tips on Rat Ogre usage

[sebwiers]

I'm very happy with mine. I bit the bullet and paid for my leader to learn the "Guidance" because my Sorcerer died and the new one wasn't pulling his weight. The leader seems a much better handler and I get to use my other 2 hero slots for straight up murder power (both guys have been in the warband since it was founded; the leader has not).

I dumped all the ogre's mental advances on Intelligence (in case I can't use guidance on him, and to avoid putting it on Awareness and raising intiative). On the other hand, my leader already had Awareness bumped way high (because ranged defense), so he almost always has a chance to use Guidance before the big rat takes a turn being stupid. Physical advances go on agility (mostly to raise dodge, also for passive skills) and Martial advances fairly equally to Weapon and Accuracy. I think he has quick incision (most of the warband does) along with Black Hunger. Not sure I want Frenzy, I like being able to take a stance.

Unless for some reason he doesn't deploy near my leader, they just stick together and tear stuff up; the Ogre is a damage machine, and my leader is a de-buff spewing monster (feitn, quick incsion etc) who uses a shield and mace (8 op, allowing 2 feints and a normal attack), making them a nasty team. I only have to use Guidance once or twice to get the ogre into combat, after that he can generally take care of himself (because starting the turn in combat means no Stupidity test) so my leader spends his SP's on Defensive Stance instead.

I rarely split up my warband, which may be part of why the ogre works for me. Seems like common sense, "don't split your forces" stuff, but is worth mentioning because if you expect him to be able to take point and then don't provide the support he needs, he WILL get shredded. Throw him at some tank with a shield, de-buff the tank to hell with your dancing rat band (seriously, its perfectly valid to charge and then dis-engage in the same turn), and you will be laughing at how well he does.