Check out the latest and greatest in Riot's line-up: Yasuo! (Guess it wasn't Yone after all!)

Yasuo, the Unforgiven, revealed

BY RIOTWENCESLAUS

Yasuo dashes to solemn victory, harnessing the raw power of the wind to elevate his unmatched elemental swordsmanship. A former member of an Ionian martial school and the only student to have mastered a legendary wind technique, Yasuo now lives a tempestuous life, drifting through Runeterra as he hunts the true killer of the Ionian elder he was sworn to protect.

Abilities

Passive: Way of the Wanderer

• Intent: Yasuo's critical strike chance is doubled.
• Resolve: Yasuo gains Flow as he moves – the faster he moves, the faster his Flow meter fills. When full, Yasuo activates a brief shield after taking damage from enemy champions or monsters.

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Q: Steel Tempest

Yasuo thrusts forward with his sword, damaging all enemies in a line. Successfully landing Steel Tempest grants Yasuo Gathering Storm stacks for a short period. The third stack of Gathering Storm causes Steel Tempest to send out a whirlwind that travels in a line and sends all enemies caught Airborne. If Yasuo casts Steel Tempest during Sweeping Blade, the ability strikes all enemies immediately around him.

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W: Wind Wall

• Passive: Dashing replenishes Yasuo's Flow faster.
• Active: Yasuo creates a wall of wind that slowly drifts forward for a few seconds. The wall blocks all enemy projectiles.

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E: Sweeping Blade

Yasuo dashes a fixed distance through an enemy, dealing damage and marking them briefly. If Yasuo uses Sweeping Blade multiple times in succession, the ability deals extra damage up to a cap. Yasuo cannot use Sweeping Blade on an enemy that's already been marked.

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R: Last Breath

Yasuo teleports to a nearby Airborne enemy champion, briefly suspending them and all surrounding Airborne enemies mid-air as he damages them. Once he lands, Yasuo gains significant armor penetration against his enemy's bonus armor for an extended period of time.

Gameplay

Yasuo's a sustained damage fighter with high mobility, strong utility and damage output that ramps up the longer he survives in combat. The tradeoff here comes in the form of low damage during Yasuo's early game.

Mid lane

Yasuo's early game fragility makes him a champion best suited for the shortest lane on Summoner's Rift: mid. He farms safest here, concentrating on building up his experience and gold as he itemizes his way to domination. But even though Yasuo is at his weakest in the early game, his strength and mobility still has the potential to surprise his enemies. Yasuo can use Steel Tempest to last-hit from a relatively safe distance, and if he needs to secure backline minion gold, quick consecutive casts of Sweeping Blade send him dashing to and from, with Way of the Wanderer's shield absorbing some of the inevitable incoming damage. Yasuo can use Sweeping Blade as a handy escape during gank attempts, too: if he's caught between the enemy melee and caster minions, using the ability to dash back towards his own turret should help dissuade all but the most stubborn of junglers from pursuing.

And when the winds change direction, careful timing turns Yasuo into a deadly accomplice in friendly gank attempts. Stacking Steel Tempest properly and using Gathering Storm to toss his enemy skywards means initiation from the jungle is a relatively simple matter, and once the enemy's caught, Yasuo uses Sweeping Blade to dash in and get to work. Way of the Wanderer's critical strike boost help Yasuo's attacks sting, while if he's unlocked Last Breath, the additional damage and crowd control makes kills all the more likely.

Teamfights

A melee monster with damage that increases the longer teamfights last, Yasuo's first priority is to stack Gathering Storm while weathering the enemy team's initial onslaught. This is where Wind Wall comes into its own. Carefully positioning the wall between the enemy front and back lines allows Yasuo to engage on the less threatening tanks and bruisers, generating Gathering Storm stacks with liberal use of Steel Tempest. Once the third cast is ready, Yasuo repeatedly uses Sweeping Blade to rush through the entire enemy line and position himself beside or behind the enemy squishies. A final Steel Tempest casts them skyward, opening up Last Breath, a lethal ability for anyone caught in the whirlwind. Enemies that manage to juke away from Yasuo's whirlwind aren't necessarily safe from Last Breath: any knock-up abilities can be chained with Yasuo's ult, making him hugely synergistic with champions like Cho'Gath, Malphite and Zyra. Once he's landed, Yasuo's huge bonus armor penetration buff, combined with the critical strike bonus from Way of the Wanderer, makes short work of even the tankiest of tanks.

Story

The story of a sword is inked in blood.

Yasuo is a man of resolve, an agile swordsman who wields the wind itself to cut down his foes. But this once proud warrior has been disgraced by a false accusation and forced into a desperate fight for survival. With the world turned against him, he will do everything in his power to bring the guilty to justice and restore his honor.

Once a brilliant pupil at a renowned Ionian sword school, Yasuo was the only student in a generation to master the legendary wind technique. Many believed he was destined to become a great hero. However, his fate was changed forever when Noxus invaded. Yasuo was charged with guarding an Ionian Elder, but, foolishly believing his blade alone could make the difference, left his post to join the fray. By the time he returned, the Elder had been slain.

Disgraced, Yasuo willingly turned himself in, prepared to pay for his failure with his life. He was shocked, however, to find himself accused not just of dereliction, but of the murder itself. Though confused and racked with guilt, he knew the assassin would go unpunished if he did not act. Yasuo raised his sword against the school and fought his way free, knowing his treason would turn all of Ionia against him. Now truly alone for the first time in his life, he set out to find the Elder's real killer.

Yasuo spent the next several years wandering the land, seeking any clue that might lead him to the murderer. All the while, he was relentlessly hunted by his former allies, continually forced to fight or die. His mission drove him ever forward, until he was tracked down by the one foe he dreaded most – his own brother, Yone.

Bound by a common code of honor, the two warriors bowed and drew their swords. Silently they circled one another under the moonlight. When they finally charged forward, Yone was no match for Yasuo; with a single flash of steel he cut his brother down. Yasuo dropped his weapon and rushed to Yone's side.

Overcome with emotion, he demanded to know how his own kin could think him guilty. Yone spoke: “The Elder was killed by a wind technique. Who else could it be?” Understanding swept over Yasuo as he suddenly realized why he had been accused. He professed his innocence once more and begged his brother's forgiveness. Tears streamed down Yasuo's face as his brother passed in his arms.

Yasuo buried Yone under the rising sun, but could take no time to mourn. Others would be after him before long. His brother's revelation had given Yasuo newfound purpose; he now had the clue that would lead to the true killer. Swearing an oath, he gathered his belongings and, with one last look at Yone's grave, set out with the wind at his back.