• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 02:22
CEST 08:22
KST 15:22
  • 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
RSL Season 1 - Final Week6[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall15HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0
Community News
Esports World Cup 2025 - Brackets Revealed16Weekly Cups (July 7-13): Classic continues to roll8Team TLMC #5 - Submission extension3Firefly given lifetime ban by ESIC following match-fixing investigation17$25,000 Streamerzone StarCraft Pro Series announced7
StarCraft 2
General
The Memories We Share - Facing the Final(?) GSL Esports World Cup 2025 - Brackets Revealed RSL Revival patreon money discussion thread Who will win EWC 2025? The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings
Tourneys
FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series $5,100+ SEL Season 2 Championship (SC: Evo)
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 482 Wheel of Misfortune Mutation # 481 Fear and Lava Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome
Brood War
General
Flash Announces (and Retracts) Hiatus From ASL BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion Soulkey Muta Micro Map? [ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues CSL Xiamen International Invitational 2025 ACS Season 2 Qualifier Cosmonarchy Pro Showmatches
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Path of Exile Nintendo Switch Thread CCLP - Command & Conquer League Project The PlayStation 5
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Stop Killing Games - European Citizens Initiative Summer Games Done Quick 2025!
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Korean Music Discussion Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NBA General Discussion NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Ping To Win? Pings And Their…
TrAiDoS
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 621 users

What role do reapers fill for Terran?

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
1 2 3 Next All
PanzerDragoon
Profile Joined March 2010
United States822 Posts
April 29 2010 21:45 GMT
#1
Right now the only use we see of reapers in high level play is a 10 rax early 1-2 reaper opening. After that, they almost never get made again. They have a tiny niche role - early harass, and then nothing else.

They don't fill the harassment role of any-time, because hellions, banshees, and hell, even vikings do that, all while not being useless in your main army. I guess Reapers kill buildings better, but to do that effectively you need 5-8 reapers, and most players just aren't going to make that investment.

I really don't know what can be done to fix reapers, it just seems as a unit design they will always be limited. Unless you eliminate their early harass potential to turn them into a better mid-game unit. Or you give them mines they can lay so that making reapers is still useful throughout the game
GUN.gun
Profile Joined April 2010
United States11 Posts
April 29 2010 21:48 GMT
#2
When you attack from the front with your main force you send the reapers around and ruin their workers
sob3k
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States7572 Posts
April 29 2010 21:49 GMT
#3
Maybe if they gave them an upgradeable health boost like marine combat shield they could be usable later as anti-light and building harasssment...
In Hungry Hungry Hippos there are no such constraints—one can constantly attempt to collect marbles with one’s hippo, limited only by one’s hippo-levering capabilities.
Zeke50100
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States2220 Posts
April 29 2010 21:50 GMT
#4
If they're using Marines, Zealots, Lings and Hydras, Reapers can be pretty epic.
VTArlock
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
United States1763 Posts
April 29 2010 21:50 GMT
#5
Are you kidding? You obviously dont play very many high level gamers Im guessing. Lots of terrans will have a group or 2-4 somewhere close to your mineral line so when u or him attack and are focusing somewhere else your workers will die. They are great harassment units.
Why?
sob3k
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States7572 Posts
April 29 2010 21:50 GMT
#6
On April 30 2010 06:48 GUN.gun wrote:
When you attack from the front with your main force you send the reapers around and ruin their workers


at that point in the game its far cheaper and more combat effective just to use a medivac filled with marauders, and you can actually use those marauders to support your main army if need be.
In Hungry Hungry Hippos there are no such constraints—one can constantly attempt to collect marbles with one’s hippo, limited only by one’s hippo-levering capabilities.
Neak
Profile Joined March 2009
United Kingdom124 Posts
April 29 2010 21:52 GMT
#7
They are fast, mobile and fragile. Perfect for hit and run tactics. I predict reapers will have some strategic role in the future -other than early game harrass- when the gameplay and strategy evolve.

Atleast, for the sake of innovation, they will receive some love.
NiiPPLES
Profile Joined April 2010
United Kingdom201 Posts
April 29 2010 21:53 GMT
#8
On April 30 2010 06:50 sob3k wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 30 2010 06:48 GUN.gun wrote:
When you attack from the front with your main force you send the reapers around and ruin their workers


at that point in the game its far cheaper and more combat effective just to use a medivac filled with marauders, and you can actually use those marauders to support your main army if need be.


I agree, personally I'd prefer stim marines vs workers and only use marauders if I'm planning on killing tech.
nTooMuch
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States127 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-29 21:54:10
April 29 2010 21:53 GMT
#9
I think reapers just havent been used enough in the beta. Im a zerg player, so im not really sure how expensive or viable it is to build like maybe 6-8 reapers on the side; but I could see a harass being very effective when your main army is attacking your opponents army. The damage they deal to buildings is amazing, and the ability to jump up cliffs even without vision is also very useful. Have you tried using them in this way yet? I dont think ive seen a VOD of this yet, so maybe it's not viable. Either way, 1 reaper is probably an incredibly useful scout.
TwilightStar
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States649 Posts
April 29 2010 21:53 GMT
#10
On April 30 2010 06:50 sob3k wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 30 2010 06:48 GUN.gun wrote:
When you attack from the front with your main force you send the reapers around and ruin their workers


at that point in the game its far cheaper and more combat effective just to use a medivac filled with marauders, and you can actually use those marauders to support your main army if need be.


