Mid · SwiftplayMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Yasuo vs Vex

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

Role fit

MidYasuo

Yasuo has an established central-lane plan with access to waves, both sides of the river and meaningful pressure between objectives.

Primary role

Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch: — Data Dragon
Build validation patch: 16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch: 16.20.1 Data Dragon

Swiftplay · Mid

Crit skirmisher

Follow the completed-item order as a pre-game reference. Components and owned items do not create extra inventory slots.

Primary role

Swiftplay opening · separate from item 1

Guardian's Hammer

950 gold

Adds attack damage, health and life steal for physical champions who rely on repeated basic attacks in Swiftplay.

Boots

Berserker's Greaves

1,100 gold

Completes the six-item inventory with attack speed, movement and a defensive shield for repeated attacks.

First core

Immortal Shieldbow

3,000 gold

Adds attack damage, critical chance and a low-health shield against burst after a physical damage core is established.

Critical damage

Infinity Edge

3,500 gold

Increases critical-strike damage after a reliable critical core is established; it does not repair a route with too little critical chance.

Fight sustain

Bloodthirster

3,400 gold

Adds high attack damage and sustain after the route can already reach targets and survive long enough to keep attacking.

Safety

Guardian Angel

3,200 gold

Adds a revive for a high-value late fight after the functional damage or durability core is established.

Attack speed and safety

Phantom Dancer

2,650 gold

Move through units.

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

BootsBerserker's Greaves
First coreImmortal Shieldbow
Chempunk Chainsword
Fight sustainBloodthirster
SafetyGuardian Angel
Attack speed and safetyPhantom Dancer

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

BootsBerserker's Greaves
First coreImmortal Shieldbow
Death's Dance
Fight sustainBloodthirster
SafetyGuardian Angel
Attack speed and safetyPhantom Dancer

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

BootsBerserker's Greaves
First coreImmortal Shieldbow
Critical damageInfinity Edge
Kaenic Rookern
SafetyGuardian Angel
Attack speed and safetyPhantom Dancer

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

BootsBerserker's Greaves
First coreImmortal Shieldbow
Black Cleaver
Fight sustainBloodthirster
SafetyGuardian Angel
Attack speed and safetyPhantom Dancer

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsYasuoMid

Create one clean burst window after managing the Mid wave instead of forcing every cooldown into the lane.

Swiftplay

Primary tree

Domination

Electrocute

Sudden Impact

Grisly Mementos

Ultimate Hunter

Secondary tree

Sorcery

Transcendence

Scorch

Summoner spells

Flash

Ignite

Choose pressure or recovery

Ignite supports a short kill window; Teleport supports recall and map timing; Barrier protects against immediate burst.

Protect the wave plan

A more aggressive spell pair does not replace safe wave timing, river vision or an escape route.

Matchup notes

What changes when Vex is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison

Kit comparison

Respect the opponent's reliable threat

Track the cooldown and range of the ability that starts their safest trade. Do not treat this page as a statistical counter claim.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Treat Vex as one part of the map state. Their Jungler, nearby waves and which teammates can move determine whether the same trade or rotation is safe.

Ability reminders

Yasuo reminders

Dash through a minion to have Sweeping Blade available to chase your opponent should they flee; Dash directly to your opponent to preserve a minion as your escape route.
At level 18, Yasuo's Steel Tempest reaches its Attack Speed cap with 55% Attack Speed from items.
Last Breath can be cast on any target that is knocked Airborne, even by one of your allies.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Chempunk Chainsword

Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

Physical burst

Death's Dance

Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

Sustained magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

They stack armour

Black Cleaver

Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1

Yasuo

P
Way of the Wanderer
Yasuo's Critical Strike Chance is increased. Additionally, Yasuo builds toward a shield whenever he is moving. The shield triggers when he takes damage from a champion or monster.
Q
Steel Tempest
Thrusts forward, damaging all enemies in a line. On hit, grants a stack of Gathering Storm for a few seconds. At 2 stacks, Steel Tempest fires a whirlwind that knocks Airborne. Steel Tempest is treated as a basic attack and scales with all the same things.
Cooldown (s) 4 · Listed range (units) 475
W
Wind Wall
Creates a moving wall that blocks all enemy projectiles for 4 seconds.
Cooldown (s) 25/23/21/19/17 · Listed range (units) 400
E
Sweeping Blade
Dashes through target enemy, dealing magic damage. Each cast increases subsequent dash's damage, up to a max amount. Cannot be re-cast on the same enemy for a few seconds. If Steel Tempest is cast while dashing, it will strike as a circle.
Cooldown (s) 0.5/0.4/0.3/0.2/0.1 · Listed range (units) 475
R
Last Breath
Blinks to an Airborne enemy champion, dealing physical damage and holding all Airborne enemies in the area in the air. Grants maximum Flow but resets all stacks of Gathering Storm. For a moderate time afterwards, Yasuo's critical strikes gain significant Bonus Armor Penetration.
Cooldown (s) 70/50/30 · Listed range (units) 1400

Vex

P
Doom 'n Gloom
Vex periodically becomes empowered, causing her next basic Ability to fear enemies and interrupt dashes. Whenever a nearby enemy dashes, Vex applies a mark that can be consumed for bonus damage that also reduces the cooldown of her empowered state.
Q
Mistral Bolt
Launch a damaging missile that accelerates mid-flight.
Cooldown (s) 8/7/6/5/4 · Cost 45/50/55/60/65 · Listed range (units) 1200
W
Personal Space
Gain a shield and damage nearby enemies.
Cooldown (s) 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost 75 · Listed range (units) 475
E
Looming Darkness
Summon a damaging and slowing zone that applies Gloom to enemies.
Cooldown (s) 12 · Cost 70/80/90/100/110 · Listed range (units) 800
R
Shadow Surge
Fire a missile that marks an enemy champion. Recast to dash to them and deal damage.
Cooldown (s) 140/120/100 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 2000/2500/3000

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Manage the wave and keep both sides of the map visible

Lane

Trade when your key ability and minion position favour you; an even lane does not require a forced solo kill.

Map play

Move on a completed wave and return before several waves are lost to the tower.

Fights

Position for the champion's reliable damage or control instead of beginning with the lowest-percentage spell.

Pings, movement and objectives

Yasuo Mid map plan

Mid can reach either side, but the wave pays for every move. Communicate the opponent first, then move only when the route and destination are credible.

Ahead

Use priority to arrive first, not recklessly

Ping: Ping Enemy Missing when the opponent leaves, On My Way before entering river and Danger on the route the opponent may use.
Stay or roam: Roam after clearing the wave and choose the side where allies can participate. Return before several waves are lost.
Objective: Reach river with the Jungler, control one entrance and preserve the spell that stops an enemy engage or secures the first target.

Even

Turn one managed wave into map pressure

Ping: Use Enemy Missing immediately, then On My Way only when you are genuinely moving rather than considering it.
Stay or roam: Move after the wave is handled. If following requires entering fog alone, ping Danger and take the safe route instead.
Objective: Help establish river vision before the start. Do not burn the only control spell on poke if it is needed to protect the entrance.

Behind

Clear safely and warn both side lanes

Ping: Ping Enemy Missing early and repeat Danger on the threatened side. Use Retreat if matching the roam would expose you to another kill.
Stay or roam: Follow through established vision or remain Mid and recover farm. A late blind follow often loses both positions.
Objective: Approach behind the front line and use reliable control or range. Trade the objective if the team cannot safely enter river.

Objective setup

Four calls, in order

Pings create a shared plan; they do not replace checking waves, vision and who can move.

1
Handle the wave
Push, catch or communicate the wave before leaving so the opponent does not gain a free move and free income.
2
Signal the route
Use On My Way for the route you are actually taking and Danger where an unseen opponent may arrive.
3
Enter together
Move through controlled vision with the Jungler or another ally instead of face-checking the objective alone.
4
Choose the job
Decide whether you are engaging, front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry before the fight begins.

Later objectives: Repeat the same process around later major objectives: handle nearby income, communicate the route, enter through vision and agree on the fight before committing.

Keep preparing

Use the champion page or choose another opponent

The matchup page is a pre-game reference. It does not predict the result or alter its recommendation from changing live match data.

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Yasuo vs Vex

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MidYasuo