Which Goetia Spirits Suit a Beginner?

How to read the labels Historical what the old sources say. Later tradition what later writers added. Modern modern practice and my own notes.

If you have decided to try a first, quiet practice with one of the Goetia’s 72 spirits, the next question is which one. Online answers range from “start with Paimon” to “never touch any of them.”

I use three simple criteria instead, drawn from the Goetia’s own descriptions. This page explains them, lists the 30 spirits that fit and explains why the kings are not first contacts.

If you are struggling right now, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe, 911 in the US and Canada) or see Getting help.

You never have to choose a spirit at all. Reading the Goetia as history is complete in itself.

The three criteria

Modern In the old text, the magician chooses a spirit by need: the one whose office matches the request. I keep that idea of choosing by office but change the purpose. A first contact is a respectful, low-stakes act of study, not a request for results. For that, choose a spirit that passes three tests.

Teaching. Its offices in the Goetia include teaching, such as the liberal sciences, languages, rhetoric, astronomy, geometry, philosophy or the virtues of herbs and stones.

Not a king. The text treats the kings as the most powerful and most demanding, with special rules and dangers.

No harm, deception or compulsion. Its entry does not center on them. Skip spirits whose main offices are causing wounds, death, storms, discord or love by compulsion, and spirits the text says will lie unless constrained.

Even spirits that fit have mixed offices in the text. Always read the whole entry on the spirit’s page.

The 30 spirits that fit

Historical The office shown is the first one the 1904 text gives. Ranks follow the 1904 edition; see ranks and offices.

No.	Spirit	Rank	First office in the 1904 text
2	Agares	Duke	Makes those who stand still run, and brings back runaways.
4	Samigina	Marquis	Teaches all liberal sciences.
5	Marbas	President	Answers truly of things hidden or secret.
8	Barbatos	Duke	Gives understanding of the singing of birds and the voices of other creatures, “such as the barking of Dogs.”
10	Buer	President	Teaches philosophy, both moral and natural.
11	Gusion	Duke	Tells all things past, present, and to come.
18	Bathin	Duke	Knows the virtues of herbs and precious stones.
21	Marax	Earl and President	Makes men “very knowing in Astronomy, and all other Liberal Sciences.”
22	Ipos	Earl and Prince	Knows all things past, present, and to come.
24	Naberius	Marquis	Makes men cunning in all arts and sciences, “but especially in the Art of Rhetoric.”
26	Bune	Duke	Changes the place of the dead; the same entry makes a man “Wise and Eloquent.”
27	Ronove	Marquis and Earl	Teaches the art of rhetoric “very well.”
30	Forneus	Marquis	Teaches and makes men “wonderfully knowing in the Art of Rhetoric.”
31	Foras	President	Gives men understanding of the virtues of all herbs and precious stones.
36	Stolas	Prince	Teaches the art of astronomy.
37	Phenex	Marquis	Speaks “marvellously of all wonderful Sciences if required.”
46	Bifrons	Earl	Makes one knowing in astrology, geometry, and other arts and sciences.
48	Haagenti	President	Makes men wise and instructs them in divers things.
49	Crocell	Duke	Teaches the art of geometry and the liberal sciences.
50	Furcas	Knight	Teaches philosophy, astrology, rhetoric, logic, cheiromancy (palmistry), and pyromancy (divination by fire), “in all their parts, and perfectly.”
52	Alloces	Duke	Teaches the art of astronomy and all the liberal sciences.
53	Camio	President	Is “a Good Disputer.”
54	Murmur	Duke and Earl	Teaches philosophy perfectly.
55	Orobas	Prince	Discovers all things past, present, and to come.
58	Amy	President	Makes one “Wonderful Knowing in Astrology and all the Liberal Sciences.”
59	Orias	Marquis	Teaches the virtues of the stars.
60	Vapula	Duke	Makes men knowing in all handicrafts and professions.
65	Andrealphus	Marquis	Teaches geometry perfectly.
66	Cimejes	Marquis	Rules over all spirits “in the parts of Africa.”
69	Decarabia	Marquis	Discovers the virtues of birds and precious stones.

