Axe vs Doom

How this matchup plays

Jumping into a teamfight with Blink Dagger gives Axe the decisive first move. His Berserker's Call comes out instantly, often catching Doom before he can react with his own ultimate. If Doom is caught, he's disabled and vulnerable with the rest of his team. Even if Axe gets Doomed immediately after his Call, he has likely already done his job by locking down multiple enemies. Axe can also build a Blademail, which punishes Doom for even trying to focus him down. In the lane, Battle Hunger is a constant pressure that a melee hero like Doom struggles to deal with, slowing his farm from the start.

This dynamic forces Doom to play on the back foot for the whole game. Axe dictates the pace, looking for opportunities to initiate fights, while Doom has to constantly worry about his positioning to avoid getting caught. This often means Doom can't get into a good spot to use his ultimate on a more important target, as he's preoccupied with surviving Axe's aggression. Culling Blade also provides a much more immediate and decisive way to finish a target than Doom's damage-over-time ultimate, securing kills and turning fights before the enemy can react.