Introduction:
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After making a thread about changes to early- and mid-game Protoss support units (Oracle/MSC/Sentry) to help them support a non-deathball playstyle through the whole game (TL thread, Battle.net thread), my attention was turned to the Mothership.
From a deathball vs non-deathball standpoint, it's very hard to find a way to make a powerful unit that you can only have one of, without making it a deathball unit. It's easier to find ways to make the MSC not so "deathbally," since it isn't incredibly expensive, by making it a defensive support and utility unit. But a unit as expensive as the Mothership needs to have some more "oomf" to it. So I thought, what could be something powerful in the lategame and worth the high investment in a single unit, that at the same time doesn't encourage army clumping?
The answer: positioning power. The quick deployment of units to different fronts for defense and offense to encourage both sides to spread their armies for multiple engagements on the map. This is the opposite of army clumping, and it fits the actual role of a "Mothership" better. For it to work well, though, and not be overpowered while still being useful, there must be something to deploy the units to. This is where the structure described below, the Warp Relay, created by the Mothership, comes in. The Mothership must also be able to stay alive without needing a large army to protect it, so a survivability mode is presented below alongside a positional advantage mode.
Reasoning is provided after each change below. Please note that the specific stats/numbers listed are for conceptual purposes only and could be tweaked for balance. Also note that I believe it would be even better if the changes in my thread about the Oracle, MSC, and Sentry were implemented along with this -- the changes to the MSC carrying over to the Mothership. That said, I believe these changes could be implemented without those changes.
I would also like to propose one more change to the MSC to reduce its "clumpy army" nature more and go along the lines of the Mothership changes at the same time. So without further ado...
From a deathball vs non-deathball standpoint, it's very hard to find a way to make a powerful unit that you can only have one of, without making it a deathball unit. It's easier to find ways to make the MSC not so "deathbally," since it isn't incredibly expensive, by making it a defensive support and utility unit. But a unit as expensive as the Mothership needs to have some more "oomf" to it. So I thought, what could be something powerful in the lategame and worth the high investment in a single unit, that at the same time doesn't encourage army clumping?
The answer: positioning power. The quick deployment of units to different fronts for defense and offense to encourage both sides to spread their armies for multiple engagements on the map. This is the opposite of army clumping, and it fits the actual role of a "Mothership" better. For it to work well, though, and not be overpowered while still being useful, there must be something to deploy the units to. This is where the structure described below, the Warp Relay, created by the Mothership, comes in. The Mothership must also be able to stay alive without needing a large army to protect it, so a survivability mode is presented below alongside a positional advantage mode.
Reasoning is provided after each change below. Please note that the specific stats/numbers listed are for conceptual purposes only and could be tweaked for balance. Also note that I believe it would be even better if the changes in my thread about the Oracle, MSC, and Sentry were implemented along with this -- the changes to the MSC carrying over to the Mothership. That said, I believe these changes could be implemented without those changes.
I would also like to propose one more change to the MSC to reduce its "clumpy army" nature more and go along the lines of the Mothership changes at the same time. So without further ado...
MSC:
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-- Recall limited to 10 closest units within Recall radius
This causes Recall to not simply be what many call a "get out of jail free card" that encourages most of the army to stay with the MSC for insurance like in HotS, but still provides a means for the most expensive units to escape so Protoss attacks aren't so risky like in WoL. This also makes room for a different but more powerful positional ability for the Mothership.
This causes Recall to not simply be what many call a "get out of jail free card" that encourages most of the army to stay with the MSC for insurance like in HotS, but still provides a means for the most expensive units to escape so Protoss attacks aren't so risky like in WoL. This also makes room for a different but more powerful positional ability for the Mothership.
Mothership:
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-- Cost increased to 350/350/8 + MSC (100/100/2, total 450/450/10)
As the Mothership could be a better overall unit with these changes, a cost increase I believe is appropriate.
-- Core is retained when Mothership is destroyed
Allows another Mothership to be made more quickly if the Core can be kept alive, and is Protoss-like as a survivability aspect. Still allows opportunity for the opponent to completely kill off the Mothership, Core and all, but makes a differents in the especially close fights.
-- Starting energy increased to 75
With more need for energy to utilize its abilities, I believe a higher starting energy is appropriate.
