Yamato builds, abilities and matchups

Deadlock Yamato abilities, item builds, game plan and matchups. Statistics cover 30 days as of 2026-10-25.

Yamato

Tier 4 Assassin · Balanced · Spirit focus

Melee assassin who hooks in and cuts with her sword

Win rate48.0%
Pick rate26.7%
Under 28 min45.9%
Over 40 min48.7%
1234

Item builds last 30 days, 914,813 Yamato games · average win rate 47.6%

Rank 1 / 2This build 124,016 games (13.6% of Yamato games)Win rate 51.8%vs games of the same length +4.1%p

Ability Point Order most common order in this build · numbers are upgrade tiers

Max order 2. Flying Slash → 3. Crimson Slash → 4. Shadow Transformation → 1. Power Slash

Level13356812131520212328293136
1. Power SlashUnlock123
2. Flying SlashUnlock123
3. Crimson SlashUnlock123
4. Shadow TransformationUnlock123
Picked94%54%98%99%98%97%96%99%98%97%99%100%98%100%100%100%

Level: the earliest level that step can be taken (unlocks at levels 1·3·5·8, upgrades cost 1·2·5 points). Picked: of the games with the same order up to the step before, the share that took this ability.

Where it splits: Step 2 (level 3): 2. Flying Slash 53.9% · 3. Crimson Slash 33.3%

Early0~10 min#1~5

Core · #1~5 in order · components included

Skip components you have · if short on slots, buy the upgrade directly

Mid10~25 min#6~13

Core · #6~13 in order · components included

Skip components you have · if short on slots, buy the upgrade directly

Late25 min~#14~17

Core · #14~17 in order · components included

Skip components you have · if short on slots, buy the upgrade directly

Final build, late core bought

9 base slots + 3 unlocked slots · icon numbers are the overall buy order

12 / 12 slots
Extra slot
Extra slot
Extra slot

Destroy Walkers to unlock the extra slots and hold all 12. Situational and counter items replace items in this set; they are not a 13th buy.

4 upgrades that merge components
  • Mystic Regeneration → Radiant Regeneration
  • Extra Regen → Healing Booster
  • Melee Lifesteal → Lifestrike
  • Extra Health → Colossus

Counters swap into the final build when needed

Not recommended often bought, but a poor fit for this build

Rank: games and win rate together. Builds are ordered by the lead over games of the same length times games ÷ (games + 30,000), so a build with few games gets less credit for its lead. Number under each icon: win rate difference against items at the same price. Games in this build where the item was bought are compared with games of the same length (5-min steps), then the average of items at the same price is taken away. Expensive items are bought more in games with Souls to spare (winning ones), so only items at the same price are compared. Click an item for its effects and full stats. Win rates shown are for the build group, not for holding all 12 items of the final build at once.

Build styles 1,500 real games (last 3 days, normal games of 20+ min) grouped into 3 styles by where the build went · grouped by: items bought by 20 min · the numbers beside an item are its average purchase time and the share of that style owning it · deadlock-api.com

New player pickSpirit · Weapon mix · Radiant Regeneration

49% of games · win rate 48.2% · 735 gamesWeapon +14%p vs other styles

Weapon 34%Spirit 36%Vitality 31%
Early (~10 min)
  1. Restorative Shot1:23 · 32%
  2. Stalker6:56 · 76%
Mid (10~20 min)
  1. Radiant Regeneration11:56 · 93%
  2. Bullet Resist Shredder13:24 · 56%
  3. Healing Booster14:56 · 81%
  4. Lifestrike16:44 · 83%
  5. Recharging Rush17:30 · 70%
  6. Hunter's Aura19:51 · 64%
Late (20 min~)
  1. Spirit Snatch21:52 · 38%
  2. Berserker24:03 · 46%
  3. Express Shot25:55 · 39%
  4. Crushing Fists28:45 · 37%

