Convince me not to drop shulk

[LionKeith]

Hey all,

Everything I am about to say excludes customs, and is specific to the Wii U.

I have been playing shulk since release, but I'm starting to waiver. It is extremely frustrating to lose to players who clearly possess little or no technical skill. I think what it boils down to is shulk has no reliable way to finish stocks. Every life you take with shulk is the result of a good read or some clever spacing/mind games. While this is a fun/cool way to get kills, its infinitely less reliable than waiting for the grab on someone at 110 with ness, or a Usmash with fox. When this is combined with shulk not really having any safe options outside of speed monado, I think shulk ends up being a really limited character.

Sure he has options, and a lot of strengths, but he doesnt bring as much to a game as any of the current top tier characters. I think this is represented well by shulk not taking first in any major wii U tournament in the last few months (edit: without having a high tier backup). In order to really milk the mallc and bring shulk to his full potential, it seems like you would have to do it at least 10 times a min, but thats 5!+12 b presses in 1 min (assuming you did a full cycle), which leaves a LOT of room for error. One mistake and you will backslash into a free punish, or maybe your death.

I want to keep playing shulk, but Im not sure that I see much light at the end of the tunnel. The amount of work that has to go into this character to bring him on the same level as a mediocre tournament fox/ness is obscene.

Am I wrong? Do yall think there is real hope for this character placing well one day (without a major patch)?

 

[Conn1496]

I want to keep playing shulk

Well, this alone makes my opinion on the matter "Just keep playing Shulk.". If you like the character, keep playing them. My opinion has always been "Who cares about viability?".

If you really care that much about winning, just play a different character as main. Just don't drop a character you enjoy because you're not winning. That to me just screams defeatist, and that's a really toxic mindset to have.

 

[notyourparadigm]

Even if you don't continue to main Shulk, you've noted a lot of things that would benefit you by continuing to use him even just in friendlies or certain matchups. Shulk doesn't get free kills. He doesn't succeed when played on autopilot. His combos and ATs aren't easy to pull off. This means that succeeding with Shulk requires you to become good at reads, to adapt to your opponent, to learn character MUs, to constantly be thinking and strategizing mid-match, and to have proper timing and spacing of your moves. Developing those skills will undoubtedly show in your other characters, even if you don't decide to main Shulk.

The need for a read for a KO with Shulk will make you better at reads in general. Shulk's smashes are so unsafe that anyone who uses him will quickly learn to not throw them out -- something that poorer skilled players can get away with on characters with safer Smashes, like Mario, thus preventing them from really learning and improving. Shulk doesn't give instantaneous results, but I think he really has done wonders for me improving as a player.

Of course, if you don't find him fun to use anymore, you shouldn't feel locked into the character. You should be enjoying yourself when playing the game, so main the character that suits your playstyle the most. Shulk may not be it, and that's fine.

 

[LionKeith]

Well, this alone makes my opinion on the matter "Just keep playing Shulk.". If you like the character, keep playing them. My opinion has always been "Who cares about viability?".

If you really care that much about winning, just play a different character as main. Just don't drop a character you enjoy because you're not winning. That to me just screams defeatist, and that's a really toxic mindset to have.

Ill always play shulk, but I wouldnt be playing him as my main or tourney chars.

Even if you don't continue to main Shulk...

That doesnt addess the main point, but that post helped me feel a lot better about playing shulk. Thanks.

 

[Kikkipoptart12]

If you'er not good at reads or spacing then you shouldn't main Shulk. Shulk has a bad match up against fox and he struggle against fast character, he's easy to combo, spacing and playing defensively will help you in these types of matches. You are really going to have to use the art at the right time, spacing, good reads, know the match up and defense to play Shulk and win against the top ten. But after you get past all that you will find it more easier to win with Shulk.

 

[notyourparadigm]

That doesnt addess the main point, but that post helped me feel a lot better about playing shulk. Thanks.

Sorry, I thought you meant you were considering dropping him entirely. Still, glad to have helped. I hope you are able to get the results you want, regardless of who you decide to main.

 

[cheesemonk66]

I love playing Shulk, and winning isn't a huge deal for me because I play to have fun. However, I don't really see him becoming the top tier character. He's particularly vulnerable to juggles and while MALLC is a great tech, I find that it isn't really practical to really shift the tide of a battle. My advice would be continue to throw out Shulk in friendlies and other non tournament matches. If you win or lose those its really no biggie. In a tournament you're going to be up against those top tier characters and you'll need to counter that in a play to win situation. I think you can play Shulk really well with a lot of practice, but you can play better characters better.

 

[Berserker.]

Oh boy

Topics like these don't deserve their own threads. Bring this up to the social thread or the Q&A at the very least