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Shulk Guide (For both beginners and experienced players) Incomplete

Game Versions
Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
Overview
I know this is ugly, but I'll clean it up a bit as time goes on.
As you may know if you've ever played Shulk, he has a lot of range, which comes with quite a big consequence: he has a lot of lag on his moves. Though he may have a lot, that doesn't stop him from having combos. They can deal a good amount of damage if you need get them. He also has a unique neutral special, the Monado Arts. These can allow him to change his dominant ability at any given time if you haven't used that Monado in the last 11 seconds. So this means he is a very dynamic character, changing his play style on a dime depending on the situation, such as Jump, which can be used to help boost your recovery when you are offstage, this has saved many stocks for me, and it will save many for you if you decide to main Shulk, which I would assume you are doing since you are seeing this. His attacks have been buffed in damage in some of the patches, though the most recent one also took 2 frames of landing lag of of all of his aerials. He has some advanced techniques such as MALLC(Monado Art Landing Lag Cancel) and SABDJCUS/SABDJFair(Speed Art Buffered Deactivation Jump Cancelled Up Smash/ Speed Art Buffered Deactivation Jump Forward Aerial) I will explain these later in the ADVANCED TECHS section of this guide. Many people consider Shulk a low-tier character, and so do I. I sum up why he's low-tier in 5 words: He's slow, laggy and unsafe. He has low run speed and air speed without the Monado Art's buffs, and he will always have a lot of lag on his moves, since that compensates for the great range he possesses. In my opinion, his best Monado Arts are the Speed Art and the Buster Art, they both allow him to combo well. Speed helps him move faster to connect more attacks together and Buster decreases knockback but increases damage so he can string many attacks together for great amounts of damage. Now, let's get into Shulk's Monado Arts to start you off with Shulk.



SHULK'S MONADO ARTS
翔 Jump Monado(Green)~
-increases Shulk's jump height
-increases Shulk's short-hop height
-increases Shulk's fall and fast fall speed
-increases Shulk's aerial movement
-increases Air Slashes recovery height
-decreases Shulk's defense by ~22%(.78x)
-no damage changes
-no ground speed changes
-no given knockback changes


疾 Speed Monado(Blue)~
-increases ground movement
-increases aerial movement
-decreases Shulk's jump height
-decreases Shulk's short-hop height
-damage deals ~80%(.8x) as much as normal Shulk
-no defense changes
-no given knockback changes
-Air Slash is unaffected in height
-allows SABDJCUS/SABDJFair
///(will explain in ADVANCED TECHS)


盾 Shield Monado(Yellow)~
-increases shield health
-increases knockback resistance
-decreases damage taken by ~33%(~.67x)
-decreases Shulk's jump height
-decreases Shulk's short-hop height
-decreases Shulk's aerial movement
-decreases Shulk's ground speed
-decreases damage dealt by ~30%(.7x)
-decreases knockback dealt
-Air Slash is unaffected in height


斬 Buster Monado(Pinkish)~
-increases damage dealt by ~40%(1.4x)
-decreases Shulk's defense by ~13%(.87x)
-decreases knockback given
-no aerial movement changes
-no ground speed changes
-no jump height changes
-no short-hop changes
-Air Slash is unaffected in height


撃 Smash Monado(Red)~
-increases knockback dealt
-decreases Shulk's knockback resistance
-decreases damage dealt by ~50%(.5x)
-no change in damage taken
-no change in jump height
-no change in short-hop height
-no aerial movement changes
-no ground speed changes
-Air Slash is unaffected in height



SHULK'S FRAMEDATA
General Attacks
Jab 1~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 5-6
FAF(First Actionable Frame)-- Frame 26
Damage Dealt-- ~3.5%

Jab 2~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 5-7
FAF-- Frame 34
Damage Dealt-- ~3.5%

Jab 3~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 12-13
FAF-- Frame 45
Damage Dealt-- ~5.3%
///Jab 3 Late Hit~
///Hitbox Active-- Frame 14
///Same FAF
///Damage Dealt-- ~4.2%

Dash Attack~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 15-16
FAF-- Frame 53
Damage Dealt-- ~11.5%

Forward Tilt~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 12-13
FAF-- Frame 44
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- ~13.5%
---Sourspot-- 12/13%

