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Active: 5808 users

Call to Action: April 21 Balance Testing

Forum Index > SC2 General
104 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
FueledUpAndReadyToGo
Profile Blog Joined March 2013
Netherlands30548 Posts
April 22 2016 09:23 GMT
#1
April 21 Balance Testing source

[image loading]

We’ve published a new Balance Test Map titled “(2)DuskTowers (3.2.2 Balance v1.0)” which contains the following changes that we’d like your feedback on:

Photon Cannon
  • Increase AA damage from 20 to 20 (+10 bio)

Swarm Host
  • Cost reduced from 200/100 to 150/75
  • Supply Increased from 3 to 4

Thor
  • AA damage from splash to single-target
  • Damage altered to 35 (+15 armored) every 2.14 seconds

Banshee
  • Hyperflight Rotors requirement changed from Fusion Core to Armory

Liberator
  • Damage changed to 4 (+3 Light)



We encourage you to head on into the Balance Test Map to test these changes out! To find the Balance Test Map, enter the Multiplayer section and navigate to Custom. The Balance Test Map will be at the top of the list under ‘Top Played.’

We’ve also updated the Extension Mod for balance testing, so that you can play around with these changes on a variety of maps. Those of you who are interested in trying out the Extension Mod can do the following to get started:

Navigate to Browse Maps on the Custom Games menu
Select a map and click the Create with Mod button in the lower right corner
Choose to sort by Blizzard Mods from the dropdown list at the top of the screen
Select the “Balance Test Mod” Extension from the list and then hit Create Game

If you're interested in the StarCraft II Balance Team's reasoning behind these potential changes, you can check out Senior Designer David Kim's Community Feedback Update and his follow up post on the Swarm Host.

We’d like to remind you that feedback based on playtesting is the most helpful information you can share with us at this time. We kindly ask that you spend some time playing games on the test map before offering your thoughts on the changes listed above. We look forward to hearing your feedback and please remember that none of these changes are final.
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Neosteel Enthusiast
Gullis
Profile Joined April 2012
Sweden740 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-22 09:40:22
April 22 2016 09:39 GMT
#2
The game already have so many "special circumstance" balancing like the photon cannon buff, adding one more wont change anything... So I guess I am fine with that one.

I dono about the swarm host change... If I ever have to play against nydus+swarm host harass I might kill myself.

Thor, I like the direction but will it help against broodlords and tempest? I don't so..

banshee change, nope... we already have enough of this.

Have no opinion on liberator change.. For me (on dia level) I never build them for their damage vs armored air units anyway.. it is maybe different on higher level?
I would rather eat than see my children starve.
MockHamill
Profile Joined March 2010
Sweden1798 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-22 09:44:03
April 22 2016 09:41 GMT
#3
Thor change is good but Thor needs more range if order to be able to fight Tempest/Carriers/BroodLords. Their anti-air DPS should also be higher.

Also, if Protoss goes air and Terran counters by going Thors, he can easily switch back to Immortals and collect a free win.

I forsee a huge problem in TvZ with this change though. If Zerg goes mass Corruptors, Liberators will not work any more. So Zerg can go around killing your based with mass Corrupters faster than you can catch them with your Thors.

I guess going for a base trade will be a viable option though.
Magus.421
Profile Joined November 2011
France159 Posts
April 22 2016 09:55 GMT
#4
I don't like the swarm host changes. I can't afford to have 20+ supply useless in my midgame. How am i supposed to use this ?
No whine, just play.
PinoKotsBeer
Profile Joined February 2014
Netherlands1385 Posts
April 22 2016 10:03 GMT
#5
On April 22 2016 18:41 MockHamill wrote:
Thor change is good but Thor needs more range if order to be able to fight Tempest/Carriers/BroodLords. Their anti-air DPS should also be higher.

This indeed, it should (imho) just outrange a lib (without range upgrade) and be equal to a broodlord to justify the cost and supply it requires.
http://www.twitch.tv/pinokotsbeer
Wafflelisk
Profile Joined October 2011
Canada1061 Posts
April 22 2016 10:04 GMT
#6
Wow, that cannon change is huge against mutas. Can't wait to see how base trades will play out
Waffles > Pancakes
FueledUpAndReadyToGo
Profile Blog Joined March 2013
Netherlands30548 Posts
April 22 2016 10:23 GMT
#7
On April 22 2016 18:55 Magus.421 wrote:
I don't like the swarm host changes. I can't afford to have 20+ supply useless in my midgame. How am i supposed to use this ?

Yeah I don't really see how this will make the useful again. The whole point is that they are too much dead supply when there are no locust, now they will be more but cheaper dead supply

Maybe there will be some midgame timing Snute will find out or something
Neosteel Enthusiast
KOtical
Profile Joined January 2011
Germany451 Posts
April 26 2016 06:27 GMT
#8
that thor change is bs. now thor is totally useless. with air splash it would at least countered mutas. and every massive air unit counter the thor. broodlords and tempest just destroy the thor.
Beelzebub1
Profile Joined May 2015
1004 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-26 07:05:19
April 26 2016 07:04 GMT
#9
Welp, Mutalisks are now relegated to 8 being made in ZvT to stop drops with Liberators being specifically designed to kill them, and being relegated to 0 being made in ZvP because of Phoenix openers being standard and cannons stomping them in numbers under 10 (which would just ensure more Phoenix were being cranked out in response so cannons being more effective is just the nail in the coffin).

