Sven + Venomancer

Why this works

Thinking you can combine Poison Nova with God's Strength to wipe a team is a common trap. The core issue is that Venomancer provides slows, but what Sven really needs is hard lockdown. Enemies hit by the nova can still use items to get away, cast spells to disable Sven, or even turn and fight him before his ultimate timer runs out. While Venomancer is busy whittling down the enemy team's health over a long period, Sven is trying to end a target's life in a few seconds. These two gameplans don't overlap well in the crucial moments of a teamfight.

This disconnect starts early. Venomancer wants to apply constant lane pressure and force skirmishes, while Sven typically wants to secure his own farm and avoid fighting until he has his core items. This can lead to Sven being dragged into unfavorable fights or Venomancer's pressure fizzling out without his carry's support. Later, Sven will find himself running at slowed targets who can still easily disable him or teleport away, unable to make the most of his damage window. The two heroes end up fighting separate battles on the same screen.