Hero counter guide
* Stats are based on Phantom and higher ranked matches.
Items That Punish Shiv
Weapon
No weapon counter items in this tier.
Vitality
No vitality counter items in this tier.
Spirit
No spirit counter items in this tier.
Shiv has a rough time when enemies buy Disarming Hex, Knockdown and Rusted Barrel. Disarming Hex is a major problem because it can shut down a key play right when Shiv wants to start or finish a fight. Knockdown can interrupt Shiv before a play is finished, especially when the fight is already crowded. Rusted Barrel makes extended trades more uncomfortable and can make it harder for Shiv to recover after taking damage. Most of the strongest results here are spirit items, so the pattern is less about one random purchase and more about enemies making fights harder to start, finish, or escape. If you are playing Shiv, check for these items before taking a full fight. If you are playing against Shiv, these are strong tools for making each engage harder and forcing Shiv to work for every kill.
Hero Matchups
Hard counters
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Seven Mystic | 40.7% | 22,204 |
 McGinnis Mystic | 41.3% | 13,333 |
 Graves Marksman | 42.7% | 15,082 |
 Victor Brawler | 43.3% | 25,702 |
 Kelvin Brawler | 44.4% | 16,560 |
 Ivy Marksman | 44.5% | 17,691 |
Slightly difficult
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 The Doorman Mystic | 44.5% | 12,563 |
 Dynamo Mystic | 44.7% | 20,558 |
 Yamato Assassin | 45.7% | 28,093 |
 Vyper Assassin | 45.7% | 10,965 |
 Haze Assassin | 46.1% | 28,241 |
 Warden Brawler | 46.2% | 22,239 |
Even matchups
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Infernus Marksman | 49.0% | 22,254 |
 Grey Talon Marksman | 48.9% | 18,200 |
 Celeste Marksman | 48.8% | 18,634 |
 Calico Assassin | 48.2% | 15,370 |
 Abrams Brawler | 48.2% | 20,730 |
 Silver Marksman | 48.1% | 23,838 |
Favorable targets
| Hero | Shiv win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
 Venator Marksman | 52.8% | 21,992 |
 Sinclair Mystic | 50.9% | 9,607 |
 Bebop Brawler | 50.7% | 32,202 |
 Viscous Mystic | 50.6% | 12,720 |
 Rem Operative | 50.3% | 14,220 |
 Holliday Marksman | 49.4% | 10,884 |
Shiv has the hardest time into Seven, McGinnis and Graves because those matchups can make it difficult to take clean fights. These heroes can slow the game down, punish bad engages, or force Shiv to spend too much before getting real value. On the other side, Shiv looks more comfortable into heroes like Venator, Sinclair and Bebop, where there is more room to move, trade, and choose when the fight starts. The middle matchups are still playable either way, so do not treat the list as a hard rule. Team setup, item timing, and how safely Shiv enters the fight will matter a lot.
Shiv By Rank
Shiv is not going to feel the same in every rank. In some brackets, players may give cleaner openings and let Shiv stay active in fights. In tougher games, enemies are more likely to respect Shiv's timing, group better, and shut the play down before Shiv gets full value. The strongest read is not just where Shiv has the highest win rate, but where the results stay consistent across enough matches.
Detailed item stats against Shiv
| Counter item |  Initiate |  Seeker |  Alchemist |  Arcanist |  Ritualist |  Emissary |  Archon |  Oracle |  Phantom |  Ascendant |  Eternus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Disarming Hex 698 total matches | 39.8% | 34.0% | 31.6% | 30.0% | 30.7% | 33.5% | 35.7% | 29.8% | 30.2% | 25.6% | 34.6% |
 Knockdown 584 total matches | 47.1% | 39.0% | 42.0% | 38.6% | 34.3% | 34.0% | 32.4% | 35.6% | 30.3% | 36.0% | 36.5% |
 Rusted Barrel 676 total matches | 44.8% | 36.8% | 38.5% | 35.0% | 36.6% | 38.2% | 35.6% | 32.7% | 38.2% | 35.3% | 41.7% |
 Slowing Hex 1,519 total matches | 42.7% | 39.0% | 43.4% | 44.3% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 38.6% | 40.8% | 39.7% | 37.7% | 40.0% |
 Cursed Relic 276 total matches | 40.7% | 38.9% | 38.7% | 36.6% | 36.5% | 35.8% | 36.8% | 38.7% | 40.2% | 37.7% | 44.8% |
 Metal Skin 11,948 total matches | 41.5% | 39.1% | 38.0% | 36.4% | 37.1% | 37.3% | 39.2% | 39.0% | 39.0% | 39.4% | 41.5% |
 Burst Fire 241 total matches | 43.2% | 52.8% | 44.3% | 43.4% | 47.1% | 44.6% | 48.1% | 42.8% | 40.9% | 40.4% | 35.0% |
 Magic Carpet 153 total matches | 59.1% | 70.8% | 54.2% | 57.1% | 45.0% | 45.6% | 39.4% | 44.3% | 46.8% | 42.3% | 25.0% |
 Cultist Sacrifice 576 total matches | 46.7% | 35.9% | 35.6% | 39.1% | 41.5% | 35.9% | 39.9% | 38.5% | 41.0% | 41.5% | 43.9% |
 Toxic Bullets 174 total matches | 40.3% | 43.6% | 37.8% | 38.2% | 46.1% | 40.0% | 45.6% | 47.4% | 41.3% | 40.8% | 47.8% |