Shen Build Guide

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Shen - Who is in danger? [Reworked]

written by BabySatan

Shen Build

Abilities

Ki Strike

This passive is a useful one, because it doesn't lose
its damage, no matter if you are in early-game or in
late-game. Ki-Strike is excellent to farm minions on
your lane.

Vorpal Blade

This spell is in my eyes another way to get
money. In early game it can be used to
last hit minions. Another way to use it is,
to harrass enemys and keep them away from your
minions.

Feint

Feint is an effective defense shield, which can be used
often. Tower-hits, Auto-attacks and spells can be easily
blocked.

Shadow Dash

Shadow Dash is an important spell for Shen. He's a tank
and can do his job better, if he's able to taunt, stun
and so on... In this case the taunt can be useful for
different things.

Stand United

Shen's ulitmate is used to rescue allies in danger or to
escape from ganks on yourself. The enemys often forget
about the ultimate of Shen. This is a dangerous mistake,
because Shen is able to change a 1v1 to a 2v1 very quickly.

Updates

Patch v1.0.0.110

- Removed Health Potion in combination with Doran's Shield.
- Added 'Quick Look'
Introduction

Welcome to my first guide, presenting Shen.
Shen is one of my favorite champions.
His abilities are very good to support/tank
the team. I want to share my way, to play him,
with you.

I hope you can understand everything and that
this guide will be a help for you.
Quick Look

Here are the main things to know,if you don't have much time.

The Masteries are : 0/22/8

Runes:
Greater Mark of Fortitude
Greater Seal of Evasion
Greater Glyph of Shielding
Greater Quintessence of Fortitude

Summoner Spells: [spell_Icon=Fortify]

Item Build vs a balanced team:
Masteries

Defense:

[mastery_icon=Resistance] Resistance : 3/3
[mastery_icon=Hardiness] Hardiness : 3/3
[mastery_icon=Evasion] Evasion : 4/4
[mastery_icon=Defensive Mastery] Defensive Mastery : 2/2
[mastery_icon=Nimbleness] Nimbleness : 1/1
[mastery_icon=Veteran's Scars] Veteran's Scars : 3/3
[mastery_icon=Reinforce] Reinforce : 1/1
[mastery_icon=Tenacity] Tenacity : 1/1

Utility:

[mastery_icon=Good Hands] Good Hands : 3/3
[mastery_icon=Perseverance] Perseverance : 1/3
[mastery_icon=Awareness] Awareness : 4/4
Runes

There are many possibilities in choosing your runes.
I take this:

9 x Greater Mark of Fortitude
9 x Greater Seal of Evasion
9 x Greater Glyph of Shielding
3 x Greater Quintessence of Fortitude
Summoner Abilities

Here I listed up, which Summoner Spells I recommend and which ones I don't use.

My Choice:

Clairvoyance :
Clairvoyance is a perfect support spell. It gives the chance to denie ganks,
check jungle(Creeps & Buffs), reveal baron/dragon and check missing enemies
on each lane. Should only be picked once a team. Optional, if clairvoyance
is picked, i take exhaust.

[spell=Fortify] :
Fortify is a second support spell, allowing allies on solo lanes or with
low health, to go back without having fear about losing the tower.

Optional:

Ghost :
Ghost allows you to walk quickly. That can be useful to escape in combination
with shadow dash or running to an ally if your ultimate is on cool-down.

Exhaust :
Take out a target or strong enemy, making it to a good spell, which can be
used to slow enemies running away or slow enemies to run away.

Cleanse :
A disabled tank can't do anything. Especially for the taunt, it is necessary
to have a good position and not standing around spending time useless. Cleanse
can make you instantly coming back into fight or makes you able to escape quickly.

Teleport :
Teleport allows you to come directly into a fight, or to defend a tower quickly.
Also it's another chance to escape if you're in danger. But you also got your ultimate.

Not recommended :

Smite :
In my opinion jungle-Shen is useless. He has to care for his mates and if he's not
on a lane he can't save someone. Another thing is that his abilities allow him and his
lane-mate an early kill. So you don't need Smite.

Clarity :
If you know Shen, you should know that he got energy and not mana. That explains,
that clairty is completly useless.

Ignite :
I often see Ignite and i can't understand why. You have to tank and you really don't
need kills. Another point is, that ignite does not deal enough damage to use it at the
beginning of a fight.

Flash :
Flash is also not nessesary, because with the shadow dash, you can nearly dash through
all walls. It's good to escape, but I think your dash is enough.

Heal :
I don't recommend heal, because you don't need it as Shen. Your life is high and you
will get a good health regeneration. At the end heal loses it's power and at to get
it just for the beginning is in my eyes 'waste'.

[spell=Rally] :
Rally makes no sense, because you don't need any attack speed. this spell is only
effective in early game and in a 1v1. Another 'waste' in my eyes.

Revive :
In my eyes Revive should not be used, because you don't die.If you play Shen the
way you should, he can escape, he can tank so you will win all team fights. If you
die one or two times, doesn't matter. Revive is wasting a summoner spell place.
Items

Starting Items:

Ruby Crystal or Doran's Shield

Then:

Boots of Speed => Mercury's Treads
I don't recommend Ninja Tabi's because you need some cc-reduction.

