EPTHi! Today we're going to have a discussion about the Oracle. Its past, present, and future. This is a continuation of a series of write-ups I'm planning on doing about HOTS units. The first write-up was about Protoss capital ships: the Carrier, the Tempest, and repurposing the Carrier to fit the Tempest's unit role. Seeing how we're only discussing one unit this time, this will be less lengthy than my prior write-up, but it will nonetheless be moderately long and once again contain some pretty in-depth analysis of unit design.
Just like last time, before we begin we're going to address a concern people might have going into these sort of discussions, and then lay out the ground rules to which this analysis and exploration of design must adhere to. This section is very similar to the beginning of my last post, so if you have read it and understand the points being made feel free to skip right into the meat of this article.
For those interested in my previous write-up, read it here: http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=362676
"The Concern"
"We can't talk about Heart of the Swarm units until the beta comes out. Anyone who discusses balance right now is absurd."***
***Granted this isn't as relevant now a days
So what's the difference between balance and design?
- Balance usually involves more than one race. Obviously for something to be “imbalanced” there has to be another race with which the unit in question is being examined. In this article we're talking about only one unit and largely about only one race. This will make it easier to see whether and how the unit in question is working towards the objectives of its design.
- Balance usually has to do with numbers. Attack damage, health, build time, cost, movement speed, range, etc. These are all variables used to balance the design of a unit in accordance with other units and races.
Design, on the other hand, usually revolves around the form, function, and "fun factor" of a unit.
Function: What is the purpose of a unit? What objectives is it designed to accomplish? What tools has it been given to accomplish those objectives? How do those tools function?
Form: What is the physical design of the unit? Is it large or small, quick or slow, air or ground? Do these attributes help it accomplish its intended function?
Fun Factor: Is it fun? Is it tedious, repetitive, overly complex, or difficult to use?
Now obviously things aren't that black and white. Balance and design overlap and run into one another often and loudly. Sometimes a balance change can alter the design of a unit or spell. Sometimes the design of a unit can make it incredibly hard to balance. For example, having a single target attack versus an AoE attack is a design decision. However if in a patch we were to decrease the radius of that attack, it can function both as a design and a balance change. I try, quite furiously actually, to stay on the design side of things as much as possible, but sometimes things will fall into the "balance" category. For example, I will discuss other races or the units of other races at certain points, but it is largely to explore or clarify the implications of certain design choices. I will also directly talk about unit balancing in some places, but it is largely to make certain points regarding the unit's design. Balance is here, but it very much takes a backseat role throughout this discussion.
THE RULES
Do not combat Blizzard's design or design philosophy.
- Blizzard's games are simple and visceral. "Easy to learn, difficult to master." We cannot at any point contradict that philosophy.
- Ultimately no idea or suggestion, however awesome it may be, will ever be viable if it contradicts Blizzard's own work or how they want to shape the game.
- Starcraft 2 belongs to Blizzard. Therefore, in our examination and exploration of these units' design, we will not at any point discuss anything or suggest anything that might contradict Blizzard's intended objectives for each unit. For example, were I writing about the Widow Mine, at the end of the day the unit can only fulfill the original objectives Blizzard meant it to fill. For the Widow Mine, I'd imagine that would mean something like "zone control" or "base defense and indirect offensive potential".
- Starcraft 2 belongs to Blizzard. Therefore, in our examination and exploration of these units' design, we will not at any point discuss anything or suggest anything that might contradict Blizzard's intended objectives for each unit. For example, were I writing about the Widow Mine, at the end of the day the unit can only fulfill the original objectives Blizzard meant it to fill. For the Widow Mine, I'd imagine that would mean something like "zone control" or "base defense and indirect offensive potential".
And that's that. Ready to get started?
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/aF7PQ.jpg)
The Oracle
One of the primary goals Blizzard seemingly has with Heart of the Swarm is to give the Protoss Stargate lineup some much needed love and attention. In fact, potentially two of the three new Protoss units are being introduced through this tech tree. And how couldn't they take a look at the Stargate? Just like Mech, Protoss air-based play has seen relatively minimal use throughout Wings of Liberty. Phoenixes have become increasingly popular over time but still see only occasional usage. Void Rays are seldom used outside of PvZ openers, where they serve to abuse Zerg's lack of early anti-air (rather than what they're designed to do). Carriers, well, Carriers have just had a rough time overall. We're not really going to discuss those units here, as each deserves its own separate analysis, but suffice it to say that the Stargate is very much in need of some help.
