Yasuo vs Smolder
Build vs Smolder
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Yasuo: Kraken Slayer, Immortal Shieldbow, Infinity Edge, Berserker's Greaves, Blade of The Ruined King, Death's Dance, B. F. Sword, Mortal Reminder.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Smolder's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Hitting champions with Abilities and killing enemies with Super Scorcher Breath grants a stack of Dragon Practice. Stacks increase the damage of Smolders basic Abilities.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5.5s | 14s | 24s | – |
| 6 | 4.5s | 14s | 24s | 2m |
| 9 | 3.5s | 13s | 24s | 2m |
| 11 | 3.5s | 12s | 24s | 1m50 |
| 16 | 3.5s | 10s | 20s | 1m40 |
| 18 | 3.5s | 10s | 16s | 1m40 |
Playing as Yasuo
Tips to maximize your impact
- Charge your whirlwind on minions
Hit twice with Steel Tempest (Q), on minions if needed, to charge the whirlwind. Cast it during Sweeping Blade (E): the strike becomes a circle.
- Move to charge your shield
Keep moving before taking a trade: Way of the Wanderer (passive) builds your shield while you move, and it triggers on the first hit you take.
- Dash from minion to minion
Chain Sweeping Blade (E) on different targets to reposition or dodge: each target has its own cooldown, so the spell comes back almost instantly.
- Save Wind Wall for what matters
Save Wind Wall (W) for a projectile that decides the teamfight, like Jinx's ult, rather than for poke: it blocks for 4 seconds, on a 25 to 17 second cooldown.
- Use your allies' knock-ups
Watch for your allies' knock-ups: Last Breath (R) can be cast on any airborne champion, whether the knock-up comes from your whirlwind or Malphite's ult.
Playing against Smolder
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade early
Take your trades early: his basic spells only gain damage with the Dragon Practice (passive) stacks he builds over the game.
- Save your CC for his flight
If you have hard CC, save it for Flap, Flap, Flap (E): it's his only way to escape, and hard CC interrupts his flight.
- Don't stay grouped
Don't stay grouped with your allies against him: empowered, Super Scorcher Breath (Q) also damages around its target and behind it.
- Leave the center of the breath
Get out of the center of MMOOOMMMM! (R): that's where the breath hits hardest and slows.
Other Yasuo matchups
Patch 16.21.1