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Deadlock Tiers

Assassin · Spreadshot

Yamato hero artYamato Build & Counters

Delivers charged attacks with finesse. Yamato uses precise strikes to decimate her rivals. However, such damaging attacks often will leave her exposed, so she needs to make every shot count.

Updated ·Refreshed daily from public match data·Methodology

Tier

C

Win rate

46.9%▼ 1.5

Games

128K

26% pick

How to play Yamato right now

Yamato wins 46.9% of 128K games, 1.4 pts below the median hero, down 1.5 pts on last week. Strongest in Ascendant – Eternus lobbies (51.1%), weakest in Initiate – Acolyte (47.7%). Struggles into Paige in lane (39%). Yamato is an assassin (delivers charged attacks with finesse). Build around Restorative Shot, Melee Lifesteal, Spirit Strike, put early points into Flying Slash, and respect Paige in lane.
  • Core items: Restorative Shot, Melee Lifesteal, Spirit Strike, Spirit Snatch
  • Max first: Flying Slash
  • Hardest lanes: Paige, Graves, Seven
  • Best teammates: Rat King, Paige, Graves

Last 7 days, all ranks

Yamato stats

Win rate

46.9%

#29 of 41

Pick rate

26.0%

of matches

Ban share

2.4%

of ranked bans

K / D / A

8.0 / 7.5 / 11.7

KDA 2.63

Souls

39K

per game

Hero damage

33K

per game

Win rate, last 30 days

September 12, 2026 → October 11, 2026 · low 44.8% · high 51.3%

Compare Yamato with another hero in the hero comparison tool.

Ranked matches, last 7 days

Yamato by rank

Initiate – Acolyte

47.7%B

8.3K games

Sentinel – Ritualist

47.9%B

8.0K games

Emissary – Phantom

48.7%B

11K games

Ascendant – Eternus

51.1%A

3.2K games

See every hero for your bracket on the Deadlock tier list.

Items by game phase · last 7 days

Yamato build

Buy rate = share of Yamato games where the item was bought; grouped by average purchase time. Late items always show higher win rates because they are bought in longer, often winning games — compare items within the same phase.

Recommended build — buy in this order

The 12 items most Yamato players buy, sorted by when they are usually bought.

  1. 1Restorative ShotRestorative Shot3m
  2. 2Melee LifestealMelee Lifesteal4m
  3. 3Spirit StrikeSpirit Strike6m
  4. 4Extra RegenExtra Regen8m
  5. 5StalkerStalker8m
  6. 6Mystic ShotMystic Shot10m
  7. 7Improved SpiritImproved Spirit13m
  8. 8Radiant RegenerationRadiant Regeneration14m
  9. 9Healing BoosterHealing Booster16m
  10. 10Spirit SnatchSpirit Snatch18m
  11. 11LifestrikeLifestrike18m
  12. 12Torment PulseTorment Pulse20m

High-rank build — Phantom and above

What Yamato players in Phantom+ ranked lobbies buy (26K games, last 30 days), in buying order.

  1. 1Restorative ShotRestorative Shot1m
  2. 2Melee LifestealMelee Lifesteal4m
  3. 3Spirit StrikeSpirit Strike6m
  4. 4StalkerStalker7m
  5. 5Extra RegenExtra Regen9m
  6. 6Mystic ShotMystic Shot9m
  7. 7Radiant RegenerationRadiant Regeneration12m
  8. 8Recharging RushRecharging Rush15m
  9. 9Healing BoosterHealing Booster15m
  10. 10LifestrikeLifestrike16m
  11. 11Spirit SnatchSpirit Snatch16m
  12. 12Hunter's AuraHunter's Aura20m

Laning 0–10 min

Mid game 10–20 min

Late game 20+ min

Situational picks that win

Bought in under 20% of games, but with the highest win rates when they are.

Most played ability upgrade paths

Yamato skill order

Most popular56.6% win14K games
Power SlashPower Slash···4········
Flying SlashFlying Slash·23·5·7·····
Crimson SlashCrimson Slash1······8910··
Shadow TransformationShadow Transformation·····6····1112
Option 254.2% win4.2K games
Power SlashPower Slash···4······1112
Flying SlashFlying Slash·23·5·7·····
Crimson SlashCrimson Slash1······8910··
Shadow TransformationShadow Transformation·····6······
Option 358.4% win3.9K games
Power SlashPower Slash·2··········
Flying SlashFlying Slash··345·7·····
Crimson SlashCrimson Slash1······8910··
Shadow TransformationShadow Transformation·····6····1112

Yamato abilities

Power Slash1Power Slash12s cooldown

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.

Cooldown 12sCast Delay 1.4sFull Charge Damage 145Slash Radius 41mBullet Resist 60%
  1. 1 AP+32% Movement Slow for 3s
  2. 2 AP-4s Ability Cooldown
  3. 5 AP+8m Cast Range +150.0 Damage and Increases Spirit Power scaling

Flying Slash2Flying Slash36s cooldown

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

Cooldown 36sSlow Duration 2.5sMove Speed 40%
  1. 1 AP-18s Cooldown
  2. 2 APGain +35 Spirit Power for 6s
  3. 5 APAlt-Cast to Grapple allies +15m Cast Range Gains 1 extra charge

Crimson Slash3Crimson Slash16s cooldown

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

Cooldown 16sCast Delay 0.3sDamage 55Heal on hero hit 55Debuff Duration 4sFire Rate 30%
  1. 1 APOn Hit : +30% Melee Damage for 4s
  2. 2 APOn Hero Hit : +6% Max Health Heal
  3. 5 AP-10s Cooldown and increases scaling

Shadow Transformation4Shadow TransformationUltimate150s cooldown

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.

