Yunara's lane is about farming safely to item spikes, maintaining Unleash stacks in short trades, and winning the mid-game with Transcend R.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Vow of the First Lands
Passive
Yunara's Critical Strikes deal bonus magic damage.
Vow of the First Lands empowers critical strikes with bonus magic damage. Build crit items — each crit triggers a second magic proc that bypasses armor entirely. The magic component scales with AP so don't neglect it.
Q
Cultivation of Spirit
Cultivation of Spirit · Stack Builder · On-Hit Buff
Yunara gains Attack Speed, bonus damage On-Hit, and her Attacks spread to nearby enemies.
CD: 0 · Cost: 30
Cultivation of Spirit builds 'Unleash' stacks with each attack. At max stacks, your next attack deals bonus AoE on-hit damage and grants a burst of attack speed. In teamfights, maintain max stacks and let them proc constantly for splash damage across multiple targets.
W
Arc of Judgment | Arc of Ruin
Arc of Judgment / Arc of Ruin · Dual Form · Primary Damage
Yunara fires a spinning prayer bead that deals damage and slows enemies. While in her Transcendent State she instead fires off a laser that deals damage and slows enemies.
CD: 10 · Cost: 60
Arc of Judgment is your base form W — a targeted dash-strike dealing physical damage. After using it, the ability transforms into Arc of Ruin — a charged spiral shot that deals AoE damage to everything in a line. Always follow W (Judgment) with W again (Ruin) for the full combo.
E
Kanmei's Steps | Untouchable Shadow
Kanmei's Steps · Dash · Repositioning
Yunara gains Move Speed and becomes Ghosted. While in her Transcendent State she instead dashes in a direction.
CD: 9 · Cost: 40
Kanmei's Steps is a short dash for repositioning. In Transcend form it transforms into Untouchable Shadow — a longer blink that also leaves a shadow copy dealing damage. Use E to dodge CC in fights, not to engage.
R
Transcend One's Self
Transcend One's Self · Ultimate Form · Empowers All Abilities
Yunara enters a Transcendent State that upgrades her basic Abilities.
CD: 100/90/80 · Cost: 100
Transcend One's Self is your win condition. Activating it immediately supercharges every ability. Time it at the start of a fight when you're sure it will last the full duration — don't panic-ult when you're about to die. Pre-stacking Q before R activation massively amplifies your burst.
Skill Leveling Order — Max W first, then Q, then E · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Q — start building Unleash stacks immediately | ||||
| 2 | Take W — Arc of Judgment available at level 2 | ||||
| 3 | Take E — escape tool | ||||
| 4 | Level W — more Arc damage | ||||
| 5 | Level W | ||||
| 6 | R — Transcend One's Self unlocked | ||||
| 7 | Level W | ||||
| 8 | Level Q — faster stack building | ||||
| 9 | W maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level Q | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level Q | ||||
| 13 | Level Q | ||||
| 14 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Level E — lower dash cooldown | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level E | ||||
| 18 | E maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Summoner Spells
Primary
Flash
Engage extension with W combo or escape from CC that would cancel Transcend R
Secondary
Heal
Standard ADC survivability — heal during R form when enemies burst you
Situational
Cleanse
Cleanse
Starter
Infinity Edge
Yunara's passive magic crit proc doubles with Infinity Edge's empowered crits. First item is non-negotiable.
400g
Core
Lord Dominik's Regards
Armor penetration for physical crit damage. Combined with her magic damage from passive, total damage shreds any tank.
3000g
Runaan's Hurricane
Hurricane bolts proc Passive crit magic damage on secondary targets. In teamfights every crit explodes across 3 targets.
2600g
Kraken Slayer
Every 3rd hit deals true damage — her Q Unleash stacks combo perfectly with Kraken's every-3rd-attack pattern for on-hit synergy.
3100g
Situational
Guardian Angel
Use R, die mid-fight, revive with R still active. The revive during Transcend form is devastating for the enemy team.
