Underlord vs Kunkka

How this matchup plays

Pushing into a high-ground defense becomes a bit more straightforward against a Kunkka when you have an Underlord. A core part of Kunkka’s teamfight contribution is his massive physical damage from Tidebringer, which can cleave down fragile backliners. Underlord's Atrophy Aura directly reduces that base attack damage, making those cleaves significantly less threatening to everyone standing near him. This forces Kunkka to rely more on spell damage from Torrent and Ghostship, which is often not enough on its own to burst a target, especially one that Underlord is protecting.

As a result, Kunkka often has to change his approach. He can't reliably blow up the first hero he sees if Underlord is nearby. Instead, he must look for opportunities on the edges of the fight, trying to catch someone away from the aura's effect with X Marks the Spot. Underlord's team can play more confidently as a group, using the damage reduction to secure objectives and force fights. While a perfectly timed Ghostship can still turn the tide, Underlord’s basic presence consistently makes Kunkka's job harder from start to finish.