Centaur Warrunner vs Wraith King

How this matchup plays

Choosing an initiator into a Wraith King draft forces you to think about who you can actually kill. Centaur Warrunner relies on his Hoof Stomp and Double Edge combo to blow up a key target at the start of a fight. Against Wraith King, this entire pattern falls apart. Centaur can expend all his mana and a large chunk of his own health to secure a kill, only to see WK stand back up with Reincarnation. This leaves Centaur weakened and his primary spells on cooldown while the enemy carry is back at full strength.

This dynamic means Centaur is often forced into a bad decision during teamfights. He can either try to burst down Wraith King, which is pointless, or ignore him, letting WK freely attack his teammates. The Wraith King player can position very aggressively knowing that Centaur Warrunner lacks the tools to permanently deal with him. Centaur’s best bet is to use Stampede to kite or escape WK, and try to kill supports instead, but that often leaves the real threat unchecked and free to take over the game.