Dark Willow vs Lifestealer

How this matchup plays

Controlling space and setting the gank tempo is difficult for Dark Willow when Lifestealer is on the map. Her core spells are almost entirely negated by his. Lifestealer can activate Rage to purge off Cursed Crown and Bramble Maze, and it makes him immune to the damage from Bedlam. This means that instead of being a scary target to jump on, he can run straight at her through all her spells. It completely reverses the intended threat of her kit, forcing her to use Shadow Realm defensively instead of for aggression.

As the game progresses, Lifestealer starts to actively hunt Dark Willow as a priority target. Once he gets on top of her, it’s hard for her to get away. She has to play from very far back in fights, relying on her teammates and her ultimate, Terrorize, to create enough distance to survive a Rage. This forces Willow into buying items like a Force Staff or Ghost Scepter much earlier than she wants, slowing down her impact, while Lifestealer can confidently build for damage, knowing she has no reliable way to stop him.