November Monthly Discussion Topic: The Terran Ghost

The New Discussion Topic of the Month: The Ghost

http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general-eu&t=197&p=1&#post197

[img width=70 height=70]http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/Starcraft2_2007/ghost.gif[/img]​

[img width=670 height=502]http://www.starcraft2.com/images/screenshots/ss36.jpg[/img]

Bonus 400 minerals for a news post, but you didn't include pictures.

 

Re: <November>Discussion Topic: The Terran Ghost

Do you like the new Starcraft II Ghost?
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Yes i do like the new SC2 ghost, it sounds like its in SC and its damage is mad, it is a instant kill so the cost of the energy should be higher IMO because such damage with cost of 25 amount of energy will be imba IMO unless they would have a long cooldown however they do have many abilities and they would cost 150 energies altogether so it is good but with at least a long cooldown it will be good

Will the new Ghost change your strategy?
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Partially yes, because the Ghost could also act like a real scout hunting each unit one by one with the snipe but it already has a role of a scout but this kind of style changes it partially:
1. it instantly kills a unit and you can simply go away while the opponent will send their men back to their base/ move their men back to somewhere else safe enough around the base (if they are in the base)
2. the EMP is a very good ability (i forgot to mention this in the other question) and it is very effective, it seems to replace the ability of Lockdown because it seems though that it has been taken by the HT. This would almost be a role of a HT but in a cloak but of course the Ghost sometimes have that role in SC but it has different effect so it is more likely to use in a different situation
3. since there is now a Shadow Ops. this changes the strategy more to build it in a better situation if safe in your base sine it costs more than the add-on for the command Center from SC so this would also have the role of using the nuke but it is likely to be used at a later time since the Shadow Ops. is a building not a add-on
4. finally the Ghost has an extra role for sending reinforcements by calling down the Drop Pods which you have to build Marines first then send them inside the Drop Pod from the Shadow Ops. this is a effective way of calling it down at a right time at a right place where you want to send your marines down, this is a role of a so called strategy 'Drop' where you obviously get your dropship and send them down to the opponent's base. If the MS has a ability to slow down the Drop Pod (i'm now too sure if this was mention already) then that would be very tedious

 

* Do you like the new StarCraft II Ghost?
Yes I do. I think the new look, speed, abilities, and firepower make it more than just an optional support unit, that wasn't used that much in SC1. The only drawback on the ghost as it is now is all the abilities. With 5 abilities total, there seems like there would be too much clutter.
* Will the new Ghost change your strategy?
Yes, making the ghost a tier 1.5 unit with a powerful organic damage ability will be invaluable against all races in the game. Now the ghost is like the marine; in that it requires upgrading throughout the game to stay an effective unit.
* How would you utilize the Ghost?
It would be nice to have about 5 ghosts with a group of marines and medics to do a somewhat early rush with the ghosts ability to automatically take down 5 targets to push the advantage in your favor, and the marines providing a shield of covering fire to keep the ghosts safe and take down units that are almost killed by snipe.

Shouldn't the nuke be moved to another unit?
Yes, I think the nuke on the thor would make more sense now. Not only would it reduce clutter on the ghost, but the ghost is going to work best with groups of marines now, and that means that it only needs drop pod. I see the ghost as a legitimate combat unit now, and nuke is a non combat ability, so it doesn't fit on the ghost now.

 

The ghost, as it stands, is extremely specialized.

Players might skip the 1.5 tier in favor of later tiers (IE, battlecruisers, siege tanks) I personally would probably never take the time to get ghosts as they are. Unless the 1.5 tier is a long portion of the game, the ghost will again be brushed aside.

 

Without that Lockdown is not it the same ,but the ghost are very succeeded.
( smart casting + Lockdown = wow )

 

<Do you like the new Starcraft II Ghost?>

<Yes the changes mean the ghost has enough variety to be used in a way that suits most players. However I would have liked the ghost to go much further with it's EMP function, with the ability to re-set cool-down's as well as zero energy and shields. The new version of the Ghost can be used as a perfect harrasing unit and this ability would fit in well with the new abilities. It would also make it an effective counter to the Stalker, something the Terrans appear to lack.

The fact that the Ghost was useless against Protoss players because of Observers does not appear to have been addressed in SC2. I would have liked the Ghost to have been harder to detect, for example not being obvious when standing still.

Kudos on the new abilities though. The new variety of options will increase the strategic use of the Ghost and make sure it is used more commonly than in SC1.>

 

Do you like the new StarCraft II Ghost?

Yes its much more useful as an infanrty unit, however, how much would infanrty be useful vs protoss to start with? Considering that the only reason to build a barracks in SC1 was to be able to build a factory.
* Will the new Ghost change your strategy?
Most likely, although its very, very, very costly, its basically the same or near cost of a siege tank, im not sure how effective this will be. But i can definately see it as a counter for zealots,if properly used behind a shield wall of marines to decrease losses.


