Sniper vs Warlock

How this matchup plays

Sieging high ground or controlling objectives becomes a simpler problem for Sniper. His exceptional attack range allows him to chip away at Warlock and his allies from a position of relative safety, often outside the effective cast range of Warlock's spells. Spells like Fatal Bonds and Upheaval are most effective in a committed brawl, but Sniper prefers to stay on the outskirts of the fight. Even Chaotic Offering can be difficult to land effectively when Sniper is positioned a full screen away, allowing him to simply walk out of the impact zone or kite the resulting Golems.

This forces Warlock to play reactively. He is heavily reliant on his team having strong initiation to close the gap, or he needs to acquire an item like a Blink Dagger to find his own opening. If Warlock can successfully jump on an out-of-position Sniper, he can certainly turn the tide of a fight. However, the burden of execution is on him. A patient Sniper can force Warlock to use his ultimate defensively just to stay alive, which minimizes its game-winning potential and allows Sniper to control the tempo of engagements from a distance.