• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 13:42
CET 18:42
KST 02:42
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Finals Preview: Sweet Victory!12[ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror6[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: Within Reach5[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy11[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5
Community News
Weekly Cups (October 19-25): Clem triples first in 5.0.175Evil Geniuses - shutting down20ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier6Weekly Cups (October 12-18): 5.0.17 era begins1[$1250] International ShieldBattery League93
StarCraft 2
General
Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book No more SC2 streamers on team liquid? SC2 Power Rank: epic29 Weekly Cups (October 19-25): Clem triples first in 5.0.17 How do you feel about the mass reverts in the 5.0.17 PTR?
Tourneys
Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20) Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament RSL goes to London! 2026 Offline Finals Nov 21-22 ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier RSL 2026 Offline Finals LCQ Sign-Ups
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
[D] the control group Simple Questions/Answers [G] How to playtest arcade maps [A] Nemrods 1/4 players
External Content
Mutation # 549 Endless Sparkles The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 548 Shining Bright Mutation # 547 Temple Of Terror
Brood War
General
SCHNAIL now supports Remastered BW General Discussion Ziemie's Starcraft 1 Prequel Campaign Bot on ladder Rollback Netcode in Brood War
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [IPSL] IPSL Winter 26-27 Ro24 is HERE! [$1250] International ShieldBattery League [Women's StarCraft] MonstarZ vs BA 2026-10-30
Strategy
50,000-Word Terran Builds Memo 2026-10-22 Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy) Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Armies of Exigo - YesYes? General RTS Discussion Thread
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25!
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread Trading/Investing Thread
Fan Clubs
Reynor Fan Club The Flash Fan Club Serral Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
Why I built Repalyzer (1.1.…
BlueStar
Innovate or Game Over?
TrAiDoS
ShieldBattery on Mac
Kraekkling
[ASL22] Ro4 Day1 Ticket Giv…
bITt.mAN
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 9240 users

SC2 5.0.15 PTR Patch Notes + Sept 22nd update

Forum Index > SC2 General
315 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 14 15 16 Next All
SHODAN
Profile Joined November 2011
United Kingdom1162 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-09-22 21:53:34
September 18 2025 17:11 GMT
#1
September 22 update
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/article/24227052/starcraft-ii-5-0-15-ptr-update

(Changes in bold)

Zerg
  • Spire cost reduced from 200/200 to 150/150.
  • Spire build time reduced from 71 seconds to 66 seconds.
  • Centrifugal Hooks now give +5 HP bonus to Banelings again.
  • Microbial Shroud reduces range attacks by 50% damage.
  • Microbial Shroud effect no longer persists for a few seconds after the unit has left the shroud.
  • Microbial Shroud cost increased from 75 to 100.
  • Microbial Shroud now requires an upgrade again (150/150).


Protoss
  • Energy Overcharge grant has been reduced from 100 to 50 energy.
  • Energy Overcharge cooldown reduced from 60 to 45 seconds.
  • Mothership HP reduced from 350/350 to 300/300.
  • Mothership movement speed reduced from 2.83 to 2.25.
  • Psionic Storm damage reduced from 10 to 5 damage per tick.
  • Psionic Storm duration increased from 0.39956 to 0.53312.
  • Psionic Storm radius increased from 1.5 to 2.25.
  • Psionic Storm period reduced from 0.7994 to 0.39956.
  • Psionic Storm period count increased from 6 to 12.
  • Dark Templar Blink attack delay reduced from 0.75 to 0.25.
  • Surveillance mode now reveals the Observers.
  • Surveillance mode increases vision from 13.75 to 15.
  • Purification radius increased from 1.5 to 1.75.
  • Purification cooldown reduced from 21.4 seconds to 17 seconds.
  • Stasis Ward duration reduced from 170 seconds to 90 seconds.


Terran
  • Siege Tank can no longer be abducted when in siege mode.
  • Viking cost reduced from 150/75 to 125/75.
  • Drilling Claws effectiveness increased from 1.07 to 0.71 seconds.
  • Hyperspeed Rotors research time decreased to from 100 to 79 seconds.
  • Liberator Sight reduced from 10 to 9.


