AP Master Yi in League Classic
Complete AP Master Yi guide for League Classic. Alpha Strike AP build, items, runes, and jungle pathing for S-tier snowball.
Why AP Master Yi Dominates Classic
AP Master Yi is the defining meme-turned-meta pick of early League, and League Classic restores his AP Alpha Strike ratios at full power. Alpha Strike deals AP-scaling damage across multiple bounces, clearing jungle camps instantly and one-shotting squishy targets in teamfights. He ranks S-tier on Jungle and Overall Tier List at launch.
Classic's slower pacing and limited vision create gank windows where AP Yi snowballs uncontrollably. Once ahead with Mejai's Soulstealer stacks, he resets teamfights with kill-triggered Wuju Style and Alpha Strike cooldown refresh.
Runes and Masteries
Runes: magic penetration marks, armor seals, ability power glyphs, ability power quintessence. Masteries: 21 offense with Archmage and Mental Force maxed, 9 utility with Summoner's Insight and Swiftness for gank frequency. Summoner spells: Flash and Smite for jungle.
Alternative top lane AP Yi uses Teleport instead of Smite with Doran's Ring start. Jungle remains the optimal role for snowball pace. Configure pages via Set Up Rune Pages.
Item Build Path
Core path: Hunter's Machete start, rush Guinsoo's Rageblade or straight AP with Needlessly Large Rod components. Mejai's Soulstealer after first successful ganks for stack scaling. Rabadon's Deathcap and Lich Bane for late-game Alpha Strike one-shots.
Boots: Sorcerer's Shoes for magic pen. Zhonya's Hourglass defensive option when facing Annie or Kassadin counter-picks. See Legendary Builds for full AP item interactions.
Jungle Pathing and Ganking
Standard clear: blue or red buff start, three-camp clear into level 3 gank on overextended lane. Alpha Strike clears camps faster than AD Yi, enabling earlier gank timing than enemies expect. Track enemy jungler through ward placement on Controls.
Gank priority: immobile mages mid (Veigar, Karthus), immobile ADCs bot (Ashe), and overextended tops without Flash. Alpha Strike gap-close from brush catches targets without escape.
Teamfights and Counterplay
Enter teamfights after enemies commit cooldowns. Alpha Strike onto carry, kill with Wuju Style auto attacks, reset with kill on low-health target. Mejai's stacks multiply damage exponentially in chaotic Classic teamfights.
Enemies counter AP Yi with hard CC—Morgana Black Shield on carries, Annie stun, Exhaust summoner spell. If facing heavy CC, see Beat a Fed Carry from the defender perspective. When you ARE the fed carry, push advantages before enemies itemize MR.