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Shen Build Guide by d1v1n1t1es

AP Shen: Taunting Nukes

AP Shen: Taunting Nukes

Updated on July 16, 2012
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League of Legends Build Guide Author d1v1n1t1es Build Guide By d1v1n1t1es 76,538 Views 7 Comments
76,538 Views 7 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author d1v1n1t1es Shen Build Guide By d1v1n1t1es Updated on July 16, 2012
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Introduction: Why AP Shen?

Hi Guys, this is my first guide on MOBAFIRE, and I'm still getting used to the formatting and layout of the website. I play on NA, and my IGN is d1v1n1t1es.
Constructive criticism and pointers are always appreciated! Don't flame if you've never tried it.
So why would we play AP Shen? Well frankly, because you're bored. If you're like me, and have played basically every champion, your mind starts to wander. The possibilities are endless. Why not AD Annie? She's only 50 range less than Caitlyn. How about AP Master Yi? His ultimate gives Yi free refreshes on his Q nuke, and his mediate gives him unbelievable survivability. But I digress, I am here today to introduce my brain-child: AP Shen. It is of course a work in progress, but please don't hesitate to give me tips!

Here is a list of pros and cons in justifying AP Shen.


PROS:
    Looks cool
    All of Shen's abilities scale AP except for his Ki Strike
    Vorpal Blade harass
    Taunt does AOE dmg + CC's
    When you activate Stand United on your other carries it gives them nearly a full bar of health, and you also teleport to the fight. Is there anything scarier than an AP carry with global presence?
    Good lane presence, Feint brings up a massive shield to prevent enemy from harassing
CONS:
    Squishy
    Requires CDR Runes/Items
    Requires good positioning
    Can't tank
    Short range
In all, it makes sense to play AP Shen. You will leave the enemy team in awe of the damage output you give out, and they realize you aren't just a tank anymore, you are AP SHEN.
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Item Build Justification

The real question is: Where does AP Shen go?
The answer is: To be honest, anywhere. Except the jungle. AP Shen is potent everywhere. However, ideally, the best place is Mid, then Top.
Why Mid you ask? You're an AP carry. Go Mid.
Boots + 3 pots: The usual.
Merc Treads: Good if your mid is giving you trouble. It helps you tank more harass while still getting that CS.
OR:
Ionian Boots: They key here is: CDR. You need to be able to spam your vorpal blades, your feint, and your taunt.
Kage's/DeathFire Grasp: As an AP carry, you don't have a full skill set of nukes. This means that you need to supplement your AP with DFG, and it's always nice to get some more gold with Kage's.
Rabadon's Deathcap: The best item for an AP carry. It gives the most AP, an gives you some more AP later on in the game.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter: As Shen, you can be completely squishy. Your ult puts you in the middle of team fights, and as an AP carry you can't afford to get shredded and die immediately. Plus the slow is always good.
Abyssal Scepter: Gives you some good AP + lowers magic resist, which is good in a team fight.
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Masteries/Runes

The rationale behind them is sweet and simple. AP Shen lacks 1 critical thing: Cooldowns. AP Shen NEEDS Cooldown Reduction to able to function as a legit AP mid or AP top.
So what you need for runes:
Flat AP
CDR
What you need for masteries:
Flat AP
CDR
Use your remaining points in Magic Resist, as you'll likely be laning against another AP carry.
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Gameplay

Mid: Chances are, the other team will have a ranged AP mid, and they're going to want to harass you hard for being stupid and going mid as Shen. Don't take their ****. Early game keep a good distance, last hit, and don't be too aggressive. Occasionally toss a blade their way. Remember to use your shield if they're getting annoying. If the harass on the other team is too strong, max your E. The recent buff on Shen allows him to farm with his Vorpal Blades and still receive the health regen bonus, so do so.
Top: Chances are, the other team will have a bruiser, and they're going to be easy targets for you. Singed, Darius, Malphite, etc. Give them a piece of your blade, they're going to hate you for it.
Ganks: Shen, coupled with a Flash, is nearly impossible to gank. When you see that pesky Amumu or Rammus coming through the bush, quickly Taunt in the opposite direction. If that doesn't close enough gap, use your Flash. Still got caught near your turret? Pop your Feint. Soak up the damage. When Shen gets ganks from his own jungle, it's nearly always a hit. His gap closing Taunt gives him a suitable nuke (higher base damage than his blade), a gap closer to launch blades, and also a free taunt. If your jungler has more CC, then it's a guaranteed kill nearly every time.
Teamfights: Remember your role as an AP carry. You're not the normal tanky Shen. Don't initiate fights, don't take hits for your teammates. You're an AP carry. Remember that.
-When ulting, make sure you ult teammates who are dropping near the hundreds. Since your ult scales AP, your teammates will be receiving some good meaty shields, giving them durability. Ideally you want to ult your AD carry, and more or less double their health and give them good survivability. Even if you don't get there in time for kills, your ult grants assists via the person you ulted.
-When taunting, make sure you don't taunt yourself to death. You don't want to be taunting into 2 or more people, as you'll likely die from that encounter. Use taunt as a double-edged sword; it nukes hard but it also puts you in a difficult spot. Positioning is key to Taunting.
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The Happy Ending

Follow this guide, use some common sense, get some fast internet, and you'll most likely win! This guide isn't meant to be strictly followed and adhered to; it's more like a guideline. Guideline rule number 1: Be open-minded and try out new things. If you don't think a certain item is working well in your game, get what you want. If you don't think my skill sequence is right, then change them. This guide is meant to get you thinking.

Good luck summoners, and hope to see you on the Fields of Justice in the future!
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League of Legends Build Guide Author d1v1n1t1es
d1v1n1t1es Shen Guide
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AP Shen: Taunting Nukes

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