Master Yi vs. Malphite: Which Champion is Better for Climbing the Ranks in League of Legends? from cherry chen's blog

League of Legends (LoL) is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed by Riot Games. Set in the fantasy world of Runeterra, players control champions, each with unique abilities, and compete in matches to destroy the enemy team's Nexus while defending their own. The game primarily takes place on a map called Summoner's Rift, which features three lanes (top, middle, bottom) and a jungle filled with neutral monsters. When you embark on your journey, mmowow gold can lend a helping hand when you need help.

Champion Roles and Abilities
Master Yi:

Role: Assassin/Fighter
Playstyle: Master Yi excels at dealing sustained damage and quickly dispatching enemies with his high attack speed and true damage.
Abilities:

Passive - Double Strike: Every few attacks, Master Yi strikes twice.
Q - Alpha Strike: Becomes untargetable and dashes to up to 4 enemies, dealing physical damage.
W - Meditate: Heals himself and reduces incoming damage.
E - Wuju Style: Passively grants bonus true damage on-hit. Can be activated for additional true damage on basic attacks.
R - Highlander: Increases movement and attack speed, and makes him immune to slows. Resets the cooldown of his other abilities on takedowns.
Skill Maxing Order:

Q - Alpha Strike: Primary damage and mobility tool.
E - Wuju Style: Increases damage output.
W - Meditate: For survivability and sustain.
R - Highlander: Max whenever possible for mobility and attack speed.
Malphite:

Role: Tank/Initiator
Playstyle: Malphite is known for his tankiness and ability to initiate fights with crowd control.
Abilities:

Passive - Granite Shield: Periodically gains a shield based on his max health.
Q - Seismic Shard: Hurls a rock at an enemy, dealing damage and slowing them while speeding up Malphite.
W - Thunderclap: Empowers his next attack, dealing additional damage and cleaving nearby enemies. Passively increases his armor.
E - Ground Slam: Slams the ground, dealing area-of-effect damage and reducing the attack speed of enemies hit.
R - Unstoppable Force: Dashes to a location, dealing damage and knocking up enemies upon impact.
Skill Maxing Order:

Q - Seismic Shard: Harass and slow.
E - Ground Slam: Damage and attack speed reduction.
W - Thunderclap: Enhances damage and armor.
R - Unstoppable Force: Max whenever possible for powerful initiations.
Rune Suggestions and Explanations
Master Yi:

Primary Path - Precision:

Keystone: Conqueror - Grants stacking AD and healing, enhancing Yi's sustained damage.
Triumph: Restores health on takedowns.
Legend: Alacrity: Increases attack speed.
Coup de Grace: Deals more damage to low-health enemies.
Secondary Path - Domination:

Sudden Impact: Provides lethality and magic penetration after using Q.
Ravenous Hunter: Grants healing from ability damage.
Malphite:

Primary Path - Resolve:

Keystone: Aftershock - Provides armor and MR after immobilizing an enemy, followed by a burst of damage.
Demolish Deals bonus damage to towers.
Conditioning: Increases resistances after 12 minutes.
Overgrowth: Grants additional health based on minions and monsters slain.
Secondary Path - Sorcery:

Manaflow Band: Increases mana pool.
Transcendence: Provides cooldown reduction.
Differences in Rune Selection:

Master Yi: Focuses on maximizing his damage output and sustain, relying on Conqueror for healing and attack speed to enhance his DPS.
Malphite: Prioritizes survivability and crowd control, using Aftershock to bolster his tankiness and enable him to initiate fights effectively.
Item Build Recommendations
Master Yi:

Core Items:

Kraken Slayer: Provides true damage on every third attack.
Blade of the Ruined King: Increases attack speed and deals a percentage of health damage.
Guinsoo's Rageblade: Enhances on-hit effects and attack speed.
Situational Items:

Guardian Angel: Revives upon death, allowing aggressive plays.
Wit's End: Provides magic resistance and on-hit magic damage.
Maw of Malmortius: Grants a shield and lifeline effect against magic burst.
Malphite:

Core Items:

Sunfire Aegis: Increases health, and armor, and deals AoE burn damage.
Thornmail: Reflects damage and inflicts Grievous Wounds on attackers.
Randuin's Omen: Reduces incoming critical strike damage and slows enemy attack speed.
Situational Items:

Frozen Heart: Reduces attack speed of nearby enemies and provides armor.
Spirit Visage: Increases healing effects and provides magic resistance.
Gargoyle Stoneplate: Temporarily increases health and resistance during team fights.

