how deal with etherial enemies?

[Jasper]

Phantasmal battle summonings all have magic attacks, although this is offset by allowing a MR save. Hama Dryads have Strength stealing (also with a MR save) although they're hard to get much use out of. A summoned commander can use magic weapons.

Some factions also start with troops wielding magic weapons. Caelum and C'tis spring to mind. I would guess the damage from a Fire 9 blessing is also magic, though I haven't checked.

[rabelais]

Do seasonal spirits with "natural" attacks (e.g fall bear, with vanilla "claw") count as magical for the purpose of hitting fellow ethereals?

If not, it seems like two Groups of fall bears or WWolves could flail at each other quite ineffectually for some time.

An inadvertently efficient "meat" shield against other ethereals?

Maybe an Ether Claw new weapon type is called for?


Rabe the Beastiary Booster

[Chris Byler]

Another important point: although you can't easily give magic weapons to your troops, you *can* give them to your *commanders*. All weapon items count as magical weapons and can damage ethereal creatures. The Astral Weapon spell also allows the caster's weapons to damage ethereal beings (and negate armor too).

So try equipping some Sidhe Champions with enchanted swords, thorn spears, or even the Bow of War (fires 13 arrows, all of which hit ethereal IIRC) and let them attack the ethereal enemies.

[PvK]

Bow of War is pretty good IME. I put them on Man's scouts, which have good precision and are cheap. Even better with Eye of Aiming.

PvK