The slicing Master Yi if played correctly is one of the few terrors that players actually think not only twice but about four timse before engaging. His attack speed and damage, with the often critical hit. Really is devistating.

The Champion from start of (using this build) will make him quite squishy, and even with a Derp(Doran)'s shield or Sword, he is quite squishy still, much like Ashe or any other attack damage carries he will grow quickly and become deadlier than you can ever imagine. He's ingame stats are..
Average Health.
STRONG Attack.
Weak Spells.
Easy Difficulty.
I disagree with every stat above. He does not have average health, he does have strong attack - however that's through items. If you bring it to just stats, no, he doesn't have strong attack. And weak spells? Please. He's alpha Strike can deal so much damage if you actually went with spells. (AP Yi that is.)
The difficulty might be easy for those that does not know how to play him, those that does also finds him easy. Confusing eh?

I choose to go 21/9/0, obviously, you might also be asking. "Why do you take Archaic Knowledge instead of Offensive Mastery!"
Well you see, I have no problems farming up what I need as Yi. With the extra chance on his alpha strike. I do not need this talent and the 15% extra damage you would have normally lost in the start of a team fight or as you're chasing someone and use Alpha Strike is -very- useful. This is why I choose Archaic Knowledge over Offensive Mastery.
In the defence tablet, you might notice I go with dodge. This is a preference area. I am just used to it, and even though I do not buy ninja Tabi's, it's a nice thing to have in my honest opinion. But if you wish to experiment and find your own juice. Go for it.

Obviously my preference is to rush for Ghostblade - though I do not doubt you nor do I want to make you feel like a bad player for picking a Doran (item).
Doran Items for Yi, all of them, are great.
Let me explain.

Doran's Shield gives him a high survivability, and let's him farm for longer periods of time.
Doran's Sword gives him a higher attack, with life steal, and some health. Letting him farm and he might get a first blood from this, simply put. It's a nice over all item for Yi.
Doran's Ring; Don't hate on me. Listen.
It gives you enough AP, mana regen and health to keep this farming up for a looong time. Alpha Strikes that deals somewhat a bit more damage and mana regen enough to keep doing it with the seals and whatnot. (Be efficent, read the Farming chapter!)


Like every good guide I say that the items I have now is basicly your "ZOMAGUD I AM FED" items, I'd suggest various other items in some example situations - but mostly you have to think some up for yourself.

Example A; The enemy champions are getting Thornmail. I'd counter this with a Sword of the Divine, which is basically my favorite item all over. I tend to get it straight after I've done with my boots but it's not the ideal way as you want more damage from the start to get more kills to get well, fed. Ideally you want a bloodthirster as soon as possible.

Example B; The enemy got loads of stuns or other type of CC that isn't knock backs-ups or whatever. I'd suggest a "Cloak and Dagger", I find it a really under rated item in the game. No one seems to use it and it gives you 20% more attack speed AND 20% more Critical Striek chance together with the tenacity. It is really nice.

Example C(And D); The enemy has seen your epicness and wishes to stop it, or maybe they're running away? Either way a Frozen Mallet is perfect. (If you find yourself dying alot I'd suggest getting a Guardian Angel. Frozen Mallet is still the prefered one but sometimes a Guardian Angel doesn't only save your life, but it gives your team mates more time to either set up a gank or you enough time to actually get a kill.)

Example E; That damn Brand has to much AP? Karthus' Requim snaps your neck in one shot? Banshee's veil! Indeed it gives you all you want against heavy AP carries and stuffs. Nice doodies.


I'd recommend going for my guide items before these ones, if the situation heats up, then please go for what you want. Speculate and come back here and comment on what you figured out. Depending on the situation I believe you could get your lifesteal (Or a vampiric scepter, whatever you want to call it) before you get either of these items.

During the Laning phase.
I start with Brawler Gloves so I can get an Avarice Blade as fast as possible, for the little income you can get. But I wouldn't recall just to buy it. I'd keep farming until you have to go back and once you have to pop the blue-pill, you buy the hell out of that Avarice Blade. I usually go straight for Ghostblade, skipping boots. But if you're playing someone with some skillshots that hurts (I'm looking at you Brand, Lux etc etc) or with snares, boots of speed would be picked up before going for the Brutalizer.
I'd like to tell you about this three items you have now for a short moment.

Avarice Blade gives you a very small income (yes, you have to farm. Don't be lazy.) and some critical chance, the brutalizer shoots your damage higher (with Wuju style) and if you add the cooldown reduction it's really nice and the boots can help you with your survivability and also with chasing.

I rush for Ghostblade because it's -such- a good item for Yi. It's basicly a mini-me of his Ultimate. Which you can pop -while- you're doing an ultimate!

I usually farm myself up to a lifesteal before I actually go for any kills I do not buy it, but I know that if I need to recall. I will have enough to purchase my lovely Vampiric Scepter. (450, cheap.)
After that I usually buy what is needed, either of the example items I shouted out or I follow the guide.
My deal with boots
You heard me, this is all a personal preference. I do not like getting boots early on ('sept for the occasional Brand that can play him well enough to hit someone that's alpha striking away).
The reason for this is Alpha Strike and the early meditate.
The early Medidate gives enough magic resist and armor to resist most and with the alpha strike as you see the projectile coming, if timed you can dodge it. I'll show and tell when I get the pictures I want.
But by all means, if you like having early boots. I'd say after the Avarice Blade or midway into the Brutalizer. It's just a personal preference and this guide is based on my personal preference on how I play Yi.

