Pangolier vs Witch Doctor

How this matchup plays

Picking a durable, mobile core like Pangolier into a Witch Doctor hinges on who gets to cast their spells first. Pangolier is designed to survive burst and do his work over time with Swashbuckle and Rolling Thunder. This playstyle runs straight into Maledict, which punishes heroes for taking damage from any source after being cursed. Even if Pangolier uses Shield Crash to reduce incoming damage, the curse's final burst will still be significant. Paralyzing Cask can also be a nuisance, potentially interrupting Pangolier's movement or setting up a Death Ward if he's caught out of position before he starts rolling.

Throughout the game, Pangolier has to prioritize finding and killing Witch Doctor before a major teamfight breaks out. If he gets the jump, Witch Doctor has few ways to escape. However, in a full five-on-five engagement, Pangolier is forced to be much more careful. Getting hit by Maledict means he can't safely roll through the enemy team absorbing spells, as any chip damage will become lethal. This forces him to either commit to a Black King Bar sooner than he might want or play from the edges of the fight, reducing his impact until the curse is no longer a threat.