How to make Doran's Shield a bit more...useful.

Small changes which I feel would bring Doran's Shield a bit more...up to par with the rest of the Doran items.

Currently +80 HP +6/5sec HP regen -8 Damage from Single Target Spells

Gold Efficiency: 430 Item Cost: 440

As it currently stands, Doran's Shield is the least gold efficient item out of all of the Doran items. In terms of popularity, it's also ranked dead last of them boasting a horrendous 2.5% purchase rate. To compare, Doran's Ring is in the 15% area while Doran's Blade is around 20%. Each of the Doran items also has it's optimal usage. Doran's Blade is essential for ADCs starting in the bottom lane. Doran's Ring provides everything needed more mid laners. One optimal alternative for Doran's Ring would be a Flask+potions. That provides a less aggressive but a more sustaining approach. Optimal depending on the matchup. Manaless mid laners such as Akali? Boots+4 provide sustain or even Regen Bead+potions.

What's a situation where someone would build a Doran's Shield? I've seen it built in the past for bot lane supports going into a poke heavy lane but Relic Shield is a much more optimal approach considering it can be upgraded, allows sustain for not only yourself but your other bot laner, and provides more HP.

I'd assume Riot would prefer Doran's Shield to be a more tankier approach ala top lane.

Now let's look at some situations where Doran's Shield would be beneficial?

You're going against an auto attacking ranged top laner: I can see why you believe Doran's Shield would be good here. The -8 AA would be helpful. But you'll only have 1 HP potion going into lane. Why choose this over Cloth+5? Cloth+5 provides more sustain, can build into other things more useful and is an overall more cost-efficient approach.

You're going against a mage? That -8 reduction on single target spell damage is helpful, yes. But again, you're going into lane with only 1 potion. Why this approach over say flask+3? You're manaless? Boots+4 works. Also helps against ganks. Enemy lacks skillshots and is point and click? Ruby+2. (Very underrated start here.) Manaless and trying to play safe? Regen+Potions.

Again, there's no clear cut situation where Doran's Shield is the "This item is definitely needed." (Unless you're Vladimir going against a Swain. Doran's Shield is pretty helpful in this one case. but even then, I don't know if it's the most optimal.)

As it stands, Doran's Blade is the only self scaling Doran's item because of it's 3% vamp. You can also stack these giving additional vamp, additional HP and additional damage while still being very cost effective. Doran's Ring provides mana sustain in lane while also giving damage. But the thing is, you can stack Doran's Rings! Again, applying additional damage, additional HP and additional sustain!

That -8 single target spell damage is helpful early on but as the game goes on, it's value goes down. Why is this useful? You have even else incentive to go this approach considering if you're behind, this doesn't help you at all. What I suggest is the following:

1. Remove the UNIQUE passive. Allow it to "Scale" with the other Doran items. Let it be an actual TANK item with a purpose. I know what many people are saying at this point:

"What if someone stacks them?" You mean like every other Doran item? "But -48 single target damage is broken good!" Yes, it is extremely good. It provides 480 HP, 36/5sec regen and -48 single target damage reduction. it sounds incredibly good! But take this into account, that's extremely slot inefficient. So while it seems good in the short run, it's really not considering you can't build Doran's Shield into anything and it only prolongs your first advanced item.

2. Add +3 Armor/+3 Magic Resistance to it. Allow it to be an optimal start against top magic lane users because, as it stands, there are no early magic variations to cloth armor. This would provide one hybrid alternative.

3. Cut HP/Regen from 6/5sec to 5/5 sec.

Let's see the math in regards to cost effectiveness with the new shield.

+80 HP = 214 gold. +3 Armor = 60 Gold. +3 Magic Resistance = +60 Gold. +5/5 sec = 180 gold.

---

Total Gold Value: 514 gold which would make it 117% gold efficient before including the passive. That's still less than Doran's RIng AND Doran's Blade but it's still a huge upgrade toward what it is now.