what if shen's ultimate is no longer global?

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The big problem is that his ult is the reason he's so good in pro play and weak in normal level games, but at the same time, it's a big part of his identity and is very iconic. I really don't know what he could do about this without ruining the champ.

If they made it semi global, like the new Galio ult or Twisted Fate's/Ryze's/Kench's/Kled's ults, it wouldn't ruin his identity, it would just force him to make more important positioning decisions and decide who he needs to save with a bit more caution. A lot of his kit investment does go into having an instant, global shield that gives him access to a second TP which allows him to not only save allies, but also roam and pressure lanes more effectively. If his ult range was large, but not global, it would allow them to be able to give him more power elsewhere in his kit and still retain his trademark ability of warping in and shielding someone.