The Lore of Your Level 4?

General consensus from what I understand is that pretty much every Fantasy army has a level 4 wizard. Normally we'd all take a SM when we can and before the new book we knew what we were getting. Nowadays we have to take LoGM on at least one Mage, however, that doesn't have to be our lvl 3 or 4. After looking through the book I do like the Firebelly and will be trying one out, however, I'd also like a cheaper Butcher with Lore of Beasts.

What do people thing about a Lvl 1 or 2 Butcher with LoGM and then loading out a SM with one of the other Lores we can take? Heavens doesn't seem all that useful, Death is short-ranged but can be fun sniping characters before we crush the unit later on, but Beasts seems like it might really do something for our big guys and personally think it'll find a lot of use when we're not taking our own Lore.

Personally I'll actually be running Lore of Heavens but I am making that choice because of the sort of army I'm building. My ogre army is going to have a lot of Leadies, an iron blaster (or two) and other such short ranged firepower.

Lore of Heavens just seems to mesh well with this concept. The Comet is wonderful area denial. A buff that adds +1 to wound and shooting (or CC) a spell to push-back foes and a bunch of direct dmg to supplement all the shrapnel hurdling the enemy's way.

I think Gutmagic will still be the number 1 choice for our lvl4s.

with Gutmagic we want as many buffs as possable and the other lores are really better on Lvl1s and 2s.

I'm doubting a level 4, or slaughtermaster at all.
With two butchers, you can really shut fases down.
With one slaughtermaster, you have to choose from hellheart and dispell scroll.
And actually I think you need both.

The slaughtermaster is very expensive (a level 4 is as expensive as 2 level 2's)
and I need the leadership of the Tyrant much more.

And 2 level 2's gives you more lores to choose from.

Two level 2's means you have to use more dice to get spells off.  The more dice you use the fewer spells you get to try to cast.  I think this is why our magic is worse.

Before we one or two dice cast everything and could attempt 5+ spells in a turn.  No way is that going to happen now. 

A level 1 beast caster as discussed for ages when we heard the news is going to have to throw 3-dice to wild form off at about a 50% chance. 

A level 1 GM caster is going to still need two dice just to get off the signature spell, as one one die he needs a 5+ to succeed.

Fewer castings means we get fewer spells off.  Not good for buffing ogres.

Two level 2's means you have to use more dice to get spells off.  The more dice you use the fewer spells you get to try to cast.  I think this is why our magic is worse.

While this is true there are some benefits to two level 2s vs. 1 level 4.  #1 and already mentioned you can take 2 arcane items. (and I can think of at least 3 decent offensive and 3 decent defensive ones we can use) #2. if you fail to cast you don't end your magic phase and if you fail to dispel once you don't lose your bonus, meaning you can take more risks with your dice. and #3 you can take 2 lores.

A level 1 beast caster as discussed for ages when we heard the news is going to have to throw 3-dice to wild form off at about a 50% chance

Actually 10.5 is the average on 3 dice, with +1 its 11.5, so well over 50%, and with a level 2 12.5 which I am guessing is about 66%

A level 1 GM caster is going to still need two dice just to get off the signature spell, as one one die he needs a 5+ to succeed.

Casting on 1 die is even worse for a level 4, since if he gets a  1 or 2 he can't cast any more in the magic phase.

I am taking a SM and a Firebelly to try out, I could swap the FB for a Butcher too anyway, so taking two level 2's doesn't give me much. I do play at 3k points though.