Another Exclusive SC2 Q&A

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Starcraft Legacy has utilized their reward from Karune for completing the I <3 SC challenge of receiving 50 submissions. We're still holding out on ours. But nevertheless the questions the asked are very useful to the SC2 fan. In total they asked Karune eight questions, mostly about the Zerg and Terran, regarding their relative strengths and weaknesses as far as unit by unit is concerned.

A bit focus of the batch is on the Hydralisk and it's high-tiered tech location, which is still a cause of concern in our analysis as well. Apparently the unit is much stronger than it was previously, but has largely been relegated to the position of a long-range and high damage tier three unit. It's cost has also increased greatly to 100 minerals and 100 gas.

Actually, the Hydralisk has since been boosted up quite a bit in terms of damage. They currently have 80 hit points and have a ground attack of 13 + 3 versus armored and an air attack of 12 + 5 versus armored. The Hydralisk also has a range of 6 and moves at a ‘fast’ speed, with no need to upgrade with the speed bonus anymore. Roaches on the other hand, only have an attack of 10, half the Hydralisk’s range, and is slower to move as well. The new damage the Hydralisk is able to put out now makes it very dangerous, as Zerg players will be able to take out buildings with a pack of Hydras, with only a few volleys (same goes to Battlecruisers!). Nonetheless, they are extremely weak at 80 hit points, and thus need to always be protected. The new cost for Hydralisks are also 100 minerals and 100 gas.

Be sure to read the full article and check out SC:L's new zerg tech tree.

Note: the article summary reports the Hydralisk costing 100 minerals and 100 gas, but the article itself reports a cost of 100 minerals, 75 gas. We're working on finding the correct value.

 

OMFG i just read the report on the main website and hydralisk are 100 minerals and 100 gas. WHAT A LOSS for zerg players...... They do extra dmg to armored units but really.....Thats a damn shame. 100 GAS ?!?!?!

 

Hydralisks is a Tier 3 unit? from the Tech Tree it looks like a Tier 2 - 2.5 unit, i also thought that EMP was taken out of the game again after testing it on the Ghost. oh well, i already updated my database.

 

Nice questions. The hydra completely lost its staple unit role though so I'm not sure what it's doing in the Zerg section screen.

Is this true? I hope someone from here goes to the WWI and provides a stunning coverage that beats even them

 

the Tech tree looks really off, the only units that you can make before you get the Lair is the Drones, Overlords, Zerglings, and the Queen. AND they say that its the Drone that makes the colonies again.

 

Man the Roach is better, it even has more hitpoints AND it can handle most attacks.

The only difference is the fact its faster and hits air. Big wow.

Also the fact he actually said its so weak it always needs to be protected... protected by what? Hydralisks are supposed to be one of those units which can be used solo.

So Drones make defense? What do we have Queens for then?

 

All I can tell you is that with 80 HP Hydralisks are absolutely useless against Colossus.

 

Hrm, SC Legacy said that its their latest ver. of the Zerg Tech Tree, i say that its far off of what it should be, some of the things they got right, but it seems to me that they really messed up the beginning of the Tech Tree.

 

I do not speak for the accuracy of their tech tree.

 

if Jon's link doesnt get you to where all the questions are, then click on this link.http://www.sclegacy.com/content/int...acy-starcraft-ii-exclusive-qa-with-karune-78/

 

It's a nerf, but it might not be such a big nerf.

The Hydralisk does 13 (+3 vs armored) vs ground compared to the 5 + 5 (vs armored) vs ground that it did in StarCraft I. Against small units, like Marines, it does +160% damage. Against large/armored units, such as Stalkers, it does +33% damage.

It's even better vs air (since most air units are large/armored), doing +60% against such units.

Still, that's a general +50% damage increase for a +100% cost in price, and let's not forget the huge gas increase. I don't think it's time to panic, it's pretty obvious what Blizzard is aiming at, even if they haven't started beta testing yet.

I agree that Hydralisks will suck vs Colossi. I wonder if Roaches are the counter to Colossi? Colossi could do 144 damage per "cycle" at BlizzCon, more than a Roach's hit points, but Roachs regenerate very quickly.

