Invoker vs Slark

How this matchup plays

Catching someone with Cold Snap is a classic Invoker setup, but it creates a specific problem for Slark. While he can try to time Dark Pact to purge the debuff, he isn't in control of when the stun triggers. Any stray attack from Invoker or his allies during the Dark Pact animation will proc the stun and cancel his escape. This same dynamic is what makes them a good pairing on the same team, but when opposed, it works against Slark. On top of that, Invoker can use Tornado to dispel buffs or Deafening Blast to disarm him, limiting his ability to build Essence Shift stacks.

The result is that Slark has to play cautiously around Invoker. He can't simply Pounce into a group and expect to fight his way out if Invoker has spells ready. A successful Slark will need to play the edges of the fight, picking off isolated heroes or waiting for Invoker to commit his long cooldowns elsewhere before going in. If Slark can get a significant lead before Invoker comes online with his bigger teamfight spells, he can still create enough pressure to win the game, but it requires careful target selection.