After Riot Games reworked Yoru in early 2022, he literally got a new life. Now that he is a viable Agent to pick, let's learn how we can use him to win more ranked games!
If you love flashy plays requiring top-notch movement, outstanding timing and mind games, then Yoru is a Duelist pick for you. He is probably the most challenging Agent from that class, but no worries – with this guide, you will have a better understanding of how Yoru works and how you can use him.
- Be sure to also check out our Valorant Agent guide for Chamber: Valorant Chamber Agent Guide: Abilities, Strategies & More
Valorant Yoru Abilities
Fakeout
Official Ability Description: EQUIP an echo that mimics footsteps when activated. FIRE to activate and send the echo forward. ALT FIRE to place an echo in place. USE the inactive echo to send it forward.
Default Key | C |
Cost | 100 Credits |
Charges | 1 |
Model's HP | 150 HP |
Equip Time | 0.8s |
Flashbang Duration | 3s |
One of the most popular uses for this skill is to use it before entering the Spike Site. Most players reflexively kill the Yoru clone (especially if other skills preceded it) and get flashbanged hard.
It's also worth noting that most people refer to this skill as "Decoy", not "Fakeout", so keep that in mind when someone asks you to "use your Decoy".
Blindside
Official Ability Description: EQUIP to rip an unstable dimensional fragment from reality. FIRE to throw the fragment, activating a flash that winds up once it collides with a hard surface in world.
Default Key | Q |
Cost | 250 Credits |
Charges | 2 |
Equip Time | 0.8s |
Flashbang Duration | 1.5s |
Next up, we have a flashbang ability that bounces off once and then explodes. It's very similar to Phoenix's flashbang due to its short windup time. However, Yoru's flash needs to hit some kind of surface before exploding.
One tip from us is that you should often consider using it after your clone from the Fakeout ability dies to bamboozle the enemy team with a double flashbang.
Gatecrash
Official Ability Description: EQUIP to harness a rift tether. FIRE to send the tether out moving forward. ALT FIRE to place a tether in place. ACTIVATE to teleport to the tether's location. USE to trigger a fake teleport.
Default Key | E |
Cost | 200 Credits |
Charges | 2 |
Equip Time | 0.8s |
Teleport's HP | 100 HP |
Max Travel Duration | 30s |
Max Deploy Lenght | 30 meters |
Teleport Duration | 1.2s |
Note: this ability refreshes after scoring 2 kills.
You get one charge of Gatecrash for free at the beginning of each round, as this is Yoru's signature ability. It is an ability that you can use in two ways: by teleporting normally, or faking your teleport.
That said, it is an excellent method tool to get into the Site, or at the very least, make your enemy think like you are doing so.
Dimensional Drift (Ultimate Ability)
Official Ability Description: EQUIP a mask that can see between dimensions. FIRE to drift into Yoru's dimension, unable to be affected or seen by enemies from the outside.
Default Key | X |
Cost | 7 Ult Points |
Equip Time | 0.8s |
Duration | 12s |
Yoru's Dimensional Drift is a great way to play mind games with the enemy team, as you can get behind them without them even seeing you. However, they can hear your footsteps, plus they see a blue "aura" when you are super close to them, so keep that in mind.
One thing that is very powerful about this ability is that you can use all of your other abilities while in your Ult form. One thing that Yoru players are doing with his Ultimate Ability is double flashbanging right before they get out of it.
How To Play Yoru?
Alright, now that we know how Yoru's abilities work, let's have a look at some tips that will help you get a higher winrate with this specific Agent
Place Your Teleport In a Safe Spot
First of all, you want to place your teleport in a place where it will not be destroyed. And secondly, you also want it in such a position that you can throw your flashbang immediately.
That can take a lot of practice on your part, especially with how much range Yoru's teleports have. Still, it's totally worth it, as this helps you get the most out of your abilities. All in all, Gatecrash is probably your most important ability, so avoid throwing random teleports.
Learn Your Lineups
And as Gatecrash is your most important ability, you have to know lineups for it. Actually, you should probably know lineups and outplays for your entire ability kit. Therefore, Yoru is actually one of the hardest Agents to play, because his strategies usually counter the metagame, which means that there are nearly no universal lineups for his abilities.
So, if you are a Yoru main, you need to stay up with the trends if you want to win. Not only that, you also need to spend your free time thinking how you can counter the most popular strategies with your kit. So, be sure to watch the most recent tournaments to see what you can expect later in your Ranked Games.
Use Your Ult For Camping From Time To Time
Since you are invisible while using your Ultimate Ability, you can use this fact against an enemy team that decides to push together.
All you have to do is hide in a corner, turn on your Dimensional Drift when you hear enemies' footsteps approaching, and exit your Ultimate when you find the moment to grab a few kills. Even if you die right after, it's ok if you manage to pick up at least two kills.
And that would be it for our Yoru guide! After a rework, this Agent is actually a pretty nice pick, especially on maps such as Pearl or Icebox. Still, if you want to climb to Radiant with him, you will definitely have to spend extra hours practicing and looking for the most effective strategies. That said, without dedication, climbing with Yoru doesn't make much sense.