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Underused upgrades suggestion

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 HotS
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SarcasmMonster
Profile Joined October 2011
3136 Posts
October 27 2012 00:48 GMT
#1
There's been lots of talk about how to fix underused units, but little discussion about upgrades. I guess units are more interesting

So here's a couple of suggestions I have.


Caduceus Reactor
[image loading]

Additionally increases the Medivac's heal rate by 25%. Rationale: buff to lategame bio viability. Bio is indirectly nerfed in HOTS imo.
+ Show Spoiler [Poll] +
Poll: Caduceus Reactor suggestion

Thumbs up (105)
 
59%

Thumbs down (74)
 
41%

179 total votes

Your vote: Caduceus Reactor suggestion

(Vote): Thumbs up
(Vote): Thumbs down




Neosteel Frame
[image loading]

Additionally increases the carrying capacity of Medivac's by 25%. Rationale: buff to lategame bio drop play. Better rewards multitasking lategame.
+ Show Spoiler [Poll] +
Poll: Neosteel Frame suggestion

Thumbs down (114)
 
71%

Thumbs up (46)
 
29%

160 total votes

Your vote: Neosteel Frame suggestion

(Vote): Thumbs up
(Vote): Thumbs down




Hi-Sec Auto Tracking
[image loading]

Additionally increases Widow Mine range by 1. Rationale: Widow Mines more useful in the lategame. Not sure about this one, the cost of upgrade may need to increase.
+ Show Spoiler [Poll] +
Poll: Hi-Sec Auto Tracking suggestion

Thumbs down (96)
 
70%

Thumbs up (41)
 
30%

137 total votes

Your vote: Hi-Sec Auto Tracking suggestion

(Vote): Thumbs up
(Vote): Thumbs down




Shield Upgrade
[image loading]

Additionally increases the rate which shields recharge. Rationale: More competitive with armor upgrades. Now there is a choice you need to make.

For example:
Current implementation
Level 0: 2/shields per second after 10 seconds outside of combat
Level 1: 2/shields per second after 10 seconds outside of combat
Level 2: 2/shields per second after 10 seconds outside of combat
Level 3: 2/shields per second after 10 seconds outside of combat

Possible new implementation
Level 0: 1.5/shields per second after 11 seconds outside of combat
Level 1: 2/shields per second after 10 seconds outside of combat
Level 2: 2.5/shields per second after 9 seconds outside of combat
Level 3: 3/shields per second after 8 seconds outside of combat
+ Show Spoiler [Poll] +
Poll: Shield Upgrade suggestion

Thumbs up (91)
 
66%

Thumbs down (46)
 
34%

137 total votes

Your vote: Shield Upgrade suggestion

(Vote): Thumbs up
(Vote): Thumbs down




Grooved Spines
[image loading]

Additionally adds +3 dmg vs armored units. Technically, not an underused upgrade per se, rather the Hydralisk itself is underused. Rationale: Give it a place in ZvP like in BW.
+ Show Spoiler [Poll] +
Poll: Grooved Spines suggestion

Thumbs down (63)
 
58%

Thumbs up (45)
 
42%

108 total votes

Your vote: Grooved Spines suggestion

(Vote): Thumbs up
(Vote): Thumbs down






A somewhat Terran-centric list but Terran has so many underused upgrades

What other changes should Blizz consider to make certain upgrades have more viability/depth?
MMA: The true King of Wings
Fatam
Profile Joined June 2012
1986 Posts
October 27 2012 00:53 GMT
#2
Cool idea to discuss the underused upgrades. I actually think grooved spines is fine, but the others might need buffing.
Search "FTM" in SC2 | Latest Maps: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/sc2-maps/528528-2-ftm-siegfried-station http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/sc2-maps/525489-2-ftm-crimson-aftermath http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/sc2-maps/524737-2-ftm-grime
s3rp
Profile Joined May 2011
Germany3192 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-10-27 00:59:15
October 27 2012 00:55 GMT
#3
How about



[image loading] 250mm Strike Cannons

Most useless ability ingame ... only exists so Thors have energy and become useless in TvP. It does less damage than a Thor with i think +2 ( maybe even already +1 ) would do with autoattack in the same time. Not to mention the Thor cannot move while using strike cannon and can still be fedbacked while setting up .

