I should also add the thing I hate most about yorick is that people just run away from his ghouls and let them die, its SO frustrating. Hes useless.

I strongly recommend finding a guide on the forums or YouTube to teach you tricks and tips.I assure you it will help you a lot especially if it is a commentary.

His burst is not pathetic...

You need to learn how to zone, learn how to harass, etc. Not sure if it was OP, but the person that said it's annoying when they run away from ghouls, is kind of off base. If you stand in the minions, or even on their side of the minions a little bit, them running from ghouls = 0 xp, 0 cs. That shouldn't be annoying at all.

I have found that a lot of Yoricks burst comes from the fact that Q resets the auto attack, allowing you to aa, then q almost instantly. At level 5, assuming level 3 e and level 1 q and w...

E = 115 + 100% AD
W = 60 + 100% AP
AA = 80ish? (Should have AD marks at least, possibly quints)
Q =30 + 120% AD

or, somewhere around 600 damage. Also, this doesn't account for his ghouls that continue to attack or the fact that they are now slowed by your w and q which means you get multiple follow up hits.

Mana management.

Here's a video which should show you how to play him better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4OZP6f1V0w

start with your W (for bush checks) then get E and Q at lvl 3, then max E, then Q, then W.

as for builds, i usually start with a mekei pendent and 2 mana pots, get a tear and a ward first back, and boots if you can afford them, next trip back get manamune and start spamming, all your mana troubles should be over from then on out, nxt I would say get mercs, and then atmas, and then warmogs if long game (even scores on both sides, even towers) or frozen mallet if short game. (fed teammates, or you are up 2-3 towers) from there u can triforce, and if you get the chance, banshees as a last item or if you're just realllly fed you can get BT.

as for masteries and runes I go 1/8/21, AD marks, flat armor yellows and MR blues, with AD quints (his Q and E both scale off AD) or if you really don't have the balls to escape-tap you can run move speed quints.

What the last poster said except I don't rush manamune. Keep tear and build tanky with belt and phage. By that time you should be able to manamune/sheen then finish warmog/atma then tri. Ofc boots in there too. And ofc your order is determined by how the game its going. Remember, you can go toe to toe with just about anyone that doesn't have ignite.

Get e,w,q. Then max e then q then w. W to check grass, escape, harass. Q is big damage and allows you to chase or get away fast. E is super sustain. I usually run heal as well.

Yoricks burst is insane when you get your items, and the only way you'll lose top lane is if your out played. You can farm all day while dominating lane control, most times enemies will get so frustrated from your harass that they'll make a mistake and give you a kill too.