3200g
Mercurial Scimitar
QSS active removes CC during R form — don't let a single CC ability end your Transcend window.
3400g
Navori Flickerblade
Reduces non-ultimate cooldowns on crit. W cooldown reduction lets you spam Arc of Judgment / Arc of Ruin continuously during R.
3400g
Runes
Precision Primary
Lethal Tempo
Yunara's attack pattern rewards extended fights — Lethal Tempo stacks while she auto-attacks and multiplies her on-hit Q stacks.
Presence of Mind
Transcend R costs significant mana — Presence of Mind keeps it sustainable.
Legend: Alacrity
Attack speed amplifies Unleash stack generation and Hurricane bolts. Stack attack speed to proc Q constantly.
Coup de Grace
Executes enemies at low HP — pairs with your W Arc of Ruin's finishing burst.
Sorcery Secondary
Absolute Focus
Bonus AD at high HP — Yunara fights best from full HP going into R form.
Gathering Storm
Late-game scaling for the passive magic crit component — makes her a hypercarry past 30 minutes.
Gameplay
How to Play Yunara
01
Early Game
Farm and Stack Trades
- Farm to Infinity Edge first. Don't fight without it — your crit magic proc is weak without the base IE multiplier.
- Use W (Arc of Judgment → Arc of Ruin) in short trades. The two-part combo is your best early damage window.
- E is your escape. Don't use it to engage — save it for when the support CC locks onto you.
- Stack Q Unleash stacks on minions before a trade, then proc them on the enemy as the fight opens.
02
Mid Game
R Spike Fights
- R + W combo is your kill pattern at level 6. Activate Transcend, let the empowered form stack, then land Arc of Judgment → Arc of Ruin for maximum burst.
- After Infinity Edge + Runaan's, you can 1v2 most bot-lane duos in R form. Save R for when both enemies are low enough for Arc of Ruin to clean up.
- Group for objectives. Your Hurricane bolts in Transcend form melt grouped enemies faster than almost any ADC.
- Don't extend trades without R. Without Transcend you're a standard ADC — don't overcommit.
03
Late Game
Crit Carry
- Activate R at the start of major teamfights, not mid-fight. Full Transcend duration is your win condition.
- Hurricane crits with your passive magic proc hit 5+ targets in a grouped teamfight. Stand at medium range and let the bolts do the work.
- Save E (Untouchable Shadow in R form) to dodge the enemy ADC's or assassin's key ability — the shadow copy also deals damage.
- Position to chain Arc of Ruin through the enemy backline — the spiral shot can hit 3-4 champions in a line.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Yunara
Yunara's teamfight role is to activate Transcend at the right moment and maximize Hurricane bolt coverage across the enemy team while weaving W combos on priority targets.
1
Pre-Fight — Max Q Stacks
Before engage
01
Max Unleash stacks on minions before the fight — enter the teamfight at max Q stacks for instant on-hit AoE.
02
Wait for engage — Yunara needs her frontline to lock down enemies before she can fight safely.
03
Don't R pre-fight — save Transcend until you're in the fight and can auto-attack freely.
2
Fight — Transcend and Shred
Fight opening
01
Activate R immediately as the fight breaks — Transcend form + Lethal Tempo ramp = your team cannot lose a fair fight.
02
W (Arc of Judgment) onto the highest-priority target, then immediately W again (Arc of Ruin) through their backline.
03
Let Hurricane bolts do the work — position at medium range and auto-attack. Each bolt procs passive crit magic damage on secondary targets.
3
Aftermath — Chase and Clean
Post-fight
01
Use E (Untouchable Shadow) to chase low-HP runners — the shadow copy deals damage and Transcend extends your reach.
02
W Arc of Ruin on grouped low-HP enemies — the spiral shot cleans up multiple targets at once.
03
Save R for baron/dragon fights if it comes up — don't exhaust it on small skirmishes before major objectives.
