Earthshaker + Slark

Why this works

Pairing a stunner with a carry seems straightforward, but the combo isn't as clean as it looks on paper. Earthshaker provides the lockdown Slark needs to get on top of a target, with Fissure setting up a free Pounce. Chained stuns from Aftershock are also great for letting Slark build up Essence Shift stacks on a single hero. The problem is that their goals can diverge in bigger fights. Slark wants to isolate and kill one hero at a time, weaving in and out with Shadow Dance. Earthshaker wants to find a huge, five-man Echo Slam, which is a situation where Slark’s single-target focus isn’t always the best follow-up.

This partnership often hinges on the mid-game. If Earthshaker gets his Blink Dagger on time, the pair can roam the map creating pickoffs and letting Slark snowball. If they fall behind, however, they can feel like two greedy heroes with not enough impact. Enemy teams can also adapt by playing spread out, which neuters Echo Slam's potential and makes it harder for Slark to find the solo kills he thrives on. The success of this lane depends entirely on converting Earthshaker's initiation into a quick kill, which isn't always possible against teams with good saves or mobility.