Reaching the Ethereal Plase (GEP)

__TOC__
When a body enters the Ethereal from other planes (when she "goes ethereal"), she actually enters the Border. Living creatures, elemental beings, and matter from other planes retain form and function, but on the Ethereal their composition is "out of phase" with bordering planes. Even though the physical makeup of visitors to the Ethereal changes in accordance to the laws of the plane, the traveler does not discern a noticeable difference between herself and other real objects and beings brought to or met upon the Ethereal.
Here's another way of looking at it: A traveler goes ethereal by magically tuning herself to the state of the Ethereal. When this happens, the traveler slips away from "reality." Of course, nonnatives of the Ethereal require magic or psionics to achieve and maintain an ethereal state. When the ethereal magic wanes (or the psionic effect ends), a nonnative body reverts to its normal composition. If on the Border Ethereal, a body just "drops" back into reality. If the traveler happens to be in the Deep Ethereal when her specific mode of ethereal travel lapses, the poor sod regains her former density and "falls" through a randomly rolled part of the curtain of vaporous color (see page 20), past the connecting Border, and onto the bordering plane! Creatures native to the Ethereal, or creatures that have achieved an ethereal state through a more permanent means, do not necessarily have to worry about inadvertent materialization. 
Several spells and items translate a body directly upon the Border Ethereal. Some of these spells are temporary, while others allow the user to remain ethereal indefinitely. The method used to enter the Ethereal Plane influences the degree to which a body's affected by different Ethereal conditions. The table below lists various possible methods of entering the Ethereal Plane. Each method is also labeled as either Temporary or Permanent.
Methods labeled : (T)emporary indicate that a body's ethereal state lapses when the spell or item charge finally concludes. It isn't possible for a temporarily ethereal traveler to materialize until the duration of the appropriate method ends-unless the traveler encounters select conditions described under "Obstacles to Ethereal Movement" on page 14, or if a method is utilized as shown on the table below. 
Methods labeled : (P)ermanent indicate that a body's achieved a permanent ethereal state-unless another permanent method from the list below is used to reverse the condition. For example, a mage who used a magical portal to access the Ethereal Plane would have to use that same portal, discover another portal providing egress from the Ethereal, find a priest to cast plane shift, or personally cast a teleport without error spell in order to leave. However, certain conditions noted under "Obstacles to Ethereal Movement" can cancel a permanent effect. The traveler must use another application of a spell, psionic power, or magical item to reach the Ethereal Plane again.
: (T) armor of etherealness
: (T) dream travel (psionic power)
: (T) lesser etherealness (see page 38)
: (P) greater etherealness (see page 39)
: (P) gate or portal
: (T) Leomund 's secret chest (mage climbs into chest)
: (T) oil of etherealness
: (P) plane shift
: (T) phase door (very limited access!)
: (P) teleport without error
: (T) vanish (objects only) 
Unless specifically noted in the item or spell description, the above methods for reaching the Ethereal Plane deposit travelers onto the Border Ethereal area of their original plane. Of course, a body can move into the Deep before her ethereal state ends, but she risks "falling" onto a random plane (as described earlier) once her means of ethereal travel lapses.
Unless specifically noted in the description of the technique used to cross onto the Border Ethereal, it takes a body l round to "fade out" of the adjoining plane and enter the Border. Thus, attacking a Prime foe and then scampering back into the Ethereal still presents some danger to the attacker, as the defender has at least one chance to return an attack. On the other hand, it takes a body 1 round to enter a bordering plane from the Ethereal (unless specifically noted otherwise), allowing ethereal foes at least 1 round in which to press attacks.