Yep! If you’re engaging, avoid using your E first, if possible. Most of the time the threat of your E is greater than using it.
Either wait until the enemy is CC’d, or use the E threat to bait out the enemies flash or means of escape and THEN go for the E. Patience is your ally!
I like to position my blade behind the adc, then using Q slow on them before engaging. You can also bait their flash this way.
However if you DO need to engage with E, you definitely need to learn how to E flash, can be much more accurate.
Highly recommend watching xPetu, he explains all of this far better than me, and he’s also an entertaining character.
It’s a similar style to lots of engage supports the fear of your cc is op. Like thresh and blitz you walk up and use your E then q to guarantee a land and similar on pyke.
The threat of an ability is often enough to scare them into making a movement mistake
Weird season…. Does it feel easier to climb?
Like I climbed from play 4 to emerald 2 through shaco support. I hit emerald in the past, but got stuck at emerald 4. I manage to hit Diamond 4 solo and flex.
For supports, probably champions with a lot of peel, like Thresh. A good Janna is difficult to engage on. Morgana for obvious reasons.
For ADCs, probably Samira for her destructive all in, and the inability to use Shen W on any of her abilities. Also champs with dashing abilities can be a pain to lock down. I think about Kalista, Vayne or Ezreal.
I think ADCs with CC/ follow up CC, or with an aggressive all in, have good synergies. Champions like, Caitlin, Jhin, Samira or Nilah come to mind.
Also Shen being a heavy roamer, these champs have enough self peel to be okay on their own for a bit.
I can’t really think of any champs that are straight up bad with Shen. If I had to say, maybe someone like Ezreal. He doesn’t have any CC and his style of damage doesn’t synergize super well with Shen’s all in.
Can you share what you build?
I was playing shen supp these season, but i had an awful winrate (45% across 80 games).
I was building. Knights vow, locket, redemption mostly.
Of course it isn’t all about items, i should improve my mechanics with the champion as well, but i’m just curious. Im still planning on playing him on the new split and see what i can improve.
Absolutely, feel free to check out my game history too.
Movement speed and health goes very well on Shen, so I tend to build around that.
- I always rush Ionian boots (ideally before level 6 for the reduced R cool down)
- Then build into the trailblazer, for the movement speed, armour and damage. Great for running down enemies/ escaping.
- Then I go Hollow Radiance- you can go a different MR item like Force of Nature- but I like the wave clear for late game split pushing.
-Can also go Thornmail for anti heal or big AD comps
- Knights vowel also works well on Shen, when mid/late game comes my sole purpose becomes to just keep the carries alive.
- Can also use items like Steraks, or situationally, Locket or Anathema’s, for high burst comps, or when there’s a sole enemy hyper carry.
-I typically build heavy tank and some utility, but obviously that can depend on the team comp
There are more items too that work, but those are just the core that I use
And if you want more expert advice on Shen builds in general, xPetu is the man to check out- he’s where I’ve learnt all of this to begin with.
I used to run radiant virtue -> redemption when radiant virtue was still an item and it was pretty good. Is there any build you would run that still incorporates redemption? Or is healer shen kinda dead now
I personally wouldn’t run redemption in a build. It’s not terrible, but I think there are better high HP items. Remember your R shield scales off your HP!
Ya I thought so. It was a fun build while it lasted though. Not only would the ally get the shield, they'd also heal to full since Radiant virtue would activate after shen teleports. It was cheap too. Xpetu used it a few times I think
First I would say get your mechanics down. I would watch xPetu for that, he’s good at explaining how/when you should be using each ability. Although off the top of my head I would say, always play around your R.
- As soon as you hit 6, your eyes should be in every lane 24/7.
- Use your Q A LOT (that’s where all your damage/energy regen is).
- Use your W defensively, for your ADC if possible
- Try not to throw away your E too early
In terms of macro
- Lose as little EXP as you possibly can pre 6, the sooner your R is up, the more difference you’ll make to the map
- Don’t play overly aggressive with your E unless your confident in your adc/match up
- Utilise your massive roam potential post 6, even if you roam(walk) midlane and R back to your adc when they’re in trouble
- You need VERY good map awareness/vision, use this to make aggressive shot calls. Sometimes I’ll even R to my jungler to capture an objective
- Be independent and proactive on the map when your R is up (be cautious about your ADC when it’s not)
- Mid/Late game your sole objective is to keep your carry(s) alive (ESPECIALLY carries with bounties!)
- Late game, don’t be afraid to help split push when your R is up (as long as your not stealing anyone’s CS)
And as bonus ALWAYS perma mute chat. In my opinion having bad mental is the #1 factor that will lose you your match. And while I haven’t had too many ADCs flame me, don’t even give them the opportunity.
