Underlord + Magnus

Why this works

Setting up a big teamfight with this pair seems straightforward on paper. Magnus can land a Reverse Polarity, clumping enemies together for a perfect Underlord follow-up with Pit of Malice and Firestorm. This area-of-effect control can lock down multiple heroes for a long time. The main issue is that this combination, while effective, is not particularly unique, and both heroes often want similar resources to enable their game plan. Furthermore, placing Empower on Underlord is rarely the best use of the spell, as he typically focuses on building aura and utility items instead of physical damage.

Throughout the game, both Magnus and Underlord are looking to buy a Blink Dagger to properly initiate. This can create a slower mid-game tempo if they are both occupying core roles and competing for safe farm to hit that timing. While their combined teamfight lockdown is respectable, they don't bring much single-target burst damage themselves, making them reliant on their other teammates to finish off controlled targets. The pairing often works best when one hero sets up a fight and the other provides a secondary wave of control, but if the initial jump fails, they can struggle to recover.