How to Play Space Groove Shen
A stage-by-stage plan for Space Groove Shen: opener, when to level and roll for Shen, and where to position the board.
- Tier
- C
- Top 4 rate
- 70.3%
- Avg place
- 3.33
- 1st place
- 9.5%
- Playstyle
- Fast 9
- Games
- 27
How to level and roll with Space Groove Shen
Fast 9Space Groove Shen is a Fast 9 comp: level on the standard curve and roll down at level 9 on stage 5-1 to find Shen. At level 9, each shop slot has a 15% chance to be a 5-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 | Level | Level to 6 and save to 50 gold. |
| 3-5 | 7 | Level | Level to 7 while staying on interest. |
| 4-1 | 8 | Level | Level to 8 but roll only enough to stay healthy — the real roll is on 9. |
| 4-5 | 8 | Save gold | Rebuild gold toward 50 and keep your HP above 40. |
| 5-1 | 9 | Roll down | Level to 9 and roll down for your 5-costs and Shen 2-star. |
| 6-1 | 10 | Push level | With a stable board and spare gold, push to 10 for the last legendaries. |
Space Groove Shen early game and opener
Boards that lead into Space Groove Shen at levels 4 to 7, taken from MetaBot Desktop round data — play the one closest to your shops.
121 games · 66% rounds won · 60% of units carry into the final comp
88 games · 65% rounds won · 67% of units carry into the final comp
3 games · 100% rounds won · 86% of units carry into the final compRolling odds for Space Groove Shen
Shen is easiest to find around level 9. Use the calculator to see your odds of a 2-star for the gold you have.
Rolldown calculator: Shen
Pre-set to this comp's roll level. Change copies owned, copies other players hold and your gold.
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Space Groove Shen positioning
A starting board for Space Groove 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 Nami on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it.
- Split Nami and Samira across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both.
- Blitzcrank, Shen, and Riven hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry.
- Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Pantheon and Ornn 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 Space Groove Shen
Strengths
- Two damage threats (Shen and Blitzcrank) make itemizing flexible
- Rarely played, so its units are usually free
- Highest late-game ceiling once the 5-costs are 2-starred
Weaknesses
- Needs Shen and Blitzcrank at high cost, which can be hard to hit
- Weak until level 9 — you need HP to survive the econ phase
Strategic Tips
Economy
Stay on interest and save your big roll for level 9 at stage 5-1.
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 Space Groove Shen.
Get the Winning Edge
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How to play Space Groove Shen – FAQ (TFT Set 17)
How do you play Space Groove Shen?
Space Groove Shen is a Fast 9 comp: level on the standard curve and roll down at level 9 on stage 5-1 to find Shen. Corner Nami on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it. Build Thief's Gloves on Shen.
When should I roll down for Space Groove Shen?
Roll down at level 9 on stage 5-1. That is when Space Groove Shen finds Shen and its core most reliably; save gold before it.
What level do you roll for Shen?
Roll for Shen at level 9. At level 9, each shop slot has a 15% chance to be a 5-cost.
Is Space Groove Shen a reroll comp?
No. Space Groove Shen is a Fast 9 comp: level up and roll down at level 9 to find your 4- and 5-cost units at 2 stars.
How do you position Space Groove Shen?
Corner Nami on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it. Split Nami and Samira across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both. Blitzcrank, Shen, and Riven hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry. Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Pantheon and Ornn in the back corners as bait.
What is the best opener for Space Groove Shen?
The most common level 5 board that turns into Space Groove Shen is Gwen, Nasus, Ornn, Samira, and Teemo (121 games tracked).