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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/fcrwNE0.png)
Carbot Animations, (click on the link to watch the video)
In this guide I'll explain how to play Karax, the forge smith, effectively on brutal difficulty. Once you have mastered his play, you'll be the dominating force of the sun, like daedalus, rather the silly son, Icarus falling out of the sky being burned by it. Karax at first glance has a really weak gateway army, but if you are building gateway armys your will fail. The goal using your expert tools to control an area and cripple an attack wave with burning ease. Particular attention should be paid to the maps and the lanes in the maps.
A Karax game is mostly about pushing between waves with the strength gained during the defense and then fortifying the new positions. Most of the damage from Karax comes from a robotics/mechanical backbone and Khaydarin Monolyths. The tanky force comes from immortals, cannons, Shield Batteries and shielding abilities. The core gateway units are very low dps. Carriers and energizers are very, very, expensive. Energizers don't really serve the purpose of fighting, but more initiating and grabbing key units during a push, such as bcs, immortals, tempests, ravens, or liberators. With the units acquired and the enemy weakend the counter push begins.
Karax grand abilities come from the spear of adun. Through it, he unleases the solar fury upon the enemy. Solar lance and the purifier beam, are really good at breaking a position with vision, often off either newly acquired enemy reclamation units, or with vision from the level 15 unity barrier, observers, and mirage (Karax phoenix like unit) invulnerability. Off the solar forge abilities, buildings are placed with a set of 3-4 probes out on the map to hold the ground taken and give fall back positions to the energizers and the cooldown room for the 200 damage shots of shadow cannon immortals.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hJhnvw2.png)
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Opener builds-
Cannon Expand into chrono'd workers
+ Show Spoiler +
15 pylon 0:32
17 forge 1:00
21 pylon by rocks 1:50 (Cut workers until gas goes down.)
21 2 cannons 1:53
21 assimlator 1:58
23 gateway 2:23
23 drop 4 orbital strikes on rocks; Cut workers at 24 (3 on gas, 21 on nexus)
24 Nexus 2:55
25 gateway 3:07
27 pylon 3:30
28 Cybernetic core 4:12
31 warp gate 5:00
31 solar efficiency 1 5:00
31 Chrono workers 5:00
46 start other three gas/robo 5:20
The purpose of this build is to get the economy up as fast as possible to allow you to produce your first foothold production out on the map before the second wave comes. (you reach full saturation with warp gate and solar efficiency 1 over half done at 5:20) I usually rush an observer after this because it has 2 modes and the stop mode gives a lot more vision so i can spam my abilities to gain ground while heading towards reclamation and shadow cannon.
I have 3 more builds i'll add when i have a bit more testing done on them.
Usually about 10 minutes, I get an observer blindly for map vision and detection.
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Leveling-
Solar Forge upgrades-
Most builds I think while grinding levels should be based around reclamation, immmortals, calling down lots of abilities from the spear of adun with obs vision, and practicing the static defense. I suggest playing brutal starting at level 10 if you are experienced and level 14 while practicing using Mirages if you are struggling with pushing. The mirages are hard to make work without the damage resist every 5 seconds and you will have a hard time roaming on the map without shadow armor.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/TBbgiew.png)
-4 Reclamation/Rapid recharge
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/A94wcMQ.png)
-6 Enhanced Targeting/Optimized ordinance
-8 Solar forge upgarde to level 3
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-9 shadow cannon. The DPS ability that is just rediculous 200 damage. Nerf plz (LOL please don't nerf, I love this)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/MjPNpoP.png)
-10/11 Purifier beam/Khalai Ingenuity
Level 10 is probably the most important for playing on Brutal
The purifier beam is the key ability for pushing and holding the late late game Brutal pushes. Its the most important upgrade to play on brutal. The Khalai Inenguity instant warpins is extremely helpful for getting the fastest economy up off the double cannon expand.
-14 Phasing armor/Carrier healing
Level 14 has the nice ability of rounding out the late game with 2-3 carriers healing your robotics bay pushes and making the army just a little more beefy.
