Puck vs Sniper

How this matchup plays

Trying to jump Sniper feels like you're announcing the plan with a megaphone. Puck needs Illusory Orb to close the massive distance, but its travel time gives Sniper's entire team a clear warning of where the fight is happening. Shrapnel can slow Puck's approach or make the landing zone a deathtrap, forcing a retreat. The biggest problem is Assassinate. It forces Puck to hold Phase Shift just to dodge the shot, meaning the spell isn't available to evade other stuns or damage. It effectively removes one of Puck's key defensive tools from the equation before the fight even begins.

This advantage for Sniper starts right from the laning stage, where his extreme range makes it miserable for Puck to get last hits or contest runes. As the game progresses, Puck is pressured into buying a Blink Dagger for any hope of a clean initiation, a major investment that can delay other crucial items. Sniper, on the other hand, gets to farm safely from the back lines, building damage and eventually items that make him even tougher to burst down. Puck needs a perfect, isolated flank to succeed, while Sniper’s plan is simply to stand behind his team and shoot.