Up Tilt~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 11-12
FAF-- Frame 40
Damage Dealt-- ~8.5%
///Up Tilt Late Hit~
///Hitbox Active-- Frame 13-23
///Same FAF
///Damage Dealt--
///---Sweetspot-- ~8.5%
///---Sourspot-- ~7.5%

Down Tilt~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 10-11
FAF-- Frame 32
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- ~9.5%
---Sourspot-- ~7.5%

Forward Smash(Hit 1 Angled Up)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 14-16
FAF-- Frame 68
Damage Dealt-- ~5.5%

Forward Smash(Hit 2 Angled Up)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 23
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 13%
---Sourspot-- ~11.5%

Forward Smash(Hit 1 No Angle)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 14-15
FAF-- Frame 68
Damage Dealt-- ~5.5%

Forward Smash(Hit 2 No Angle)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 23
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 13%
---Sourspot-- ~11.5%

Forward Smash(Hit 1 Angled Down)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 14-16
FAF-- Frame 68
Damage Dealt-- ~5.5%

Forward Smash(Hit 2 Angled Down)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 23
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 13%
---Sourspot-- ~11.5%

Up Smash(Hit 1)~
Grounded Hitbox Active-- Frame 18-21
Non-Grounded Hitbox Active-- Frame 18-29
FAF--Frame 68
Damage Dealt-- ~4.5%

Up Smash(Hit 2)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 30-33
Same FAF
Damage Dealt-- ~13.5%

Down Smash(Hit 1)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 18-19
FAF-- Frame 83
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 14%
---Sourspot-- 11%

Down Smash(Hit 2)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 23-24
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 12%
---Sourspot-- 10%

Down Smash(Hit 3)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 28-29
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 10%
---Sourspot-- 8%

Down Smash(Hit 4)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 35-36
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 8%
---Sourspot-- 6%

Down Smash(Hit 5)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 41-42
Same FAF
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 6%
---Sourspot-- 4%


Grabs
Standing Grab~
Grab-box Active-- Frame 7-8
FAF-- Frame 30

Dash Grab~
Grab-box Active-- Frame 9-10
FAF-- Frame 37

Pivot Grab~
Grab-box Active- Frame 10-11
FAF-- Frame 35


Throws
Forward Throw~
Weight Dependent?-- No
Damage Dealt-- 11%

Back Throw~
Weight Dependent?-- No
Damage Dealt-- 12%

Up Throw~
Weight Dependent?-- No
Damage Dealt-- 7%

Down Throw~
Weight Dependent?-- No
Damage Dealt-- 7%


Random Things
Spot Dodge~
Intangibility-- Frame 3-18
FAF-- Frame 28

Forward Roll~
Intangibility-- Frame 4-17
FAF-- Frame 31

Back Roll~
Intangibility-- Frame 4-17
FAF-- Frame 31

Air Dodge~
Intangibility-- Frame 3-28
FAF-- Frame 34


Aerials
Neutral Aerial~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 13-30
FAF-- Frame 71
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- ~8.5%
---Sourspot-- ~7.5%

Forward Aerial~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 14-18
FAF-- Frame 42
Damage Dealt--
---Sweetspot-- 8%
---Sourspot-- ~6.5%

Back Aerial~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 18-20
FAF-- Frame 55
Damage Dealt-- ~12.5%
///Back Aerial Late Hit~
///Hitbox Active-- Frame 21-22
///Same FAF
///Damage Dealt--
///---Sweetspot-- 12%
///---Sourspot-- 8%

Up Aerial(Hit 1)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 14-15
FAF-- Frame 60
Damage Dealt-- ~5.5%

Up Aerial(Hit 2)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 24-25
Same FAF
Damage Dealt
---Sweetspot-- ~10.5%
---Sourspot-- 8%

Down Aerial(Hit 1)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 14-15
FAF-- Frame 61
Damage Dealt
---Sweetspot-- ~7.5%
---Sourspot-- 6%

Down Aerial(Hit 2)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 23-24
Same FAF
Damage Dealt
---Sweetspot-- ~11.5%
---Sourspot-- ~10.5%


Special Moves
Monado Art Activation~
Intangibility-- Frame 1-14
FAF-- Frame 6

Monado Art Durations~
Active-- 960 Frames(16 Seconds)

Monado Art Cooldown~
Cooldown Period-- 660 Frames(11 Seconds)

