Demon boss/Strategies

This page outlines strategies for defeating demon bosses.

Name
A demon boss's name will contain both a prefix and a suffix title, which indicate how the boss will fight.

All "area of effect" abilities apply to the demon's area of effect: within 3 squares of the boss.

General/DPS role
This section covers strategy that is important to all players, and also provides insight into strategy for players taking on a solely DPS-based role.

Style
Demon bosses have no weakness, so all sides of the combat triangle are equally effective in dealing damage; however, melee is inherently less flexible than magic and ranged as it requires being adjacent to the boss. For demons with an area of effect ability, this is a large hindrance, and it may be preferable to use a different style; for demons without, melee can be equally effective for the fight. Overall, however, melee has a huge advantage with the darklight upgrade that can be purchased after Dimension of Disaster. With the upgrade, it is extremely easy to achieve near 100% accuracy, even without potions.

Equipment
No matter what your role is, accuracy and damage will be important. Players taking on DPS role should preferably be using superior Elite Void Knight equipment. If you do not have superior elite void, then power armour will be preferable over tank armour.

Beginning a fight
If you are present when the boss is freshly spawned, he will be surrounded by 6 imp heralds, 4 lesser demons, and 2 black demons. Starting with the lesser demons, and ignoring the heralds, the demon boss will slowly sap life from his minions to heal himself. While the heralds are alive, the lesser demons cannot be attacked, and while the heralds and lesser demons are alive, the black demons cannot be attacked. Kill all the minions quickly to keep the boss's health as low as possible.

Use of prayer
Except for protect item, all prayers and curses will greatly increase the boss's damage and accuracy. Avoid using prayers at all time, unless you are tanking and using the mechanic to your advantage (covered below).

Tank/Solo
This section covers methods for a player who is either tanking or soloing a demon mob.

Equipment
For a tank/solo role, defence is not as important as it may seem. Dual-wielded equipment is superior to two-handed because it allows use of a shield without sacrificing damage. For most demon bosses, tank gear can be replaced with power armour or void knight equipment to increase damage.

For lower levels, a beast of burden can be used to store extra food. With higher end equipment and levels (90+), a beast of burden can be replaced with a Unicorn stallion, as healing will be less demanding.

Use of prayer
Except for protect item, all prayers and curses will greatly increase a demon boss's accuracy and damage. While for the most part, prayer should be avoided, this can be turned into an advantage if executed properly.

If the boss fires an attack while resonance is active, the effect will be disabled; however, if activated after the attack is fired, the effect can work. If the boss's attack misses, then the next attack may remove the effect of resonance. By turning prayer on before an attack is fired and and activating resonance after, this mechanic can be used to provide very high heals (upwards of 5,000).

Demon bosses are not immune to deflect, so if prayer is active while reflect is in effect, large amounts of damage can be deflected back on the boss. This can be combined with resonance, allowing a high hit to not only heal you, but damage the boss as well. Do note that under reflect, all damage received is cut in half, so resonance cannot heal as high. You may prefer to wait until reflect's effect is over to cast resonance.

Transfigure can have damage absorbed to heal you. While the ability stuns and binds you, it does not prevent you from activating and deactivating prayers. Cast transfigure at mid health (around 4,000–5,000) and turn prayer on for 1 or 2 hits (depending on how much is dealt). Transfigure's max heal is 5,000; taking around 2,000 life points of damage is ideal.

Prefixes
This section covers effective strategies to use based on the boss's prefix. Keep in mind that this alone cannot decide the best strategy, as the demon's suffix will need to be taken into consideration.

General
Demons with the general title have accurate attacks. Overall, you may find yourself using more food, but at higher levels, this will matter less.

Executioner
Demons with the executioner title have very high hitting attacks. Even at higher levels, they may exhaust your food source if you are soloing or in a two- or three-man team. It may be wise to switch to tank armour depending on the boss's suffix.

Castellan
Demons with the castellan title have very high defence. Even with the highest end equipment and levels, landing a hit is difficult. These are the longest fights. When tanking a castellan demon, even in large teams, reflecting damage back to the boss will be a significant source of damage. With effective use of prayer, damage per minute can be increased as much as 10,000. Against these demons, that much damage makes a significant difference. Solo hunters may wish to avoid castellan demons to increase kills per hour.

Deacon
Demons with the deacon title are not an increased threat, as their ability only makes their magic attack multi-target. This ability will make no difference for soloers or small teams (assuming the dps roles are away from the tank).

Suffixes
This section covers effective strategies to use based on the boss's suffix. Keep in mind that this alone cannot decide the best strategy, as the demon's prefix will need to be taken into consideration.

Blazing/Rending/Infernal
Demons with these titles will apply a very weak damage over time attack with every successful attack they land. The former two will apply their damage over time to the tank, while the latter will apply it as an area of effect, and thus it may be avoided by standing back away from the boss.

Overall, the damage is very minor and will be very insignificant compared to the main hit. This damage over time effect can be used to your advantage. Every hit will trigger abilities like revenge, allowing you to maximise your damage output quickly, and preparation, to get resonance off of cooldown quickly. These small hits will also trigger resonance, so it will need to be activated at the last second to have the large hits activate the effect.

Corrupting/Pestilent
Demons with these titles have the ability to poison. The former is an area of effect that can be avoided by standing back from the demon. The latter is more dangerous, as the poison will stack high, allowing it to hit well over 1,600. Having several doses of antiposion++ is recommended for pestilent demons.

Frostborn/Glorious
Demons with these titles have the ability stun players. The former is applied as an area of effect, and it may be avoided by standing back from the boss. The latter applies only to the tank, and will only stun on a successful hit. Freedom and Anticipation are very important for staying in combat with the boss. Plan your attacks ahead so that you can be under these abilities' effects, having stun immunity during combo or channelled attacks. Care should be taken when using prayer, as being stunned before you can cast resonance or other defensive abilities may result in death. Prayers can be deactivated and familiar scrolls can be used (including healing aura) even under this stun.

Shattering
Demons with the shattering title have a melee attack that hits all players in front of them. This can be avoided by standing back from the demon.

Terrifying
Demons with the terrifying title can bind and reduce adrenaline gain of players within 3 squares. Standing back from the demon is highly recommended to avoid both of these effects.

Obscured
Demons with the obscured title can drain the stats of players within their area of effect. Players using overload potions or its variants can practically ignore this ability. All other players should stand back or be stocked up on super restore potions.