>For the most part, demons differ mechanically at the archetype level and not at the lower level. An exception to that rule is verloks (I don't remember exactly what it is, but it has something to do with pickpockets).

The only mechanical differences I am aware of are A) Abyran'sa and Abyran'a, with "'sas" being able to break sanctuary B) Verlok'ar are elemental metals, and their pickpocketing will flare their element.

I am also aware that they decided that with demons that had no "demon specific" types, like the arashan, imp and aishan, the difficult of summoning is higher. So be careful picking Imp if you only have 75 ranks, because inchamber would not necessarily guarantee success. As to the best demons and their strengths, I will make another post for that.

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>Barnom exclaims, "I smell delicious!"

>Barnom says, "Like sage and nutmeg."

How to pick a demon rune!

There are nine different demon archetypes (species) in the game. Some of these demons are subdivided into specific subtypes, some are not. As detailed in the previous post, only two of these have any influence: Abyran and Verlok. Abyran is irrelevant for the purposes of this argument, because the Abyran'sa will not be offered in these teachings.

Remember; summoning from an archetype requires 100 ranks out of chamber, 75 ranks in chamber. Imp, Aishan, Arashan, and Grantris do NOT have sub-types, and so summoning them may require a higher number of ranks.

Now, for the strengths and weaknesses of each:

Grik'tyr - These will be available during the first meeting:

The Grik:
- Highest coin capacity period, absurdly high. Anyone with the 75 ranks necessary to chamber-summon could hold 5500 silver.
- Poorish mana capacity, not the worst.
- Along with the Abyran, last demon to master the Illusion on.

The Imp:
- Second highest mana capacity.
- Can break Bardic Song of Peace
- Average coins and other traits

Shien'tyr - Will be offered at later meetings

The Aishan:
- Cannot hold coins, deliver messages or accept mana. Item carrying is limited, but possible In many mechanical ways, the "worst" demon.
- Can find people better than any other demon, including hiding and invisible people, which is unique.
- Unlike other demons, will always "guard" your pockets. Also, diseases caught pickpockets.

The Shien:
- Highest mana capacity in the game.
- Notoriously slow to react and find people.
- Has a unique and special communication method, which requires a dark room to use.

The Arashan:
- Has the unique ability to "control" enemy webs.
- Will web anyone it catches stealing from you.
- Cannot hold coins, oddly.
- Above average item holding ability.

Lorae'tyr - Will be offered at later meetings

Igaesha:
- Above average mana capacity.
- Can "eat" more than any other demon.
- Acid burns people it catches stealing.
- Notoriously slow
- Cannot deliver messages, and terrible coin capacity. Cannot "get" items, but can hold them. There is a difference.
- The only demon that can be illusioned for the first few ranks; REQUIRED to progress in Illusions.

Grantris
- Best item holding.
- Second best coin holding POTENTIAL, but not the second best base coin capacity.
- Very poor mana sending and capacity.
- Can only deliver messages in Elven.

Verlok
- High mechanical benefit, second best coin capacity, third highest potential capacity, and third best at carrying items.
- Horrendous mana sending.
- Verlok'ar subtype (elemental metals) flare when catching pickpockets.
- Drops feathers which can cast the Light spell.

Abyran
- Very well rounded demon, moderately high mana capacity and coin capacity. No weakpoints.
- Will poison anything that it catches pickpocketing.
- Abyran'sa subtype can break player sanctuaries, as well as critter cast, I believe.
- Along with the Grik, last demon to master the Illusion on.


______________________
>Barnom exclaims, "I smell delicious!"

>Barnom says, "Like sage and nutmeg."

Regarding FINDing hidden or invisible people, I'm not sure if all demons have that ability. But I know with certainty that griks have a chance to find hidden people, and I'm pretty sure that all demons have a chance to find hidden people. Finding hidden people is especially helpful in places where critters hide dead bodies.

I suspect it's the same with invisible targets, but it's not something I've tested.

It's possible that aishans are quicker or have a greater chance than other demons. But I'm not even sure of that.

Don't familiars have the same ability?

>I've never heard that either. Furthermore, it doesn't seem to correlate with my experience. I was fortunate enough to acquire a couple grik'tyr-imp runestones. I NEVER failed summoning with this rune, even with "only" 60 ranks demonology. The chance for failure, according to old data, would have been 15% (I always cast in a summoning chamber). It's reasonable to speculate I just got lucky. But according to your data, the chance for failure would have been a whopping 40%. I'd have to be extraordinarily lucky to never have failed a cast with those odds. I'm skeptical, to say the least.

It was an old claim, I think from Nilven. It may not be true in the end, however, I KNOW there was discussion of it at some point, perhaps in the 2007ish era. It came as a result of several big name sorcerers complaining about it. But maybe it never came to pass or something. Honestly, I don't know, and I don't have a post. Be my guest and experiment, I really can't, I have too many Demonology ranks at this point.
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>Barnom exclaims, "I smell delicious!"

>Barnom says, "Like sage and nutmeg."

Good to know. All I know is that it was discussed at some point, and there was an uproar in offense at the matter. I think it was not long before I left, so that might be why I'm confused.

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>Barnom exclaims, "I smell delicious!"

>Barnom says, "Like sage and nutmeg."

>I think I remember hearing a similar suggestion too, but from whom I dont recall. but it never came to pass. it would have bumped up the overall requirements for a profession already under strain from increased training requirements and nerfing.

As I recall, someone (Querthose, Hakwea, Evarin, maybe you, I don't even remember, a big name around 2006-2007) was complaining about how hard it was to summon Abyran'sa. Up until that point, no one had really established the fact that there was such a thing as "demon specific" difficulty (the website only lists valence and archetype). There was an initial uproar when it was revealed that demon specifics are even harder, and maybe at some later date, someone suggested trying to balance the Demon Specifics (Abyran'sa, Verlok'ar) because they were so much "harder" than the ones without a specific, like Aishan. There was some sort of NIR response that the only end result of that would be that Aishan/Imp/etc would just get harder. So maybe thats what it was, more of a "if we fix it, it won't be the way you want it" kind of thing.
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>Barnom exclaims, "I smell delicious!"

>Barnom says, "Like sage and nutmeg."