Bristleback vs Ringmaster

How this matchup plays

Picking a control hero like Ringmaster into Bristleback often backfires completely. Ringmaster’s kit is designed to trap and pull enemies out of position, setting them up for his team to burst down. The problem is, Bristleback thrives on this kind of attention. Getting pulled into the middle of the enemy team is exactly what he wants. He can turn his back, soak up enormous damage with his passive, and repeatedly cast Quill Spray on everyone grouped up around him. Instead of creating a kill opportunity, Ringmaster’s spells often put Bristleback in the perfect spot to win the fight himself.

This dynamic makes teamfights incredibly difficult for the Ringmaster's side. Any attempt to use a big control spell on Bristleback just drags him onto the backline, where he can run down the supports. This forces the Ringmaster player into a dilemma: either ignore the rampaging Bristleback with their best spells or use them and make the situation even worse. Meanwhile, Bristleback can play with incredible confidence, knowing the enemy’s primary lockdown is a free ticket into the enemy’s backline. The best Ringmaster can do is try to catch Bristleback’s allies, but that leaves the biggest threat completely unanswered.