Is the Theme of Demon Summoner Flexible?
Mechanics vs Theme
The short answer is yes, Demon Summoner’s theme is indeed flexible. After all, the design of game has always been driven by mechanics, with the theme serving to make the mechanics as easy to understand as possible. Naturally, some themes are better than others, and the Demons theme has worked pretty well so far. Yet, there are a handful of other potential themes which could align equally well with the mechanics of the game.
There are a few different thematic components which collectively reinforce the game mechanics. The following thematic summary essentially highlights each component in the most general terms possible.
Players are on a team of {GOOD} or {BAD}. The {VILLAIN}, who leads the {BAD} team, {PROCURES} {MONSTERS}: either {GENERIC} or {RESTRICTED}. Players form {MISSIONS} consisting of {PARTICIPANTS}, who either {GOOD_ACTION} or {BAD_ACTION} {MONSTERS}, but a {RESTRICTED} must always be {BAD_ACTION}. {MONSTERS} are hidden, but they can be viewed through {POWERS}.
Option 1: Demons
The current Demons theme can be plugged into the thematic summary to produce the below result:
Players are on a team of Righteous or Evil. The Demon Summoner, who leads the Evil team, summons demons: either Imps or Hellhounds. Players form Crusades consisting of Crusaders, who either capture or release demons, but a Hellhound must always be released. Demons are hidden, but they can be viewed through Prophecies.
This is a fundamentally solid theme because it helps players learn the mechanics of the game. Players can easily understand that the Righteous team wants to capture demons, the Evil team tries to deceive their opponents, Crusaders are forced to release Hellhounds, and so on. Moreover, demons are culturally associated with deception and trickery, which is ideal for a team-based social deduction game of Righteous versus Evil.
Yet, the core downside of the Demons theme is that it’s perhaps too strongly associated with deception. Consequently, a couple other social deduction and bluffing games are also themed around Demons. Most notably, Blood on the Clocktower involves deducing the secret identity of the Demon. The issue of thematic clash is hardly unique to a Demons theme, since other themes such as Werewolves and Spies are even more commonplace. But it’s still a downside, albeit a minor one, so it could be worthwhile to consider alternate themes. Moreover, a replacement theme could be more family-friendly, which might align better with certain publishers.
Option 2: Other Monsters
Fortunately, demons can be swapped out for other kinds of monsters. Back in 2020, when the first drafts of the game were being written, demons were favored over other types of monsters for two reasons. Primarily, demons are closely associated with summoning, which is ideal for a game where one player allocates monster cards (effectively, summoning them). Moreover, there is an easily understood hierarchy of demons, which is important since one type of monster must be too powerful for players to capture. In this case, Hellhounds must always be released, whereas Imps can be captured or released.
As long as a monster is loosely associated with summoning and has an easily understood hierarchy, it could replace the Demons theme with fairly minimal friction. I’ve written up two options, for Ghosts and Dragons, but these are hardly the only possibilities.
Option 2a: Ghosts
Players are on a team of Rescuer or Hunter. The Phantom Binder, who leads the Hunter team, commands ghosts: either Apparitions or Poltergeists. Players form Investigations consisting of Investigators, who either rescue or banish ghosts, but a Poltergeist must always be banished. Ghosts are hidden, but they can be viewed through Manifestations.
Option 2b: Dragons
Players are on a team of Loyalist or Traitor. The Dragonlord, who leads the Traitor team, commands dragons: either Whelps or Drakes. Players form Quests consisting of Warriors, who either slay or escape from dragons, but a Drake must always be escaped from. Dragons are hidden, but they can be viewed through Spells.
Option 3: Archaeology
A more creative approach can even forgo using monsters at all. Here’s what an Archaeology theme would look like:
Players are on a team of Lucid or Possessed. The Vengeful Spirit, who leads the Possessed team, bewitches artifacts: either Safe Artifacts or Cursed Artifacts. Players form Expeditions consisting of Explorers, who either display or bury artifacts, but a Cursed Artifact must always be buried. Artifacts are hidden, but they can be viewed through Inspectors.
The Demons are Optional
These alternate themes of Ghosts, Dragons, and Archaeology are a little rough around the edges, but they could be refined through playtesting. Should the Demons theme not work out for any reason, I feel quite confident that an alternate theme could be implemented, without impacting the core experience of the game. Demon Summoner fundamentally defines itself through its social deduction mechanics – the demons are optional.
