Ghost (Terran Casters)

Re: Ghost

Ghost is a caster unit. It doesn't really matter if it's ineffective as a combat unit.

 

Re: Ghost

I don't think you could really call the Ghost a caster any more. Lockdown, which was its most useful ability was removed, and in its place Snipe was included. Lockdown was a support ability and Snipe is a damage ability. Ghosts also have a faster firing rate as well. Seems to me they'll be used more often in combat situations.

 

Re: Ghost

Yeah I think it is more of a combatunit with abilities than a support unit with a gun now.

 

Re: Ghost

sniper is really just an added bonus, the real beaut of the ghosts is the call down

 

Re: Ghost

The problem with call down is that you have to make the pods separately, just like a nuke.

 

Re: Ghost

Why is that a problem? Just means you cant just use it whenever

 

Re: Ghost

it's not a problem, it just means the ghost becomes more of a combat unit and less of a caster unit

 

Re: Ghost

It's still only a hybrid unit at best. I seriously doubt a unit that cloaks based on energy with a spell for popping 150 on key bio units and can call down rain and thunder, will really be a combat unit.

 

Re: Ghost

The ghost is still a caster just not in the support role-he (she?) is most effective alone. Snipe may be nice but you want to take out key enemy units BEFORE they enter combat. It can still be used in "normal" fights of course.

Drop Pods rely on the element of surprise, 6 Marines are awfully unimpressive if the enemy knows they are coming.
And nuke... It wouldn´t be Starcraft without "Nuklear Launch detected!".

 

Re: Ghost

Ya, I think the ghost is still a support unit. Snipe is nice for combat support but the bread and butter of tier one terran will still be marines. A group of ghost mixed in with them would make an excellent addition to give your army an initial advantage in the fight with a wave of sniper fire. However, an army mainly comprised of ghosts still doesn't seem like a good idea.

I think the best role suited for ghosts now is stealth base raider. Sneak a group of ghosts into the enemy base and call some drop pods down and destroy the enemies economy by taking out their, probes/scv's/drones.

And ofcourse, later in the game when you have nukes, then ghost just become oh so fun.

 

Re: Ghost

an army mainly comprised of ghosts would cost a lot of gas as well

 

Re: Ghost

Thats pretty much what I meant Quanta - just that instead of sniping during combat it would be even better to try and snipe the enemys High Templars/Defilers/whatever BEFORE the forces actually clash.

 

Re: Ghost

I can see a Terran player having between 6-8 Ghosts. Perfect for sniping out key units in large battles. Let your units go at it, take out the high-value targets immediately and hopefully turn the tide in your favor.

If you think about it, though, this is really one of the only casters Terran has so far. The Nomad isn't really going to live up to the Science Vessels' ability what with only defensive matrix. Since Irradiate isn't back and there's no EMP, Terran are going to be a little more defenseless when it comes to spells than they were in SC1.

So I think the Ghost is going to be Terran's new main line of defense against casters and other high value units. Plus you can always call down a nuke and then follow it would a couple of drop pods. Quick mop up on the Nexus.

 

Re: Ghost

Currently there is the medic, ghost, and nomad. And I believe the nomad does have EMP if I'm not mistaken.

 

Re: Ghost

We wouldn´t want Casters for the sake of casting anyway. Caster basically just means that a unit fills it´s role by the use of abilities instead of it´s weapons. It´s a grey area, you might also count Stalkers as casters too.

 

Re: Ghost

Blink merely augments the ability of the stalker unit itself, much like the stim pack. Although a special ability, it effects and pertains to the unit itself only. Combat units are first and foremost about getting the job done with their stats, even if they do have abilities. It's all about the attack command.

Casters on the other hand, have an arsenal of spells that usually go beyond just letting the casting unit itself fight better. In most cases, the spells of a caster unit provide tactical advantages. While there are spells that directly deal damage, generally, caster units have poor offensive/combat capabilities outside of those spells.

 

Re: Ghost

I agree.

And you're sure EMP is back? We had that long discussion about how we weren't sure......

Remember? Irradiate vs. EMP?

... Anyway.... there is DEFINITELY a use for casters. It's not like you can just ignore them and hope to win against a skilled opponent.

In SC1 Terran had a direct advantage over both the Protoss and the Zerg with one caster unit, the Science Vessel. Even with EMP they're going to have a tougher time since at least Irradiate is gone. The Ghost, in my opinion, will have to step up to partly fill that role.

 

Re: Ghost

The discussion wasn't about whether or not EMP was back, it was about how EMP was good and if it was better than irradiate.

I've read somewhere on these forums about someone saying that EMP is no longer fired as a projectile, but rather in an AoE around the nomad.

 

Re: Ghost

I never contested the idea and use of casters. I just doubt Terrans will make as heavy use of them as in SC. The Ghost never was and won´t be a unit that you would see in large numbers. Medics are common but always in relation to Marines.

The Science Vessel was very powefull with Irradiate, that why it sometimes was massed - yet it was supposed to be a support/utility unit.

The nomad is the mobile detector, it should not be "massable" for detection/stealth relationship. Too many of them would make Dark Templars a liability, Nuking impossible, Banshees targetz practice and basically remove 1 ability from the Mothership. Maybe not as drastic as that but I hope you know what I mean. And before you mention it: Yes, I am convinced detection mechanics will be changed for the Zerg.

@Remy A German Starcraft site (sry don´t know the name right now) mentioned as part of the Blizzcon coverage that despite the confusing description EMP was still a Rocket.

I´m shure in the beginnig Irradiate was supposed to be the Zerg "weakener" just as EMP was a Protoss "weakener", but the post release balancing somehow made it a Weapon of mass Zerg Destruction.

 

Re: Ghost

That would make it a ZMD? I bet Saddam had some of those....

@ Remy , sorry, my friend, I guess I was mistaken in the source of the argument. I was under the impression you guys were saying NEITHER would be in SC2. And if it's not a missile attack, it's going to be pretty useless. Gotta get it away from your units and into the enemy's.... not a good thing to try against lots of firepower.

I'm assuming it's still a missile attack.

@ Unentschieden , just because a unit is cloaked doesn't mean it's useless when detectors are around. You just need to eliminate the detector. So saying that too much detection is a bad thing is pretty incorrect if you ask me. You have to build it to counter cloaked units. Therefore, build as many as you want.