Doom vs Phoenix

How this matchup plays

Picking Phoenix into an opponent's Doom is a standard drafting decision. Doom’s entire game revolves around using his ultimate to take one hero completely out of the fight. Phoenix disrupts that plan perfectly. If Doom targets an ally, Phoenix can drop Supernova, forcing the enemy team to either attack the egg or eat a massive stun. This often saves the Doomed target. Sun Ray also provides significant healing to help a target survive the damage-over-time. If Doom decides to target Phoenix instead, Icarus Dive provides the mobility to stay safe and kite him from a distance, making it very hard for Doom to get his ultimate off on the right hero.

This dynamic puts all the pressure on Doom. He is forced to find a perfect Blink Dagger initiation to have any hope of catching Phoenix before Supernova is cast. More often, Doom has to settle for a lesser target, and Phoenix simply waits in the back to punish the play. A fight that starts with a Doom on a core can instantly turn around with a well-placed egg. This leaves Doom with his ultimate on cooldown and his team facing a huge disadvantage, making him feel ineffective for most of the game.