Shyvana: The Half-Dragon
Background Story:
Shyvana is a half-dragon warrior from a long-forgotten league of dragon riders. She carries the blood of one of the most ancient and powerful of all dragons, which she inherited from her mother. Shunned by her people, she wandered alone until she met Jarvan IV, who recognized her potential and invited her to join the League of Legends. Now, she fights alongside other champions, seeking to prove herself and find her place in the world. When you embark on your journey, mmowow can lend a helping hand when you need help.
Gameplay Positioning:
In League of Legends, Shyvana is primarily played as a fighter and jungler. Her gameplay revolves around her ability to deal significant damage in both her human and dragon form, while also being durable enough to withstand enemy assaults.
Skills Overview:
Twin Bite (Q): Shyvana's next basic attack strikes twice, dealing bonus physical damage. This ability resets Shyvana's auto-attack timer, allowing for quick burst damage.
Burnout (W): Shyvana surrounds herself in flames, dealing magic damage to nearby enemies and gaining bonus movement speed. In dragon form, the damage and area of effect are increased.
Flame Breath (E): Shyvana unleashes a fireball that damages enemies and marks them. Basic attacks against marked enemies deal bonus damage. In dragon form, this ability becomes a linear skill shot.
Dragon's Descent (R): Shyvana transforms into a dragon, gaining bonus health, armor, magic resistance, and changing her abilities. In dragon form, her auto-attacks deal bonus magic damage and create a fireball that damages all enemies hit.
Skill Order and Gameplay:
- Skill Order: R > W > Q > E
- Maxing W first provides clear speed and consistent damage in fights.
- Q is maxed second for increased burst damage.
- E is maxed last since its primary utility is the mark, rather than damage.
Rune Recommendations:
- Precision Tree:
- Keystone: Press the Attack
- Triumph, Legend: Alacrity, Last Stand
- Coup de Grace
- Secondary Tree:
- Domination: Cheap Shot, Ravenous Hunter
Press the Attack synergizes well with Shyvana's basic attack-focused kit, while Ravenous Hunter provides sustain in fights.
Item Build:
Starting Items:
- Hunter's Machete and Refillable Potion
Core Items:
- Enchantment: Cinderhulk (Jungle item)
- Boots: Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi
- Offensive: Blade of the Ruined King
- Defensive: Dead Man's Plate or Spirit Visage
Situational Items:
- Wit's End (against AP-heavy teams)
- Sterak's Gage (for additional survivability)
Gameplay Phases:
Early Game: Focus on farming and clearing jungle camps efficiently. Look for opportunities to counter-jungle or gank lanes when the enemy is overextended.
Mid Game: Aim to secure objectives like Rift Herald and Dragon. Shyvana can also split-push effectively with her high damage and mobility.
Late Game: Group with your team for team fights. Initiate with Dragon's Descent and focus on disrupting the enemy backline. If ahead, you can also split-push to create pressure on multiple lanes.
Combos and Techniques:
Basic Clear Combo:
- Activate Burnout (W) and continuously auto-attack.
- Use Twin Bite (Q) whenever available.
Ganking Combo:
- Approach the target with Burnout (W) for the movement speed.
- Use Flame Breath (E) to mark the target and deal initial damage.
- Follow up with Twin Bite (Q) for burst damage.
Team Fight Combo:
- Initiate with Dragon's Descent (R) to transform and engage.
- Use Flame Breath (E) to mark high-priority targets.
- Activate Burnout (W) for increased damage and mobility.
- Continuously use Twin Bite (Q) for burst damage.
Team Composition:
Engage Composition: Pair Shyvana with champions like Malphite, Orianna, and Leona for strong engagement and follow-up.
Farm Composition: Shyvana works well in farm-focused compositions with champions like Azir, Kassadin, and Sivir, where she can farm up and become a late-game threat.
Solo Carry Composition: If you're confident in your ability to carry, you can pick Shyvana in compositions with strong leaders who don't require much jungle attention, allowing you to focus on power farming and scaling.
Shyvana's versatility makes her a strong pick in many team compositions, whether you're looking to dominate team fights or split-push to victory. Mastering her combos and understanding her strengths in different phases of the game will lead to success on the Rift.
Shyvana vs. Zoe Matchup Analysis
Early Game:
Against Zoe, Shyvana needs to play cautiously in the early game. Zoe's poke and burst damage can be quite threatening, so focus on farming safely and avoiding her skill shots. Use Shyvana's mobility to dodge Zoe's abilities and look for opportunities to punish her when she overextends.
Mid Game:
As the game progresses, Shyvana's strength increases. She can start to pressure Zoe more aggressively, especially if she has completed her core items. Look for opportunities to invade the enemy jungle and secure objectives like Rift Herald. In the lane, try to push Zoe under her tower to deny her roaming opportunities.
Late Game:
In team fights, Shyvana needs to be mindful of Zoe's ability to catch out isolated targets with her Sleepy Trouble Bubble and burst them down. Position yourself wisely and look for opportunities to dive into Zoe's backline, where she is vulnerable. Use Dragon's Descent to disrupt her positioning and apply pressure on her team. But for some players, one of the ways to improve the gaming experience is to find a safe and reliable supplier of League of Legends accounts for sale.
Handling Different Engage Styles:
Engage from Zoe: Zoe might try to engage with her Sleepy Trouble Bubble, especially if she lands it from the fog of war. Be prepared to dodge or use your ultimate to negate the incoming damage and disrupt her follow-up.
Engage from Other Champions: If Zoe's team has other engaged champions like Malphite or Leona, be ready to counter-engage or peel for your carries. Use your crowd control abilities to disrupt their engagement and protect your team.
Why Shyvana is a Popular Pick:
Shyvana is popular for several reasons, especially for players looking for a strong jungle with a straightforward playstyle:
Simple Mechanics: Shyvana's abilities are easy to understand, making her accessible to new players. Her kit revolves around basic attacks and positioning, making her easy to pick up.
Versatility: Shyvana can adapt to various team compositions and playstyles. Whether you need a frontline tank or a damage dealer, Shyvana can fulfill both roles.
High Damage Potential: With the right build and positioning, Shyvana can deal significant damage to both squishy targets and tanks alike, making her a threat throughout the game.
Tips for Playing Shyvana:
Farming Efficiency: Focus on farming efficiently in the early game to reach your power spikes faster. Shyvana scales well with items, so prioritize clearing jungle camps and securing objectives.
Map Awareness: Keep an eye on the map and be ready to counter-gank or invade the enemy jungle when opportunities arise. Shyvana's mobility allows her to quickly move around the map.
Objective Control: Use Shyvana's dueling potential to secure objectives like Dragon and Rift Herald. Controlling these objectives can give your team a significant advantage.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Shyvana:
Advantages:
- Strong dueling potential, especially in dragon form.
- Versatile build paths to adapt to different game situations.
- High damage output throughout the game.
Disadvantages:
- Limited crowd control, can make it difficult to lock down mobile targets.
- Reliance on farm and objectives to scale effectively.
- Vulnerable to crowd control and kiting if caught out of position.
Conclusion:
Shyvana offers players a straightforward yet powerful jungle option with the potential to carry games through damage and objective control. Understanding her strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to navigate different matchups, is crucial to maximizing her impact on the Rift. With practice and game knowledge, players can find success with Shyvana and enjoy her dynamic play style.
