Yasuo is undoubtedly one of the more complex champions to learn in League of Legends. What makes him unique is his ability interactions, like how he can use his ultimate on any knocked up champion within a certain radius. This makes him quite dangerous as he can gap close in the blink of an eye if you get knocked up.
However to gain ranks fast, you need more than just good macro. One aspect that really differentiates good players from great players is learning a champion’s hidden ability interactions. That is why today’s article will be based on Yasuo’s Airblade.
Have a good read as this requires a quick reaction time and adequate knowhow about Yasuo’s skillset but we will try out best to simplify it as much as we can.
How to Perform Yasuo’s Airblade Technique?
If you want to learn Yasuo’s Airblade, you need to understand his basic ability interactions.
Ability Interaction
His E, Sweeping Blade allows you to dash through your target while his Q strikes in the targeted direction. Each time you land Q on an enemy, you gain a stack of Gathering Storm. At 2 stacks, Yasuo’s Q Steel Tempest releases a whirlwind in the targeted direction. Although if you cast Q while dashing with E, you deal AOE damage in a circle around you rather than in a straight line. Now that you understand his E>Q combo, let’s move on to learning the Airblade.
Step-By-Step Explanation
This technique basically consists of using Q3>E>Q>R in rapid succession to gain a slight advantage during the combo, which we will get into later. Let’s see how to perform this technique step-by-step:
- Start off by using a knock up on the enemy champion. This doesn’t have to be your own, any teammate knock up will also work just fine.
- Use your E>Q combo on them. While dashing, press your Q to deal AOE damage in a circle around you.
- Before the Q animation begins, use your R on the knocked up target. This will make your champion dash to the target regardless of your position, considering you are within range.
- After the R animation is completed, Yasuo will automatically hit all the champions that were knocked up with a Q, dealing some additional magic damage.
Now that will definitely look confusing and the theory behind it can leave you equally perplexed. Here’s the explanation behind how this trick is executed.
Note: Yasuo’s ultimate tooltip mentions the reset of Steel Tempest stacks. However, the Airblade tech is the sole exception to this rule, thereby making it more favorable to use!
Simplified Understanding of Airblade
Yasuo’s R allows him to dash to knocked up enemy champions that are within a certain radius. When you use your E>Q combo, there is a small delay in the animation where he swirls his blade around him. If R is cast during animation delay, the damage is suspended until the end your R. As soon as Yasuo’s R ends, all affected champions will get hit with the previously buffered Q. This means that the Q’s AOE damage is now transferred to the target/s hit with the ultimate.
This technique might not be easy for beginners, especially those learning Yasuo’s basics. Players can struggle with getting a grip on it and executing it in the heat of the moment. But if you’re able to perfect it with memory and coordination, it can give you that slight edge over your opponent. If you are wondering whether or not this technique is actually beneficial to learn, read ahead to find out.
Benefits of Using Airblade
The Airblade might be difficult to learn but it can be pretty advantageous if you put in the time. Players that use it:
- Deal extra magic damage immediately after R. This can sometimes help execute enemies that are left with a sliver of health after Yasuo’s Last Breath.
- Gain an extra stack of Q. Since Q automatically lands on at least one enemy, you receive a stack of Gathering Storm. Quickly getting another stack can help lock down enemies trying to run with a second whirlwind.
- Your Q cooldown is reduced by the time it takes the R animation to complete (roughly 1 second). This means you can use your Q again almost immediately after finishing your R which equates to more DPS.
The Takeaway
League is all about who can outplay their enemy and this is a great trick to do just that. It might take time to learn it, much more to master it, but this trick can definitely turn the tide in any matchup. You can keep your enemy confused with your insane damage output long enough to send him back to the fountain. However, if you are in the lower ranks like Silver or even Gold elo and this does not seem worthwhile, we recommend you skip it and focus on your macro first.
