Starcraft 2 news » Patch 3.8 Preview: Major Patch for Multiplayer

Earlier this year at DreamHack Montreal, Lead Multiplayer Designer David Kim sat amidst an audience of passionate StarCraft II players and revealed the team’s plans to issue a major patch to StarCraft II Multiplayer.

The intent behind these changes has been to bring the game to a place that is consistently full of diverse combat, strategically-rich choices, and balanced gameplay. As we continue down this path, changes to the game should become increasingly less-disruptive, allowing players to approach unprecedented mastery in various areas of the game.

All of this, however, is perhaps still a long way off, so let’s talk instead about what is imminent: the changes coming in Patch 3.8! Below we’ve outlined all of the major changes coming in the rapidly approaching Multiplayer Revamp. Let’s begin with Terran!

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Biological compositions feel in a pretty great place right now for Terran, but we believe it is essential for the race to have more diversity in how it’s played. To achieve this, we must make Factory and Starport-based compositions more compelling, and so we’re making a wealth of changes to units produced from these structures.

Unit Redesign

The Cyclone is being redesigned into a front-line anti-armored damage dealer. It can now be produced from Reactors while being cheaper, beefier, and a bit slower. It also now possesses a much bigger punch versus ground units.

General:

• Supply cost decreased from 4 to 3
• Health increased from 120 to 180
• Movement speed decreased from 4.72 to 4.13
• No longer requires Tech Lab to construct (Reactors can produce)
• Cost reduced from 150/125 to 150/100
• ‘Lock-On’ ability now targets air ONLY

Basic Attack:

• Anti-ground ONLY
• Damage decreased from 18 to 3 (+2 vs armored)
• Attack speed increased from one attack per .7 seconds to one attack per .1 seconds
• Range increased from 5 to 6
• Anti-air basic attack removed

Major Changes

Siege Tank:

• Sieged Siege Tanks can no longer be lifted by Medivacs
• Sieged Siege Tank Damage increased from 35 (+15 vs armored) to 40 (+30 vs armored)
• Crucio Shock Cannon attack speed decreased from one attack per 2 seconds to one attack per 2.14 seconds

Battlecruiser:

• Energy bar removed
• Abilities no longer require energy. Instead, each ability uses a separate 71-second cooldown

Simple Changes

• Thor: Javelin Missiles (AA-splash attack) radius increased from .5 to .6
• Banshee: Removed Fusion Core requirement for Hyperflight Rotors (speed upgrade)
• Viking: Ground mode now has bonus (+8 vs mechanical) damage
• Liberator: Removed +light damage for AA attack
• Raven:
  • Auto Turret: Auto Turret damage increased from 16 to 24
  • Seeker Missile: Added new upgrade “Recalibrated Explosives”
    • Recalibrated Explosives:
      • Increase Seeker Missile tracking range by 50%
      • Increase Seeker Missile damage by 30%

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Similar to our goals with Terran, our main objective with Zerg is to improve the diversity of unit compositions. We would like to achieve a good balance between Roach/Ravager, Zergling/Baneling, and Hydralisk-based play while empowering some of the under-utilized support units such as Swarm Hosts and Infestors.

Unit Redesign

The Hydralisk is being transformed into a core tech option for Zerg. It has become much stronger on creep and is also seeing a general buff to its combat effectiveness to make its use more appealing.

• Upgrade Split: Muscular Augments is being buffed and split into two upgrades
  • Evolve Muscular Augments:
    • Cost: 150/150
    • Research Time: 71 seconds
    • Effect: Increase base movement speed by 25%
  • Evolve Grooved Spines:
    • Cost: 100/100
    • Research Time: 71 seconds
    • Effect: Increase attack range by +2 (from 5 to 7)

Major Changes

Infestor:

• Can now cast all abilities while burrowed
• Gained collision radius while burrowed. Radius is smaller than when unborrowed.

Swarm Host:

• Cost decreased from 150/100 to 100/75
• Locust Swoop range increased from 4 to 6
• Locust Acid Spit weapon damage decreased from 12 to 10

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Simple Changes

• Baneling: Centrifugal Hooks research now increases health by +10
• Brood Lord: Range decreased from 11 to 10
• Ultralisk: Base armor increased from 1 to 2. Chitinous Plating armor bonus decreased from +4 to +2

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For Protoss, our emphasis lies in two places: even out the strengths of the race’s harassment options, and increase the combined power of Stargate play. Changes to the Tempest, Carrier, and Void Ray serve to bolster Stargate units, while alterations to many of the Protoss harassment units should balance out their back-line capabilities.

Unit Redesign

The new Tempest’s role versus air remains the same, while it is becoming more of a utility spell-caster versus ground units. Its new ability, “Disruption Blast”, stuns ground units in a 1.95-radius for 7 seconds, giving an accompanying Protoss army a window to move in and lay waste.

• Supply Count increased from 4 to 6
• Ground-attack damage increased from 30 to 35
• Ground-attack range decreased from 15 to 8
• New Ability: “Disruption Blast”
  • Cast Range: 10
  • Radius: 1.95
  • Cooldown: 43 second
  • Cast Time: 4 seconds
  • Effect: Units in the area after cast time is complete are stunned for 7 seconds, unable to move, attack, or be issued commands of any type.

Major Changes

Carrier:

• Ability “Release Interceptors” has been removed
• Interceptors’ cost reduced from 25 minerals to 5 minerals
• “Build Interceptor” is now set to auto-cast by default

Dark Templar:

New Ability: “Shadow Stride”

• Research Cost: 150/150
• Research Time: 121 seconds
• Cooldown: 21 seconds
• Effect: Instantly teleports the Dark Templar a short distance and emits a plume of smoke.

Simple Changes

• Zealot: Base movement speed bonus from “Research Charge” increased. When completed, movement speed will now be 4.13 rather than 3.85
• Adept: Shade vision reduced from 9 to 2
• Void Ray: Speed increased from 3.15 to 3.5
• Warp Prism: Health reduced from 100 to 80