 

Well... One Colossus doesn't do much against any unit. But four or more are almost unstoppable by any unit you have on the ground.

 

On the Hydralisk: it also gets its speed upgrade straight away.

By the sound of it, Hydralisks would be better-suited for going after Colossi- they move faster and have longer range than the Roach, so they can get in attack, then get out, before they're hit by too many waves of fire. In theory, a decent-sized group of Hydralisks, perhaps with smaller units drawing fire for a hit, by going out ahead, could take down one our two Colossi before having to pull back. Once they're down to reasonable numbers, other units could be sent in to finish the job.

We're leaning too heavily on homogeneous unit match-ups. It's clear that weaker units are not made to take on stronger units in homogeneous groups....

 

personaly i wouldnt even have hydralisk leave the base anymore... They coast too much to hve mass and then wiped out by tanks, colossus, Mines, Terren infentry and other units that coast alo less. I would rather save that money and spend it on an ultralisk. Atleast with a unit like an ultalisk your money will last a bit longer with splash. I wouldnt build hydralisk unless i scouted and found 3 or 4 star ports or gateways in an enemy base goin up.

 

i think the hydralisks are pretty powerful, if you micro them properly from collosus, and have extra reinforcements to take the pounding from tanks and other units, then they will be pretty effective.

 

The only thing that scares me is losing them to lesser units like upgraded marines and reapes. Being torn apart by mains or even sniped. there not concidered armored there its a 1 shot kill. Losing 100 gas and mins to marines/reapers and even a few well placed ghost is going to coast you after a few rounds of trying to push terrans or break there line. At a some point its just not worth the loss.

 

Alright so they solved the problem for the hydras role to prevent overlapping with the roach.. so?
ill probably invest on infestors w/mass roaches or just the classinc zerg/muta combo.. sure the damage has been greatly buffed but the price for receiving 80 healthpoints is unbearable once youve compared that to the mutalisks versatility and maneuverability.. I say the hydras need a better hp around 100 at least perhaps,.

The conflict that is generally gonna be seen here is what to prioritize between the mutas or hydras when the lair has evolved. Generally they are both versatile attackers but the gameplay might probably dictate what the user will optimize in the end of being either the s.guardians or the very questionable lurkers being at tier 3 with the ultralisks..

And about the hydralisks being a good counter to the colossi?? probably but your gonna have to also think that the protoss players arent dumb, theyll probably back up those colossi with some templars or nullifiers to hallucinate or forcefield the area to take advantage of its terrain preventing numbers of hydra to play him around. Also if someone is thinking of choosing the best counter with colossi it will probably be a draw between Mutalisks or Infestors with zerglings/roaches. Btw I also wonder if what will be the outcome of a corrupted collosi once bombarded by the corrupters

 

The Zerg is really looking bad.

 

I totally disagree. Yeah the Hydralisk is totally different from before, but we can get used to it. And the new mechanics look pretty solid.

Remember, Blizzard said that right now the Zerg are the least polished race, and they are working really hard on them. So I wouldn't worry - when the game comes out we will have a Zerg that is as awesome or better than in the original game.

 

My sentiments exactly. 100 Mineral/100 gas Hydralisk? Tier 3? That's rediculous. Zerg are not going to have the same feel, that weak, but in large number, unique-ness to thier race alone. All the races seem like they're being dumbed down, more similar to one another.

Zerg are looking alot like Undead from Warcraft III, they were supposed to be the low cost, large numbers race, but it completely backfired and only the most expensive units were utilized. Everyone was basically forced to tech to Tier 3 to get by in a match.

I've always been a Zerg player, and I greatly depended on early game Hydralisks to get things accomplished. Zerglings only got you so far vs. Firebats, Zealots, M&M, etc. I know Medics and Firebats are gone, but it's still the idea of how vital they were to early game survival. Lurkers arn't going to be as useful at tier 3, by then, people will already have countless detection capabilities available... That's like moving DT's to late tier; they would be pathetic compared to thier former selves.