Suggestion IF they want to keep this ability . Lower cost to 100 (its 150 now ROFL ) lower the duration from 10 to 5 seconds and remove the setup time of 2 seconds.
.
Aquila-
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
516 Posts
October 27 2012 00:58 GMT
#4
Neosteel frame should be way cheaper to help where it is needed, in the early game to defend allins. It is only affordable later in the game where bunkers become useless anyway. In Hots there are the mines to defend now, but in Wol it would be nice if it could be researched with the first bit of gas, or right after stim was started so it can finish in time to hold an allin.
SarcasmMonster
Profile Joined October 2011
3136 Posts
October 27 2012 00:59 GMT
#5
On October 27 2012 09:55 s3rp wrote:
How about



[image loading] 250mm Strike Cannons

Most useless ability ingame ... only exists so Thors have energy and become useless in TvP.

Suggestion IF they want to keep this ability . Lower cost to 100 (its 150 now ROFL ) and remove the setup time of 2 seconds
.


I didn't know what to suggest aside from removal which isn't constructive. I don't think your suggestion will solve its problems since its normal ground attack DPS is pretty insane already.
MMA: The true King of Wings
Antylamon
Profile Joined March 2011
United States1981 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-10-27 01:09:53
October 27 2012 01:03 GMT
#6
An increase to Medivac heal rate would make Caduceus Reactor an essential upgrade for Bio. I don't really like that concept since there are so many upgrades that Terran needs early on. (Stim, Shields, Conc, 1/1) Flat out buffing the Medivac with an increased heal rate would be better if Blizz was to go down that path.

If Medivac storage is buffed by an upgrade, then it should be later tech imo. Two Medivacs full of Rines dropping a base? That would be 24 Rines. They kill a probe in 4 seconds, meaning they clear a fully saturated mineral line in that time. Then they kill the Nexus in 10 seconds.
Maybe more like Fusion Core. I was going to say Armory, but that would be too far out from the Bio tech path, and the Fusion Core should have more uses. In exchange, the upgrade should be about a 50% increase.

I'm not sure about buffing Widow Mine range either, but more because it's useless in making Widow Mines more viable in the lategame.

Shield upgrade is iffy for me. It doesn't really seem very good, especially since it's a tiny little buff which most likely wouldn't motivate people to get it. The point of shield upgrades is to increase the durability of units, not make them able to recharge their shields better. Even if it doesn't increase the upgrade's use, however, it still seems nice, even if it isn't very exciting.

I like the idea of +3 vs armored on Hydras.
Atrbyg
Profile Blog Joined October 2011
United States513 Posts
October 27 2012 01:03 GMT
#7
Really like the Medivac upgrade change, but it think the cost needs to increase if it is implemented.
SarcasmMonster
Profile Joined October 2011
3136 Posts
October 27 2012 01:07 GMT
#8
On October 27 2012 10:03 Antylamon wrote:
An increase to Medivac heal rate would make Caduceus Reactor an essential upgrade for Bio. I don't really like that concept since there are so many upgrades that Terran needs early on. (Stim, Shields, Conc, 1/1) Flat out buffing the Medivac with an increased heal rate would be better if Blizz was to go down that path.


Regarding the Medivac heal rate, what you suggested is a problem is a good thing in my mind. Now there are more strategy/trade-offs choosing upgrades. Bio is more than fine early/mid game so I wouldn't approach it with a flat out buff.
MMA: The true King of Wings
Piousflea
Profile Joined February 2010
United States259 Posts
October 27 2012 01:11 GMT
#9
I agree that strike cannons are the single most useless thing in the game. Why do Thors bother carrying giant cannons on their back if they are never used?
Seek, behold, and reveal the truth
MateShade
Profile Joined July 2011
Australia736 Posts
October 27 2012 01:12 GMT
#10
I wonder why people don't get the medivac upgrade in the super late game (as rare as that is) anyway. I suppose people don't want to put a techlab on a starport ( could easily swap it with barracks after though really, you have plenty of time for that in a stalemate 45 minute tvp
Big J
Profile Joined March 2011
Austria16289 Posts
October 27 2012 01:19 GMT
#11
I like the autotracking on widow mines idea, makes a lot of sense.

Grooved spines... hm not sure. I think the idea is right (a little more extra damage for the glascanon hydra), but I feel like this would overpower midgame roach/hydra play. I mean that's 3.6extra dps vs stalkers and canons, which are the main Protoss defenses. I prefer the more subtle better upgrade scaling idea, which gives around the same extra dps, but not too early.

