Rubick vs Vengeful Spirit

How this matchup plays

Stealing from Vengeful Spirit often leaves Rubick wanting more. Her kit is full of reliable, single-target spells that don't offer the game-breaking potential Rubick looks for. Magic Missile is a decent stun, but it's not a Black Hole. The most impactful spell to take is Nether Swap, but using it is risky. Swapping an enemy often results in Vengeful Spirit immediately swapping them back to safety, and swapping Venge herself can get Rubick pulled deep into the enemy team. Since her damage aura can't be stolen, Rubick is left fishing for spells that are decent, but rarely spectacular.

This dynamic means Rubick has to look past Vengeful Spirit for his big plays, while she consistently executes her game plan. She provides a simple stun and armor reduction for her cores, and even in death, her Vengeance illusion continues to fight and provide her aura. To have a major impact, Rubick needs to perfectly steal a more important spell from one of Venge’s allies. Venge’s job is simpler and her contribution is more reliable from fight to fight, which gives her a small but consistent edge.