And so, come HOTS, Protoss is receiving a bountiful helping of air-based awesomeness via the Oracle and the Tempest. We're just talking about the Oracle, so let's start by examining the unit's design objectives. What exactly is the Oracle intended to do?
Well, unlike the Tempest, this unit's design objectives are less clear. However we can definitely establish it primarily as a harassment unit. Entomb has remained on the unit throughout its development, and seems to be one of the core purposes of the unit. Therefore the primary objective or role of the Oracle is harassment.
The Oracle has also seen several other spells such as Phase Shift, Cloaking Field, Preordain, and recently Revelation. Each of these spells has different generally intended purposes behind its use but most of them generally fall into the category of "support". And so, at the end of the day we have a rough outline of our Oracle.
- Flying unit, Built from Stargate, Spellcaster unit
- Primary Objective/Role: Harassment
- Ulterior Objective/Role: Support
Now I don't know about you, but that sounds like a pretty cool unit already.
Before we continue, there is also one other "hidden" objective of sorts that our unit is intended to fulfill. When the Oracle was first introduced, one of the primary points made about the unit's role was that it was meant to be used primarily outside of the deathball. Blizzard has made it pretty clear that reducing deathball play is one of their primary goals for HOTS, and it is fairly apparent that the Oracle strictly adheres to that directive.
In an inspiring display of creativity, Blizzard has used this "hidden directive" as an opportunity to experiment with nonconventional harassment, i.e. Entomb. Whether you like the spell as it stands or not, the idea of economic harass that doesn't directly kill workers and instead "blocks" mineral fields is downright intriguing and very original. Considering that the primary objective or role of the Oracle is harassment, in turn we theoretically get a very unique and original harassment unit that doesn't contribute to deathball play. Sounds great to me.
So, that having been said, we're going to work through each of the Oracle's design objectives, examining the spells the Oracle currently has and has had previously and see whether and how they work towards the objectives of the unit's design. However before we do any of that, we need to talk about harassment units. What makes a "good" or "well designed" harassment unit?
Harassment Units
Mutalisks, medivac drop harass, warp prism drop harass, phoenix, dark templar, and so on so forth. These are all either units or combinations of units that are geared towards harassment. While some are more versatile or consistent than others, they have all seen at least a moderate amount of successful usage throughout WoL, and are to this day (again, some more than others) reliable forms of harassment. On top of being quite effective stratagems within the strategic context of the game, they are all very exciting and intense to observe. Again, some less than others, but ultimately these harassment units are generally effective and fun to watch.
Why is this the case? What makes Mutalisk harassment dynamic or fun or interesting? What makes it as effective and reliable as it is?
As I see it, all consistent, effective, and "fun" forms of harassment have two things in common:
- Gradients
- Reciprocation
Wait a second, what does any of that mean?
Let us imagine a theoretical game scenario where a Zerg player brings out a flock of Mutalisks in order to harass and damage an opposing Protoss player. When those Mutalisks pop out of the their eggs, how much damage are they going to do? How effective will those Mutalisks be?
Of course, you can't answer that question without more information. Nobody can. In this scenario of ours, those Mutalisks might only destroy a few probes and a pylon. They might destroy a dozen probes and unpower a few of the Protoss player's Gateways. They might ravage an entire mineral line. In some extreme scenarios, those Mutalisks might straight up win the game for the Zerg player. Alternatively, they could very much lose the game for the Zerg player, or put them in a grossly unfavorable position.
By now you might be starting to understand what I mean by "gradients". Every harassment unit has a vast range of possible levels of effectiveness. A well placed and properly executed drop from a Terran player can cripple an opposing player in some cases. A poorly executed and carelessly placed drop might accomplish nothing other than wasted resources, time, and supply. There is a "spectrum" of sorts, along which lies all the possible levels of damage this unit or group of units can do. Certain harassment units (or groups of units) will often have a tendency to gravitate towards a certain range of effectiveness. A single warp prism full of Zealots will probably not win you the game, but mismanaging it and losing all those units won't likely cost you the game either. On the other hand, something like Dark Templar, or even Mutalisks, have a much wider range of possible levels of effectiveness. They have a higher risk, but a potentially higher reward in return.
