Necrophos vs Viper

How this matchup plays

Trading hits in lane looks like it should favor Viper, since his poisons chew through most heroes. Necrophos, however, is built to win those slow attrition battles. Every Death Pulse provides healing that can offset Viper's damage over time, while also whittling Viper down in return. This constant pressure makes it difficult for Viper to stay healthy enough to be a threat, and it perfectly sets up a Reaper's Scythe finish once he's low enough. Necrophos gets stronger the longer a target is damaged, which counters Viper's entire game plan.

A smart Viper will still try to focus Necrophos, leveraging his break from Nethertoxin to disable Heartstopper Aura and secure kills with a teammate's help. The lane can be very dangerous for Necrophos if he gets caught out. If the game goes later, though, the advantage tends to shift. Necrophos offers more to a teamfight with his AoE healing and the constant threat of his ultimate, while Viper's single-target pressure becomes less impactful. The matchup often comes down to whether Viper can secure kills quickly or if Necrophos can outlast the initial assault.