10 Best Champions To Counter Master Yi In League of Legends

Master Yi is one of the most dangerous scaling champions in League of Legends, known for his high attack speed, true damage, and ability to snowball out of control if left unchecked. With Alpha Strike (Q) for mobility and damage, Meditate (W) for sustain, and Highlander (R) for unstoppable speed, he can shred through teams and dodge key abilities with ease. However, Master Yi has clear weaknesses that the right champions can exploit, such as his reliance on auto-attacks, vulnerability to crowd control, and struggles against tanky or burst-heavy opponents. Whether you’re looking for champions that can lock him down, out-duel him, or burst him before he can react, there are plenty of ways to shut down Master Yi. In this article, we’ll cover the 10 best champions to counter Master Yi and how to prevent him from taking over the game.

#10: Kindred

Kindred is a strong counter to Master Yi due to their kiting ability, range advantage, and ultimate that negates Yi’s resets. Master Yi relies on closing the gap and auto-attacking to deal damage, but Kindred’s Dance of Arrows (Q) and Mounting Dread (E) allow them to keep their distance while chipping away at Yi’s health. Additionally, Lamb’s Respite (R) is one of the biggest counters to Master Yi, as it prevents him from executing enemies and getting resets with Highlander (R), forcing him into unfavorable fights. Since Kindred excels at punishing melee champions and can kite effectively, they force Master Yi into a difficult matchup where he struggles to secure kills and snowball.

#9: Gragas

Gragas is a strong counter to Master Yi due to his crowd control, burst damage, and ability to disrupt Yi’s engages. Master Yi relies on diving into fights with Highlander (R) and resetting kills, but Gragas’s Body Slam (E) can interrupt his approach, while Explosive Cask (R) can completely knock him away, ruining his momentum. Additionally, Drunken Rage (W) reduces incoming damage, making it harder for Yi to burst him down. Since Master Yi struggles against champions who can lock him down and disrupt his resets, Gragas forces him into an uncomfortable playstyle where he has difficulty executing his full damage potential.

#8: Xin Zhao

Xin Zhao is a strong counter to Master Yi due to his early-game dominance, crowd control, and ability to negate incoming damage. Master Yi relies on scaling and extended fights, but Xin Zhao’s Three Talon Strike (Q) can knock him up, preventing him from dealing consistent damage. Additionally, Crescent Guard (R) is one of the biggest counters to Master Yi, as it blocks all damage from enemies outside of Xin Zhao’s range, making it difficult for Yi to burst him down or reset fights. Since Xin Zhao thrives in early skirmishes and can match Yi’s dueling potential, he forces Yi into a weaker position where he struggles to scale and take over the game.

#7: Vi

Vi is a strong counter to Master Yi due to her point-and-click lockdown, armor shredding, and ability to disrupt his engages. Master Yi relies on Highlander (R) to cleanse slows and avoid crowd control, but Vi’s Cease and Desist (R) is unstoppable and guarantees a knock-up, preventing Yi from auto-attacking or using Alpha Strike (Q) to dodge abilities. Additionally, Denting Blows (W) reduces armor, making it easier for Vi and her team to burst him down before he can reset fights. Since Master Yi struggles against champions who can lock him down and burst him before he gets his damage off, Vi forces him into a passive playstyle where he has little room to maneuver in fights.

#6: Trundle

Trundle is a strong counter to Master Yi due to his ability to out-sustain him, steal his stats, and reduce his damage output. Master Yi thrives on extended fights, but Trundle’s Chomp (Q) reduces Yi’s attack damage, making it harder for him to win duels. Additionally, Frozen Domain (W) gives Trundle bonus movement speed and healing, allowing him to chase or kite Yi effectively. The biggest counter to Master Yi is Subjugate (R), which drains Yi’s armor and magic resist, making him significantly squishier and easier to burst down before he can reset fights. Since Trundle excels in extended trades and can weaken Yi’s key strengths, he forces him into an unfavorable position where he struggles to carry fights.

