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Yamato portrait

Violet vs Yamato

Not out yet

Written for the Violet player. Playing Yamato? See Yamato vs Violet →

Violet is announced but not out yet. New heroes release Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:00 pm Pacific, in an order set by player vote; the next slot is Friday 16 October.

This page becomes the full matchup guide on release day: the measured win rate, who is favoured, how to win, a phase-by-phase plan and the abilities to watch. Everything known about Violet so far →

How to beat Yamato

  • Never spend CC into Shadow Transformation Shadow Transformation 5s Duration150s Cooldown Yamato transforms with an initial invincible window, refreshes her ability cooldowns, and for the duration casts them much faster while immune to negative status effects and heavily… Damage No direct damage; the power is in refreshed abilities cast 60% faster Mobility T2 adds +4 m/s move speed during the transformation, on top of her already… Defensive Initial invincibility during the 1.5s transformation channel, immunity to… 1 +7 weapon damage 2 +4 m/s move speed and -20s cooldown (150s base) 5 +3s duration (5s base up to 8s) and +30% bullet resist and +30% spirit resist — she is status immune. Hold Binding Word Binding Word 15m Range34s Cooldown Curses a targeted enemy hero. Crowd Control 1.75s immobilise (T2 adds +0.75s, so up to 2.5s) if the target fails the… Damage 110 (about 2.44x spirit scaling) when it lands Defensive Rooting a diver in place is a strong self-peel 1 Warden deals +20% bullet damage to trapped heroes for 5s 2 +0.75s immobilise duration 5 -14s cooldown (34s base) and silences the target until they escape or are immobilised , Petrifying Bola Petrifying Bola 115s Cooldown Throws an explosive bola. Crowd Control 2.2s petrify on a direct hit (T3 adds +1s, up to 3.2s); Damage 50 area damage (about 0.74x spirit scaling); Defensive Petrifying an incoming diver removes them from the fight for over two… 1 +49.5 petrify damage 2 -20s cooldown 5 +1s petrify duration and petrifies all enemies in the area, not just direct hits , Telekinesis Telekinesis 10m Range2.3s Duration150s Cooldown Lifts one enemy hero into the air, holding them helpless for a couple of seconds, then slams them toward a location Wraith chooses. Crowd Control 0.65s stun during the channel, then the target is airborne and unable to act… Damage 100 spirit base (about 1.0x spirit scaling); Mobility none for Wraith — she channels for 0.65s while aiming the throw 1 +100 damage 2 -45s cooldown (150s base down to 105s) 5 +1.5s debuff duration and +6m throw and cast range and Puddle Punch Puddle Punch 40m Range24s Cooldown Materialises a fist at a chosen point up to a long distance away, punching everyone in a small area upward. Crowd Control Knockup on everyone in the 4m radius plus a -24% movement slow for 3s Damage About 58 melee damage (about 0.6x melee scaling); Mobility Grants Viscous and allies increased air control when caught in it 1 +1 charge and +20 damage 2 +1.5m radius and +60% lifesteal 5 -14s cooldown and deals Heavy Melee damage for the moment it expires
  • Disengage for the 5-8s ultimate duration; the cooldown is 130-150s and walking away costs you nothing while costing her everything
  • Deny kills during the ultimate: every hero kill is +2s and a 15% max health heal, so pulling a low teammate to safety (or Cubing them) shortens the window
  • Break line of sight or change elevation during the 1.4s Power Slash Power Slash 12s Cooldown Yamato channels for around a second and a half to build up a sword strike, then releases it as a ranged slash. Crowd Control T1 adds a 32% movement slow for 3s Damage 145 spirit at full charge (about 1.85x spirit scaling), with T3 adding +150… Mobility none — she is channelling 1 +32% movement slow for 3s 2 -4s cooldown (12s base) 5 +8m cast range, +150 damage, and increased Spirit Power scaling channel — outside her ultimate that tell is long and reliable

