Shulk (SSBU): Difference between revisions

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.

Thanks to the Monado Arts, Shulk is highly adaptive, and usually has an easier time mixing up his playstyle compared to other characters so long as his Arts are used effectively and in tandem with his powerful air game. Such an example would be constantly switching from Jump and Shield to stall a losing match, or activating different arts while being juggled to affect Shulk's falling speed, and hence mess up an opponent's combo. It also allows him to use [[rage]] effectively, especially when combined with Shield in order to survive and accumulate rage, or with Smash for a risky, yet powerful boost in knockback.

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.

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.

{{MovesetTable

|game=SSBU

|neutralcount=3

|neutral1dmg=2%

|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)

|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)

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

*{{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|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.

===Tier placement and history===

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.