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I know Greater Daemons are supposedly very intelligent and crafty, but how intelligent are lessor daemons? I've read the codex and it talks of pink/blue horrors arguing with each other, so at least they are perhaps sentient, but the way it talks about the other gods' lesser daemons, especially bloodletters and daemonettes, makes it sound like they're little more than humanoid animals, except for maybe the Masque of Slaanesh and the skulltaker.

There is various degree's of intelligence, depending on how long the daemon in question has lived.

Many of them are generally around "Human" intelligence, can be called, summoned, or what have you, and have conversations, even if they are far more affected by their gods feelings (Khorne daemons will be far more rageful in a conversation, while Tzeentch daemons are a bit more chaotic and random). The newborns in the warp however are very primalistic, and take sometime before they develop an intellect beyond what emotion they were born from.

Well, considering that one could argue that a vast number of daemons can be formed from tiny fractions of warp energy at the will of any being powerful enough, or possibly even from shattered fragments of unreality caused by a greater daemon entering real-space, only to be destroyed/banished moments later by whatever they were called upon to fight, the average IQ of these daemons would likely be quite low, due to not having had enough time to gain power.

I point this out due to the severe difficulty warp entities have in trying to enter reality - they usually need to be powerful enough to basically "tear the galaxy a new one" by creating an interdimensional hole (much like any spaceship trying to use warp travel). This would imply that lesser daemons that form within the warp would most likely remain there until they are powerful enough, and sentient enough to direct the required energies in such a way that they can enter reality, by which time they have become greater daemons.

So you'd kinda need to differentiate between the two (ones in the warp, and ones outside of it)...

Hope this is insightful

Well how about when cults summon a lesser daemon for whatever reason ( I recall seeing a picture of a slaanesh cult summoning a daemonette for God knows what reason). Since that daemon was summoned to the universe by others and not by its own will, are we to assume its of lesser intelligence than one that came to the universe as part of an army or by its own volition?

Also, its probably just a game mechanic, but bloodletters seem intelligent enough to know enough swordplay to fight on even grounds with a space marine (they have the same WS). Is it truly intelligence, or just instinctual fighting knowledge courtesy of Khorne?

Ferrum_Sanguinis wrote:
Well how about when cults summon a lesser daemon for whatever reason ( I recall seeing a picture of a slaanesh cult summoning a daemonette for God knows what reason). Since that daemon was summoned to the universe by others and not by its own will, are we to assume its of lesser intelligence than one that came to the universe as part of an army or by its own volition?

Also, its probably just a game mechanic, but bloodletters seem intelligent enough to know enough swordplay to fight on even grounds with a space marine (they have the same WS). Is it truly intelligence, or just instinctual fighting knowledge courtesy of Khorne?

I would wager it to be instinctual at first, but with each kill, Khorne grants the murderer more power, and they would be able to learn some of the SM's moves.

As for summoning daemons, lesser daemons of Khorne would either be little more than animals or have just enough brain to challenge you to a fight to the death.
Daemons of Tzeentch would probably be smart enough to outwit the common man, or possibly even a SM.
Daemons of Nurgle's intelligence would be relative to the potency of their illnesses.
Daemons of slaanesh... raep...

It's best to split them by what they do, and observe their roles and discern the level of intelligence needed there.

For instance - Daemonettes have to conjure up all kinds of perverse fantasies for the minds of men, so they certainly have imagination. That's a function of a higher-ordered brain, to be able to create thoughts instead of merely translating input from the senses.
Plaguebearers must record all of Father Nurgle's plagues - certainly above base sentience as they need the ability to recognise characteristics and use those to classify things. However, you could also argue that their task is mind-numbingly repetitive and monotonous, and a creature of roughly human intelligence would quickly be bored of it.
Horrors have enough intelligence to scheme but frequently squabble among themselves and otherwise behave unpredictably (even for daemons). The human race has a perfect analogy for this - children.
Bloodletters have enough intelligence for battle tactics, which could fall under cunning - but don't seem to have a broad degree of communication. It appears they have a similar level of intelligence to pack animals, say wolves, but it may simply be that they're capable of higher thought and just don't show it.

...whew. Hooray for amateur psychology!

 Super Ready wrote:
It's best to split them by what they do, and observe their roles and discern the level of intelligence needed there.

For instance - Daemonettes have to conjure up all kinds of perverse fantasies for the minds of men, so they certainly have imagination. That's a function of a higher-ordered brain, to be able to create thoughts instead of merely translating input from the senses.
Plaguebearers must record all of Father Nurgle's plagues - certainly above base sentience as they need the ability to recognise characteristics and use those to classify things. However, you could also argue that their task is mind-numbingly repetitive and monotonous, and a creature of roughly human intelligence would quickly be bored of it.
Horrors have enough intelligence to scheme but frequently squabble among themselves and otherwise behave unpredictably (even for daemons). The human race has a perfect analogy for this - children.
Bloodletters have enough intelligence for battle tactics, which could fall under cunning - but don't seem to have a broad degree of communication. It appears they have a similar level of intelligence to pack animals, say wolves, but it may simply be that they're capable of higher thought and just don't show it.

...whew. Hooray for amateur psychology!

Well thought, good work!

Bloodletters probably would be pack animals, but their unit leaders, the heralds of Khorne, would need to be slightly smarter. These guys can figure out how best to slaughter their enemies, can rally together the animalistic tendencies of the lesser daemons into a working fighting unit, and then apply them to a tactical situation. Probably on par with a veteran sergeant of the IG.

It might even fluctuate depending on their patron power and who they were dealing with in the mortal world.