Necrophos vs Pudge

How this matchup plays

Picking one of these heroes into the other often hinges on who you trust to land their spells. The matchup revolves around a direct clash of philosophies: Pudge's single-target catch versus Necrophos's sustained teamfight presence. A successful Meat Hook and Dismember can isolate and remove Necrophos from a fight before he can contribute. On the other hand, Necrophos thrives against high-health heroes, and Pudge's entire kit encourages him to stack strength. Heartstopper Aura constantly drains Pudge's large health pool, setting him up perfectly for a finishing Reaper's Scythe.

Early skirmishes can go Pudge's way if he finds Necrophos out of position. As the game goes on, however, Necrophos becomes incredibly durable and can often survive Pudge's initial combo. Once he gets a Death Pulse or two off, the fight swings heavily in his favor. The outcome really depends on execution. If Pudge can repeatedly find picks with his team's help, he can control the map. If Necrophos is allowed to stay with his team and wear down the enemy frontline, he'll eventually run them over.