Vi in League of Legends: Guide for beginners

It is generally a good idea to pick a character you know and like — to feel emotional a connection and be motivated to play and train them. That’s true for all games, including League of Legends. Say, you watched Arcane, and you are impressed by the show. You want to try out LoL or return to it, and Vi attracts you a lot, as a Champion. Then don’t hesitate to make her your main choice! This guide will help you take the max from this character: the maximum of joy and results.

Vi is one of the best Arcane characters for beginners in League of Legends. Even the official description categorizes the Champion as easy to play, with one bar of difficulty. LoL Vi is really quite straightforward, with an extra passive ability. At the same time, her primary role requires some experience in the game.

Vi is a Jungler in League of Legends. This is a pretty difficult role, and beginners should take a few steps to actually pick it in the PvP matchmaking.

LoL Vi may have difficulties in the early stage, as she doesn't have healing abilities. Teammates may help you with the opening camp, so your Vi keeps more health in the first clear. Your Jungler pet will support the health recovery in the beginning.

Vi’s Passive ability (Blast Shield) is a good alternative to healing, and it helps a lot throughout the game. Team communication before attacking Dragons and (especially) Baron is crucial, though!

In a way, Vi’s Q (Vault Breaker) is her main ability. The Champion charges her punch and dashes forward to attack an opponent. She can move through obstacles on the way. This is a power that carries Vi in duels. When she reaches level 9, with her Q being fully developed, Vi becomes almost unstoppable.

Her passive W ability (Denting Blows) is also very important. In fact, it’s the first recommended ability to unlock. Vi breaks the armor of her opponents and gets an increased attack speed.

With the E ability (Relentless Force), LoL Vi damages opponents that stand behind her primary target. This secondary damage is substantial, and you need to choose the positioning for this attack properly. The reach of E is impressive, and you can use it to damage a fleeing Champion: attack a minion or a turret, and E will reach the target behind it.

The ultimate ability of Vi (R, Cease and Desist) helps the Champion reach the distant target alongside damaging, knocking aside, and stunning opponents on the way. Vi benefits from choosing the right target — especially in team fights, where teammates can effectively attack stunned opponents.

The best sequence of unlocking LoL Vi’s abilities is shown in the table below.

There are different approaches to builds in LoL. As a beginner, you should follow the simplest one.

Later, with some experience, you will be able to pick up a high-Elo build of another player and add some corrections according to your personal style. When you already know how to play Vi, you will be able to select runes and items for your personal preferences.

Out of three Rune builds recommended by LoL for Vi, Hail of Blades is quite popular and has a decent win rate.

As for items, here are some general tips.

For Summoner Spells, you must have Smite as a Jungler, otherwise it is impossible to even buy a Jungler pet. Flash is a popular option for Vi in League of Legends, and it participates in combos. Some players select Ignite to power-up their offensive playstyle.

While being a beginner-friendly character, Vi still has some options to increase damage. Weaving auto attacks (AA) between abilities is important for her. E resets Vi’s auto attack, and this feature should be actively used in combos. Casting Flash with Q is very effective to attack distant opponents, but the option is pretty costly.

Here are some Vi combos you can use in League of Legends.

It may be overwhelming for LoL beginners to even look at these combo notations. No worries! Take them to your Vi matches and practice to develop muscle memory. In fact, Vi combos are pretty simple: follow the auto attack animation closely to know when to activate the next ability. Practice League of Legends combos in the Co-op vs AI mode first and only then bring them to more intense PvP matches.

While still a beginner-friendly LoL Champion, Vi is picked a lot at top-level esports events. Just take a look at the occasions when T1 were on Arcane characters at Worlds 2024: it’s mainly Oner on Vi. The other teams took her quite often too.

Sure, the meta of League of Legends is not a stable substance. The moment may come when other Jungle Champions will become more popular among LoL professionals. But knowing that Vi helped the best players on the planet to win the World Champions title could be reassuring for playing her — at any level of skill.

Here are some aspects of League of Legends Vi you should know and use in your play.

With both Q and R, Vi breaks the limitations of a melee Champion. She can rush forward even with her most basic ability to cut the distance and start landing punches (including moving through obstacles). With the Ultimate, Vi aims at a specific opponent. These abilities are offense-oriented.

Q may help with retreat, and you need to use Flash (Ghost) to escape unfavorable battlers. 

The close-range nature is the first thing to keep in mind while choosing this character.

Rushing forward with Q while having a shield from Passive is a great feature for ganking opponents on a lane. Make sure your teammates are ready to support your attack!

Vi generally works better with assistance. Her passive W breaks armor and allows the team to deal significant burst damage. Her R knocks and stuns opponents, which is super effective in team fights.

E of Vi can be used to participate in clearing minion waves on lanes and against groups of small monsters (like those appearing after defeating a Voidgrub). Aim at the biggest one to damage the small automatically.

Looking for duels is a good strategy for Vi. She is a ganking Jungler, so help your teammates get ahead of their direct lane opponents. Be brave in invading the opposite side of the river and take down the other Jungler.

However, the early game is difficult for Vi, and you shouldn’t risk too much. If Vi gets behind, it is difficult to catch the pace with her. You need to reach level 9 and get Trinity Force to become a mighty threat with the ability to carry the team.

In the later phase of a League of Legends game, Vi is an excellent initiator. You should dash forward with her R to deal damage and apply the stun effect to as many opponents as possible. It is essential to make sure your teammates are ready to join the fight quickly: in terms of attack range and abilities countdown. The starting effort by Vi may lead to the team's fight success.

LoL Vi is for those who like direct fights and enjoy active offense. You should be careful in the early game and scale to level 9 before getting reckless. Experiment with recommended builds to find your style. Practice Vi’s combos to increase damage substantially: weaving auto attacks between abilities is essential with Vi. She is a dueling Champion and a team fight initiator. 

For guides and League of Legends news and updates, stick around on esports.gg!