Talk:Shen/@comment-3973399-20110722180207

Shen is still viable. I find that most people don't have the proper runes to play him though. I mostly play 3v3 so what I say applies to TT. I use ALL health runes and quints, except CDR blues (CDR per level blues since spamming his skills early levels isn't as important as higher CDR later) (CDR per level catches up with the regular CDR at level 13, your choice though). This works great for me since I also have Vlad who benefits from the same setup.

Start by rushing Heart of Gold beginning with a Ruby Crystal to begin the game. By doing so you will start the game with 385 bonus health from runes, items and masteries (46 damage Ki strike at lvl 1) (813 starting health, almost twice as much as champs without Doran items). For masteries I go 0-21-9 going for 4 points in Veteran's Scars, skipping Ardor, and sometimes getting Reinforce depending on who else is on my team. In Utility I max Perseverance (with a Spirit Visage this can be nice), 1 in Good Hands, max Awareness, and Greed (kinda useless, but 2 free wards in the game helps so whatever).

Summoner spells I go for Flash (great feeling when you Flash then Shadow Dash an enemy trying to escape allowing for you and your team to finish them. Then I either get Exhaust or Fortify depending on my team. Exhaust if I will need to slow down the enemy to protect squishies. Fortify for the awesome Shadow Dash taunt/Fortify activation kill and the 9 extra damage to minions that the spell gives you. With your bonus health Ki Strike and Fortify's passive your farm is not that bad.

For items I get Heart of Gold (combined with Greed) you don't worry about gold as much. You can last hit with Vorpal Blade, but most of the time I don't. I last hit the old fashion way and sometimes use Vorpal to get a double last hit. Most the time I use Vorpal for constant harass. You have a limitless energy resource, use it! For boots I get Mercury Treads for CC/magic teams or Boots of Lucidity in all other cases. Next I get a Kindlegem for more health and cooldown. Then I see how the game is going. I will buy either a Chain Vest, Negatron Cloak, or finish Spirit Visage (cheap, decent early magic resist, the 15% health regen is not the best, but doesn't hurt for the cost). Then from there I will build depending on who I am facing: Force of Nature, Sunfire Cape (great for the bonus health and AOE for your farm), Thornmail (cheapest +100 armor and turns your taunt into nice damage), finish your Heart of Gold into Randium's Omen, Atma's Impaler, Warmog (you can level this fast with assists also which helps your Ki Strike immensely, but don't get it without sufficient resistances), Aegis of the Legion, or even Frozen Mallet after proper resistance have been gained.

Hope this helps.