And hard facts? Really? Cause no one in this thread has any good sense, objectivity, or facts on their side but you. Right. Got it.

I believe you're speaking for him and, out of context. I'll answer all questions and debates based on when they're received.

If Alvis has HP, he can die. If you want to get more technical, Game Over Limit Break = Game Over Alvis.

Even if you're being sarcastic, you're damn right I'm right. I'm the only one in this thread basing all my undisputed, irrefutable, biblical, hard facts, from wiki and actual game machinics.

With that folks, I take my leave. I'm bowing out from this. You're my boy Cloud.

Well this thread went where I expected. Oh well, made it to 14 pages which is a heck of a lot farther than I thought it would go :P

(PS Alvis, in his true form, has no HP.  He's limitless)

Cloud is OP in everything. Being OP is what Cloud does.

Anyway, I checked the tier lists. Nintendo has Cloud as being a lot stronger in the only actual videogame where we can put them together.

A note to anyone who mentions FF7's Summons: that's cheating. This is a one on one fight, and the summons of FF7 are distinct beings that show up when the Summon is cast. Knights of the Round is a group of thirteen knights. If Cloud is allowed to use summons, then Shulk should have his party backing him, and this becomes a huge FF7 vs Xenoblade fight.

Assuming Shulk is not using the endgame Monado 3, I think it's worth looking at their actual fighting styles. Cloud is a heavy hitter, with high Attack and Magic, at the cost of Speed. His Limits are mostly sword skills, and although magic varies based on the equipped materia, we can make some decent guesses what those would be. He is mostly seen using Fire and Lightning Magic in spinoffs and explicitly states that he wants to minimize materia use in Advent Children, so considering how he'd need to take advantage of his magic stat anyway, Cloud would probably enter any given fight as a Slow but Strong Fighter with a couple of powerful Black Mage spells.

Shulk has a very different fighting style, largely tied to his unique weapon and abilities. Compared to Cloud, he seems to sacrifice some Defense for Agility. His Arts, both with and without the Monado, are largely based on his position compared to Cloud and dealing secondary effects, such as Break, Slow, Daze, etc. Cloud can use a Ribbon to prevent some of these, but only at the loss of another acessory.

What I think is most important here is speed. Cloud has strong spells and Limits, but these would be the sorts of things Shulk would be able to forsee and counter in advance. ESPECIALLY since Limits take time to charge and Shulk is the faster of the two. The Monado Arts Shield, Speed, and Armor would all be very useful, ruining Cloud's best moves, with some light healing magic to fill the gaps.

Plus, Cloud's non-magic or ability materia, supporting his stats passively, are countered by Xenoblade's Gems, which do the same thing.

This

Cloud has a motorcycle, so Cloud wins the cool factor.

Cloud also got Tifa, so he got game with the ladies, and he is good with kids.

Lol, wiki.

Yeah, if it were the 80s motorcycles and wife beaters would automatically make him cool. And if you haven't seen Fiora, Shulk gots pretty good game with the ladies too. And Fiora has a better sense of style as well, and she's a goddess. And her ride