Death Prophet vs Rubick

How this matchup plays

Drafting Death Prophet when Rubick is on the board is a serious gamble. The problem is that her most impactful abilities are prime targets for Spell Steal. Giving Rubick a copy of her Silence is bad enough, as it can completely neutralize her in a fight. The real disaster is when he steals Exorcism. Suddenly, the fight is two Exorcisms against one, and Rubick can typically cast it from a much safer position than Death Prophet can. Her core strengths become her team's biggest liability.

This dynamic forces Death Prophet to play awkwardly around her own ultimate. She wants to use Exorcism to break high ground or win a decisive teamfight, but that's the exact moment a good Rubick is waiting for. Her only counterplay is to try and bait the Spell Steal with a less important spell, but that's often not an option in a chaotic fight. Meanwhile, Rubick can use Telekinesis to lift and isolate Death Prophet while her ultimate is active, making her an easy target and preventing her from repositioning as her ghosts do their work.