Ethereal

— Uber Ethereal

## Summary

The **Ethereals** are incredibly powerful psychic creatures in the *XCOM* universe and act as commanders of the alien armies. Their overall goal is shrouded in mystery but theories suggests that their intent had been all along to use mankind as a weapon against their creators, those who have evolved beyond physical form.

## Powers and Stats

**Tier:** At least **8-C**, likely **8-B**, possibly **higher**

**Name:** Ethereal

**Origin:** X.C.O.M.

**Gender:** Unknown

**Age:** Unknown; potentially live to centuries old

**Classification:** Alien Psionic Elder

**Powers and Abilities:** Psychic Powers allowing Mind Control and Mind Manipulation, Telepathy, Superhuman Durability, Enhanced Senses, Levitation, and a "Hardened" ability that removes the chance of lethal hits by a large margin, Immortality (Type 1), Reflecting physical and non-physical fire at their enemies, Release of psionic energy upon death (dealing damage), Immunity to visual attacks, Flight, Non-Corporeal (Can imbue their essence into another being, becoming an intangible being possessing the unit, imbuing it with their abilities), Most attacks ignore all traditional durability, piercing through any physical defenses, Biological Manipulation (Can literally create different life forms, such as the ADVENT troops or the Avatars, via technology; can insert its genetic DNA into other beings to improve them), Energy Projection/Energy Manipulation (Can form psionic energies into attacks)

**Attack Potency:** At least **Building level+**, likely **City Block level+** (Their weapons should be laughably superior to their underlings, though they rarely depend on physical attacks)

**Speed:** Likely **Peak Human** (Ethereals keep up with XCOM soldiers, which are comparable to Navy SEALS) with **Hypersonic** reactions (Can navigate through asteroids, can react to plasma weapons)

**Lifting Strength:** **Unknown**, but likely **Class 1**, **Unknown** with psionics (Maintains similar strength to a Muton, which is about the size of a small car)

**Striking Strength:** Likely **Class KJ**, **Unknown** with psionics (Never shown to physically attack but maintains similar strength to Mutons, therefore unknown)

**Durability:** At least **City Block level+** (It survives attacks from XCOM soldiers)

**Stamina:** Above Average Human

**Range:** Estimated 150m at peak with psionics (Telepathically spoke with players from the front of their spacecraft)

**Standard Equipment:** Red robes, potentially some psychic relics

**Intelligence:** Likely Extraordinary Genius (Maintains knowledge of all alien technologies and their inner workings, adept at biological engineering)

**Weaknesses:** Supposedly physically weak, although they use psionics to enhance their physical capabilities to the point of beyond their grunts (which can lift cars); while mentally strong they are not invincible and can be overcome by superior mental beings.

**Notable Attacks/Techniques:**

* **Mindfray**: Causes the target to lose grip on reality, inflicting penalties to aim, will, and mobility; essentially causes insanity.
* **Rift**: Devastate an area with a storm of psi energy. The rift does more damage against targets with low psionic capability.
* **Psi Lance**: Project a bolt of pure psi force at an enemy.
* **Psi-Drain**: Drain health from an entity nearby (must be willing; can be manipulated into becoming "willing" via Mind Control)

**Note:** These beings generally appear with other alien bodyguards, either other Ethereals or lesser beings of the XCOM universe (such as Mutons).