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Ethereal Teams

• 0-2 Spectres replace 0-2 Wraiths to give 2 more ball carrying options
  
• Banshee Leap replaces Pogostick

• 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.
  

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 (2020 Edition) Changes

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