Any terrain which impairs your movement from it's ideal speed, is difficult terrain.
I thought this would be an easy question to answer. Of course I know what difficult terrain is, right?
But to be thorough, let's look it up and include the SRD quote in my answer.
That's where I failed. I only spent about 5 minutes, but I didn't dredge up a rules quote that defines "difficult terrain". All kinds of rules that say "blah blah blah in difficult terrain" but nothing that actually defines the term.
Near as I can tell, each GM decides what should be difficult terrain and what should not be.
As a starting place, there is a difference between "This is difficult terrain and costs two squares of movement" and "This costs two squares of movement". The latter might NOT be difficult terrain - I think this is where the GM asks himself (is the reduced movement because the terrain is difficult or for some other reason?). The difference is especially noteworthy when it costs more than 2 squares of movement which makes it seem like it's worse than difficult terrain, maybe, "treacherous terrain" or something that really doesn't count as merely "difficult terrain". Or maybe it does. GM call again.
As for a Ghost Rider, it seems your mount is a ghost but you are not. Your mount ignores difficult terrain but you do not. So if it's difficult because it's a bog or because there's rubble on the ground, sure, no problem. But if it's difficult because it's a dense jungle with branches, vines, and other junk all over the place, your mount might ignore it but you can't, so maybe the ability doesn't apply in some kinds of difficult terrain. Also a GM's call.
I would make the call that your mount passes incorporeally through shallow and deep bogs, unless it's so deep that YOU are in the water too, in which case you don't pass incorporeally through it. As long as YOU are not physically impeded by the terrain, then it all counts. Even slopes because incorporeal creatures don't care much about slopes, either.
The terrain is difficult. Even though your mount can ignore that factor doesn't change the nature of terrain itself. It's still difficult for creatures that aren't your ghost mount.
Difficult terrain is a binary yes/no quality. There is no "more difficult" terrain. This does not however preclude the possibility that terrain can cost more than normal double movement to pass. And may be needed to decide on a case by case basis.
If the terrain includes a lot of overhead obstacles, your mount's powers may not save YOU from being troubled, and may effectively nullify your mount's advantages entirely. If the difficulty of the terrain is entirely on the ground level, then you're golden with that mount or a Phantom Steed of sufficient caster level.
Same thing for going uphill.
I assume you're talking about the Hills Terrain rules.
Going uphill costs more movement but is not difficult terrain unless it says so (due to poor footing or some other factor beyond the fact that it's uphill).
edit: spelling
Same thing for going uphill.I assume you're talking about the Hills Terrain rules.
Going uphill costs more movement but is not difficult terrain unless it says so (due to poor footing or some other factor beyond the fact that it's uphill).
edit: spelling
In either case, you can't make 5 foot adjustments, whether because the terrain is difficult, or has increased movement cost for any reason. If the intent on this discussion is about AOOs.
Difficult terrain is any terrain that is otherwise normal (flatish solid ground), but the GM indicates is difficult. Typically this is due to rubble etc.
Terrain that is not normal, such as bog, a hill, etc. has its own rules which are not, strictly speaking, difficult terrain, although it may have similar rules.
If you have an ability that will allow you to ignore difficult terrain, the GM may choose to let you apply that to other terrain types, but they are certainly not required to do so.
In either case, you can't make 5 foot adjustments, whether because the terrain is difficult, or has increased movement cost for any reason. If the intent on this discussion is about AOOs.Same thing for going uphill.I assume you're talking about the Hills Terrain rules.
Going uphill costs more movement but is not difficult terrain unless it says so (due to poor footing or some other factor beyond the fact that it's uphill).
edit: spelling
A hill shows us exactly how movement penalties are explicitly NOT difficult terrain.
Assume a character goes up hill, two squares, both of which cost 2x movement. They cannot be difficult terrain because going back down those same two squares would NOT cost 2x movement.
A square is either difficult terrain or not. It is not dependent upon the penalty imposed by the movement.
So while your mount could ignore difficult terrain, it could not ignore the effects of gravity which increase the movement cost of going up a hill.