Bug Fixes
  • Fixed an issue with Cyclone attack upgrade giving +1 instead of +2.
  • Fixed an issue with Cyclone Lock-On cooldown.
  • Fixed an issue with Orbital Commands not auto rallying.
  • Fixed an issue with Mothership attack at max range.
  • Fixed an issue where Mothership had a leftover redundant Psionic tag.
  • Fixed an issue where Mothership weapon behaved erratically when targeting Changelings.
  • Fixed an issue where Mothership was unable to designate and maintain the correct number of targets (4) for target-firing (including during movement).
  • Fixed an issue where Mothership's target-acquiring process would cause it to overly-prioritize low-priority targets (such as Larvae).
  • Fixed an issue where Mothership's range was less than intended.
  • Updated Protoss AoE UI indicator.
  • Fixed an issue where units with beam attacks would conflate each other's cooldowns.
  • Fixed an issue where Probes would become unresponsive near Assimilators.
  • Fixed an issue with Psionic Storm ticks were applying incorrectly, causing unintended reduced damage.
  • Fixed an issue where units unloaded out of transports would not reset their acquired attack target to the closest unit.
  • Fixed an issue where addon-build commands would be issued to the same barracks repeatedly rather than spread out.
  • Fixed an issue where hitting the key to construct an addon twice could result in the production structure lifting when certain settings were used.
  • Fixed an issue where "Set Rally" could not be issued if both flying and ground structures were simultaneously selected.
  • Fixed an issue where visual effects from abilities could be seen through the fog of war (Parasitic Bomb, Stimpack).
  • Fixed an issue where visual effects from abilities could not be seen even when large portions of the model were well within vision range (Guardian Shield, Microbial Shroud).
  • Fixed an issue where Disruptors lacked an AoE indicator.
  • Fixed an issue where units were using an outdated AoE indicator.
  • Fixed an issue where Stasis Wards had no pre-placement visual indicator or sound.
  • Fixed an issue where Liberators could designate an attack target while morphing from AG to AA but not while morphing from AA to AG.
  • Fixed an issue where Liberators commanded to siege in areas inside their range could result in slower execution than being commanded to siege outside their range.
  • Fixed an issue where the model for Zerg 6x6 rocks was set to be too large for its footprint and projectiles would not produce flesh squibs.
  • Fixed an issue where Ravagers would glide along the ground if told to move command after issuing a corrosive bile.
  • Fixed an issue where no target impact animation was present for corrosive bile.
  • Updated SFX for Micobial Shroud.




Original September 18 posting

https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/article/24225582/starcraft-ii-5-0-15-ptr-patch-notes

Zerg
  • Spire cost reduced from 200/200 to 150/150.
  • Centrifugal Hooks now give +5 HP bonus to Banelings again.
  • Microbial Shroud reduces range attacks by 50% damage.
  • Microbial Shroud effect no longer persists for a few seconds after the unit has left the shroud.


Protoss
  • Energy Overcharge grant has been reduced from 100 to 50 energy.
  • Energy Overcharge cooldown reduced from 60 to 45 seconds.
  • Mothership HP reduced from 350/350 to 300/300.
  • Psionic Storm duration increased from 2.86 to 8.58.
  • Psionic Storm damage reduced from 10 to 5 damage per tick.
  • Dark Templar Blink attack delay reduced from 0.75 to 0.25.
  • Surveillance mode now reveals the Observers.
  • Surveillance mode increases vision from 13.75 to 15.


Terran
  • Siege Tank can no longer be abducted when in siege mode.
  • Viking cost reduced from 150/75 to 125/50.
  • Drilling Claws effectiveness increased from 1.07 to 0.71 seconds.
  • Hyperspeed Rotors research time decreased to 79 seconds.


Bug Fixes
  • Fixed an issue with Cyclone attack upgrade giving +1 instead of +2.
  • Fixed an issue with Mothership attack at max range.
  • Fixed an issue with Cyclone Lock-On cooldown.
  • Fixed an issue with Orbital Commands not auto rallying.
Facebook Twitter Reddit
MJG
Profile Joined May 2018
United Kingdom1451 Posts
September 18 2025 17:17 GMT
#2
On July 01 2025 17:03 MJG wrote:
Protoss isn't allowed to win things, but Protoss has recently won THREE things, and such wrongthink will surely be punished by the righteous nerfhammer of the most holy Balance Council.
puking up frothing vitriolic sarcastic spittle
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany16103 Posts
September 18 2025 17:28 GMT
#3
interesting changes, only thing I really dislike is the storm change, as I think storm is the one Protoss mechanic that creates really dynamic and interesting interactions with high displayablity of skill on both sides.

Other than that I dislike the abduct change mostly for design/lore reasons. Why wouldn't a Viper be able to abduct a tank, when it can even pull a Lurker from under the ground?

Excited for spire, baneling, microbial shroud and Viking changes.
Zerg seems to have gotten by far the best changes imo

Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
Sent.
Profile Joined June 2012
Poland9333 Posts
September 18 2025 18:00 GMT
#4
Those Storm and Microbial Shroud changes are huge.

