Why is every champion on the face of the earth building youmuus?

hudzell·Jul 26, 2016·24 votes·3,293 views

To list a few oddballs: Jayce, Vayne, Volibear, Renekton, Wukong, Darius, Hecarim, Irelia, Caitlyn, Miss Fortune

All of these champions, building Youmuus. Fuck even I used to frequently build it on Aatrox before I swapped over to a lifesteal build. Why is everyone building this godforsaken item? Because it's too powerful. The armor penetration is through the roof and it's an absolutely insane early game damage boost. My suggestion? 15 armor pen instead of 20, and 55 AD instead of 60. This item seriously needs to be toned down.

63 Comments

ReikkenJul 26, 201625 votes

I don't build Youmuu's on Sona. ...but maybe I should.

Daedric EtwahlJul 26, 20167 votes

"You thought you were escaping this Power Chord?"

Meep ManJul 26, 201611 votes

It's the ultimate AD Stat Stick, giving:

Attack Damage
Attack Speed
Armor Penetration
Movement Speed
Cool Down Reduction Almost every single AD character benefits from 4 of those stats and the stats it provides are not small. The 10% CDR is arguably the smallest benefit you get from it.

CeexSettJul 26, 20162 votes

Actually, every AD Champion uses the stat for something.

AD: Obviously Mov Speed: Obviously CDR: Better on some champions than others, but still good for everyone Armor Pen: Even if notnecessary, it always helps Attack speed: The less mandatory, but even on Champions with no autos in their combo, it helps for after the combo, getting some more damage.

Meep ManJul 27, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Actually, every AD Champion uses the stat for something.

AD: Obviously Mov Speed: Obviously CDR: Better on some champions than others, but still good for everyone Armor Pen: Even if notnecessary, it always helps Attack speed: The less mandatory, but even on Champions with no autos in their combo, it helps for after the combo, getting some more damage.

I should have put "from at least 4 of those stats", because that's what I meant. What you say is true though.

ErockandrollJul 26, 20167 votes

People watch the pro's build it in the LCS with the pro Lucian/Jihn builds, and try adapting it to their own champion of choice. But in a lot of cases, I feel like they don't understand what Youmue's is designed for.

Building it (either first or second item) ultimately means that your going to be a high damage carry. But it should, it was designed to be an Assassin item. That in mind, I probably would not use it on Juggernauts like Darius, or Voli, simply because they need more defenses, and probably make better use of BC. But Ghost blade make total sense on a Diver Like Irelia, or herc.
It is with out a doubt a Caster item. Cause Armor pen, along with CDR and AD are what casters want. it allows them to do more damage with their spells. And with Caster ADC's like Jihn and Lucian, More spell damage, appears to be more important than the alternative build option. (The more spell slinger nature of their ER build.)

Not saying it's not OP. But it's effects on just anyone, I feel is highly exadurated.

colesyJul 26, 20166 votes

the whole point of rushing ghostblade is it gives you a more immediate power spike rather than investing in crit which makes you basically do fuck all damage for the first 20 minutes of the game. i mean think about it, compare gb to er rush, with er you get ad which is cool, mana regen which is irrelevant in a fight, some cdr and some crit. but you have barely any crit so it's basically a non factor. compare to ghostblade which gives you that ad and cdr which you like, but its active gives you an ms buff, it gives you like a zeal item worth of attack speed and you get 20 armour pen too, which in addition to runes/masteries means you'll be doing close to true damage against squishies.

pen builds fall off after mid game since your build will end up lacking in crit which gives you the raw dps to shred through frontlines.

Zero Skill TankJul 26, 20164 votes

Unless you need to do EXTREME tankbusting, they dont fall off.

General LeviJul 26, 20161 votes

They do fall off, it's flat armor pen so when everyone has bought their defensive items late game it's not as effective.

Zero Skill TankJul 26, 20164 votes

Only that after changes applied to game like IDK, bazzilion years ago, flat penetrations stack perfectly well with percentage penetration.

Single armor item will basically give you nothing.

colesyJul 26, 20161 votes

no, they do fall off. do you think a tank cares if you have like 40 flat pen when they're sitting on 300 armour?

Zero Skill TankJul 26, 20161 votes

I told that they do fall of if you need extreme tankbusting. If, however, they have mostly bruisers you have nothing to worry about.

LegacyDAPJul 26, 20161 votes

Basically this. Armor pen is the best scaling stat to have in the game as an ADC. Unless you need some serious tank busting. Basically the game lasted 40+ minutes. Tank got full build and now you're having a tougher time beating him. Still not that hard though if you have decent %armor pen. and flat armor pen. stats.

Pika FoxJul 26, 20162 votes

Ghostblade is a dueling/early game item. Its not a "caster" item per say; Yi isnt a caster and its rather good on him depending on what you want to do with it.

