Non-Magical Psionics Variant and Incorporeal Creatures

[Yogibear41]

My DM uses the non-magical psionis variant, but I am unsure how this affects incorporeal creatures and how they can only be hit by "magic" weapons, and was wondering if there was an official ruling on how they interact anywhere, I can't seem to find one on my own.

Thanks for the help.

[Crake]

The only difference between magical transparency and opacity (which I believe is what you're talking about?) is how magic and psionics interact with eachother. So psionic attacks can still hit incorporeal creatures, albeit still with the 50% miss chance unless it's force.

[erikun]

As far as I know, the only time D&D touched on the magic/psionics transparency is in that single section in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, titled "Variant: Psionics is Different". (p.65-66) If the answer isn't listed there, then it wouldn't be covered by the rules.

Note that there are some psionic powers and other psionic abilities that specifically call out rules for incorporeality, independing of general rulings. Ghost Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#ghostAttack) specifically allows attacking incorporeal creatures. Inertial Armor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/inertialArmor.htm) and Force Screen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/forceScreen.htm) specifically say they work against incorporeal attacks, becasue they are force effects.

[Maginomicon]

Incorporeality is not, in-itself, magical. Thus, anything that magic could do that would interact with incorporeal creatures or objects can also be done by psionic effects that uses similar terminology. (for example, all [force] descriptor effects, regardless of whether magical or psionic, affect incorporeality the same way)

[erikun]

Reasonably speaking, any kind of force, positive energy, or negative energy attack should affect incorporeal creatures, even from a non-magical source. (incorporeal subtype (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype)) I suppose a very strict RAW reading would indicate that it only applies to spells or magic weapons, but it's pretty clear that the intent is for even non-magical psionic force effects to affect incorporeality.

Complete Psionic included some negative energy, and even a few positive energy, powers.