Chaos Knight vs Magnus

How this matchup plays

Giving a core Empower seems like the perfect answer to Chaos Knight's illusions, but the reality is more complicated. The cleave only works if the hero Magnus buffs can safely stand and hit the Phantasm illusions without getting bursted by the real CK first. Chaos Knight's lockdown and single-target damage from Reality Rift can often remove a hero from the fight before the cleave even matters. On the other hand, a well-timed Reverse Polarity can group up the real hero and his illusions, making it easy to find and eliminate the original.

The matchup comes down to which team executes their big teamfight spell better. If Magnus's team can pull off a good Skewer or Reverse Polarity to isolate and burst the real Chaos Knight, they can control the fights. But if Chaos Knight's team gets the jump, he can use his ultimate to create chaos and overwhelm a single target before Magnus can set up his own play. Each hero wants to initiate on their own terms, and neither has a clear upper hand in forcing the situation, leading to a very even back-and-forth.