DMC4/UMvC3 Player: Is Shulk for me?

[Quickhero]

I've been a bit of a casual as of Smash lately, and I've been playing other games like DMC4 and UMvC3, for they have much more technicality, combo potential, and difficulty and reward among them. It took me weeks on end to learn how to Bold Cancel with Dante in UMvC3, and learning that Shulk has the equivalent of Bold Cancel with MALLC, AS WELL AS having DMC4 Dante's ability to switch styles that change gameplay considerably, I got interested. I saw a guide by Distant Kingdom (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34v54e5lhjQ) and I can see the combo potential.

Is Shulk worth it for me? He seems like someone who can get me really hyped for this game.

 

[Jcsaenz1]

Of course man!! Even if he isn't, there's a whole pool of characters to choose from, all with different play styles.

 

[Conn1496]

Well, in my experience, you just have to... -well, experience the character, and answer that yourself. Shulk isn't considered great by any means, but if you like the look of his techs and his playstyle, that generally will give you all the info you need.

If you're really feeling it, I say let it be Shulk time!.. I'm sorry... Not sorry. :v

 

[Masonomace]

Every player has his / her reasons of why they'd choose X character. The honest truth that I'm a Shulk player is simply because Monado arts piqued my interests, & the ultimate shoe-in factor that I'm still a Shulk player now is all thanks to Monado Shield. Weird right?

While I haven't played DMC4 or UMvC3, you seem like the kind of player who would be ecstatic to play Shulk. But we'll have to see. The fair warning ahead of time is that the character requires a good / lot of knowledge about the character's mechanics & his MUs. I feel like if a player doesn't know everything about Monado arts, then they won't know how to unlock the true power of the Monado, but you probably knew that already.

 

[notyourparadigm]

I'm always excited to see someone interested in using Shulk-- please, do give him a try! The only thing I'd forewarn you about is the promise of 'combo potential' with him. While he is an incredibly fun and technical character to use, his gameplay is not focused on long combos or strings. He's focused on using his excellent spacing tools and Monado Arts to gain stage advantage by walling out his opponents, and can dominate while in the advantage by maximizing on a given Art, being covering multiple options from your opponent at once, make punishes absolutely soul-crushing... you get the idea. While he doesn't have a plethora of true combos, and most of them are only two or three hits, his advanced techniques increase their utility and efficacy (and, at times, are the only reason they are true at all).

And, like Mace said, he is a character that (much like how you described Dante, although I also don't play UMvC3) requires much time and dedication before you can even think of succeeding with him. He's got a high learning curve, and unfortunately has some rather lacklustre qualities that can make his disadvantaged state... well, fatal. But using him will also help you to become an impeccable player, as you learn to both strategize for MUs before the match begins as well as adapt to different play styles mid-game in a way that no other character can do.

If you have any specific questions about Shulk in competitive play, how he fits in the current meta game, or whatnot, you can probably find some folks over at the Metagame Discussion to help out.

 

[High Entia]

I've been a bit of a casual as of Smash lately, and I've been playing other games like DMC4 and UMvC3, for they have much more technicality, combo potential, and difficulty and reward among them. It took me weeks on end to learn how to Bold Cancel with Dante in UMvC3, and learning that Shulk has the equivalent of Bold Cancel with MALLC, AS WELL AS having DMC4 Dante's ability to switch styles that change gameplay considerably, I got interested. I saw a guide by Distant Kingdom (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34v54e5lhjQ) and I can see the combo potential.

Is Shulk worth it for me? He seems like someone who can get me really hyped for this game.

That really depends on your playstyle. If you are the type of person who prefers a defensive and spacing based game, then Shulk could be for you. But, Shulk isn't a high tier character by any means. You're going to have to be able to deal with the huge amount of both startup and ending lag that his moves have and the lack of a projectile. However, Shulk is one of the most difficult and technical characters in the game and you can get the job done with him as long as you know what you're doing, which seems to fit what you're looking for. He also has all sorts of unique techs (like MALLC) and he's overall just a weird character to fight against because of all the things that Shulk players can abuse. I'd definitely recommend Shulk if you like the sound of all of this. He's a very fun character and the Monado Arts have so much depth because there is really no right or wrong way to use the arts as long as it works for you.