Drow Ranger + Lina

Why this works

Competing for farm across the map often puts this pair on the back foot. Both Drow Ranger and Lina tend to be greedy cores who need items and levels to come online, and they don't have the tools to create space for one another. The lineup often ends up lacking a durable front line or a reliable initiator to start fights on your terms. Lina's Light Strike Array is much easier to land on a target that's already held down, and Drow's slows aren't quite enough lockdown to guarantee it. This leaves both heroes vulnerable to being jumped on and bursted down before they can contribute.

The mid-game can feel awkward as a result. The team has to play defensively, ceding map control while hoping Drow Ranger and Lina can safely acquire their key items. If the enemy team presses their advantage and forces fights, this duo has a hard time taking them head-on. They need other heroes to provide the control and peel that they themselves lack. While their combined damage from range can be effective if they reach the late game untouched, the path there is usually difficult, as the draft is often too fragile to consistently secure objectives and survive coordinated aggression.