Anyone knows why they are buffing the Viking and why they are making it cheaper instead of adjusting its combat stats in some way?
You're now breathing manually
ejozl
Profile Joined October 2010
Denmark3561 Posts
September 18 2025 18:06 GMT
#5
Yeah.. no thanks, go away please.
SC2 Archon needs "Terrible, terrible damage" as one of it's quotes.
dysenterymd
Profile Joined January 2019
1250 Posts
September 18 2025 18:08 GMT
#6
I like the Spire changes vT, I'd love for muta ling bling to be more viable, vP I'm not sure it will change much. Hopefully it doesn't make Mutas too good in ZvZ. I feel like the abduct change makes no sense, but between blinding clouds and +5 health on banelings I think Zerg will be fine.

Don't like the storm changes, storm was fine in almost all metas, toss just has too many of them rn and the nerf to energy overcharge fixes that. I would also like something to nerf tempests and make Protoss ground better against lurkers, but maybe that's too much to expect of the balance council.

Terran changes seem fine. I'd be open to a change that makes ghosts 2 supply again but a little bit less tanky, but this would also be possibly tricky to balance.
Serral | Inno | sOs | soO | Has | Classic
bela.mervado
Profile Joined December 2008
Hungary418 Posts
September 18 2025 18:09 GMT
#7
excellent changes.
(a small typo: spire is 200/200 currently)

the new infestor will be amazing in every matchup.
maybe the fungal radius should be nerfed, its huge at r=2.25.

RogueTheGOAT
Profile Joined July 2025
166 Posts
September 18 2025 18:10 GMT
#8
On September 19 2025 02:11 SHODAN wrote:
  • Psionic Storm duration increased from 2.86 to 8.58.
  • Psionic Storm damage reduced from 10 to 5 damage per tick.

Let's turn the most iconic ability of Protoss into another ability used solely for zoning. The strong, expensive, slow race apparently also can't have anything that is actually good in a fight. The entire racial identity is now in NOT fighting.
zelevin
Profile Joined January 2012
United States332 Posts
September 18 2025 18:12 GMT
#9
This is completely ridiculous. Scratch all of this and try again.

And whoever suggested changing psi storm in this way needs to be dismissed from the balance council.
"You're the idiot, idiot. That's why your fuckin' name is Idiot." - Artosis to CSG
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany16103 Posts
September 18 2025 18:14 GMT
#10
On September 19 2025 03:00 Sent. wrote:
Those Storm and Microbial Shroud changes are huge.

Anyone knows why they are buffing the Viking and why they are making it cheaper instead of adjusting its combat stats in some way?

Well, terran needs some help in lategame after the Ghost nerf last patch and now Baneling and Shroud buffs.
Probably cheaper instead of stronger so maxed terran won't be OP again
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
Olli
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
Austria24422 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-09-18 18:17:11
September 18 2025 18:16 GMT
#11
I may have to draw upon my old balance whining ways. At least increase storm radius if you're going to make it a zoning tool? Make it so the buffed mass banelings don't just roll through the little tickling cloud?

I'm no oracle but I don't see how this storm change doesn't either lead to massive changes elsewhere or get significantly reworked soon - after a period where no Protoss wins a game that currently requires storm to win, of course.
Administrator"Declaring anything a disaster because aLive popped up out of nowhere is just downright silly."
MJG
Profile Joined May 2018
United Kingdom1451 Posts
September 18 2025 18:21 GMT
#12
I still insist that the best thing to do is revert to a Blizzard patch that we know is balanced based on available data.
puking up frothing vitriolic sarcastic spittle
Vindicare605
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
United States16127 Posts
September 18 2025 18:23 GMT
#13
The storm change is absolutely stupid. The Microbial Shroud change is basically reintroducing Dark Swarm into SC2 only 15 years after the game first came out which is also hilarious.

At what point are they just going to recognize that Abduct was a terrible idea for a spell and replace it entirely. They now have 2 restrictions on what kinds of units it can be used on. How many other units are they gonna add to that list? Tanks in Siege Mode are literally the unit in the tutorial for the spell in the campaign, if you cant abduct those then what the hell is even the point of the spell anymore?

All of this is just more evidence that the balance team is throwing darts at a board with a blindfold on. No actual vision in any of these changes, they're just trying things out to see what sticks, which wouldn't be such a bad idea except we KNOW from years and years of experience that once shit is put on the PTR it RARELY gets removed or majorly adjusted before it hits live realms. No matter how bad the idea is, it must plague the ladder for 6 months before they walk it back and start the entire process over again.
aka: KTVindicare the Geeky Bartender
Sent.
Profile Joined June 2012
Poland9333 Posts
September 18 2025 18:26 GMT
#14
They now have 2 restrictions on what kinds of units it can be used on. How many other units are they gonna add to that list?