All Levels-
+ Show Spoiler +
1-Orbital Assault- Orbital strike no longer has a cooldown or a charge count, and now costs 5 energy per shot.
2-Spear of Adun: Chrono Field- Increases the production speed of all friendly structures by 15%
3-New unit:Khaydarin Monolyth- Extremely Powerful Defense Structure. Has superior range and damage, but is very expensive and attacks slowly.
4-Twilight Council: Upgrades Cache- Unlocks the Following upgrades at the twilight council.
*Reclamation- Allow Energizers to temporarily take control of enemy mechanical units.
*Rapid Recharging- Increase energy regeneration for energizers and shield batteries by 200%.
5-Spear of Adun:Chrono Overload- Chrono wave now increases the production speeds to all friendly structures to 500% for 20 seconds
6-Forge Upgrade Cache-
*Enhanced Targeting- Photon Cannons, Khaydarin Monolyths, and Shield Batteries gain +2 range
*Optimized Ordinance- Increases the attack speed of Photon Cannons and Khaydarin Monolyths by 25%.
*Fortification Barrier- Allows Shield batteries to grant a structure a damage absorption barrier.
7-Reconstruction beam- passive
8-Solar Forge upgrade cache 1
*Advanced Repair systems- Reconstruction beam heals more targets.
*Solar efficiency level 3- Generates 4 points of energy for the spear of Adun every 6 seconds
9-Robotics Bay upgrade Cache
*Shadow Cannon- Immortals deal 200 damage to target unit or structure.
*Fire Beam- Colssus fire does more damage and leaves 100 fire ground damage aoe over 5 seconds
10-Spear of Adun: Purifier Beam
11-Khalai Ingenuitiy- instant building warpins
12-Solar Forge upgrade Cache 2
*Phase Detonation- Orbital stun
*Solar Flare- Solar lance fire
13-Spear of Adun: Purifier Protocol
14-Fleet beacon upgrade cache
Unlocks the following upgrades at the fleet beacon.
*Phasing Armor- Mirages automatically
*Repair Drones- Carriers Automatically Repair nearby units
15-Unity Barrier- All Friendly units gain a 10 second damage barrier when warped in.
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Choosing transitions and upgrades-
Unlike my last guide, I don't feel that Karax is very dependent on what the opponent makes because of his reliance on the spear of adun abilities and the strength of the static defense. You are however are much more dependant on map vision, working with your teammate, and proper placement of defensive structures. If you do decide to go aggressive, I have listed my typical styles for that. They are mostly based either around structures or the immortals shadow cannon. Hardly ever should you build sentinals and realize that they are going to die quickly and do almost no damage, only serving to buffer a hair and getting vision in exchange for minerals.
I think its worth looking at some of the individual units to explain some concepts. Avoid Building Sentinels and getting upgrades for them. Energizers can be used to place buildings, buff attacks, reclaim(mind control for a while) enemy units, and warp in. You should practice the micro with changing between the energizer phasing and transport modes and testing the range on reclamation. I usually bring 4 probes around the map with my army to fortify positions once taken and defend my army against air. The immortals being the core dps of your army, definiely practice using the shadow cannon as it will make you super broken. You should also work hard on building placements.
Here's some pictures of building placements and abilities. (I'll make better pictures when i have more time to do runs)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/A4I99a6.png)
1 row gateways, 2 rows cannons, 1 row of shield batteries, 1 row Khaydarin Monolyths. The Khaydarin Monolyths are low health but deal a ton of damage, so keep them safe!!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/qtvXRse.png)
The core is usually going to be an attack upgrade, solar forge upgrade, then either reconstruction or optimized ordinance.
The second set of upgrades is usuall going to be another attack upgrade, shadow cannon (or repair drones if skipping immortals) and another solar forge upgrade.
