Earthshaker vs Necrophos

How this matchup plays

Trying to burst down Necrophos often feels impossible for an Earthshaker. The standard Fissure combo deals a mix of magic and physical damage, and Necrophos has tools for both. His constant healing from Death Pulse can mitigate the initial magic burst, forcing Earthshaker to commit fully for a kill. If Necrophos activates Ghost Shroud, he completely negates the physical damage from Enchant Totem, which is a major part of Earthshaker's single-target damage. This leaves Earthshaker with only magic spells, which Necrophos can often out-sustain.

This dynamic gets worse for Earthshaker as the game progresses. His job is to blink into the enemy team and initiate, which makes him a predictable and ideal target for Reaper's Scythe. Getting hit by Scythe after initiating means he is stunned, likely dead, and his entire teamfight contribution is nullified. Earthshaker needs to find a perfect, multi-hero Echo Slam to feel effective, but Necrophos simply has to wait for the obvious jump and press one button to remove the primary threat. Earthshaker’s all-in playstyle is directly punished by Necrophos's kit.