Locke vs Yasuo

Locke
vs
Not enough games
Yasuo
Heavy AD damageSustained DPSHigh burstDive threat

Build vs Yasuo

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Locke: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff, Banshee's Veil, Stormsurge.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Lich Bane
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Rabadon's Deathcap
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Void Staff
Banshee's Veil
Stormsurge

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Yasuo's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Way of the Wanderer (P)

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.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
34s25s0.5s–
64s25s0.5s1m10
94s23s0.5s1m10
114s21s0.5s50s
164s17s0.3s30s
184s17s0.1s30s

Playing as Locke

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Nails first, then Pursuit

    Cast Ritual Nails (Q) before Ashen Pursuit (E): your hits consume the nails stuck in the target, and each extra nail adds damage.

  2. Finish them with autos

    Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.

  3. Activate W as the trade starts

    Activate Soul Ignition (W) at the start of a trade: it costs you health, but at the end, you heal back part of the last damage taken, plus more based on your missing health.

  4. Save E for a kill or a gank

    Save Ashen Pursuit (E) for a sure kill or to escape a gank: it's your only instant movement, it has a 10-second cooldown, and only a takedown resets it.

  5. Save Purgatory to finish

    Save Purgatory (R) to finish: it seals marked enemies below a health threshold, and when you pick up the artifact, each sealed champion raises that threshold for good.

Playing against Yasuo

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Pop his shield first

    Hit him with a cheap attack to trigger the Way of the Wanderer (passive) shield, then start the real trade: otherwise, it absorbs your best damage.

  2. Wait for his Wind Wall

    If you have projectiles, save them for after Wind Wall (W): it blocks them all for 4 seconds, on a 25 to 17 second cooldown. Other spells go through it.

  3. Don't give him minions

    Don't stand right behind your minions: each one gives him a target for Sweeping Blade (E), and he gets closer to you with every dash.

  4. Dodge his whirlwind

    Get out of the line of his whirlwind, the third Steel Tempest (Q): without a knock-up, he can't cast Last Breath (R).

  5. Judge him by his crit items

    Judge his threat by his crit items more than his level: Way of the Wanderer (passive) raises his critical strike chance, so each crit item does more for him.

Patch 16.21.1