Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Master Yi

the Wuju Bladesman

Master Yi is a burst-focused champion who looks for a reachable priority target and a route back out. This overview keeps the explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and the current in-game tooltip.

JungleMostly physical damageMelee attacks

Open matchup guide Find counters Status effects

Usual roleJungle

ClassFighter · Assassin

DifficultyMedium · 4/10

Basic attacksMeleeMelee basic attacks · 175 range.

Damage profileMostly physical damageMost normal kit pressure is physical. Armour may help, but check whether attacks or abilities are the main source.

Reference patch16.20.1

Strengths and limits

What Master Yi does well, and what can go wrong

These are kit-level patterns, not a promise that every lane or matchup plays the same way.

Good patterns

Threatens reachable priority targets through burst, mobility or an unusual angle.
Combines damage and durability in committed skirmishes or extended exchanges.

Limits to respect

A failed commitment can leave no clean exit and little value until cooldowns return.
Can be worn down or controlled before reaching the range where the kit is strongest.
Basic attacks require close access, so enemy range, slows and displacement can deny a clean trade.

Riot ally tips

Use these while learning the champion

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.

Riot opponent tips

What an opponent is told to watch for

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.

Practical champion reading

How to read Master Yi in a real fight

Use these patterns to ask better questions before choosing an item, target or commitment. They describe the kit, not a guaranteed result.

Damage delivery

Primarily physical pressure

Armour can reduce the broad physical profile. Separate basic attacks from physical abilities before relying on an item passive that only affects attacks.

Fight rhythm

Repeated access matters

The threat grows while this champion can keep attacking a useful target. Break target access, create distance or use control before the repeated pattern settles in.

Range and access

Needs close access for basic attacks

Range, slows, displacement and terrain can deny the clean contact this champion wants. Plan the route in as carefully as the damage after arrival.

Typical team job

Threaten a reachable priority target

A clean angle matters more than attacking the nearest unit immediately. Keep an exit, reset or follow-up route in mind before committing.

Control check

Identify the exact movement restriction

Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement answer.

Protection and sustain

Check whether recovery changes the fight

Anti-heal or anti-shielding is situational. Buy it only when the effect is materially protecting targets and your champion can apply the answer reliably.

Resource pattern

Mana and cooldowns both matter

A spell being available does not mean the complete sequence is sustainable. Watch the resource bar as well as the setup and escape cooldowns.

Defensive item reference

What can help against Master Yi?

Start with the threat that is actually affecting the match. These are conditional comparisons, not an automatic counter build.

Pre-game choices

DEFENSIVE BOOTS

Plated Steelcaps usually fit better

Armour and attack reduction address repeated physical basic attacks. The passive does not reduce every physical ability.

Choose Mercury's Treads instead when magic damage or reducible crowd control across the full team matters more.

Repeated attacksReducible controlSlowsHealing or sustainHealth-scaling or true damage

PHYSICAL DEFENCE

Physical defence

Armour · health · role-appropriate defence

Armour can reduce physical damage, but Plated Steelcaps' passive is specific to attacks.

Match the item to attacks, critical strikes or ability burst rather than buying armour from the label alone.

REPEATED ATTACKS

Repeated attacks

Plated Steelcaps · Frozen Heart

These can reduce attack-focused pressure when their stats fit your champion.

Do not use this as an answer to physical spells that are not attacks.

CONTROL AND ONE KEY SPELL

Control and one key spell

Mercury's Treads · Quicksilver Sash · Banshee's Veil · Edge of Night

Tenacity and a removable-control active can help against the relevant disabling effects.

Check the current tooltip and whether the exact effect can be shortened, removed or blocked.

REPEATED SLOWS

Repeated slows

Boots of Swiftness

Slow resistance can be more useful than Tenacity when repeated slowing strength is the main problem.

It gives no armour or magic resistance, so compare the rest of the opposing team.

MEANINGFUL HEALING

Meaningful healing

Bramble Vest or Thornmail · Morellonomicon · Mortal Reminder

A role-appropriate Grievous Wounds item can reduce healing.

Buy it only when healing is materially changing fights and your champion can apply it reliably.