As the army/buildings need to get tankier, i usually get the solar forge's Advanced repair systems and the twilights rapid recharging
+ Show Spoiler +
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In depth look at Karax' Units-
Tower Pushing-
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kmc2BdA.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler +Sentinel vs Zealots Tl dr; Sentinels are more expensive, have less health, have no aoe, and have a slower attack speed; Only advantage is respawning after death and at level 15 have invulnerability when warped in. + Show Spoiler + Karax Sentinel Standard zealots Cost 150 minerals 100 minerals Health 10/100 80/80 Damage 8 8 Recon Yes, with expensive up No For the cost evne with reconstruction you get less of a buffer than you do with zealots 220 vs 160 at 150 minerals vs 100 minerals ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/QE5VGmg.png) Energizers vs Sentries Tl dr; Energizers are more expensive, same dps and health; Reclamation is awesome and buff towers. They don't stack well and cost a lot of gas, once you have about 5 the rapid recharging upgrade is better than building more. + Show Spoiler + Karax Energizer Standard sentry Cost 50 min 150 gas 50 min 100 gas Damage 8 8 Reclaim Yes, with upgrade No Energizers buff towers. Also can warp in and build towers off them with phasing mode. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/t5tIjud.png) ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/0W0ouwL.png) Khaydarin Monolyths, Shield Batteries, and cannons Khaydarin monolyths have more damage per area occupied,more range, and much less health. Shield batteries give huge tankyness buff. Should be placed with a consistency of row of gateways, 2 rows cannons, 1 row shield batteries, 1 row KHaydarin Monolyths with energizers. Forge upgrades- + Show Spoiler +Mirages vs phoenix Tl dr; more expensive. Easier to micro, tanks shots for 2 seconds after first hit with upgrade. + Show Spoiler + Karax Mirages Phoenix Cost 225 minerals 150 gas 150 minerals 100 gas Auto Yes, autolift No Mirages will tank the 2nd and third hit from grouped units with the phasing armor upgrade. This leads to some interesting micro which is about the only micro that is fun with Karax. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JYfu6y7.png) Karax Carriers vs standard Carriers Tl dr; More expensive, longer build times, aoe heal with Repair drones upgrade. + Show Spoiler + Karax carriers Standard Cost 575 minerals 375 gas 350 minerals 250 gas Build t 120 sec 86 sec Damage 8dam/8int 8dam/8int I cost 0 25 min grav ca Yes, by default No, grav catapult is an upgrade Drones Yes No, self heal repair drones Advantage is self heal and carriers heal each other and nearby immortals. Disadvantage is less dps for the cost/longer build times. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/sMhw5aM.png)
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As far as choosing aggressive builds, I recommend them based of where the fights are going to occur and what you are doing. These are three styles i like.
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Army Compositions-
1 Robo 1 stargate tower pushing
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2 robo 1 stargate Colossus, immortal, mirage
I prefer this build for ling, heavy and marine marauder medic play.
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3 robo Mass Immortal, Energizer, observers/towers
I prefer this style for anti protoss and mech play
+ Show Spoiler +
3 stargate 1 robo Static defense, observers,1 energizer/defensive point, mass carriers.
I prefer this style for anti air play.
+ Show Spoiler +
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Ideal Late game composition-
The strongest army is centered around the colossus aoe, and immortal damage. 4-5 colossus, 8-10 mirages, 12-15+ immortals, 5-6 Energizers, 2 carriers with defensive structures. This is built from the 2 robo 1 stargate backbone.
Image to come later 
Full Image Album on IMGUR With all Karax's Abilities
Karax has some really mean abilities from the spear of adun and extreme dps from the shadow cannon immortals.
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Gameplay vods-
Here's gameplay I did playing him just so you can see what it looks like. (note, my computer is not really great so it has some low fps when the fights get big.) I'll post a few more games when I touch the article up. I still haven't surpassed 1050 kills, i'll post a vod when i do.
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I chose to do this second guide on Karax since people who play a lot didn't feel like there was much you could do with him and to continue with the same format with coop guides. Thank you for reading this.
