Abaddon vs Slark

How this matchup plays

Pinning down a target like Slark is difficult, and Abaddon's toolkit doesn't always line up perfectly to solve it. Slark can remove the slow and silence from Curse of Avernus with his own Dark Pact, making it harder for Abaddon to keep him in place. While Aphotic Shield is a great save against the initial Pounce leash on an ally, Slark can often re-engage once the shield expires. Furthermore, Slark doesn't rely on one big burst of damage. He wears targets down with Essence Shift, which means he can simply disengage when Borrowed Time activates on Abaddon, denying him a big heal and re-engaging once it's over.

This gives Slark's team a slight tempo advantage heading into the mid-game. He can more freely hunt for targets across the map, knowing Abaddon's saves are less of a hard stop for him. An Abaddon player wants to force five-on-five teamfights where his ultimate can absorb a ton of damage and turn the tide. Slark fundamentally disrupts that plan by preferring to pick off stragglers and using Shadow Dance to reset fights. To win, Abaddon's team must maintain vision and move as a unit, punishing Slark if he tries to start a fight on an isolated core.