Spirit-focused · Spirit Snatch

37% of games · win rate 48.1% · 553 gamesSpirit +8%p vs other styles

Weapon 14%Spirit 62%Vitality 25%
Early (~10 min)
  1. Restorative Shot2:50 · 34%
  2. Stalker8:13 · 38%
  3. Mystic Shot8:51 · 71%
Mid (10~20 min)
  1. Healbane12:11 · 46%
  2. Spirit Snatch14:57 · 91%
  3. Healing Booster16:15 · 36%
  4. Radiant Regeneration17:28 · 54%
  5. Torment Pulse18:32 · 73%
Late (20 min~)
  1. Lifestrike20:29 · 30%
  2. Tankbuster25:06 · 57%
  3. Superior Cooldown26:56 · 30%
  4. Boundless Spirit28:55 · 49%
  5. Transcendent Cooldown31:27 · 33%

Spirit-focused · Tankbuster

14% of games · win rate 44.8% · 212 gamesSpirit +9%p vs other styles

Weapon 11%Spirit 63%Vitality 26%
Early (~10 min)
  1. Cold Front9:50 · 42%
Mid (10~20 min)
  1. Healing Booster10:01 · 35%
  2. Healbane11:27 · 44%
  3. Improved Spirit12:05 · 32%
  4. Tankbuster17:20 · 71%
  5. Spirit Snatch18:47 · 57%
Late (20 min~)
  1. Torment Pulse21:48 · 42%
  2. Boundless Spirit26:14 · 60%
  3. Mystic Reverb29:22 · 36%
  4. Transcendent Cooldown31:44 · 33%

"New player pick" is the style with the highest win rate among those used in 15% or more of games. Win rates also reflect skill gaps, so within 2%p is about even. At first, buy the picked style in order; once comfortable, fit in counter items for the enemy comp.

Ability max order ability maxed first · last 30 days

1. Power Slash48%
2. Flying Slash45%
3. Crimson Slash5%
4. Shadow Transformation2%

Abilities

1. Power Slash 22m

Channel to increase damage over 1.4 seconds, then release a fully-charged sword strike.Press Ability 1 or to trigger the strike early, dealing partial damage.

Against it: When you see the charge, get out of its path or interrupt it early

2. Flying Slash 26m

Throw a grappling hook to reel yourself towards an enemy, dealingmelee damage and slowing the target when you arrive.

Against it: She hooks in and slows you, so block the angle with cover

3. Crimson Slash Radius 13m

Slash enemies in front of you, damaging them and slowing their fire rate. If any enemy heroes are hit, you heal.

Against it: It slows your fire rate and heals Yamato, so keep your distance

4. Shadow Transformation

Become infused with Yamato's shadow soul. After an initial invincible transformation your abilities are refreshed and are 60% faster. You gain immunity to negative status effects and have greatly increased bullet and spirit resist.When you get a hero kill, you heal and the duration is extended.

Against it: Crowd control doesn't work during it, so stall and back off

Gun
Yamato's gun

5 pellets · Ammo 12 · 2.4 bullets/sec · DPS 63 · full damage to 20m, minimum from 46m

Playing against

  • Block Flying Slash hook angles with cover
  • Don't fight during Shadow Transformation; back off until it ends
  • When Power Slash starts charging, step out of its path

Counter items

Healbane

Strengths

  • Flying Slash closes in on enemies fast
  • Crimson Slash heals her while fighting
  • Immune to debuffs during Shadow Transformation

Weaknesses

  • Has to get close, weak against long-range poke
  • Easy to target while charging Power Slash
  • Much weaker once Shadow Transformation ends

Game plan

Laning

Trade with Crimson Slash and hold off on risky dives.

Mid game

Use Flying Slash on enemies who are alone to rack up kills.

Late game

Go into the enemy with Shadow Transformation and extend it with kills.

Power spikes

Crimson Slash and Flying Slash let her fight up close. Once she has Shadow Transformation, debuff immunity lets her break into team fights.

With them on your team

  • Help Yamato with slows or stuns on the enemy she's on
  • Go in with her during Shadow Transformation to chain kills

2026-10-25 · 30 days · deadlock-api.com, 랭크 기본 매치 · Deadlock API