How to win lane as Yasuo against Naafiri · 52.91% win rate over 6,749 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Even / skill | Levels 1-2 are an even poke exchange — neither Q Darkin Daggers nor Steel Tempest threatens a kill yet. |
| Level 2 | Even / skill | Same cagey standoff at 2; both spikes are still a level away, so the start stays skill-based. |
| Level 3 | Naafiri | Level 3 is hers: W Hounds' Pursuit lock-on plus Packmates and E Eviscerate let her all-in through your shield. |
| Levels 4-5 | Naafiri | Her sustain and pack damage win the extended 4-5 trade even when you Wind Wall the daggers. |
| Level 6 | Naafiri | R The Call spawns more dogs and buffs her dive, so the level-6 window still favours her burst. |
| First item | Yasuo | Your first crit item lets E-Q match her all-in, and Wind Wall on the daggers cuts her pack damage. |
| Two+ items | Yasuo | Two crit items out-scale an early-game assassin — she falls off while your crit and shields keep growing. |
Levels 1-2 are an even, cagey start — Naafiri pokes with Q Darkin Daggers and her Packmates, and you trade back with Steel Tempest without either landing a kill. Don't over-commit, because her spike is coming and yours isn't yet. Bank Wind Wall for her Q so you're not chunked by the daggers plus dog damage. Keep the wave neutral so you're not frozen in her kill range when she hits 3.
The full Yasuo vs Naafiri report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
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Playing the other side? Naafiri vs Yasuo guide →
All Yasuo mid lane matchups →