Great Maw, Mercy, Infernal King and Sheggra is so brutal and anytime it appears, the Great Maw somehow always gets all it’s mana with only two matches which is just irritating to deal with. I’d assume mana drain might work but most of the time, they get active in just one turn. I don’t tend to have issues with other former meta teams like Kraken/Mab and hell, on occasion could defeat the divines during the meta pre-nerf but can never win against that team.
Depending on what Dwarven troops you have this team is great. Runepriest Hero with the final stone trait, means they’re all immune to devour.
Empowered Gemhammer nuke against Maw with her triple damage against monsters.
Then basically the enemy teams damage is the weakened skull spam so even if the hero dies Stonehammer tanks the battle to the end. Or Highforge just summons in more fodder. Either way this team wins.
Other advantages:
Titan’s Bane enrages the hero to take advantage of any skulls left is they get a Sheggra or Infernal King cast off.
Stonehammer stuns all to stop Infernal King’s sometimes pesky resurrection.
If you don’t have Stonehammer Lord Ironbeard is a suitable lead troop as he also does 2x skull damage against monsters.
Spirit Fox was literally designed to counter that team.
Mercy before their Mercy leaves them with little.
Barriers / devour immunities are good but you can still get mowed down by skulls if things go awry. … okay like seriously awry but still.
Spirit Fox indeed.
You remove Mercy’s edge by draining some mana AND removing yellow so she converts without cascades.
Also, the Maw hurts, but just once, replacing troops work too.
For exemple, with dragons, Sylvanimora keeps the Maw entangled and Krystenax summons troop replacements (and removes colors)
Maw team? If you use Alchemist instead of Sheggra you can sustain loops with Infernal King, Alchemist also helps to fill Maw if Mercy doesn’t have a favorable board with Purple and Yellow gems together. A banner favoring Red/Yellow is ideal, you can fill Maw’s mana sooner in two different setups and then feed Infernal King to start the slaughter.