Alchemist vs Weaver

How this matchup plays

Picking a hero to lock down Weaver can be difficult, as he can often escape with Shukuchi or Time Lapse. Alchemist provides a specific answer with Unstable Concoction. Since Alchemist controls the release of the stun, he can force a timing window. Weaver has to guess whether to use Shukuchi early and hope Alchemist mis-times the throw, or wait and risk getting hit by a long-duration stun. The armor reduction and vision from Acid Spray also make it much harder for Weaver to survive being caught or to juke through trees, making him an easier target for Alchemist and his team.

During the lane, this means Alchemist can often create pressure that makes it hard for Weaver to farm safely. Later in the game, Weaver's typical hit-and-run playstyle is riskier because a single well-timed stun from an off-screen Alchemist can turn a pickoff attempt around completely. This forces the Weaver to consider building defensive items sooner than preferred, slowing his own scaling. Alchemist is usually happy with this trade, as he can use his ultimate to farm and sustain through any poke, aiming to hit an item powerspike that Weaver struggles to match.