EPT
![[image loading]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM809rKWoAAiV0C.jpg)
It’s been a great year for StarCraft II. After the epic BlizzCon finals, we were treated to one of the most exciting HomeStory Cups to date, which showcased the new balance patch just a few days after its release. Congratulations to Serral for winning HSC XVIII and also to Future for his impressive performance at Cheeseadelphia 8! On our end, we’ve been continuing to monitor tournaments and gather feedback from the community forums and pros since the new patch was released. As 2018 comes to a close, we’d like to unpack the feedback we’ve been receiving and share our thoughts on the state of the game.
TvT
As Cyclones now largely resemble their pre-3.8 patch state, TvT early-game has also functionally reverted back to its pre-3.8 patch state. We’re seeing slightly more Reaper proxies compared to the time frame right before 3.8 patch, however. Feedback we’ve received suggests that this may be because players have learned to transition more safely from proxy builds. Or it could be that aggressive builds tend to win out in the early stages after a balance patch and players simply need more time to adapt. Overall, we’ve received reports that early-game TvT has become more varied, and we’re happy with how it’s developing.
ZvZ
We’ve received feedback that Mutalisk-based strategies have become more potent due to a combination of various Zerg changes to the Queen, Roach, Hydralisk, Creep Tumors, and Nydus Networks. We’ll be carefully watching this matchup’s mid-game compositions to see if Mutalisk play becomes too oppressive.
PvP
Because of the Sentry’s Hallucination cost reduction, players are now able to open Stargate and choose their first Stargate unit based on their Hallucination scout. This effectively condenses the pre-4.7.1 Phoenix and Oracle openers into a single catchall Stargate opener. This new opener can diverge into two separate paths, which can cover each other’s weaknesses. As a result, we’re seeing more Stargate openers and Phoenix mirrors than usual.
Thus, we’re considering tweaks to either Hallucination or Stargate units that would add risk to blindly opening Stargate in PvP. We’re also considering changes that would allow players to transition out of Phoenix mirrors in the case of Stargate vs. Stargate openers.
TvZ
TvZ has been the matchup where we’ve seen the most change. We’re glad to see more Widow Mine-based play, which can lead to very back-and-forth, action-packed games. We’ve also been seeing a lot of interesting development in mech compositions with increased use of Cyclones, speed Banshees, and Battlecruisers. This matchup has been consistently evolving and we’re witnessing something new every week.
TvP
In TvP, while we’ve received feedback that Terran proxies are weaker than before, we still see a significant number of proxies in tournament play. Some Protoss players have commented that it can be difficult to discern between the various all-ins and fake all-ins while some Terrans have indicated that proxy play feels like the safest option to secure a low ground expansion against fast Adepts. We’re considering attacking this issue from two angles, both by weakening proxy openers and making macro openers more robust.
With regards to the mid-game, we’ve heard that TvP is slightly easier for Terrans now due to the Disruptor change. As for late-game, we’re keeping a close eye on the strength of Tempests, which we’re getting mixed feedback about. Since one of our overarching goals for the end-of-year patch was to bring more balance to the late-game of all matchups, we’ll keep looking at potential future changes to achieve this, if necessary. At the same time, however—partially because of the prominence of Terran proxies—our sample size of late-game TvP is not as large as we’d like.
ZvP
We’ve received feedback that it’s now easier for Protoss to survive Zerg onslaughts in the mid-game. In the shift to late-game, Zergs have responded positively to Vipers being able to survive Feedback. On the Protoss side, players have been mixing up their late-game compositions and experimenting with new combinations of Void Rays, Carriers, and Tempests. While we feel these are all already positive changes, we’d still like to see more Robotics Bay-level units in Protoss compositions.
Additional Thoughts
Outside of anything matchup-specific, there are a few other units and upgrades that we haven’t seen much of lately, such as Thors, Anabolic Synthesis, and Nydus Networks. Though a few of these may just need more time for players to figure out, we might give them an extra boost in a future patch.
