Counters for Shen
Champion guide
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Champions against Shen
Favorable matchup
Gwen vs Shen
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Against Shen, Gwen hits where his kit defends least. Thousand Cuts deals damage based on the target's health, Snip Snip! applies it on every center snip and Spirit's Refuge only blocks attacks, not abilities. The more health Shen stacks, the more every snip is worth.
Why Gwen works against Shen
01
Damage that grows with his health
Thousand Cuts adds magic damage based on the target's health to your attacks and heals you for part of that damage against champions. Shen is a tank who adds health with his items, and that bonus damage grows with it instead of falling off.
02
Snip Snip! is not an attack
Spirit's Refuge creates a zone that blocks enemy attacks. Snip Snip! is an ability: it snips in a cone up to 6 times, deals true damage in the center and applies your passive on every snip to whoever is there. Even with the zone protecting Shen, the snips still land.
03
Hallowed Mist makes him come in
Hallowed Mist protects you from enemies outside it: only those who enter the mist can target you. Shen needs to get close to hit with Twilight Assault; inside your mist, the duel is played on your terms.
When to attack
From level 1, look for short trades with attacks and a charged Snip Snip! when Shen walks up to last-hit. The window closes when he has Twilight Assault ready and you don't have the mist.
How to play Gwen
- 1Hit Shen with attacks before casting Snip Snip!: every attack that lands adds a snip.
- 2Cast Snip Snip! with Shen in the center of the cone, which is where the damage is true.
- 3If Spirit's Refuge protects your target, swap attacks for Snip Snip! and Needlework: the zone blocks attacks, not abilities.
- 4Use Skip 'n Slash to enter or leave the trade; hitting someone during its effect refunds part of the cooldown.
Mistakes to avoid
- Casting Snip Snip! with no stacks: the final snip comes with fewer hits and your passive applies fewer times.
- Chasing Shen beyond your mist: outside it, you are a target for his team again.
Playing Shen against Gwen
Playing Shen, don't give Gwen long trades: every attack she lands charges her snips. Use Shadow Dash to cut off her engage instead of opening with it, and step into Hallowed Mist if you want to keep hitting her. Spirit's Refuge protects you from attacks, not from Snip Snip!: get out of the center of the cone.
Favorable matchup
Jayce vs Shen
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Shen wants to reach the teamfight phase with his ultimate ready to help another lane. Jayce makes him pay for that wait: he pokes with Shock Blast in Cannon Stance, pushes the wave and turns every Stand United into minions and tower damage for his team.
Why Jayce works against Shen
01
Shock Blast from range
In Cannon Stance, Shock Blast fires an orb that detonates on hitting an enemy or at the end of its path and damages everyone caught. Fired through Acceleration Gate, it gains speed, range and damage. Shen has to come close to hit; you don't.
02
Two stances to choose the trade
Mercury Cannon is the transformation between hammer and cannon. In Hammer Stance, Thundering Blow knocks Shen back and To the Skies! leaps onto him: if he walks up to use Twilight Assault, swap stances and push him away.
03
Stand United leaves the lane empty
Stand United shields an ally and, soon after, teleports Shen to them. Every time he uses it, his lane is left with nobody in it: with the wave pushed, that time belongs to your minions and the tower.
When to attack
Every wave, poke with ranged attacks and Shock Blast. The key window comes when Shen uses Stand United: push right away, because his lane is empty.
How to play Jayce
- 1Poke with Shock Blast through Acceleration Gate when Shen walks up to last-hit.
- 2If he comes in with Shadow Dash, swap to the hammer and knock him back with Thundering Blow.
- 3Keep the wave pushed before Shen has his ultimate: if he uses it, he loses more minions.
- 4When he leaves with Stand United, hit the tower or go with your jungler, and warn your team that he is coming.
Mistakes to avoid
- Staying in Hammer Stance to trade in melee: that's the duel where Shen hits with Twilight Assault.
- Spending Thundering Blow on the wave and not having it when Shen comes in with Shadow Dash.
Playing Shen against Jayce
If you're Shen, don't give away the wave to use Stand United: do it when Jayce has recalled or the wave is near your tower. In lane, recall your blade through him so Twilight Assault comes out empowered, and go in with Shadow Dash once he has spent Thundering Blow.
Execution matters
Mordekaiser vs Shen
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Mordekaiser doesn't beat Shen on lane tempo, but in one specific moment: Realm of Death drags him to another dimension and steals part of his stats. He needs the ultimate and the health for that duel; without it, Shen sets the pace.
Why Mordekaiser works against Shen
01
A duel away from everyone else
Realm of Death drags Shen with you to a different dimension and steals part of his core stats; if you take him down, you keep them until he respawns. The idea is to pull him out of the rest of the fight for that time.
02
Indestructible to hold on
Indestructible stores the damage you deal and take to create a shield you can later turn into health. Twilight Assault hits based on max health: with the shield up, that damage stays on it.
03
Death's Grasp so he can't leave
Death's Grasp pulls in every enemy in an area. If Shen tries to get away with Shadow Dash before your ultimate lands, the pull brings him back into Obliterate range.
When to attack
Play the early levels without losing health: last-hit with Obliterate on minions. With Realm of Death up and Shen without a big health lead, that's your window; outside it, the long trade isn't worth it.
How to play Mordekaiser
- 1Activate Darkness Rise with three hits before committing: the aura deals damage and gives you speed.
- 2Open with Death's Grasp and Obliterate on Shen alone, which is when Obliterate's damage goes up.
- 3Cast Realm of Death after he spends his Ki Barrier shield or right after he uses Shadow Dash.
- 4Activate Indestructible when he uses Twilight Assault and turn it into health at the end of the duel.
Mistakes to avoid
- Casting Realm of Death on low health hoping the stat steal is enough: on its own, it doesn't decide the duel.
- Spending the laning phase in long trades without your ultimate: Twilight Assault chips your health with every hit and you arrive late to your window.
Playing Shen against Mordekaiser
As Shen, the rule is never to enter the realm behind: if Mordekaiser has his ultimate, keep your health high and don't stand close when he uses Death's Grasp. If he drags you in, use Shadow Dash to taunt him and buy time with Ki Barrier, and play the duel with Twilight Assault recalled through him.