-- Recall replaced with "Construct Warp Relay"
-- Costs 50 energy.
-- Takes 10 seconds to construct.
-- Is constructed under the center of the Mothership, which is immobile during the construction but may still fire its weapon.
This is the tool the Mothership will use to deploy units to and from different fronts.
New Structure: Warp Relay
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-- Cloaking Field removed
This passive inherently causes units to clump around and under the Mothership, contributing to the deathball effect as you can only have one Mothership. Therefore it is removed in favor of non-deathball passives.
Two modes available: Cloak and Warp. It takes 10 seconds to switch modes.
There are a decent amount of changes, but I think all of them simultaniously would be overkill. Therefore, modes are utilized to help the Mothership fulfill its role without being unkillable.
Cloak Mode (default):
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Warp Mode:
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As the Mothership could be a better overall unit with these changes, a cost increase I believe is appropriate.
-- Core is retained when Mothership is destroyed
Allows another Mothership to be made more quickly if the Core can be kept alive, and is Protoss-like as a survivability aspect. Still allows opportunity for the opponent to completely kill off the Mothership, Core and all, but makes a differents in the especially close fights.
-- Starting energy increased to 75
With more need for energy to utilize its abilities, I believe a higher starting energy is appropriate.
-- Recall replaced with "Construct Warp Relay"
-- Costs 50 energy.
-- Takes 10 seconds to construct.
-- Is constructed under the center of the Mothership, which is immobile during the construction but may still fire its weapon.
This is the tool the Mothership will use to deploy units to and from different fronts.
New Structure: Warp Relay
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Shields/HP: 300/50
Energy: 75 (max 200)
Has two modes: Relay and Transwarp. Uses 25 energy to switch modes.
Mode 1 (default): Relay Mode
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Mode 2: Transwarp Mode
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Energy: 75 (max 200)
Has two modes: Relay and Transwarp. Uses 25 energy to switch modes.
Mode 1 (default): Relay Mode
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-- Ability: Relay
-- Transports up to 15 units within a radius of 5 from one Warp Relay to another, or to or from the Mothership. Requires 50 energy to cast from any Warp Relays used, and from the Mothership if it is used.
A simple but powerful positional tool that allows quick relocation of small groups of Protoss forces for positional advantage.
-- Transports up to 15 units within a radius of 5 from one Warp Relay to another, or to or from the Mothership. Requires 50 energy to cast from any Warp Relays used, and from the Mothership if it is used.
A simple but powerful positional tool that allows quick relocation of small groups of Protoss forces for positional advantage.
Mode 2: Transwarp Mode
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-- The Warp Relay is invulnerable to all attacks and spells, but drains energy in this mode. Automatically reverts to Relay Mode when energy is consumed.
-- Creates a "Transwarp Matrix" that can be used like a Pylon's Psionic Matrix
-- Ability: Transwarp
-- Transports a single unit to or from another Transwarp Matrix or the Mothership. Costs 10 energy from each Warp Relay used, and from the Mothership if it is used.
If you take the effort to lay down a Warp Relay, it should be able to be used without being killed first and without needing a large army to protect it. A limited invulnerability alongside warp-in abilities and the ability to power Photon Cannons allows a way to protect itself for a limited amount of time alongside having another way to have positional power.
-- Creates a "Transwarp Matrix" that can be used like a Pylon's Psionic Matrix
-- Ability: Transwarp
-- Transports a single unit to or from another Transwarp Matrix or the Mothership. Costs 10 energy from each Warp Relay used, and from the Mothership if it is used.
If you take the effort to lay down a Warp Relay, it should be able to be used without being killed first and without needing a large army to protect it. A limited invulnerability alongside warp-in abilities and the ability to power Photon Cannons allows a way to protect itself for a limited amount of time alongside having another way to have positional power.
-- Cloaking Field removed
This passive inherently causes units to clump around and under the Mothership, contributing to the deathball effect as you can only have one Mothership. Therefore it is removed in favor of non-deathball passives.
Two modes available: Cloak and Warp. It takes 10 seconds to switch modes.
There are a decent amount of changes, but I think all of them simultaniously would be overkill. Therefore, modes are utilized to help the Mothership fulfill its role without being unkillable.
Cloak Mode (default):
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-- Passive Personal Cloaking
Provides an extra aspect of survivability for the Mothership that doesn't rely on a large army to protect it.
