How can you tell if a creature's natural attacks count as a magical weapon for purposes of overcoming the incorporal special quality.
The Creature has it listed somewhere or they have DR x/ magic.
The Creature has it listed somewhere or they have DR x/ magic.
yeah man, that's my question- where is it listed. Clearly it would be listed somewhere. And is it only DR/magic or does DR/- work.
DR/- doesn't work (nor will DR/material, or DR/alignment, but DR/Epic should).
I would go with DR/epic does since it is an enhancement bonus of +6 or better which means the weapon would be more than +1. +1 is what is needed to beat DR/magic so by logical inference you should be good with DR/Epic.
Some monsters specifically state that they bypass DR as if their weapons were magical. This line is usually among the first in the monster's text after the stat block and is mainly in the entries of demons, devils, angels and the like.
@ Beastiary, p.299 - "Some monsters are vulnerable to magic weapons. Any
weapon with at least a +1 magical enhancement bonus
on attack and damage rolls overcomes the damage
reduction of these monsters. Such creatures’ natural
weapons (but not their attacks with weapons) are treated
as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage
reduction".
So if the creature has DR/magic it can overcome the DR from being incorporeal with its natural attacks, but only does 50% damage.
thinking on this more... an incorporeal creatures immunity to attacks from non-magical weapons is never actually called "Damage Reduction" anyplace in the rules, so a strict by the book reading of the quoted wording could be interpreted as meaning that creatures who natural weapons are treated as magic for by passing damage reduction, still can not affect an incorporeal creature.
(Although I personally would still allow creatures with DR/magic and DR/Epic to affect them, doing half damage).
@Beastiary p.301 - It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities.
It specifically says "magic weapons". I don't know how that wouldn't mean it's bypassed by magical weapons.
I missed the part that said "or creatures that strike as magic weapons".
striking as a magic weapon for the purposes of by passing damage reduction is not the same as being a magic weapon for all purposes was my point.
(and I never made a statement to the effect that a magic weapon would not work on an incorporeal creature... my statement was that the immunity to non-magical weapons bestowed by incorporeality is not "Damage Reduction").