Video Guide
Watch the Full Guide
Credits to League of Legends
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Yunara's key skill is timing Transcend R correctly — too early means you waste it, too late means you never get full value. Learn the exact HP threshold where your combo kills priority targets.
Basic
W Has Two Parts — Always Use Both
After using Arc of Judgment (W first cast), the button immediately becomes Arc of Ruin. Always press W twice in quick succession — the second hit deals significantly more damage than the first. Never use only one part.
Basic
Farm Q Stacks on Minions
Cultivation of Spirit (Q) stacks from any attack, including minion hits. Before trading, attack the minion wave to reach max Unleash stacks, then enter the trade. Your first proc against the enemy deals AoE on-hit damage for free.
Intermediate
R Opens With Empowered Q Proc
When you activate Transcend One's Self, immediately attack the enemy — the Q stacks you built before R activation proc instantly in the empowered form for a burst AoE hit. Stack Q pre-R for maximum opener damage.
Intermediate
E is a Dodge, Not an Engage
Kanmei's Steps has a short range. Using it to engage is a waste — use it exclusively to dodge CC abilities. In Transcend form, Untouchable Shadow becomes longer and leaves a damaging shadow that you should drop on top of grouped enemies.
Advanced
Guardian Angel + Transcend R
If you build Guardian Angel and die during Transcend One's Self, the R timer pauses during the revive animation. You come back with Transcend still active, full-stacked Q, and a dead enemy team that just wasted their CC window on your death.
Advanced
Arc of Ruin Line Positioning
Arc of Ruin shoots through enemies in a line. Position yourself so the line runs through the enemy ADC and support simultaneously. In grouped teamfights, angle Arc of Ruin through the longest line of enemies for multi-target hits.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Yunara loses to heavy CC chains that interrupt Transcend form. She dominates extended fights and on-hit compositions where she can freely attack.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Caitlyn's trap → headshot pattern pokes Yunara out of lane before she can reach item spikes. Her superior range prevents Yunara from safely stacking Q.
Dodge traps with E. Don't fight at level 1-5 — farm safely under turret if necessary. Out-scale her in teamfights with R.
Jinx's Super Mega Death Rocket range and reset pattern can prevent Yunara from safely activating R. Her W chompers interrupt the combo window.
Bait Jinx's chompers with E before committing. Avoid fighting when she has R available — her reset means she can clean up your Transcend form.
Ashe's Hawkshot vision, sustained slow, and team-wide Enchanted Crystal Arrow completely shut down Yunara's ability to activate R safely.
Build Quicksilver Sash against Ashe. Her arrow will cancel your Transcend window — QSS lets you cleanse and fight.
Wins Against
Senna's slow attack speed and passive soul collection fall off against Yunara's on-hit burst. Yunara out-fights Senna in every direct trade.
Engage as soon as you hit 2 items. Senna cannot sustain through your W combo + on-hit Q stacks. Her short auto range makes her eat every Arc of Ruin.
Nilah's melee range makes her walk into your W spiral shots repeatedly. Arc of Ruin deals maximum damage in melee range.
Kite Nilah with E dash. She can't reliably gap-close when you're repositioning with every Kanmei's Steps. Save R for when she engages.
Sivir's spellshield can only block one of your abilities — your W two-part combo hits through the shield on the second cast. Her lack of escape makes her easy to kite.
Bait her spellshield with Q auto-attack then immediately combo W → W (Arc of Judgment → Arc of Ruin). Second cast hits through the broken shield.
Team Comp
Best Synergies
Lulu's shield and Whimsy protect Yunara's R Transcend window, preventing the CC that would cut short her empowered form duration.
Nautilus hook + CC chain locks priority targets for Yunara to stack Q Unleash stacks and land the full W dual-combo during R Transcend.
Braum's passive stacks on enemies Yunara hits, and his W shield blocks incoming burst that would cancel her critical R Transcend window.
Leona's CC chain locks priority targets for Yunara's W Arc of Judgment→Ruin combo and R Transcend burst to land uninterrupted.