Razor vs Riki

How this matchup plays

Using Static Link on Riki can be a frustrating experience. Riki has several ways to easily break the tether, either by using Blink Strike to jump to another unit or by using Tricks of the Trade to become untargetable for its duration. Even his Smoke Screen can be enough to cause problems, as the silence and miss chance make it difficult for Razor to fight back, allowing Riki to simply walk out of range. This neutralizes Razor’s main tool for winning one-on-one fights and controlling a single target.

This advantage plays out across the game. Razor wants to be a durable front-liner who drains damage, but Riki excels at finding and bursting lone heroes. If Riki gets the jump, he can often eliminate Razor before the link has a chance to steal significant damage. Razor's response is to itemize defensively, typically with a Black King Bar to ignore the Smoke Screen's effects and maintain his link. The fight often hinges on whether Riki can secure an early lead before Razor can build the items needed to stand his ground.