[Sombre]

That is true, however the abomination will be limited not only by research level (which will still be one ogres can reach without a dedicated pretender) as it will also have fairly high cost in blood slaves and it will require a boosted slaughtermaster in order to get it. Possibly even B5D1.

I did consider making the mawpits simple H3 blood sacrificers, but I'm not hugely keen on them casting divine bless and smite during battles. They still wouldn't give Ogres a legitimately frightening dompush ability either imo. Whatever I choose to do with them, I'll make sure they cost an appropriate amount. After all if you have to spend a lot of blood slaves on them, that's necessarily less of your nasty troops you're fielding.

Another option and one that feels like something of a cop out, is giving ogres a national 'mercenary mage' commander with inflated cost (for what he does) but access to more paths (probably like F1 with 100% FEA and 100% FEAWSD). The butcher remains a better longterm researcher, but these guys would be better for rushing to a certain spell. I don't want to do that though because it's quite lame, no matter how I justify it.

Regarding the rainbow pretender - yes, he is a clear choice for ogres and thematically that's a bit annoying. However it's good in a way that they can make full use of a slightly odd pretender pick like an awake great sage that does research.