Spirit Blossom Master Yi: animate ally buffs and give them reach

Spirit Blossom Master Yi wins through animated ally spells before his eight-mana champion is affordable. Secret Technique and The Beast Within are the core; the protection slot supports the same deck-first plan. Three stars supplies animation, while the fourth star makes buffs permanent and improves repeated casting.

Secret Technique

Power: When an ally gains stats from a spell, it gains twice that many instead.

Buff spells provide a larger stat payoff. The value is in repeatedly casting the ally buffs used by this plan, rather than merely equipping it on a large champion.

The Beast Within

Power: Allies have Overwhelm, and if they have a subtype, +1|+1.

Team Overwhelm converts large units into Nexus damage through smaller blockers. Units with a subtype also receive the stated stat bonus.

Black Shield

Power: When you summon an ally, grant it Spellshield.

Team Spellshield protects the board from one hostile spell or Skill each. It gives setup time but must not be treated as permanent immunity after the shield is consumed.

Secrets of the Spirits

When an Ephemeral ally gains stats, it gains twice that many instead.

It goes in the separate Rune Star slot.

Start with a useful ally and cast spells that target only your allies. Practice Makes Perfect fits the spell-and-buff engine. At three stars those targeted spells animate; at higher upgrades the repeated buffs become a larger stat engine.

The expensive champion is a payoff after you have cast several qualifying spells: his Play effect animates them again and starts a free attack. Do not wait for him before developing the spell plan. The rune doubles stat gains on Ephemeral allies, while the stat-amplifying relic strengthens buffs and team Overwhelm helps the animated board connect. Protection keeps the engine from losing its first bodies to a single enemy spell.

Keep cheap spells that target only allies and enough early units to receive them. Play the buff engine right away rather than waiting for him. Can't Stop; Won't Stop at four stars improves buff persistence; it is an upgrade beyond the displayed three-star setup.

Frozen Tomb gets him out earlier, but summoning him directly skips his Play effect. His current card animates every qualifying spell played this game; it does not say to select only three expensive spells. The free attack in that awkward sequence comes from Quickstrike Blade, not Stalker's Blade.

Lesson Two

When you play a spell targeting only allies, animate it.

• How to play SB Master Yi? by u/Mjkosmos, 2026-08-09, 2 points (observed 14 Oct 2026).
• Spirit Blossom Master Yi relic theory crafting by u/MartDiamond, 2025-09-07, 17 points (observed 14 Oct 2026).
• Player-submitted builds, collected 13 Oct 2026.
• Supporting champion guide, collected 13 Oct 2026.
• Champion mechanics, LoL Wiki, checked 13 Oct 2026.