How to win the jungle race as Master Yi against Xin Zhao · Matchup data reviewed on patch 26.15
Read from Master Yi's seat: the race windows this plan plays for against Xin Zhao.
| Stage | Read | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Clear | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | The W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. Three Talon Strike's knock-up plus passive healing wins the first buff-pit duel on top of that, so level 1 is a straight stat check Master Yi loses — respect the river bushes and disengage before the third Q hit lands, and give the river vision-line respect. |
| Level 2 Skirmish | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | Xin Zhao out-classes you on the second camp — Wind Becomes Lightning (W) challenge poke starts trades they finish for free, and the W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. Refuse the level-2 skirmish, full-clear away from them, and trade map pressure instead of health. |
| Level 3 Route | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | Do not be seen at the opening scuttle: the W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. On top of that, the full knock-up combo with W slow is among the top three level-3 duels, so they get there first. Respect the river bushes and disengage before the third Q hit lands. Give up the level-3 river fight and farm the opposite quadrant until your spike lands. |
| Levels 4-5 Macro | Respect Xin Zhao — Path Opposite | You lose the 4-5 duel. He dives lanes through 4-5, since Audacious Charge into the knock-up needs no setup at all — so let them have that half of the map and cash the other half faster. |
| Level 6 Breakpoint | Highlander Favoured | Highlander's slow immunity plus Alpha resets snowball any post-6 cleanup. Crescent Guard makes the 1v1 literal, so the margin is real but narrow: fight when your ultimate is up and Crescent Guard is the one on cooldown. |
| First Item Spike | Kraken Slayer Spike | Completing your core item triggers a massive physical damage, attack speed, and on-hit multiplier that completely overpowers traditional brawlers or isolated targets. Xin Zhao's first item is a sharp jump — the knock-up combo goes from a strong trade to a kill on most junglers. |
| 2+ Items Scaling | Master Yi Favoured — Wins Late | The late game is yours. Remember what Xin Zhao still is at full build — he isolates one target with Crescent Guard and wins the 1v1 he just created — and take the fights that do not let it matter. |
Start your clear at the Red Buff camp to maximize early health sustain and red buff true damage. Xin Zhao clears fast and heals off Determination, so he reaches three healthy and looking for the first fight.
Ranked by the race windows in Master Yi's plans — the jungle race carries no win-rate sample.
The full Master Yi vs Xin Zhao report continues with scuttle & dragon rules, invade windows and safety boundaries, the top-side objective fight, macro rotations and the win condition — plus the live enemy-jungle tracker that shows their start, clear and gank timers in game.
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No clear favourite — Master Yi holds 3 windows, Xin Zhao 4, the rest are even.
Yes — Master Yi vs Xin Zhao plays as a skill matchup: the jungle race swings window to window, and the better first clear usually sets the tone.
Playing the other side? Xin Zhao vs Master Yi guide →
All Master Yi jungle matchups →
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