Some tips on helping your Shaco help you

Shaco is one of those champions that is so exotic and unlike any other champion in the game that he's not only very difficult to master, but also very difficult to play WITH. A lot of players simply don't know how to play with a Shaco on their team, and treat him as basically any other AD jungler, which is a mistake. There are certain things you need to realize when you have a Shaco on your team, and the following tips will help you help him help you to the best of your ability.

1. When Shaco is ganking your lane, DO NOT engage too soon. Shaco relies heavily on his Q to pull off ganks. What this means is that the element of surprise is extremely important for Shaco ganks. And you know what spoils the surprise? A laner who has been passive the whole time suddenly start running towards the enemy laner spamming abilities. This is a clear signal to the enemy that "oh shit, I'm probably getting ganked". A sudden, abrupt change in your behaviour and movements is enough to inform your opponent that Shaco is nearby. And if this movement is undertaken too soon, the enemy will get wise to the gank and back off before Shaco is within striking distance. The better option is to maintain your current pattern until the last possible moment (i.e. when Shaco is almost directly on top of the enemy), at which point you engage HARD. This immediate shift in behaviour, coupled with the unforeseen arrival of Shaco will catch the enemy off guard. At the very least you'll likely force a panic flash, which will allow Shaco to come back later for an easy kill.

2. 90% of the time, Shaco does not need a leash. But that doesn't mean you can ignore the 10% of the time he does. (NOTE: These percentages may increase or decrease depending on elo). Smart, coordinated enemy teams will invade Shaco at level 1 to trigger his boxes early, completely destroying his first clear. In the event that this occurs, please PLEASE don't ignore Shaco's pings for a leash. I've been the unfortunate recipient of this many times, and needless to say I was less than happy with the results. If the enemy team takes out even 1 of Shaco's boxes, be prepared to give a leash. Don't just go to lane thinking "it's Shaco, he doesn't need a leash".

3. As an added bit of strategy, and in addition to the previous point, if Shaco does not get invaded and doesn't require a leash, it would be wise to make it appear as though you gave him one anyway. If you're a bot laner and on blue side for example, and Shaco starts gromp/blue, don't just walk into lane with the minions. Wait a while, as though you were leashing for Shaco, or even taking Krugs yourself (but don't actually leash or take them). This will make the enemy laners think that Shaco started red side when in reality he started blue side. Doing so will make it easier for Shaco to invade the enemy jungler's red, gank top or mid level 2, etc. For all junglers, but for Shaco in particular, knowledge of their position on the map is vital to surviving or avoiding ganks. Strategies like this may seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but for a Shaco player this is how they do what they do.

4. Don't be surprised when Shaco falls off. While it's true that Shaco's teamfight potential is often underrated, teamfighting is not Shaco's primary purpose. Similarly, while Shaco maintains a lot of his power further into the game than people think, he DOES eventually fall off. What does this mean? It means that, post-25 minutes, expect Shaco to be split pushing the vast majority of the time. Be prepared for teamfights to be 4v5, with Shaco maybe swooping in near the end to clean someone up. Stop thinking of Shaco like other assassins who just dash into a fight, blow someone up, then die. Shaco does far more for his team as an unstoppable split pusher, securing objectives while the rest of his team keeps the enemies busy on the other side of the map. Playing with your team is paramount to your success as Shaco.

5. Shaco has a very versatile build path. You might think that this has more to do with playing as Shaco than playing with him, but it's important to know this when you see a teammate pick Shaco in champion select. Shaco can be viably built full AD assassin, bruiser, tanky bruiser, full AP assassin, tanky AP, or support. With this in mind, remember that Shaco will not always be able to 100-0 someone as people expect him to. Keep an eye on Shaco's build and plan your own build accordingly. If you notice Shaco is building tankier than usual, build some damage yourself to compensate. If you see him going AP, be sure you have enough AD on the team. And lastly, if Shaco is either not building damage or is behind, don't complain that Shaco never bursts the squishies.

Any other Shaco mains feel free to post their own tips (or addendums to mine if you find errors) about playing with Shaco on your team. Shaco takes a lot to play properly, and also takes a lot to play WITH properly.