First of all, sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes, because English isn’t my native language.

This is an analytical text with some tables describing Baal’s gifts to his priestess. All results are calculated using massive of 100 experiments (of summonings) in a row. In my opinion, this is a representative sample.

• Str – strength;
  
• Hp – hit points;
  
• MR – magic resistance;
  
• Ar – armor;
  
• Att – attacks;
  
• Tr - traits.

Upon committing simple ceremony (15 sacrifices) High Priestess or Hierodule granted with one of possible rewards presented below sorted from largest chance to smallest:

• Giant Scorpion (front line, Str 2, Hp 6; MR 1; Ar 0; Att: Deadly Sting 1-2 (+1-20 poison), Claw 1-2; Tr: none);
  
• Large Spider (front line, Str 2, Hp 9; MR 2; Ar 0; Att: Weak Venomous Bite 1-2 (+1-5 poison); Tr: none);
  
• Scorpion (front line, Str 1, Hp 2; MR 1; Ar 0; Att: Sting 1-8 (poison, may disease); Tr: none);
  
• Small Spider (front line, Str 1, Hp 2; MR 1; Ar 0; Att: Sting 1-6 (poison, may disease); Tr: none);
  
• Mazzik (front line, Str 2, Hp 6; MR 6; Ar 0; Att: Claw 1-4; Tr: Flying);
  
• Anakite (front line, Str 8, Hp 45; MR 6; Ar 1; Att: Broadsword 1-6(+10); Tr: Shield, Giant);
  
• Se'ir (front line, Str 6, Hp 36; MR 7; Ar 0; Att: Claw 1-6, Gore 1-7; Tr: none);
  
• Large Spider Familiar (back line, Str 2, Hp 8; MR 7; Ar 0; Att: Strong Venomous Bite 1-2 (+1-20 poison); Tr: none);
  
• Scorpion Beast (front line, Str 6, Hp 38; MR 1; Ar 1; Att: Deadly Sting 1-3 (+1-20 poison), Claw 1-5; Tr: none);
  
• Giant Spider (front line, Str 5, Hp 28; MR 3; Ar 0; Att: Venomous Bite 1-4 (+1-10 poison); Tr: none).

Please, pay attention to roles of these humble servants of Baal. They all (except Familiar) are front line meat shields, so priestess may invest more gold to recruit ranged troops: archers or even a catapult).

Table below (sorry, have to insert tables as images due to steam's inability of rich text formating) contains results of performing simple ceremony (15 sacrifices) with chances of obtaining each type of creatures and quantity of these creatures in single ritual.



As we can see, most common options are Giant Scorpion and Large Spider. Both are cheap meat shields. Giant Scorpion have lesser hit points, but stronger attacks, while Large Spider can withstand 50% more punishment. In my opinion they are equal, it’s just trade of one 1-2 attack for 3 more hit points. As for Large Spider Familiar, it’s almost the same as ordinary Large Spider, but stands aside of front line and better protected against magic. This guy here just for flavor, in my opinion.

Strong front line fighters Se’ir and Anakite appear about one time of ten. My favorite amongst them is Anakite for his 25% more hit points, equipment (shield and light armor) and 33% more strength, which is useful for resisting stun. If you want to trade these benefits for 1 more magic resistance and additional 1-6 attack, it’s up to you.

Scorpion Beast, very strong poisonous front line coming out one time of twenty, and this pincer wielding guy is more interesting then Giant Spider for his additional strength, hit points, armor and 1-5 attack. Besides this, Scorpion Beast is just looking AWESOME!

