I can't begin to say how cool it would be to have some landscape control as an Earthmage as a nod back to the original Populous. Obviously there would need to be some big limitations (and Expensive), but the possibilities are pretty awesome IMHO.
Who needs boats when you can Raise a land bridge?
Lower a mountain into a hill so as to sneak attack an enemy (or create a mountain pass)
Lower a cliff which converts it to a beach front
