[RPG] Opportune Parry and Incorporeal attacks

pathfinder-1e

The RAW for the Opportune Parry deed seems to indicate that a swashbuckler can parry an incorporeal attack, such as a ghost's Corrupting touch, even with a non-magical weapon.

Considering this kind of attack is a contact attack, ignore all corporeal defenses, and considering that ghosts ignore non-magical weapons, I find it a bit problematic.

Is there something in RAW that I am missing, that would prevent a swashbuckler from parrying an incorporeal attack, or at least make it more difficult?

Best Answer

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/swashbuckler#TOC-Deeds

Opportune Parry and Riposte (Ex) : At 1st level, when an opponent makes a melee attack against the swashbuckler, she can spend 1 panache point and expend a use of an attack of opportunity to attempt to parry that attack. The swashbuckler makes an attack roll as if she were making an attack of opportunity...

(emphasis mine)

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules#TOC-Incorporeal-Ex-

An incorporeal creature has no physical body. 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 is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it takes only half damage from a corporeal source (except for channel energy). ... Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature.

(emphasis mine)

So, Parrying is an attack (based on the fact that it requires an attack roll), and the incorporeal creature is immune to nonmagical attacks. Therefore, RAW seems to be that a nonmagical weapon could not successfully parry an incorporeal attack.

A Parry, however, does not harm the creature, so so a magic weapon would seem to have a 50% chance of parrying.

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