Once High Priestess or Hierodule performs grand ceremony (75 sacrifices), Baal sends one of these creatures or even lords to help them (presented below sorted from largest chance to smallest):

• Giant Spider (front line, Str 5, Hp 28; MR 3; Ar 0; Att: Venomous Bite 1-4 (+1-10 poison); Tr: none);
  
• Scorpion Beast (front line, Str 6, Hp 38; MR 1; Ar 1; Att: Deadly Sting 1-3 (+1-20 poison), Claw 1-5; Tr: none);
  
• Se'ir (front line, Str 6, Hp 36; MR 7; Ar 0; Att: Claw 1-6, Gore 1-7; Tr: none);
  
• Mazzik (front line, Str 2, Hp 6; MR 6; Ar 0; Att: Claw 1-4; Tr: Flying);
  
• Shed (front line, Str 6, Hp 42; MR 7; Ar 0; Att: Cast Spell (Storm magic lvl2); Thunder Fist 1-5 (+1-4 shock, may stun); Gore 1-7; Tr: Shock Immunity, Flying);
  
• Anakite Captain (lord, front line, Str 8, Hp 55; MR 7; Ar 1; Att: Cast Spell (Dark prayers lvl2); Broad Swort 1-6(+12); Tr: Shield, Giant);
  
• Lilot (lord, mid line, Str 4, Hp 18; MR 7; Ar 0; Att: Fist 1-1(+4), Hoof 1-5; Charm (one enemy, anywhere on battlefield, as far as I remember, only when you attack enemy, and only before first round of combat); Tr: Flying);
  
• Zamzummite - a very rare (~1% chance, not shown in a table below) magician (lord, back line, Str 7, Hp 45; MR 9; Ar 0; Att: Cast Spell (Dark prayers lvl1); Cast Spell (Necromancy lvl2); Staff 1-3(+6); Tr: Giant).

Grand ceremonies lead to one of three lords:

• Anakite Captain, who is reliable front line fighter, bringing with himself some Anakite troops;
  
• Lilot, a demoness, charming and dangerous in her middle line with two attacks and possibility of “stealing” one enemy troop;
  
• Zamzummite, an adept of necromancy and dark arts, whom I first time meet after a cople hundreds of Grand ceremonies. Very though and able to perform ritual of minor undead summoning through spending new resource - Hands of Glory, wich Zamzummite generates each turn.

Weakling arachnids of simple ceremony gone and sacrificing priestess have a good chance to pet elusive Giant Spider or Scorpion Beast, strongest creatures (read: MEAT SHIELDS) of previous ritual.



New “player on field” is Shed, a lightning wielding flying demon, dealing his damage to multiple enemies with spells and brute force. With 42 hit points he’s a good meat shield too.

As said above, Anakite Captain comes with some Anakites. In my testing from one to four Akanites were accompanied their Captain. The chance to obtain more troops is diminishing while their number increased.

After performing Blood Feast (400 sacrifices) High Priestess receives one of best Baal’s heroes or Sirrush, a reddish snake, resembling a “scaly dragon with hind legs resembling the talons of an eagle, feline forelegs, a long neck and tail, a horned head, a snake-like tongue, and a crest” (wikipedia).

Sirrush (front line, Str 10, Hp 151; MR 8; Ar 2; Att: Fiery Breath 1-15 (fire damage to 3 enemies); Bite 1-25; Claw 1-22; Strong Venomous Bite 1-6 (+1-20 poison); Tr: Causes Fear; Poison Immunity; Giant) is most common option for completing Blood Feast and will appear one time of four.



All summons through Blood Feast provide ONE Baal's champion at time, no more, no less.

Available heroes may be divided in two categories: these, who wield magic and these, who not.
These lords can’t use magic:

• Manticore (front line, Str 10, Hp 125; MR 7; Ar 1; Att: Flick Barb 1-10 (ranged); Claw 1-18; Stinger 1-8 (+1-20 poison); Tr: Local Leadership (+1); Causes Fear, Giant; Flying);
  
• Scorpion Man (front line, Str 8, Hp 77; MR 9; Ar 2; Att: Gaze of Fear (frightens one random enemy rank for 1-6 morale); Plague Bow 1-5 (+13 ranged attack, may disease one enemy); Claw 1-15; Tr: Causes Fear, Fire Immunity).

