Yorick · Top
Yorick Guide
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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
Yorick belongs to Riot's Fighter and Tank classes and is played mainly as Top (100% of the public matches we measured). It fights in melee range and uses mana. In this guide you play it as Top: your job is to win a long one-on-one lane, pressure the side and matter in team fights. The kit brings sustain with Last Rites. Its ultimate is Eulogy of the Isles. Riot rates it 6/10 in attack, 4/10 in magic, 6/10 in defense and 6/10 in difficulty.
Strengths
- Sustain from Last Rites.
- Clear job in the team: win a long one-on-one lane, pressure the side and matter in team fights.
- Eulogy of the Isles gives it a decisive moment in fights.
Weaknesses
- No dash or blink in the kit: vulnerable to ganks without vision.
- Isolated lane: vulnerable to ganks when you push.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Standard buildBalancedRecommendedThe default path: Black Cleaver, Trinity Force and Spear of Shojin give the health, attack damage and on-hit effects 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.
- Lethality buildOffensiveAdvancedAll-in on damage: Terminus, Lord Dominik's Regards and Blade of The Ruined King stack attack damage, attack speed and on-hit effects. Choose it when you're ahead or the enemy team is fragile — it gives up safety for kill pressure.
- Defensive buildDefensiveSituationalKeeps enough damage while adding health, magic resist and armor through Jak'Sho, The Protean, Bandlepipes and Zeke's Convergence. Choose it against dive, assassins or a lane you can't win.
Builds
Standard build
When to use it
The default path: Black Cleaver, Trinity Force and Spear of Shojin give the health, attack damage and on-hit effects 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.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- TopMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Black Cleaver
- 2Trinity Force
- 3Spear of Shojin
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Precision
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Teleport
Lethality build
When to use it
All-in on damage: Terminus, Lord Dominik's Regards and Blade of The Ruined King stack attack damage, attack speed and on-hit effects. Choose it when you're ahead or the enemy team is fragile — it gives up safety for kill pressure.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- TopMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Terminus
- 2Lord Dominik's Regards
- 3Blade of The Ruined King
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Precision
Secondary· Domination
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
Ignite
Defensive build
When to use it
Keeps enough damage while adding health, magic resist and armor through Jak'Sho, The Protean, Bandlepipes and Zeke's Convergence. Choose it against dive, assassins or a lane you can't win.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- TopMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Jak'Sho, The Protean
- 2Bandlepipes
- 3Zeke's Convergence
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Precision
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Teleport
Abilities
Shepherd of SoulsPassiveThe Cursed Horde: Yorick can summon Mist Walkers to swarm and attack nearby enemies.
QLast Rites6/5.5/5/4.5/4s20 mpYorick deals bonus damage on his next attack and heals himself. If the target is a champion or large monster or if the target dies, a grave will be dug.- Cooldown
- 6·5.5·5·4.5·4
- Cost
- 20
WDark Procession20/18/16/14/12s70 mpYorick summons a destructible wall at target location that will block enemy movement.- Cooldown
- 20·18·16·14·12
- Cost
- 70
- Range
- 600
EMourning Mist12/11/10/9/8s50/55/60/65/70 mpYorick throws a globule of Black Mist that reduces armor, damages, slows and marks enemies. Summoned units gain move speed when moving towards marked targets.- Cooldown
- 12·11·10·9·8
- Cost
- 50·55·60·65·70
- Range
- 700
REulogy of the IslesUltimate160/130/100s100 mpYorick summons the Maiden of the Mist that causes Yorick's attacks against the Maiden's target to deal bonus damage. The Maiden will also automatically raise Walkers from dead enemies.- Cooldown
- 160·130·100
- Cost
- 100
- Range
- 600
Strategy
1Early game
Top is an island: few ganks, long trades and a lot of wave management. Freeze the wave near your tower when you're weaker and push it when you want to roam or recall. Short trades win lanes: hit, use one ability and step back before the enemy's full combo comes back.
- Early items: Phage and Kindlegem.
2Mid game
With Black Cleaver and Trinity Force, split push the side lane the enemy can't match and use Teleport to join fights around dragons and towers. Your spikes are level 6, when Eulogy of the Isles comes online, and each completed item: Black Cleaver first, then Trinity Force.
- Core items: Black Cleaver, Trinity Force and Spear of Shojin.
3Late game
Late, decide early whether you split or group: a strong side lane draws two enemies, but a missing top laner loses the Baron fight.
- Late items: Death's Dance and Mercurial Scimitar.
4Team fights
In fights, reach the enemy backline or protect your own, depending on who can hurt your team more. Use Eulogy of the Isles where it hits the most enemies or catches the key target.
5Playing against Yorick
Riot's own advice for facing this champion:
- You can cast Smite on Mist Walkers and the Maiden of the Mist to damage or kill them.
- Try to thin out Yorick's minions before you engage him, Mist Walkers will die from a basic attack or a single target spell.
- You can attack Dark Procession to break the wall down.
Tips
- You do not need to cast Awakening to regain the ability to cast Last Rites.
- The Maiden will attempt to assist you in a fight, so choose your targets well.
- You can send the Maiden down a lane alone, be careful though, as she represents a large portion of your combat power.
- Rush Black Cleaver: it's the item that changes your trades the most.
- Track the enemy jungler before you push past the middle of the lane.
- When your wave is crashing into the enemy tower, that's your window to recall or roam.
Matchups
Strong against
Yorick starts with 650 health and 36 armour against Heimerdinger's 558 and 19: the early trades are already won on paper.
Yorick starts with 650 health and 36 armour against Quinn's 565 and 28: the early trades are already won on paper.
Aatrox looks for fragile targets to jump on; Yorick is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Weak against
Teemo attacks from 500 units and Yorick from 175, with no dash in the kit to close the gap.
Kennen attacks from 550 units and Yorick from 175, with no dash in the kit to close the gap.
Yorick has to walk up to start a fight, and Hyper / Wallop (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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