ReikkenJul 26, 20164 votes

but anyway Ghostblade has always been this good. I used to build it on every AD champion in the universe back when Dominion was a thing, because it's just that efficient. It's always given 20 armor pen, and it used to give crit as well. Ghostblade + IE was an amazing combo if you had any use for the CDR. The only thing that changed was it traded 15 crit and 500 gold for 30 AD. A losing trade if you used crit.

LovelleJul 26, 20161 votes

{quoted}

but anyway Ghostblade has always been this good. I used to build it on every AD champion in the universe back when Dominion was a thing, because it's just that efficient. It's always given 20 armor pen, and it used to give crit as well. Ghostblade + IE was an amazing combo if you had any use for the CDR. The only thing that changed was it traded 15 crit and 500 gold for 30 AD. A losing trade if you used crit.

I still miss old Youmuu's. RIP Ghostblade straight into IE. Jayce cries every time.

arc95Jul 26, 20163 votes

League of item 3142 .... the successor of League of item 3071

it's actually no where near league of cleavers... but Youmuu's is pretty popular amongst ad champions

Slack KingJul 26, 20163 votes

{quoted}

League of .... the successor of League of

it's actually no where near league of cleavers... but Youmuu's is pretty popular amongst ad champions

Most champs that build one, usually build the other as well

LegacyDAPJul 26, 20161 votes

What champion besides Lucian and Riven benefits from building both of those items? Actually curious because those are the only 2 I can think of.

CeexSettJul 26, 20161 votes

Darius can, if ahead Hecarim can, but only in super strict circunstances MissFortune MonkeyKing for extreme snowball (and fun)

arc95Jul 26, 20161 votes

I know wasnt getting at that... It was a joke about the league of cleavers where every single champion built multiple cleavers... and that legue was becoming league of youmuus like it did with bc... except to a way less extent

Vanic998Jul 26, 20163 votes

I think it might be because it's Cooldown is too low.

Slamurai JackJul 26, 20163 votes

It's a stupidly good damage item on it's own merits. That's why. Armor Pen + 60 AD + 10% CDR + the active probably makes for the strongest single combat item in the game, with its only real competition being Triforce and Sunfire Cape.

TyrekGoldenspearJul 26, 20163 votes

Azir: I do not build the ghost blade.

Sand Soldier: whispers in Azir's ear

Azir: What's that? The active gives Attack Speed AND Movespeed? Soldiers, onwards! To the shop!

TheLazySunbroJul 26, 20162 votes

I dont build Youmuu's on Singed

But that movespeed doe

Naag OneJul 26, 20161 votes

This items really need some crit chance on it, so I can finally start building it on Yasuo/Yi. riot plis

HyperiönJul 26, 20163 votes

NO, ARMOR PEN AND CRIT, AND ACTIVE? ARE YOU HIGH OR SOMETHING?

CasterGilgameshJul 26, 20162 votes

but it did have crit on it at one point but riot removed the crit to boost how much ad it gave

HyperiönJul 26, 20161 votes

Yeah, it is broken enough as it is. Is it too cheep for how much it gives. It should honestly cost at least 3500 for all it gives.

Hinagiku33Jul 26, 20161 votes

To be fair, it only had 30 AD back when it had the 15% Critical Strike Chance and the MS boost used to be shorter for ranged champs.

The flat armor pen is highly needed for some champs (it's basically what item 3146 is for Akali but for all AD assassins). It never needed to have its AD raised from 30 to 65 (nerfed down to 60). The AD is nice, yes, but being a high AD item is also what puts it over the top. It needed to be a LOW AD item that offers solid flat armor pen for when you want to burst low armor targets, but requires to be combined to high AD items to be completely effective.

HyperiönJul 26, 20161 votes

Yeah, but for what it gives now it is crazy how stacked it is. Either need to take away 10 armor pen, the cdr, or the dmg. It is bogus that an item has all 3, and still an active.

gamesavorJul 26, 20161 votes

so you have not seen vayne building ghostblade? wow

Ace Access Jul 26, 20161 votes

more importantly why now ? why are people starting to rush it now and not before ? did people suddenly realize how good it is OR did some LCS guy start building it on everything causing an emulation syndrome epidemic to spread like herpes among the sheep

DarkRitualJul 26, 20161 votes

Armor Pen working on turrets made it more valuable for pushing objectives.

HyperiönJul 26, 20161 votes

Also the damn Koreans keep making super OP builds on them with youmuus.

DarkRitualJul 26, 20161 votes

Split the armor pen between passive and it's active. Increase the cooldown on it.

UlriahJul 26, 20161 votes

Nah, it has already been toned down enough.

xBushxJul 26, 20161 votes

it cost's 3200 and is like 4k worth of stats when proc'd and pending the stacking and scalings on some champs like Khaz, Rengar, MF, and Lucian. Damn the thing is a fucking beast.

I build it ALMOST every game I am on someone who can benefit from Armor Pen.

RozairJul 26, 20161 votes

Hexdrinker as well. Armor pen is a busted stat and it doesn't work like magic pen at all.

