One would assume that the appropriate starting items would be
for the midlane mages
for botlane ADCs
for tanky top lanersBut I've noticed that while the first two situations happen all the time, almost nobody takes the shield top, not even tanks. I've even seen Doran's Blade being taken top instead of Doran's Shield.
Can someone shed some light on why Doran's Shield seems so bad to take top right now?
venomous frost1 votesIt gives you no lane dominance, you are basically set up for giving up lane from the start, because it has no damage
Statistically, cloth 4/boots 4/corrupting potion All give more sustain before your first back.
Also it doesn't build into anything, it's 450g waste on something that won't help you at all in the mid game, i personally start 
Naenia1 votesNone of the dorans items build into something, but I agree that it gives you no damage and the x dmg blocks from attacks that it gives you really isn't worth it.
venomous frost1 votesthat's why i never start dorans on non mana reliant champs, even if you get an early kill, you still aren't ahead in terms of your build, you just have 1 more doran item
Naenia1 votesYeah, I honestly only use a dorans item if I'm a mage. Blade and shield aren't that great IMO.
TyrekGoldenspear1 votesAh, thanks for the insight. Never thought of it that way.
Do you think needs some buffs sustainwise to give tanks a reason to take it top over damage?
venomous frost1 votesIt would need to have a lot of sustain to be picked over the other items, and at that point we will be back in S5/ pre season 6 where everybody has so much sustain nobody gets pushed out of lane, IMO. Also hard to buff in the anti single target damage department, might shut down auto attackers completely
IDK if dorans shield should ever be a good pick, damage dealers would pick it up too if it gave good sustain
But then again i'm a agressive player and really dislike playing passive, as you won't ever get an advantage from that
I would just start an item that builds into something, I mean people in bronze don't know how to push an early item lead anyway.
TyrekGoldenspear1 votesMaybe if the shield gave resistances as well or more health, like around the amount of a ruby crystal?
My reasoning is the ring gives you a bunch of AP stats and mana regen.
The blade gives you ad and life steal.
So maybe the shield can give more health and resistances as well as a little sustain.
venomous frost1 votesmaybe
Astôlfo1 votesJust incredibly passive, inefficient gold-wise, and only really helps against single-target damage which is eh.
TyrekGoldenspear1 votesAh, so in a damage reliant meta, the shield isn't used as much becuase it's too passive?
Astôlfo1 votesYeah. Like, congratulations, you can survive a little longer. But then they just damage you again.