Magnus vs Zeus

How this matchup plays

Catching a hero like Zeus seems like the whole point of playing Magnus, but it rarely works out that way. Zeus has all the tools to keep Magnus at a distance and wear him down with constant magic damage from the very start of the lane. More importantly, Thundergod's Wrath gives vision of the entire enemy team. This single ability can completely neutralize a surprise Blink and Reverse Polarity initiation, which is the main threat Magnus provides. It’s hard to set up a pick-off when the target knows you're coming.

As the game progresses, Magnus is forced into a reactive role. He needs a Black King Bar very early to have any chance of surviving the magic burst. Even with it, finding Zeus is a problem. The Zeus player will position far in the backline, letting his teammates scout while he provides damage from safety. Magnus's only real hope is to have his team break the fight open first, creating chaos so he can find an opening on a distracted Zeus. Otherwise, he’s a walking ultimate that can't find its target.