Phantom Lancer vs Io

How this matchup plays

Picking an Io into a Phantom Lancer creates a strange situation, since the heroes often work better together. Against PL, Io's job isn't to kill illusions, but to prevent Phantom Lancer from getting his kill in the first place. The healing and damage reduction from Tether can be enough to help a carry survive the initial illusion swarm. On the other hand, Spirits can sometimes backfire. Because the balls hit everything they pass through, they can unintentionally help identify the real PL by showing which hero is taking the most cumulative damage from spells, making him easier to focus down.

The outcome of a fight often depends on who Io is tethered to and how fast Phantom Lancer can act. If PL can find and burst Io's partner before Tether and Overcharge can turn the tide, the fight is won. But if the core survives that initial assault, PL finds himself in a difficult spot. Io enables a level of kiting and repositioning that makes it hard for PL to stick to his target. Relocate adds another layer, allowing Io and his partner to escape a bad fight or force PL's team to react to pressure elsewhere, preventing him from building momentum.