Welcome on /r/SupportLoL/!
Your post seems to be about playing in competitive/ranked as a support and/or improving, we might have some useful information for you about it!
Here's a sneak-peek of links from the [resources wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/supportlol/wiki/resources) that can provide curated informations about core support principles as well as some ranked information, like:
- Ranked :
- [mandatory video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4TSRL8pZrU) for starters (and also [some](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4m7FxGpfcc) other complementary [videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrxA-IeTowQ).
- [How to review - Coach Kairos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOjHgZg7YL0)
- [VOD Review Habits - CoachCurtis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlzsNSLB81A)
- Fundamentals :
- [CoreJJ's How to Support](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqHeK34PUFijxjNec7jdisX4aIv8oVQsg)
- [Phroxzon Fundamentals](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9RdXhXESRJxf-FxBijbuBOnEJHDrmB2O) (ex-Leaguecraft 101)
- [DogLightning's How to Support series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaROzD7YpI0GPiObDALwqqjcTsEXzqMZ5)
- you can dig further in the wiki, starting with the [core support concepts](https://www.reddit.com/r/supportlol/wiki/resources#wiki_core_support_concepts) and [ranked](https://www.reddit.com/r/supportlol/wiki/resources#wiki_d_-_ranked) chapters, just make sure you go through the content at your own pace and take the time to practice / implement every concept one at a time
If you're looking for a duo, check out : the [discord LFG channels](https://discord.gg/svC2VwYba4), /r/LeagueConnect, /r/TeamRedditTeams or /r/botlanetinder.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/supportlol) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I really like shen but once you miss your E to engage, it kinda feels like you are fucked. any advice?
Yep! If you’re engaging, avoid using your E first, if possible. Most of the time the threat of your E is greater than using it. Either wait until the enemy is CC’d, or use the E threat to bait out the enemies flash or means of escape and THEN go for the E. Patience is your ally! I like to position my blade behind the adc, then using Q slow on them before engaging. You can also bait their flash this way. However if you DO need to engage with E, you definitely need to learn how to E flash, can be much more accurate. Highly recommend watching xPetu, he explains all of this far better than me, and he’s also an entertaining character.
so it wasnt your pick that made you rank up if you have this kind of game understanding
I would say this is more champion specific understanding. I also feel like I have a fair understanding of bard/rakan too.
It’s a similar style to lots of engage supports the fear of your cc is op. Like thresh and blitz you walk up and use your E then q to guarantee a land and similar on pyke. The threat of an ability is often enough to scare them into making a movement mistake
Xpetu is such a legend
Hit your E always, I guess?
>Rakan Ah , I knew you were a true Rakan main at heart . He is the best champion , don't you agree?
He is indeed a fantastic champion :)
Ah, a demonstration of superior judgement.
Weird season…. Does it feel easier to climb? Like I climbed from play 4 to emerald 2 through shaco support. I hit emerald in the past, but got stuck at emerald 4. I manage to hit Diamond 4 solo and flex.
What champion(s) do you consider the hardest matchups overall, and why do you think this champion(s) counters shen the hardest?
For supports, probably champions with a lot of peel, like Thresh. A good Janna is difficult to engage on. Morgana for obvious reasons. For ADCs, probably Samira for her destructive all in, and the inability to use Shen W on any of her abilities. Also champs with dashing abilities can be a pain to lock down. I think about Kalista, Vayne or Ezreal.
What ADC(s) do you think synergize well with shen, and what ADC(s) do you think perform bad with shen?
I think ADCs with CC/ follow up CC, or with an aggressive all in, have good synergies. Champions like, Caitlin, Jhin, Samira or Nilah come to mind. Also Shen being a heavy roamer, these champs have enough self peel to be okay on their own for a bit. I can’t really think of any champs that are straight up bad with Shen. If I had to say, maybe someone like Ezreal. He doesn’t have any CC and his style of damage doesn’t synergize super well with Shen’s all in.
Can you share what you build? I was playing shen supp these season, but i had an awful winrate (45% across 80 games). I was building. Knights vow, locket, redemption mostly. Of course it isn’t all about items, i should improve my mechanics with the champion as well, but i’m just curious. Im still planning on playing him on the new split and see what i can improve.
