Lion vs Lycan

How this matchup plays

Picking Lion into a Lycan is a bet that you can survive until your lockdown matters. On paper, Lion has the perfect tools to stop a charging wolf. A well-timed Hex or Earth Spike can completely negate Lycan’s aggression, leaving him vulnerable in the middle of a fight. This makes Lion a tempting pick to try and control the pace against a hero who wants to run at your team. The problem is that Lycan isn't alone; his summons can body block or surround a fragile Lion, and if Lycan gets the jump, Lion dies very quickly without help.

The matchup often comes down to item timings. Before Lycan gets a Black King Bar, Lion can feel very powerful, catching him out and preventing his team from taking objectives. Once that BKB is active, the roles reverse. Lycan can activate his ultimate, pop his magic immunity, and run straight at Lion, who becomes the easiest target on the map. The rest of the game is a dance around this timing. Lion must play from the shadows and hope to get his spells off before the BKB, while Lycan will try to force fights where he can activate it and remove Lion from the equation immediately.