Borderline cases

Seven spirits sit on the edge, and it is worth knowing how I decided them. I apply the three tests strictly, as written above.

Bune and Bifrons are on the list. Their teaching offices (wisdom and eloquence for Bune; astrology, geometry and the virtues of stones and woods for Bifrons) meet the teaching test. Both entries also give offices concerning the dead and graves. Those are not offices of harm, deception or compulsion, so they do not rule the spirits out, but I do not teach them. Never disturb graves or cemeteries in any way.

Botis and Seere are left off. Their offices, divination and reconciliation for Botis, speed and finding stolen goods for Seere, carry no harm, but neither has a teaching office, so they fail the teaching test.

Malphas is left off. His building office comes close to teaching, but the text says he deceives those who sacrifice to him, and the third test excludes spirits the text says will deceive.

Ose and Dantalion are left off by the same test, although both have teaching offices. Ose also makes a person believe he has become another creature, and Dantalion knows the thoughts of others and “can change them at his Will” and causes love. Those offices work on another person’s mind without consent, which the third test excludes.

The line I draw for the teaching test is this: an office counts if it gives understanding, such as teaching a subject, making a person wise, witty or eloquent, or explaining questions of learning. Foretelling the future or finding lost things on its own does not count. That is why Gusion (“showeth the meaning and resolution of all questions”), Ipos (“maketh men witty”) and Orobas (true answers “of the Creation of the World”) are on the list, while Botis and Vassago, whose offices are divination alone, are not.

Why kings are not first contacts

Historical The Goetia names nine kings: Bael, Paimon, Beleth, Purson, Asmoday, Vine, Balam, Zagan and Belial. Their seals are to be made in gold, they have their own hours, and several entries attach special rules. Beleth is “very furious at his first appearance” and must be commanded into the triangle by force.

Paimon and Belial are among the few spirits the text says must receive an offering. Asmoday must be called outdoors, “abroad,” with the magician standing and bareheaded, “for if it be on, Amaymon will deceive him.”

None of this means a king is “evil” and a marquis is “good.” Rank describes standing in an imagined court, not character. But a first contact is about learning how a practice affects you, and the text itself marks the kings as the most demanding. Start where the text is calmest.

What a good first question looks like

The criteria are only half of the choice. The other half is the question you bring. A first contact works best when the question is about your own learning and has no stakes for anyone else. Some examples that fit the teaching offices above:

For a spirit of astronomy, such as Stolas or Orias: “What should I study next about the night sky?”
For a spirit of rhetoric, such as Naberius or Forneus: “What helps me speak more clearly?”
For a spirit of herbs and stones, such as Foras: “Which plant should I learn about first, safely?”
For a spirit of geometry, such as Andrealphus: “How can I make my study of geometry steadier?”

Questions to leave aside: anything about money, a job outcome, a court case, your health or another person’s feelings and choices. Those belong to practical help and to the people involved.

Try this: choose slowly, in four steps

Browse the spirit directory and note any spirits whose teaching offices interest you.
Read each one’s full page, including the offices you would never work with.
Write your choice in a journal with one sentence on why, and the question you would like to explore. Keep it about learning: “What should I study next about astronomy?” Never anything about another person.
Wait at least a day before you do anything more.

What next

Do not choose a spirit because a video dared you to. Do not choose one to ask for anything involving another person. If simply reading about a spirit frightens you, stop; reading a name does not call a spirit. For how this fits a wider beginner approach, see modern approaches.

Questions

Which Goetia spirit is best for a beginner?

No spirit is "best." I suggest a spirit that is not a king, has at least one teaching office and whose entry does not center on harm, deception or compulsion. Thirty of the 72 fit on this site's list.

Why should beginners avoid the kings?

The text treats the kings as the most powerful and most demanding, with special rules and dangers. A less exalted rank suits a first, quiet contact better.

Do I have to contact a spirit at all?

No. Reading the Goetia as history is complete in itself. Choosing a spirit is only for readers who have decided, slowly, to try a practice.