Master Yi vs Graves
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Graves
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Master Yi: Blade of The Ruined King, The Collector, Lord Dominik's Regards, Berserker's Greaves, Titanic Hydra, Infinity Edge, Death's Dance, Immortal Shieldbow.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Graves's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Graves' shotgun has some unique properties. He must reload when he runs out of ammo. Attacks fire 4 bullets, which cannot pass through units. Non-champions struck by multiple bullets are knocked back.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 13s | 26s | 16s | – |
| 6 | 9.5s | 26s | 16s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 6s | 24s | 16s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 6s | 22s | 16s | 1m20 |
| 16 | 6s | 18s | 14s | 1m |
| 18 | 6s | 18s | 12s | 1m |
Playing as Master Yi
Tips to maximize your impact
- Dodge with Alpha Strike
Cast Alpha Strike (Q) to dodge a spell or a burst: you're untargetable during the strike, and your autos lower its cooldown.
- Meditate to tank damage
Cast Meditate (W) to tank a burst mid-teamfight: you take less damage, heal more at low health, and the time left on Highlander (R) is paused.
- Activate Highlander to chase
Activate Highlander (R) to chase: you gain move speed and attack speed, and slows no longer affect you.
- Chain your kills
Chain kills in teamfights: each takedown lowers the remaining cooldown of your basic spells, and extends Highlander (R) if it's active.
Playing against Graves
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Keep units between you and him
Stay behind your minions or your frontline: the 4 bullets of each New Destiny (passive) auto can't pass through units.
- Hit him from outside his range
If you're ranged, hit him from a distance: his autos only reach 425, and New Destiny (passive) forces him to reload when his shotgun is empty.
- Get out of his smoke
Leave Smoke Screen (W) quickly rather than fighting inside it: the smoke slows you and cuts off all vision outside it.
- Drag the game out
If your team scales better over time, play for time: Graves is strongest in the early and mid game.
Other Master Yi matchups
Patch 16.21.1