Yorick aims to control the side lane by preparing graves and using (E) to mark Illaoi for ghouls, then applying pressure with Maiden.
Manage lane pressure to prevent Illaoi from establishing tentacles and forcing you into her zone, as Yorick has medium lane pressure but low early agency.
This is a splitpush vs juggernaut matchup where Yorick must leverage scaling and side-lane pressure to outpace Illaoi's zone control.
Trading pattern
Prepare graves and land (E) to mark Illaoi, then send ghouls and trap her with (W) when she is immobile or forced to fight inside your zone.
Avoid trading when ghouls are not ready or (E) misses, as Yorick's threat drops significantly.
Punish Illaoi when she commits to melee trades inside your graves and Maiden's pressure, especially if she misses (E) or has no tentacles nearby.
Danger windows
Beware of (E) landing when near her tentacles, as it enables her to punish committed trades heavily.
Illaoi is dangerous when multiple tentacles are established around the wave and (R) is available; avoid fighting in these zones without strong setup.
Yorick is vulnerable when Maiden is dead or graves are not prepared, reducing his pressure and making him susceptible to Illaoi's all-ins.
Early game
Focus on setting graves before engaging trades to maximize ghouls' damage and healing from (Q).
Avoid fighting without graves or Maiden active, as Yorick's early agency is low and Illaoi's pressure is medium.
Use (E) to mark Illaoi and send ghouls when she is near your graves, punishing her if she walks into your setup.
Power spikes
At level 6, summon Maiden (R) to increase side-lane pressure and duel power; protect her to force Illaoi to respond defensively.
Yorick's prepared ghouls combined with (E) create strong pressure; use this setup to force Illaoi to clear or lose wave control.
Respect Illaoi's level 6 (R) spike where she can turn fights with multi-target tentacles; avoid committing to fights inside her tentacle zones without Maiden.
Win conditions
Win by consistently preparing graves, landing (E), and using Maiden to pressure towers and force Illaoi to respond.
Trap Illaoi with (W) when she is immobile or forced into your ghouls, punishing her limited mobility and lack of escape.
Deny Illaoi safe tentacle setups by pushing waves with Maiden and ghouls, forcing her to clear and reducing her zone control effectiveness.
Tip: For Yorick vs Illaoi, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Top lane check.
