Abaddon vs Witch Doctor

How this matchup plays

Picking one of these heroes into the other is a bet on which player can better manage their cooldowns. Abaddon's kit is fundamentally designed to counter the kind of single-target burst Witch Doctor provides. A well-timed Aphotic Shield instantly removes Maledict from a key ally, completely neutering the follow-up from Death Ward. Even if Witch Doctor finds a perfect channel, Abaddon can often activate Borrowed Time and simply walk away or turn the fight. This makes it very difficult for Witch Doctor to execute his signature kill combo on a priority target as long as Abaddon is nearby and has spells available.

The actual outcome of a fight depends on clever positioning and baiting. A smart Witch Doctor will hold his spells, waiting for Aphotic Shield to be used on someone else before casting Maledict. He can also use Paralyzing Cask to create chaos, hoping to catch Abaddon in the stuns so he can't cast his defensive abilities. For his part, Abaddon has to correctly identify the real threat and save his dispel for the Maledict. It’s a constant mind game where the first person to commit their big spell incorrectly often loses the engagement for their team.