Garen vs Yasuo Top Matchup

Why Garen is favored

Wind Wall(W) cannot block Garen's Decisive Strike(Q) or Judgment(E), and a light hit can strip Yasuo's passive shield before Garen commits to the trade. If he disengages afterward, Perseverance(P) restores health, so Yasuo's poke is harder to make stick; players from both sides describe that short-trade and sustain pattern as Garen's advantage.

How to play as Garen

Break Way of the Wanderer's(P) shield with a light Judgment(E) hit before committing to a full trade. Save Courage(W) for Yasuo's tornado and follow-up damage.

Wind Wall(W) blocks projectiles, but Garen's close-range attack from Decisive Strike(Q) and the damage from Judgment(E) are not projectiles.

After Garen avoids damage long enough, Perseverance(P) restores health lost during a trade, giving him a reset if he disengages before Yasuo can keep applying pressure.

How to play as Yasuo

Poke with Steel Tempest(Q) from its long range and use Sweeping Blade(E) through minions for short in-and-out trades; Wind Wall(W) cannot stop Garen's Q or E because neither is a projectile.

Yasuo's passive shield builds while he moves and triggers when a champion damages him, so Garen can remove it with a hit before committing to a full trade.

Sources

These notes come from r/GarenMains and r/YasuoMains, checked against the champions' abilities.