Backslash~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 22-Whenever You Hit Land
FAF-- In the air, can't act out of it until landing
Damage Dealt--
---Front Hit Sweetspot-- 10%
---Front Hit Sourspot-- 9%
---Back Hit Sweetspot-- 16%
---Back Hit Sourspot-- 14%
///Backslash(Landing)~
///Hitbox Active-- Frame 1
///FAF-- Frame 44
///Damage Dealt--
///---Front Hit Sweetspot-- 10%
///---Front Hit Sourspot-- 9%
///---Back Hit Sweetspot-- 15%
///---Back Hit Sourspot-- 13%

Air Slash(Hit 1 Early)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 10-11
NO FAF, MUST HIT GROUND
Damage Dealt-- 6%

Airslash(Hit 1)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 12-14
NO FAF, MUST HIT GROUND
Damage Dealt-- 5%

Air Slash(Hit 1 Late)
Hitbox Active-- Frame 15-17
NO FAF, MUST HIT GROUND
Damage Dealt-- 5%

Air Slash(Hit 2)~
Hitbox Active-- Frame 15-16
NO FAF, MUST HIT GROUND
Damage Dealt-- ~5.5%

Vision~
Counter Hitbox Active-- Frame 7-43
Intangibility-- Frame 6-7
FAF-- Frame 70

Vision(Lower Counter Hitbox)
Counter Hitbox Active-- Frame 7-34
Intangibility-- Frame 6-7
FAF-- Frame 70

Vision(Normal Attack)
Hitbox Active-- Frame 45-46
Intangibility-- Frame 1-45
FAF-- Frame 95
Damage Dealt-- 10/7(1.3x)

Vision(---> on Control Stick towards Attack Point)
Hitbox Active-- Frame 29-39
Intangibility-- Frame 1-34
FAF-- Frame 63
Damage Dealt-- 13/10(1.3x)


ADVANCED TECHS
There isn't too much to this section, but if more are discovered, I'll add them once I can consistently use them in training mode and in battles.

The first Advanced Tech I'll explain is MALLC. This is simple, I'll give you an example of the timing for one: FULL HOP SPEED ART>AERIAL. This will cause the landing lag that the chosen aerial normally has to be taken away for the stance Shulk has when an Art is activated. This stance is able to be cancelled into anything as it is interruptible. I'll list all the jump heights and specific Arts needed to cancel the landing lag below. If you want to see the if you correctly performed MALLC, use back aerial as it has the most landing lag. ***NOTE: THESE ARE DONE ON OMEGA STAGES/FINAL DESTINATION***

Jump Art:
FULL HOP JUMP ART>FAST FALL AND ANY AERIAL
SHORT HOP JUMP ART>ANY AERIAL

Speed Art:
FULL HOP SPEED ART>ANY AERIAL
DOUBLE JUMP SPEED ART>FAST FALL AND ANY AERIAL

Shield Art:
SHORT HOP>DOUBLE JUMP SHIELD ART>ANY AERIAL

Buster Art:
DOUBLE JUMP BUSTER ART>ANY AERIAL

Smash Art:
This is a harder one and only has two practical uses: with platforms or if you have fast hands.
FULL HOP>DOUBLE JUMP AND SMASH ART ***AT THE EXACT SAME TIME***>ANY AERIAL


COMBOS
Not much of an overview is needed for this section, other than you need to be good at hitting certain hitboxes and getting the right timing and where you need to be, like Up Aerial. Also note that these were all used on Mario, so they will vary depending on weight, but you can probably figure out that lighter means it stops working earlier and heavier means it works longer.

Buster Art Neutral Aerial>Down Tilt
-23%
Works from 0%-~63%
Pretty good for getting some damage, may lead into other moves, though they won't be guaranteed.

Buster Art Neutral Aerial>Jab
-27%
Works from 0%-~45%
This is a weird one. The Neutral Aerial>Jab 1 combos for a long time, but the angle of jab 2 isn't good for this combo, that's why it only goes to ~45%. This is great for getting starter damage in a match and is fine if used a lot since it doesn't matter much if jab is staled and a staled Neutral Aerial only lets it combo into other moves for longer amounts of time.
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Author
Bottles
Views
836
First release
Last update
Rating
4.00 star(s) 4 ratings

Latest reviews

good for veteran players, bad for newbies who dont know what frames are
Right now your guide is just around average, it just needs to explain how his attacks are useful and are useful in actually playing and you're golden.

Don't reply to this - I'll change this rating and update it once you clean it up. Just giving it a three star in its current state~
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