Magnus vs Necrophos

How this matchup plays

Deciding to pick a melee initiator like Magnus against a Necrophos is always a tough call. The entire purpose of Reverse Polarity is to lock down targets for a huge burst of follow-up damage. A core part of that plan is often physical, and Necrophos completely invalidates that with Ghost Shroud, allowing him to survive the initial onslaught. Meanwhile, Heartstopper Aura constantly wears down a hero like Magnus who needs to be in the thick of things, making him a vulnerable target even before he commits his ultimate.

This dynamic forces Magnus to play for a perfect fight, one where he catches Necrophos out of position or his team has overwhelming magical burst. More often, Magnus finds a multi-hero setup only for Necrophos to live through it and start healing his allies. Once Magnus has used his big spell and is left exposed in the middle of the fight, he becomes the ideal target for Reaper's Scythe. Securing that kill gives Necrophos's team a huge advantage, turning Magnus's game-winning play into a liability.