Slark vs Viper

How this matchup plays

Trying to kite Slark is often difficult because his Dark Pact can instantly purge the slow from Viper's Poison Attack. This lets Slark stay on top of his target and build Essence Shift stacks when he might otherwise be kited. However, Viper has serious answers. Nethertoxin applies a break that disables Slark's passives, and Viper Strike is an ultimate that can't be removed by Dark Pact. If Slark gets caught by that ultimate, his regeneration and mobility are shut down completely, making him an easy target.

Viper tends to control the lane early, making farming difficult for Slark. The game shifts once Slark hits his stride and starts looking for kills. A successful Slark will use his mobility to choose his fights, pouncing on Viper when his key defensive spells are on cooldown. Viper's game plan relies on good positioning, using Nethertoxin to create zones Slark can't safely fight in. He wants to land Viper Strike before Slark gets a chance to build momentum in a fight, which often determines the outcome.