Lich vs Weaver

How this matchup plays

A drafter looking for an elusive, high-damage core often lands on Weaver, but picking him into Lich is a tough sell. The problem is that Lich's kit seems tailor-made to shut Weaver down. Frost Shield is a direct answer to a physical attacker, slowing down Geminate Attack and making it hard for Weaver to stick on a target or run away. Even more damning is Sinister Gaze, which provides reliable, point-and-click lockdown that Weaver can't Shukuchi or Time Lapse his way out of. It holds him in place long enough for a guaranteed kill, completely negating his usual survivability.

This dynamic starts in the lane, where Lich's slows make Weaver an easy target, and it only gets worse. In teamfights, Lich doesn't even need to target Weaver directly. Placing Frost Shield on whoever Weaver is attacking is often enough to neutralize his damage. Meanwhile, Weaver has to play with extreme caution, knowing a single misstep could lead to getting caught by Sinister Gaze. To make matters worse, a poorly placed Swarm can give Chain Frost extra bounces, turning Weaver's own spell against his team. He's forced into buying defensive items early, which hurts his damage progression and timing.