"Good" harassment units have a range of different possible levels of effectiveness. You take a risk when you commit to a harassment-based play in exchange for a range of possible levels of return. What decides that range? What decides the level of return? What decides how effective harassment units are?
The players do.
I cannot stress enough how important that fact is.
This is where the concept of "reciprocation" comes in. Let us revisit our earlier example of a Zerg player bringing out Mutalisks against a Protoss player. When I asked how much damage those Mutalisks would deal, there is no way you could give a definite answer. As a spectator there is rarely a situation where you can say exactly how much damage a particular harassment play will deal. Why? Because the players influence and ultimately decide that as the game progresses. This is why high level harassment plays are so intense and exciting to watch: they are high risk, high reward plays whose payoff depends largely on how the two players competing perform against one another.
"Reciprocation" is the idea of how two opposing players will act and counteract against one another so as to "shift" the possible range of damages a harassment play can deal towards a more favorable end. When a player puts up static defense in anticipation of something like Banshees or Mutalisks, they are trying to mitigate, or perhaps negate completely, the potential effectiveness of those units. Static defense is the most common and easiest way to do this, but it can also be accomplished with proper unit positioning, micro and unit control, map awareness, and general preparation (including scouting).
For example, in our hypothetical game scenario, what if I told you the Protoss player was able to scout the Zerg's Spire in construction and therefore knew Mutalisks were coming and had preplaced Photon Cannons or prepositioned Stalkers in order to deter them? On the contrary, what if the Protoss player was not able to scout or lacked the map awareness to see the Mutalisks en route? These are instances where players' actions shift the range of possible levels of effectiveness towards an end more favorable for one player or the other. Sometimes this can happen at the instant the harassment occurs via micro and unit control. A Protoss player may not have been perfectly prepared for a Mutalisk attack, but using superb Stalker or Phoenix micro he can minimize the damage he takes.
Ultimately the most important part about this idea of reciprocation is that it involves both players. Mutalisk harass can have its effectiveness increased by micro, timing (attacking while units are out of position), and so on so forth. Both players "input" their skill and tactics towards this dynamic, reciprocating one another's increased efforts until the harassment threat is dealt with and the game progresses with the harassment having dealt however much damage that the players' actions dictate.
I'll admit this is somewhat of a messy explanation, so let me recap the general points to be made.
Well designed and interesting harassment units...
- ...never possess any particular and static level of effectiveness. Instead, they follow a gradient, or a range of possible levels of damage the unit can deal. Some harassment units or unit combinations possess a smaller range, others a larger range, often according to what level of risk they require players to take in order to use them. What ultimately decides exactly where along this range of effectiveness a harassment unit or play lies is...
- ...the players themselves. Both players will reciprocate or "input" skill, time, attention, and tactics towards this harassment dynamic, attempting to shift the outcome of the ordeal towards a more favorable end.
These two ideas are in no way specific to harassment units. Every facet of RTS gameplay is about players acting and counteracting against one another in order to edge out an advantage in a particular or overall area of the game. Historically, spells such as Infestors' Fungal Growth and Sentries' Force Field have been lambasted and condemned by the Starcraft community specifically because they often prevent one player from continuing to reciprocate against the other. Now there is nothing necessarily wrong with that model of design for certain units, but in a harassment unit we need to allow players to act and counteract against one another. If we do not allow the defending player any means to counteract harassment, then the harassment will be too consistent or powerful. If we do not allow the harassing player any means through which to improve the effectiveness of his harassment, then, well, we get the Oracle.
Speaking of which, let us finally start actually talking about the Oracle. Let's start with the unit's primary objective, harassment, and the means through which it accomplishes it: Entomb. Keep in mind what we've discussed so far.
![[image loading]](http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120602145935/starcraft/images/9/9f/Oracle_HotS_Game1.JPG)
Entomb
I like Entomb. I seriously appreciate Blizzard's attempts to innovate. Whether you think blocking minerals is a cool concept for a harassment unit or not, you simply must applaud Blizzard for the out-of-the-box thinking. It is exactly this kind of creative thinking that gets us the kind of units we enjoy seeing in Starcraft. Now, that having been said, if we consider what I've previously said about harassment units, we can immediately start to see some issues with Entomb and the Oracle as they stand. Simply put, the Oracle and Entomb fail to make any meaningful contribution towards either of the two primary features of harassment units previously mentioned.