As a whole, we continue to feel that it’s natural for more aggressive strategies to be stronger following a major balance patch because players will need time to explore refined responses to these strategies.
That’s it from us! Now, it’s your turn to let us know your thoughts. But before we leave, we wanted to wish Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year from everyone on the balance team. See you all next year!
TvT
As Cyclones now largely resemble their pre-3.8 patch state, TvT early-game has also functionally reverted back to its pre-3.8 patch state. We’re seeing slightly more Reaper proxies compared to the time frame right before 3.8 patch, however. Feedback we’ve received suggests that this may be because players have learned to transition more safely from proxy builds. Or it could be that aggressive builds tend to win out in the early stages after a balance patch and players simply need more time to adapt. Overall, we’ve received reports that early-game TvT has become more varied, and we’re happy with how it’s developing.
ZvZ
We’ve received feedback that Mutalisk-based strategies have become more potent due to a combination of various Zerg changes to the Queen, Roach, Hydralisk, Creep Tumors, and Nydus Networks. We’ll be carefully watching this matchup’s mid-game compositions to see if Mutalisk play becomes too oppressive.
PvP
Because of the Sentry’s Hallucination cost reduction, players are now able to open Stargate and choose their first Stargate unit based on their Hallucination scout. This effectively condenses the pre-4.7.1 Phoenix and Oracle openers into a single catchall Stargate opener. This new opener can diverge into two separate paths, which can cover each other’s weaknesses. As a result, we’re seeing more Stargate openers and Phoenix mirrors than usual.
Thus, we’re considering tweaks to either Hallucination or Stargate units that would add risk to blindly opening Stargate in PvP. We’re also considering changes that would allow players to transition out of Phoenix mirrors in the case of Stargate vs. Stargate openers.
TvZ
TvZ has been the matchup where we’ve seen the most change. We’re glad to see more Widow Mine-based play, which can lead to very back-and-forth, action-packed games. We’ve also been seeing a lot of interesting development in mech compositions with increased use of Cyclones, speed Banshees, and Battlecruisers. This matchup has been consistently evolving and we’re witnessing something new every week.
TvP
In TvP, while we’ve received feedback that Terran proxies are weaker than before, we still see a significant number of proxies in tournament play. Some Protoss players have commented that it can be difficult to discern between the various all-ins and fake all-ins while some Terrans have indicated that proxy play feels like the safest option to secure a low ground expansion against fast Adepts. We’re considering attacking this issue from two angles, both by weakening proxy openers and making macro openers more robust.
With regards to the mid-game, we’ve heard that TvP is slightly easier for Terrans now due to the Disruptor change. As for late-game, we’re keeping a close eye on the strength of Tempests, which we’re getting mixed feedback about. Since one of our overarching goals for the end-of-year patch was to bring more balance to the late-game of all matchups, we’ll keep looking at potential future changes to achieve this, if necessary. At the same time, however—partially because of the prominence of Terran proxies—our sample size of late-game TvP is not as large as we’d like.
ZvP
We’ve received feedback that it’s now easier for Protoss to survive Zerg onslaughts in the mid-game. In the shift to late-game, Zergs have responded positively to Vipers being able to survive Feedback. On the Protoss side, players have been mixing up their late-game compositions and experimenting with new combinations of Void Rays, Carriers, and Tempests. While we feel these are all already positive changes, we’d still like to see more Robotics Bay-level units in Protoss compositions.
Additional Thoughts
Outside of anything matchup-specific, there are a few other units and upgrades that we haven’t seen much of lately, such as Thors, Anabolic Synthesis, and Nydus Networks. Though a few of these may just need more time for players to figure out, we might give them an extra boost in a future patch.
As a whole, we continue to feel that it’s natural for more aggressive strategies to be stronger following a major balance patch because players will need time to explore refined responses to these strategies.
That’s it from us! Now, it’s your turn to let us know your thoughts. But before we leave, we wanted to wish Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year from everyone on the balance team. See you all next year!