Bait these first

  • Shadow Transformation Shadow Transformation 5s Duration150s Cooldown Yamato transforms with an initial invincible window, refreshes her ability cooldowns, and for the duration casts them much faster while immune to negative status effects and heavily… Damage No direct damage; the power is in refreshed abilities cast 60% faster Mobility T2 adds +4 m/s move speed during the transformation, on top of her already… Defensive Initial invincibility during the 1.5s transformation channel, immunity to… 1 +7 weapon damage 2 +4 m/s move speed and -20s cooldown (150s base) 5 +3s duration (5s base up to 8s) and +30% bullet resist and +30% spirit resist first — it is the only thing making her survivable. Force it early with a fake commit, disengage, and then fight her for the next 130-150 seconds as a 730 HP hero
  • Flying Slash Flying Slash 26m Range36s Cooldown Throws a grappling hook at an enemy and pulls herself to them, landing a light melee hit and leaving them significantly slowed on arrival. Crowd Control -40% movement slow for 2.5s on the target Damage 66 melee damage Mobility Pulls her to the target from 26m base (T3 adds +15m, up to 41m) 1 -18s cooldown (36s base down to 18s) 2 gain +35 Spirit Power for 6s 5 alt-cast to grapple allies, +15m cast range, and +1 charge second: it is her only engage and, pre-T3, her only movement tool. Baiting it out on a durable frontliner strands her for 18-36 seconds
  • Power Slash Power Slash 12s Cooldown Yamato channels for around a second and a half to build up a sword strike, then releases it as a ranged slash. Crowd Control T1 adds a 32% movement slow for 3s Damage 145 spirit at full charge (about 1.85x spirit scaling), with T3 adding +150… Mobility none — she is channelling 1 +32% movement slow for 3s 2 -4s cooldown (12s base) 5 +8m cast range, +150 damage, and increased Spirit Power scaling third: make her commit the 1.4s channel behind cover where the release hits nothing, then punish the 8-12s cooldown

What Yamato does to you

  • Flying Slash Flying Slash 26m Range36s Cooldown Throws a grappling hook at an enemy and pulls herself to them, landing a light melee hit and leaving them significantly slowed on arrival. Crowd Control -40% movement slow for 2.5s on the target Damage 66 melee damage Mobility Pulls her to the target from 26m base (T3 adds +15m, up to 41m) 1 -18s cooldown (36s base down to 18s) 2 gain +35 Spirit Power for 6s 5 alt-cast to grapple allies, +15m cast range, and +1 charge reaches 26-41m and lands with a -40% slow for 2.5s, which means once she picks you there is no walking away from Power Slash Power Slash 12s Cooldown Yamato channels for around a second and a half to build up a sword strike, then releases it as a ranged slash. Crowd Control T1 adds a 32% movement slow for 3s Damage 145 spirit at full charge (about 1.85x spirit scaling), with T3 adding +150… Mobility none — she is channelling 1 +32% movement slow for 3s 2 -4s cooldown (12s base) 5 +8m cast range, +150 damage, and increased Spirit Power scaling and Crimson Slash Crimson Slash 16s Cooldown A wide slash in front of her that damages enemies and reduces their rate of fire. Crowd Control none, but -30% fire rate for 4s is a heavy offensive debuff Damage 55 spirit (about 0.37x spirit scaling) Defensive Heals 55 (about 1.04x spirit scaling) on hero hit; 1 on hit, +30% melee damage for 4s 2 on hero hit, additional +6% max health heal 5 -10s cooldown and increased scaling
  • Power Slash Power Slash 12s Cooldown Yamato channels for around a second and a half to build up a sword strike, then releases it as a ranged slash. Crowd Control T1 adds a 32% movement slow for 3s Damage 145 spirit at full charge (about 1.85x spirit scaling), with T3 adding +150… Mobility none — she is channelling 1 +32% movement slow for 3s 2 -4s cooldown (12s base) 5 +8m cast range, +150 damage, and increased Spirit Power scaling at T3 does up to roughly 295 Spirit Damage from 30m while she holds 60% Bullet Resist during the charge, so trading bullets into it loses
  • Crimson Slash Crimson Slash 16s Cooldown A wide slash in front of her that damages enemies and reduces their rate of fire. Crowd Control none, but -30% fire rate for 4s is a heavy offensive debuff Damage 55 spirit (about 0.37x spirit scaling) Defensive Heals 55 (about 1.04x spirit scaling) on hero hit; 1 on hit, +30% melee damage for 4s 2 on hero hit, additional +6% max health heal 5 -10s cooldown and increased scaling strips -30% of your fire rate for 4s while healing her 55 + 6% of her max health, so diving her carry is both punished and self-sustaining

How to counter Yamato →

What Valve has shown of Violet

Abilities not shown yet. Valve's words for Violet: ambitious, nimble, creative. A painter. Likely a zoning or terrain-painting kit; nothing confirmed yet.

Other new heroes against Yamato