Dark Willow vs Sand King

How this matchup plays

Getting caught by a surprise Burrowstrike is often the end for Dark Willow. Her survival depends on keeping enemies at a distance or using Shadow Realm to dodge incoming spells, but Sand King's initiation is instant and hits an area, making it difficult to avoid. Once he’s on top of her, he can use Sand Storm to become invisible while dealing damage, which prevents her from landing a Cursed Crown. It's a reliable way for him to get past her defenses and lock her down.

Across the game, Sand King will constantly look for opportunities to jump on Dark Willow from out of vision. This forces her to play much more defensively, often staying far behind her team and contributing less until Sand King has already committed. A well-placed Bramble Maze can stop his approach, and if she survives the initial stun, she can use Terrorize to reset the fight. However, the pressure is on the Willow player to maintain perfect positioning, while Sand King has a straightforward plan to find and eliminate her.