Dawnbreaker vs Riki

How this matchup plays

Swinging away with Starbreaker often feels pointless against a good Riki. His Smoke Screen stops Dawnbreaker from finishing the combo or using items, and Tricks of the Trade can dodge the final impact entirely. This allows him to control the engagement. However, Dawnbreaker is naturally tanky enough to withstand Riki's initial assault. Once she has detection, a single stun from Starbreaker is usually enough for her team to follow up and eliminate him. Her sustained damage and healing also make her difficult to wear down in a long fight.

Throughout the game, the duel is all about who acts first. Riki excels at finding Dawnbreaker when she's alone or her abilities are on cooldown. Dawnbreaker's goal is to turn his aggression against him, either by fighting under a sentry ward or using Solar Guardian to show up and reverse a gank on an ally. Because both heroes have such effective tools to counter the other's main plan, neither can reliably secure an advantage, making any fight between them a true toss-up.