Centaur Warrunner vs Sand King

How this matchup plays

Controlling Sand King's tempo is how Centaur Warrunner gets ahead in this matchup. Centaur is naturally difficult for Sand King to burst down, and his kit has direct answers to Sand King's aggression. Any attempt to channel Epicenter near him is likely to be cancelled by a quick Hoof Stomp. Even if Sand King lands a full Burrowstrike combo, Centaur’s high strength and health pool often allow him to survive and turn the fight. Trying to trade basic attacks is also punishing for Sand King due to Retaliate damaging him in return.

This dynamic means Sand King has to play more cautiously than he'd like. Instead of making aggressive plays, he often has to use Sand Storm defensively or wait for Centaur to use his stun on someone else. This gives Centaur and his team space to farm and take objectives. Centaur can play further up on the map, knowing he can use Stampede to escape an Epicenter or simply survive Sand King’s initiation and fight back. For Sand King to be effective, he needs to find pickoffs on more fragile heroes and avoid starting fights on Centaur Warrunner.