Grimstroke vs Invoker

How this matchup plays

Making Invoker hesitate before a fight is a huge part of this matchup. A single Phantom's Embrace can shut down his ability to cast or invoke new spells, leaving him completely vulnerable for its duration. Grimstroke can also use Soulbind to prevent Invoker from using Ghost Walk or a Blink Dagger to escape a gank. On the other hand, Invoker has all the tools he needs to initiate and burst Grimstroke from a distance before those spells are even a threat. A well-placed Tornado into a combo, or a surprise Sun Strike from across the map, can easily delete Grimstroke if he's caught.

This back-and-forth makes for a cautious early game, where Grimstroke's harass is annoying but Invoker's own spell combinations can secure a kill with any gank. Mid-game fights often come down to which team gets the better initiation. Grimstroke wants to find Invoker with his disables before the fight breaks out, while Invoker wants to be the one starting things with his area-of-effect control. Both heroes are relatively fragile, so the player who makes the first positional mistake usually pays for it.