Anti-Mage vs Windranger

How this matchup plays

Blinking on top of Windranger presents a difficult choice. Anti-Mage can use Counterspell to reflect a crucial Shackleshot, removing her main form of control. His own Blink also helps him stick to her, even if she activates Windrun for the speed boost. The constant threat of Mana Void looms over an intelligence hero like Windranger, making extended fights dangerous for her. However, Windrun's evasion is still highly effective at dodging his attacks, meaning he often can't finish the kill alone without specific items.

This matchup is a race against the clock. Windranger can be much stronger in the mid-game, and will look to gank a farming Anti-Mage to shut him down before he gets too big. A successful Shackleshot with any follow-up is usually enough to kill him early on. But if Anti-Mage survives this phase, his scaling and item progression give him more answers. An eventual Monkey King Bar negates her evasion, and an Abyssal Blade lets him lock her down himself, tipping the scales in his favor.