Alchemist vs Lina

How this matchup plays

Trying to land a full combo on Alchemist often feels unrewarding. Even if Lina connects with Light Strike Array and Laguna Blade, his Chemical Rage provides so much regeneration that he can frequently survive the burst and turn the fight. Before he gets his ultimate, however, the lane can be very difficult for Alchemist. Lina’s range and constant spell pressure from Dragon Slave can easily zone him out and disrupt the farm he needs to get ahead. Her ability to control the lane early often clashes with his ability to ignore her later.

The matchup becomes a race against the clock. Lina's goal is to dominate the early laning phase and convert that pressure into kills on Alchemist, delaying his item progression for as long as possible. Alchemist, on the other hand, is playing for survival. He aims to secure enough farm to get his ultimate and a core item, at which point he can start ignoring Lina's harassment and accelerate with Greevil's Greed. The better farmer and map controller usually dictates the outcome.