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Ionia · Origins · Intermediate

Master Yi

Wuju Bladesman · Solo defender fundamentals

Calm domainCalm
Body domainBody

Starter Master Yi rewards a friendly unit defending alone with +2 Might, turning isolated blocks into efficient Holds.

Live data · our tournament results, last 14 days

Where Master Yi Stands Right Now

Tier

S

Midrange

Meta share

9.3%

526 tracked decks

Top 8s

39

across 18 events

Match record

59.1%

689W – 476L

CN / West share

12.1% / 8.1%

20 / 19 top 8s

Proven at regionals. Three midrange builds reached the top tables at a single qualifier in Lille, with another semifinal run in Vancouver.

The engine

What Master Yi Rewards

Wuju Bladesman - Starter · printed ability

“While a friendly unit defends alone, it gets +2 Might.”

Master Yi asks you to care about combat math; the fun is setting up fights where your units survive because the Legend ability changes the numbers.

How it plays

The Game Plan

The starter Yi plan is disciplined defense. Put one durable unit in the right fight, protect it with Calm/Body tricks, and make the opponent overpay to break a Hold.

Strengths

  • Excellent solo-defense math
  • Teaches combat fundamentals
  • Strong with protection and buffs

Watch Outs

  • Less explosive on offense
  • Weak to removal before combat
  • Needs correct battlefield choice

Turn by Turn

  1. 1Early: develop one unit that can defend alone without being picked off.
  2. 2Midgame: use the +2 Might defender bonus and protection to keep Holds intact.
  3. 3Late: turn preserved units into counterattacks once the opponent has spent resources breaking through.

New to this Legend? Pick starter Master Yi if you want to learn when one protected defender is better than flooding a battlefield.

Know the field

Key Matchups

How Master Yi lines up against the decks that matter, based on results from our tournament database.

Tough

vs Aurora decks

The slow Aurora shells go over the top of him late — Yi showing up in big numbers anyway keeps surprising people.

Tough

vs Falling Star decks

His power bonus only applies in combat, so Falling Star answers him at full value.

Tough

vs Rengar

Rengar can keep just enough Might on board to get over Yi — it decided a Vancouver semifinal.

Proven lists · from our tournament database

What Winning Master Yi Looks Like

The full list below comes straight from a recent top-performing event run, runes and battlefields included. Use it as the reference build, then adjust for your collection.

陈千语

S3 Tianjin Regional Open · 2026-06-07 · 56 cards

Legend (1)

  • Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman1

Units (19)

  • Lonely Poro3
  • Rengar, Trophy Hunter3
  • Ruin Runner3
  • Scuttle Crab3
  • Akshan, Mischievous2
  • First Mate2
  • Pit Rookie2
  • Master Yi, Tempered1

Spells (19)

  • Charm3
  • Defy3
  • Discipline3
  • Punch First3
  • En Garde2
  • Sabotage2
  • Challenge1
  • Not So Fast1
  • Primal Strength1

Gear (2)

  • Zhonya's Hourglass2

Runes (12)

  • Body Rune6
  • Calm Rune6

Battlefields (3)

  • Emperor's Dais1
  • Star Spring1
  • The Arena's Greatest1

Also putting up results: LTO.梁山伯住阳台 (S3 Tianjin Regional Open, 2026-06-07) and ARBD–风灵.Ai (S3 Tianjin Regional Open, 2026-06-07).

The Cards Doing the Work

Riftbound Unit: Scuttle Crab. (Units with 0 [S] can conquer and hold.) When you play me, draw 1. [Deathknell][>] Choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. You can look at their facedown cards this turn. Gain 1 XP. (When I die, get the effects.)

Card advantage · 3x

Scuttle Crab

“When you play me, draw 1. [Deathknell] → Choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. You can look at their facedown cards this turn. Gain 1 XP. (When I die, get the effects.)”

Riftbound Unit: Rengar, Trophy Hunter. [Ambush] (You may play me as a [Reaction] to a battlefield where you have units.) I can be played to a battlefield where there are enemy units (even if you don't have units there).

Core piece · 3x

Rengar, Trophy Hunter

“[Ambush] (You may play me as a [Reaction] to a battlefield where you have units.) I can be played to a battlefield where there are enemy units (even if you don't have units there).”

Riftbound Spell: Discipline. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.) Give a unit +2 [S] this turn. Draw 1.

Card advantage · 3x

Discipline

“[Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.) Give a unit +2 Might this turn. Draw 1.”

Your first build

How to Start Playing Master Yi

Master Yi has a preconstructed deck — Master Yi - Wuju Bladesman (Proving Grounds) — so you can learn the Legend with a tuned out-of-the-box list before spending on singles.

Riftbound Legend: Wuju Bladesman - Starter. While a friendly unit defends alone, it gets +2 [S].

Wuju Bladesman - Starter

Your Legend — starts in play, sets your two domains

Riftbound Unit: Yi, Meditative. While you have 8+ runes, I have +4 [S].

Yi, Meditative

Chosen Champion — starts face-up in its Champion Zone

Keep

  • Keep the Calm/Body unit-combat shell.
  • Keep cards that reward disciplined attacks and efficient movement.

Upgrade First

  • Add stronger units that benefit from buffs and protection.
  • Replace filler cards with interaction that keeps your key unit alive.

Try Next

  • Try a focused threat package instead of spreading upgrades too widely.
  • Adjust the rune split only after your upgraded card costs demand it.