Master Yi brings a new angle to the Ionia faction—delayed power with a purpose.
At five mana with four base power, he enters the board calm and collected. But once you hit eight runes, that quiet focus becomes a deadly swing.
Yi is not about early pressure. He is about turning long games into closing statements.
Gameplay / Cool Mechanics
The key line is simple. “While you have eight or more runes, I have plus four power.” That takes him from a solid four to a clean eight, without needing any extra investment.
Rune count is a mechanic already tied to card cycling, spell casting, and broader synergy across Ionia, so decks built to lean into that naturally hit the threshold.
Yi rewards that with one of the strongest passive damage spikes we have seen on a Champion Unit.
He does not need an attack trigger. He does not need to activate anything. Once your runes are up, Yi swings for nearly double his cost. In midrange and spell-heavy Ionian builds, that kind of scaling is perfect.
You spend the early game drawing, setting up, cycling spells or bouncing threats, and then Yi shows up and ends things quickly.
He also fits into control lists that play slower and lean into rune generation as a side effect. In that shell, Yi becomes a clean finisher. Something you drop when the opponent has run out of steam and you are ready to push through.
His timing window lines up naturally with those types of lists. That matters more than most on-curve plays because he does not require more setup once dropped.
Visuals
The art captures exactly what he offers. Master Yi stands still in a burst of falling leaves, hand raised, not in aggression but in awareness.
The gold tones and flowing green energy build this atmosphere of discipline and timing. He is not moving fast. He is waiting.
He knows when the moment is right. The background stays soft and distant. Your eye stays on him, and that is exactly the point.
Pull Rate and Value Speculation
Set Number: OGS 004 of 024
Rarity: Champion
Foil Status: Not yet confirmed
Alternate Art: Not revealed
Overnumbered: No signs yet
Master Yi is one of those cards that might not hit top-five hype at launch, but that does not mean he is a sleeper. If rune decks find footing early, he becomes essential.
Foils could start quiet but climb once players see how consistently he closes games.
If we get an alt art that shows Yi mid-strike or framed in a battle stance, expect a collector spike.
Master Yi from Riftbound TCG is a finisher for people who play the long game right. He does not rush. He does not demand.
But when the board is ready, he shows up and handles business. Clean, strong, and brutally efficient once the engine is running.
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