Lion vs Monkey King

How this matchup plays

Thinking about picking Monkey King often involves checking if the enemy team has a Lion. Monkey King needs to use Tree Dance for surprise initiations, but Lion’s Hex is an instant answer that stops him on the ground before he can act. This control is devastating for a hero who relies on jumping in and out of fights. Wukong’s Command also becomes a major risk; while the ultimate’s soldiers will keep attacking, Hex turns Monkey King himself into a helpless, stationary target, setting him up perfectly for Lion's full combo ending in Finger of Death.

From the start of the game, this puts the Monkey King player on the back foot. Any attempt to be aggressive or gank a lane is threatened by Lion's ability to counter-initiate and turn the kill back around. In teamfights, the whole encounter can revolve around this matchup. The Lion's job is straightforward: save Hex for the monkey. This forces the Monkey King to play cautiously, often waiting for Lion to use his spells on another hero before committing, by which point the ideal moment to strike may have already passed.