Use your control mage kit to keep the lane pushed and deny Yorick safe scaling and side-lane setup.
Manage wave pressure to prevent Yorick from establishing his graves and Maiden for splitpush threat.
This is a control vs splitpush matchup; focus on wave control and suppression picks rather than extended dueling.
Trading pattern
Trade by pushing with (E) and Voidlings, then threaten silence (Q) or (R) when Yorick steps forward marked by (E).
Punish Yorick when his ghouls are not prepared or Maiden is down by forcing short trades and wave pressure.
Avoid fighting inside (W) cage and respect his (E) slow to prevent being trapped and losing trades.
Danger windows
Yorick is most dangerous when his ghouls are ready and (E) marks you, especially if Maiden is alive; avoid extended trades then.
Be cautious of (W) cage as it can trap you without mobility; maintain spacing to dodge or avoid it.
Your (R) channel can be interrupted by external crowd control; ensure safe positioning before committing to all-ins.
Early game
Push early with (E) and Voidlings to force Yorick under tower and disrupt his grave setup.
Avoid extended trades before level 6 when Yorick's ghouls and (E) mark are less threatening.
Use your spell shield to block Yorick's poke and maintain lane presence without overcommitting.
Power spikes
At level 6, your (R) suppression enables reliable all-ins or picks; track its availability to force Yorick to respect or disengage.
After your first mana/AP item, increase wave pressure and trade confidence to deny Yorick scaling space.
Respect Yorick's level 6 (R) Maiden summon as it significantly boosts his side-lane pressure and duel power; prioritize killing Maiden before contesting.
Win conditions
Maintain constant lane pressure with (E) and Voidlings to deny Yorick's graves and Maiden setup.
Use your level 6 (R) suppression to secure picks or force Yorick to play defensively.
Keep the lane pushed to enable map presence and objective setup, preventing Yorick from freely splitpushing.
Tip: For Malzahar vs Yorick, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Top lane check.