Entomb in its current rendition possesses a gradient between its levels of effectiveness, but it is extremely one sided and very small. When I say one sided, I mean that only one player is really ever allowed to influence or ultimately decide exactly how effective Entomb is. The defending player is the only person allowed to "input" any sort of skill, time, or attention into this dynamic. To the harassing Protoss player, the use of the Oracle and Entomb is extremely black and white. You have two scenarios after using this unit: "Harassment was done" and "Harassment was not done". For a race that has always been chastised for being one-dimensional or "easy" to play, this is unacceptable.
As mentioned above, there is in fact some gradient or differentiation in the levels of damage an Oracle can deal, but it is only influenced by the defending player. Just like with other forms of harassment, how long a defending player takes to react to Entomb can dictate how much damage (in the form of lost mining time) is dealt. This would be perfectly fine and dandy if the Protoss player was allowed in some way to counteract the actions of the defending player in order to increase the effectiveness of the harassment. However with Entomb as an instant, massive-AoE-targeted spell, there is virtually nothing a Protoss player can do to create "sick Entomb plays" or anything of the sort. There will never be "clutch Oracle usage" or "amazing Oracle harassment" as there can be for units such as Mutalisks, or things such as Warp Prism/Medivac drops, etc.
Here are some other interesting points:
- Like the 10-second Widow Mine, Entomb's value decreases significantly against players of higher skill levels. Quick and attentive players will quickly attack-move the shields off with nearby workers (or units) and mindful players will simply have preplaced static defense. Now there is a point to be made that all harassment becomes more readily and easily defended by players of higher skill level. This is very true. However in almost every other instance, the harassment unit or units in question offer ways through which the harassing/attacking player can increase the effectiveness of his units in order to counteract whatever it is a defending player has done. For example, with something like drops or Mutalisks, we can either circumvent the static defense entirely (by going after key production/support buildings instead of a mineral line, for example) or use micro and proper unit control to try and increase the effectiveness of our units against that defense (using Mutalisk micro to pick off isolated Missile Turrets) or in general (having the presence of mind to know X Mutalisks can beat Y Blink Stalkers). These are just some examples, but the point to be made here is that the Oracle and Entomb lack the reciprocation that makes harassment play as entertaining to watch as it is.
- If we take everything we've mentioned into consideration we notice a devolution of the Oracle's "harassment". Considering that the unit's harass requires a minimal, static amount of input from the Protoss player, a minimal, static amount of input from the defending player, and little to no variance in the levels of damage the unit can deal, what are we left with? Personally I envision it as a "negative macro mechanic". Just as a Zerg player injects larvae into his Hatcheries using Queens and Terran players periodically call down Mules, Protoss players will periodically Entomb an opposing player's mineral line. There is no finesse to be had in this, no more than there is in injecting Larva into a Hatchery: it simply requires a periodic commitment of attention.
So, what can we do to remedy this troubling situation? The entirety of "harassing" with an Oracle consists of a perioidic press of a hotkey and click of a mouse for a Protoss player. For a defending player it consists of reacting quickly that first time your minerals are Entombed, and then putting a Photon Cannon or what have you in your mineral line. There is nothing either player can consistently do to change this progression of events. This is not fun. This is not interesting. This is not Starcraft. So what can we do? Is there anything we can do?
Fixing Entomb
Before we begin, let's recap what we need to fix about this spell. We need to introduce some sort of gradient between the minimum and maximum levels of effectiveness this unit can achieve. We also need to make it so that both players can influence that level of effectiveness. Normally as a formality I would explore a dozen different options, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each. However the solution to this entire dilemma is so comically simple that I'm going to skip straight to the meat and potatoes.
Make Entomb a channeled ability.
So it turns out that the easiest way to make the Oracle a consistent, reliable, and fun harassment unit is to make it similar to consistent, reliable, and fun harassment units. Who woulda thunk it? No, obviously the Mutalisk doesn't channel any ability or attack, and neither does any other harassment unit or combination of units. However all of these units deal increasingly larger amounts of damage the longer they continue harassing unabated. It is exactly this quality that we want to emulate.
Now Mutalisks and Banshees and Drop plays and such all measure the amount of damage they have done by the amount of workers or buildings or units they've managed to kill. Our Oracle's damage dealt is measured in terms of "denied mining time" via the Mineral-blocking shields Entomb produces. If unabated Mutalisks or dropship play can deal large amounts of damage, so too should our Oracle. However that will not simply mean a higher number on the "Resources Lost" tab for an opposing player, as would be the case for any conventional form of harassment, but instead an increase in the length of the Oracle's denial of mining. This is where a channeled Entomb works perfectly. We can make Entomb a channeled ability where the strength (health) of the Mineral-blocking shields increases the longer the Oracle channels its ability. What exactly does this accomplish?