Differences in Item Choices:

Master Yi: Builds for damage output and attack speed, focusing on items that enhance his DPS and survivability through lifestyle and shields.
Malphite: Builds for tackiness and crowd control, with items that enhance his durability and ability to disrupt enemy team compositions.

Playstyle and Combos
Master Yi:

Early Game:

Focus on farming the jungle and securing early objectives.
Look for gank opportunities when Highlander (R) is available.
Mid Game:

Utilize your mobility and damage to pick off isolated targets.
Split push to apply pressure and draw enemies away from objectives.
Late Game:

Target priority carries in team fights and uses Highlander to chase down fleeing enemies.
Use Alpha Strike (Q) to dodge key abilities and reposition.
Combo Execution:

Basic Combo: Q Auto Attacks E R W (when needed for healing or damage reduction).
Malphite:

Early Game:

Harass with Q and farm safely. Use a passive shield to absorb poke.
Look for teleport plays to impact other lanes.
Mid Game:

Use Unstoppable Force (R) to initiate team fights and catch out key targets.
Stick with the team to provide front line and engage.
Late Game:

Initiate fights by targeting the enemy backline with R.
Use E to reduce the attack speed of enemy carriers and protect your team.
Combo Execution:

Initiation Combo: R Q E W Auto Attacks.
Recommended Team Compositions
Master Yi:

Engage Composition: Pair with champions like Amumu, Leona, and Malphite who can provide strong crowd control and initiate fights.
Scaling Composition: Works well with late-game champions like Kassadin, Vayne, and Kayle who can carry team fights as the game progresses.
Assassin Composition: Combine with champions like Zed, Talon, or Kha'Zix to quickly eliminate high-priority targets.

Malphite:

Engage Composition: Synergy with champions like Jarvan IV, Leona, and Miss Fortune who can follow up on his ultimate for massive AoE damage.
Protect Composition: Works well with hyper-carries like Jinx, Kog'Maw, and Janna to peel and protect.
Poke Composition: Can initiate when paired with poke champions like Jayce, Xerath, and Ezreal who soften enemies before they engage.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Master Yi:

Strengths:

High damage output and true damage.
Strong dueling and split-pushing potential.
Excellent mobility and chase potential with Highlander (R).
Weaknesses:

Vulnerable to crowd control.
Weak early game and reliant on items.
Can be easily kited by ranged champions.
Malphite:

Strengths:

Strong initiation with Unstoppable Force (R).
High survivability and durability.

Effective against attack speed-reliant champions.
Weaknesses:

Can be mana-dependent in the early game.
Relatively low damage output without items.
Requires good positioning to maximize effectiveness in team fights.

Why Master Yi is Recommended for Long-Term Play
While both Master Yi and Malphite offer unique playstyles and strengths, Master Yi's high damage output, mobility, and ability to carry games make him a more rewarding choice for players looking to climb the ranks in League of Legends. Master Yi's reliance on mechanics and positioning, combined with his potential to dominate in the mid to late game, provides a more engaging and impactful experience for players. His skill ceiling allows for continuous improvement and learning, making him a suitable champion for long-term play. However, when some players choose to explore further and become familiar with heroes, some players will choose to buy League of Legends accounts for sale from a safe and reliable supplier.

Strategies for Facing Darius with Master Yi and Malphite
Darius is a formidable opponent known for his high sustain, damage, and ability to snowball if given an advantage. When facing Darius with Master Yi and Malphite, it's essential to adjust your strategies according to the game's phases and leverage each champion's strengths to counter Darius effectively.

