The Madness of Hou Yi

Look, this isn't a standard ADC build. I'm a minimalist. I believe that skill outweighs the necessity for a ton of item slots being occupied. After hitting 4 ranks with Hou Yi, and being 2 games away from rank 5, I feel that I've developed a simple, yet highly effective build with him. My success with this in games is sitting at 60% w/l, with a 2.0 kdr and averaging at least 4+ kills a game.

And the best thing about it? Hou Yi doesn't belong in a lane. He belongs in the jungle. Roaming, ganking, warding. Your job is to bring down the 9 suns on every unfortunate bastard you come across. Chang'e is waiting.

Writing a rote summary for Hou Yi's skills I feel isn't highly necessary, they're pretty self explanatory. I will share my insight, however.

Ricochet is a line ability, with the unique capability of banking-each bank stacking additional distance and damage on the ability should your arrow be true and find it's mark. This is Hou Yi's core, and it is FUNDAMENTAL that you learn and memorize the parts of the walls (both in jungle and lanes) that allow for maximum ricochet (2 additional banks), or 200% skill damage and +140 meters distance traveled. As the jungle scales with you, Ricochet will almost -always- clear an entire buff camp should you land 2 banks and hit all 3 mobs inside the camp (a proper bank will do so, but finding this angle takes practice--the more you do it, the faster you'll be able to do it. just practice until you can do this in under a second). A proper double-bank will clear mid-harpies in only 1 shot, as well as lower harpies. Basically, ricochet is Hou Yi's ultimate weapon in the jungle, and the potential for farm is insane--as well as the ability to roam more consistently, allowing you to farm enemy jungle on top of your own and keeping your opponent left in the lonely, low-leveled cold of faildom.

Mark of the Golden Crow is your CC ability, and allows for increased damage (1/2/3/4/5% for every 10% missing health) and +15% penetration at max level. This will help scale your overall viability in the late game.

An off-build I tried in lane one time was Penetration Boots+Qins Sais and maxing this ability first. It's a nice passive that stacks with Qins' focused builds, although it's functionality is best served as a crowd control enabler. For this reason, it's worth having at least 1 level of it learned early on in the game. It sets up your knockback+ult+stun combo, and without it you will be missing on the opportunity for massive DPS against the enemy.

Divebomb is more a less an opener, and/or a finisher. It's useful for initiating from behind lane walls after marking, or for securing an enemy kill who has the gall to think he can escape the ultimate fate that awaits him. Thanatos would be proud. It's a very tricky skill, however. There are no invincibility frames until Hou Yi is mid air. You can still be crowd-controlled or damaged, however, during the loading phase. It is imperative you time this ability correctly when escaping..or you will join Icarus.

****tin' Suns on Em is your fourth ability. Jesus, the solar system hurts.

Initiate with Mark of the golden Crow. Divebomb in. Ult. Load up your Ricochet and stun your enemy. Let them bask in the glory of the 9 suns; watch them soak up sunbursts as they are reduced to dust in a violent, chaotic explosion. There is no escape. And if they manage to stave off the ember-laden hand of death, just remember your bow has longer reach. Send an arrow to his *** and let him no there is no escaping Hou Yi, defender of the earths.