No, force damage does not affect creatures on the Ethereal Plane. As quoted in the question, the DMG states that: solid objects on the overlapped plane don’t hamper the movement of a creature in the Border Ethereal. The exceptions are certain magical effects (including anything made of magical force) and living beings.
Can you hit something in the Ethereal Plane?
Indeed, the only way to hurt something on the Ethereal Plane is to be on that plane yourself. In combat you have some options on the prime plane. For people who use blink you might need to ready an action to attack them as they blink back to prime.
Is it possible to attack from the Ethereal Plane?
In theory, instead of letting go of Banishment, you could cast a harmful concentration spell such as Flaming Sphere. The sphere will be created in the Material Plane and you’ll automatically lose concentration on Banishment.
Is the Deep Ethereal the same as Border Ethereal?
While the various Border Ethereal Planes reflect the planes to which they are adjacent, the Deep Ethereal is its own entity and has no features save the cloudbanks and a few cenotaphs (see below). The ever-present fog is made up of a substance called ectoplasm. It feels like cold, slightly viscous fog.
How does a magic missile affect the Ethereal Plane?
Force effects like magic missile extend into the Ethereal Plane. When this force dissipates, when the magic missile detonates or the forcecage collapses, its energy is absorbed by the ectoplasm. Tiny fragments of force-charged ectoplasm float through the mists, slowly gathering together into crackling chains of energy.
What is the dominant feature of the Ethereal Plane?
The dominant feature of the Ethereal Plane is fog. Rolling banks of grey mist extend for infinity though the Ethereal Plane is divided into regions, the Border Ethereal and the Deep Ethereal. A Border Ethereal is the layer of the plane immediately adjacent to, and coexistent with, the Material Plane or one of the Elemental Planes.
