Happy New Year everyone! We have a short update this week, but there are a few things we wanted to bring up or respond to.
Hydralisks It’s looking like it would be good to do a small buff to Hydralisks, and a health buff seems like the first step we should try. Let’s start discussing a +10 health to hydralisks, and go from there. Let’s discuss if we should do a base Hydra health buff or an upgrade that buffs the health. Tournaments and balance Tournaments have started going this year, so we should look for any “absolute must” balance changes that need to happen. We definitely see the concerns such as early/mid game PvT right now, but we’d like to strike a good balance between giving players enough time to adjust to new strategies vs. stepping in to make balance changes.
Map Pool We also noticed that there were many discussions around how we picked the maps for GSL, and wanted to clear up this misunderstanding. GSL has been picking what is right for their own map pool for a long time now, and we have no intention of forcing GSL to use specific maps including any of the ladder maps. We believe GSL is a strong partner that really knows the Korean pro scene well, and are confident that they can and will make the right calls on the map choices in order to make the GSL as awesome as possible.
And also to note, we’re not going to be carrying over the off-season maps into this season. The new maps that we announced last month will go into Season 1 in less than 2 weeks.
As we’ve discussed before, we will be going with all new community maps and cut the oldest maps from the pool before the off season pool. So the actual maps will be:
We hope you enjoy the new map pool, and be sure to check out GSL today which is starting in just a few hours!
UPDATE JAN 10 Hey everyone, we wanted to get your thoughts on a potential change to the Season 1 map pool based on your feedback.
The proposed changes looked to be rotating out Galactic Process, New Gettysburg, and Apotheosis with Belshir Vestige, Newkirk Precinct, and Cactus Valley.
We wanted to remind people once more that just complaining without solutions isn't helpful, so if the majority of you don't believe these specific maps would be the best, please make suggestions from the existing maps that have been used on the ladder in the past because keeping the brand new map count to 4 is important.
Please let us know your thoughts, so that we can make a decision rather quickly.
Personally I am a bit concerned for a hydralisk buff regarding PvZ. I really do believe hydra/ling/bane compositions currently are quite strong.
I would perhaps consider buffing the armor by +1 or something so that marines are weaker against them or zerglings, if we want a ZvT or ZvZ target specific buff.
On January 07 2017 09:12 TheoMikkelsen wrote: Personally I am a bit concerned for a hydralisk buff regarding PvZ. I really do believe hydra/ling/bane compositions currently are quite strong.
I would perhaps consider buffing the armor by +1 or something so that marines are weaker against them or zerglings, if we want a ZvT or ZvZ target specific buff.
I like this idea, hopefully they consider it
PtitDrogo quote on reddit : "Hey guys Protoss doesn't look too good in PvT right now, so here's +10 hp to hydralisks and apotheosis back in the map pool so that it sucks vs Zerg aswell :')"
I play Zerg so I think the Hydralisks buff is good. Not too much so it is fine. Currently, Hydras are just too fragile as you always want to add Roaches to tank the damages.
About PvT, I think P needs a bit of buff. The whole Widow Mines + Liberators are just too strong as Stalkers will be never able to kill the Liberators fast enough due to the Mines or vice versa. Maybe buff health or attack of Stalkers a bit would help.
That overview for Abyssal is outdated! Also, when I get back home I can probably make sure to get up to date overviews for both Abyssal & Honorgrounds! =)
Stop buffing Zerg and Terran. and Give Protoss the Right Buffs. Blink DT was a horriable idea and only made Protoss weaker overall when the other 2 races got big buffs. I don't know where your minds are at. But you should be doing something with protoss to some extent. No idea why we're re buffing zerg again? All you ever care about is Terran and Zerg every damn Patch.
Once in LoTV beta adepts was strong ever since Protoss is weak brittle race and most of the players I talk to agree on that first of all. I don't know where you get your feedback, But I know protoss is the least played race for some time now and the other races bias drown out what Really Need to be Balanced and fixed. Cyclone all is broken vs Protoss, Liberator range there no Real answer for... Nerfed Tempest supply and Carrier (for no reason or logic). The Community wants all the 3 races to be balanced not just 1 or 2. Thanks, Jason
On January 07 2017 08:53 SetGuitarsToKill wrote: Tournaments and balance Tournaments have started going this year, so we should look for any “absolute must” balance changes that need to happen. We definitely see the concerns such as early/mid game PvT right now, but we’d like to strike a good balance between giving players enough time to adjust to new strategies vs. stepping in to make balance changes.
Is there a reason Blizzard loves Terran so much? PvT winrate is the worst it's been in years and they say "we're looking into it" as they always do, but when Adepts were plaguing the matchup they got nerfed within a 2 weeks.
On January 07 2017 08:56 ArtyK wrote: Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy these maps back in the pool whyyy, they really really want 3 rax reaper to be a thing for another 3 months before finally nerfing it?
Not sure how they can make hydras viable in zvt without breaking zvp, i think they should give up on that. Maybe give them 6 range by default.
After taking a look at the maps, it seems like Galactic will be the only map where 3 rax reaper will be the way to go, and may be apotheosis will be a map for potential proxied 3 rax reaper.
At first I was worried but then I saw that on most of those maps there is a ramp between the third and the natural, which means that 3 rax reaper won't be that viable on those. I mentioned the exclusions. I could be wrong, but with those maps it seems like Overgroth, there is no easy way into the base or the natural, so only 2 places (which are quite close) must be checked with ovies to prevent it. I'm not sure about 3 rax reaper TvT, but I thing there are builds in TvT which keeps you safe against it.
On January 07 2017 08:56 ArtyK wrote: Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy these maps back in the pool whyyy, they really really want 3 rax reaper to be a thing for another 3 months before finally nerfing it?
Not sure how they can make hydras viable in zvt without breaking zvp, i think they should give up on that. Maybe give them 6 range by default.
After taking a look at the maps, it seems like Galactic will be the only map where 3 rax reaper will be the way to go, and may be apotheosis will be a map for potential proxied 3 rax reaper.
At first I was worried but then I saw that on most of those maps there is a ramp between the third and the natural, which means that 3 rax reaper won't be that viable on those. I mentioned the exclusions. I could be wrong, but with those maps it seems like Overgroth, there is no easy way into the base or the natural, so only 2 places (which are quite close) must be checked with ovies to prevent it. I'm not sure about 3 rax reaper TvT, but I thing there are builds in TvT which keeps you safe against it.
With paladino thats 3 maps for 3 rax reaper, and that's too much in one map pool. Anyway my point is nerf the 3 rax so we can keep map diversity without having an autowin build on half the map pool in tvz. Hell i can't remember the last time i've seen byun uthermal or kelazhur lose with it...
The return of Galactic Process, Apotheosis and New Gettysburg has to be a joke right. Not like two of them are very clearly unbalanced in at least one match up.
EPT![[image loading]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM809rKWoAAiV0C.jpg)
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