Hou Yi
Hou Yi is a recommended climb pick this patch:
- Tier S+ in current meta
- 2.8% pick rate — popular in ranked
Based on Camp HOK tier, win/pick/ban rates — not a guarantee in every draft.
See all lane climb picks →Hou Yi: Basic Attack hits grant Attack Speed and 1 stack of enhancement.
Build core
Rush Shadow Ripper, Boots of Dexterity, Eternity Blade, then complete Bloodweeper, Sunchaser, Daybreaker's Virtue
Combo
Arrow Volley → Afterglow → Burning Sun Arrow → weave basic attacks
Draft
Hou Yi excels into Cirrus, Mulan, Xuance. Avoid blind picking into Agudo, Master Luban without team peel.
Best Build for Hou Yi
End-game item order with gold costs and slot notes. Purchase path may differ in-match.
Build philosophy
Hou Yi benefits from Attack speed, On-hit — match items and runes to kit scaling.
Passive: Each Basic Attack hit increases Attack Speed. When the effect is fully stacked, he shoots several shots with each Basic Attack.
Arcana: Prioritize runes that boost Attack speed, On-hit for this hero's passive and skill scaling.
4 presets — switch by draft, lane, or CN meta. Default matches Farm Lane when available.
| # | Item | Gold | Stats | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Doomsday | 2,100g | PATK +40, ASPD +20%, HP +500, Lifesteal +20% Boosts BA damage | Fits Attack speed priority — Passive - Destruction — Basic Attacks deal an extra 80–160 (+7% of the target's extra HP) physical damage. |
| 2 |  Daybreaker's Virtue | 2,570g | PATK +75, ASPD +30%, Crit Rate +15% Great for marksmen | Fits Attack speed priority — Passive - Sunder — Physical Pierce +15% (doubled for ranged heroes) |
| 3 |  Sunchaser | 2,100g | PATK +40, ASPD +20%, Crit Rate +15%, MSPD +7.5% Boosts attack range | Fits Attack speed priority — Passive - Precision — Basic Attack Damage +25 (doubled for ranged heroes). |
| 4 |  Sage's Sanctuary | 2,280g | HP +900, PDEF +150, MDEF +150 Resurrect on the spot | Fits Survivability priority — Passive - Revive — Resurrects the wearer 2s after dying and restores 2,000–3,000 Health. This effect can be triggered up to 2 times per match. |
| 5 |  Destiny | 2,060g | PATK +75, ASPD +15%, HP +500 Negates fatal damage | Fits Attack speed priority — Passive - Dark Curtain — When taking fatal damage, instead of dying immediately, the hero gains invincibility and a 15% Attack Speed and Movement Speed increase for 1s (0.75s for ranged heroes). After equipping this item, its effect duration increases by 0.01s every 5s, up to a maximum of 0.5s. |
| 6 |  Haste - Sunpool | 3,320g | PATK +40, ASPD +20%, Crit Rate +15%, MSPD +7.5% Boosts attack range | Fits Attack speed priority — Passive - Precision — Basic Attack Damage +25 (doubled for ranged heroes). |
Best Arcana & Spells
| Slot | Choice | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Dominator | Recommended for Marksman Farm Lane |
| Spell | Haste / Flash | Adjust Purify/Execute based on enemy dive. |
Skill Order
Skill 1 → Skill 2 → Burning Sun Arrow (max Skill 1 first)
Arrow Volley is your lane trade tool. Afterglow second. Burning Sun Arrow whenever available.
Combos
1. Standard trade
Arrow Volley → Afterglow → Burning Sun Arrow → weave basic attacks
When: Farm Lane skirmish or objective fight
Abilities
Passive
Chastising Shot
Each Basic Attack hit increases Attack Speed. When the effect is fully stacked, he shoots several shots with each Basic Attack.
Skill 1
Arrow Volley
Increases Basic Attack damage and shoots extra arrows to hit multiple enemies.
Skill 2
Afterglow
Inflicts area damage and slow.
Ultimate
Burning Sun Arrow
Shoots a long-range explosive arrow that stuns the target on hit, dealing area damage and inflicting slow.
Counters & Matchups
Hou Yi is strong into
Pick Hou Yi when the enemy drafts these heroes.
Hou Yi struggles into
Avoid Hou Yi or ban these when they appear on the enemy team.
- Master Luban
Playstyle & Ranked Tips
Laning Phase
Last-hit safely until first core item. Ping jungler for river vision; never face-check brush without minion cover.
Teamfight Role
Position behind frontline; attack closest safe target. Join fight only after enemy dive cooldowns are used.
High Rank (Diamond+)
Hou Yi is a Tier S+ staple in high-elo (Diamond+) on the international server — worth mastering for climb. Pick rate 2.9% — frequently seen in ranked; learn the matchup even if you do not main Hou Yi.
vs Similar Heroes
- Hou Yi vs Marco Polo (Marksman, Tier S+): Marco Polo is 2.1% pick / 50.1% WR. Marco Polo wins 0.8% more often globally. Choose Hou Yi when you need Farm Lane identity; choose Marco Polo for Farm Lane comfort.
- Hou Yi vs Lady Sun (Marksman, Tier S): Lady Sun is 2.1% pick / 48.3% WR. Hou Yi has +1.0% WR vs Lady Sun in Camp data. Choose Hou Yi when you need Farm Lane identity; choose Lady Sun for Farm Lane comfort.
FAQ
What is the best Hou Yi build?
Recommended: Doomsday, Daybreaker's Virtue, Sunchaser, Sage's Sanctuary, Destiny, Haste - Sunpool.
How to counter Hou Yi?
Pick Agudo, Master Luban. Strong into Cirrus, Mulan, Xuance.
Is Hou Yi good in current season?
Hou Yi is Tier S+ Marksman with 48.71% win rate, 2.77% pick rate, and 0.19% ban rate (Camp HOK international).