User blog:XenoRalph/All About the Monado Boy

So... Shulk. For me, he was a great newcomer to Sm4sh. Now, I picked up on him inside and outside of Sm4sh. Unfortunately, most people do not see or understand his potenial as a great Sm4sh character. That is why this blog was created. I am going to tell you some tips about Shulk and how to hopefully make a him one of your mains, a MAINado Boy!



Alright, first you should know about Sm4sh Shulk, so if you have not yet, go to Shulk's page or click the blue name right there. Now for some tips!

First, the Monado Arts. Everyone should know these arts, their strengths and weaknesses. However, you could use a specific pattern of arts to help you increase damage, the ability to stay on stage longer or to recover. Here is a list:
 * Start of a battle and increase of damage - Buster (obviously) and Speed (rack up damage quickly with quick and fast aerial attacks)
 * Recovery - Jump (obviously) and Speed (more lateral air movement)
 * Survivability (Yes, it is a word) - Speed (fast movement) and Shield (obviously)
 * Fast KOs - Buster (racks up damage), then to Smash (easy KOs)
 * Offstage battles - Jump and Speed (get some hits and recover safely) and Smash (aerials become deadly offstage)
 * Onstage battles - Speed, Buster, Smash

Next, Side, Up and Down Specials. Even thought Back Slash has been buffed with less start-up lag, it still leaves Shulk open. So, use it after back throws (opponent might tech though), when they are distracted, or in situations when an opponent can not turn around (Ex. Stunned, helpless state, etc.) Air Slash is a great recovery tool and a good-looking, offstage KO move. You can use this out of shield for great damage with Buster or a good KO move with Smash. Vision is undoubtly the best counter in the game, with the longest counter window, higher KO potential than other counters, and even an O.P. custom move: Power Vision. Use Vision to counter strong attacks and remember to not spam the counter, as the counter window and attack power will decrease after repeated use.

Finally, the throws, tilts, aerials and smash attacks. All these moves have considerable lag, so space betwwen opponents to lower your chances of being punished. Back throw, at low percents, lead into a Back Slash (if the opponent doesn't tech) and Up throw can lead into multiple Up tilts. Down and Foward throw can lead into a string of aerials and more throws with the Speed art activated.

All of Shulk's tilts have amazing range, good attack power (Foward and Up tilt even having KO potentials), but considerable lag too.

Shulk's smash attacks have the longest range of any swordsmen, extreme KO power, but they have very long ending lag. Space these attacks and use the arts with them. Shulk's aerials are important to his moveset as they differ with each art too. Nair is a great combo starter with any art and has good range with auto-cancelling lag. Fair also has good range, a good combo move to use and can lead into a string of Fairs offstage with and w/o arts. Uair has considerable lage, but makes up for it with range and power. These same goes for Dair, but this aerial has a meteor effect, so use it when you can. His Bair is interesting as it can KO much easier, with the ending lag being long, amd it can attack opponents in front and behind Shulk. Use this move sparingly with the arts as they can also lead to punishments for Shulk.

These are most of the tips I can explain for Shulk, but if you want more info. on Shulk, go to Distant Kingdom on Youtube. Jerm, the Shulk player, is very pro with Shulk and has some amazing videos/tutorials on the Monado Boy, so check him out. Anyways, I hope these tips will help new or beginner Shulk mains to help improve their playing style. See ya next time!