Kunkka vs Tidehunter

How this matchup plays

Laning against a Tidehunter often feels like a stalemate for Kunkka. The whole point of the Torrent and X Marks the Spot combo is to isolate and burst a target, but Tidehunter's Kraken Shell makes him incredibly difficult to kill. He can shrug off the initial damage and often purges the stun, completely ruining the setup. This durability continues all game, making Tidehunter a poor primary target for a Ghostship hit. On the other hand, Tidehunter doesn't have much kill threat on Kunkka, who can safely farm and harass with Tidebringer from a distance, creating a standoff.

The matchup comes down to which hero enables their team's strategy better. Tidehunter wants to group up and force teamfights where a good Ravage can punish Kunkka and his allies for clumping together. Kunkka's plan is to avoid fighting directly into Tidehunter. He uses his superior wave clear to apply pressure across the map, forcing rotations and creating opportunities to pick off more fragile heroes with his combo. The game is decided by whether Kunkka can find kills on the supports before Tidehunter can respond, or if Tidehunter can successfully lock Kunkka's team down for a fight.