Question about Lores

Hello fellow big bellies. I'm new to the ogre kingdoms, always liked them, but got into DE, Beasts, and Brits. Then I got out of the game for quite a while, and sold everything. Now it's picking back up again, and some Ogres fell into my lap. So it's time to adjust the gutplate and start eating.

I did have one question after lurking on here for a while. Why is Lore of Heavens so popular with the lvl4s? I personally like the Maw for my lvl4 and either more maw or beasts on a lvl1-2. I feel the buffs win combats. I can't really see the draw in Heavens. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Although I haven't used Heavens much myself, I think the appeal is that the key powerful spells of the lore (most notably Comet) are really good for messing with your opponent (and game-changing against certain matchups), and you want to have a better chance of getting the spells, as well as being able to cast them and get them through. That +4 over +2 is really a big difference!

I've seen some lists with Heavens Butchers that just take the lore attribute and then 6-dice whatever other spell they get, but honestly, if you did want to run Heavens, you'll probably get more bang for your buck with the Slaughtermaster variety.

Hello, and welcome.  I can only speak from a personal perspective, but there a couple factors that sway my choices for lores. 

Lore of Death- I personally do not like it, it has only 2 very usable spells (IMHO since I like buffs and hexes), those being Doom and Darkness and Soulblight.  PSun can be fun, but it can be very hit or miss with its distance.  That really only leaves snipes and pendulum.

Lore of Beasts-  I really love this lore, but it has one major drawback.  You need to be in CC for most of the spells to matter.  Flock of Doom is very weak, Amber Spear is great, but outside of Curse all need to be in CC.  This in idea sounds great, but in practice I have found it to be difficult.  The reason Lore of Beasts is great with Beastmen and Brets is the fact that they have access to very cheap heroes.  Ogres do not, so you have only a handful of options and most of the time boosting either Pann's Pelt or Savage Beast is not worth the increased chance to miscast.

Lore of the Great Maw-  its a pretty well rounded lore for buffs, but it lacks in the hex and MM department.  In my opinion the best spell in the lore is the signature which if can guarantee on a lv 1.  +1 Str and Toughness spells are great, but again easy enough to get on a lv 1 or 2.  And Trollguts if you roll it on a lv 1 or 2 can be pushed through with enough dice.

Lore of Heavens- it has just a bit more control for my tastes.  First off it has 3 MM/DD options that can force your opponent to come to you.  This cannot be understated, with so many builds going the MMU or Gutstar many opponents do not want to fight you.  Well if that is the case you can drop comets on them and follow that up with a Thunderbolt or Chain lightning.  Once in combat it has great spells to ensure you win combat.  Signature is -1 ld and -1 to hit which helps with fear tests.  If they fail a fear, they are now hitting you on 6's.  Harmonic convergence increases the damage that your guts will do in CC, and gives your cannons a re-roll if they happen to roll a 1 to wound.  And Curse of the Midnight Wind again helps with them hitting/wounding especially on T5 lords and heroes.

Lastly I will like to point out the low casting cost of all of Lore of Heavens.  Nothing is above a 15 to cast except a boosted comet.  And if you take Grut's Sickle that means you can really put the pressure on your opponent to choose what they want to dispel.  For example boosted Harmonic goes off on a 12, if you have Grut's Sickle you only need a 6 to get it off. Same thing for lower level comet only a 6, Chain lightning will go off on a 9. 

Personally that is why I take Heavens.

+1 to Grix. Heavens gives us some much needed direct damage spells/ranged magical threat. I use heavens quite a bit. I love to use comet to keep people from hiding. If they keep trying to ring from guts or MEs then a well placed comet makes them pick their poison. It works really well for helping control the movement of the enemy. Especially those pesky wood elf archers.

Maw is OK for me. Troll guts is obviously awesome but the other spells seem lacking to me. Other Korea do everything Maw does but better. Eg one Wyssans equals two of our Maw spells. After casting that you still have dice for another spell instead of having most of your dice eaten up by the two Maw spells.

Damn auto correct.  Ring = running. Korea = lores.