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'''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]].
'''Shulk''' ({{ja|シュルク|Shuruku}}, ''Shulk'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. 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]].
{{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]].


Shulk is ranked 25th out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing him in the A- tier. This is a significant improvement from his 34th out of 54 placement in ''SSB4''. One of Shulk's greatest strengths is his enormous disjointed range, courtesy of the Monado. This allows him to outrange almost every fighter in the game, which gives him one of the most effective spacing capabilities relative to the rest of the cast. Shulk can further enhance his strengths through the usage of [[Monado Arts]]. They allow him to change his stats on command, depending on the Art selected. To name a few, Speed Art allows him to run faster and improve his approach and Buster Art gives him increased damage output in exchange for less knockback, allowing for high-damaging combos. Shield Art, in particular, is notorious for breaking out of combos due to decrease knockback taken.  
Shulk is ranked 25th out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing him in the A- tier. This is a significant improvement from his 34th out of 54 placement in ''SSB4''. One of Shulk's greatest strengths is his enormous disjointed range, courtesy of the Monado. This allows him to outrange almost every fighter in the game, which gives Shulk one of the most effective spacing capabilities relative to the rest of the cast. Shulk can further enhance his strengths through the usage of [[Monado Arts]]. They allow him to change his stats on command, depending on the art selected. To name a few, Speed Art allows him to run faster and improve his approach and Buster Art gives him increased damage output in exchange for less knockback, allowing for high-damaging combos. Shield Art, in particular, is notorious for breaking out of combos due to decrease knockback taken.  


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.
Despite the amount of strengths, Shulk is not flawless. He still retains his sluggish frame data and startup of a 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 if it gets disrupted, he can lose his stock fairly early if he has used his midair jump, even with Jump Art in store. Speaking of Monado Arts, despite giving Shulk upgrades, they also grant multiples downsides. For example, while Smash Art gives him better KO power, it also greatly increases knockback taken, giving Shulk a worse endurance than even Pichu while in Smash Art, giving it some risk to using it. Finally, Shulk is one of the most difficult characters to master since he has a lot of advanced techniques, and properly using Monado Arts mid-match has to account for fast decision-making to see which art is best suited for each situation.


==How to unlock==
==How to unlock==
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==Attributes==
==Attributes==
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 is a [[weight|middleweight]] 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'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.
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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.
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.
Much like in his [[Xenoblade Chronicles (universe)|home game]], 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.
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.
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Even having no Arts active is disadvantageous, as Shulk's balanced attributes do not allow him to easily approach or catch up with opponents. Having no Arts active also hinders him offensively: very few of Shulk's moves possess combo potential past low percentages, and all his smash attacks are punishable because of their high ending lag. This forces Shulk to be reliant on edge-guarding and spacing while waiting for an Art to refresh, and requires him to capitalize on the duration of a needed Art to the fullest in order to perform certain techniques (such as combo strings or approaching), compared to other characters who may have the ability to do so at any time.
Even having no Arts active is disadvantageous, as Shulk's balanced attributes do not allow him to easily approach or catch up with opponents. Having no Arts active also hinders him offensively: very few of Shulk's moves possess combo potential past low percentages, and all his smash attacks are punishable because of their high ending lag. This forces Shulk to be reliant on edge-guarding and spacing while waiting for an Art to refresh, and requires him to capitalize on the duration of a needed Art to the fullest in order to perform certain techniques (such as combo strings or approaching), compared to other characters who may have the ability to do so at any time.


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.
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.


==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
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.
Shulk has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition to ''Ultimate'', but he was greatly buffed overall. 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.
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.
In addition to lower landing lag and faster, more reliable mobility, a few of Shulk's moves possess less lag, such as [[dash attack]] and [[neutral air]]; the latter even executes faster. 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.
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.
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]], while remaining slightly unreliable under some circumstances, like activating it in the air 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 some opponents to pressure Shulk without his Arts active, and the reduced landing lag worsens his already poor out of shield game.