How would you utilize the Ghost?
Using it vs Motherships, and other spellcasters such as the High Templar, and killing zealots/zerglings/marines with him.
*

Additional Feedback you would like to give
I would like to see the Ghost with some ability specifically made to fight zerg, since irradiate is no longer in the game, and the EMP pulse is mainly a protoss killer.

 

EMP only effects enemies now?

 

Do you like the new StarCraft II Ghost?
Of course! I think it's the best revealed unit so far. I like his new snipe ability and I've
always thought that it should have an ability like that. And the drop pod ability is
awesome too. I heard he now has an EMP ability. That's great and I like it too. Do not
cut it.

Will the new Ghost change your strategy?
Yeah. Very much. With all the new abilities there is so much new strategies and abilities.
I can do a lot more stuff that I couldn't do in StarCraft original!

How would you utilize the Ghost?
I would send him solo to discover the map and search for enemy bases and expansion
points. I could use him to take out some light guarded outposts with his new Drop pod
ability or I could nuke the outpost.
I could also use him as a support unit because of his EMP ability and the Drop pod ability.

Additional Feedback you would like to give
I think the antenna on the ghost backpack is too long. When he moves it seems like
it's hitting him in his head. I think the antenna needs to be shorter or somewhere else
on him (on his head LOL ) or the animation should be changed so it doesn't look like
the antenna is hitting him in his head.
I'm including a picture:

[img width=329 height=367]http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4318/ghostje3.jpg[/img]

 

Snipe is the new irradiate since it only works against organic units, and it does instant damage instead of damage over time, which can hurt the enemy more, and you get it before tier 2, where the science vessel was a tier 3 unit, and I think the science vessel cost more. Basically, snipe is a upgrade over irradiate.

 

You're right, but I would like to see some new great ability for the Ghost that can target ESPECIALLY Zerg.

 

Perhaps something like a biological weapon, e.g. spore releasing cartridges for the sniper weapon that act like plague on a zerg unit but less visible, and infects any unit that touches it for 5 seconds after it's shot?

 

I think the addition of EMP is awesome, and the ghost needs to retain the ability to call down a nuke. I was always annoyed when my nuke didn't completely eliminate enemy Nexus's (Nexi?) but with EMP on the same unit the shield can be eliminated, and the remainder taken out by the nuke. Pefect!

 

That's a great idea! '' Nexus's (Nexi?) '' LOL

 

I really doubt they would add anything that is only viable 1/3rd of the time. And before you mention Infest HQ: That was never viable. I´d say it was a "flavour" ability.

 

Do you like the new StarCraft II Ghost?

Yes i do very much, i never really used it in SC 1, but now with it being tear 1.5 i will surely use it. It also seems much more usefull, and like it will hold its own, especcialy later on in the game (tear 2 and 3). As for the cost, i think it sounds fair, as vespene ussually takes a while to get, so u wont have to worry about a teran player rushing ghost quickly.


Will the new Ghost change your strategy?

Oh yes! The new ghost sounds much more covert, and much more of an assault unit, especialy when attacking a zerg player. I like how it will be usefull agains both types of players, zerg and protoss. Against zerg it yields high damage, as they are a biological race. and the drop pod appears to be very useful because before it was very hard to nuke a zerg base, with all the overlords flying around. I love how it has a snipe ability because as i said before, makes the ghost much more covert, and it is cheap! You dont have to worry about sniping while cloaked, as i originally though u would. I thought snipe would be like 50 or 75, which while under a cloak will drain ur energy very quickly. Against a protoss player it is VERY useful, because it has a high damage yield and snipe to take out the zealots, as they were very effective against marines. In sc1 a firebat was needed to protect marines from zealots, without them it is ok, because ghost will have there back. I like the emp, gives them a good support spell, and i could see myself sending a cloaked ghost ina base, dropping a drop pod, and then quickly using an emp to take out the protoss shields, leaving them voulnerable to marine fire.

How would you utilize the Ghost?

i think i answered that one pretty well in my last post.

Additional Feedback you would like to give

not really anything, the ghost looks pretty kool, and is making me want to play SC 2 more then ever.

 

drop pods, snipe, EMP, 30+ damage vs. light units, what fun.

 

30 damage vs light units owns. Zealots and zerglings gg

 

ghost = semi hero unit. ^^

anyway i like everything about the ghost now. ow yeah make them jump cliffs too.

 

If Terran was to get something that was just antiZerg I think it would be a different kind of bullet for the Marines. I believe that in on the Marine page it says that they have a number of different bullet upgrades available, but only uses U-238 shells because they are the most popular. Well what if you got to choose between the range extension (U-238) or a different shell that did additional damage to biological units, and reduced damage to mechanical units. It would be like those shells in Underworld that contain deadly stuff in them when they make contact, but they would lose some of their penetrating power, which is why they would do less against mechanical units.