Lich vs Io

How this matchup plays

Casting Chain Frost on an Io and its tethered partner is often a fight-winning play. Io's fundamental need to stay close to an ally creates the perfect setup for the ultimate to bounce repeatedly, dealing massive damage to both heroes. This turns Io's greatest strength into a major vulnerability. Lich can further exploit this forced positioning with Sinister Gaze, pulling one of the two heroes out of position or holding them in place for follow-up. The constant slows from Lich’s kit also make it difficult for the tethered pair to escape once a fight begins.

Throughout the game, the pressure is on the Io player to manage their positioning perfectly to avoid giving Lich an easy ultimate. A successful Io will try to bait out the spell and then use Relocate to escape with their partner, completely nullifying the threat. Lich's goal is to wait for a commitment from Io's core before pressing the advantage. The core problem for Io remains that its basic function—enabling an ally by staying nearby—directly feeds into Lich's most powerful spell, forcing a more defensive and reactive playstyle than Io would prefer.