True, But reapers ARE fairly cheap, and if you get reapers early and they don't die, you can always save them.. Maybe that's what he's talking about.
(5)Twilight Star.scx --------- AdmiralHoth: There was one week when I didn't shave for a month.
0neder
Profile Joined July 2009
United States3733 Posts
April 29 2010 21:54 GMT
#11
Reapers are building harassers/snipers, and serve a few secondary functions.
TossFloss *
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada606 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-29 21:58:59
April 29 2010 21:54 GMT
#12
I have been using them for early game scout. For 50minerals/50gas you get a unit that can penetrate the enemy base and poke around.

So for example PvT once the stalker warps in, you can't send a unit up his ramp. You can opt for a scanner sweep, but you the opportunity cost of not getting the MULE is 270 minerals. A lone reaper will provide valuable information: Is he going early robo? stargate? 3 gates? some DT cheese?

Additionally, once he knows you have a reaper threat, P will want to keep at least one stalker in his base. So you spend 50/50 to lock-down a 125/25 unit, thus dampening P's early aggression. Afterwards, you can plant the reaper on ledges, near watch towers, use it to destroy destructible rocks and use it to scout for secret expos.
TL Android App Open Source http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=265090
Erucious
Profile Joined March 2010
Norway393 Posts
April 29 2010 21:54 GMT
#13
With the damage bonus they have, and the mobility, i really do feels that reapers can and should be used in mid-late game harass. Not as a stand alone play, but as a support play while you barrel down his front. (make him choose where to spend his APM, microing his main army, or his workers)
I'm Norwegian/Dutch. Just the awesome parts of them though :D
Pablols
Profile Joined August 2009
Chile517 Posts
April 29 2010 21:55 GMT
#14
maybe they should remove them and make marines have a researchable jumppack upgrade
BeMannerDuPenner
Profile Blog Joined April 2004
Germany5638 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-29 21:56:21
April 29 2010 21:55 GMT
#15
their role is to cheese toss cause tvp is hard


oh and they are fun to mass in ffas.
life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery
CyberPitz
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States428 Posts
April 29 2010 21:56 GMT
#16
On April 30 2010 06:55 Pablols wrote:
maybe they should remove them and make marines have a researchable jumppack upgrade

Oh heavens no.
GaMeOfFeAr
Profile Joined March 2010
United States26 Posts
April 29 2010 21:57 GMT
#17
Blizzard needs to remove the attack that does bonus damage to buildings, and give Reapers an actual utility spell, like the spidermine-like charges that they used to have in the Alpha version. It's the lack of actual utility that harms Reapers, and Terran units are known for having good utility spells to offset their lack of speed or power.

But I guess every game needs its Firebat.
Life is a game based on fear.
PanzerDragoon
Profile Joined March 2010
United States822 Posts
April 29 2010 21:59 GMT
#18
On April 30 2010 06:50 TheComeback wrote:
Are you kidding? You obviously dont play very many high level gamers Im guessing. Lots of terrans will have a group or 2-4 somewhere close to your mineral line so when u or him attack and are focusing somewhere else your workers will die. They are great harassment units.

Show me some high-level games where this is used as a standard?


2-4 reapers also means you didn't build 2-4 marauders, which could have an impact on that front-line battle, while 2-4 reapers are repelled by like 1 stalker.

I saw I think qxc use hellion/reaper against a Zerg who went hydras once, but I've really not seen any other reaper as a army unit play.
PanzerDragoon
Profile Joined March 2010
United States822 Posts
April 29 2010 22:00 GMT
#19
On April 30 2010 06:50 Zeke50100 wrote:
If they're using Marines, Zealots, Lings and Hydras, Reapers can be pretty epic.

How are they better against those than Hellions? Which only cost minerals and can be pumped via reactors?
Arco
Profile Joined September 2009
United States2090 Posts
April 29 2010 22:02 GMT
#20
I hate reapers. Not because they give me grief, but they just force you to get such an early Gateway and Cybernetics Core. I'd like fast expand to be viable and kind of risky, but not suicide to a common build.
1 2 3 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 3h 38m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Nina 321
StarCraft: Brood War
Sea 13016
BeSt 270
Backho 124
Dewaltoss 75
ajuk12(nOOB) 12
Shine 11
Britney 0
Stormgate
NightEnD12
Dota 2
ODPixel49
League of Legends
JimRising 896
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K1494
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor87
Other Games
summit1g11826
shahzam1178
WinterStarcraft437
ROOTCatZ75
Trikslyr23
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick2676
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 15 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH277
• practicex 10
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota264
League of Legends
• Lourlo1690
• Stunt577
Upcoming Events
CranKy Ducklings
3h 38m
Epic.LAN
5h 38m
CSO Contender
10h 38m
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 3h
Online Event
1d 9h
Esports World Cup
3 days
ByuN vs Astrea
Lambo vs HeRoMaRinE
Clem vs TBD
Solar vs Zoun
SHIN vs Reynor
Maru vs TriGGeR
herO vs Lancer
Cure vs ShoWTimE
Esports World Cup
4 days
Esports World Cup
5 days
Esports World Cup
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

CSL Xiamen Invitational: ShowMatche
RSL Revival: Season 1
Murky Cup #2

Ongoing

BSL 2v2 Season 3
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
BSL20 Non-Korean Championship
CSL Xiamen Invitational
2025 ACS Season 2
Championship of Russia 2025
Underdog Cup #2
FISSURE Playground #1
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25

Upcoming

CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
BSL Season 21
RSL Revival: Season 2
SEL Season 2 Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
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 © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.