Medivac heal... could be quite interesting.
Medivac extra capacity? I don't think this rewards multitasking. I mean you get more done per single drop so you have more units bound in less places, right? Also lategame Terran bio drops are already extremly devastating as they are now.

Shield Upgrade... I don't really think this does anything apart from adding more text to the game, even though the idea isn't bad.
Sumadin
Profile Joined August 2011
Denmark588 Posts
October 27 2012 01:22 GMT
#12
I think the better way to go with Neosteel frame would be to add the bunker health increase.that was a additional upgrade in the campaign and came as addtional to neosteel frame in the L2D map.

The problem is that there isn't much of a difference between a full bunker with 2 supporting marines vs a full Neosteel bunker. Even with the normal bunker it would still take fire priority over the outside marines because suddenly there is 15 SCVs around the bunker and its health turns to infinity.

Neosteel should be an investment in the defence. Something you can get if you suspect an all-in. Through it would probably be too late to start it when you scout it.
The basic key to beating a priest is playing a deck that is terrible.
DBS
Profile Joined July 2012
515 Posts
October 27 2012 03:35 GMT
#13
I think that neosteel frame should be a 20 second upgrade individual for each bunker
"a pitchfork is for hay. a trident is for killing bitches." -djwheat
MasterCynical
Profile Joined September 2012
505 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-10-27 03:43:59
October 27 2012 03:42 GMT
#14
What about Behemoth reactor?

[image loading]

25 extra starting energy for a Battlecruiser....
s3rp
Profile Joined May 2011
Germany3192 Posts
October 27 2012 03:50 GMT
#15
I would also add that at least one of the 3(4 with building range ) Raven upgrades would be combined with another one.
SarcasmMonster
Profile Joined October 2011
3136 Posts
October 27 2012 04:07 GMT
#16
On October 27 2012 12:50 s3rp wrote:
I would also add that at least one of the 3(4 with building range ) Raven upgrades would be combined with another one.


Lore-wise, it should probably be Building Armor and Durable Materials since they're both about improving durability.
MMA: The true King of Wings
EienShinwa
Profile Joined May 2010
United States655 Posts
October 27 2012 04:24 GMT
#17
On October 27 2012 09:55 s3rp wrote:
How about



[image loading] 250mm Strike Cannons

Most useless ability ingame ... only exists so Thors have energy and become useless in TvP. It does less damage than a Thor with i think +2 ( maybe even already +1 ) would do with autoattack in the same time. Not to mention the Thor cannot move while using strike cannon and can still be fedbacked while setting up .

Suggestion IF they want to keep this ability . Lower cost to 100 (its 150 now ROFL ) lower the duration from 10 to 5 seconds and remove the setup time of 2 seconds.
.

Remove that ability and give the thor a researchable ability of being able to make a mini blast cannon against a unit like the battlecruiser, so that it becomes like a grounded battlecruiser. That, or give it a cooldown ability that temporarily boosts its speed so it can keep up with the army..
I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Scratch where it itches. Alice Roosevelt Longworth
s3rp
Profile Joined May 2011
Germany3192 Posts
October 27 2012 04:27 GMT
#18
On October 27 2012 13:07 SarcasmMonster wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 27 2012 12:50 s3rp wrote:
I would also add that at least one of the 3(4 with building range ) Raven upgrades would be combined with another one.


Lore-wise, it should probably be Building Armor and Durable Materials since they're both about improving durability.


Oh i forgot it's actually 5 upgrades that benefit Raven . Building Armor / Building Range / Corvid Reactor / HSM / HSM , Turret Duration ...
MoonCricket
Profile Joined September 2011
222 Posts
October 27 2012 05:35 GMT
#19
I'd rather Medivacs be given Defense Matrix as an upgrade so that Medivacs can use energy in order to support Factory and Starport units.

Just remove the energy bar on Thors and delete Strike Cannons from the game.
Demurity
Profile Joined April 2011
United States424 Posts
October 27 2012 05:59 GMT
#20
On October 27 2012 14:35 MoonCricket wrote:
I'd rather Medivacs be given Defense Matrix as an upgrade so that Medivacs can use energy in order to support Factory and Starport units.

Just remove the energy bar on Thors and delete Strike Cannons from the game.


But this makes no sense in terms of giving it to the medivac... It's a healing unit for bio, why give it DM for mech -.-t. Besides, it would take away from the supply of a solid mech mass because the medivacs would not deal damage in battle.
|Terran|
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