Earth Spirit vs Lich

How this matchup plays

Picking one of these heroes into the other sets up a classic standoff between initiation and protection. Earth Spirit wants to get a kill started by rolling on a target, but a quick Frost Shield from Lich neutralizes a huge amount of that initial burst damage and slows him down. Earth Spirit has to play perfectly, either catching Lich himself or using Geomagnetic Grip to silence him before he can react. If Lich gets his spells off, the gank is usually over. The entire lane and early game can hinge on which of these two support heroes gets the jump on the other.

As the game moves into teamfights, the dynamic stays tense. Earth Spirit might try to control multiple enemies with his abilities, but grouping them up can create a perfect bounce for Lich's Chain Frost. A well-placed ultimate from Lich can completely punish an otherwise good setup from Earth Spirit. On the other hand, Earth Spirit’s mobility makes him great at dodging that ultimate and re-engaging on the fragile Lich in the backline. Success often comes down to which hero can better bait out the other's key spell before committing to a fight.