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Ethereal Teams

• Leap + VLL represents the players ability to turn incorporeal.
  
• Titchy, Ag5 No Hands represents a players that is always ethereal.
  
• Hypnotic Gaze on the Banshee represents the player scream ability.
  
• The Wraiths Stab skill represents the players Touch of Death ability.
  
• The necromancer works in the same way as in Undead teams, but the player raised is a Spirit Host.
  

Player Pics


Player Icons
Spirit Hosts

Wraith

Banshee


Famous Teams
Frozen Phantoms, first mentioned in 2nd edition stars book.

Background
The first and only Ethereal team for many years was the Frozen Phantoms. They played one game vs The White Bay Arrows; a Dark Elf team, held in their home stadium, simply called The Cave. The problem was the Phantoms couldn’t pick the ball up and their head coach cast a spell on the Dark Elf team turning them ethereal too. Some believe the game is still going on today though The Cave soon emptied of its 90,000 fans so no one can be sure.

It was years before Ethereal teams would make their comeback. Under the guidance of Grogaldr a powerful Necromancer who had convinced Wraiths and Banshees to join forces with Spirint Hosts to make an ethereal team. Only the Wraiths and Banshees have the ability to turn corporeal and incorporeal at will, giving the ghosts the much needed ball handling skills they always lacked.

Even with the addition of the Wraiths and Banshees - Ethereal teams were still composed mostly of incorporeal players on the pitch so the Blood Bowl governing body still refused to let them play. Grogladr had to enchant the opposing teams gauntlets pre game so the opposition could beat the ectoplasm out of the spirit hosts. With this the NAF rule the Grogaldr's team could play. Now Ethereal teams haunt leagues throughout the Old World.

Rationale
First of all the reason for this teams existence in this league is Ethereal team were mentioned in the 2nd edition rule book. Also Spirits and Banshees are mentioned in Blood Bowl Catalogue 2003 and had models.

Throughout all the teams the ability to turn Ethereal is represented by having the Leap and Very Long Legs skill. Those skills represent the player’s ability to turn invisible and move through any object. Because of this it became clear we were working on a Undead version of Slann.

Spirit Hosts – are your basic ghosts, in 3rd edition warhammer they were just called ghosts but in more recent vampire counts rules they have become known as spirit hosts so I elected to use this name as it is up to date. Their Ethereal ability as mentioned above is represented as Leap + VLL, Foul Appearance was added to represent the fear they cause in their opponents. Regenerate was added because they regenerate. As this team is undead and has a Necromancer when an opponent player is killed they will be raised as a ghost or spirit host as they are now called. This stat line later changed to no hands, ag5 titchy which feels a better fit thematically and strategically.

Wraiths – have been around since 2nd edition warhammer and now feature in the vampire counts army again. They basically look like the archetypal Death image - a floating cloak, hooded figure with a skeletal hand. They are basically the team’s Blitzers, they gain the skill Stab which represents the “Touch” ability of a wraith. They also gain Disturbing Presence because they cause terror not just fear.

Syreens – were created as part of the semi official Zombie Pirates army. They have the ability to turn ethereal, hypnotic gaze, foul appearance and disturbing presence. All of which is described in detail in the zombie pirates army book which you can download from the games workshop achives. Because their abilities were described so clearly in the book it made the skill selection straight forward.

Banshees – are the weakest but most mobile and agile of the ethereal beings. On top of sharing all the abilities of the Spirit Hosts they also have their scream ability. When translated to bloodbowl skills this is best represented as Hypnotic Gaze.

Season 2 Changes
Ethereal played 229 games with a win ratio of 50%. Which is the top end of tier 1.5 - which is where they were expected to be like Slann. However the roster has been changed. First of all the Syreens lacked a role in the team and were buffed in the Undead Pirates team, I did not want this buff to be given to Ethereal so removed them to give the team a more streamlined team. The Wraiths Av was increased to 8 to give the team a bit more backbone. This was needed because of the changes to the Ghosts/Spirit hosts. I changed them from what was essentially an undead (Regen, FA) av7 Slann lineman to a more unique team where they are players that can get anywhere on the pitch because of ag5 and Titchy, but lose their cumulative tacklezones and have no hands. This fits better thematically, being a team of ghosts, unable to interact with the ball, but flying around the pitch causing havoc.

Season 3 Changes
437 games played with a win percentage of 54%. This puts the team firmly in the tier1 bracket. Which is a little surprising as I was expecting them to fall in the tier 1.5 bracket more so than tier 1. The new design is still fairly new, but it has proved popular. I will continue to monitor the races performance though I suspect it will be fine to lock them in next year.

Season 4 Changes
344 games played this year with a win percentage of 52%. I am happy with how this unusual roster is performing now. I am locking the team in.

Team design by Garion and Calthor
Players pics drawn by Knut Rockie and coloured by Garion
Player Icons by Kingmad