No Longer Just Science? Yasuo Hits Another High with Patch 9.3

Currently, the champion that's garnering the most attention is Yasuo.

Yasuo is beloved by many, but there are just as many people that dislike him. He is a fast-paced champion with a very interesting skill mechanism; in addition, he also has great carry potential. Thanks to these qualities, Yasuo has always had a high pick rate. However, as he is a very mechanically-intensive champion that requires a full understanding of his kit and matchups, he has often been a topic of discussion among the KR League of Legends community.

It seems as though Yasuo has hit another prime. With the recent patch, his core item has seen a large change, and Yasuo was indirectly buffed by it. 


Patch 9.3 brought changes to crit items. Most of the newly-vamped crit items were changed to strengthen the early-to-mid game influence and survivability of its wielder. 

From among the new crit items is Yasuo's core item, Phantom Dancer. With its original passive ability removed, it received a new ability called 'Lifeline'. Simplified, the new Lifeline passive works similarly to Hexdrinker and Sterak's Gage. In addition, the second ability of Phantom Dancer, Spectral Waltz, saw a little tweak so it now requires the wielder to auto attack to receive a movement speed bonus and the ability to pass through units for 2 seconds. 

The new Phantom Dancer became an item perfectly suited for Yasuo. Due to his kit, Yasuo is a champion that is often required to dive into the fray of battle - often fighting to his death. It stands to reason that the longer Yasuo is alive in battle, the more damage he deals, and since the new Lifeline passive grants its wielder a large shield when in trouble, the new Phantom Dancer puts the samurai at a great advantage. 

Before 9.3, many Yasuo players often built Sterak's to acquire the Lifeline passive. The renewed Phantom Dancer, however, now provides the same passive ability at a lower cost. In addition, the item comes with critical strike chance, which is a vital stat for any Yasuo build, making PD the perfect item for him. You could almost say that the true winner of patch 9.2 is Yasuo, not the ADC champions.

▲ The new PD is Yasuo's new best friend.


With the changes to his core items, Yasuo has become the center of attention in KR League communities. Many are expecting him to be the first one nerfed next patch. 

The rise in Yasuo's strength isn't just a brainstormed opinion from the players, his win rate has actually seen an increase. According to fow.kr, Yasuo's win rate in the last 7 days sits at 52.89%, making him the champion with the 3rd highest win rate. In addition, he also packs an incredibly high pick rate and ban rate.

▲ Sad day for Yasuo mains. (Image by fow.kr)
▲ Yasuo's P/B rate skyrocketed after patch 9.3. (Source: fow.kr)


Yasuo's two core items are Phantom Dancer and the Infinity Edge, which is a must-buy for any crit-based champion. After the two, purchasing Bloodthirster and Guardian Angel, items that grant its wielder both offensive and defensive capabilities, is a common choice. Frozen Mallet is also a relatively good choice for fulfilling the same purpose. 

▲ A popular Rune page taken by many Yasuo players.

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