Mobile Legends Yi Sun-Shin guide: Best build, skills, emblem & combos

Yi Sun-Shin is one of the most versatile marksman/assassin heroes in Mobile Legends, known for his ability to dominate the map with global pressure and strong mid-to-late game damage. Whether you’re picking him for his high burst potential, mobility, or map-wide ultimate, mastering Yi Sun-Shin can easily turn you into your team’s MVP. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know—from his best build and emblem setup to how to use his skills and deadly combos the right way. If you want to carry your team and make game-changing plays with Yi Sun-Shin, this guide will help you play him like a pro.

Yi Sun-shin Skills Overview in Mobile Legends

Yi Sun-shin has a unique kit that blends both ranged and melee combat, giving him an edge in almost any situation. Mastering his skills is the key to unlocking his full carry potential. Here’s a breakdown of what each ability does and how to use them effectively:

Passive – Heavenly Vow
Yi Sun-shin switches between a longbow and a glaive depending on how close he is to the enemy. After each weapon switch, his next two basic attacks are enhanced: the first deals bonus critical damage, and the second delivers a guaranteed crit. These boosted attacks also give him bonus movement speed for a short time and reduce the cooldown of his first skill, Traceless.
On top of that, a Turtle Ship spawns at your base after some time or when Yi Sun-shin respawns. He can board it for a short burst of movement speed and an enhanced Traceless.
Tips:
• Use ranged or melee attacks based on your position.
• Time your weapon swap to trigger the enhanced attacks during key trades.
• Take advantage of the Turtle Ship in early skirmishes or for quick rotations.

Skill 1 – Traceless
This skill lets Yi Sun-shin dash forward, slashing enemies in his path and dealing physical damage. During the dash, he becomes immune to crowd control.
Tips:
• Great for repositioning in fights or dodging enemy skills.
• Can be used to dash through walls, which opens up sneaky escape routes or surprise ganks.

Skill 2 – Blood Floods
This skill has two forms:
• Tap: Yi Sun-shin quickly slashes with his glaive in close range.
• Hold: He charges and fires a powerful arrow that deals more damage the longer it’s held. The arrow slows him while charging, and the damage slightly decreases if it hits multiple targets.
Either form triggers Weapon Mastery, giving him those enhanced basic attacks.
Tips:
• Use the melee version for fast trades.
• Charge the ranged version to poke from a distance or clear waves.
• Aim carefully—manual casting helps you hit key targets and avoid wasting the skill.

Ultimate – Mountain Shocker
When activated, Yi Sun-shin calls in a global barrage of cannon shots that hit every enemy hero on the map. Each shot reveals enemy locations and deals physical damage. If a target is hit multiple times in the same wave, the damage is capped.
The passive part of this ult also boosts the damage of your first and second enhanced basic attacks from Heavenly Vow.

How To Play Yi Sun-shin In Mobile Legends

Best Battle Spell for Yi Sun-shin

Yi Sun-shin performs best as a jungler thanks to his mobility, burst damage, and ability to rotate quickly. Because of that, Retribution is hands down the best battle spell to use. It not only helps you clear jungle camps faster and more efficiently, but also gives you the upper hand when contesting key objectives like Turtle and Lord.

If you upgrade to Ice Retribution, it becomes even more valuable. This version lets you steal Movement Speed from enemy heroes, making it easier to secure kills or slow down targets trying to escape. It’s perfect for sticking to slippery enemies and turning small skirmishes in your favor. If you’re serious about carrying the game as Yi Sun-shin, Retribution is the way to go.

Best Emblem Setup for Yi Sun-shin

The best emblem path for Yi Sun-shin is the Assassin Emblem with the talents Swift, Seasoned Hunter, and Quantum Charge—a combination that perfectly fits his fast-paced, jungle-heavy playstyle.

Start with Swift in the first tier to boost your Attack Speed. Since Yi Sun-shin relies heavily on Basic Attacks to deal damage and trigger his passive, this helps you clear jungle camps faster and stay aggressive in early skirmishes.

