Poll: Your Favorite Monado Art

[Tino]

For me it's a tie between Buster and Smash.

 

[N7Kopper]

It's a very tough call - having Shield on and taking damage up to 150% before landing a cross-up Back Slash (Namely, jump over an opponent and then critical them with the Monado's hilt - it probably has a fancy term already) with Smash on, full RageBoost%, and the opponent's vectors sending them flying off the side line (because they're charging you, see?) and also the sweetspot. Rarely happens, especially at a % where it's anything better than sheer overkill, but UNF~

I'm going to risk heresy and say that's more satisfying than landing a Sacred Combo gimp kill.

But then Shield loses points because it should have been called Armour - which just raises defence in Xenoblade, whereas Shield makes you immune to Talent Arts (basically signature moves/mini Limit Breaks) that are equal or lower to it's level.

Speed wins for sheer utility, even if I currently suck with it, though. Grabbing all the things, zipping around like Sonic with better zoning...

Jump gets honourable mention for fearsome edgeguarding, and making Kirby a better jumper than birds.

 

[XPyromanicX]

Smash because I love throwing out players earlier than usual.

 

[Ryuji]

I like Buster(zan) the most. The deadliness of Shulk's moves with this art is staggering. I love racking up an opponent's damage.

 

[Phoenix502]

i tend to use Jump and speed the most to attempt getting a strong start on the match, taking the initiative and so on.

Buster and Shield I'll switch to once i get an understanding of the opponent, Smash I seldom use, but outside of kill moves, I suppose i could use it for repelling an opponent if I'm feeling desperate

 

[Second Power]

Buster; makes scoring hits feel much better.

 

[neohopeSTF]

I like using Speed the most of the time, Buster is the second but it probably gets me killed more than it does my opponent.

 

[kenniky]

Speed, it just feels nice having Shulk as fast as he gets, and the downsides aren't as apparent as with the other Arts.

In Xenoblade, I gotta say Buster because of its ridiculous damage and AOE. Also, I'm at that point in-game where Buster gets all the x3 multipliers (those who know what I'm talking about may nod their heads knowingly)

 

[Ultrashroomz]

Speed

The increase in speed compliments really well with long range moves like Nair and Fair.

 

[Penguin4478]

I use them all fairly equally, but I personally like smash because it's quite satisfying to KO them from 60% when you counter and launch them off.

 

[Rakurai]

Smash.

Because practically everything is a KO move while it's active, and being able to get KOs off of down throw at reasonable percents with it is really nice.

 

[Sane.]

+1 speed art. Opens a plethora of string options and gives Shulk an amazing SH ground game. If I was forced to only use one version of Shulk permanently (including vanilla Shulk), I would go with speed, therefore it's the least situational imo.

 

[WECKmaster329]

Buster.

I find it very useful to buff up attacks whenever moves are getting stale, as well as using it in the beginning of matches to get the maximum damage potential out of it.

 

[adom4]

Speed, because it pretty much makes you captain falcon with a sword.

 

[Phantom High]

Like everyone else, Speed.
it let's me do all sorts of follow UPS for reals.

 

[Masonomace]

Jump

Why: It's the green Monado Art. Subjectively, green is my favorite color and I don't really need to address any other reason that has anything to do with Monado Arts & their game-play mechanics / elements that affect Shulk.

Damn you me from 2 months ago. I'd take back my vote on Jump but can't : ( Do-over. . .

Shield

because I love Stayin' Alive. Reducing damage & surviving hits that would definitely KO you, is very satisfying & very rewarding to help me go on. I no longer care not for Shield's decreased stats, because his increased stats make me happy.

 

[TheHopefulHero]

I'm more of a Jump fella. I love to fly, and be able to surprise people. That, and I can under stage 3 times in a row. (Unless it's specific Omega forms....)

 

[Zatchiel]

Buster. Doing a ****load of damage with that equipped feels so damn good. Landing buster fsmash or backslash is like 5000% more satisfying. Being able to continue with follow-ups I could otherwise only do at low percents with great reward makes me get incredibly aggro sometimes.

 

[cheesemonk66]

Shield because I love watching people totally get befuddled when attacks that should have killed me don't. Too good. Plus its always nice to carry someone to a KO when you started out with 100%.

 

[Berserker.]

Nope. Still speed

 

[[mastershake]~~]

While its not my favorite to use, shield is highly underrated. I have won a number of matches by hanging around at very high damage. The reduction in speed isnt even that big of a deal bc when you're obviously playing defensive when your using it and not concerned with anything except getting smashed out. However it is the worst when you accidently cycle to it early in a match : /

 

[SmashChu]

Jump. All day, everyday. It give you some nice mobility and you can go offstage without a problem.

 

[Maple42]

Smash, because that means I'm about to get a KO. ; )

 

[Ultinarok]

Buster. The damage output potential is incredible thanks to reduced knockback and increased damage. The opponent is never sent far enough away to avoid more hits in your combo, and with a good read, you can up tilt/dash grab spam all day long. Using Hyper Arts, I once put on about 80% on an opponent in about 5-6 seconds without them getting a chance to react. Once you've used Buster, all other Monado Arts become more viable as follow-ups (especially Smash) because the opponent will have suffered enough damage for you to play defensively, use speed and jump mindgames, and go straight for the first kill chance. And in Buster, a sweetspotted Back Slash is just disgusting in damage output.

 

[DrShankums]

Speed is by far my favorite, followed by buster. The combos in speed are fun to pull off, but buster has that amazing shield damage/pushback (especially against luigi).

 

[erico9001]

I like Buster the most. Then Speed, then Jump/Shield tied, and in dead last is Smash. I should seriously never try using Monado Smash; it always screws me over. It's too unsafe on shields. I get punished for days.

 

[AbsoluteZer0Nova]

Shield because it helps you to survive at ridiculous high damages.

 

[Mysteltainn]

My favourite is probably Shield. I love using this one in Sudden Death and surviving a hit. Or quickly switching to it when you know you're about to get hit by something that would normally KO you.

The rest are a tough call, and I tend to use them in a non-linear fashion depending on what I need in the match. I'll more often than not start with Speed for the combos it opens up, and if I feel confident then I'll go to Buster to take advantage of the D-Throw combos and insane damage. Smash is a ton of fun with its 60% kills, but I find myself only using it until I wreck someone, and then I immediately go back to something else. It's definitely the one I use the least in terms of duration, and prefer it in spurts as opposed to the others. Jump is quite satisfying for making that epic recovery that you wouldn't have been able to do otherwise, as well as surprising your enemy that you sent upward by jumping up to them and sending them to the stars.

Shulk is just such a fun character in general. It's amazing how pressing B to change Arts can change your approach and game-play so vastly; a character that was just really well done IMO.

 

[JamesDNaux]

Kirby with Jump.

 

[Kikkipoptart12]

Speed but shield is a close second.