Bristleback vs Timbersaw

How this matchup plays

Trying to kill a durable hero with pure damage feels bad when they can simply turn around and take less of it. Timbersaw relies on Whirling Death and Chakram to fell tanky opponents, but Bristleback's passive reduces all damage from the back and sides, not only physical. This forces Timbersaw to stay in front of Bristleback to be effective, which is tough to do. At the same time, Bristleback’s Viscous Nasal Goo directly counters Timbersaw’s Reactive Armor by stripping away the protection it provides, making each Quill Spray hit harder and harder.

This interaction defines the matchup from the start. Bristleback can usually pressure Timbersaw out of lane and has little to fear from him in teamfights. Bristleback is free to run at more important targets, building Warpath stacks and ignoring Timbersaw's attempts to bring him down. Timbersaw’s best bet is to avoid dueling Bristleback entirely and use his mobility to find squishier heroes. The problem is that Bristleback is almost always in the way, and Timbersaw lacks the tools to stop him.