This is why Shen jungle works, as proven by TSM and G2

William Davis Published 07/09/2020

Shen is known as a strong top laner with great early game dueling power and global presence, but the ninja is starting to see play in the jungle as well. But what makes Shen a strong jungler?

Shen was picked up by Team SoloMid jungler Mingyi “Spica” Lu in the 2020 LCS Summer Split lower bracket final against Team Liquid. The pick came as a surprise to fans as well as Liquid themselves. Spica picked Shen in the last two games of the five-game series and was a huge part of the TSM comeback. 

Only a few hours later, Shen jungle also made his debut in the LEC where G2 Esports jungler Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski picked him in the first game of the LEC Summer final. According to Rasmus “Caps” Winther, G2 saw TSM succeed with the pick and wanted to take advantage of the niche pick. Jankos went on to carry the game for his team, even though the team had not practiced the composition beforehand. 

Is Shen good in the jungle?

The jungle Shen pick threw off many fans and left them wondering how that pick could work so well despite being so rarely played. New picks in competitive play are usually discovered through solo queue, but Shen jungle is not even tracked from platinum ELO and up on patch 10.16. This means that jungle Shen is very rarely played, normally appearing in the top lane. 

Shen is unique compared to other junglers because he has a global ultimate. Similarly to Nocturne, Shen can pull off unexpected ganks that are hard for the enemy to prepare for. This forces enemy laners to play safe whenever Shen has his ultimate ready, even though he might not be close. TSM figured this out and used it against Liquid to constantly apply pressure on them throughout the laning phase. 

Shen also has a kit that will naturally soak up a lot of damage, making Shen a great frontliner. Having a tank in the jungler gives room for a carry champion in the top lane, which TSM and G2 both took advantage of.  

Shen got a buff to his passive Ki Barrier in patch 10.15, giving him a higher shield value. The buff might be another reason for his appearance in the jungle, giving him a more sustainable jungle clear.

Shen still has one weak point in the jungle, which is his clearing speed. Shen lacks AOE damage, resulting in slow clear on camps such as Raptors and Krugs. This will slow down his early game, but as soon as he gets Cinderhulk, his clear will be fine.

It’s still hard to say if Shen jungle is a top-tier pick or if the surprise factor made him strong for TSM and G2, but it does look like Shen is at least good in the jungle. We will have to wait for the 2020 World Championship to see if his presence continues. Until then, he will most likely be played in solo queue.  

Read Also

League of Legends

HLE’s MSI win may have proven that Gumayusi’s the GOAT Hannan Mundia With HLE winning the 2026 MSI tournament grand final against BLG, there’s a real argument that Gumayusi may be the best ADC player currently. This year’s MSI has finally concluded, and Hanwha Life Esports took home the winning trophy. While it was filled to the brim with ups and downs for every player, Gumayusi may be the only player who consistently performed in every game, regardless of which team was ...

Esports Betting

Hanwha Life Esports vs BLG: Best betting odds and picks for MSI 2026 grand final Hannan Mundia Hanwha Life Esports and BLG will get to have a rematch in the 2026 MSI grand final, but which team will walk away as the victor? The first match between HLE and BLG didn’t really go well for the LCK team. The stakes are much higher this time, and the looming question is whether things will be any different this time around. Tournament: MSI 2026 Stage: Lower bracket final Game: ...

Esports Betting

NA has a winning head-to-head against EU at MSI for the first time since 2018 Wasif Ahmed LYON just beat G2 Esports 3-0 at the LoL 2026 Mid-Season Invitational. Right off the high of beating the six-time World champion T1, the LEC representative quickly came back to Earth as NA cut their run short. Now, North America is ahead of Europe in the head-to-head for the first time since 2018. After G2’s victories against Top Esports and T1, the predictions were split. Part of the community rationally ...

Esports Betting

Hanwha Life Esports barely beats LYON 3-2 at LoL MSI 2026 Wasif Ahmed In a heartbreaking moment for North America, Hanwha Life Esports beat LYON in a close 3-2 in the MSI 2026 loser’s final. For South Korea, this means a rematch for HLE against Bilibili Gaming in the grand final, and a fourth slot at Worlds 2026. For North America, it’s yet another near-win against the East as they fall short for the third time in two years. The series between HLE ...

League of Legends

Hanwha Life Esports vs LYON: Best betting odds and picks for MSI 2026 Hannan Mundia The 2026 MSI lower bracket final will see Hanwha Life Esports take on LYON. Here’s our complete betting analysis and betting picks. After T1’s upset loss at the ongoing MSI tournament, G2 Esports was the next team to fall before reaching the lower bracket final. LYON looked extremely good against the LEC team, but does it have what it takes to take down arguably the strongest LCK team currently? Tournament: ...

League of Legends

G2 Esports proves that T1 has an over-reliance problem Hannan Mundia The MSI match between G2 Esports and T1 proved that the LCK powerhouse needs to take a good look at its strategy. For years now, the LCK has been a dominant force in the competitive League of Legends space. While the LCP has occasionally come close to the number one spot, that hasn’t been the case for long. In particular, T1 is easily the biggest name in the scene, especially ...

Esports Betting

Here’s the complete Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 schedule Hannan Mundia The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 has finally arrived, and here’s the complete schedule for the event to ensure you don’t miss anything. While it isn’t exactly the newest name in the esports scene, the EWC has quickly become a leading event for esports fans worldwide. It brings together professional players and fans from various games, combining them into one long event that everyone can enjoy. 2026’s Esports World Cup ...