-- Speed increased to 2.6
This allows the Mothership more mobility for staying alive without a large army to protect it, and allows it to move around the map more quickly.
-- Has the MSC abilities besides Recall
Utility aspects should not be lost from the MSC when upgrading to the Mothership. This allows the Mothership to use the MSC abilities to protect herself and expansions. In my opinion this would work even better if the changes in my Oracle/MSC/Sentry thread were implemented.
Provides an extra aspect of survivability for the Mothership that doesn't rely on a large army to protect it.
-- Speed increased to 2.6
This allows the Mothership more mobility for staying alive without a large army to protect it, and allows it to move around the map more quickly.
-- Has the MSC abilities besides Recall
Utility aspects should not be lost from the MSC when upgrading to the Mothership. This allows the Mothership to use the MSC abilities to protect herself and expansions. In my opinion this would work even better if the changes in my Oracle/MSC/Sentry thread were implemented.
Warp Mode:
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-- Passive 'Warp Field'
-- Allows Mothership to be utilized with Warp Relays for Relay, Mass Relay, and Transwarp
This allows the Mothership herself to partake in the spreading out of units for positional play rather than supporting a single huge clump of units.
-- Ability: Mass Relay
-- Transports units from all Warp Relays, up to 15 units per Relay. Requires 75 energy from the Mothership to cast, as well as 25 energy from each Warp Relay used. Also has a resource cost of 200/200.
While at first this seems like an automatic army clumper, it actually provides a bit of a safety net for valuable units at various fronts, making it a little less risky to have expensive units spread out instead of not all together in a single army. This also makes it less risky for the Mothership to not be accompanied by a large army at all times in case it is hit by a large opposing army. This still allows some epic large army engagements to happen at a moment's notice without the dull keep-whole-army-together-all-game aspect.
-- Speed is at the original 1.4
In Warp Mode, the Mothership herself is used as a transporting tool more than placing Warp Relays. This encourages the Mothership to go around in Cloak Mode placing Warp Relays, then being used as the equivallent of a defensive Warp Relay as you would not want to stick it on the front lines with such a low speed, and it puts a limit on the power of the Relay and Transwarp abilities. At the same time, it still can use its transport abilities to protect itself if need be without needing a large army constantly alongside it, and that aspect also allows it to be an offensive tool in some scenarios.
-- MSC abilities not available in Warp Mode
The Mothership is not meant to actively affect enemy units itself in Warp Mode, but to indirectly strengthen the Protoss lategame by relocating units. Also, too many abilities at a time is sloppy. The mode system is used to solve that issue.
-- Allows Mothership to be utilized with Warp Relays for Relay, Mass Relay, and Transwarp
This allows the Mothership herself to partake in the spreading out of units for positional play rather than supporting a single huge clump of units.
-- Ability: Mass Relay
-- Transports units from all Warp Relays, up to 15 units per Relay. Requires 75 energy from the Mothership to cast, as well as 25 energy from each Warp Relay used. Also has a resource cost of 200/200.
While at first this seems like an automatic army clumper, it actually provides a bit of a safety net for valuable units at various fronts, making it a little less risky to have expensive units spread out instead of not all together in a single army. This also makes it less risky for the Mothership to not be accompanied by a large army at all times in case it is hit by a large opposing army. This still allows some epic large army engagements to happen at a moment's notice without the dull keep-whole-army-together-all-game aspect.
-- Speed is at the original 1.4
In Warp Mode, the Mothership herself is used as a transporting tool more than placing Warp Relays. This encourages the Mothership to go around in Cloak Mode placing Warp Relays, then being used as the equivallent of a defensive Warp Relay as you would not want to stick it on the front lines with such a low speed, and it puts a limit on the power of the Relay and Transwarp abilities. At the same time, it still can use its transport abilities to protect itself if need be without needing a large army constantly alongside it, and that aspect also allows it to be an offensive tool in some scenarios.
-- MSC abilities not available in Warp Mode
The Mothership is not meant to actively affect enemy units itself in Warp Mode, but to indirectly strengthen the Protoss lategame by relocating units. Also, too many abilities at a time is sloppy. The mode system is used to solve that issue.
Civilly-presented feedback and your own ideas are welcome!