Good luck!
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I like to build 1 cannon for the first wave. It's not needed, but it's nice if you have trouble aiming orbital strikes, since enemies will be attacking the cannon (staying still) instead of moving around chasing units. Your tech will be a bit slower, since that 1 cannon should be a gateway so you are exactly 150 minerals slower but I like that little safety net.
I tend to go with carriers not because they are good, but because they are relaxing and easy to use. For maps where I need to move around different areas (Void Launch, the train level), I don't have to deal with any sort of pathing issues. For example, on the train mission, if you mass immortals, you'll have to go back and forth between the two tracks, and every time you do so you need to walk through your main base. Since this is a shared main, you never know what kind of a mess is going to be in there. I'm not so neat in placing buildings myself, and my ally could very well have 18 barracks placed all over the base with piles of units blocking me off. So even though immortals are objectively the best unit on that map, I tend to mass carriers anyway just because of how relaxing it is to use
I'm not a very big fan of Khaydarin Monoliths. I feel that every drop of gas should go into upgrades, robo and stargate units and that you mass cannons+shield batteries just as a mineral sink (a really freaking good mineral sink)
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On March 12 2016 23:40 Purind wrote:+ Show Spoiler +I like to build 1 cannon for the first wave. It's not needed, but it's nice if you have trouble aiming orbital strikes, since enemies will be attacking the cannon (staying still) instead of moving around chasing units. Your tech will be a bit slower, since that 1 cannon should be a gateway so you are exactly 150 minerals slower but I like that little safety net.
I tend to go with carriers not because they are good, but because they are relaxing and easy to use. For maps where I need to move around different areas (Void Launch, the train level), I don't have to deal with any sort of pathing issues. For example, on the train mission, if you mass immortals, you'll have to go back and forth between the two tracks, and every time you do so you need to walk through your main base. Since this is a shared main, you never know what kind of a mess is going to be in there. I'm not so neat in placing buildings myself, and my ally could very well have 18 barracks placed all over the base with piles of units blocking me off. So even though immortals are objectively the best unit on that map, I tend to mass carriers anyway just because of how relaxing it is to use I'm not a very big fan of Khaydarin Monoliths. I feel that every drop of gas should go into upgrades, robo and stargate units and that you mass cannons+shield batteries just as a mineral sink (a really freaking good mineral sink)
I agree carriers are easier to use, but harder to get a ball of them particularly when pushing on void launch where killing the first 3 set of thrashers fast buys a lot of time for the last set to be pushed with a larger army. The khaydarin monolyths grant a lot of vision and do more dps, so they are great for tower pushing, but not so great for other things.
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I'll be honest - I just defend with energy until I have enough carriers to wreck the enemy.
I love these write-ups, though, and I really appreciate the work you put into 'em. Thanks for posting it. :D
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As a side question, since you seem to be an expert in co-op - Do you happen to know the most efficient way to level, time-wise? I've actually only got 2 more to get to level 15, but I figure it's never too late to learn a better way if I can. Right now I just do Korhal Rifts on brutal.
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On March 14 2016 20:07 Rehio wrote:
I'll be honest - I just defend with energy until I have enough carriers to wreck the enemy.
I love these write-ups, though, and I really appreciate the work you put into 'em. Thanks for posting it. :D
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As a side question, since you seem to be an expert in co-op - Do you happen to know the most efficient way to level, time-wise? I've actually only got 2 more to get to level 15, but I figure it's never too late to learn a better way if I can. Right now I just do Korhal Rifts on brutal.
I don't have an answer, but i'll formulate one while writing my next guide. In all honesty I can only do a 90% answer.
