Yuumi - A Statistical Analysis vs Sona ("Is Yuumi actually a worse Sona?")

So let me preface: I am Silver rank. This means that I'm looking at things FROM PAPER. This means we're ignoring matchups, and focusing solely on Sona vs Yuumi in a vacuum where no other champs exist except their partner in lane.

Each section will be evaluated into 3 parts: Yuumi, Sona, and a comparison, starting with Yuumi's Q and comparing it to Sona's relatives. Most of these tests will be made around 300 AP, the average end game you'd expect from a Support as you'd unlikely reach Rabadon's.

So let's begin:

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Yuumi Q: COOLDOWN: 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 MAGIC DAMAGE: 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 / 140 (+ 30% AP)

EMPOWERED DAMAGE: 60 / 100 / 140 / 180 / 220 / 260 (+ 60% AP) SLOW: 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80% SLOW DURATION: 1 / 1.1 / 1.2 / 1.3 / 1.4 / 1.5

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Sona

Q: COOLDOWN: 8 / 7.2 / 6 / 4.8 MAGIC DAMAGE: 40 / 70 / 100 / 130 / 160 (+ 50% AP)

BONUS MAGIC DAMAGE (AUTO): 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 (+ 30% AP)

POWER CHORD – STACCATO: Power Chord deals「 28 − 336 (based on level) (+ 28% AP) total magic damage. 」

or

POWER CHORD – TEMPO: Power Chord Slow icon slows its target by 40% (+ 4% per 100 AP) for 2 seconds.

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Summary to Yuumi's Q:

Sona's Q has only one advantage: it hits 2 targets and at level 16 (or later, if you fat finger) it has a shorter cooldown. Excluding that, on a single target, Yuumi's Q hits for a minimum of 60 (+60%) vs Sona's 40 (+50%), vs a maximum of 260 (+60%) vs 160 (+50%). A 100 Damage and 10% AP Scaling difference.

Sona's power chord (Staccato) basically adds another 9.3 to 113 + (9% AP) per spell cast, stocked until 3 casts. But honestly we can debate whether to compare that to Yuumi's shield or not. If we did? Sona's Q does as noted (endgame) 336 + 28% AP Damage (plus Auto). Yuumi's shield is 50 − 330 (based on level) (+ 40% AP), which leaves it superior in AP scaling and results. With the same items (which Yuumi would gain more AP really since she doesn't buy boots), Yuumi's shield does more in one use and is up every 8 seconds late-game, AND IS PERMANENT.

Sona's power chord "TEMPO" does 40% slow + AP scaling (we can roughly put this at 52% slow at 300 AP, which seems roughly right for a support). Compared to Yuumi's Q which hits 80% slow for 1.5 seconds, it seems yuumi's Q again wins the competition.

Overall Yuumi's Q is just objectively superior except it doesn't hit multiple targets. Its damage is such that it basically covers most (but not all) of Sona's Q/E POwer Chords in one move, and has a similar CD to start. While Sona's can do more damage in a teamfight very likely, it does not have the range or utility for safe poking, which makes it a safer alternative for teamfights.

Edit: And easily its best benefit: it's damage basically gives it something akin to a vastly upgraded Sona E Power Chord, which when you use it with Yuumi's own, makes a powerful engagement on a single target after whittling them down after countless Yuumi Qs.

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Yuumi E: RECHARGE: 18 / 17 / 16 / 15 / 14

Min Healing: 25 / 35 / 45 / 55 / 65 (+ 10% AP) Max Healing: 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 / 130 (+ 40% AP)

(Remember, 2 charges, this equates to: Min Healing: 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 / 130 ( + 20% AP) Max Healing: 100 / 140 / 180 / 220 / 260 (+ 80% AP)

Gains 25% (+ 10% per 100 AP) Movement speed icon bonus movement speed decaying over 2 seconds.

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W: COOLDOWN: 10 / 9 / 7.5 / 6 E: COOLDOWN: 12 / 10.8 / 9 / 7.2

HEAL: 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 (+ 25% AP)

SHIELD STRENGTH: 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 (+ 30% AP)

(Combined: 55 / 100 / 145 / 190 / 235 ( + 55% AP)

SELF AND AURA BONUS MOVEMENT SPEED: 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14% (+ 6% per 100 AP)

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Let's focus on the Cat in the room here: Sona's E is objectively superior on a group engage. But in a meta where (again, using 300 AP as our ruling stick) 32% is usually not enough to engage due to wall jumping, wall phasing, etc etc, it's hard to say that it would work. In most cases you get situations like Zed, who will ult in on someone. And that would put him so far ahead everyone else would be struggling to follow his engage. In some weird way, each E has its benefits for different comps/champs. Some would prefer the 55% from Yuumi (again, 300 AP measuring stick), some would take Sona's 32%. Ultimately the odds are high you'll be using Yuumi's to hunt down stragglers, evac weak teammates, while Sonas is to abort a horrid teamfight as someone's going to get way ahead of the group anyhow. There's too many variables to say either one is OBJECTIVELY superior.