Three: tank, mothership and ultralisk.
You're now breathing manually
SHODAN
Profile Joined November 2011
United Kingdom1162 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-09-18 18:27:38
September 18 2025 18:27 GMT
#15
On September 19 2025 03:09 bela.mervado wrote:
excellent changes.
(a small typo: spire is 200/200 currently)

the new infestor will be amazing in every matchup.
maybe the fungal radius should be nerfed, its huge at r=2.25.



it was the underpaid intern's typo, not mine! I will update op
tigera6
Profile Joined March 2021
3516 Posts
September 18 2025 18:32 GMT
#16
Shroud reducing range damage by 50% make Lurker-Hydra effing un-killable now, like what unit not doing range damage from Terran? At least Protoss get Zealot- Archon. That is just like Dark Swarm in BW now.

And Tank can still be Blinding Cloud, but with Cheaper Viking then Terran can just zone out those Vipers easier. Also, cheaper Vikings meaning no more Colossi build from PvT, nor BLord from ZvT.
Captain Peabody
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States3139 Posts
September 18 2025 18:33 GMT
#17
an energy overcharge nerf is fair and expected; but if that storm change goes through to live so help me
Dies Irae venit. youtube.com/SnobbinsFilms
Captain Peabody
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States3139 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-09-18 18:36:39
September 18 2025 18:36 GMT
#18
Also reintroducing Dark Swarm is such a bizarre change with massive balance issues in nearly all matchups??????

and can we please come up with another idea for Zerg lategame other than "let the Infestor counter everything with no weaknesses"???????
Dies Irae venit. youtube.com/SnobbinsFilms
Vindicare605
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
United States16127 Posts
September 18 2025 18:48 GMT
#19
Also new complaint, what is the point of even using Storm against Terran anymore? At 5 damage per tick, Medivacs can basically out heal that.
aka: KTVindicare the Geeky Bartender
sidasf
Profile Joined February 2023
108 Posts
September 18 2025 18:59 GMT
#20
The storm and observer changes are just unjustifiable and awful...I'm glad we're getting a patch but these two changes are nonsensical and damaging to the game state. Who approved these? Storm was just fine as an ability, it was energy overcharge that made it problematic. Now that that is nerfed there is no need to butcher storm.
1 2 3 4 5 14 15 16 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
AI Arena Tournament
02:00
RO8 - Day 2
Laughngamez YouTube
IPSL
01:00
Ro24 Group A
eOnzErG vs McRibbed
LancerX vs StRyKeR
Liquipedia
Epic.LAN
22:00
Epic.LAN 49 Playoffs Stage
epiclan67
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Serral 2365
BRAT_OK 67
SKillous 41
elazer 24
MindelVK 12
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 3493
Shuttle 603
Soulkey 104
Dewaltoss 95
Mind 93
scan(afreeca) 49
Zeus 47
soO 21
ajuk12(nOOB) 20
Hm[arnc] 10
[ Show more ]
910 10
Sacsri 8
Shine 8
White-Ra 1
Dota 2
Gorgc6388
monkeys_forever461
febbydoto24
League of Legends
JimRising 374
Counter-Strike
pashabiceps1278
Other Games
B2W.Neo797
Beastyqt665
mouzStarbuck240
ToD188
KnowMe161
ArmadaUGS89
QueenE83
Trikslyr35
Chillindude18
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick538
ComeBackTV 313
[ Show 19 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• 3DClanTV 54
• printf 45
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• Airneanach95
• ChaeLyn 7
• Michael_bg 5
• FirePhoenix4
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• C_a_k_e 2563
League of Legends
• Nemesis3167
• Jankos2648
Other Games
• Shiphtur311
• imaqtpie309
Upcoming Events
OSC
20h 18m
Yamato Cup
21h 18m
IPSL
23h 18m
Artosis vs RiceHat
Kyrie vs Sony
Map Test Tournament
1d 5h
WardiTV Weekly
1d 18h
Ultimate Battle
1d 18h
Rush vs BeSt
Replay Cast
2 days
Rogue vs Classic
Patches Events
2 days
PiGosaur Cup
3 days
Kung Fu Cup
3 days
[ Show More ]
The PondCast
4 days
KCM Race Survival
4 days
IntoTheTV X SOOP
6 days
WardiTV Invitational
6 days
IPSL
6 days
WorsT vs nOmaD
Dewalt vs andersOn
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-10-30
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
HCC Season 3

Ongoing

Acropolis #5
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 4
International ShieldBattery League
BSL Season 23
IPSL Winter 2026-27
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026

Upcoming

1xBet Invitational
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
BLAST Bounty Winter 2027
eXTREMESLAND 2026
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.