Master Yi Build Guide by Pyrza

Introduction

Hi, This is my first guide here and I made it for Jungle Master Yi. All feedback is more than welcome so i can improve my build even better which is the main point for publishing this guide.

Ok, then for the guide!

Release Notes

06.09.2011: Final build released

10.09.2011: Youmuu's Ghostblade Added to optional items and Release Notes chapter added

Pros / Cons

First of all, Pros / Cons -section

Pros + + +

• Can gank in lvl 1
• Jungling is not buff-dependant
• Can solo Dragon quite early
• Good counterjungler
• Awesome chaser/escaper with Ghost+ Highlander
• Good farmer
• Good Lategame damage

Cons - - -

• CC Kills him
• He doesn't have any CC/disables on his own
• Bit squishy in early/midgame
• Exhaust, Blind etc. shuts him down
• Usually focused first in teamfights

I think that early ganks are best pro for jungle Yi, because its quite unusual to gank in lvl 1 or 2.

And what comes to Cons, you must try to counter opponents abilities mostly with items. We come back to this topic in later sections.

Masteries

For Masteries i go pretty usual offensive 21-0-9 masteries.

I get more attack speed to use my Double Strike with Alacrity , deal some extra damage in jungle with Offensive Mastery , get great damage bonus with Havoc and get little bit longer buffs with Utility Mastery .

You can also try something like 12-9-9 if you are really just dying all the time, but you should get enought defence with items and runes in this build.

Runes

My Rune build is like this:

For Marks i get Greater Mark of Attack Speed because it helps early game jungling and I can use my passive more often. I think these marks are pretty must-have stuff.

And for Seals I go for Greater Seal of Armor. Also, it gives bit survivability in early jungle, so you can be in jungle for longer. I think you can change seals (all or few of them) to Greater Seal of Replenishment, especially if you are planning to give blue to your teammate (usually mid-player), you might run out of mana in bad place.

Then Glyphs. My pick is Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist. These are for lategame survivability because AP carrys/nukes try to take you down as quick as possible, assuming you are doing well ;)

And finally Quints. Here I have chosen Greater Quintessence of Desolation just to boost lategame damage, nuff said.

Summoner Spells

For Spells I usually choose these:

Smite

Take this to Jungle Yi or in my option to any jungler. Period. Yi has nor chance to level or survive in jungle early levels without smite.

Ghost

I usually take this summoner spell because it gives me great ganking opportynity right at first levels. Many times I have wanted to see my opponents faces when i come form bushes after 3 minutes and take them both out when they try to run away in confusion and fear x)

Alternative Spells:

Flash

Spell that fits to every champion. Helps escaping, help chases, helps ganks. All-around good spell. My choise number 2.

Exhaust

Also good spell to Jungle Yi because he doesn't have disables or CC. Maybe not as useful as Flash or Ghost in earlygame, but might be better in lategame.

Spell I don't take:

Ignite

Surely not bad spell to Yi, but I think the other spells just fits better. Good Master Yi player shouldn't let his opponents to escape in low health (You should catch them with Highlander, Alpha Strike, Ghost or Flash)

Cleanse

Also a great Spell to Yi, but not good with Jungle Yi because he really needs offensive secondary spell if you want to make succesful ganks. If you have really problems with enemies CC just buy Quicksilver Sash

And the rest of the spells belong to this category, I think I don't need to explain them all seperately :)

Skill Sequence

My Skill Sequence goes like this:

Sometimes i get 1 level to meditate in 4 or 5 if theres someone like Karthus to counter hes Requiem. It has saved me couple of times. You dont need meditate in early game because you need to get most of Alpha Strike and Wuju Style.

Items

Master Yi has lots of different item choises. Heres what I have chosen

Starting items:

and 5 x
I choose these because i take bit less damage in jungle and get 1000 "extra" hp with five potions.

Early game items:

, , , , .
I usually take these items in this order, but the order can change depending on succeeding or failing the first battles, ganks etc.

Wriggle's Lantern gives you free wards to help you taking down the Dragon or counterjungling or helping your lanes, and boosts other useful stats on Yi. In my opinion a must have on Jungle Yi.

Berserker's Greaves gives Attack Speed for Double Strike and they are bit cheaper than other boots too.

Core Items:

Great item on many AD champions, includin Yi. More Attack speed --> more Double Strike, Movement speed for chases, and pretty nice 30% crit change.


Amazing item to Yi because its passive. Now no one can run away from you. Also 700hp gives huge survivability boost.


This is also a great item on AD champions, gives you great damage and critical strike boost.


Great lategame item because its passive. If you are focused down with CC in teamfights and you die, you come back to life; now enemies most likely have their CC ablities on cooldown so you should be able to turn the fight in your team´s favor. Or if your team got beaten you can try to run away with Highlander.


If game has gone for very long i usually sell Wriggle's Lantern and get this for more damage and lifesteal because Wriggle is not so useful endgame item.

Optional Items:

Great choise if enemy has lot of CC and magic damage. I get these boots once per 5 matches in average.


Also a great item for countering CC and magic damage. I get this instead of Frozen Mallet if magic damage is bothering me.


So you wanted to take Cleanse? Here you go.


This item also fit's greatly to this build. +20ArPen gives good boost to lategame damage and active gives attackspeed and movement you need. Replace Phantom Dancer with this.

With this item build you will get good all-around Yi wich is good in every section, especially in lategame.

Jungling

For Jungle Yi I use Small Golems-route.

First buy Cloth Armor and 5 Health Potions, get Alpha Strike and head for small golems. Use Alpha Strike if you do the extra 500 damage other/both golems, use Smite to it and finish other one. If you dont do extra damage, just focus one golem and last hit with Smite. Now you should get level 2, use point to Wuju Style
Note: Use potion when golems have hit you about 4 times.

Then head to Wraiths. Use Alpha Strike, activate Wuju Style, focus on big wraith, then take small ones. Use potion if needed.

Then go to Wolves. Same pattern as on wraiths, focus big one first then take small ones then.
Note: Save Smite on blue golem!

If you have used your potions right you should be able to take blue golem now. Again, Alpha Strike --> Wuju Style focus on golem, last hit it with Smite. take small lizards last.

So now you should have at least 1 Health Potion, use it if you are planning to gank or counterjungle (usually their small golems or wraiths). or you can head bank to base and buy Long Sword and Health Potions and repeat same jungle route.

When you port back second time, you should be able to take red buff quite easily. From now on its quite game dependant where you continue. Try figure out what you can do next. You should be able to solo dragon when you have Wriggle's Lantern and Berserker's Greaves and Highlander but its pretty risky!

Early game ganks

In pros/cons -section I said that Yi can gank well in level 1 or 2. There are few ways to do this.

Risky way:
First go for enemys wraiths, Smite the big one and use Alpha Strike use Health Potion if needed (wait for max health) and go gank mid or bot/top (depends wich side you are playing).

Safe way
Just head straight to bush and gank as usual early game gank, nothing special.
Note: wait in safe distance and go closer when enemy or enemies are visible.

The ganking itself works like this:
First ping to target that you are planning to focus. When you and your teammate are ready, jump from the bush. When they see you, activate Ghost. If your target uses Flash use Alpha Strike to catch your target. If enemy doesn't have Flash you can use Alpha Strike first. Then just auto-attack your target down.
Note: If you have Wuju Style, activate it just before you start auto-attacks.
Note 2: Try to get Double Strike ready before your ganks

Last Words

Thanks for reading my guide for Jungle Master Yi. Feel free to post comments on my guide. Also don't forget to rate my guide. :)

Happy ganking!