October 5, 2023
The friendly cat Yuumi and her sentient Book of Thresholds travel through Runeterra searching for their master Norra. On the rift, the couple forms an enchanting support duo. Yuumi will spend the start of the game in the bottom lane with her Attack Damage Carry (ADC). Yuumi’s kit can feel one-dimensional for some players as a single-target primary healer. However, she is a great choice for those new to LoL or looking for a laidback gameplay experience. Here are all the basics you need to know about Yuumi!
Abilities
You might know that LoL champions cannot use all their abilities from the start of the game. Instead, they begin with one skill point and then unlock or improve other abilities as they gain levels. For example, Yuumi’s W is activated right off the bat.
Therefore, your next choice should be her Q or E. Her E grants more survivability early on, whereas her Q is the optimal choice, providing peel for your ADC. Depending on which ability you choose first, you want to activate the other one next. Once all basic abilities are available, prioritize E, then Q and W. Upgrade your R whenever possible.
Passive: Bop’n’block
Periodically, when Yuumi attacks a champion, she restores mana and gains a shield that follows her, protecting her and the ally she’s attached to.
Yuumi’s passive is especially useful in the early stage of the game (also called laning phase) as her mana regeneration is slow at the beginning. However, Yuumi’s vulnerability when unattached can make it tricky for new players to leverage this passive. Therefore, be aware of your positioning and your enemies’ abilities when unattached.
Q: Prowling projectile
Yuumi fires a missile, dealing damage to the first target hit. It deals bonus damage and slows if it takes at least 1 second to reach its target. While attached, the missile can be controlled with your cursor.
The prowling projectile does not do huge damage but puts pressure on your enemy botlaners during the laning phase. Additionally, her Q synergizes well with Yuumi’s items.
W: You and me!
Passively, Yuumi increases her ally’s Adaptive Force and her own. Actively, Yuumi dashes to a target ally, becoming untargetable from everything except turrets.
Most of the time, Yuumi wants to stay attached to the primary damage dealer of your team. In most cases, that is your fellow botlaner. This is because Yuumi lacks survivability and damage by herself. Moreover, she buffs the ally she is attached to. There are times when being unattached is recommended. For example, when roaming the map to support others or when warding. However, make sure to stick to your allies in team fights. Otherwise, you will die quickly.
E: Zoomies
Heals Yuumi and boosts Move Speed and Attack Speed. She passes it to her ally if she’s attached to an ally instead.
Yuumi’s E is what makes her such a powerful pocket healer. It is also straightforward and does not come with a penalty except for its mana cost. With more experience, you will better understand when and how to use Zoomies effectively.
R: Final chapter
Yuumi channels seven waves of damage, rooting everyone hit by three or more. Yuumi can move, attach, and cast Zoomies! while channeling.
Yuumi’s R can be used in various ways, for example, at the start of team fights or to protect your team from aggressive opponents. Of course, activating it on multiple enemies is the most optimal play, but you rather want to use it sub-optimally than not at all. Also, remember to call out when you are about to use your R. Doing so will ensure that your teammates can position accordingly.
Check out this video to see Yuumi’s abilities in action!
Summoner Spells
Summoner spells are equipped before the start of a game and are like additional abilities with long cooldowns. The most common summoner spells for Yuumi are Exhaust and Ignite. Exhaust can be used on enemies to reduce their Move Speed and attack damage for three seconds. Activate this to protect your ally during an enemy engagement. When Ignite is applied to an opponent, it does true damage over five seconds. Furthermore, it grants you vision of the target while reducing the healing they receive. Use this spell to finish off enemies that might otherwise survive with low health.
Items
Yuumi’s starter items should be Health Potions and Spellthief’s Edge. The former helps Yuumi survive dangerous situations during the laning phase. The stealth ward grants vision until the Spellthief’s Edge has transformed into its upgraded version Frostfang. Frostfang gives you several wards that replenish every time you visit your spawn. The transformation is complete after earning 500 gold from Spellthief’s passive. Your Q will be crucial in achieving this.
Next, you will want to build towards either the Moonstone Renewer or Shurelya’s Battlesong. The former provides your team with more healing. Shurelya’s speed boost is excellent for a more aggressive playstyle but must be manually activated. Therefore, it is more difficult to use effectively for new players.
Your next items can vary but will typically be the Chemtech Putrifier and Mikael’s Blessing.
Conclusion
Getting into LoL can be overwhelming, but on Yuumi, you can familiarize yourself with the game’s basics without stressing about positioning and last hitting. I hope this guide helped you get a better picture of her playstyle. I am sure you will have a fantastic game experience with her!