Master Yi Build Guide

Master Yi Build

Table of Contents

Introduction

1

Why is being tanky good?

2

Abilities

3

Updates

4

Patch History

5

Masteries + Runes

6

Skilling Order

7

Summoner Abilities

8

Tanky-DPS Core

9

Tanky-DPS Laning

10

Sustained Yi

11

AD Rush Core

12

AD Rush Laning

13

Jungle Yi

14

Items to look at

15

Build Example's

16

Experimental Builds and Items

17

Threat list

18

Fin

19

• Introduction

  Hi, Taigong Wang here. This is my guide to Yi. For the 90% of you that left when you saw Tanky-DPS in the title, its your loss. To those of you that stayed I thank you for being open minded.I will demonstrate several builds I have found effective.

• Why is being tanky good?

  Because you will last longer in teamfights.I am tired of seeing all the "must build 5 IE's" Yi's everywhere.They get insta-gibbed in every single team fight.The game being what it is with all the AoE and AoE CC's being the squishiest guy on your team is a bad thing.To all you people looking at this guide,even if you dont play Master Yi,plz build survivability.There are plenty of Hybrid AP/MR or AD/AR items you can buy.Thats what the Atmogs(Warmogs+Atmas) strategy was all about.Building survivability makes your entire teams experience better and leads to more victorys.Stop following those "ignore AR/MR and build only damage" guides,trust me i have tried almost all of them and none of them work with the current AoE teamcomps.

• Abilities

  Double Strike

  One of the best passives out there. Procs on-hit effect, lifesteal. Considering this passive Yi is the only carry that can achive higher then 2.5 ATKS per sec.This cannot Crit.There is a common misconception concerning Double strike and Sheen/Lichbane procs,some people think it procs twice,it doesnt.i tested it in a bot game,i know you are about to say "it was a bot game it doesnt count",the mechanics of the game dont change in a bot game.

  Alpha Strike

  Bread and butter for farm and for AP Yi. Great chasing ability aswell.Take note of 2 glitches with alpha strike,one i will explain later,after you alpha strike you have a chance (i would say about 40% chance) to perform one action and then stand still,the game just drops whatever you were doing.this is also a Psuedo-escape mechanism,remember unless the target dies in mid alpha srtike you get out of the animation next to the target.

  Meditate

  We dont focus on this skill. great for AP not for AD

  Wuju Style

  This is what allows us to forgo the usual high AD item rushed.Get a kill with this and highlander on and you activate Triple Wuju Style,you get triple the passive bonus.that means up to 105 FREE AD!

  Highlander

  This is your ult. This allows you to ignore AS from items.

• Updates

  guide version 1.14:added update section,removed spirit visage from items to look at,added new masteries,linked masteries,moved brand to medium threat,placed Monkey King and rumble on unknown threat.
  
  Guide version 1.15:added "Why is being tanky good" section.plz read it before you read the rest of my guide
  
  Guide version 1.16:Added "Sustained Yi" section Added Rumble to the Medium Threat Area
  
  Guide version 1.17: Added the patch notes for 1.0.0.118, Added Vayne to unknown threat.
  
  Guide version 1.18: Added Jungle Yi section, Added Wit's End to general items section.

• Patch History

  1.0.0.112: [item=Tiamat] got buffed, Ghost got nerfed. Testing if flash is better then ghost at this point,and testing to see if Tiamats is viable now. No changes to Yi(EDIT: I still prefer Ghost but Flash is now equal to Ghost,also [item=Tiamat] is now semi-viable but not high on the list of items to get)
  
  1.0.0.113: Banshee's got nerfed.:( .Dorans blade got buffed.Might be a viable start now.Nocturne got released will update when i have played a few matches vs him.
  
  1.0.0.114:Nothing that effects Yi.
  
  1.0.0.115:Once again nothing that effects Yi
  
  1.0.0.116:Once again, no direct changes to Yi,but riot has said they are looking at Yi.So be on the look out for threads talking about the changes that might be made.
  
