D&D 3E/3.5 Attacking a character on the Prime Material Plane from the ethereal plane.

[UKGnome]

I was wondering if a thief on the ethereal plane with a Ghost Touch weapon could attack an adventurer on the prime material plane.

Or is there another way to do it ?

 

[Deset Gled]

IIRC, this won't work going by the standard rules. Ghost Touch allows weapons and armor to interact with incorporeal creatures, not ethereal ones. They're two different conditions.

 

[Nikosandros]

IIRC, this won't work going by the standard rules. Ghost Touch allows weapons and armor to interact with incorporeal creatures, not ethereal ones. They're two different conditions.

Yes, they are distinct conditions. For example, a ghost is "normally" ethereal and it can't attack on Material Plane, but when it manifests then it becomes uncorporeal and can attack with ghost touch weapons.

 

[UKGnome]

Thanks for that, what if the thief was on the PMP with a Ghost Touch weapon, would that negate the armour including magical bonus, so a fighter with +1 shield and +2 plate and no dexterity bonus be at AC 10

 

[Greenfield]

I presume you're suggesting the Rogue is attacking an Ethereal fighter.

The answer is No, they don't ignore the armor and/or shield.

First, the Ghost Touch weapon can't attack to the Ethereal plane, so they can't make the attack in the first place.
Second, if they're using a Force effect weapon of some sort, so they can make that attack across the planes, the protective gear is as "solid" to the weapon as it's wearer.

Slightly off topic: I once pulled a dirty trick, as a DM. I had an entrance way "blocked" by a Wall of Stone that existed on the Ethereal Plane. Most people/creatures could neither see nor feel this barrier, and could walk through without a problem. But people with Mage Armor, Shield spells or Bracers of Armor, which are Force effects (and thus cross the planes), couldn't pass that doorway. They couldn't see the reason, they just ran into the stone wall that wasn't there for anyone else.

Took them some time to figure that one out.

 

[MarkB]

Thanks for that, what if the thief was on the PMP with a Ghost Touch weapon, would that negate the armour including magical bonus, so a fighter with +1 shield and +2 plate and no dexterity bonus be at AC 10

No. The weapon doesn't selectively bypass some materials while striking others.