Shen’s top lane matchups

Difficulty Levels:

Very Hard

Hard

Challenging

Okay

Moderately Easy

Very Easy

Free

Introduction/Purpose:

This matchup guide is generally focusing on how to play the early laning phase in each specific matchup. In most matchups you can get a lead one way or another, and then it’s just about correctly driving your lead home and snowball your lane and then transitioning your personal lead to other lanes while containing it best you can. There’s A LOT of matchups that outscale you in the 1v1 later on if you haven't accumulated enough of an early lead, and this matchup-guide won’t be how to deal with those situations.

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Level 1 cheese bush:

For the champions with an “ * “ beside their name you want to do the lvl 1 cheese. To do it properly follow these steps: Walk into the tribush (if you’re blueside) / riverbush (if you’re redside) at 1:27 and press Q. Then Q again at 1:36. That way you’ll likely get 1-2 normal Q auto’s off on the enemy while still getting the Q cd back in time to Q through them, slow them, and get 3 additional Emp. Q autos off (Move with them between autos, aka. Kite).

Lvl 1 Pushing mindsets (When to push and not to):

When the lane starts you should always (if the matchup allows it) try to get the lane slow-pushing towards the enemy. The main way of doing this isn’t to hit the minions a lot, but instead to place the blade up the lane and zone the enemy off hitting the wave. This is so you can get lvl 2 / lvl 3 spikes first and trade aggressively during your strongest point in the lane. I’ve noted which matchups you should always be able to get the lvl 1 push in your favor by adding a “Push lvl 1” below their name. When you’re playing against a champ without this notation, that doesn’t mean you can’t try to get the push. If the enemy is not playing optimally and you manage to push without taking too much dmg in return, that’s great! Then you can even in those matchups still lvl 2 all-in and be happy, but be ready to give up on the slow-push idea if the enemy punishes you.

Teleport vs Ignite:

The time where I take ignite is matchups I feel confident in when it comes to winning early trades and therefore also having full control over the wave. If you ever lose (or even go even) during the first couple of waves of the lane when taking Ignite, you'll get stuck in lane a long time without being able to force a natural recall timing. I've listed below in every matchup whether I take ignite or TP, but if you know that you generally struggle in a specific matchup that I don't, then feel free to take TP even though I list Ignite as my recommended rune (or the other way around if you always win a match I've listed as hard).

Aatrox

Push lvl 1

TP

Very Hard

Play around your lvl spikes (2 + 3). Only use taunt aggressively if Aatrox uses Q’s to push the wave or he plays very aggro and uses his chain ability on you (or you have a lvl advantage). Time your W for his passive-empowered auto (but don’t overlap your W with your passive). Be very careful about him running you down in an extended trade with R after lvl 6.

Akali*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Moderately Easy

Utilize your passive shield to block some of her Q poke and only go in for trades once she's used up most of her energy for poke/push (or you have lvl lead). Akali’s Shroud has a slightly longer cooldown than your taunt. So if you taunt in for a trade, where she also uses her W, then try to taunt instantly when it’s up again when her W won’t be up yet. Lvl 3+, focus on baiting out her E, since akali’s like using it instantly when a chance comes up. So give a chance to her, and then sidestep while she’s mid animation. (then trade while it’s on CD)

Camille*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Moderately Easy

VS Camille you need to trade in a specific way. First you have to make her use both her boneplating + her passive by trading 1 auto for 1 auto (preferably while placing your blade up the lane at the same time). Then while those defensive tools of hers are down you can simply taunt + dragthrough, and you’ll crush every trade if you have everything up. Then repeat (remember to never trade into boneplating or camille passive!). Also if she ever uses E to a wall to trade aggressively, then press Q+W preemptively so her first autos get blocked while you're stunned by her E. Never stand close enough to her and the wall so you're not able to react with Q+W in time.

Cassio*

Push lvl 1

TP/Ignite

Challenging

The key is to use passive well lvl 1 to get the push while not taking too much dmg, and then looking for a quick all-in lvl 2. If you and her are the same lvl, then try to bait out her Q and look for a taunt once she’s missed it. Change your direction often while moving in this matchup, and her Q is gonna be much more likely to miss you. If your jungler comes it's also a freekill if you just taunt-flash her. She’s extremely squishy early.

