Alchemist vs Lich

How this matchup plays

Choosing Lich into an Alchemist can be a deliberate attempt to slow down his game. Alchemist's entire plan revolves around hitting things very fast, especially during Chemical Rage. Lich's Frost Shield is a direct answer to this, reducing incoming physical damage and slowing attack speed, which significantly cuts down Alchemist’s output. This forces Alchemist to stay on a target for much longer than he wants to. Furthermore, Lich's Chain Frost is effective at punishing teams that have to group up to either protect or follow their Alchemist, turning his own team into a liability.

The result is a game of timings. Lich's presence pressures the Alchemist to build a Black King Bar sooner than he might want, delaying more valuable damage or farming items. The goal for the Lich player is to force skirmishes and slow Alchemist's gold from Greevil's Greed before he can afford the items to ignore him. If Alchemist gets a good start and is able to farm his key items without being punished, he can still build a lead and run over the game. The matchup hinges on whether Lich can successfully disrupt that critical farming window.