Next, pick Seasoned Hunter for your core talent. As a jungler, this one’s a must—it speeds up jungle clear and gives you extra damage against objectives like Turtle and Lord, which can be game-changing in close matches.

Finally, go for Quantum Charge in the last tier. This gives you a burst of Movement Speed and health every time you land Basic Attacks. It’s especially useful in extended fights, letting you chase down kills or reposition while staying alive longer. That bit of healing can make all the difference when you’re trying to clutch a fight or secure objectives right after.

Best Build for Yi Sun-shin in Mobile Legends

Yi Sun-shin’s build focuses on boosting his burst potential while keeping him mobile and hard to kill. After starting with your jungle item, your first core equipment should be Tough Boots with Ice Retribution. The added Magic Defense and crowd control reduction help you survive early pressure, while Ice Retribution gives you the slow you need to chase down kills or escape sticky situations.

Your first big damage item should be War Axe. It’s a perfect match for Yi Sun-shin—giving him Physical Attack, cooldown reduction, and bonus penetration that ramps up the longer he’s in combat. It also provides extra durability, helping you stay in fights longer.

Next, go for Endless Battle. This item brings a powerful mix of stats: Physical Attack, Lifesteal, Mana Regen, and cooldown reduction. More importantly, its passive gives your next Basic Attack extra True Damage after using a skill, which fits Yi Sun-shin’s playstyle perfectly and amplifies his poke and burst damage.

In the late game, stack raw damage with Blade of Despair to maximize your kill potential, especially when targeting squishies. Then pick up Malefic Roar for the armor penetration you need to shred tanks and frontline heroes.

For your last slot, go for Immortality or Winter Truncheon depending on the enemy team. Immortality gives you a second chance in team fights, while Winter Truncheon is a lifesaver against heavy burst comps. If you’re facing heroes that rely on Basic Attacks or Physical Damage, Wind of Nature is another strong option—it lets you negate damage and win trades that would otherwise kill you.

Recommended Yi Sun-shin Build:
• Tough Boots (Ice Retribution)
• War Axe
• Endless Battle
• Blade of Despair
• Malefic Roar
• Immortality / Winter Truncheon / Wind of Nature (situational)

This build balances high damage with just enough survivability to let you carry fights from start to finish.

Tips and Easy Combos to Learn for Yi Sun-shin

Yi Sun-shin is all about smart positioning and knowing when to go in. His ability to switch between ranged and melee forms makes him a dynamic threat, and using that properly is what separates good players from great ones. To really unlock his potential, you need to constantly stay aware of your positioning and surroundings during every fight.

One of the first things you should practice is his weapon swapping. In melee range, he uses his glaive for quick, powerful attacks; at a distance, he switches to his longbow. Every time you switch weapons, your next two Basic Attacks become enhanced—dealing critical damage and boosting your movement speed. This is a key part of his burst damage, so get used to swapping weapons often and timing those hits during trades or dives.

A simple but deadly combo is:
Skill 2 (Hold for ranged poke) → Weapon Switch → Basic Attack → Skill 1 (Traceless dash to reposition or chase) → Basic Attack.
This combo helps you burst down squishier targets while staying safe and mobile.

When it comes to team fights or objective control, Mountain Shocker (your ultimate) is a great way to scout and poke from afar. Use it before fights to chip away at the enemy and give your team full vision of the map—especially when contesting Turtle or Lord. That global pressure makes Yi Sun-shin a nightmare to deal with, even when he’s not physically in the fight.

The key to playing him well is timing—knowing when to switch weapons, when to dash in, and when to unleash your ultimate to turn a fight before it starts. Practice these mechanics and you’ll be a major carry threat in every match.

Conclusion

Yi Sun-shin is one of the most well-rounded and impactful junglers in Mobile Legends, offering a mix of burst damage, mobility, and global pressure that can change the course of any game. By mastering his weapon switching, using the right emblem and battle spell, and following the best build path, you can maximize his potential and dominate both early skirmishes and late-game team fights. With the right timing and positioning, Yi Sun-shin becomes a deadly force that’s hard to counter. If you’re looking to carry games and make game-winning plays, Yi Sun-shin is a hero worth mastering.