Blue Buff or Spear of Shojin?

List below shows whether Blue Buff or Spear of Shojin is better for each champion.  This takes into account both first cast and subsequent casts.  Blue Buff gives the champion 30 initial mana and 20 mana after casting a spell.  Spear of Shojin gives 15 initial mana and 5 additional mana per auto attack.  I explain how mana works below the table.  

Which Item do I build on each TFT Champion?

ChampionWhich is Better?
AatroxShojin
AhriEither
AkaliBlue Buff
AnnieEither
ApheliosShojin
AsheBlue Buff
AzirShojin
Chosen AzirShojin
CassiopeiaShojin
Chosen CassiopeiaShojin
DianaEither
EliseShojin
EvelynnEither
EzrealShojin
Chosen EzrealBlue, Shojin
FioraShojin
GarenShojin
HecarimShojin
IreliaBlue, Shojin. Enlightened: Shojin for 2,4 and Blue for 6
JannaEither
Chosen JannaEither. Enlightened: Blue at 2
Jarvan IVShojin
JaxShojin
JhinN/A
JinxBlue Buff. Sharpshooter: Shojin
KalistaN/A
KatarinaShojin
KaynBlue Buff
KennenShojin
KindredBlue Buff
Lee SinBlue Buff
LilliaBlue, Shojin
Chosen LilliaShojin
LissandraBlue Buff
LuluShojin
Chosen LuluShojin
LuxShojin
Chosen LuxBlue, Shojin
MaokaiShojin
MorganaShojin
NamiBlue Buff. Enlightened: Either
Chosen NamiEither
NidaleeEither. Sharpshooter: Shojin
NunuShojin
PykeBlue, Shojin
Chosen PykeShojin
RivenBlue Buff
SejuaniShojin
SettShojin
ShenShojin
SylasEither
Tahm KenchN/A
TalonShojin. Blue Buff casts faster, but Shojin is for damage
TeemoEither. Sharpshooter: Shojin
Chosen TeemoEither. Sharpshooter: Shojin
ThreshBlue, Shojin
Chosen ThreshShojin
TwistedFateEither
VayneN/A
VeigarEither
ViEither
WarwickEither
WukongBlue Buff
Xin ZhaoBlue Buff
YasuoEither
YoneShojin for Seal Fate. Blue for Unforgotten
YuumiBlue Buff
Chosen YuumiBlue Buff
ZedN/A
ZileanBlue, Shojin
Chosen ZileanShojin

Assumptions of table: Mana gained from damage taken is not taken into account. Spear of Shojin or Blue Buff might not be Best in Slot for that particular champion. This is not a recommendation to build the item on every champion listed. This table is only supposed to compare Blue Buff and Spear of Shojin, not every item in the game.

Issues to consider if “Either” is listed

  • If the champion is prone to getting stunned and takes damage to gain enough mana before their next spell cast, Blue Buff will be better since they gain 20 mana from 0 auto attacks.
  • Depending on Mana thresholds, one item might be better than the other when mana gained from damage taken is considered. For example, Ahri takes 5 auto attacks for her first cast when equipped with either Blue Buff and Spear of Shojin. However, after 4 auto attacks, Shojin puts her at a 75/80 mana, meaning she only needs to gain 5 mana from damage to cast, whereas Blue Buff puts her at 70/80 mana.
  • Shojin adds attack damage, making ties slightly favored for Shojin.
  • Champions with Runaan’s Hurricane or effects that trigger on-hit effects will prefer Shojin

How Mana Works

Mana is gained after every auto attack and every time a unit takes damage.

  • Every Basic Attack generates 10 mana per attack
  • Pre-mitigation damage generates mana from 6% of the damage taken, up to a maximum of 42.5 Mana per instance
  • After casting a spell, champions do not gain mana until after a brief delay. Some champions are Mana-Locked for longer time periods, such as the duration of their spell.