Beastmaster vs Slardar

How this matchup plays

Picking Beastmaster into a potential Slardar lane is a tough call for any drafter. Beastmaster relies on his high health and the physical damage from his army to overwhelm opponents. Slardar is perfectly equipped to dismantle that strategy. Corrosive Haze makes Beastmaster’s natural tankiness irrelevant by stripping away his armor, turning him into a surprisingly soft target. At the same time, Slithereen Crush provides an easy, reliable way to stun and clear out the boar and any other summons Beastmaster brings to a fight, neutralizing his main source of pressure and damage.

Once Slardar gets a Blink Dagger, the game becomes incredibly difficult for Beastmaster. He wants to be on the front line, using Primal Roar and pushing towers, but he can’t survive being the focus. A Blink-Crush initiation from Slardar is often a death sentence. This forces the Beastmaster to play from the back, unable to apply pressure and constantly worried about getting picked off before a fight. Slardar can play aggressively, knowing that one of the enemy's key initiators is effectively shut down as long as he’s nearby.