Pugna vs Undying

How this matchup plays

Thinking Nether Ward will shut down Undying is a common trap. While the ward does punish his low-cooldown spell spam, Undying’s core plan involves using Decay to steal strength. Each successful cast makes him tankier and Pugna more fragile, often giving Undying the raw health needed to withstand the ward’s damage and keep fighting. For his part, Pugna can use Decrepify to save a teammate from Tombstone zombies, but this leaves them vulnerable to follow-up damage from Soul Rip and Decay. The whole exchange is a trade-off that rarely has a clear winner based on abilities alone.

The matchup often comes down to positioning and team execution. A well-placed Nether Ward from a protected Pugna can make teamfights very difficult for Undying's side. However, a successful Undying will often just ignore the ward, get on top of the enemy team with Flesh Golem, and drop a Tombstone that forces Pugna out of position. If Undying gets tanky enough from Decay stacks, he can even walk up and destroy the ward himself with a few right clicks. Both heroes create problems for the other, but neither has a definitive tool to solve the puzzle on their own.