Phantom Assassin vs Riki

How this matchup plays

Trying to fight a Riki as Phantom Assassin feels like a toss-up. So much of PA's survivability comes from her Blur evasion, but that defense is completely ignored by Tricks of the Trade. Riki can create a duel he's likely to win by using Smoke Screen to make PA miss her attacks while he deals guaranteed damage with his ultimate. If Riki gets caught out of position, though, he's very fragile. A surprise jump from Phantom Assassin can end him with a couple of good crits before he can even react, making initiation key for both heroes.

This forces Phantom Assassin to adapt her item build. She'll often need a Monkey King Bar or similar item to secure hits through Smoke Screen, which can slow down her timing for other crucial items like a Black King Bar. Riki, on the other hand, can usually stick to his standard build and still be a major threat. Fights between them come down to circumstance: if Riki can find and isolate PA, he's in a great spot. If PA gets the jump or has detection and backup, Riki can evaporate instantly.