- Protoss players are now rewarded for attention/time/skill invested into the Oracle's harassment. It is obviously in any harassing player's best interest to make the units he is harassing with as effective as possible.
- Similarly, it is in the best interest of any player defending against harassment to make those harassing units deal as little damage as possible. Defending players are now much more incentivized to respond to and interact with an Oracle's harassment.
Have we solved the original problems with the spell? Is there a gradient to the harassment's different levels of effectiveness? Is there reciprocation between both players around and about the harassment?
Absolutely. In fact, we quite literally put a gradient into the Oracle's harass. An Oracle might only get a few seconds of Entomb off, creating mineral shields of marginal strength. Alternatively they might get a lengthy channel of Entomb off, creating mineral shields of significant strength.
In doing this we've also definitely livened up the relationship players have with the Oracle and its harassment. There is now some level of reciprocation to be had around and about Entomb as both players attempt to minimize or maximize the damage it can deal.
Here are a few other advantages this design model brings:
- This model will be extremely easy to balance simply due to how many variables there are that we can change. The energy cost of the spell, either as an immediate one time payment or an energy/second investment, the timed lifespan, starting health, maximum health, and health-gain rate of the mineral shields, and so on so forth.
- Right now Entomb is used through a massive targeted AoE circle. Through how the Oracle Entombs minerals we can influence or change the accessibility/ease of use of the unit as well as how much reciprocation the Protoss player is allowed towards making his Oracle harassment more effective. For example, in lieu of a large, "brainless" AoE targeted circle, we can make Entomb activated through a smaller, perhaps Forcefield-sized circles. Not only does this open up additional venues for balancing, but it also allows Protoss players to strategically target specific sections of a mineral line due to their relative lack of coverage by units or static defense. Once again, this rewards time and attention invested into the harassment by the harassing Protoss player and encourages further time and investment in defending the harassment by the defending player.
- By using a channeled Entomb model, we also increase the synergy of the Oracle with other harassment units. Oracles become even more effective when used in conjunction with things like Phoenixes, Warp Prism drops, and so on, as those units allow the Oracle to further deal its damage by distracting a defender (and dealing damage of their own). This reinforces the "support" aspect of the unit.
And that's that. For Entomb, at least. I love the ability and I hope that Blizzard doesn't just gut it after the wave of negative feedback the ability is sure to receive as people start using it in the beta.
Ready to talk about the rest of the Oracle? Don't worry, this will be much shorter.
As it stands, the Oracle possesses Preordain, a building-targeted ability that gives nearby vision and reveals production, and Revelation, which apparently functions as a 30 second AoE "Parasite" from Brood War, but with a detection element. Previously, the Oracle has had Cloaking Field, a channeled AoE building and unit cloak ability, and Phase Shift, a single target unit/building disable.
![[image loading]](http://www.sc2mapster.com/media/attachments/29/239/HOTS_Preordain_Preview.jpg)
Preordain gives vision of a targeted building whilst revealing its production
Preordain and Revelation
Let's start with Preordain. There isn't much to say about this ability so I'll just say it. Preordain makes no sense. Actually, it makes a lot of sense, just in a very bad way. The primary purpose of the spell is reportedly for scouting: you Preordain enemy buildings, either seeing army movements or what units the production buildings are producing. This also has the secondary bonus of "spotting" for the Tempest in later game stages, allowing Protoss players the necessary vision to abuse the Tempest's long range.
Now there is nothing necessarily wrong with this spell as it stands, it is simply grossly redundant. Why? Think about it. Why does a fast, flying unit need a spell for scouting? Fast flying units are already inherently good for scouting out army movements and enemy production buildings. When would Preordaining an enemy building be specifically helpful? You get almost just as much information as Preordaining something by simply flying an Oracle through or around an enemy's base (which they will theoretically already be doing due to their harassment role). Most of the time, players can tell what sort of army compositions players are going for simply by what sort of production buildings are in their base in the first place. Seeing specifically what an opposing player is building on a particular production building is scarcely helpful and most often unnecessary (and given that the spell does not show what Hatcheries are producing, it is even more irrelevant against a Zerg player).
