I....I just can't do it.

I don't know what I'm personally doing wrong, but every time I'm involved in a team fight I get utterly WRECKED.

I can usually surive AoE damage long enough to remain useful, but even then if there's just too much magic damage I still drop like a rock.

When I'm focused, forget about it. Might as well be teemo or something.

I've tried stacking defensive stats, even with 21 in defense. I've tried lifesteal. I've tried a mix of both. Nothing is working, and I'm getting really distraught.

Combined with the fact that there is ALWAYS A MINION IN THE WAY OF MY Q, even in the jungle, and it's really trying my patience with this camp.

I want to be good with him, I really do. Monks have been my shindig, ever since D&D. What am I doing wrong? What am I NOT doing right?

Halp

Sorry you don't quite give enough details on Lee Sin or your team comps to give you any specific tips, but in general, Lee Sin is a very hit-and-run oriented champ. In anything larger than a 2v2 you should not be the one to initiate a fight. Ideally you will be with a partner so you can q+q+w in and out to land your damage and back out quickly. If you have an ally you can rely on, they can initiate so you can w right on top of them then throw your q from that position at the enemy.

For landing q, you should always be on the edge of the battle trying to flank the enemy from the side and leading your shot to where they will be running to. Or using your q after your initiator/tank has drawn aggro from the creeps--which is why you don't initiate first. If you find yourself at the front of the battle and are starting to get focused then use w to jump to an ally who is further back. Think of him as Katarina in terms of blinking ability and toughness--better than her even.

Also, you didn't mention your skill order, but what works for me is r > q > w > e. In terms of items, I grab wriggles as a first then go either last whisper or BV depending on if the other team is focusing on me. Wriggles + lifesteal/spellvamp helps sustain some hp in fights and when recovering in the jungle. If they are REALLY focusing the hell out of you then grab a GA.

I hope one of these tips helps. Good Luck.

yeah, sounds like you're just getting targetted by a nuker and not getting out. He's not a full tank, and if you're not building tank on him at all, yeah, he'll go down hella fast if their nuker decides your priority one and you don't get out.

So, learn to hit and run, and let your tank take the hits to the face. Alternatively, have you considdered building a bit of magic resist and armor on him?

How are you at Ezreal? If you can't hit his Q consistently you're not gonna do any better with Lee Sin.

In team fights, you might want to press R and click on the hero nearest too you.

Just build him like a tank Sunfire and Banshee's and spam E and W during teamfights. If you are playing him as AD Nuke you need to wait for your teammates to iniate in and approach from a flanking angle so you can bypass enemy tanks.