There is a limitation to how I do things, which isn't actually apparent right away. The theoretical approach is not always right. It makes more sense if you compare my multiplayer guides, player scouting reports, and tournament statistics to the players that use them professionally. In co-op, you can look at a guide like Fezvez, who sort of plays it by feel and looks at the game more by how to take a fight rather than theoretical compositions. He would outperform me once he plays through standard builds and the transitions figured out because he is better at reading the waves. It's sort of the Parting factor where theoretically its worse on paper, but the reality is that you can do more with it with sick control and get more out of it than you would think by theory. In contrast, I take more of an approach like Classic, usually I like to benchmark builds, look at compositions, and optimize transitions to reach them and position correctly. Thus, the practical part of how to get the most out of your units, which I'm actually not the best at I make up for by preempting what waves will come and positioning on the map. So while I benchmark and say, I did good with a 1019 kill run as karax, or I might theorize that exp is fastest doing x things. There is a bit of how effective you are to determine if its faster, so I'll probably try to answer your question that way.
I'm sorry that I feel limited in terms of responding immediately and don't want risk being wrong.
OK so i did a couple test runs for speed
(times are fastest/ could do with ok teammate/if you have to carry)
I think your strat is fine-If you can get someone to grind with you who knows what they are doing you can do lock and load in 13 minutes. I would do that.
If not, I think korhal only is about as fast as doing random maps.
Times and data-
+ Show Spoiler +
This is what i got-
Void launch ~25:30
Temple of the past- ~26:00
lock and load ~13/18/24
korhal ~ 17/20/24
oblivion ~25
Void thrasing 17/20/25
So if you can get a teammate to grind with you i think its better to do lock and load.
You get 44k exp with bonus choosing the map, and 49.5 exp if you do random. @ average going random at 49.5k/23:30
average runs, ~2.2 k exp/minute vs 44k/20 mnutes on korhal~2.2k exp/minute. There not much of a different that way, but with 40kexp(no bonus)/14 minutes~ 3.1k exp/min
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I must say, I'm not so big on monoliths either. I almost never get them. It's a waste of gas IMO. They don't have that much higher dps than cannon (note that the attack speed is way slower). In fact, I wonder if you even get better DPS for the mineral cost. (I don't remember the exact attack speeds so I can't assess that now.) It's certainly very clunky, and it doesn't tank enough to justify the space it takes. (It has less hp/shields than a battery.) The only reason I ever got them in the campaign was because cannons were outranged by things like guardians and tanks. But we don't have that problem now, with Karax's cannon range upgrade.
I also almost never get carriers. I only get them for the shuttle mission, since I can't think of a good army alternative to all air. In the temple mission I mass phoenix. In almost every other mission, I get mass immortal, maybe with some colossi.
One thing that baffles me with Karax players, sometimes, is the choice of using solar lance very early in the game (for the first wave, sometimes). Most first waves can be taken out in 3-4 solar bombardments; lance is a huge waste of energy at that point. I've learned to be very economical with his forge attacks. I also keep a chrono boost on his forge for the whole game, as I'm pretty sure that speeds up his energy growth.
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Russian Federation473 Posts
I wish they decreased the cost of units a little bit. To maybe 140% of the normal cost (from 150% currently)
The cannons are just too good compared to his units
It would also make sense to swap the carrier and the tempest between Artanis and Karax - these units synergize with their respective armies better, and it fits the story better
And I'd love to see Fenix calldown added to Karax arsenal at level 16 if if ever comes out
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On March 18 2016 00:17 Ganseng wrote:I wish they decreased the cost of units a little bit. To maybe 140% of the normal cost (from 150% currently) The cannons are just too good compared to his units It would also make sense to swap the carrier and the tempest between Artanis and Karax - these units synergize with their respective armies better, and it fits the story better And I'd love to see Fenix calldown added to Karax arsenal at level 16 if if ever comes out
Absolutely agree for both reasons.
Yeah I just tried this mass immortal/kaydarin monument/observer play style on the train map and it was kind of fun... lots of dps for the trains... Interested to see how it feels on pushing maps as it seems like a lot more micro than the way I usually play Karax.
My usual go to for pushing maps is actually mirage play with fastest possible solar core upgrades for nearly infinite energy, then I just just basically A-move zealot/mirages in to the objectives while using the individual call down shots for focusing clumps/important targets. Then I just solar lance the attack waves away. The zealots all die but I don't care... they were just there as the initial buffer.
