Io vs Witch Doctor

How this matchup plays

Thinking you can out-heal Maledict with Tether is the main trap. Witch Doctor's curse turns all incoming damage into a burst of its own, which directly undermines Io's ability to sustain an ally through a fight. A well-placed Paralyzing Cask can also set up the curse perfectly, briefly stopping Io or the tethered target from repositioning. On the other hand, Io brings extreme mobility to the table. A quick Tether pull can be enough to get an ally out of Death Ward's range, and the bonus movement speed can help dodge the initial stun.

This creates a constant positioning battle across the map. Witch Doctor wants to catch Io and a core committed to a fight, where he can land his spells and turn their aggression against them. Io’s job is to enable a partner to burst Witch Doctor down before that happens, or to use Relocate to apply pressure elsewhere and avoid a direct confrontation. If an Io gank is met with a defensive Maledict, the fight can swing instantly. Likewise, if Witch Doctor is caught out of position by a Relocate, he has no escape and will die quickly.