Lion vs Spirit Breaker

How this matchup plays

Getting charged from across the map is a real problem for a fragile hero like Lion. Spirit Breaker excels at finding isolated targets, and Lion often has to venture out alone to place vision. The core of the issue is Bulldoze. The status resistance it provides shortens the duration of both Earth Spike and Hex, making it difficult for Lion to chain his disables and escape. Even with a quick reaction, Spirit Breaker can often absorb the shortened stun, connect with his charge, and secure a kill before Lion gets help.

This forces Lion to play more defensively. Instead of looking for his own pickoffs, his job often becomes saving his teammates from Spirit Breaker's initiations. An instant Hex on a charging target is a powerful tool that can completely turn a gank around. The matchup ends up revolving around vision and positioning. If Lion is caught off guard, he's an easy kill. If he's positioned safely with his team, he has the perfect tools to counter Spirit Breaker's aggression, which keeps the dynamic from becoming too one-sided.