Pudge vs Templar Assassin

How this matchup plays

Trying to survive as Templar Assassin is a nightmare when Pudge is in the game. Her main defensive tool, Refraction, blocks a set number of damage instances. Pudge’s Rot, however, deals damage constantly in a small area around him. This means Rot can strip away all of TA’s Refraction charges almost instantly, leaving her completely vulnerable. Once her shield is gone, she has a tiny health pool and can’t stand up to Dismember or even the sustained Rot damage. A single Meat Hook is usually a death sentence.

This fundamental problem for Templar Assassin dictates the entire match. Early on, she can’t trade effectively and is easily zoned or killed if Pudge gets close. As the game progresses, her ability to farm aggressively and split the map is severely limited by the threat of a hook from the fog. Pudge gets to play his game, roaming and looking for pickoffs on a preferred target, while TA is forced into a defensive posture, often needing her team’s help and vision to feel remotely safe. She has to react to him all game.