Nice roster @Sorvina , you have some real gems. I will try to offer some team, or combo, input, but IIRC you beat my scores plenty already so maybe I don’t need to 
Gretel does damage to 1 and minor to adjacent targets. The damage is poor though, she is not a killer via her damage. Often her damage given to the enemy when they reach full mana with her special in effect is higher than her initial damage. Hansel does damage to one. The real major difference is Hansel is fast mana and Gretel is average.
As for teams it is very specific to targets. PvE, PvP, multiple bosses, elite mobs, etc. You also have some better controllers than I do such as Proteus, and Mist. I won’t speak to them because you will know them better than I do.
In general Gretel works best not with mana slowers a la Little John or costume Chao. Gretel is going to be great against fast mana enemies. You use that speed against them to hit them, and then dump tiles into them for 3 turns in order to trigger the full mana damage. As I mention, the enemy full mana damage is higher than her initial impact. If you count impact plus say 2 full mana damage that adds up to a good hit. Her dropping mana to half plays into this versus Merlin that is full. Same general full applies to Hansel. He is arguably better at fast speed, but in PvE that doesn’t matter as you have mana pots anyway.
I have paired with with costume Chao. Chao slows down the slower mana boss while she takes the fast one. What is nice of costume Chao is you don’t need to time the fire. Hit them and go. Later turns in costume Chao’s duration you can tile dump as he takes all mana or 75% at that point.
I have started using Hansel and Gretel together to maximize the family bonus as well.
I did pair Little John with Gretel on Halloween more than once. The reason being all those bosses have crazy fast mana. Using Gretel or Hansel and Gretel alone can’t cover than many bosses with that fast of mana at that HP level.
Little John is not to be underestimated. His slow is very impactful, it is a huge drop. The damage is decent too, which is somewhat rare for a mana controller. A cutter would be a great second controller with him generally speaking. Jim and Li Xiu can do a number on multiple bosses or elite enemies. It makes her 10% cut feel like 30% or so. I haven’t done that in years though as I have just never warmed up to Li Xiu in or out of costume. I typically take Leo or Chao. Slow them down. If anyone gets close cut them. He can work with a costume Chao or Gretel or something but it can generally get awkward and not ideal.
If that is what you have do it though. Just because Little John’s slow down reduces Gretel’s ability to repeat damage from full mana or costume Chao’s ability to steal does NOT mean it shouldn’t be done or can’t work.
Some distinctions between Merlin, Hansel, Gretel versus silencers like Peters and costume Chao types. When silence wears off or costume Chao can’t steal enough fast enough and the enemy gets full, they’re firing. Merlin, Hansel, and Gretel reduce the threat by the drop.
Hansel and Gretel give a half drop, which allows for repeat damage. This gets less likely in slower mana enemies. You also run the risk of charging but failing to get to full so they fire next turn. Merlin handles this better by reducing to zero. It means getting Merlin to repeat damage in the same casting is harder, but if the goal is more defensive and simply reducing risk, Merlin does that better. There aren’t many heroes who bring an enemy to zero. Merlin is great that way for special threat mitigation.
While full mana damage can increase Hansel and Gretel’s overall damage, base damage alone none of them are great. Little John is decent for an AoE. For single enemy damage it may very well be Chao. My Chao has no emblems so I can’t say for sure. I know he smoke Gretel in my comparison in initial base damage, but Gretel sets that bar so low. After one full mana damage she passed him too, so getting that repeatedly she makes significant damage, same with Hansel. That matters little though if you’re trying to get through regular mobs.
Most have pretty paltry damage. That being said they can still help via A value. Lots have sound A values for tile damage.
Carol I don’t have, but wish I did. In theory I would hit a nearly full enemy with her, then immediately use Hansel or Gretel. Pound them with tiles to trigger the full mana damage. That kills the enemy and then Carol’s bomb blows up. Situational, but that would be my goal having not actually played with her. Obviously a sniper works better or something too, but that leaves too many variables and scenarios. Just looking at paired mana controllers.
Basically I would rank cut droppers (Merlin, Hansel, and Gretel) highest. Of those 3, Merlin is the best for stopping, Hansel and Gretel have the most potential for an offensive style drop.
A close second, and arguably better for multiple bosses (especially three +) are slowers like Little John. I would classify costume Chao in here
Cutters next like Chao, Leo and Li Xiu with, IMO, Leo being tops. His cut is huge, his hit is hard with emblems, and he survives well via self heal.
Then probably silencers like Peters and the S4 guy. I just hate the enemy gains mana and fires after the effect because you can’t always kill then in time.
Now for the heroes you have I don’t, Proteus is probably number one at 3 heroes full stop with no mana gain. Fantastic.
I would put effect stoppers like Mist or costume Sabina(who we both wish we had I am sure) below a proteus, but then probably above or tied with the stop cutters.
The rest of the team is obviously important. Leo is durable, especially emblemed, but the balance are relatively frail. Hansel and Gretel get a special D boost when their special is active. Note slashes still hurt though. It also of dubious worth with one or two enemies if they’re both controlled they don’t need that boost. I would say Chao, Hansel, Gretel, Li Xiu and Merlin aren’t frail, but they’re not sturdy either. Proteus, Peters, Little John, costume Sabina, etc are frail. Not sure if Mist, your S4 silencer, or Carol.
Hope that helped. If you give a specific scenario I can expand on a whole team. Kind of left it general terms. I am on the alliance Discord server now too.
. I really like this little community the most in all the forum…
thanks!
(I hope I didn´t miss anyone, then please let me know!)
yay!
but yeah, no. not changing it.