Lina + Riki

Why this works

Setting up kills seems straightforward with a stun and a backstabber, but in practice, their kits can be at odds. Lina wants to stay at maximum range to land her spells safely, while Riki needs to be directly on top of his target. While Riki's Smoke Screen provides a great silence to help Lina land Light Strike Array, it forces her to step into a dangerous position to get the most out of it. Their timings can also feel awkward; Riki's instant Blink Strike doesn't always give Lina enough warning to perfectly time her own spells.

As the game progresses, the pair often operates as two separate threats. Lina looks to delete heroes from the fog of war with her full combo, while Riki scouts and picks off targets who are farming alone. In teamfights, their contributions are effective but often disconnected. Riki can cause chaos with Tricks of the Trade, creating space for Lina to find a clean Laguna Blade on a key enemy, but this relies more on the enemy's mistakes than on a coordinated plan. They don't actively work against each other, but they don't offer much direct setup either.