Earthshaker vs Rubick

How this matchup plays

Watching a big teamfight unfold, the entire game can hinge on Rubick's ability to steal a single spell. Echo Slam is one of the best abilities in the game for him to get his hands on, and a successful steal often turns the fight completely. Earthshaker knows this, creating a tense standoff where he has to be extremely careful with his spell order. Even if Rubick misses the ultimate, Fissure is a fantastic consolation prize, giving his team a long-range initiation tool that they might otherwise lack.

This puts all the pressure on the Earthshaker player. He'll often try to cast another spell immediately after his ultimate to prevent the steal, which requires quick thinking. On the other hand, Earthshaker is great at finding and killing a fragile hero like Rubick. A well-timed Blink Dagger initiation can lead to a chain stun that removes Rubick from the fight before Spell Steal is ever a factor. The matchup often comes down to which player can better anticipate and outmaneuver the other.