Ruby Crystal => Heart of Gold

If you can see that this will be a good game, then do
Ruby Crystal => Leviathan

but also get Heart of Gold

Then:

Giant's Belt => Sunfire Cape to get some hp/armor and to deal some passive damage

Then:

Heart of Gold + Warden's Mail => Randuin's Omen

This is your core build:
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Randuin's Omen Mercury's Treads Sunfire Cape maybe Leviathan and Doran's Shield
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The rest of the Items are enemy specific.

Against a balanced team, you should go on with this:

Banshee's Veil then Guardian Angel. Frozen Mallet is the last item.

Against an attack damage team, you should go on like that:

Thornmail then Guardian Angel. Banshee's Veil is the last item.

Against a caster team, you do it this way:

Before getting Sunfire Cape get [Item=Force of Nature]
but also get Giant's Belt before starting with [Item=Force of Nature]
Then finish Sunfire Cape , then get Banshee's Veil
Last item to get is Guardian Angel or Thornmail

Optional:

You also can get Warmog's Armor. In that case, be careful about any [Item=Madred's Bloodrazor] in the enemy team. If you want to get it, you should get it early in the game and get it instead of Guardian Angel.

Another item you can get is Rylai's Crystal Scepter instead of Frozen Mallet. I prefer Frozen Mallet, because you can easier attack normal. With Rylai's you can throw you knife and slow with that. That's also good, so you have to find your favorite.
Skilling Order

My recommended skill build

Skill build for getting more kills
Playing as Shen

Now i will show you how I play with Shen.

Always remind yourself, that you are a tank. You don't really need kills. So try to attack as long as possible, so that someone else can get the kill. You can of course get some kills, but I think it's more important, to give the kills to your carries. They need them more than you.
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Starting:
At the start I always check the enemy's base near the nexus with my Clairvoyance. That is useful to see which enemies are going where. That can help your team to manage your lanes. This can be important to get easy kills.
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Using ultimate:
Next point is, that you always need to have an eye on the minimap. Your global saving ultimate can decide the game for you in the beginning. Try to use it to save your mate in danger. When you've reached him, you have to taunt quickly into the direction of the enemies, to make them run after you. This gives a chance for your mate to escape. This can of course only been done, if the enemies are near. If some of them is low, you can try to get him, because Shen deals with the Ki-Strike and his vopal blade, an good amount of damage. If you can't get one use Feint and get out of there.
--- Taunt enemies away from the ganked ally ---
Another point is, that you can of course use our ultimate on lane-mates. I saw many Shens trying to just attack to save the mate. But if you cast your ult, the shield will be created, no matter if they break off your ult. This shield can be a great help.
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Fighting in a team:
Next point are teamfights. If the enemies and your team groups up on a lane, you always have to walk in front of them. You can try to catch spells, because damage on you = no damage on mates. At the start of the team fight, you have to activate your shield and rush with your taunt into the enemies. Try to taunt as many enemies as possible. All have to focus you, while the rest of the team is killing one by one. Maybe you can mark a target, before you rush into the fight. That's another job you can do.
Mark weak, healing or damage-dealing enemies, to quickly switch them off. Focusing the tank is not a good idea, because they have the same thinking like you. They also want to kill your weakest mate.
--- Taunt an enemy to start a team fight with an easy kill ---
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One versus One:
Another Point is a 1v1. Always look wether some of your mates are caught in the jungle or somewhere. You can keep an eye on them. If the fight will be lost for your teammate, you should react. Don't use your Ultimate to early, else the enemy can maybe escape. If you can use it right, you'll get an easy kill.
If you can get a 1v1 that's also good. Many people don't think that Shen deals much damage. His Ki-Strike in combination with Vopal Blade allows him to heal himself will dealing demage.Always try to keep the vopal blade on the enemy and don't throw it too often. Try to keep some energy to escape if the enemies try to gank you. Don't taunt the enemy if he's still fighting. Try to keep the taunt until he runs.
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Escaping:
After a lost team fight, you have to escape. Shen can use his Shadow Dash to dash through walls. There are many walls, that can be passed by Shen. But care! Some walls can't be dashed through and if you fail at dashing, you have a problem. My tip is, to try it in a practise game out, which walls can be passed. Good 'escaping walls', are the walls, at baron and the dragon. Dashing through this walls will finish the run, because they have only a chance to get you, if some of them can flash or has a spell like you. Another tip from me: Don't run the ways, the enemies think you will run. Try to run around areas, where you can dash through a wall, if you have no energy. For example run into a bush and in the seconde the other enters, run the way back you, ran before.
--- Escape through walls to cut short the way ---
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Summary

All in all, Shen is one of the best tanks in game. He's not the special traits to gain much armor or magic resistance, but with his spells he's the best life - saving tank.

I hope my guide gave you the help you needed or make you want to play Shen.
Tips, comments, improvements and ratings are of course welcome.

If you rate my guide, please leave a comment.
If you rated my guide bad, let me know why, so that I can improve it.
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Thank you very much-