So the primary purpose of the spell, scouting out production and army movements, is somewhat moot given the Oracle's inherent nature as a scouting unit. This basically means that the only viable purpose of the spell is to provide vision for the Tempest. I would like to be optimistic, but I think that was the only reason the spell was introduced in the first place. This is not good design. Historically, niche units and niche abilities have not performed well in Starcraft 2. On top of that, the Oracle is meant to be a supporting and complimentary unit. Well designed support units have synergy and generally offer something for many different units rather than a single particular one.
These are just some examples of concerns to be had around this spell. I am in no way saying this spell will not be useful or revelant. I am saying that like Preordain, while it does possess some situational use, it seems largely redundant given the existing design of the unit. This is unfortunate because the concept of the spell is actually quite interesting (personally I would love to see something like this on the Viper as an additional form of detection for Zerg).
And so, while Preordain and Revelation are both very usable very interesting spells, they are both ultimately rather redundant given the existing design of the Oracle, and in turn are only ideal in very niche situations. Given that our Oracle is meant to be a capable supporting or complimentary unit in addition to its harassment role, it needs spells that are versatile and offer synergy with other units.
My Proposal
In the last write-up I did, about repurposing the Carrier to fit the role of the Tempest, I made a point of only introducing a basis for how the unit would function. I figured that in the absurdly unlikely scenario that Blizzard read what I wrote and decided to look into the ideas proposed therein, they would much prefer a basis for a unit's design rather than the complete unit. Furthermore, one of the rules of this write-up I described before I began was to not contradict any of Blizzard's design. That meant that I could never suggest anything that branched a unit out away from its Blizzard-intended objectives. Since we are talking specifically about spells here, it is more difficult to adhere to these sort of guidelines I try to follow. Given how desperately in need of attention Preordain and Revelation are, how can I suggest anything that doesn't greatly affect the intended purpose behind the spells?
Interestingly enough, I believe there is a solution to Preordain, Revelation, and the issue of the Oracle's secondary role that not only doesn't deviate from any of the original intentions behind those spells, but actually manages to keep them in a sense. How? By condensing the spells. However, I am not just talking about Preordain and Revelation. Given what I've said above, there simply isn't enough "meat" to those spells to really do anything substantial with them. So what else are we going to look at?
When the Oracle was first revealed it had an ability called Phase Shift. This spell functioned as a single target Stasis for a building or unit, disabling it for some period of time. I imagine one of the reasons they cut the ability was due to the "or unit" part of that description. Should Phase Shift be able to target massive units? It might function too easily as a counter to higher tech units then. Does it then have any relevance towards smaller units? What happened to keeping the unit out of the deathball? When the unit was previewed at Blizzcon we saw the Phase Shift being used to disable static defense so that the Oracle could Entomb minerals. Being allowed to be used in this manner minimizes even further what sort of interaction players can have with the Oracle and its harassment. Suffice it to say, Phase Shift was likely cut for solid reasons.
The idea behind Phase Shift's demonstrated use, however, was quite sound. Protoss Stargate units, especially a unit such as the Phoenix, tend to be very harshly negated by static defense. By giving the Oracle a means through which to shut down static defense, we contribute towards both the harassment and support roles of the unit (as the Oracle can now harass more effectively given a high pool of energy, or alternatively, compliment/support other forms of harassment).
So, here is my idea. We take elements of Phase Shift, Preordain, and Revelation, and combine them into one spell. That might sound like a bit much at first, so let's clarify what exactly we're borrowing from each of these spells.
- The capacity to disable static defense from Phase Shift
- The vision provided from Preordain
The detection provided from Revelation***Not sure if this can be made to work***
That is a pretty neat list of features, but how do we cram all that into a single spell? How about something like this:
"Phase Shift 2.0": "Disables" a target building whilst granting vision of the surrounding area
So basically the idea behind this spell is that it serves the three "useful" and "reasonable" purposes of the spells the Oracle has seen thus far. Firstly, it can be used offensively to disable static defense, further enabling harassment either by additional Oracles or other harassing units/combinations of units. This keeps what was "good" about the original Phase Shift. Secondly, the spell provides vision of the surrounding area to our Protoss player, mimicking the only realistic use of Preordain by increasing the effectiveness of Tempests.