#5: Sejuani

Sejuani is a strong counter to Master Yi due to her high durability, crowd control, and ability to lock him down before he can deal damage. Master Yi relies on Highlander (R) to cleanse slows and avoid crowd control, but Sejuani’s Glacial Prison (R) provides a long-range stun that can completely stop Yi in his tracks, preventing him from getting resets. Additionally, her Permafrost (E) applies another stun when stacked, further limiting Yi’s ability to move and auto-attack. Since Sejuani naturally builds tanky and can absorb a lot of damage, she makes it extremely difficult for Master Yi to execute his usual playstyle, forcing him into a passive role where he struggles to be effective in fights.

#4: Warwick

Warwick is a strong counter to Master Yi due to his sustain, crowd control, and ability to chase him down in fights. Master Yi relies on Highlander (R) for mobility and resets, but Warwick’s Infinite Duress (R) is a suppression that locks him down, preventing him from using Alpha Strike (Q) or Meditate (W) to escape or heal. Additionally, Warwick’s Jaws of the Beast (Q) provides sustain and allows him to heal through Yi’s damage, making it difficult for Yi to burst him down. Warwick’s Blood Hunt (W) also tracks low-health targets, making it easier to catch up to Master Yi, especially when he tries to escape. Since Warwick excels in dueling and out-sustaining Master Yi, he forces Yi into a losing matchup where he struggles to get resets and maintain his impact in the game.

#3: Lee Sin

Lee Sin is a strong counter to Master Yi due to his early-game aggression, mobility, and ability to disrupt Yi’s attempts to dive onto targets. Master Yi relies on Highlander (R) for resets, but Lee Sin’s Sonic Wave (Q) and Tempest (E) provide significant poke and crowd control, preventing Yi from freely engaging. Additionally, Lee Sin’s Safeguard (W) provides mobility, allowing him to dodge Master Yi’s Alpha Strike (Q) and reposition during fights. The biggest counter to Yi is Dragon’s Rage (R), which can kick him away from his team or knock him into an unfavorable position, disrupting his reset potential. Since Lee Sin excels at high-mobility skirmishes and can lock down Master Yi during his engage, he forces Yi into a defensive playstyle where he struggles to find opportunities to snowball.

#2: Rammus

Rammus is a strong counter to Master Yi due to his tankiness, high mobility, and ability to reflect damage back at him. Master Yi relies on his attack speed and sustained damage, but Rammus’s Defensive Ball Curl (W) provides a significant armor boost and reflects damage, making it difficult for Yi to trade effectively. Additionally, Rammus’s Puncturing Taunt (E) forces Yi to attack him, which further disrupts Yi’s ability to focus on key targets. The biggest counter to Master Yi is Tremors (R), which allows Rammus to deal AoE damage to surrounding enemies while staying relatively safe. Since Master Yi struggles against tanky champions who can deal damage back at him and control his movements, Rammus forces him into a difficult situation where he struggles to carry fights.

#1: Jax

Jax is the best counter to Master Yi due to his ability to out-sustain him, deal true damage, and scale better into the late game. Master Yi relies on attacking quickly and resetting with Highlander (R), but Jax’s Counter Strike (E) allows him to block Yi’s auto-attacks, reducing his damage output significantly. Additionally, Counter Strike stuns Master Yi after a few auto-attacks, disrupting his engage and preventing him from dealing sustained damage. Jax’s Relentless Assault (Passive) and Grandmaster’s Might (R) provide scaling damage and tankiness, allowing him to outscale Master Yi as the game progresses. Since Jax excels in 1v1 duels and can shred through tanky opponents with true damage from Grandmaster’s Might, he forces Yi into a losing matchup where he struggles to win fights, especially in the later stages of the game.

Conclusion

Master Yi can be a formidable force in League of Legends if left unchecked, but with the right champions, his effectiveness can be drastically reduced. Champions like Jax, Lee Sin, and Warwick excel at locking him down, out-sustaining his damage, and preventing him from getting his resets. Tanks like Rammus and Sejuani can absorb his damage and disrupt his engages with crowd control, while champions like Kindred and Vi can kite him and prevent him from diving onto key targets. Whether you prefer burst damage, sustain, or crowd control, there are plenty of ways to counter Master Yi and prevent him from snowballing. By choosing the right champion and playing around his cooldowns, you can neutralize Yi’s strengths and take control of the game.