EPTMore info about it here: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/starcraft-2/470781-legacy-of-the-void-announced
Campaign
It looks pretty damn awesome. I'm pretty excited to play it. The Terran campaign was mediocre, Zerg was better, and I hope this one follows the trend. The storyline is intriguing and the level design looks pretty good. I can't wait.
General Gameplay
Starting Workers: 12
Not sure how I feel about this. I feel like it's going to kill off/modify a lot of openings and strategies and I don't know if it will be for the better or for worse. Personally, there's no need to touch the amount of starting workers. Six was plenty.
Minerals per patch: It was 1500 before now it's 1000
I wish there were more minerals per patch because of how fast-paced the games are and how quickly the battles end. "Longer" economy (not sure how to phrase this) allows more room for interesting plays and come-backs, which will certainly make the game more interesting. I think lower mineral count is a step in the wrong direction.
Automated tournaments
This is ok, in my opinion. I'm not sure how this is going to interact with laddering, and the questions I have are the incentive for participating, region effect, and protection from maphacks, stream-sniping, etc. I can't really comment much without more info.
Archon mode (2 players control 1 base)
This is really good idea to get more people to play. Most people aren't good at Starcraft because it's pretty hard and playing with someone else who is bad as them or better can be fun or motivating to get into Starcraft more. I wouldn't be surprised to a ranked multiplayer from this. Nice job, Blizzard.
Allied Commanders
Reminds me of Spec-Ops from CoD, which was ok in my opinion. I'm not sure how dynamic it is and what you have to do, but it looks promising and can be good.
Terran changes
Cyclone: Locks onto targets, then deals high damage to the single target, has built in moving shot (moves about the speed of a stalker). "Very mobile and can lock on to deal more damage and move while shooting. Big range. Good early game"
This is basically the Diamondback from the WoL campaign, combined with the Warhound in HoTS beta (which was then removed for obvious reasons). I saw it in action in Blizzcon and it looks super-OP. It needs major nerfs and if that's still not good enough, it is not going to stay. I really don't like it and Blizzard should have brought back the Goliath instead.
Herc: Built from the barracks, can grapple onto target to get quickly into close range. Currently can one shot banelings and deal splash damage with an upgrade. Cannot attack air, does not deal well with armored units. Has high health and light armor type (useful vs Immortals)
Very interesting unit. That grappling mechanic can potentially lead to new and interesting strategies. In terms of attack, it's kind of like the Firebat from BW, which was a good enough unit. I like it.
Tanks: Can pick up seige tanks in seige mode with medivacs (has a unit animation)
Now, a tank drop is equivalent to a reaver drop in BW. There's nothing wrong with it, but Terran already has a good harass option with bio and it should have been Protoss who should have gotten the Reaver or something similar. It's good, but it seems misplaced.
Thors: Capable of self-repair (called emergency repair). Cannot move/attack while repairing.
I'm not sure how useful this is going to be. I don't think this is good enough to make them more popular in the meta and I haven't seen much Thor usage anywhere (I might be wrong here, I don't play or watch much SC2 nowadays).
Banshees: now range increased. Cloak comes default. Upgrade (available once fusion core is built) to make it move faster than any detection possible
Individually, the changes are ok. Combining all of them makes the Banshee pretty OP, which I saw it at Blizzcon. I highly doubt all changes are going to stick.
Battle cruisers: warp to anywhere you have vision (video suggests without vision, will need people on the floor to confirm). Teleport has a massive energy cost.
This is SORT OF similar to Arbiter's recall, and I like it because this give BCs mobility and make them more effective. I imagine there are going to be balance tweaks in the beta.
Overall Comments
I think Terran has received a lot of good changes and units. Maybe too good. Some changes will stick and some won't. Time will tell.I'm surprised there are no removal from the current line-up with the new units. Current Terran bio could have used a small nerf, and the MULE is still a stupid unit. I really would not have minded the science vessel or the goliath added back into the mix. Blizzard did it with the Lurker, so why not? Overall, Terran looks really fun to play, especially the Herc.
Zerg changes
Lurkers: Deals massive splash damage, as you would expect. Out ranges Photon Cannons, same Lurker model as hots campaign. Outranges all base defense structure (probably not Photon Overcharge). Spines move relatively slowly, so reactive micro possible (including the famous 3 marines killing 1 lurker trick!).
They brought the Lurker back. Good. Enough said.
Ravager: Morphs out of the roach, comes with a new ability 'corrosive bile' which launches a large artillery shot to a target location (see below). Small delay before the shot hits so allows for reactive micro. Corrosive Bile also destroys forcefields and damages air units.
