Yasuo Counters: Who Beats Yasuo

Updated for patch 26.20. Ability details come from Riot’s official game data for this patch.

Yasuo counters are picks that shut down his dashes, lock him up before his shield does anything, or sidestep the autos he needs to kill you. He dashes through minions, walls off your projectiles with Wind Wall and rushes crit, so the picks that wreck him either pin him in place or make his autos useless.

These are editorial picks based on how each kit actually plays into Yasuo’s abilities, and we don’t use win-rate data, so read this list as the reasoning behind each matchup.

Why is Yasuo hard to counter?

• Way of the Wanderer (passive): increased crit chance, and a shield that builds while he moves and triggers when a champion damages him.
• Steel Tempest (Q): at two stacks, the third cast fires a whirlwind that knocks enemies airborne.
• Wind Wall (W): a wall that blocks all enemy projectiles for 4 seconds.
• Sweeping Blade (E): a dash through a target enemy, stronger with each cast, but not on the same enemy twice in a row for a few seconds.
• Last Breath (R): a blink to an airborne enemy that keeps every airborne enemy in the area in the air.

Put simply, Yasuo needs to dash, knock you up and auto you down. Stop any of the three and his combo breaks.

Which champions are the best Yasuo counters?

Renekton

Ruthless Predator (W) stuns, and the empowered version destroys damage shields first, which eats Yasuo’s passive before the stun even lands. For what it’s worth, that makes every empowered W a full trade.

Poppy

Steadfast Presence (W) stops dashes. It also grounds the champion it stops. Sweeping Blade is a dash, so Yasuo’s way into a fight can end at Poppy.

Pantheon

Aegis Assault (E) makes Pantheon invulnerable to damage from the front. Yasuo’s whirlwind and attacks come straight at him, and Pantheon’s spear isn’t a projectile Wind Wall can block.

Jax

Counter Strike (E) dodges all incoming attacks for a short time, then stuns enemies around Jax. Yasuo’s damage is mostly attacks, so a timed Counter Strike blanks his trade.

Garen

Decisive Strike (Q) silences the target. A silenced Yasuo can’t cast Sweeping Blade, Wind Wall or Steel Tempest for the duration.

How do you counter Yasuo in lane?

• Pop the shield first. His passive shield triggers when a champion damages him, so a small poke before the real trade removes it.
• Watch his Q stacks. At two stacks, the next Q is a knock-up whirlwind. Trade after he uses it.
• Thin out the minions. Sweeping Blade needs units to dash through, so fewer minions near you means fewer ways in.
• Bait the Wind Wall. It lasts 4 seconds. Throw your abilities after it drops and they hit clean.

Which items counter Yasuo?

His damage comes from crit attacks, so Randuin’s Omen (30% less damage from critical strikes) and Plated Steelcaps (10% less damage from attacks) both fit. Frozen Heart reduces the Attack Speed of nearby champions by 20%, and Thornmail makes every auto cost him health. Compare them in our LoL items database; Yasuo himself often builds Infinity Edge, which is why crit reduction matters.

When is Yasuo at his weakest?

When is the best moment to trade? Right after his third Q. The knock-up whirlwind is his main threat, and once it is used he needs to build two new stacks before he has it again.

He is also weak when the wave is thin. Sweeping Blade can’t dash through the same enemy twice in a row for a few seconds, so with few minions around he has fewer paths in (and fewer ways out).

Does breaking the shield matter? Yes. Way of the Wanderer’s shield triggers on champion damage, so one small hit before the real trade means the full trade lands on his health bar.

Is Yasuo hard to play against for newer players?

Yes, he looks like he has no cooldowns the first time you face him. The thing is, almost all of it depends on minions, his Q stacks and his shield, and you can see all three on your screen. Learn to read those three and he becomes predictable. Our guide to LoL roles covers mid and top lane, his skins are on the Yasuo skins page, and ARAM players can check our Yasuo ARAM guide.

Whatever you lock in, good Yasuo counters pop his shield, stop his dash or make his autos miss.

FAQ

Who counters Yasuo the most?

Renekton: empowered W eats the shield and stuns him. Poppy: her W kills his dash cold. Jax: Counter Strike dodges every auto he throws.

What does Yasuo’s Wind Wall block?

All enemy projectiles for 4 seconds. Non-projectile abilities still hit him.

How do you break Yasuo’s shield?

It triggers when a champion damages him, so any small hit before a trade removes it for that fight.

Which items help against Yasuo?

Randuin’s Omen reduces critical strike damage by 30%, and Plated Steelcaps reduce damage from attacks by 10%.

Is this list based on win rates?

No. It is an editorial list based on ability interactions in patch 26.20. We don’t use win-rate data.