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The High School DxD anime explains the devil ranking system pretty superficially. On the one hand, we know that to revive humans as devils and control them, one needs evil pieces. The precise number and type depends on the individual, but that isn't really important for this question. On the other hand, we know that devils don't keep the same rank forever. Low ranking devils also sometimes get promoted to higher ranks, and eventually they could control their own servants and presumably stop working for that master at that point. Of course, low-ranking devils can also die.

In these situations, it would seem like a pretty substantial blow to the original master if they can't control any more devils. Their army's strength would be permanently reduced. Does that master receive new evil pieces to compensate in these cases?

Hakase
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Logan M
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5 Answers5

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I believe that even if you become a High or Ultimate Class Devil (Only two reincarnated devils have done so in canon) and obtain your own Peerage you still are a servant of your King. Kuroka was stronger than her King by a large margin but still served him. This means that instead of losing your legion you gain more legions (not proper terminology since a legion is over 5500 troops) that are indirectly under your command. Sirzechs peerage seem to be all high class but still serve him. Tannin himself is Mephisto's Queen but he is also a Ultimate-Class Devil and King and in the Top 10 of the Rating Game: in other words a hero of the Underworld. It is suggested that technically Tannin is still his servant but hard to confirm since even from the beginning Mephisto gave Tannin free reign to do as he pleased.

This is also supported by the fact that in volume one of the novels (and manga) Rias states that powerful peerage become status for their King. This would suggest such things remain even for servants that rose in status otherwise it would make more sense to make blood-status the requirement to get a set of Evil Pieces not Class since they would lose their property and the Devil's in DxD seem too greedy to sacrifice their valuables especially when their worth has become high.

Once you use it, Devils won’t be given a new [Evil Pieces].” Quoted from Rias in Part 2 of the New Life Chapter in the first volume of the DxD novels.

Also I got this from the official DxD wiki (which holds copies of the translated novels): There is actually no conflict when a Low-Class Devil starts his own group while still being a part of another peerage after becoming High-Class. When a Devil reaches High-Class, they receive a set of Evil Pieces to start their own group. However, even after going independent, Devils are still obliged to fight as underlings whenever their master has a Rating Game, for example, if Issei were to reach High-Class and start his own peerage, he would still have to fight as Rias' Pawn if she ever has a Rating Game.

And Evil Pieces that have returned have already stopped functioning and cannot be used ever again. Said by Kiba in Vol. 12 of the Novels.

Akuma-Heika
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  • I'm not entirely clear what you're claiming. Are you saying that Issei (for example) could get his own set of evil pieces if he became powerful enough, but even after that he'd remain a pawn in Rias' army? – Logan M Jul 05 '13 at 23:03
  • That is what it suggests. As I said the only cases that I know for a fact reached Ultimate-class was Grayfia and Tannin. Grayfia still serves Sirzechs even though with her Ultimate class status (and the status as the strongest Queen which means she is stronger than the former Dragon King Tannin who is also a Queen) she is only a single level below him. Tannin was the second one who rose from Low to Ultimate but he has made is own Peerage of Reincarnated Dragons. It has not stated he was released from mephisto's service but at the same time Mephisto gave him free reign even as a low-class devil – Akuma-Heika Jul 06 '13 at 05:32
  • Thanks, and welcome to Anime Stack Exchange! I haven't read any of the novels, so I'm not aware of a lot of the stuff you're describing, but your answer does seem to answer the question pretty thoroughly. – Logan M Jul 06 '13 at 23:43
  • Check my newest edit to my main one. It is on the bottom. I have not directly confirmed it but it does provide more evidence that my theory was correct. I am right now reading through the novels. Read volumes 1-3 in one day more like half a day while reading a number of other works. I think I read over 200,000 words. Finished volume 4 yesterday now reading 5-8. I am editing them as I go and plan on uploading my edited versions onto BakaTsuki. Also it was not Grayfia (SHe was a devil originally feel like an idiot) but Rudiger Rosenkreutz. He was a magician as a human but has become 7th in rank. – Akuma-Heika Jul 08 '13 at 19:49
  • I read the novel and I vouch for the credibility of this answer. This answer IMO explains things better than currently accepted answer. – 絢瀬絵里 Nov 15 '18 at 05:33
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So far, even in the light novels that cover about 5x the material the anime did, It doesn´t seem to be possible to receive more Evil Pieces than the ones you were revived with initially.

Christian Aurig Frøkjær
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  • I don't see any reason this answer needs to be community wiki. Did you intend to make it community wiki for some reason, or was that an accident? – Logan M Feb 14 '13 at 21:45
  • Accident, my bad. – Christian Aurig Frøkjær Feb 15 '13 at 04:00
  • You won't get any reputation from CW answers, so it's usually only used on Meta for things like FAQ questions. If you care about that, feel free to delete this answer and resubmit another one which isn't CW. I'd probably accept this answer, but once I do you won't be able to delete it, so I'm leaving it unaccepted for now so that you have a chance to resubmit it if you want to. – Logan M Feb 15 '13 at 16:27
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Wiki states:

If a Devil were to divert away from his/her master (then on known as a "Stray Devil" (はぐれ悪魔 Hagure Akuma)), they have to be captured or killed before they go out of control

Therefore, I think that if a demon stops following his master the master will not get the piece back till the person is either captured or dead. Although nowhere is it really stated that this is the case, I can not solidly prove this.

Also, if I recall correctly, somewhere in the beginning of the series, Rias Gremory states that using a piece is risky. If you use the wrong piece you lose it.

Gao
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Dimitri mx
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  • Yes, you are correct about both of those points. Evil pieces can get wasted if they don't work, and devils can go stray. But that doesn't really answer whether it's possible to get more in either case. – Logan M Feb 14 '13 at 21:43
  • @loganM If they are so carefull about the piece's I presume they are not re-aquireable. But it can't really be proven as they never mentiond re-obtaining them. All they tell is that if you go higher up in rank That you also can have your own legion. This means you can get more but still Dosen't state you can re-aquire. It's a hard question. – Dimitri mx Feb 14 '13 at 22:10
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When you become an HighRank Devil you receive your set of pieces (some of them could be mutant pieces). After spend a piece you're only able to exchange it but not ask for more, if he dies he dies with the piece, but there are a few exceptions as Issei (vol 11) after his death.

Drakantas
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I believe a Devil can only gain more Evil Pieces through reincarnating Devils and those Devils reincarnating Devils and so on -- -- an example would be Issei -- even when he becomes Ultimate Class ; he is still Rias' Pawn - any devils he reincarnates will always be his servants and therefore Rias' by default through Issei being hers -- and of course on down the chain -- ---

OddThomas25
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  • Hi. Please try to modify your answer as I cannot seem to understand some parts so I cannot edit it myself (also try providing sources if possible). If I might suggest, try to avoid using unnecessary dashes. If you want to highlight important points, you can italicize or make them in bold font. Thanks! :) – W. Are Nov 15 '18 at 04:43