I prefer a Manticore for it’s +2 strength and almost +50 hit points, but someone may find very useful special attack of Scorpion Man that frightens enemy rank. If you oppose 2-3 full ranks of humanoids and have only 2-3 Scorpion Men in you army, then you may be surprised how fast they will deal with enemy simply because of their BIG SCARY PINCERS!

Magic users amongst Baal’s lords are suited for various roles:

• Melqart, strong fighter and adept of dark prayers (front line, Str 10, Hp 65; MR 10; Ar 2; Att: Cast Spell (Dark prayers lvl3); Broadsword 1-6(+23); Tr: Shield; Giant);
  
• Adon, front line hero, expert of dark prayers (front line, Str 8, Hp 55; MR 7; Ar 1; Att: Cast Spell (Dark prayers lvl2); Broadsword 1-6(+12); Tr: Shield; Giant);
  
• Malik, adept necromancer, capable to withstand many punishments (front line, Str 10, Hp 55; MR 10; Ar 2; Att: Cast Spell (Necromancy lvl3); Broadsword 1-6(+23); Tr: Cold Immunity; Poison Immunity; Undead; Sleep Immunity; Charm Immunity; Pierce Resistance; Shield; Giant);
  
• Desert Sun, who throws fiery spells on enemies from back line, very prominent pyromancer (back line, Str 8, Hp 62; MR 9; Ar 0; Att: Cast Spell (Pyromancy lvl3); Fist 1-1(+14); Tr: Fire Aura (5 fire damage to enemy attacking owner in melee); Fire Immunity; Flying);
  
• Watcher, adept blood mage, standing in rear ranks of army (back line, Str 9, Hp 144; MR 9; Ar 1; Att: Cast Spell (Blood magic lvl3); Great Sword 1-10(+19); Tr: Cause Fear; Flying).

Malik, Adon and Melqart brings with themselves some additional troops:

• Malik accompanied by 3 – 5 Ditanu (front line, Str 10, Hp 45; MR 6; Ar 2; Att: Broadsword 1-6(+20); Tr: Cold Immunity; Poison Immunity; Undead; Sleep Immunity; Charm Immunity; Pierce Resistance; Shield; Giant);
  
• Melqart comes with 2 – 6 Rephaite (front line, Str 10, Hp 65; MR 7; Ar 2; Att: Broadsword 1-6(+20); Tr: Shield; Giant);
  
• Adon (seems like he’s Anakite General) prefer platoon of 4 – 18 Anakites (front line, Str 8, Hp 45; MR 6; Ar 1; Att: Broadsword 1-6(+10); Tr: Shield, Giant).

Next table presents result of my testing of armies, following these lords.



If you ask me, which front line caster suits me better, I’ll tell you: it depends. Versus witch and other capable charmers and enslavers, maybe, I’d like to enlist undead Malik for his immunity to charm, ability to cast nice spells from necromancy (Army of the Dead, Invulnerability) and bunch of his undead followers Ditanu.
In any other case it seems not a big difference between Adon and Melqart. Yes, Melqart and his addons are stronger, but their number is fewer. There are, in average, twice more Adon’s Anakites then Melqart’s Rephaites, and Anakites have 70% of Repharite’s hit points, also their single attack is made at 55% Repharite’s damage. In terms of statistics 20 Anakites better then 10 Repharites, and, not to forget, they have twice more targets (figures) for enemies, so they are harder to focus.

If I should choose from mage lords, I’d like to enlist Watcher instead of Desert Sun because of blood magic (Rain of Blood is VERY WELL combines with caster fighter’s Terror, also a Rupture, nuke for all “living” enemies on battlefield), better defense (excluding fire immunity of Desert Sun, it’s good to have) and more hit points.

Thanks for your time wasted to read this article and have a nice play!