Cooldown 150sDuration 5sAbility Speed 60%Bullet Resist 30%Spirit Resist 30%Max HP Heal On Kill 15%Duration On Kill 2.0s
  1. 1 AP+7 Weapon Damage
  2. 2 AP+4m Move Speed and -20 Cooldown
  3. 5 AP+3.0s Duration +30% Bullet Resist +30% Spirit Resist

Same-lane win rate · last 7 days

How to counter Yamato

Yamato has the hardest time in lane against Paige, Graves, Seven. Items that work best into Yamato: Colossus.

Hardest lanes for Yamato

Yamato wins lane vs

Best teammates

Yamato vs every hero — full counters table →

Last 30 days · win-rate gain over other items in the same games

Best items against Yamato

ColossusColossus6,400 souls · 74K games+0.559.7% win

Compared with the other items bought into Yamato, these ones lift their owner's win rate the most — good picks when you are laning against or chasing Yamato.

Most-played in-game builds · last 7 days

Popular Yamato builds

Community builds from the in-game build browser, ranked by how many games used them. Search the build ID in-game (Hero Builds → search) to import it.

Dew46.9%1.1K games
FREDTHEFINCH YAMATO46.1%959 games
ABL (twitch ablkz)50.6%785 games
Yamato - ONE SLASH IS ENOUGH - deadlocked.gg40.7%642 games
FredTheFinch Grapple Yamato51.7%458 games
Yamato - Tank-Crowd Control [60% WR] [tracklock.gg]48.2%444 games

Recent Yamato changes

September 16, 2026 — Minor Update - 09-16-2026
  • • Crimson Slash T3 now also increases the heal spirit scaling by +0.4
  • • Flying Slash light melee scaling increased from 1.0 to 1.2
July 28, 2026 — Minor Update - 07-28-2026
  • • Flying Slash T2 reduced from +40 Spirit Power to +35
  • • Flying Slash T3 charges from +2 to +1
  • • Flying Slash T3 Charge Time increased from 4s to 5s
July 9, 2026 — Minor Update - 07-09-2026
  • • Flying Slash range reduced from 28m to 26m
  • • Flying Slash T3 Charge Delay increased from 3s to 4s
  • • Flying Slash T3 Ally Targeting now requires alt cast input

About Yamato

Base stats (level 1)

Health
730
Health regen
1/s
Move speed
8.2 m/s
Sprint speed
1.6 m/s
Stamina
3
Light melee
55
Heavy melee
128

Yamato lore

犯罪組織のボスの家に生まれた花桜梨とその兄の大和にとって、

父の死後に「セブンスムーン」の跡目を継ぐのは自明のことでもあった。

そして何年もの間、かれらは対等の立場で組織を率いて利益と成功を

もたらし、やがてはアメリカへの進出をも目論むようになった。

思い描いていた計画は単純で、 大和がアメリカに渡って花桜梨の

国際的な存在感を高め、その間花桜梨は日本に残って国内を統制する、

といったものだった。 兄妹にとって不運だったのは、花桜梨が日本で

指揮をとるという計画を快く思わない部下たちがいたことだった。

そして迅速かつ暴力的な形で、反乱は発生した。大和は花桜梨を

守るために命を落とし、花桜梨と数人の忠実な部下たちは、

その大和の犠牲のおかげもあって、日本からアメリカへと

逃げ延びることに成功した。

アメリカに着いた花桜梨たちを出迎えたのは、本来であれば大和が

会う予定となっていた男であった。彼は日本人の名前になじみが

なかったため性別の区別がついておらず、花桜梨のことを

「ヤマト」と呼んだ。花桜梨は男の間違いを正そうと思ったが、

結局そのままにした。兄の記憶を残し続けるためにも、その名を名乗り、

その夢を受け継ぐことが最善の道であろうと考えたからだ。

Official in-game biography.

Yamato voice linesListen to all 2,150 lines, grouped by situation.▶

Yamato FAQ

Is Yamato good in Deadlock right now?＋

Below average right now. Yamato is C tier (#29 of 41) with a 46.9% win rate over 128K games in the last 7 days. Yamato wins 46.9% of 128K games, 1.4 pts below the median hero, down 1.5 pts on last week. Strongest in Ascendant – Eternus lobbies (51.1%), weakest in Initiate – Acolyte (47.7%). Struggles into Paige in lane (39%).

What is the best Yamato build?＋

Most Yamato players buy Restorative Shot, Melee Lifesteal, Spirit Strike, Spirit Snatch — the four items bought most often. Start with Restorative Shot, Melee Lifesteal, Spirit Strike in lane, then Spirit Snatch, Healing Booster, Lifestrike by mid game.

Who counters Yamato?＋

In lane, Yamato has the lowest win rate against Paige (39.3%), Graves (40.2%), Seven (40.5%). Yamato does best against Solomon (54.0%), Pocket (52.9%), Shiv (52.9%).

How do you counter Yamato?＋

Pick a hero that wins the lane into Yamato — Paige, Graves, Seven do best this week — and build Colossus, which win more often than other items when Yamato is on the enemy team.

What should I max first on Yamato?＋

The most common skill order puts points into Flying Slash first; it wins 56.6% of 14K games. Full order is in the skill order table above.

Other Assassin heroes

Apollo build →

Assassin — finesse, mobility, a cut above, with a spreadshot weapon.

Calico build →

Wreaks havoc from the sidelines. Calico uses the shadows to her advantage, weaving in and

Drifter build →

Assassin — stalker, bloodthirsty, cruel, with a spreadshot weapon.

Haze build →

Sneaks in and sprays bullets. When Haze fixates on a target she can hold her own in a fire

Lash build →

Dives down to stomp his foes. Lash gives his enemies little room to breathe, either by fly

Mirage build →

Times his shots and catches fleeing targets. Mirage can envelop himself in a violent torna