What are Magic Weapons?

Well, have you ever noticed the little white stars next to the damage type icons for some attacks? That indicates that the damage is magical, and thus hits in spite of magical forcefields/barriers or transformations, with the exception of material things such as Barkskin or Stoneskin or Ironskin. Magic Weapons deal magical damage.

The following are invalidated by Magic Weapons:

• Etherealness is the big one, letting bastards avoid 75% of nonmagical hits. Ghosts, Genies, and Astral nations have it.
• Invulnerability is another big one, replacing natural Protection if it's higher. Angels, Vampires, and Death/Water nations have it.
• Mistform is merely ended by magical damage, but it grants obscene damage reduction anyway. Air nations will use it if they can.

Unfortunately, you can apply all three of these things regardless of how you start, but making physical damage (such as from weapons) magical requires one of three things:

• The Bless, which requires 4 on your Pretender.
• Making them yourself, for your Commanders, with magic Gems.
• Recruiting someone with Magic Equipment and letting your bureaucrats figure it out.