This might seem like a hard spell to balance if you are specifically thinking of Stasis when you read "disable target building". This does not necessarily need to be the case. We can introduce a "disarm" component instead. We could reduce the range of a building targeted by the ability. Or the spell could only prevent them from attacking air units. Or we could make the "Phase Shift 2.0" have no effect on production (so as to prevent issues that Contaminate has had). There are a dozen different ways we can build this ability specifically because it has such a strong basis of design (a "strong" basis for a support unit means versatility). It could be better at disabling static defense but worse at detection, or only minorly capable of negating static defense but with more reliable means of detection, and so on so forth.
Not to mention the strategic element behind neo-Phase Shift's use works excellently with another certain ability. A certain ability that I would love to see in the game. A certain ability that was, in my opinion, poised to be one of the coolest additions to the Protoss arsenal in HOTS until Blizzard removed it in favor or Revelation. Let's talk about Cloaking Field.
![[image loading]](http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/302046_S/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-new-units.jpg)
Cloaking Field was going to be the coolest thing since sliced bread
The Case for Cloaking Field
I want to make this abundantly clear. The Mothership's cloaking ability is boring. When it has been relevant in a game, however rarely that may have been, it was boring. When it has been irrelevant in a game, which is likely the vast majority of the time, it was boring. There is no strategic element to the use of the Mothership's cloaking ability. There is virtually no "input" a Protoss player can put into this unit and it's cloaking capacity so as to change how it is used or how effective it is. A player fighting against a Mothership makes a point of having abundant detection and then never thinks about it again. Not to mention that it contributes to deathball play, given the Mothership's power and status as a unique unit. It is not fun. It is not entertaining. It is not relevant. It sucks. The Oracle was going to change this!
Cloaking Field on the Oracle offered a complete revitalization of the ability. It was now strategic, not mindless. It was relevant and hugely versatile, not simply a side effect of having a Mothership. It was powerful, yes, but given the Oracle's extreme fragility and the channeled requirement of the spell, it was by no means incapable of being balanced.
Spells, so long as they have a sound design, are the easiest things to balance. Why? Because of how many variables there are surrounding them. Given a design of a particular unit or spell, variables are what we use for balancing purposes. With the Oracle and Cloaking Field, there were a million different things Blizzard could have done so as to limit the spell's power. We could have given it a prohibitive energy cost, emphasizing it as a later game spell (mimicking the relationship between Ravens, HSM, and the rest of their abilities). We could have reduced the size of the area the Oracle cloaked, or how long it cloaked it for, and so on so forth. I know for a fact that Blizzard has expressed concern about how early the Cloaking Field would have been available, so why not make it require an upgrade on the Fleet Beacon? I absolutely refuse to believe that this spell could not have been balanced. Why remove a spell that has the potential to offer so much to the game?
- Base defense against counterattacking/harassing units
- Positional offensive capabilities (the positional element discourages its incorporation into the deathball)
- Walling off chokes/strategic positions with buildings and using Oracles to cloak the buildings
- Setting up "traps" with cloaked units and clever building placements
- Hiding later game tech switches
- Complimenting late game harassment-plays
This is just some rough list a guy on the internet threw together in a couple minutes. Can you imagine all the cool stuff professional players could use this sort of ability for?
Yes the ability is powerful and potentially extremely versatile. However it is by no means incapable of being balanced, and versatility and synergy is not only in accordance with the terms of design for the Oracle, but something the Stargate lineup desperately needs. Not to mention, as said before, that the fragility and vulnerability of an Oracle channeling Cloaking Field creates a strategic element around using it and counteracting it, as well a huge drawback to the spell's power.
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And that's that. Let's recap what we've discussed over the course of this write-up
- The Oracle is a harassment and supporting unit
- Entomb fails to allow any substantial input from a harassing player so as to influence the effectiveness of the harassment, making it an incredibly one-dimensional and boring ability
- By making Entomb a channeled ability, we introduce a strategic element to its use and allow players to "reciprocate" against one another in an attempt to minimize or maximize the damage the Oracle's harassment deals.
- Preordain and Revelation's purpose is redundant with the existing design of the Oracle itself, allowing the abilities only a niche use and relevance.
- By condensing and borrowing from Preordain, Revelation, and the defunct Phase Shift, we can create a viable, versatile, relevant support spell that accomplishes all the intended purposes of the spells it borrowed from.
- Cloaking Field is awesome and needs to stay
Thoughts?