Shulk's defining [[Monado Arts]] have been altered significantly. They no longer take their damage multiplier into account for the opponent's final percentage, helping Speed preserve its knockback and further improving Smash's KO power. They also now perform more like [[Monado Arts|Hyper Monado Arts]] from ''SSB4'', with both their benefits and detriments being amplified: Jump has faster air mobility and further increases the distance of Air Slash, but further increases damage taken by Shulk; Speed offers much faster mobility, but further reduces damage; Shield improves his defense even more to the point he can survive [[smash attacks]] even past 200%, but his moves now deal less knockback alongside their lowered damage, and Shield's duration lowers significantly if he is hit; Buster's lower knockback multiplier now grants Shulk true throw combos (which compensates for the loss of Speed ones), but it also increases damage taken by Shulk; and Smash now buffs Shulk's KO potential to such an extent that he is easily capable of KOing opponents very early below 100%, but causes his endurance to be the absolute worst in the game. Shulk retains the ability to switch Monado Arts while in hitstun, which can allow him to disrupt or outright escape true combos and KO setups, and he can now instantly access them at any time by holding the special button and selecting an art instead of pressing it multiple times (though said feature is still present). However, all of his individual Arts last significantly shorter and have much longer cooldown times, which combined with their amplified drawbacks makes them riskier to use and more susceptible to counterplay. Finally, the multitude of [[advanced technique]]s that can be performed with Monado Arts have been altered significantly, with engine changes causing some to be completely removed (such as [[Monado_Arts#Buffered_deactivation|Buffered Deactivation]]), while introducing new ones ([[Monado_Arts#Dial_storage|Dial Storage]]).
Shulk's defining [[Monado Arts]] have been altered significantly. They no longer take their damage multiplier into account for the opponent's final percentage, helping Speed preserve its knockback and further improving Smash's KO power. They also now perform more like [[Monado Arts|Hyper Monado Arts]] from ''SSB4'', with both their benefits and detriments being amplified: Jump has faster air mobility and further increases the distance of Air Slash, but further increases damage taken by Shulk; Speed offers much faster mobility, but further reduces damage; Shield improves his defense even more to the point he can survive [[smash attacks]] even past 200%, but his moves now deal less knockback alongside their lowered damage, and Shield's duration lowers significantly if he is hit; Buster's lower knockback multiplier now grants Shulk true throw combos (which compensates for the loss of Speed ones), but it also increases damage taken by Shulk; and Smash now buffs Shulk's KO potential to such an extent that he is easily capable of KOing opponents very early below 100%, but causes his endurance to be the absolute worst in the game. Shulk retains the ability to switch Monado Arts while in hitstun, which can allow him to disrupt or outright escape true combos and KO setups, and he can now instantly access them at any time by holding the special button and selecting an art instead of pressing it multiple times (though said feature is still present). However, all of his individual Arts last significantly shorter and have much longer cooldown times, which combined with their amplified drawbacks makes them riskier to use and more susceptible to counterplay. Finally, the multitude of [[advanced technique]]s that can be performed with Monado Arts have been altered significantly, with engine changes causing some to be completely removed (such as [[Monado_Arts#Buffered_deactivation|Buffered Deactivation]]), while introducing new ones ([[Monado_Arts#Dial_storage|Dial Storage]]).
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''See also: [[:Category:Shulk players (SSBU)]]''
''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|FuerzaDON|Mexico}} - The best Shulk player in Mexico. Placed 9th at both {{Trn|Ragnarok}} and {{Trn|WeTecThose 9}}, 13th at {{Trn|Abierto Guadalajara Ultimo Reto}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Smash Factor 8}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Nair^}}, {{Sm|8BitMan}}, and {{Sm|Chag}}. Currently ranked 30th on the [[Mexican Power Rankings]].
*{{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|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 second Shulk player to top 8 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}} — the closest a Shulk player has come to winning a major — and 3rd at {{Trn|2GG: SwitchFest 2019}}, {{Trn|Kagaribi 5}}, and {{Trn|Wave 4}}.  
*{{Sm|Kome|Japan}} - The best Shulk player of all-time who has regularly ranked in the top 50 since 2019. Although infamously inconsistent, he is the only Shulk player who had placed top 8 at multiple majors, including 2nd at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}}, the closest a Shulk player was to win a major, 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|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.
*{{Sm|Tru4|Germany}} - One of the best Shulk players in Europe. Placed 1st at {{Trn|DoKomi 2019}}, 4th at both {{Trn|Battle Arena Melbourne 11}} and {{Trn|DreamHack Leipzig 2020}}, 7th at {{Trn|Ultimate Fighting Arena 2019}}, and 9th at {{Trn|VCA 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|WaDi}}, {{Sm|Puppeh}}, and {{Sm|Meru}}. Ranked 11th on the [[European Smash Rankings]].
*{{Sm|Uncivil ninja|USA}} - The best Shulk player in Florida. Placed 9th at both {{Trn|Tampa Never Sleeps 8}} and {{Trn|CEO Dreamland 2020}}, 17th at {{Trn|Come to Papa 3}}, and 25th at both {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves}} and {{Trn|GENESIS 7}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|VoiD}}, {{Sm|Myran}}, and {{Sm|8BitMan}}.


===Tier placement and history===
===Tier placement and history===
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.  
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 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, his strong performances from dedicated mains led to him being ranked 19th on the first tier list, at the end of the top tier. He would later fall to 25th on the second and current tier list, but remains ranked as a high tier character in the A- 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.


=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Witness the Monado's Power==
=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Witness the Monado's Power==
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==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Shulk's pose in his official artwork resembles the pose he assumes when selecting Monado Arts from the move's menu.
*Shulk's pose in his official render 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.
*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 have been modified, making his features appear less flat.
*In the Gourmet Race section of the [[World of Light]], a visual glitch occurs when the "New Record!" announcement appears. After it shows, Shulk will run with the Monado in hand until he performs another action.
*In the Gourmet Race section of the [[World of Light]], a visual glitch occurs when the "New Record!" announcement appears. After it shows, Shulk will run with the Monado in hand until he performs another action.
*Despite fighting mechanical foes in his game, [[Galleom]] does not appear as a boss in Shulk's Classic Mode route.
*Despite fighting mechanical foes in his game, [[Galleom]] does not appear as a boss in Shulk's Classic Mode route.

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