Hou Yi

How to play Hou Yi

Hou Yi is a ranged hunter from the Chinese pantheon who deals physical damage. Top players play Hou Yi in the Carry (duo) lane.

In your kit, Divebomb (leap, fly, knockback, marked) is your way in and out of fights. Ricochet (bouncing projectile, stun marked) is your main crowd control. Mark of the Golden Crow (mark for damage, effects) adds damage and pressure. Your ultimate is Sunbreaker (large area damage, slow marked), on a long cooldown (about 90s at rank 1), so save it for fights that matter. Your passive is Suntouched: mark attackers.

Community guides level Ricochet, Divebomb and Mark of the Golden Crow first. Max Mark of the Golden Crow first, then Divebomb.

Your basic attacks are most of your damage, so keep attacking whenever it is safe. Stand at the edge of your range behind your front line and hit whoever is closest. Your power grows with every item, so farm safely early and avoid risky fights. Use Divebomb to reposition or escape, not to charge in. In the duo lane, last hit minions for gold and let your support start fights.

Start with Sharpshooter's Arrow, then buy Devourer's Gauntlet. Buy it early so it finishes stacking. Your core is Dagger of Frenzy and Dominance, and you finish with The Executioner, Riptalon and Deathbringer. A good relic is Purification Beads. If the enemy team heals a lot or you keep dying, open the full tool and enter the enemy gods for the exact swaps.

If you own Aspect of the Mark, it reworks Ricochet (bouncing projectile, stun marked) and Mark of the Golden Crow (mark for damage, effects). It changes what to build, so turn on Aspect in the tool when you play it.

Top players win most often against Osiris, Nox and Atlas, and struggle against Odin, Xbalanque or Hades. Against those, play safer and consider a defensive item earlier.