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Master Yi Build Guide by

Lasoor's Pentakill Master Yi Top Lane Guide - Season 9

Updated on

9.2

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58 Comments

215 24

1,513,906 Views

58 Comments

Master Yi Build Guide By Updated on

Support

Guide Discussion (58) More Master Yi Guides

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Hi, the runes are kinda outdated. There's no bonus runes and you can't take Revitalize and Unflinching at the same time anymore. What would you choose?

(29) |

I need to update the build still. This guide mostly just about the strategy which is still viable. I've been taking Press the Attack, Triumph, LEGEND: Alacrity, Coup De Grace, Sudden Impact, and Relentless Hunter. With 10% Attack Speed, +9 Adaptive Force, and +6 Armor. Still figuring out what is best though since the rune changes.

Thank you!

Nice guide, thanks for mentioning me! As far as runes go, how do you take revitalize and unflinching if they're both in the same row? Since you can't take both what would your 2nd option be?
I don't know if i'm gonna try the item suggestions in this vid, as I'll miss being able to kill tanks just as easily as ADCs, but I think I'll try the runes out.

(29) |

This guide is a bit outdated since I haven't played since the new runes first came out. I believe it used to let you take both those runes.

(5) |

GG for the guide. :D

I'm going to definitely test this build. Is there a way to build it more damage oriented? Also why not a meditate max? Seems a bit strange on a yi top build but thats just my honest opinion.

(29) |

This is a very damage oriented build. It is straight up crit and lifesteal. Fully offensive build. Sure you could go full AD and not take attack speed, but I personally find that to be counter productive on Master Yi since his kit is designed in a way where attack speed becomes core on him. DPS is a lot more valuable than burst on him, however sometimes you may want to rush a full AD item early game before too many people have armor. Always follow up with attack speed. Keep in mind though that AD rush is a more jungle yi option than top lane yi.

If you want a good example of a mostly AD build look at the "I Was In Alpha" build tab to see that. It is focused on high CDR so you can be in alpha strike as much as possible.

You only do meditate max if you plan on losing lane and are trying to hold out and out scale enemy. I never plan on losing lane, if I thought I'd lose lane I wouldn't be playing Master Yi top. I would pick something more suitable. Meditate max makes you nearly impossible to kill in a 1v1 during laning phase, but you miss out on ALOT of kill potential in the process which prevents you from snowballing.

I also recommend trying this build except with Fleet Footwork instead of Press the Attack. It's something I've been doing a lot recently and it greatly improves his early game laning phase.

Very well. I will play this build exactly how you reccomend in high platnum.I use full lethality myself and am Mos Deadly98 on op.gg you also forgot to imput boots.

(29) |

Introducing new Master Yi builds

I WAS IN ALPHA!
A high CDR top lane Master Yi build focusing on consistently being in Alpha Strike with a crit focus to ensure quick kills. Death's Dance and Maw of Malmortius are included to ensure you don't get bursted down when caught outside of Alpha Strike. The lifesteal on abilities for Death's Dance and the lifesteal from procing Maw of Malmortius's shield will help sustain in a fight.

Assassin Master Yi Primary
This is my primary build for playing Master Yi in jungle. The reason for this build is it allows you to burst majority of enemies down in a few hits which is very necessary in the current jungle meta. You still have the ability to do high DPS, but your early game damage will be far stronger than if you went attack speed which will help you snowball and give you strong counter jungle capability. Dark Harvest goes great with Master Yi because Master Yi is a late game champion and unlike Electrocute, Dark Harvest scales and becomes stronger as the game goes on.

Tank Shredder
This is the standard jungle Master Yi that you will see most people do with exception of not taking Rageblade as a core item, however that is an option if you want it. You take this build when the enemy has a lot of champions countered more by DPS. Such as tanks and bruisers. With Bloodrazor and Blade of the Ruined King you can shred them quickly by doing true damage. Phantom Dancer is a good follow up for the high attack speed, the slight-defensive passive, and the crit chance. Bloodthirster provides you with strong sustain on your auto attacks.

Let me know what you think of these new builds

(55) |

Voted +1

A very nice guide, easy and fun to read, providing many intersting details i was not aware (priority obj order especially) and bringing back my temptation to play him again.
Did laugh a lot concerning Teemo details ^^
Keep the great job, thanks for this PENTADESTROYALL guide :)

(29) |

I am glad you liked it.

Hey pretty nice guide there - I like it. Yet I got a question about Yi´s mana management since q esp. when maxed cost a ****load of mana which means you can´t use it very often for harass or cs - what to do if you face some oppressive laner where you actually kinda just can farm with Q?
It could help to get ER pretty early on since the mana restore when you crit but I didn´t tested it yet - followed the build was... actually good but had issues in the lane like mana problems (well it was Reknekton he went in my face when I just looked at a low minion and kept me away - he bursts pretty heavy and yi is quite squishy early on - later I had less farm than him sadly but got at least the experience which is worth more due to his heavy scaling so... I cut him into pieces after a while). I know was quite unlucky this matchup but the mana issues bother me a bit 110 mana at max 5 when he has 534 Mana which is... not much and his reg ain´t that good compared to other champs, too. Don´t get me wrong it worked out for me in the end and I think Yi top is and was always actually viable if you pull it of right you just need to learn to play a bit more passive if the enemy laner is early on heavy - wait and outscale and he is done.
One more Question in a range matchup like... Jayce which would just knock you back and hammer you after you Q on him - he also isn´t as squishy a teemo but harass you a lot if he is a **** - wouldn´t it be a kinda good idea to leave Q on rank 1 for a little since its stronger vs minions anyways to farm with that and go for 3 points early in W and get some cdr to stay healthy in lane?
And ye - a lot of people don´t get that even "simple" champs - often exactly those easy champs take quite some skill BECAUSE you are straightforward and can just do the same with not much play potential which means ........ it takes actually a lot to be really good with them since everyone knows what you do before you do it xD - just my thoughts about "noob" champs, they don´t exist anyways.

(29) |

For most part you don't want to use alpha strike much at all. I mostly use it for 2 key purposes. Going all in for a kill, normally to followup their escape or dodge a cc ability, and situations where a minion wave is overwhelming and I need to cut it down fast before it hurts my tower too much. If you don't overuse alpha strike you will have lots of mana. You don't usually want to threaten the enemy until you hit lvl 6 and back for items.

As for jayce and other matchups where the harass is so strong thst even farming under turret can't be done then I recommend 3 points in meditate before maxing alpha strike. Just have to remember that your alpha strike burst will be a lot weaker. Main job vs obviously impossible matchups is to just not die and hold tower as long as possible. Also let your jungler know you can't win it without help, but don't be a **** if he doesn't go top.

My overall recommendation is playing all matchups safe until you are more experienced with top lane Yi. Once you get the experience you'll have a feel for matches that you can snowball. This means keeping wave around your tower and farming until lvl 6, then backing for items before making a play. If you don't feed then your ukt plus some items should be enough for a kill vs most matchups. If it isn't then use ult to gank mid or bot instead.

(2057) |

Voted +1

Some of your graphics are very pixelated due to how big they are! But I enjoyed having a look over your guide :)

(29) |

Thanks for the headsup on the graphics. Any specific ones you noticed?

(1) |

Voted +1

Pretty nice build! Keep on making good builds like this one to help ppl!

(1) |

Why start doran blade over doran shield?

(29) |

I occasionally take doran shield against hard matchups but you should have goal of killing enemy laner and snowballing. Doran's blade allows you to do that.