LoL Patch 12.5: Master Yi Nerfs Explained

Master Yi, one of League of Legends’ most-broken champions, is getting his damage output significantly toned down in LoL Patch 12.5. This patch features the headline change for Master Yi and is focused on his item build.

Riot Games announced on 23rd Feb that Patch 12.5 would be a smaller one but would still feature adjustments that are worth noticing. Newly reworked champion Ahri, Gwen, and Xin Zhao are all on the chopping block this time around. One of the other major changes for LoL Patch 12.5 includes the system adjustments made for ranged Hullbreaker.

Following the furor around Hullbreaker in Patch 12.4, Riot has decided to nerf the item for good on ranged champions, thus ending the onslaught of champions like Graves and Jayce on the side lanes.

Master Yi gets adjusted

Master Yi is slated for some big changes in Season 12 of League of Legends as Riot has had eyes on his lethality build for quite some time now. The build path is centered around the mythic item Duskblade and players opt for the Collector next.

On 18th Feb, Game Designer Kevin “Captain Gameplay” Huang tweeted that the changes for Yi would go live on the Public Beta Environment (PBE).

Duskblade’s passive allows champions with the item to go invisible for 1.5 seconds after an enemy they have damaged or slain dies. This item alongside other Attack Damage and Ability haste items grants players the opportunity to one-shot champions and escape the fight with a blink of an eye.

Now, Riot is targeting this lethality build and is hoping for players to go for a more critical-strike build path.

Master Yi’s main spell, his Q - Alpha Strike, will be the center of these changes. Now the ability will scale less with bonus Attack Damage (AD) and will potentially lure away players from opting for the lethality builds. Alpha Strike will now apply on-hit effects, encouraging players to go for items like the Guinsoo’s Rageblade and Wit’s End.

The changes are as follows:

Q: Alpha Strike

• Damage: 25/60/95/130/165 (+90% AD) changed to 30/60/90/120/150 (+65% AD)

• Crits now deal 50% (+Bonus Crit Damage%) extra damage

• Now applies on-hit effects. On-hits from subsequent hits are also reduced.

• Cooldown refund now scales down with Ability Haste.

E: Wuju Style

• Duration does not decrease during Q - Alpha Strike, or W - Meditate.

• Can now cast during Q - Alpha Strike.

R: Highlander

• Duration does not decrease during Q - Alpha Strike, or W - Meditate.

• Can now cast during Q, Alpha Strike.

LoL Patch 12.5 will be out on the live servers on 2nd March, according to Riot’s official patch schedule. The changes and adjustments mentioned in the patch preview are subject to change before the actual patch goes live.