Lion vs Undying

How this matchup plays

Trying to control a teamfight against Undying can be awkward for Lion. His entire kit is built around locking down and eliminating a single dangerous hero. Tombstone, however, creates a multi-unit problem that Lion has no efficient answer for. While Hex and Earth Spike are great for holding one person still, they do nothing about the swarm of zombies that can quickly overwhelm a backline support. He lacks the area damage needed to clear them out himself, forcing him to rely entirely on his teammates to handle the summons while he focuses on a primary target.

This means a successful Lion has to be selective. His best play is often to disable Undying before the Tombstone is ever placed, or to use Finger of Death to instantly remove a different core hero from the fight entirely. During the lane, Lion can also disrupt Undying's rhythm with Mana Drain, which can be surprisingly effective. The matchup often comes down to positioning and initiative. If Undying gets to dictate the fight with his summons, he'll feel very strong, but if Lion can get the jump and secure a key kill first, the Tombstone becomes far less threatening.