Now let's look at the heals:

Yuumi's are weaker, that's no doubt. They take longer to recharge. However, big however: in a burst, they are far superior to Sona's. As seen above, yuumi's heals can actually outdo Sona's - under certain conditions (namely low health). With 500 HP heals at 300 AP and max E, vs Sona's 400 Heal+Shield on her weakest, there's a stark difference. (This is again, ignoring Yuumi's passive shield, which we've compared to Staccatto earlier on).

And being able to afford to get close to your teammate to heal them without being dived on is also a big benefit. Due to Yuumi's mostly untouchable status, she can safely attach to and heal members in danger. And with a superior speed buff and heal, she is a powerful, VERY powerful, clutch healer.

Now the big difference however between the two is the 'targeting' for the heals. Ignoring Sona's Self-heal (as we're going to imagine she's not part of the fighting, much like Yuumi), Sona's healing only aims for the lowest HP Target. Her shield is also temporary (1.5 seconds), which leaves its own counterplay (which drops her healing back to 30-110 (+25% AP) ). Basically put - the enemies can poke the tank, drag Sona's heal to it, then burst the carry, and her W does nothing. Meanwhile Yuumi can remain on the carry.

In the end however, I have to give this to Sona's heal in terms of actual teamfighting. Her W shields all allies (even though it will only heal one), which leaves her potential 'heal' far above Yuumi. Sona's quicker uptime for her W is also a boon (although really only a small one). HOWEVER. As noted, Yuumi's is a far better one in burst uses as a clutch move, often to save an individual carry. Ultimately, this is a subjective decision.

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THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN

R: COOLDOWN: 130 / 110 / 90

MAGIC DAMAGE PER FIRST WAVE:» 60 / 100 / 140 (+ 20% AP)

«REDUCED DAMAGE PER WAVE:» 24 / 40 / 56 (+ 8% AP)

Total Waves: 7

Total damage (presuming all 7 hit): 204 / 340 / 476 (+ 68 %)

Root Time: 1.75 seconds.

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R: COOLDOWN: 140 / 120 / 100

MAGIC DAMAGE: 150 / 250 / 350 (+ 50% AP)

Stun Time: 1.5 seconds.

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Okay, this one's just... odd. Sona's Ult is definitely quicker, more efficient and to the point. Yuumi's does more damage. Yuumi's also hits a much larger area. This means that each has their own benefits, especially as Yuumi's can travel.

Objectively, there is no superior, each has its advantages. Sonas is a stronger burst engage, while Yuumi's will continue to oppress the field and seal off melee champs.

This means, IF there is an objective truth: Yuumi's is stronger vs a melee heavy comp (as they won't be able to move or fight back well vs Ranged champs). Sonas is... well it's not much stronger vs Ranged champs unless they're caught out of position really, due to its smaller area of effect.

Edit: of note, Yuumi's is on a shorter cooldown too, which adds a LOT more pressure.

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So what's my opinion? Honestly, Yuumi just needs a fix on her E. Her numbers are absurd as is, but her E takes way too long to recharge. Her Damage potential vastly outstrips Sona however over a prolonged and safe fight, as does her speed and slow benefits. The biggest issue I can find is Yuumi is not a body, and hence won't be taking one for your shitty ADC.

In the end however, Sona is a team buffer, Yuumi's a single buffer. Sona isn't going to save any ADC that Yuumi can't, in fact she'd save less, being entirely honest, due to a weaker overall kit. The ADC will still die to a Pyke combo for example, whether it's Sona or Yuumi. You run Yuumi to optimize a carry, you run Sona to try to aide a small group in far more subtle fashions.

In the end, I say Yuumi's NOT a worse Sona, just heavily being misplayed at current, with a vastly weaker heal.

What would I do for Yuumi? Buff her E cooldown, drastically, for later levels (I'd test 18-15-12-9-6 CD to keep it so it still takes longer to gather stacks than Sona to cast a single W as a test run). It's costly as it is which leaves plenty of potential downsides, and she needs 2 casts to meet or surpass Sona's (120 to 200 mana to reach or surpass what Sona does in 80-100). Maybe increase her auto range a bit (she's already deadly squishy) to make her passive more useful (Sona's 550 range, Yuumi's 500. Test 525 range or 520/530, I say).

That's what I get out of all of this, and I'd be interested to hear everyone's views on my analysis.