Early Game Strategies
Master Yi:

Laning Phase (if played top):
Avoid Extended Trades: Darius thrives in extended trades due to his passive bleeding and healing from Q (Decimate). Focus on last-hitting minions and avoiding unnecessary fights.
Alpha Strike (Q) Harass: Use Q (Alpha Strike) to poke Darius and avoid taking damage from his abilities. This also helps in dodging his Q and W (Crippling Strike).
Jungle Presence: If you're playing Master Yi as a jungler, look for early ganks on other lanes rather than Darius, who is difficult to gank early. Instead, focus on farming efficiently and scaling.
Malphite:

Laning Phase:
Play Safe and Farm: Darius can out-trade Malphite early. Use your passive shield to absorb poke and focus on farming with your Q (Seismic Shard).
Harass with Q: Use Q to poke and slow Darius, keeping your distance to avoid his pull (E - Apprehend) and all-in potential.
Stay Near Tower: Position yourself close to your tower to avoid extended trades and possible all-ins from Darius.

Mid Game Strategies
Master Yi:

Split Pushing: Utilize Master Yi's excellent split-pushing abilities to pressure side lanes. Darius struggles to chase down and kill a well-farmed Yi who can easily dodge his abilities with Q (Alpha Strike) and R (Highlander).
Objective Control: Focus on securing dragons and Rift Herald to provide your team with an advantage. Use your high mobility to roam and pick off isolated targets.
Avoid Darius in Teamfights: Until you have sufficient items, avoid engaging Darius directly in Teamfights. Instead, look to clean up after the initial engagement.
Malphite:

Initiate Teamfights: Use R (Unstoppable Force) to engage on high-priority targets, ideally avoiding Darius. Your job is to disrupt the enemy backline and provide a front line for your team.
Peel for Carries: Use your E (Ground Slam) to reduce the attack speed of Darius and protect your carries from his damage.
Vision Control: Maintain vision in key areas to avoid getting flanked by Darius and set up successful engagements.

Late Game Strategies
Master Yi:

Assassinate Carries: Look for opportunities to flank and assassinate the enemy carries. Use R (Highlander) to engage quickly and Q (Alpha Strike) to dodge critical abilities.
Teamfight Cleanup: Enter team fights after the initial burst of abilities has been used. Your goal is to clean up and secure kills with your high mobility and damage.
Avoid CC: Be wary of crowd control, especially from Darius' E (Apprehend). Use your Q (Alpha Strike) to dodge these abilities.

Malphite:

Frontline and Engage: Continue to serve as the primary initiator in team fights. Your R (Unstoppable Force) can turn the tide of a fight if used correctly.
Focus Darius: If Darius is a significant threat, use your abilities to peel for your carries and reduce his impact with E (Ground Slam) and W (Thunderclap).
Sustain in Fights: Use your passive shield and tanky items to absorb damage, allowing your carriers to deal with damage safely.

Teamfight Strategies Against Different Champions
Against Engage Champions:

Master Yi: Wait for the engagement to happen and then flank to assassinate key targets. Avoid being the first to engage.
Malphite: Use R (Unstoppable Force) to disrupt their engagement and turn the fight in your favor.
Against Poke Champions:

Master Yi: Use your mobility to dodge pokes and engage on isolated targets.
Malphite: Use your tackiness to absorb poke and engage with R when an opportunity arises.
Against Scaling Champions:

Master Yi: Pressure them early and look for kills to snowball. Utilize your split-pushing to force them out of their comfort zone.
Malphite: Play defensively and wait for your power spikes to engage and protect your carries.
Practical Gameplay Tips for Master Yi
Ward Jumping: Master Yi doesn't have a built-in dash, so use wards and Q (Alpha Strike) creatively to engage or escape.
Objective Control: Focus on securing key objectives to provide your team with advantages.
Skill Order: Prioritize Q (Alpha Strike) for damage and mobility, E (Wuju Style) for increased DPS, and W (Meditate) for sustain.
Combo Execution: Q Auto Attacks E R W (for healing or damage reduction).

Conclusion: Master Yi’s Long-Term Playability
Master Yi offers a high skill ceiling and the ability to carry games through precise mechanics and strategic play. His reliance on positioning and timing makes him a rewarding champion for those willing to master him. His versatility in split-pushing, team fight cleanup, and objective control ensures he remains a valuable pick across different metals.

We hope this guide provides valuable insights and helps you excel with Master Yi and Malphite in your future games. Good luck on the Rift!