Axe vs Winter Wyvern

How this matchup plays

Trying to save an ally from an initiating Axe is a nightmare. Winter Wyvern’s primary defensive tool, Cold Embrace, is almost completely ignored by Axe's Culling Blade, which will execute a low-health target regardless of the physical immunity. This makes her feel powerless to stop a successful gank. Furthermore, if Axe's Berserker's Call catches Winter Wyvern herself, she's a soft target who dies quickly without being able to cast any of her spells. She can’t save anyone if she’s the one getting initiated on.

This puts all the pressure on the Winter Wyvern player throughout the game. Fights revolve around Axe's Blink Dagger timing and his ability to instantly jump on a key hero. Wyvern's best counterplay is to maintain extreme distance and try to land a preemptive Winter's Curse on Axe's teammates to disrupt his initiation. Even then, Axe dictates the terms of engagement. If he decides to target Winter Wyvern first, her team loses its best defensive spell before the fight truly begins.