Yasuo · Mid

Yasuo Laning Guide

Laning phaseData-drivenExpertPatch 16.19.1

7.2KUpdated 23 hours ago

More Yasuo guides

This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

Mid is the shortest lane: trades are fast and the enemy jungler is always close. Push the wave when you can, so you are first to the river when a skirmish starts. Early, prioritise the river: being first to a skirmish or to the first dragon is worth more than a few extra minions.

Strengths

Sustain from Way of the Wanderer.
High physical damage: Riot rates it 8/10 in attack.
Crowd control: Steel Tempest applies a knock-up to set up kills.

Weaknesses

Melee range: ranged opponents can poke it in lane.
Hard to master: Riot rates its difficulty 10/10.

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Lane buildBalancedRecommendedHow to open: starting items, then the components of Bastionbreaker on your first backs, and boots when the lane allows.
Standard buildBalancedAdvancedThe default path: Bastionbreaker, Black Cleaver and Serylda's Grudge give the attack damage, armor penetration and ability haste this class relies on. Pick it when you have no reason to adapt. Built from Riot's item tags and the champion's class; Riot publishes no build statistics.

Builds

Lane build

BalancedRecommended

Open build

When to use it

How to open: starting items, then the components of Bastionbreaker on your first backs, and boots when the lane allows.

Where it's played

Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.

Summoner's RiftRed side · bottom leftBlue side · top right

MidMain77% of matches
TopPriority 223% of matches
Bottom (ADC)Priority 3

Starting items

Doran's BladeHealth, attack damage and life steal.Health PotionHealth regeneration.

Early game

The BrutalizerAttack damage and armor penetration.Serrated DirkAttack damage and armor penetration.

Core items

1Bastionbreaker

Boots

Ionian Boots of Lucidity

Runes

Primary· Domination

Secondary· Precision

Shards

Summoner spells

Flash
Ignite

Abilities

Way of the WandererPassiveYasuo'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.
QSteel Tempest4sThrusts 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
4
Range
475
Basic ability — applies a knock-up and hits an area. Use it on the target your team can kill.
WWind Wall25/23/21/19/17sCreates a moving wall that blocks all enemy projectiles for 4 seconds.
Cooldown
25·23·21·19·17
Range
400
ESweeping Blade0.5/0.4/0.3/0.2/0.1sDashes 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
0.5·0.4·0.3·0.2·0.1
Range
475
RLast BreathUltimate70/50/30sBlinks 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
70·50·30
Range
1400
Ultimate — applies a knock-up, moves you and hits an area. Use it on the target your team can kill.

Strategy

1Starting and early items

The first items decide how comfortable the lane is. The lane build below lists them with what each one gives you.

Key early items: The Brutalizer and Serrated Dirk.

2Trading

Trade when the enemy uses an ability on the wave: that's the moment they can't answer. The kit brings crowd control (knock-up) with Steel Tempest and mobility with Sweeping Blade.

3Wave management

Freeze the wave near your tower when you're weaker, slow push before a back and crash the wave when you want to roam or take a plate.

4Early objectives

Early, prioritise the river: being first to a skirmish or to the first dragon is worth more than a few extra minions. Your spikes are level 6, when Last Breath comes online, and each completed item: Bastionbreaker first, then Black Cleaver.

Tips

Trade when the enemy uses an ability on the wave: that's the moment they can't answer.
The Brutalizer is your first purchase that changes the lane: get it early.
Use Steel Tempest in lane only when your partner or jungler can follow.
Keep Sweeping Blade ready when the enemy's gankers are missing.
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.

Matchups

Strong against

Qiyana
Steel Tempest (knock-up) lets Yasuo pin Qiyana down before Terrashape gets them out.
Yone
Steel Tempest (knock-up) lets Yasuo pin Yone down before Mortal Steel gets them out.
Twisted Fate
Steel Tempest (knock-up) lets Yasuo pin Twisted Fate down before Destiny gets them out.

Weak against

Lissandra
Ring of Frost (root) lets Lissandra pin Yasuo down before Sweeping Blade gets them out.
Syndra
Scatter the Weak (stun) lets Syndra pin Yasuo down before Sweeping Blade gets them out.
Mel
Solar Snare (root) lets Mel pin Yasuo down before Sweeping Blade gets them out.