Kunkka vs Warlock

How this matchup plays

Choosing one of these heroes into the other rarely swings a draft, as both have tools to undermine what the other wants to do. Kunkka's whole game plan is to isolate and burst a target with his combo, and Warlock is a prime, slow-moving candidate for X Marks the Spot. The threat of being instantly deleted forces Warlock to play from a deep, defensive position. On the other hand, a well-placed Chaotic Offering can completely ruin Kunkka's day. The Golems provide excellent bodies to absorb a Ghostship or block for their team, and Fatal Bonds punishes the grouped-up fights that Kunkka's ultimate encourages.

The matchup often comes down to initiation and timing. Fights can go one of two ways. In one scenario, Kunkka or his allies find Warlock out of position, and an X-combo removes him from the map before he can contribute his ultimate. In the other, Warlock anticipates the fight, drops his Golems, and creates a chaotic brawl that makes it nearly impossible for Kunkka to land his spells on priority targets. The Golems and sustained damage from Fatal Bonds turn Kunkka's precise burst into a messy, drawn-out affair where he is much less effective.