Chili advice needed re: peppers and tomato

Hey all, so I've been lurking for a while attempting to research all tips, secret ingredients, and techniques pertaining to chili... I'm doing a crockpot's worth for super bowl and would like some opinions on things.

I'd like to avoid lackluster grocery store chili powder but I can't end up with a chili that's too spicy/hot. I've decided through research that I should probably focus on derivatives of the Poblano, but am unsure which to do... so here are a few questions:

- are grocery store ancho powders any good?
- has anyone attempted using mole in a *non-Texas style chili*? (I'm doing tomatoes, pinto/black bean, northerner style) (don't assault me, I'm not the one demanding beans)
- Pasilla, Ancho, or Mulato? (Assuming I can find all three) (I could make my own paste)
- Chipotle in Adobo? Too hot? I don't want to have to use so little of something because of heat that I don't gain much flavor/smokiness

I'd love all your opinions on this. Attempting to make northerner chili somewhat more authentic.

Especially interested in Mole opinions.

Lastly, thoughts on:
1. Throwing a bone w/ marrow in
2. How do you approach tomato paste/puree/crushed/diced/juice (I prefer a "thick" chili but by that I mean a high viscosity sauce, not just a bowl of veg & meat)

I know it's a lengthy set of questions but even if you just have a strong opinion on one aspect, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks!
Go Bills!!