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Russian Federation473 Posts
Yeah energized tempests... what could be better
And Artanis definitely needs some way to repair his stuff
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You may want to list a pure cannon/monolith/battery/energizer/obs build. You can solo carry many maps with it.
I still haven't surpassed 1050 kills, i'll post a vod when i do.
1678 kills in a random game, pure static d /w energizers - http://i.imgur.com/P4zpyIC.png
And yes, the ally was there the whole game. Banelings wrecked his army every time he moved out, so he ended up just going bc's.
The best part about cannon builds, imo, is the fact that you can be pushing down objectives quite quickly... no need to build up a critical mass army or wait for things to build. Once you get your upgrades started and expansion up, it's show time. Also, if you defended an area once, there are buildings there for the rest of the game, so you can't get flanked.
A lot of people are knocking monoliths, but those are the only reason you can do pure tower pushing in the first place. With an obs, they allow you to push up ramps in heavily defended areas - the range allows them to clear off a foothold for you to keep pushing. Also, they wreck hybrid, carriers, or any other big armored unit, so the number you build should be dependent on the enemy you're facing. Using them against a heavy zling/bane army is a joke, but they're super effective against things like carriers, immortals, revers, ect., so long as you can keep them alive.
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On April 02 2016 05:35 fjdkf wrote:You may want to list a pure cannon/monolith/battery/energizer/obs build. You can solo carry many maps with it. 1678 kills in a random game, pure static d /w energizers - http://i.imgur.com/P4zpyIC.pngAnd yes, the ally was there the whole game. Banelings wrecked his army every time he moved out, so he ended up just going bc's. The best part about cannon builds, imo, is the fact that you can be pushing down objectives quite quickly... no need to build up a critical mass army or wait for things to build. Once you get your upgrades started and expansion up, it's show time. Also, if you defended an area once, there are buildings there for the rest of the game, so you can't get flanked. A lot of people are knocking monoliths, but those are the only reason you can do pure tower pushing in the first place. With an obs, they allow you to push up ramps in heavily defended areas - the range allows them to clear off a foothold for you to keep pushing. Also, they wreck hybrid, carriers, or any other big armored unit, so the number you build should be dependent on the enemy you're facing. Using them against a heavy zling/bane army is a joke, but they're super effective against things like carriers, immortals, revers, ect., so long as you can keep them alive.
Nice game man!
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Has anyone determined through any kind of definitive testing whether or not chrono boost increases the rate at which the solar core gains energy?
EDIT: I just tested... Played two games and checked my energy at 2:30, with chrono staying on my nexus one game and chrono on my solar core the other game. Both times i was at exactly 75 energy at 2:30.
So no, chronoboost does not increase solar core energy.
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I don't see why you say sentinels are bad. Yes they are really expensive but they also never die if an engagement ends quickly enough because of their reconstruction ability, which is almost always the case because you can vaporize entire enemy armies in seconds and energizers speed up your army so much the fight ends super quickly. I usually go for sentinel energizer colossi and this composition will quickly destroy any opposing ground forces. Orbital strikes will take care of any highly armored targets/air units as long as they stand still, which is what the sentinels are meant for: they tank enemy fire, so that the enemy stands still and lets you blast them to bits. If you use the Spear of Adun abilities well enough and pull back while your purifier beam kills things, you should lose less than three sentinels in any fight.
As long as your sentinels dont die after a single reconstruction has triggered, they will live to fight another day and your army is now super cost efficient, not to mention you are continuously adding more and more colossi and upgrading solar efficiency, which allows you to spam more laser beams.
On slower maps, I like to go for sentinels/carriers(or sentinel mirage on void launch) for similar reasons: your sentinels will stand firm while you comfortably blast everything, except your backbone is even harder to kill and more cost efficient as carriers have repair drones and mirages can become invulnerable.
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