Death Prophet vs Witch Doctor

How this matchup plays

Picking Death Prophet into a Witch Doctor often feels like you're setting yourself up for a difficult game. The fundamental problem is how perfectly Witch Doctor's spells dismantle Death Prophet's entire strategy. During Exorcism, she wants to be in the middle of the fight, making her an ideal target for a Paralyzing Cask to bounce between her, her team, and her own ghosts. Maledict then punishes her desire to fight for a long time, amplifying all the damage she takes and ensuring she goes down fast, even with her high survivability.

This dynamic comes to a head in the mid-game. Death Prophet will try to lead a charge on a tower with her ultimate, but this predictable aggression is exactly what Witch Doctor waits for. As soon as she commits, he can land his full combo, and she's frequently stunned and killed before Exorcism deals significant damage. To counter this, Death Prophet is forced into buying defensive items like a Black King Bar much earlier than she'd like, slowing down her own momentum. Witch Doctor, on the other hand, can simply play from the backline and wait for his moment to shut her down.