How to Play Timebreaker Shen
A stage-by-stage plan for Timebreaker Shen: opener, when to level and roll for Shen, and where to position the board.
- Tier
- A
- Top 4 rate
- 81.8%
- Avg place
- 1.80
- 1st place
- 36.4%
- Playstyle
- 2-cost reroll
- Games
- 25
How to level and roll with Timebreaker Shen
2-cost rerollTimebreaker Shen is a reroll comp: slow roll at level 6 from stage 3-2, keeping 50+ gold and rolling only the excess until Milio reach 3 stars. At level 6, each shop slot has a 40% chance to be a 2-cost.
| Stage | Level | Action | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | 4 | Level | Level to 4 and play your strongest pairs; slam an early item if it saves HP. |
| 2-5 | 5 | Level | Level to 5 and keep building interest toward 50 gold. |
| 3-2 | 6 | Slow roll | Stay at level 6: roll only the gold above 50 each round until Milio hit 3 stars. |
| 3-5 | 6 | Slow roll | Stay at level 6: roll only the gold above 50 each round until Milio hit 3 stars. |
| 4-1 | 7 | Level | Once your 3-stars are done, level up and add the units that complete your traits. |
| 4-5 | 8 | Level | Level to 8 for 4-cost upgrades and a stronger frontline. |
| 5-1 | 8 | Roll down | Roll for the last upgrades and finish the board around Shen. |
Timebreaker Shen early game and opener
Boards that lead into Timebreaker Shen at levels 4 to 7, taken from MetaBot Desktop round data — play the one closest to your shops.
2 games · 100% rounds won · 60% of units carry into the final comp
1 games · 100% rounds won · 71% of units carry into the final compRolling odds for Timebreaker Shen
Your 3-star targets are Milio. Level 6 gives the best shop odds for them — use the calculator to see how much gold a 3-star costs.
Rolldown calculator: Milio
Pre-set to this comp's roll level. Change copies owned, copies other players hold and your gold.
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Timebreaker Shen positioning
A starting board for Timebreaker Shen. Drag units to adjust it, switch to the anti-assassin layout when the lobby has divers, and copy the Team Planner code into the TFT client.
- Corner Kindred on the back line and put Maokai in front of it.
- Split Kindred and Milio across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both.
- Shen, Riven, and Maokai hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry.
- Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Aatrox and Pantheon in the back corners as bait.
Positioning board
Drag a unit onto another hex to move it — dropping on a unit swaps them.
When to play Timebreaker Shen
Strengths
- Average place better than 98% of comps of the same board size
- Wins the lobby often (36.4% first places)
- Big power spike once Milio hit 3 stars
- Two damage threats (Shen and Kindred) make itemizing flexible
Weaknesses
- Needs Shen and Kindred at high cost, which can be hard to hit
- Falls off hard if someone else is rerolling Milio
Strategic Tips
Economy
Reach 50 gold, then slow roll at level 6 with only the excess until Milio are 3-starred.
Itemization
Build Thief's Gloves on Shen.
When to pivot
Scout at 2-1 and 3-2: if two or more players hold your core units, or you haven't found any by 3-2, move into one of the comps on the Similar Comps tab instead of forcing Timebreaker Shen.
Get the Winning Edge
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- In-game overlays
- Automatic match tracking
- Desktop-exclusive tools
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How to play Timebreaker Shen – FAQ (TFT Set 17)
How do you play Timebreaker Shen?
Timebreaker Shen is a reroll comp: slow roll at level 6 from stage 3-2, keeping 50+ gold and rolling only the excess until Milio reach 3 stars. Corner Kindred on the back line and put Maokai in front of it. Build Thief's Gloves on Shen.
When should I roll down for Timebreaker Shen?
Timebreaker Shen doesn't do one big roll down. Slow roll at level 6 from stage 3-2, rolling only the gold above 50 until Milio are 3-starred.
What level do you roll for Milio?
Slow roll for Milio at level 6, where its cost tier shows up most often in the shop. At level 6, each shop slot has a 40% chance to be a 2-cost.
Is Timebreaker Shen a reroll comp?
Yes. Timebreaker Shen wants Milio at 3 stars, so slow roll at level 6 with gold above 50 until you hit them.
How do you position Timebreaker Shen?
Corner Kindred on the back line and put Maokai in front of it. Split Kindred and Milio across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both. Shen, Riven, and Maokai hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry. Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Aatrox and Pantheon in the back corners as bait.
What is the best opener for Timebreaker Shen?
The most common level 5 board that turns into Timebreaker Shen is Aatrox, Jax, Lulu, Maokai, and Milio (2 games tracked).