Overview

Erlang Shen is a hugely flexible God that's capable of building for maximum damage or maximum defence. Irrespective of how you build him, his kit offers a lot of variety and utility making him particularly useful for most compositions. Followed by his hunting dog, he can transform into a mink or turtle with both forms providing mobility and buffs. When combined with Spot Weakness for increased physical damage, or Pin for a cripple and root, it's not surprising to find Erlang Shen controlling the flow of play. Used correctly, he's more than capable of diving in and causing havok but is incredibly weak to crowd control. With no escapes if he's used 72 Transformations, he's completely vulnerable. 

Updated: 15 July 2016

Pros

Cons

A flexible and powerful kit that's tricky to master

Easily locked down

Can be built offensively or defensively and succeed at both

Mana intensive early game

His Ultimate provides some sustain

Only really comes online mid to late game 

Fantastic mobility

His voice is incredibly annoying 

His attack speed is ridiculous when built correctly 

 

Lore

Many are the legendary tales of Erlang Shen.

Hearing the riverlands surrounding his home were consumed by floods, he went to engineer new damns and canals. Yet the true source of the disaster proved to be an evil dragon. With seven companions, Erlang Shen ambushed the beast. Cowardly and quick the dragon slithered into the rapid river waters, but Erlang Shen captured it with a great chain and bound it beneath a shrine. Thus the floods subsided.

When Sun Wukong's troublesome antics drew the ire of the Jade Emperor, Erlang Shen faced the Monkey King on the battlefield. For every form Sun Wukong took, Erlang Shen transformed as well. Across sea and sky and land they battled. Thus was Sun Wukong sent fleeing for his life.

When the people were plagued by demons and monsters, Erlang Shen slaughtered them to keep his countrymen safe. Three-bladed spear in hand and hunting dog at his side, no evil could threaten the innocent of the Empire. Thus, Erlang came to be loved and worshipped.

A Goddess mother and a mere mortal father, he is of two worlds. He is both sage and soldier, humble yet regal, his veins filled with the blood of men and the divine blood of his uncle, the Jade Emperor. Having risen above his forbidden origins, Erlang Shen has proven himself among the greatest of heroes in the Jade Empire. Perhaps that is why he now takes the field. No demon, nor dragon, nor even the Monkey King himself has stood against him and won. To save the people, to save the world, Erlang Shen will fight, and another legend will be born!

Abilities

Howling Celestial Dog (Passive) - Erland Shen's Passive allows his hunting dog to fight by his side. For every attack you make, your dog will attack and deal 15% of your basic attack power. This can also trigger items for 15% of their normal damage (including critical hits). In simple terms, imagine this Passive as a damage over time addition that's free damage when you're fighting. It should be noted that your hunting dog cannot be damaged.

Tip - Always use Spot Weakness when hunting players down. It removes the movement penalty when attacking so you can run full speed while dealing damage.

Spot Weakness (1st Ability) - Activating this skill allows you to gain a damage bonus for each strike while ignoring movement penalties when you attack. Better still, once Spot Weakness is on cooldown your basic attacks decrease it. There's never a moment when you won't have Spot Weakness and it's key to your damage output. If you can, always trigger it once in a fight and better still, when the opponent is rooted or snared.

Pin (2nd Ability) - As a ranged, targetted attack, Pin allows Erlang Shen to throw his spear into the distance and damage those where it lands. Those in the center of the attack will be rooted and crippled, allowing you to then dive in with your 72 Transformations (see below) or if you were already close enough, opening with Spot Weakness. 

Tip - Pin is brilliant for holding people in place. If used from afar and you manage to root someone, use 72 Transformations to then quickly reach them.

72 Transformations (3rd Ability) - Technically it only provides two, allowing Erlang Shen to transform into a mink or a turtle. The mink is for attack speed, up to a maximum of 35%, while the turtle causes Erlang Shen to knockup the first target struck before gaining a health shield (up to 215). Both allow you to travel forwards and both are invaluable and key to Erlang Shens gameplay. 

Tip - Your highest attack combo is 72 Transformations Mink into Spot Weakness. It gives both an attack speed and attack power buff - the best you can get.