  1.0.0.118: New Stat: Tenacity
  
  Tenacity reduces the duration of stuns, slows, taunts, fears, snares, sleeps, silences, blinds and immobilizes by 1% per point. Multiple Tenacity effects do not stack, but Tenacity does stack multiplicatively with other disable reductions (for example Irelia's Ionian Fervor).
  New Item: Cloak and Dagger
  +20% Attack Speed
  +20% Critical Strike Chance
  +25 Tenacity
  New Item: Moonflair Spellblade
  +50 Ability Power
  +25 Tenacity
  New Item: Eleisa's Miracle
  +25 Health Regen per 5 sec
  +20 Mana Regen per 5 sec
  +25 Tenacity
  This will help with build diversity. Will check if the Cloak is worth it on a Crit build(was looking for a good crit build this will help out some)
  
  Alpha Strike teleporting behavior improved to be more consistent when near walls
  
  This,I have 0 clue what this does.Will get back to it later.
  
  Wit's End
  
  No longer burns mana but still deals 42 magic damage on each hit
  New Passive: attacks increase your magic resist by 5 for 5 seconds (stacks 4 times)
  Combine cost reduced to 550 from 700
  Woohoo, finally another good Hybrid item comes into play. If it works out i will add this to the General Item area.
  
  1.0.0.119-1.0.0.120: Nothing that effects Yi.

• Masteries + Runes

  standard 21-0-9
  I recently began using 21-9-0 to be tankier and to lane longer
  Greater Mark of Desolationx9
  Greater Seal of Clarityx9 I use these because i don't like to take away blue buff from someone who actually needs it
  Greater Glyph of Focusx9 For better farm, and it allows you to get off Wuju Style and Highlander more often
  Greater Quintessence of Fortitudex3 Better early game
  You can switch out the quints and glyphs for AS runes. I don't like them but its you're choice
  I have recently begun testing AR pen quints and MR per lvl glyphs.AR pen is my #1 choice atm.MR per lvl is very nice but your farm will be slightly lower.

• Skilling Order

  
  
  Now, let me say that this is a base. You want to max Wuju Style first everytime. Take Meditate as needed.

• Summoner Abilities

  I take Ignite and Ghost. Exhaust isnt needed with my build. Flash is nice i dont like it but i know people who can do some crazy shit with flash on Yi. You can take anything but rally, fortify,clarity or revive on Yi. The general rule i use is 1 escape summoner and 1 offensive or utility summoner.

• Tanky-DPS Core

  [builder=Master Yi/e028ef168594127803e36d5d3dba8a22]
  
  That is my Tanky-DPS core. I have tested this build many and i mean MANY different ways. You can build into any other Yi build from this.

• Tanky-DPS Laning

  I start with Long Sword and a Health Potion.If you feel like you're going to have a hard time laning take Doran's Shield. If you are worried about early game damage output you can start with Doran's Blade.
  Take a side lane,Yi doesn't belong Mid.Try to get a sidelane with someone who has a stun for better chances to get kills.
  There is not much to say but to last hit minions and to farm/harass with Alpha Strike.I will say this,do not tower dive.Why? Because there is a chance that it will back fire on you. Play it safe until you have Emblem of Valour.If you think you have a 70% chance or better to kill someone, go ahead.

• Sustained Yi

  Sustained Yi.I screwed around with this idea for a while.It involved incorporating a few odd things.
  First off: We use the same 21-9-0 masteries as stated in the runes and masteries section
  Second:We use the same runes as i said earlier,but you can swap out the seals for ANYTHING you want.Armor per lvl? Great, adds to your tanky-ness.Flat Armor? Perfect, you get a better early game. AP per lvl? I recommend AP per lvl.Adds to your Alpha Strike, helps you farm and helps you live longer
  Third: Different skilling
  Fourth: New Item in the core, Manamune [builder=Master Yi/4e753639d6de58c9dd6d54385f5650a3]
  
  Now,as Sustained Yi,you can lane virtually forever if you start with Meki Pendant and 2 Health Potion. Build Manamune first but get boots 1 after the tear and the long sword. Then get Starks and then build Frozen Mallet.With the additional points in Meditate you should be able to get out of a teamfight and back in, if you need to.

• AD Rush Core

  [builder=Master Yi/5b1d9f320a91b478bf67108e23d56ed9]
  
  I find this core to work very nicely.

