Start
AP, health, and mana sustain support repeated Alpha Strike farming.
Alternative
Mana Potion
Mana Potion
POPULAR LEAGUE CLASSIC PLAYSTYLE
AP Master Yi Reset Assassin
Farm through Alpha Strike, wait outside the first wave of control, then enter when one kill can refresh the fight. AP Yi is less about starting combat and more about recognizing the exact second combat becomes cleanable.
Build Deathfire Grasp into Rabadon's Deathcap and Lich Bane. Max Q then W. Do not Alpha Strike into five healthy enemies—enter after key control is spent or a target is already in reset range.
QUICK BUILD
What to buy—and when.
Starting items
Boot choices
Situational
PURCHASE ORDER
Every recall solves a problem.
First recall
Buy enough power to clear safely while preserving movement for reset angles.
Alternative
Doran's Ring
Doran's RingBurst core
DFG marks one target for the magic-damage window; Deathcap amplifies Q and W; Lich Bane rewards safe post-Q attacks.
Alternative
Nashor's Tooth
Nashor's ToothSafety
Stasis buys time for Alpha Strike or Meditate; penetration is the alternative into stacked magic resistance.
Alternative
Void Staff
Void StaffWHY IT WORKS
The mechanics behind the memory.
Alpha Strike carries a full AP ratio and makes Yi untargetable during the cast, letting burst and temporary safety share one button.
Meditate scales heavily with AP. A successful reset gives time to Q again; a protected channel can bridge the gap when no reset is available.
RUNES & MASTERIES
Set up the playstyle before queue.
RUNES & MASTERIES
- Magic penetration marks
- Mana regeneration seals
- Scaling ability power glyphs
- Ability power quintessences
Skill order
Max Q, then W, then E; take R whenever available.
Core combo
Pick: DFG → Q → one safe Lich Bane attack. Cleanup: activate R before entry, Q the lowest reliable target, reposition on landing, then choose between reset Q and Meditate.
Mastery baseline
Testing baseline: 9/0/21 for magic damage, mana, cooldowns, and movement. AP Yi values utility more than sustained basic-attack masteries.
GAME PLAN
How to pilot each phase.
Opening
Use Q to take contested minions without giving the opponent a free punish. Keep enough mana to disengage or answer a gank.
Trading
Avoid predictable Q landings into prepared control. Trade when the bounce pattern and minion wave give a safe exit.
Power spikes
First AP components improve wave control; DFG creates a single-target execution window; Deathcap turns both burst and Meditate into real threats.
Mid game
Arrive second to skirmishes. Sweep or use allied vision so the enemy cannot pre-target your landing position.
Teamfights
Track hard crowd control and health bars. Your first Q should create a likely reset, not merely show impressive damage.
Strengths
- Explosive cleanup after one target drops
- Untargetability during Alpha Strike
- AP-scaled emergency sustain
Weaknesses
- Predictable landing point
- Control interrupts the reset chain
- Weak when forced to start a full-health fight
COMMON MISTAKES
How the build actually fails.
- Opening the teamfight with Q
- Channeling Meditate in obvious interrupt range
- Building only damage when Zhonya's is needed to reach the next cooldown
FAQ
FAQ
Why Deathfire Grasp first?
Its active creates a focused magic-damage window before Alpha Strike. Use it only when the marked target can realistically die during that window.
Is Nashor's Tooth mandatory?
No. It is a sustained-damage alternative, while the featured route prioritizes burst, resets, and a small number of empowered attacks.
SOURCES & STATUS
Evidence before certainty.
Riot names AP Master Yi as an iconic Classic memory. The purchase route remains a matchup-adjustable testing baseline.
Riot Games — League of Legends Classic developer overview Riot Games — patch 26.15 notes CommunityDragon — current client character archive Open champion guide: Master YiRELATED PLAYSTYLES
