Because Shen has lost his innate sustain, Runic Armor only benefits his shield passive which already runs off of his health. So would it be better to go Veterans Scars for both shielding and better early game or use Runic Armor for shielding?
Basically does Runic Armor's 8% increase provide more shield than the max of Veterans scars?
Princess Emma1 votesI would go with Runic Armor.
Not only do you get an additional boost to your shield, but from life steal and regeneration.
It is also hard to do the calculations for which would be better for you specifically since his passive scales with bonus health and I am not sure what your runes are since health runes add onto bonus health.
but
You get a 59.28 health shield at level 1 without bonus health except for the Veterans Scars mastery. You get a 56.16 health shield at level one with Runic Armor and no bonus health.
The difference between those two are 3.12, but lets say you start with 
and have no mastery. You have 60 base attack damage at level 1 with no outside modifiers, so you will heal for 4.8 health a hit with the item. With the Runic Armor mastery, you are now healing for 5.18(4) a hit with
Adding both the Runic values together (56.16+5.18), it would be as if you had a 61.34 health shield, which is better than the shield you get from the Veteran Scars mastery at level 1 with no other bonus health modifiers. Runic Armor also increases the health regeneration you have against jungle creatures with a jungling item on as stated below, which further enhances the power of Runic Armor compared to Veteran Scars.
Runic Armor gives...
Gives 8% life steal, and Runic Armor empowers the amount that you heal up from the effects of the item
is a heal drain, and Runic Armor empowers it's healing effects on you.
Dreadlocks1 votesTake Runic Armor 100%, if you are jungling Shen you should be taking Strength of Ages Keystone, and after 4 camps you pretty much have the HP equivalent to Veteran Scars.
Shens clears are pretty slow though, so i hope you're ganking a lot haha.
Meep Man1 votesExcuse you, but, with decent CDR, they are actually decent speed. He isn't any Shyvana, but the bonus damage to monsters on his Q deals great damage.
Dreadlocks1 votesI was running attk speed reds/quints perhaps i need CDR like you said. Just noticed in a custom it took 3 mins to clear 3 camps, and with nidalee u can clear the entire jungle in just over 3 mins lol. xD
Ralanr1 votesI've been running attack speed quints and attack damage reds. Should I drop the damage reds?
Dreadlocks1 votesWell if you are jungling Shen attack speed is really good, I'd ask Inept Maverick he seems to know more about having fast clear speeds with Shen. lol.