Guide · Jungle

Master Yi Guide

the Wuju Bladesman

Fighter

Assassin

Tier B Jungle

Master Yi, the Wuju Bladesman, is a fighter and assassin champion of medium difficulty. Across our 585 analysed ranked games, Master Yi is mostly played in the Jungle (93% of its games), with a 51.4% win rate in that role: tier B among Jungle champions (#29 of 48, ranked by win rate). Master Yi's damage is mostly physical (66%): armor is the best defensive answer against this champion. 30% of that damage is true damage and therefore ignores resistances. Win rate varies with game length: 57.1% in long games (over 35 min, 84 games) versus 49.7% in short games (under 25 min).

Averages measured over 545 Jungle games played with Master Yi, from our ranked Solo/Duo data collection.

Combos and how to play

Master Yi is a melee jungler who wins through speed: Double Strike hits twice after several consecutive attacks, Alpha Strike makes him untargetable, Wuju Style adds true damage, and Highlander gives him speed and immunity to slows. Killing or assisting extends Highlander and reduces his abilities' cooldowns.

The engage

R › Q › E › AA AA

When: A carry is within range.

Highlander raises your movement and attack speed and makes you immune to slows; Alpha Strike makes you untargetable, Wuju Style adds true damage.

The clean-up

Q › AA AA › Q › AA AA

When: Your team is winning the fight.

Every takedown or assist reduces your abilities' cooldowns and extends Highlander: chain Alpha Strike from target to target.

Recovery

W › AA AA

When: You are at low health.

Meditate regenerates your health every second, briefly reduces the damage you take and pauses the remaining duration of Wuju Style and Highlander.

Laning phase

Attack with Alpha Strike: basic attacks reduce its cooldown. Meditate heals you every second and stacks Double Strike.

Common mistakes

• Using Alpha Strike with no target or no exit plan.
• Casting Highlander too early: its duration is limited.
• Not chaining your attacks: Double Strike depends on them.

Riot's official tips for playing Master Yi

• If you're in a lane against ranged players, leveling up Meditate can allow you to stay in the lane longer and gain levels faster than they will.
• Wuju Style is very strong early for last hitting minions.
• Try using Alpha Strike on a minion in front of an enemy champion so you are placed at a safe distance at the end of the spell.

Build, runes and summoner spells

The most-played core build is Lord Dominik's Regards, Kraken Slayer, and The Collector (96 games, 55.2% win rate).

Lord Dominik's Regards+Kraken Slayer+The Collector

96 games · 55.2%

Experimental Hexplate+Guinsoo's Rageblade+Kraken Slayer

87 games · 64.4%

Guinsoo's Rageblade+Death's Dance+Kraken Slayer

83 games · 68.7%

Summoner spells

Flash + Smite51.2% · 537 games

Most-played runes

Hail of Blades + Precision

48.2% · 276 games

Primary tree · Domination

Sudden Impact100%

Grisly Mementos61%

Treasure Hunter76%

Secondary tree · Precision

Triumph93%

Legend: Alacrity91%

Shards

Attack speed99%

Adaptive force99%

Health scaling84%

Lethal Tempo + Inspiration

54.2% · 177 games

Primary tree · Precision

Triumph100%

Legend: Alacrity99%

Coup de Grace80%

Secondary tree · Inspiration

Cosmic Insight72%

Cash Back53%

Shards

Attack speed100%

Adaptive force97%

Health scaling84%

Lethal Tempo + Domination

56.4% · 55 games

Primary tree · Precision

Triumph98%

Legend: Alacrity100%

Coup de Grace98%

Secondary tree · Domination

Treasure Hunter78%

Grisly Mementos49%

Shards

Attack speed100%

Adaptive force100%

Health scaling89%

For each row, the most picked rune among the games played with this page (share of games in brackets).

Which items to build against the enemy team?

We sort every game by the enemy team's damage. These are Master Yi's completed items and their win rate in each situation; "▲" marks an item that does at least 3 points better than its usual win rate.

Mostly magic-damage enemy team52.0% · 171 games

At least 50% of their damage is magic

Kraken Slayer 52.0%

Guinsoo's Rageblade 55.1%

The Collector 51.7%

Lord Dominik's Regards 45.8% ▼

Blade of The Ruined King 56.1%

Experimental Hexplate 58.8% ▼

No item clearly stands out in this situation: the usual build remains the reference.

Mostly physical-damage enemy team58.3% · 144 games

Less than 35% of their damage is magic

Kraken Slayer 62.2% ▲

Guinsoo's Rageblade 61.4% ▲

The Collector 70.0% ▲

Death's Dance 71.0% ▲

Blade of The Ruined King 54.3%

Experimental Hexplate 65.5%

The item that stands out most is The Collector: 70.0% win rate, +16 points versus its usual win rate.

Balanced enemy team46.5% · 230 games

Mixed physical and magic damage

Kraken Slayer 46.2% ▼

Guinsoo's Rageblade 50.9% ▼

The Collector 45.5% ▼

Blade of The Ruined King 57.1%

Death's Dance 58.2% ▼

Lord Dominik's Regards 51.9%

No item clearly stands out in this situation: the usual build remains the reference.

Counters and matchups

Who counters Master Yi in the Jungle

Shaco Master Yi: 40.0%15 games

Shaco has the edge in 60% of the 15 Jungle duels against Master Yi. See the Shaco guide.

Graves Master Yi: 45.0%20 games

Graves has the edge in 55% of the 20 Jungle duels against Master Yi. See the Graves guide.

Lee Sin Master Yi: 47.1%17 games

Lee Sin has the edge in 53% of the 17 Jungle duels against Master Yi. See the Lee Sin guide.

Viego Master Yi: 72.2%18 games

Viego has the edge in 28% of the 18 Jungle duels against Master Yi. See the Viego guide.

Who Master Yi is strong against

Viego72.2% · 18 games

Lee Sin47.1% · 17 games

Graves45.0% · 20 games

Shaco40.0% · 15 games

How to play against Master Yi

• Meditate is an effective method of healing damage over time, but Master Yi is susceptible to coordinated team ganks early in the game.
• If Master Yi tries to farm with Alpha Strike, hit him a few times so he has to use mana with Meditate to heal.
• Although Master Yi cannot be slowed while using Highlander, other disables can stop him in his tracks.

Win rates measured over direct same-role duels; only matchups with more than 15 games are listed. See all of Master Yi's matchups.

Abilities

PassiveDouble Strike

Every few consecutive basic attack, Master Yi strikes twice.

QAlpha Strike

Master Yi teleports across the battlefield with blinding speed, dealing physical damage to multiple units in his path, while simultaneously becoming untargetable. Alpha Strike can critically strike and deals bonus physical damage to monsters. Basic attacks reduce Alpha Strike's cooldown.

WMeditate

Master Yi rejuvenates his body by focus of mind, restoring Health and taking reduced damage for a short time. In addition, Master Yi will gain stacks of Double Strike and pause the remaining duration on Wuju Style and Highlander for each second he channels.

EWuju Style

Grants bonus true damage on basic attacks.

RHighlander

Master Yi moves with unparalleled agility, temporarily increasing his Move Speed and Attack Speed as well as making him immune to all slowing effects. While active, Champion kills or assists extend Highlander's duration. Passively reduces cooldown for his other abilities on a kill or assist.

Frequently asked questions

Full Master Yi page · League of Legends tier list · All champion guides