Starcraft 2 news » Multiplayer Changes Live Now on the Balance Mod

As a result of your feedback, we’ve been making numerous balance changes that we’re applying to the Balance Mod that went live today. StarCraft II extension mods allow you to apply a set of custom rules to any Melee map. Our Balance Mod allows you to preview the upcoming balance changes before they go live. Get a head start on new builds and see how these changes affect the matchups you face on the ladder with the following steps:

• Navigate to Melee Maps under the Custom menu
• Select a map and click the Create with Mod button
• Choose to sort by Blizzard Mods from the drop-down list at the top of the screen
• Select “Balance Test Mod” from the list and then hit Create Lobby

That’s all there is to it!

Below are the changes you can test through the Balance Test mod. For developer insight on these changes, you can read our last two Community updates. Expect to see these balance changes live on the ladder in an upcoming patch.

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Terran

• Raven
  • Interference Matrix duration increased from 5.7 to 7.9.
    • Affected units will now display a status bar to show the duration of the ability.
  • Repair Drone ability removed.
  • Auto Turret ability added.
    • Auto Turret cast range reduced from 3 to 1.
    • Hi-Sec Auto Tracking increases the range of Auto Turrets by +1 again.
  • Anti-Armor Missile
    • Anti-Armor Missile will no longer have a delay and will fly immediately towards the target.
    • Splash radius increased from 2.4 to 2.88.
    • Splash damage changed:
      • 100% damage radius increased from 0.72 to 1.2.
      • 50% damage radius increased from 1.44 to 1.8.
      • 25% damage radius increased from 2.88 to 3.
    • Energy cost reduced from 100 to 75.
  • Enhanced Munitions upgrade removed.
• Ghost
  • Starting energy increased from 50 to 75.
  • No longer starts with the Personal Cloaking upgrade.
• Ghost Academy
  • Removed Moebius Reactor upgrade.
  • Added Personal Cloaking upgrade:
    • 150 Minerals / 150 Gas / 85.7 Research time

Protoss

• Nexus and Mothership
  • Mass Recall and Strategic Recall’s warp-in times increased from 0 seconds to 0.7 second.
• Stalker
  • Particle Disruptors’ damage reduced from 15 (21 vs. armored) to 13 (18 vs. armored) and period reduced from 1.54 to 1.34.
    • Protoss Ground Weapons upgrade will provide +1 base damage and +1 armored instead of +2 base damage.
• Disruptor
  • Purification Nova’s initial pause duration reduced from 1 to 0.
  • When Disruptors drop from transports, if Purification Nova is not on cooldown, then there will be a 0.7 second pause before being able to use Purification Nova.
  • Range indicators will be displayed for Purification Nova when the Disruptor is selected.
• Shield Battery
  • Now has a “Stop” command on its command card.
• Adept
  • Adepts will continue with their last issued command instead of stopping after using Psionic Transfer.

Zerg

• Hydralisk
  • The Muscular Augments upgrade has been split into two separate upgrades:
    • Muscular Augments
      • Upgrade cost is 100 Minerals / 100 Vespene Gas / 71.4 Research time
    • Grooved Spines
      • Upgrade cost is 100 Minerals / 100 Vespene Gas / 71.4 Research time
• Viper
  • Bug fix: Parasitic Bomb’s initial pause duration increased from 0 to 0.7 seconds.