Safe and consistent
Items
The best and consistent starting Item
Buy one of those Items to have good waveclear. Do not upgrade Bami Cinder to Sunfire because it is not a good early-game Item. If you take Titanic than start with tunneler instead of a tiamat because of the better stats.
Shen Trading Mechanic (Grasp Chop)
In contrast to the aforementioned Extended Trade, that requires some set-up and commitment, the Grasp Chop is a trading tool that can be used from almost all positions and it's very noncommittal by definition. The Grasp Chop is simply one Q-AA with a Grasp of Undying proc. When performed correctly from an offensive Spirit Blade position, the Grasp Chop will trigger the following runes: Grasp of the Undying (stay in combat with minions), Shield Bash (activate your Passive with Q) and Cheap Shot (drag-through Q slows). Now that's a lot of damage coming from one (1) basic attack! Performing the Grasp Chop consistently will create a health-advantage for you, which will inevitably lead to kill opportunities with the Extended Trade. The secret behind the success of the Grasp Chop is Ki Barrier. There is no way for the opponent to win short trades versus a perfect grasp-chopping Shen, because you are always shielded when going in for the short trade.