Night Stalker + Puck

Why this works

Locking down a target for a kill seems like the obvious plan. Night Stalker flies in to silence a hero, and Puck follows up with Dream Coil. In practice, their tools often clash. It's common to overlap Puck's Waning Rift with Night Stalker's Crippling Fear, wasting a silence on the same target. Their damage is also poorly synchronized for a fast burst. Puck provides initial magic damage, but Night Stalker is all about sustained physical attacks. This delay gives the enemy time to use defensive items or for their allies to turn the gank around.

Early on, their ganks are inconsistent, and a failed attempt during the first night puts both heroes behind. In mid-game teamfights, their goals diverge. Puck wants to use Dream Coil to control several enemies, but Night Stalker is a single-target assassin. He will often dive one hero deep in the backline, ignoring the others caught in the coil. This splits their focus, leaving Night Stalker isolated and vulnerable after his initial attack, while Puck lacks the tools to save him or finish off the other targets alone.