Bristleback vs Riki

How this matchup plays

Attacking Bristleback from behind is usually a good idea, but it's what Riki is built to do. This creates a strange standoff. Riki wants to hit the back for his bonus damage, but that's exactly where Bristleback is tankiest. Each of Riki's quick attacks will trigger a Quill Spray, and a fragile hero like Riki can't afford to get hit by many of those. Bristleback also applies a stacking slow, which can prevent the slippery Riki from disengaging once he commits to an attack.

The fight can swing either way depending on execution. Riki's Smoke Screen is a real problem for Bristleback, as the silence and miss chance stop him from building up spell stacks and fighting back effectively. A patient Riki can wait for Bristleback to be focused on someone else before using Tricks of the Trade to deal damage without being a direct target for quills. The lane and mid-game often come down to who gets ahead first; if Bristleback gets an early lead in durability, Riki can't touch him, but if Riki gets damage items first, he can burst Bristleback down before the quills become overwhelming.