HEALTH-SCALING OR TRUE DAMAGE

Health-scaling or true damage

Shields · sustain · positioning · exact resistance check

Raw health or one resistance may be incomplete against percent-health, missing-health or true-damage mechanics.

Read the current ability tooltip before choosing defence; these mechanics do not all use the same counter.

Normal Draft and Ranked role map

Where Master Yi fits on Summoner's Rift

Each lane is assessed separately. Open a role to reach its queue-specific build and matchup preparation.

TopNot listed for Draft / Ranked

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Master Yi does not have a reviewed Top route for Draft / Ranked. A route shown in Swiftplay is kept separate because its starting rules, pace or evidence may be different.

Review this role

JunglePrimary role

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Master Yi has an established clear and map plan that can function without lane income while contesting camps and objectives.

Review this role Open matchup

MidNot listed for Draft / Ranked

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Master Yi does not have a reviewed Mid route for Draft / Ranked. A route shown in Swiftplay is kept separate because its starting rules, pace or evidence may be different.

Review this role

BotNot listed for Draft / Ranked

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Master Yi does not have a reviewed Bot route for Draft / Ranked. A route shown in Swiftplay is kept separate because its starting rules, pace or evidence may be different.

Review this role

SupportNot listed for Draft / Ranked

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Master Yi does not have a reviewed Support route for Draft / Ranked. A route shown in Swiftplay is kept separate because its starting rules, pace or evidence may be different.

Review this role

Kit reference

Master Yi abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown / Cost / Range Data Dragon 16.20.1

Passive

Double Strike

What it doesEvery few consecutive basic attack, Master Yi strikes twice.

Practical readDouble Strike is an automatic part of the kit involving basic-attack interaction. Track when its condition is active instead of treating every fight the same way.

Q ability

Alpha Strike

What it doesMaster 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.

Practical readAlpha Strike contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown20/19.5/19/18.5/18 secCost50/55/60/65/70Listed range600 units

Movement

The cast changes position or access. Account for where the champion finishes, not only where the ability begins.

W ability

Meditate

What it doesMaster 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.

Practical readMeditate contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown10 secCost40Listed range20 units

Cast commitment

This cast has a wind-up, charge or channel. Movement, interruption or a changing target state can matter before the effect completes.

E ability

Wuju Style

What it doesGrants bonus true damage on basic attacks.

Practical readWuju Style contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown14 secListed range20 units

Ultimate

Highlander

What it doesMaster 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.

Practical readHighlander contributes a slowing effect and basic-attack interaction. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown85 secCost100

Levels 1–18

Master Yi · Health / Mana · Abilities

Base values exclude items, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns are the listed base cooldown before ability haste.

Level 1640 Health251 Mana

Level 3795 Health313 Mana

Level 61,055 Health417 Mana

Level 111,561 Health620 Mana

Level 162,160 Health859 Mana

Level 182,425 Health965 Mana

Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1

Basic abilityAlpha Strike

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 120 secRank 219.5 secRank 319 secRank 418.5 secRank 518 sec

Basic abilityMeditate

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

All ranks10 sec

Basic abilityWuju Style

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

All ranks14 sec

UltimateHighlander

First rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.

All ranks85 sec

Open every levelHealth and mana from level 1 to 18

Level	Health	Mana	Ability milestone
1	640	251 Mana	Choose the first basic ability
2	716	281 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
3	795	313 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
4	878	346 Mana	Spend one ability point
5	964	381 Mana	Spend one ability point
6	1,055	417 Mana	First ultimate rank normally available
7	1,149	454 Mana	Spend one ability point
8	1,246	494 Mana	Spend one ability point
9	1,348	534 Mana	Spend one ability point
10	1,453	576 Mana	Spend one ability point
11	1,561	620 Mana	Second ultimate rank normally available
12	1,674	664 Mana	Spend one ability point
13	1,790	711 Mana	Spend one ability point
14	1,909	759 Mana	Spend one ability point
15	2,033	808 Mana	Spend one ability point
16	2,160	859 Mana	Final ultimate rank normally available
17	2,291	911 Mana	Spend one ability point
18	2,425	965 Mana	Spend one ability point

Choose the next question

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