Necrophos vs Tusk

How this matchup plays

Trying to burst down Necrophos with a quick physical combo is a common mistake. Tusk excels at jumping on a hero and deleting them with Tag Team and Walrus PUNCH. Against Necrophos, however, this plan falls apart. A well-timed Ghost Shroud completely negates Tusk's physical damage, leaving him stranded after his initiation. Worse, it amplifies the magic damage Necrophos and his allies return, turning Tusk's own aggression against him while Necro heals up with Death Pulse. The hunter quickly becomes the hunted.

This dynamic makes it difficult for Tusk to get his game started. He needs early kills to create space and momentum, but Necrophos is an exceptionally resilient target. Later on, Tusk's role as a frontline brawler puts him right in range of Heartstopper Aura, constantly draining his health. This makes him an easy setup for a Reaper's Scythe kill, which extends his respawn timer and puts his team at a major disadvantage for the next objective. Tusk is forced to avoid Necrophos, but Necrophos wants to be exactly where Tusk needs to be.