Bristleback vs Pugna

How this matchup plays

A fight against Pugna often puts Bristleback in a bind. Bristleback thrives by casting Quill Spray repeatedly, but Pugna's Nether Ward punishes that game plan directly, dealing damage for every spell cast. Life Drain can also melt Bristleback from a safe distance, ignoring his passive defenses. This all assumes Pugna can stay safe, though. He's a fragile hero, and if Bristleback gets on top of him, the fight is over in seconds. Pugna has to kite and control the fight, while Bristleback wants to close the distance and turn it into a brawl.

The entire matchup hinges on which hero can dictate the engagement. Pugna will try to position his Nether Ward out of sight and use Decrepify to save himself or an ally. Bristleback, in turn, will often build a Black King Bar to ignore the Ward's damage and run straight for Pugna. It becomes a game of cat and mouse. If Pugna is found and initiated on, he dies and his team loses a key controller. If Bristleback runs into a well-prepared setup, he can be drained and killed by the Ward before he can contribute.