ÇhåryzårdJul 26, 20161 votes

Because it speeds you up, gives you armor pen, attack speed, and some damage, all good things an adc or ad assassin wants with the exception of some top laners.

iDarkWindJul 26, 20161 votes

In my opinion it's because of the LW changes. 20% Armor Pen is extremly good and at some matchs way better than 40% bonus Armor Pen. I don't know if it's because of that. But I don't think that it needs nerfs anyway. But I kinda miss the old one, Season 5 GhostBlade + IE was a thing.

warpenguin555Jul 26, 20161 votes

honestly im sick of everybody rushing this item. hopefully Riot does something to it because its pretty much the new Infinity Edge, except its good on every ad champion

PermabannedGarenJul 26, 20161 votes

{quoted}

To list a few oddballs: Jayce, Vayne, Volibear, Renekton, Wukong, Darius, Hecarim, Irelia, Caitlyn, Miss Fortune

All of these champions, building Youmuus. Fuck even I used to frequently build it on Aatrox before I swapped over to a lifesteal build. Why is everyone building this godforsaken item? Because it's too powerful. The armor penetration is through the roof and it's an absolutely insane early game damage boost. My suggestion? 15 armor pen instead of 20, and 55 AD instead of 60. This item seriously needs to be toned down.

Jayce is an AD caster, so nothing odd there. Vayne doesn't build it. Voli could get some use out of it I guess, but most Volis go full tank. Renekton builds it on hilarious cheesy assassin Renekton builds. It's been core on Wukong since the start of the season, being that he's an AD caster with strong burst assassination potential (and the active synergizes with his W's stealth). Darius can build it if he's snowballing. It provides AD, armour pen, CDR, and a movement speed active, why couldn't Hecarim build it? I've never seen Irelia build it. Cait doesn't build it. MF is basically an AD caster.

KorZodJul 26, 20161 votes

for the ADC's part of the "Korean ADC" build, which relies on a crapton of armor pen (Cleaver, Youmuus, Duskblade, and then sometimes LW/Maw) to do tons of damage on SPELL-BASED caster-type ADCs. Really all of the champs you mentioned (besides Caitlyn and voli... those make no sense) rely on their spells with this item to do most of the damage. MF's ult with those items end up doing around 3k+ damage with 40+ flat armor pen and fully applies cleaver passive. Absolutely destroys people. Early game matters more now than it has traditionally, so an early game item matters a bit more. You'll almost never see a Kog or Jinx or Trist with it, because late game that flat pen means nothing compared to a high crit chance build.

AptestJul 26, 20161 votes

{quoted}

To list a few oddballs: Jayce, Vayne, Volibear, Renekton, Wukong, Darius, Hecarim, Irelia, Caitlyn, Miss Fortune

All of these champions, building Youmuus. Fuck even I used to frequently build it on Aatrox before I swapped over to a lifesteal build. Why is everyone building this godforsaken item? Because it's too powerful. The armor penetration is through the roof and it's an absolutely insane early game damage boost. My suggestion? 15 armor pen instead of 20, and 55 AD instead of 60. This item seriously needs to be toned down.

super simple:

AA-based champions scale off having a bunch of different stats. I.E. the best is to have a little of all stats.

GB gives many stats together.

Therefore AA-based champions scale hardest.

Skill based AD champions have good base damage. Armor pen lets them exploit this well. Also, CDR.

Preußen RuhmJul 26, 20161 votes

Because it is very hard to get attack speed without crit. most of the champions you listed don't build crit and thus are starved for attack speed. Though tbh if darius or voli build ghostblade they are either terrible or so far ahead that items don't matter.

Left Hook LarryJul 27, 20161 votes

Volibear

lmfao what?????

Sire HippingtonJul 27, 20161 votes

The issue is that it gives to much power early on. Later in the game, it's power is nothing to speak of, neither bad nor great, but early on the high flat pen combined with alot raw ad and the active give just absurd all-in potential on any ad champ that tends to go all-in, while it also adds the most possible damage to physical poke while the active can help keeping distance or closing in for the kill after landing enough poke. It always was that powerfull, though only for crit useing champs. Lucian did rush it befor the marksmen rework aswell. The bi difference is how much more the game is focused onto the earlygame, which means items that spike hard early instead of scaleing well but delayed into late are more valuable.

Imo at the current state of the game, it needs either the abysal-treatment and have the arpen scale with level so the early power isn't that high, or it needs to loos the active so it's not that easy to convert the early powerspike into kills, or get it in some way like warmong's is gated. But strong early game stats together with an active that helps you to force all-ins is a dangerous combination. If you just nerf it's stats to a point where it isn't clearly superior to better scaleing items early on, it just wouldn't be bought at all., it needs power shifts in some way that preserve atleast the current power at late but reduce the early impact it has. It would probably also be fine if the game overall was less snowbally and earlygame focused.