And why is it so difficult to create a pass through mountains that your units can use.

It always takes me forever to locate that ONE tile that is blocking the pass!!! UGH!!!

Given the way the map generator works, I think the terraforming spells are pretty useful. They require a reasonable amount of mana (compared to the precursor game especially) and sometimes a reasonably high Earth Magic level, so why not. I use them rather rarely in recent games, but I remember using it to create a mountain pass to quickly move troops to locations cut off by mountain ranges.

Insulating yourself sounds good on paper, but if your enemy is smart enough, they will find a way around and it halts your expansion as well. So there's a downside to this strategy as well. How are you going to get to special areas if you've cut yourself off?

The AI definatly uses the lower/raise land. I was building a land bridge across a lake because an AI had blocked a narrow path with a tower. I needed a shorter way around and had extra man to spare.

It needed one more raise land to finish but I was conserving mana and when I went back one of the AI's had finished it for me.

I guess he was also mad at the AI that blocked the path with the tower .. or maybe he just wanted to get access to attacking me? 

But, putting hills around to restrict movement should have a downside. Food production, as an example, may be impeded. You're troops too, will have the movement restriction.

Would be nice if you could cast a spell to create a tunnel through a mountain... aka Moria

Alas, for movement to get an overhaul, I think FE's tatics needs an overhaul. It wouldn't be fair to restrict movement on the main map, but not do the same in the combat map.

So besides paying up t 1k mana there should be a downside?
A slow-moving field is a 2 way slowing area though, so it slows my own troops too.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Or they coulds put in ships and other sea units like most 4X games

I like terraforming and use it a good bit.  I do have one gripe.  To accomplish anything, like lowering a mountain, it takes the same two casts to lower the foot hills as the heights of the mountain.  That doesn't seem right.

In fact, why do we have to do two casts to lower either?  Why not double the mana required and get the job done in one cast for each tile?  Cutting through a mountain range may involve four or more tiles, which means I end up casting Lower Land eight or more times in a row.  That gets tiresome.

Id rather have a cool-down, but then again, try to reflect about how it would feel to have to wait and do nothing with your hero (usually sovereign) just to lower a mountain 1 tile, where you have to lower 3-4 tiles before you can walk through.

Just food for thought.

Sincerely
~ Kongdej