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T'au EmpireArmy page › All 43 units

Ethereal

Character · 50 pts
Why it's takenIn 36 of 226 public listsThe 22nd most-taken T'au Empire unit
Lists16% · in 36 of 226 public lists, September – November 2026
SimulateEthereal against any unit, in the calculator

SWORD: what Ethereal kills

Damage for its points

28SWORD
per 100 pts

Its 50 pts kill ~16 pts in one activation.Typical shooter: 45 per 100

Into each enemy type

Whole meta28SWORD per 100 pts
Hordes ★8SWORD per 100 pts
Line inf.5SWORD per 100 pts
Heavy inf.3SWORD per 100 pts
Light veh.2SWORD per 100 pts
Heavy veh.1SWORD per 100 pts

SHIELD: how hard Ethereal is to kill for its points

Toughness for its points

95SHIELD
per 100 pts

It takes about 5% of a top army's turn to remove 100 pts of it. To remove all 50 pts: about 84 pts of enemy units, 4 times in 5.Typical shooter: 301 per 100

For its points95SHIELD per 100 pts

What creators say

4 creators
  • A cheap observer that makes command points 3 of 4
  • Some lists take two or three 1 of 4
  • Command points unreliable; dies to indirect fire 2 of 4
  • Competes with Darkstrider 1 of 4
  • Rare in winning lists 1 of 4

Units near it

Per 100 pts, its nearest in T'au Empire and across the game

SWORD

In T'au Empire

Devilfish32
Kroot Hounds31
AX-1-0 Tiger Shark30
Firesight Team29
Ethereal28

Across the game· shooters

Changecaster Chaos Daemons · just ahead29
Ethereal 28
Traitor Guardsmen Squad Chaos Space Marines · level with it28

SHIELD

In T'au Empire

Firesight Team121
Commander in Coldstar Battlesuit115
Ethereal95
Cadre Fireblade82
Kroot Flesh Shaper72

Across the game· shooters

Ratlings Astra Militarum · just ahead97
Ethereal 95
Kharseth Aeldari · level with it95

Leading a squad

Breacher Team with Ethereal80 + 50 = 130 pts together
SWORD per 100 pts, scaled
Breacher Team aloneEthereal's rulesEthereal's attacks
Squad76 ÷ 80 pts =95per 100
With leader90 ÷ 130 pts =69per 100▼26

The leader adds 14 pts of kills a turn (0 from rules, 14 from attacks) for 50 pts: less per point than the squad alone.

SHIELD per 100 pts, scaled
Breacher Team aloneEthereal's rulesEthereal's wounds
Squad240 ÷ 80 pts =300per 100
With leader397 ÷ 130 pts =305per 100▲5

The leader adds 157 pts to what the enemy must spend (90 from rules, 67 from wounds) for 50 pts: more per point than the squad alone, so the leader pays for itself here.

SWORD and SHIELD against 100 top lists, the squad and the pair compared at one size. The leader's points are always counted.

How we got these numbers

Starfire CadreWhat people fieldNo leaderNo stratagems

SWORD 28 · 50 pts kill ~16 pts in one activation

SHIELD 95 · about 5% of a top army's turn to remove 100 pts of it

To remove it: about 84 pts of enemy units, 4 times in 5

Ranked among the game's 403 shooters · How we score ›

What we ran
  • Ethereal, 50 pts
  • Honour stave
  • Counted as dice: the army rule and the detachment's rule
  • Not counted: leaders, stratagems, other units' auras
The letter: 4 creators
The lists: 226