Yao

• Her passive cleanses any hard-control effect and turns it into untouchable deer form, once every 60 seconds.
• Her ultimate can possess an ally to grant them a true-damage shield that blocks everything.
• Her deer form resets her other cooldowns, letting her follow up immediately after escaping control.

• Passive · Mountain Spirit · White Deer — Being hit by a hard-control skill (stun, knockback, launch, etc.) instantly cleanses it and transforms Yao into deer-spirit form for 4 seconds, once every 60 seconds; in deer form her skill cooldowns reset and she can't attack or be attacked, and her aura slows nearby enemies by 30%.
• 1 · There Seems to Be Someone — Raises her staff to knock back nearby enemies and send an energy wave forward for magic damage, which splits into a tracking second orb near max range for more magic damage, a 0.5-second stun, and a 5-second reveal. In possession state, detection range is boosted; in deer form, it ends deer form early to re-enter combat and resets all cooldowns.
• 2 · Whispers on the Wind — Auto-attacks up to 3 random nearby enemies for 5 seconds, each hit dealing magic damage (can't basic-attack while active). In possession state, strike range is boosted; in deer form, leaps a short distance instead.
• Ultimate · Alone Atop the Mountain — Possesses another hero, granting them a true-damage shield that blocks all damage types; possession also empowers her other skills and cuts their cooldown by 30%. If the shield breaks, the skill goes on cooldown; leaving voluntarily refunds 50% of the cooldown. In deer form, it widens her slow aura.

Build 1: Vanguard · Redemption → Shadowstalker Boots → Icebound Breath → Warlord's Plate → Echo Staff → Sage's Codex

Tip: Support starting item — Yao usually sticks close to teammates, and Guardian's Aegis covers a lot of allies with its buff. She's immune to hard crowd control but still easy to burst down, so lean half-tank and use her mobility to soak damage.

Build 2: Guardian Emblem → Fleetfoot Boots → Icebound Breath → Mask of Anguish → Scholar's Wrath → Sage's Codex

Tip: Support starting item — Yao needs to reach teammates fast, and Fleetfoot Boots gets her there before the opponent. This leans offensive and demands good positioning sense, but possession grants very strong damage output.

Inscriptions: Fate, Harmony, Void

Tip: Yao needs a solid chunk of max HP to navigate messy team fights and avoid the awkward situation of getting picked off by a stray shot.

Best with: Hou Yi, Nakoruru Counters: Lu Bu, Lan Ling Wang Countered by: Gan & Mo, Jiaro