Shyvana is a great example of tanky dps in league of legends. Dominion is a game where being able to hold a point, escape, and punish chasing will get you the wins. Shyvana is great at all three of these. In this build I will try to explain how you can make her even better.

I do 9/21/0 because I think it's a great idea to have a tanky character right off in dominion. Having tanky characters helps with that first top fight because when it comes down to having early game damage or early game tankiness, the tankier team is most likely going to win top.

At the loading screen it is important to determine the way you want to build your character against the enemy team. If they have characters like swain and akali (heavy ap damage) then it would be worth it to get magic resist, however if they have light ap and heavy ad, it would be wise to start out with armor based items.

Starting build in dominion:

Mixed champions (ad, ap
boots of speed
ruby crystal
null-magic mantle

Build into Ninja Tabu or Mercs treads, depending on if they are heavier on ad or ap. Then buy wits end, phage, zeal, frozen mallet, and phantom dancer. This build ends up giving you decent armor, magic resist, attack speed, hit points, and a slow.


Almost all ad champions:
Boots of speed
Chain Vest
Cloth Armor



Build into ninja tabu, then Phage, then Zeal, Frozen Mallet, Atmas impaler, wits end then Phantom Dancer. Great armor, high hitpoints, decent movement and attack speed.

Heavy Ap:
Boots of speed
2x null-magic mantles.

Build into mercs treads, Wits end, Phage, Zeal, Frozen Mallet, then Phantom Dancer.
This gives you decent attack speed, high spell resist, and hit-points with a slow.

These builds have similar items but it's when you build them and how heavy you build the specific counter that makes them different.

This is a great skill for increasing the damage output Shyvana has. Shyvana hits twice dealing bonus damage and a small percentage of her total damage. This skill should be maxed second. This also gains cleave in Dragon form.


Burnout increases Shyvana's movement speed and deals magic damage to nearby enemies. If she attacks the duration is longer, but the movement speed decreases over time even if she is attacking. Dragon form makes it so burnout leaves a trail of flame behind Shyvana, dealing magic damage to those in it. Burnout is a great skill for chasing and dealing damage to enemy champions, and is also great for pushing minions. Max this skill out first.


This is a skill shot that scales with ap and reduces the targets armor resistance. In Dragon form it turns into multiple fireballs. This skill should be maxed out last.


This skill is great for Shyvana, and is one of the main reasons why she is such a good tanky dps. It has a passive that increases her magic resistance and armor, and then an active that pushes enemies towards her and turns her into a VICIOUS FIRE BREATHING DRAGON. Put a point into this skill whenever you get the chance.

Pushing minions: It is okay to use all your spells except for your R (Ultimate) to push the creeps. Shyvana has a relatively low cool down, and she also gains fury for each attack she does. So use the gimmie and push using the FREE LOW COOLDOWN SPELLS.

Against Champions: You're tanky so do not be afraid to get in close to deal damage against those nasty champions.

1 Champion: If you are faced against one champion it is best to skill shot them with your E/ Fire Breath, then continue to persue them with W using Q and E whenever available.
If they are getting away with LOW HP then activate your ult to ensure the kill.

More than one champion: Jump in with your Ult activate your W and E then use all your skills whenever the cool-downs go off. Since you are tanky and do splash damage to enemies around you, it is ideal for you to tank some of the damage and deal out a decent amount to the enemy champions =D.

Exaust

It's true, Shyvana is a decent tanky dps, but she needs summoner spells to help her out with that earlier in the game. Shyvana has no crowd control, but her W gives her movement speed. Until you get phage or frozen mallet, exhaust is Shyvana's only form of crowd control. This can help her catch those kills or defend herself during a chase. For her it really is difficult to pick off any early kills without exhaust. This is ideal for that first top fight or a good way to end that push fight down at bottom.



Just like Shyvana needing exhaust for early game, she also needs ignite early in the game. This helps for making sure those champions take heavier damage during important fights, or prevents them from getting away.

Don't even think about it.


Not too bad with the new buff and all, but healing is less in dominion and the cool down might not make it worth it. Might save your team mates in a fight or help you defend a point, but exhaust or ignite would be better.

This would be a very ideal spell for Shyvana due to it's raise in attack speed. My main point against it is the fact that in order for this to be useful the target has to be cc'd. This would be great mid to late game once Shyvana gets a slow. If not ignite, get this spell instead.


Blink Blink might save Shyvana a few times, but in dominion I would have to say the spell is not worth it for her. She is a tanky dps, blink has a long cool down and is more useful on Summoners Rift. Go for other summoner spells that scale with her abilities better.

After you look at the enemies champions, take a logical guess as to who is going to go top, and who is going to go bottom. I usually find that the ap ranged champions tend to go bottom, and the Ad champions tend to go top. As Shyvana, you will usually find yourself going up top. This means you should get either Armor or health to help with that initial fight. After this fight is over if you win or lose aim to either protect a point, or push minions to capture a point. One thing to do is to avoid those useless fights and try to stick with a point, grabbing health and pushing minions without overextending. Keep an eye on the map and make sure that if you have an opening to take a point you do so, or you handle a point that is being taken. As long as you hold 3 points and have minions pushed, that should be good enough for your team. Hover moreso towards the middle of the map so you can rush to help allies or capture a point that is not being protected.

Play Smart, protect points, and you'll do fine.