Is Yasuo’s mastery of the wind making you feel like pulling your hair out? Do his flashy outplays and mastery of “hasagi!” leave you muttering under your breath about champion balance? If facing the Unforgiven Exile brings you nothing but frustration, then fret no more!
This list will equip you with the perfect champion picks to counter Yasuo’s whirlwind of steel. We’ll have you shutting him down with ease and finally achieving sweet, sweet Yasuo-induced tranquillity.
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Key Takeaways
- Champions like Cassiopeia, Anivia, and Vex make Yasuo’s signature dashes a risky proposition. They can zone him off with area-of-effect abilities or punish him with crowd control if he tries to get too close.
- Veigar and Corki can both counter Yasuo by playing a more passive lane. They use their superior range and scaling to poke Yasuo down before he becomes a threat, making his early aggression less effective.
- Malphite’s ultimate is a prime example – it completely shuts down Yasuo’s ability to outplay and turns him into a sitting duck for your team to focus down. Other champions with strong single-target crowd control can achieve a similar effect.
1. Cassiopeia
Yasuo might be a master of the wind, but Cassiopeia is a queen of poisonous zoning. Her Twin Fang (E) creates a constantly shifting pool of venom, making Yasuo’s dashes a risky proposition. He can’t just hop through minions to get close without getting a nasty dose of toxins.
On top of that, Cassiopeia’s Noxious Blast (Q) outranges Yasuo’s early harass, letting her poke him down safely. By the time Yasuo gets close enough to unleash his tornado, Cassiopeia can potentially use her ultimate, Petrifying Gaze (R), to turn the tables and lock him down for a beating.
2. Anivia
Yasuo thrives on mobility and outplays. Anivia? Well, she’s all about freezing enemies in place and making them very unwelcome guests in her frosty domain. Her Q – Flash Frost can easily interrupt Yasuo’s dashes, messing up his combos and leaving him vulnerable.
Additionally, Anivia’s E – Crystallize creates a wall of ice, further restricting Yasuo’s movement and potentially blocking his ultimate, Last Breath (R). Yasuo might be the wind, but against Anivia’s glacial dominance, he’ll be left feeling more like a grounded kite.
3. Veigar
Don’t let Veigar’s short stature fool you. This yordle mage packs a serious punch, especially against champions like Yasuo who rely on building critical strike chances. Veigar’s E – Baleful Strike stacks permanently, granting him bonus Ability Power every time he hits an enemy champion with an ability.
This means the longer the lane goes on, the harder Veigar hits. Plus, his ultimate, Primordial Burst (R), is a single-target nuke that scales with his Ability Power. If Yasuo gets caught out of position, even a single well-timed Dark Matter (Q) can chunk him for a surprising amount of health, making him much less eager to jump around.
4. Vex
Yasuo may be a whirlwind of steel, but Vex is a master of burst damage and strategic positioning. Her Personal Space (W) throws up a shield that not only blocks projectiles but also fears enemies who get too close.
This makes Yasuo’s aggressive dashes a double-edged sword – he risks getting feared and taking a ton of damage if he tries to engage.
Additionally, Vex’s ultimate, Shadow Dive (R), allows her to reposition quickly and unload her full combo onto Yasuo before he can react. Yasuo thrives on outplays, but Vex thrives on punishing them.
5. Qiyana
Yasuo relies on reading his opponent’s movements to predict his dashes. Qiyana, however, throws a wrench in those plans with her elemental abilities. Her Earth Blast (Q) can knock Yasuo up, interrupting his ultimate and flow of movement.
Furthermore, Qiyana’s ultimate, Supreme Display of Talent (R), allows her to burst onto the scene from unexpected angles, making it difficult for Yasuo to react and block her attacks with his wind wall. Yasuo wants a predictable battlefield, but Qiyana thrives on creating chaotic situations where her outplay potential shines.
6. Corki
Corki prefers to keep things at a safe distance while Yasuo is more of a close quarters guy. His Phosphorus Bomb (Q) and Missile Barrage (R) have significant range, allowing him to poke Yasuo down before he can even get close.
Plus, Corki’s Valkyrie (E) grants him temporary invulnerability and extra mobility, allowing him to dodge Yasuo’s ultimate or reposition to safety. Yasuo wants to get in your face, but Corki prefers to rain down destruction from afar, making Yasuo’s attempts to engage a frustrating exercise in futility.
7. Malphite
Malphite’s passive, Granite Shield, grants him bonus armor based on a percentage of his maximum health, making him incredibly tanky against Yasuo’s physical damage. Furthermore, Malphite’s ultimate, Unstoppable Force (R), is a devastating point-and-click engagement that can lock Yasuo down and render him useless in a teamfight.
Yasuo wants fancy footwork, but Malphite just wants to smash him into the ground – a strategy that’s surprisingly effective.
Conclusion to Yasuo Counters
Yasuo may be a flashy duelist, but with the right champion selection and strategy, you can ground him and prevent him from dominating the lane. Remember, the key lies in understanding Yasuo’s strengths and weaknesses – punish his reliance on mobility, outscale his early aggression, or shut him down with hard crowd control. By following these tips and picking the perfect counter, you’ll be saying “hasagi-no” to Yasuo’s outplays in no time!
FAQs
- What if I don’t have any of these champions?
Don’t worry! Many other champions can deal with Yasuo. Look for champions with strong waveclear to match his push power, ranged harass to keep him at bay, or reliable crowd control to lock him down.
- These champions sound hard to play. Are there any easier Yasuo counters?
Malphite is a great option for beginners. His simple kit focuses on tanking damage and locking down enemies with his ultimate. Other easy-to-use options include Annie, Amumu, or Galio.
- Is laning against Yasuo all about champion selection?
Champion selection is important, but understanding Yasuo’s power spikes and playing around them is crucial. Punish his early weakness before his first item power spike, and be wary of engaging him when he has his ultimate available.
- What if my team has Yasuo? How can I support him?
Yasuo thrives with champions who can set him up for kills. Tanks like Leona or Nautilus can lock down enemies for Yasuo to follow up on. Alternatively, champions with knockups like Orianna or Amumu can combo with Yasuo’s ultimate for devastating results.
- I shut down Yasuo in lane, but he still seems strong late game. What should I do?
Yasuo can be a potent split pusher late game. Focus on applying pressure elsewhere on the map and consider grouping to take objectives as a team. If Yasuo tries to split push alone, coordinate with your team to collapse on him and shut him down.
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