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One part of this spell says "the unit treats all terrain (other than impassable) as Dangerous terrain"

Now, in the BRB it lists open ground under types of terrain.

Does this mean that a unit who has been cursed with this spell takes a Dangerous Terrain test for every model if it moves as much as an inch?

Good question.

By RAW the answer would be yes. Some people think it is a mistake, others do not. Many people are hoping that this will be covered in a future FAQ.

Yes, Open Ground would cause DT tests(failing on 1s and 2s)

This may be an oversight but until it gets FAQ'd otherwise Open Ground will be effected by the Curse.

It will not get FAQ'd out because the TK book states it IN WRITiNG.

You could also argue that since the terrain type open ground isn't covered under setting up the battlefield, that their is no 'open ground terrain.'

For a spell that goes off on a 10+, to have it kill 1/3rd of a unit if it moves, and also give a -1 to hit, with a 36" range and a hex (no LoS can be cast into combat), it's far too good.
If it gets a FAQ, it will only be to say, of course open ground isn't affected.

-Matt

The part on setting up the terrain refers to "Pieces of Terrain", not terrain in general.

Open Ground is also inferred to always be present.

Not very well though, as per 116 "Types of Terrain" the first one is "Open Ground":
Open terrain is. . . the default setting - any terrain not specifically classed as something else is to be treated as open ground.

I think GW assumes its players have the mental capacity to see that Open Ground and Open Terrain are interchangable. I love quibbling over wording as much as the next guy but I think its pretty clear that they mean the same thing.

Grey Templar wrote:I love quibbling over wording as much as the next guy ...

The joys of the Semantic Phase

We play that it treats open ground as dangerous as well, because the majority of the NE USA tournaments rule this way. Best check with your TO going into an event to see how they're treating it.

(Personally, I feel like the intent was not to force dangerous tests at all times, just to make terrain particularly dangerous for that unit and -1 to hit. However a caster using more than one level of BEAST magic (i.e. not just a wildform battery) may as well have an awesome hex going for him/her, so meh.)

- Salvage

Grey Templar wrote:The part on setting up the terrain refers to "Pieces of Terrain", not terrain in general.

Open Ground is also inferred to always be present.

Yeah, and in the same section it's inferred to have no impact on the game.

-Matt

Okay, so its in the grey area then? So its just up to the TO/ the players to decide? sounds good, thanks for the feedback!

Ruleswise - not a particularly grey area, ruleswise, just whether that is what they truly meant - just like with the 4 restrictions on spell casting.

HawaiiMatt - more specific rules override less specific. Here the less specific rule is that Open Terrain has no effect on the game; the more specific rule states that it now does.

HawaiiMatt wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:The part on setting up the terrain refers to "Pieces of Terrain", not terrain in general.

Open Ground is also inferred to always be present.

Yeah, and in the same section it's inferred to have no impact on the game.

-Matt

Under normal circumstances, yeah, no impact. But this spell makes it have an impact. Is that such a big deal?

Grey Templar wrote:

HawaiiMatt wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:The part on setting up the terrain refers to "Pieces of Terrain", not terrain in general.

Open Ground is also inferred to always be present.

Yeah, and in the same section it's inferred to have no impact on the game.

-Matt

Under normal circumstances, yeah, no impact. But this spell makes it have an impact. Is that such a big deal?

Mostly because reading it that way the spell is far too easy to cast for the effect, and that it could have been phrased a whole lot better if that is what they meant.
-Matt

Yeah, but this is GW. Lack of complete conformation is the order of the day.

And I think its hardly worth complaining about when there are spells like Mindrazor(which i think is too low of a casting value for what it does) and Pit and Purple Sun(which simply shouldn't be capable of the damage they do, I don't care what your casting value is)

Curse does indeed make ALL terrain including open terrain dangerous terrain. HOWEVER If you read the section on dangerous terrain you will notice that you will only make a dangerous terrain test if you MARCH, CHARGE, FALL BACK or PURSUITS over dangerous terrain.

So Curse isnt so bad as you can still make a normal move or reform with the unit without having to make a test.


Note however if you charge over open terrain and into some other terrain, say wood for example, with a unit that treats wood as dangerous terrain, you will have to make tests for both terrains while cursed...