9 Turns Blessing (Ultimate) - Allowing Erlang Shen to mitigate incoming damage, 9 Turns Blessing also allows you to taunt enemies in front of you in a large cone. Those taunted will attack you and if you survive their attacks, you'll heal for a flat amount (around 500) as well as an additional 20% of your maximum health. It's a huge amount of mitigation and sustain and is invaluable for protecting your allies or allowing them to spike your opponents while they're taunted. Unsurprisingly and the way that 9 Turns Blessing works, it's just as good against a large group as it is 1 on 1. It can often ensure you win any duel.

Skill Order

Recommended Items

Tactics

Early Game

Erlang Shen is really mana intensive early game so it's often difficult to not only use your attack combinations but then have anything left in the tank to lane or roam effectively. Although you can solo, it's much more effective to pair with someone else that can support you while you come online. Whether it's an ADC, Mage or Guardian use them to bolster your progression to mid game. If you can secure early kills, by all means do so. However, just be sure to back to replenish your mana. 

Mid Game

At this point - depending on how you're building - you're in a much stronger position to sustain your damage output and attack without worry. Your attack damage from Spot Weakness is nearly capped and your attack speed from still reasonable (but some way off maximum). Your Pin at this stage is already capped (at level 10) providing you with a good toolset to hold someone in place for you and your team.

Late Game

From level 15 onwards, 72 Transformations comes online and you'll gain maximum attack speed from your Mink transformation. With Spot Weakness and Pin capped also, there are few gods you can't kill at this stage. You should regularly be helping your team to root opponents, taunt multiple targets to allow your team to attack and to knock-up those trying to escape.

Matchups

These God Threat Levels (1 being lowest threat and 10 being highest threat) are to help you determine which enemy Gods can give you a headache. For the Gods listed here, take extra care as they're particularly dangerous for Erlang Shen due to their crowd control and choice of slows, roots or stuns. In many respects Erlang Shen shares the same dangers as Susano simply because crowd control is such a threat. 

Hero

Threat

Nox: Shadow Lock is incredibly annoying simply because it roots and slows you. Getting hit with it will cause you huge problems and will force you to use your Mink to escape. 

7/10

Scylla: A God capable of applying heavy crowd control to Erlang Shen, Scylla's Sic'em cripples and roots. She can also follow up with Crush to keep you slowed which prevents you getting near. 

8/10

Osiris: His root on Lord of the Afterlife combined with his damage and ability to stun you with Judgement Tether make him annoying. Try to knock him up early before taunting him to gain a prolonged fight against him. 

7/10

Ratatoskr: Always super annoying, tons of mobility, an infuriating slow and an Ultimate that allows him to escape or cause you a great deal of pain. Try to taunt early once you've knocked him up.

9/10

Ravana: 10-Hand Shadow Fist combined with Prana Onslaught make Ravana a very frustrating God to fight against. Fortunately you have lots more sustain thanks to your Ultimate.

8/10

Tips

This list of tips and tricks are just a handful of things we think will help your Erlang Shen play. We'll continue to add to the list as required and if you have any tips you'd like to share, let us know in the comments below and we'll place them here. 


1. Erlang Shen can lock a player down for some time. Start with Pin to root them, followed by 72 Transformations (Turtle) to knock them up, before using your Ultimate ability. 

2. Your Turtle from 72 Transformations can knock up multiple players, buying you a lot of time to basic attack the god affected.

3. Cancelling your Turtle after knocking someone up is key to maximizing your damage output. You can cancel just as the enemy is in the air, giving you time to get two or three basic attacks in.  

4. If you're against a team with lots of crowd control, you need to take greater care. Neither of your forms provide immunity, so be careful.

5. Coordinate with your jungler to secure "ganks". Your Pin buys you significant attack time and your turtle knockup - if you've a jungler with you - will often ensure a kill.

6. Don't be afraid to use your Ultimate defensively. If you're low or trying to escape, use it on whomever is chasing you and just turn and run. Sure they'll still attack you but you'll become briefly immune and be healed. 

7. Don't put too much thought into your passive. It's just a gaurenteed passive damage boost that helps early, mid and late game. Every little helps.

8. Although you're more than capable of amazing damage, Erlang Shen is still a warrior - you need to help protect your high value team-mates while controlling the flow of the fight. You're no use dead if you just go gun-ho.

9. Using 72 Transformations to escape is sometimes wise. You can still be rooted, but you travel forwards fairly quickly in either form. 


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Last Updated: Jul 25, 2016

About The Author

Lewis is a long standing journalist, who freelances to a variety of outlets.

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