Across the vast Honor of Kings roster, players using 12BET can freely choose heroes that suit their preferences and individual playstyles. However, not every hero can remain equally powerful, so the developers regularly adjust characters whose performance threatens the game’s overall balance. Such changes do not always lead to better results. Some heroes fall from grace and disappear from the battlefield, while others benefit indirectly and rise to the top of the competitive rankings.

Dongfang Yao was once regarded as an overpowered hero because he combined impressive durability, high damage, and outstanding mobility. His unique Star Reduction passive was especially troublesome, allowing him to absorb a large amount of incoming damage. Although he initially had little impact in the top lane, the growing popularity of other fighters pushed him toward the jungle. He adapted surprisingly well, and jungle Yao soon became a common sight in almost every match. Many players complained that he was nearly impossible to eliminate, eventually forcing the developers to weaken him.

After the adjustment, performance trends followed through 12BET showed that Yao had become caught between two stools. Building defensive equipment left him unable to deal meaningful damage, while choosing an offensive setup made him far too fragile. Neither approach produced reliable results, causing him to gradually disappear from most players’ selections. His pick rate has now fallen below five percent, while his win rate remains under 47 percent. He is even selected less often than Sun Wukong, who is widely considered one of the game’s least popular heroes.

In reality, Yao was never completely invincible before the nerf. His overall win rate stood at only 51 percent, and it dropped below 50 percent in elite modes such as Peak Tournament and high-ranked matches. The strongest backlash instead came from Star Reduction. The passive could neutralize critical-hit damage, effectively canceling a major part of an ADC hero’s offensive power. This allowed Yao to turn the tables and eliminate a full-health marksman, making the mechanic a major source of balance concerns.

Yao also has several clear weaknesses. He depends heavily on gold and experience, and without sufficient resources, defeating an opponent with a single ability combination is nearly impossible. That limitation is especially damaging for a hero designed to combine the qualities of a fighter and an assassin. With Star Reduction now significantly weaker, he must purchase defensive items simply to survive. Without them, one well-timed enemy attack can bring him down in the blink of an eye.

Among players using 12BET, Yao’s current position is widely viewed as awkward and increasingly difficult to justify. Should this situation continue, he may become a forgotten hero who rarely appears outside casual matches. People often say every cloud has a silver lining, but Yao cannot wait indefinitely for better days. He urgently needs a carefully designed improvement that restores his identity and competitive value without reviving the oppressive mechanics that once made him so frustrating to face.