For the love of god, farming with Yi is so simple but some people still have problems with using Alpha Strike to both farm minions AND harass.
Alpha Stike is used so it hits minions with high health if you want to stay at the minion, a minion with low health (most likely it will die during/by the Alpha Strike) which will position you in the place you were before you used your ability or on a minion walking down the lane (from the bush for an example unto the first minion in the row).
Now you might ask "How does this harass!?" well this is exactly how.
You want to use it so the bouncing will hit a champion at the end of the bounce, atleast in the chain of strikes. Slice a chunk of 'em as you get last hits, swell ain't it!

The Pros are quick annihilation of the enemy, you are a devistating backdoor bashing monster and you can solo most champions quite easily. Insane damage and you have the possibility of Alpha Striking someone turret humping with almost no health and get a kill! :D
Cons.. Now.. CROWD CONTROL makes you its *****, I am serious. Nothing else pisses a Yi off more than a crowd control spell straight in the face after popping the ultimate. You're also rather squishy at the start, (specially if you follow my guide) be careful of misses and keep an eye out on the minimap as you slice.

In Team Fights you want to come in a few seconds after the initiation. Alpha Strike in. Now two scenarios are going to happen; Either they ignore you and they will all die - or they notice you and go straight for you. You will get targeted, so pop your medidate as the others on your team clean abit. They'll get bored very soon and when they get bored.. Ultimate+Ghostblade button tapping and go for the closest squishy! SLICE AND DICE!

Master Yi's abilities work together like a clockwork, never pop your ultimate before your alpha strike lands if you're going for a kill. Please. It's something I see way to often. (Exception; If you're chasing someone, it's kewl.) The ultimate doesn't last forever, don't abuse it..

Now that's out of the way..
ALPHA STRIKE
Mastery Yi leaps across the Battlefield striking up to 4 enemies dealing 100/150/200/250/300 magic damage to each enemy with a 20/30/40/50/60% chance to deal 400 bonus magic damage to minions.
It costs 80/90/100/110/120 mana and has a range of 600.

MEDITATE
Mastery Yi rejuvinates his body by focus of mind, restoring health and increasing his armor and magic resistance for a short time - restoring 140/280/420/560/700 health over 5 seconds. While channeling, Yi gains 100/150/200/250/300 armor and magic resistance.

WUJU STYLE
It's a passive that increases Yi's physical damage by 15/20/25/30/35.
Activating this passive doubles the effictienesss for 10 seconds but it removes the passive until the cooldowns off. (30/40/50/60/70)

HIGHLANDER
Master Yi moves with supah speed and attacks with supah speed, killing an enemy champ (duh) refreshes all of his cooldowns!! His movement speed stays at 40% and the attack speed increases by 40/60/80% and he becomes immune to slowing effects for 6/9/12 seconds.(Assists reduces all cooldown by half.)

Basically the rotation you'll be spamming is; Alpha Strike, then spam wuju style and highlander as quickly as possible - IF NOT YOU'RE GETTING TARGETED, then it's EITHER, meditate or run the hell away!

Happy face.

In my opinion, you wouldn't need it early on, it's a great mid game heal and it can prevent a gank, well. Atleast long enough until help arrives/Alpha strike comes off cooldown.

The reason I don't like picking it early game, is because it in my opinion, ruins the farm and damage output of Yi. I have a few exceptions, of course. If I'm against other Champions with a very high damage burst I might take it at level 3. This is the only exception for level 3, but I do get Meditate usually around 7-8 if I'm against ranged, else I never max it out until late game. It's mainly a preference in my opinion, if you enjoy the safity of meditate. Go for it, i am not saying it's a bad idea. It's actually a great idea as it lets you lane for longer periods of time - but I personally play way to aggresive to lose either the damage of my Alpha Strike, nor my lovely Wuju Style passive and activation.

Yi in my opinion, is an all in champion. Notice I said "Duels" in this chapter. I'll explain.

Recently I've noticed people trying to take me on 1v1, those Yi has problems with are those bastards with a stun, snares no problem because of the ultimate. Stuns, 'knock-ups'(no pun intended) and any other snazzy abilities which makes them annoying. (Such as Kayle's invuln' or Trynda's ulti'. Wukong's Decoy, etc.) Jax for an example have to be one of my main enemies in a game as Yi.

But yeah, if you end up in a 1v1 somewhere, maybe from a teamfight and a carry ran abit to far away. Or you find one running around, whatever the situation. If you're safe, go for it. (Care about 'ze misses etc.) Or run away if you find it a better option. But if you want to actualy kill the bastard. Pop whatever you can pop, make it swing and hope for the best. DO NOT run away if you're getting low on health, you have life steal. You have a critical chance, you have everything you can possibly dream off. DO not run away, if you want to survive. You have to hit someone.

Again, take care to the previously mentioned champions, and others just as annoying. Wuju let them control you, or wuju want to control the battlefield?

I say that Master Yi is a really really really really nice champion, I play him a lot and he has been my main for a very long time. So just to recap..

Extremely high damage, with flash he can get out and in of combat (also position yourself) like a boss and using his ultimate gives him a sick ammount of everything. How is he not liked by the public!?

7th August 2011.
Made the frame and text, will be updated with pictures and other snazzy things. PS: This is my first guide, I'd love some C&C and don't remember to push the vote button if you like this build. If not, comment and tell me why and I'll look into it. Thanks alot!

Credits: I want to thank the ones that have given me some C&C so I can update and keep this guide good lookin' for all the gents and ladies out there.
Purpleges and JakOfAllSpaydes.