Interesting unit and I'm really to see how it pans out. Breaking forcefields is fine, but there are no posted changes to the Gateway line-up to counter this. I'm not sure. It would be cool to see another "real" artillery unit.
Nydus worm: Now invisible while burrowing and invulnerable while emerging. Not even detectable by cannons. Allows for aggressive Nydus Worm sieges.
I assume Hive is going to be required for it since this is pretty powerful, like the teleporting BCs. I like it because it keeps players on their toes regarding their bases and maybe comebacks.
Swarm Hosts: No longer need to burrow to launch locusts, can upgrade locusts to be flying. Blizzard made a point of saying that mass Swarm Host will no longer be a viable strategy due to lower spawn timers for the locusts. Locusts must be spawned manually.
I hope this is true, especially the massing part, because the Swarm Host is one of the worst units in the game and mass SH is really boring to see, to play with, and to play against. Flying locusts make me laugh.
Corruptors: have an ability ' caustic spray' to channel damage like a void ray. A few of them can kill a nexus in seconds
I'm not sure how this is going to work. It can be good, but it can also be bad. very 50/50.
Infestor: New ability: 'aggressive mutation' grants flat damage buff to friendly units (it is AOE)
Great support ability. I'm wondering if any of the current abilities will be removed/altered.
Overall Comments
Zerg received some good changes. Lurkers are going to be super-fun and maybe the Ravager. But I really like the most is the new Nydus and I'm itching to try it out. Other changes are ok. I also would've welcomed the Defiler, along with the Lurker. Overall, it looks pretty good.
Protoss changes
Disruptor: "moving land mine", builds from the Robotics Bay, can enter into an invulnerable energy state and after some time will detonate dealing massive AoE (disruptor does not die).
It's ok, I think. Looks really easy to counter in battle, but it can prove to be a great harass option. I still would have preferred the return of the Reaver though (because it's better, duh).
Immortal: Hardened Shield passive removed, changed to an active ability which absorbs damage over the duration of the ability.
Very good. Hardened Shield was THE leading cause on why mech in TvP is impossible to win with. I imagine balance tweaks like every other unit being changed.
Warp Prism: Now can pick up units from a distance.
Very interesting. More potent drops incoming. I like it. Might be a little OP though.
Tempest: Only attacks ground units and receives a speed buff, new long range ability 'Disintegration' that has deals damage over time (500dmg over 50sec)
Funny, I thought Tempests were introduced to counter Brood Lords. So Disintegration is a weaker version of Defiler's Plague. Whatever, this unit's been weird from the start anyway.
Carrier: Interceptors released to attacks in specific locations, moves quicker, 90sec build time. Can release interceptors all instantly and keep fighting even if carrier dies.
And why wasn't this introduced since the game's inception? With this, Carriers aren't garbage anymore and have indeed arrived.
Nexus: starts with 14 supply now.
Why (in terms of having 12 workers to begin with)?
Warping: takes 8 seconds now and warping units take 200% damage.
Ok? Replenishing the army is a little slower and players usually warp units in safely.
Oracle: Oracle also now has one revelation spell for revealing and detecting. Also new ability called Stasis ward, essentially a mine which when detonated by enemy units casts Stasis Field over them (i.e. unable to move, attack or take damage effectively taking the unit out of play).
Slap on Recall and call it the Arbiter, lol.
Photon Overcharge: Shoots Ground Only
Good, but then the Banshee changes may be too extreme.
Overall Comments
With Protoss, there's ups and downs. Disruptor can be good, but time will tell. I'm stoked to try out the new Warp Prism. Good changes, like the Immortal, Carrier, Planetary Nexus, are good, but they should've been introduced earlier. Other changes are useless. No Reaver? I'm offended, since the Lurker's given a shot. I'm surprised that the Gateway composition has zero changes, given the Warp changes. I would think that I would save the best for last, but sadly, it doesn't seem to be case here.
Final Comments
Legacy of the Void looks really promising, with the campaign and new game modes. However, there are changes that seem to be in the wrong direction, such as the economy. Race changes range from very good to satisfactory. On a more pessimistic note, this is the last chance Blizzard has to make SC2 good. Otherwise, it is going to fall off the face of the earth (very slowly, but surely). WoL got bad at the end of 2012, HoTS has gotten a bit better after that, and balance changes they made are overall, mediocre at best. In terms of tournaments, the new WCS system they introduced a year ago was sloppy and rushed. However, given what they said they are going to do, I feel more optimistic about it. I just hope they pull through with it. Also, they are going to enforce region-lock on WCS, which I hope will motivate other pros to play, particularly NA. I also how LotV is going to be stand-alone, which is a big plus.
The game looks promising. I just hope Blizzard pulls through with it.