• AD Rush Laning

  Abuseing the Alpha Strike glitch is key with this build in the laning phase.Target a minion about to die,if he dies before you hit him with alpha strike you will return to the position you started the animation after alpha strike is over. you only hit 3 enemys though.(more to be added)

• Jungle Yi

  Take Smite and a summoner spell of your choice. I run 21-0-9, but 0-21-9 works. Same rune set up as before, but take Greater Seal of Resilience instead of Greater Seal of Clarity.
  Begin by taking either a Vampiric Scepter or Cloth Armor and 5 Health Potion.
  
  If you take the Vampiric Scepter, start at Double Golems, then kill the wraiths, then the wolves. Head back to heal and grab a Cloth Armor and some HP pots. Then kill Blue Buff, then Red and proceed to gank your lanes.
  
  If you take Cloth Armor, start at Blue Buff, then Wolves, then Wraiths. Go heal and then buy either a Long Sword or Vampiric Scepter. Go grab Red Buff, and then Double Golems, and proceed to gank your lanes.
  
  Skill progression for Vampiric Scepter start.
  
  
  
  Skill progression for Cloth Armor start.
  
  
  
  Will be adding some ganking advice later.
  
  As for builds go, turn Vampiric Scpeter and Cloth Armor into a Wriggle's Lantern. This goes directly into the AD core, so thats one way to go, plus its not wasted time getting to your core this way. With my Tanky DPS core, you are getting delayed a bit so unless you get off a few really good ganks, I would say build the AD core then build some survivability.

• Items to look at

  After your core is finished, take a look at the enemy team
  
  Heavy caster:
  Hexdrinker Even if the team is 80% Physical,if they have a Karthus, get Hexdrinker it will save your ass more times then you can count
  Quicksilver Sash After its last buff, it is very worth it
  Banshee's Veil No comment needed
  [item=Force of Nature] With Frozen Mallet this is a viable buy
  
  Heavy Physical:
  [item=Madred's Bloodrazor] Also great if they stack HP
  Guardian Angel Needs a buff in my opinion,but it is still a great item
  Atma's Impaler Read FoN
  
  Stacking Armor:
  Last Whisper If they are stacking large amounts of Armor
  The Black Cleaver If they are stacking small amounts of Armor
  
  
  In general:
  The Bloodthirster No comment
  Infinity Edge If you want to crit get this
  Phantom Dancer^
  Trinity Force Good item for any DPS
  Executioner's Calling Underrated item. It is a very good item when combined with any crit build
  Sword of the DivineIf you see a Jax GET THIS ITEM
  [item=Tiamat] So-so item, not high up on the list
  Manamune I am sure you are surprised to see this item here,but it makes Yi's only real issue DISSAPEAR!
  Wit's End Good against teams that arent burst heavy on the magic damage side.
  Experimental:

• Build Example's

  Tanky-DPS
  [builder=Master Yi/3100ab3970b4213f479d74ea0c38a5af]
  
  To be honest, I haven't been able to finish a build as Yi with the Tanky-DPS core until last night(02-28-11).
  This is what I had.(This is glitched idk why but the stats are WAY off. Will look into it)

• Experimental Builds and Items

  AP Yi (done testing not going to be inputed into my guide)
  Hybrid Yi(I might test this)
  Early game AD rush(currently testing)

• Threat list

  DO NOT FIGHT 1v1:Olaf,Tryndamere,Akali,Cho Gath,Malzahar,Nidalee,Vayne
  High Threat:Rammus,Malphite,Katarina,GangPlank,Master Yi,Garen,Anivia,
  Kog Maw,Annie,Poppy,Tristana,Teemo,Udyr,Kennen,Miss Fortune,Sion,Warwick,Twisted Fate,Urgot,
  Medium Threat: Taric,Shaco,Ashe,Nasus,Evelynn,Fiddlesticks,Blitzcrank,Amumu,
  XinZhao,Ryze,Mordekaiser,Pantheon,Lux,Morgana,Renekton,Vladimir,Veigar,Zilean,Shen,Karthus,Irelia,Jax,
  Corki,Jarvan IV,Nocturne,Lee Sin,Brand,Rumble
  Low Threat:Anyone not listed
  Unknown:Monkey King,

• Fin

  Well that was my guide. Hope you enjoyed it. Look out for more of these by me. Any constructive criticism is helpful. This is a Work in Progress. I will update it at least once a patch. (twice if i have found a new build or strat to use) Any suggestions for jungle Yi would be nice. To anyone who downvotes this guide, please explain why you are displeased with this guide in the comments.