Invoker vs Phantom Assassin

How this matchup plays

Jumping on an Invoker is always a risk for Phantom Assassin. If she can get on top of him with Phantom Strike, a quick crit from Coup de Grace can often delete him before he can react. Her evasion from Blur also makes it difficult for an Exort-focused Invoker to trade right-clicks. However, Invoker has an ideal toolkit for kiting physical damage. He can completely disarm her with Deafening Blast, lock her in place with Cold Snap, or create distance with Tornado and Ice Wall, neutralizing her threat if he sees the attack coming.

The fight often boils down to who has their key items and abilities ready. Phantom Assassin will prioritize a Black King Bar to ignore Invoker’s control and guarantee she can connect. In response, Invoker builds items like a Ghost Scepter or Force Staff to survive her initial assault. It becomes a test of preparation and reflexes. If Invoker is caught out of position or with spells on cooldown, he is an easy kill. If he anticipates the aggression from Phantom Assassin, he can kite her until his team arrives.