Mars vs Warlock

How this matchup plays

Thinking about a Mars pick gets a lot harder when Warlock is in the pool. Mars depends on Arena of Blood to trap enemies and create a favorable fight, but Warlock’s entire kit is designed to punish this. Fatal Bonds rips through heroes forced to fight in a small, enclosed space. Upheaval can slow the entire area, making it impossible for Mars’s allies to secure kills. Warlock can even keep a focused target alive through the initial burst with a well-timed Shadow Word, buying enough time for his own team to turn the fight around completely.

The dynamic gets worse for Mars as the game goes on. A mid-game Arena initiation is often met with an instant Chaotic Offering, dropping a stunned Golem right on his team’s head. The fight Mars wanted is immediately reversed, with his own team now trapped inside the walls with a massive threat. Mars is forced into trying to find and spear Warlock from the fog before a fight can start, a very difficult task. Warlock’s plan is much simpler: wait for the big circle, then press all his buttons to win the teamfight.