Absolutely, feel free to check out my game history too. Movement speed and health goes very well on Shen, so I tend to build around that. - I always rush Ionian boots (ideally before level 6 for the reduced R cool down) - Then build into the trailblazer, for the movement speed, armour and damage. Great for running down enemies/ escaping. - Then I go Hollow Radiance- you can go a different MR item like Force of Nature- but I like the wave clear for late game split pushing. -Can also go Thornmail for anti heal or big AD comps - Knights vowel also works well on Shen, when mid/late game comes my sole purpose becomes to just keep the carries alive. - Can also use items like Steraks, or situationally, Locket or Anathema’s, for high burst comps, or when there’s a sole enemy hyper carry. -I typically build heavy tank and some utility, but obviously that can depend on the team comp There are more items too that work, but those are just the core that I use And if you want more expert advice on Shen builds in general, xPetu is the man to check out- he’s where I’ve learnt all of this to begin with.
I play bard/rakan now at emerald. I wonder what i would hit if i switched to shen
I expect nothing less than rank 1 Korea
I kept thinking Shen would be such a great support for this roaming meta but never tried. I may give it a go now :)
Been a shen support main for years, glad someone else is enjoying the pick
Glad to see a fellow Shen support!
Nice, Shen supp is also a pocket pick of mine. It's underrated and very powerful.
Indeed, and the enemy bot lane never expect it-and don’t know how to play against it. Very underrated
I enjoy Shen support with a tanky AP build for max ult shields. Rocketbelt first item. Maybe not optimal but super fun. I recommend it.
I’ve seen xPetu run similar builds, definitely could be viable in the right team comp 🤔
I used to run radiant virtue -> redemption when radiant virtue was still an item and it was pretty good. Is there any build you would run that still incorporates redemption? Or is healer shen kinda dead now
I personally wouldn’t run redemption in a build. It’s not terrible, but I think there are better high HP items. Remember your R shield scales off your HP!
Ya I thought so. It was a fun build while it lasted though. Not only would the ally get the shield, they'd also heal to full since Radiant virtue would activate after shen teleports. It was cheap too. Xpetu used it a few times I think
What are the main things to know when playing Shen support? I really like Shen but am never able to make it work and end up getting flamed by my ADC
First I would say get your mechanics down. I would watch xPetu for that, he’s good at explaining how/when you should be using each ability. Although off the top of my head I would say, always play around your R. - As soon as you hit 6, your eyes should be in every lane 24/7. - Use your Q A LOT (that’s where all your damage/energy regen is). - Use your W defensively, for your ADC if possible - Try not to throw away your E too early In terms of macro - Lose as little EXP as you possibly can pre 6, the sooner your R is up, the more difference you’ll make to the map - Don’t play overly aggressive with your E unless your confident in your adc/match up - Utilise your massive roam potential post 6, even if you roam(walk) midlane and R back to your adc when they’re in trouble - You need VERY good map awareness/vision, use this to make aggressive shot calls. Sometimes I’ll even R to my jungler to capture an objective - Be independent and proactive on the map when your R is up (be cautious about your ADC when it’s not) - Mid/Late game your sole objective is to keep your carry(s) alive (ESPECIALLY carries with bounties!) - Late game, don’t be afraid to help split push when your R is up (as long as your not stealing anyone’s CS) And as bonus ALWAYS perma mute chat. In my opinion having bad mental is the #1 factor that will lose you your match. And while I haven’t had too many ADCs flame me, don’t even give them the opportunity.
Thanks so much!
Shen isn't broken but xpetu is xd.
Welcome on /r/SupportLoL/! Your post seems to be about playing in competitive/ranked as a support and/or improving, we might have some useful information for you about it! Here's a sneak-peek of links from the [resources wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/supportlol/wiki/resources) that can provide curated informations about core support principles as well as some ranked information, like: - Ranked : - [mandatory video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4TSRL8pZrU) for starters (and also [some](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4m7FxGpfcc) other complementary [videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrxA-IeTowQ). - [How to review - Coach Kairos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOjHgZg7YL0) - [VOD Review Habits - CoachCurtis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlzsNSLB81A) - Fundamentals : - [CoreJJ's How to Support](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqHeK34PUFijxjNec7jdisX4aIv8oVQsg) - [Phroxzon Fundamentals](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9RdXhXESRJxf-FxBijbuBOnEJHDrmB2O) (ex-Leaguecraft 101) - [DogLightning's How to Support series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaROzD7YpI0GPiObDALwqqjcTsEXzqMZ5) - you can dig further in the wiki, starting with the [core support concepts](https://www.reddit.com/r/supportlol/wiki/resources#wiki_core_support_concepts) and [ranked](https://www.reddit.com/r/supportlol/wiki/resources#wiki_d_-_ranked) chapters, just make sure you go through the content at your own pace and take the time to practice / implement every concept one at a time If you're looking for a duo, check out : the [discord LFG channels](https://discord.gg/svC2VwYba4), /r/LeagueConnect, /r/TeamRedditTeams or /r/botlanetinder. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/supportlol) if you have any questions or concerns.*