Awesome, now one of the most skill cap based units in the game is useful for harassment defense in one match, an opener in it's mirror match up while being virtually extinct in the other.

Talk about that balance though!

Hider
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Denmark9447 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-26 07:12:18
April 26 2016 07:11 GMT
#10
AA damage from splash to single-target
Damage altered to 35 (+15 armored) every 2.14 seconds


They need to increase attack range as well so it can actually attack against Tempest/Broodlords. Also buff its movement speed and reduce damage vs ground to compensate.
Railgan
Profile Joined August 2010
Switzerland1509 Posts
April 26 2016 07:15 GMT
#11
Didn't even know this was happening :O
Grandmaster Zerg from Switzerland!!! www.twitch.tv/railgan // www.twitter.com/railgansc // www.youtube.com/c/railgansc
Scrubwave
Profile Joined July 2010
Poland1786 Posts
April 26 2016 07:21 GMT
#12
--- Nuked ---
Hularuns
Profile Joined November 2014
United Kingdom37 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-26 07:29:17
April 26 2016 07:26 GMT
#13
Liberator change is very interesting since they have replaced vikings, but this should change things.

Photon cannon change is confusing as fuck, protoss needs better defence, yeaaa. And Phoenixes are an incredibly good answer to mutas as well as blink stalkers being good against corruptors.

Swarm Host changes are full on facepalm. It wasn't so much the cost of swarm hosts that was stupid, it was the fact that they were so much supply. They need to be 2 supply. and 200/100, maybe then they can be worth getting, but they fill such a niche role that they can't take up potentially 1/3rd of a zerg's army supply for a bit of harassment every minute.
k
deacon.frost
Profile Joined February 2013
Czech Republic12131 Posts
April 26 2016 07:51 GMT
#14
On April 26 2016 16:26 Hularuns wrote:
Liberator change is very interesting since they have replaced vikings, but this should change things.

Photon cannon change is confusing as fuck, protoss needs better defence, yeaaa. And Phoenixes are an incredibly good answer to mutas as well as blink stalkers being good against corruptors.

Swarm Host changes are full on facepalm. It wasn't so much the cost of swarm hosts that was stupid, it was the fact that they were so much supply. They need to be 2 supply. and 200/100, maybe then they can be worth getting, but they fill such a niche role that they can't take up potentially 1/3rd of a zerg's army supply for a bit of harassment every minute.

The problem is that Phoenix is the only answer and thanks to increased economic start and delayed tech you have to open with SG every fucking time. Which means no diversity and "creativity" in PvZ.

Though the problem is probably in the second section too - phoenix opener is simply good. You make damage to Zerg eco, scout Zerg, stop their scouting. If they want diversity in PvZ they need to address the problem of SG opener being too good vs. the rest. As I am a pessimistic person I am expecting a nerf to Protoss to boost the creativity ><
I imagine France should be able to take this unless Lilbow is busy practicing for Starcraft III. | KadaverBB is my fairy ban mother.
Cricketer12
Profile Blog Joined May 2012
United States14000 Posts
April 26 2016 08:10 GMT
#15
the banshee change is scary
Engage, Zero target Engage, Engage, Kagari target Engage, Engage.
Dingodile
Profile Joined December 2011
4139 Posts
April 26 2016 08:21 GMT
#16
looks like they dont want to see air units for a while.
cannon buff is a huge buff vs mutas and medivacs.
Grubby | ToD | Moon | Lyn | Sky
egrimm
Profile Joined September 2011
Poland1201 Posts
April 26 2016 08:25 GMT
#17
On April 26 2016 17:21 Dingodile wrote:
looks like they dont want to see air units for a while.
cannon buff is a huge buff vs mutas and medivacs.

buff is only vs. AA bio so dmg buff does not affect Terran at all.
sOs TY PartinG
Cricketer12
Profile Blog Joined May 2012
United States14000 Posts
April 26 2016 08:31 GMT
#18
On April 26 2016 17:25 egrimm wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 26 2016 17:21 Dingodile wrote:
looks like they dont want to see air units for a while.
cannon buff is a huge buff vs mutas and medivacs.

buff is only vs. AA bio so dmg buff does not affect Terran at all.

This just in, we wanted to add some flavor so all medivacs are infested...and they randomly spawn rocks.
Engage, Zero target Engage, Engage, Kagari target Engage, Engage.
Khalimaroth
Profile Joined September 2010
France71 Posts
April 26 2016 08:32 GMT
#19
When i read all the community feedbacks, i thought the problem was the ZvP, with a midgame too strong for the Zerg and a late game too strong for the protoss (if i resume).
I dont understand how the cannon change and the swarmhost change are supposed to fix this.^^

I understand why a liberator cant be a counter to corruptors, so ok for them^^; but about terran, i thought, again by the read of the community feedbacks, that the problem was the TvT tankivacs' domination, but, nothing new about that?
Trop'inzust
egrimm
Profile Joined September 2011
Poland1201 Posts
April 26 2016 08:35 GMT
#20
On April 26 2016 17:31 Cricketer12 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 26 2016 17:25 egrimm wrote:
On April 26 2016 17:21 Dingodile wrote:
looks like they dont want to see air units for a while.
cannon buff is a huge buff vs mutas and medivacs.

buff is only vs. AA bio so dmg buff does not affect Terran at all.

and they randomly spawn rocks.

Terran force fields confirmed?
sOs TY PartinG
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