Counter Tips to Beat
Shen
Shen
The Eye of Twilight
Shen is played top or occasionally in the jungle or as a support.
Abilities
Counter Champions
Counter Items
Introduction
Playing against Shen is like playing tennis against a brick wall. No matter where you hit the ball, it’s just going to rebound. In the same way, no matter what play you make against Shen, he’ll be able to match it. He’s never going to make huge flashy plays, but he’ll always work as a counter to whatever you do as a top laner. Want to be a splitpusher? He’ll push just as well with Titanic, plus be able to help his team with his ult. Want to be a teamfighter? He’s got good CC and peel, so he’ll be just as good. Want to be a carry and dominate lane? He can farm safely under turret and is impossible to dive. Want to be a tanky front line? His damage is based on maximum health, so he’ll get an early advantage in lane. Want to have early map wide pressure? Well…. Hello?
Shen is a jack of all trades tank, with decent damage, good cc, good mapwide presence and great tank stats.
It’s pretty much guaranteed that Shen won’t dominate you in lane, but in this guide I’ll be teaching you how to play him in such a way that you’ll be allowed to play the way you want without him stopping you.
Abilities
Passive – Ki Barrier
After using an ability, Shen shields himself. If the ability affected at least one champion, the cooldown on this ability is greatly reduced. Shen’s abilities all use a Spirit Blade which follows him.
Q – Twilight Assault
Shen recalls his Spirit Blade to his location. Any enemies the Spirit Blade passes through are slowed when walking away from Shen. Shen’s next 3 basic attacks do extra damage. If the Spirit Blade passed through an enemy champion, his next 3 basic attacks do even more damage and he gains 50% bonus attack speed.
W – Spirit Refuge
Shen’s Spirit Blade casts a protective zone around it for 1.75, causing all allied champions in the zone to dodge all attacks.
E – Shadow Dash
Shen dashes in a target location, dealing damage and taunting enemy units.
R – Stand United
Shen channels for 3 seconds, giving a shield to the target allied champion. After completing the channel, Shen teleports to the allied champion’s location.
Our Top Counter Tips For Shen
Shen can be interrupted when casting his ult. If you see him standing in place in a pose and humming, you have to try to CC him somehow.
Shen’s Twilight Assault does a lot of damage when the Spirit Blade passes through you. Don’t stand between Shen and his Blade.
Shen can taunt you if you’re in his minions, dealing a lot of damage.
Never dive Shen. He has a shield, a slow, and a taunt. It’s not worth it.
Wait for Shen’s shield to expire to start trading. If he uses his Q to last hit, then it’s a perfect time to go in.
Champions That Counter Shen
Darius
He can’t trade with you. If he taunts you, it just means more stacks of your passive on him. You can pullhim out of his ult. The only advantage he has is his Spirit’s Refuge. When he pops that just walk behind him so thathe can’t run away when the barrier evaporates. Build Black Cleaver first.
Riven
Levels 1-3 you can probably cheese him with Ignite and get a first blood. Try not to fight him in his minions.Be careful that a lot of your damage comes from your passive, which can be blocked from Spirit’s Refuge. Build Black Cleaver first.
Gangplank
You can simply farm until the midgame. If he ults another lane, just ult along with him and keep farming top. Use your oranges to escape his taunt. Don’t use them on the slow from his Q. Be sure to proc yourpassive on him if you have the chance, as it’s true damage and will go through his armor. Build Trinity Force first.
Kayle
Your ult can turn around fights. If he teleports bot, you teleport as well and ult someone. Harass him constantly with your auto attacks but be sure not to get taunted. Build Nashor’s Tooth first.
Itemization
Black Cleaver
Blade of the Ruined King
Liandry's Torment
Shen doesn’t do that much damage, so it’s good to build damage items against him to try to get throughhis resistances. Items like Black Cleaver, Blade of the Ruined King or Liandry’s work fairly well. If hebuilds a Tiamat to push, build a Zz’Rot.
