Lifestealer vs Wraith King

How this matchup plays

Thinking one of these heroes will run over the other in a straight fight is a common trap. Lifestealer's Rage lets him ignore Wraithfire Blast, and Feast is effective against a high-health target. However, Wraith King's Reincarnation forces Lifestealer to kill him twice, often outlasting the duration of Rage. The skeletons from Vampiric Spirit also create chaos, blocking movement and adding physical damage that Lifestealer must deal with. Both heroes are designed to win long brawls, and they often find themselves evenly matched in a battle of attrition.

Laning is usually a standoff where both focus on farming. The matchup is decided by who gets better initiation in mid-game fights. Lifestealer's goal is to fight when Reincarnation is on cooldown or to force it out and then disengage. His team needs to help burn through that first life quickly. Wraith King wants to bait out Rage. Once Lifestealer is vulnerable to stuns, Wraith King and his allies can lock him down. Success for either hero depends on their team's coordination around the other's long cooldowns.