Cho'Gath*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Moderately Easy

Respect him when he presses E (for his 3 spike autos), apart from that, don’t respect him at all. Go for the lvl 2 all-in. Once you’ve chunked him, you need to keep him low. If he gets to auto on minions freely he’ll be fine, but if he’s zoned away and can only farm with his Q, the healing won’t be too bad. After you’ve hit a taunt on him, sidestep the moment the taunt ends and he’ll miss his Q almost guaranteed, because every Cho will be spamming his Q button during the time he’s taunted.

Darius

Ignite

Challenging

Your #1 Priority in this matchup is to never get hit by his Edge-Q. Either make sure you’re out of range of his full Q or make sure to move close to him so he doesn’t get the heal part. Try to sneak the lvl 1 push in your favor, but if he doesn’t let you (as he should), then let him push you in and wait for lvl 3 while conserving HP. Always W his W. Never taunt forwards unless you got a lvl lead or a considerable enough HP lead that you know you can kill him if he all-ins. Lvl 3-5 is your best window to win this matchup.

Diana*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Very Easy

Try to get a slow push early to hit lvl 2/3 spikes first. If she uses Q or W to contest the push you can freely trade, and if she doesn’t you will be able to hit lvl 2 before her and can instantly taunt in (same on lvl 3 spike). If you’re considering at which time to start the trade, the time where she just used her 3rd passive Emp auto on creeps is a good time (or if she uses Q to farm). Also, remember to place the blade up the lane since she has no strength to stop you.

Dr.Mundo*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Moderately Easy

If he walks up to creeps to last hit you should be able to force winning trades early on with your extra range and push the advantage. If he constantly stays back and farms with Q, then be an evil mastermind and bodyblock the cannons and some melee minions with your passive shield whenever it’s up until he grows angry and walks up to last hit after all (and you force trades again).

Fiora

TP

Hard

Base your movement on where the current Vital is on you. Your best way to start a trade is to be able to get a dragthrough at the same time she dashes in for a vital and block her dmg with your passive that will proc, and then trade back with at least 1, hopefully 2 Emp Q’s (use your leftover Q’s if the opportunity comes up). The 2 times you can use taunt aggressively in this matchup is if Fiora has used her W already OR she’s close enough to you that you’re confident she won't be able to react with her W in time.

Gangplank*

TP (/Ignite)

Very Hard

Try to stay out of his Q range for most of the time except when you have to walk up for a lasthit. Try to utilize your shield and W as much as possible to stay healthy, and save your TP if possible so you can R away later, because you’re likely never gonna have the chance to push the wave out in this matchup.

If you want to try to play this matchup aggressively, then you CAN take ignite and be ready to all-in lvl 2, since at that point the majority of GP players will have Q and E (no W). Then you can taunt + dragthrough and atk the barrel while he’s taunted and then ignite and kite with him. He’ll likely get low and have to TP back to lane and then you have to keep playing well with the HP you have left. (if you’re lucky you can lvl 2 kill him with this strat)

Garen*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Moderately Easy

Position the blade up constantly, try to force short trades where you W (or passive shield) his Q dmg and auto him a few times with your Emp. Q’s. Then after using your 3 Emp Q’s you can Taunt out through him while he’s still in his E. Then replace blade / wait for CDs. Repeat until he gets low and force him out of lane or kill him.

Gnar*

TP

Challenging

Stand behind minions / juke his long range Q’s. Stay back most of the time except the time you walk up to last hit (and use passive / W to deny poke when you do). If you’re getting pushed in, then look for/threaten taunts while he’s under your tower. If you’re gonna all-in any time that’s not under tower, do it either when his bar is low or optimally right when he turns from big to small. When he’s in big form, try to bait out his W and sidestep it, then you can trade more freely after that. (unless he has R and you’re close to a wall)

Gragas*

Push lvl 1

Ignite

Moderately Easy

You should be able to simply force trades in this matchup at every early lvl (1-5). Since he can interrupt your taunt with his E, you want to just trade with Q's until he uses it, or if you're close enough you know he won't be able to react to the taunt. One special thing to keep in mind is that if he E's you past lvl 3, then try to instantly press Q-W, to deny his W auto while you're CC'd, and then keep kiting/trading him.

Graves

TP

Hard

Graves is tanky for a ranged champ and his splash dmg makes it hard to control the wave. Use your pass