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So...why exactly do Shen players build Tank?

TehNACHO·11/15/2019, 5:09:28 AM·1 votes·1,037 views

I'm not trying to be obtuse about this, I mean genuinely, I don't get why Shen players build straight tank items.

I understand Tank Support Shens because they just don't have the budget, but shouldn't the optimal build for Shen be straight Bruiser items in the form of Trinity Force, Frozen Mallet, and, of course, Titanic Hydra?

The only defensive scaling built into Shen's kit is HP scaling, and his allies don't get any benefit from him being tank outside of item effects themselves.

Furthermore, a titanic amount of his kit is reliant on his dueling power, specifically his auto attacks. Except for very specific matchups (say, into DoT champs), Bruiser items would provide more bang per buck in his dueling potential.

His optimal place in a team strategy is also that of a split pusher because of his Ultimate, so again unless it's Support Shen, budget shouldn't really be a massive restriction.

The only thing that really gets in the way is Shen's lack of AD scaling, but given the flat bonuses of Bruiser items on top of just as much if not more HP, and again how auto attack reliant Shen is already, I don't think that's as big of a problem for him.

10 Comments

7thHeaven11/15/2019, 5:48:14 AM2 votes

Well, dead sheen deals no damage.

Tr4shB4NSYST3M11/15/2019, 6:07:06 AM2 votes

Most shens I see build item 3748 outside of support, and it does seem like his Q would work well with item 3078 , and in that type of build item 3053 would definitely be quite nice.

Idk, id be curious to see what his base stats look like compared to other toplane champs, maybe he needs to build the durability idk.

MagicFlyingLlama11/15/2019, 5:12:00 AM1 votes

He gets a hydra and sometimes triforce, but the main point of shen is to stay alive and be annoying. His damage will never be high. Hydra scales with HP, and iirc he has some HP-based damage scaling as well.

WoonStruck11/15/2019, 6:03:37 AM1 votes

Titanic already gives him dueling supremacy.

Shen doesn't really have AD scaling, so building utility HP items and the resists you need to survive with them for your team often helps most after titanic.

If you really want to build bruiser, titanic+Frozen Mallet is what you should probably do. TF is barely worth it because the CDR+attack speed is useful, and most other items that provide a significant amount don't offer health, but frozen mallet provides more for your team and offers 700 HP. Its still probably better to just go tank instead though. Most champs already can't run from you, and a slow from an item like omen will be a death sentence with your team around anyway.

Sterak's isn't that worth it because his base AD isn't very high, he doesn't have AD scaling, and TF is just more worth it if you really want to delay tank items further. You can't go for it 3rd item because you're delaying armor/mr for too long at that point and will start to feel the struggles the bruiser class does: getting instantly nuked despite having 3500-4000 HP in an attempt to keep your damage relevant.

NemeBro11/15/2019, 7:11:19 AM1 votes

{quoted}

I'm not trying to be obtuse about this, I mean genuinely, I don't get why Shen players build straight tank items.

I understand Tank Support Shens because they just don't have the budget, but shouldn't the optimal build for Shen be straight Bruiser items in the form of Trinity Force, Frozen Mallet, and, of course, Titanic Hydra?

The only defensive scaling built into Shen's kit is HP scaling, and his allies don't get any benefit from him being tank outside of item effects themselves.

Furthermore, a titanic amount of his kit is reliant on his dueling power, specifically his auto attacks. Except for very specific matchups (say, into DoT champs), Bruiser items would provide more bang per buck in his dueling potential.

His optimal place in a team strategy is also that of a split pusher because of his Ultimate, so again unless it's Support Shen, budget shouldn't really be a massive restriction.

The only thing that really gets in the way is Shen's lack of AD scaling, but given the flat bonuses of Bruiser items on top of just as much if not more HP, and again how auto attack reliant Shen is already, I don't think that's as big of a problem for him.

The better question is why would you build damage bruiser?

Shen's base stats are actually rather low for a tank, having bad base HP and armour. Bruiser items also typically have HP to give his shield some build, but health without resistances aren't all that useful. His shield is far more effective when it can't be popped by a single auto attack, and the longer he can last in a fight the more often he can activate it.

Shen also has literally zero AD scalings. The only thing AD does for him is increase his base attack damage. Indeed, the bulk of his basic attacks come from autos, be it normal autos or his empowered with Q autos, which only scale (don't play AP Shen I swear to God) with the enemy's health and with attack speed (more on this later). Titanic hydra, the only AD item he typically builds, is built more for its synergy with his auto attacking playstyle utilizing its health-based on-hit and active damage. In some games, particularly ones where you're stomping ass, need to carry, and have someone else to tank, Triforce, Sterak's, Guardian Angel, or Frozen Mallet could be good ideas situationally, but in generally not really.

Back to your Q, the damage item I actually think is best on Shen in a general sense besides Titanic is actually Wit's End. Gives a shitload of MR, attack speed for quicker Q and Titanic procs, and sustain to help you duel better and turn losing duels around.

G0blinSlay3r11/15/2019, 7:11:53 AM1 votes

They destroyed shen long ago move on..