How to Play Two Off-Meta Duos (Master Yi + Taric and Ivern + Mordekaiser)

Innovation and creativity are key components of achieving mastery. Our experts are always theorycrafting within and outside the meta, trying to think of different ways that the game could be played effectively. In this article, we’ll be discussing two strong off-meta pairings as described by our Challenger Coach, Moriarty.

Taric (Mid) + Master Yi (Jungle)

How it works

The pairing focuses on providing the utility that Master Yi needs to snowball and thrive in teamfights. It works similarly to the Yi + Kayle combo but is much tankier in comparison.

You may not know that Taric’s Dazzle stun channel doesn’t break or cancel when used on a Yi that using Alpha Strike, meaning that if the Taric times his stun properly, it is basically impossible to dodge the stun.

Master Yi’s Q, Alpha Strike via LoL wiki

Although it takes a bit more skill to execute, this combo has much more kill pressure compared to its counterpart.This is a duo that is able to 2v5 games if it snowballs because you have 2 sources of AoE stuns and a Master Yi that is enabled with tankiness and invincibility from Taric’s ultimate.

Taric’s E, Dazzle via LoL wiki

You’ll want to use this pairing Mid lane instead of Top lane due to its increased kill pressure on the normal squishy Mid laners and the more useful mid lane priority.

How to execute

In the early game, Master Yi should clear his jungle and then comes to Mid after he has done 4 – 5 camps including his two buffs to avoid getting counterjungled.

The Yi should then look to join the Taric Mid where they attempt to use the Dazzle into an Alpha Strike hit-stun combo to bully the enemy Mid laner before level 6. This also creates a large mid priority, allowing the combo to roam to other lanes or countergank easily

The Yi can return to farm Wolves, Raptor, or buffs when he feels like it but shouldn’t take Gromp or Krugs. Doing so could give up Mid pressure and the chance for kills on the enemy mid.

Master Yi’s Ultimate (R), Highlander via LoL wiki 

Once they both hit 6, this is when the magic happens. Due to Taric ult, the stun combo, and Master Yi ult, the pair can dive the enemy Mid laner from 100 to zero due to all the immunity and tower aggro resets the Yi can do.

Taric’s Ultimate (R), Cosmic Radiance via LoL wiki

Whenever both ultimates come off cooldown, the pair should look to make powerplays. Once they kill the enemy Mid, they can try to take a tower and look to invade the enemy jungle or look for dives. If properly executed, they should have a fed, and near-invincible Master Yi running around killing everything.

Watch out for matchups against compositions with defensive waveclear options such as Anivia. It’ll be much harder to snowball an early lead.

Ivern + Mordekaiser (bot lane)

How it works

This combo excels because it has incredible survivability and the ability to dominate control of objectives. Ivern’s Q allows Morde to gain a gap closer when it lands, helping to cover up one of Morde’s traditional weaknesses.

Ivern’s Q, Rootcaller via Lol wiki

Due to the extra shield Ivern provides, it becomes very hard to stop the Morde from pushing the lane and automatically allows the duo to have push priority. They have great neutral objective control and can take the time to duo take Scuttle and or Dragon if they have enough pressure.

Ivern’s passive, Friend of the Forest via LoL Wiki

At 6, they’re both able to summon very strong pets, making it very easy to push down towers or even take on a higher number of enemy players. This can be a nightmare for the enemy team because they can turn 2v3 ganks very easily post 6. This combo is a great option if the rest of your team went full AD in solo lanes + Jungle, such as Fiora Top, Zed Mid, and Lee Sin Jungle.

How to execute

During the first few levels, the pair should look to shove in their opponent under tower using the Mordekaiser W and Ivern’s Shield AOE to out-sustain any poke. When shoved, the Ivern can go and take the Scuttle with his passive for additional vision control/safety.

Once this combo is level 3, they can start to look for kills. If Ivern lands a root, Morde can take the gap closer in to deal some massive damage while being protected by the Ivern shield which will also slow the target after the root ends.

Mordekaiser’s Ultimate (R), Children of the Grave via LoL wiki

If no roots land, they can continue to shove the opponent since they will often have no way to stop the immense shoving power. Once the pair reaches level 6, they can use the pressure to look to take Dragon, or blow both your ults once a root lands for an all-in. The big goal is to try and get the first Dragon and have the Dragon + Daisy pet siege for an easy first tower to snowball the rest of the game.

Thanks for reading! We hoped you enjoyed this fun one, let us know what you think in the comments or on Discord.