mega Man Battle Network'' Series

|rowspan="2"|966

|{{SpiritTableName|Rex|link=y|size=64|dlcalt=y}}

|rowspan="2"|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|rowspan="2"|•{{SSBU|Shulk}} {{Head|Shulk|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}} (90 HP)<br>•{{SSBU|Lucina}} {{Head|Lucina|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}} (90 HP)

|rowspan="2"|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|rowspan="2"|9,900

|{{SpiritTableName|Satoru|size=64}}

|''Trade & Battle: Card Hero'' Series

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Worthy Rival Battle}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Ryota Hayami|size=64}}

|''Wave Race'' Series

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Wii Sports Resort}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Isa Jo|size=64}}

|''Sin & Punishment'' Series

|{{SpiritTableName|Satoru Amatsubo|size=64}}

|•{{SSBU|Shulk}} {{Head|Shulk|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Orange}}<br>•{{SSBU|Mega Man}} {{Head|Mega Man|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Brown}}×3

|{{SpiritTableName|Allen|size=64}}

|''Culdcept'' Series

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Worthy Rival Battle}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Fiora|link=y|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Shulk}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Mecha-Fiora|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Shulk}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Dunban|link=y|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Shulk}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Melia|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Shulk}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Riki (Xenoblade Chronicles)|customname=[[Riki]] (Xenoblade Chronicles)|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Shulk}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Pyra|link=y|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Lucina}} {{Head|Lucina|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}<br>•{{SSBU|Shulk}} {{Head|Shulk|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}

|[[Rex]]

|{{SpiritTableName|Mythra|link=y|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|[[Rex]]

|{{SpiritTableName|ASTRAL CHAIN Hero (Female)|size=64}}

SSBUWebsiteShulk2.jpg|Activating the Smash Art on {{SSBU|Battlefield}}.

SSBUWebsiteShulk3.jpg|Fighting {{SSBU|Samus}} on [[Gaur Plain]].

SSBUWebsiteLucina3.jpg|Getting attacked by {{SSBU|Lucina}} on [[Temple]].

SSBUWebsite11.jpg|Activating the Buster Art on Battlefield.

===Fighter Showcase Video===

*Shulk's pose in his official artwork resembles the pose he assumes when selecting Monado Arts from the move's menu.

*Shulk's artwork was one of the three that have been updated on the official site, alongside {{SSBU|Falco}} and {{SSBU|Palutena}}. In his case, the lighting on his hair and face has been modified, making his features appear less flat.

*Despite fighting mechanical foes in his game, [[Galleom]] does not appear as a boss in Shulk's Classic Mode route.

*In Shulk's right victory pose, his mouth will either be open or closed during the actual pose depending on what quote he is saying. His mouth will be closed if the "I can change the future!" quote plays, while it will be open if his "I can feel the power!" quote is played.

*Shulk appears in the most Legend-rank spirit battles as an ally, at a total of four.

**Specifically, he appears in the Mecha-[[Fiora]], [[Pyra]], [[Mythra]], and {{s|xenoserieswiki|Pneuma}} spirit battles.