The current mechanic involves the Queen (which can be built in the multiple) to target any individual Hatchery to spawn 3 Mutant Larvae, costing only energy. But, I find this a very limiting feature and Mutant Larva extremely weak outside the base, especially because they are slow off the Creep and have only 25 HP. That means you'll have to stick a Queen back at base, if you want that extra larva benefit. I've always been taken aback by the Zerg Cinematic trailer, where the Queen sits menacingly in the middle of an endless field of glowing eggs... so here's the idea: - - - Mutant Larvae rename into Swarm Clutch. It's a remodeled Zerg egg, except larger, darker outlines and glow like Baneling eggs when it morphs to a unit (homage to the trailer :]). The ability works like the previous Merc Haven mechanic (where you can build up to 4 Reapers at once, costing their resources, but it will need to go a cooldown for each one you spawned). It works much like the WC3 mercenary camp, where you get to "purchase" units and have to wait for it to "restock" when you've bought a number of them. A Swarm Clutch functions exactly like a Mutant Larvae, except it cannot move (its an egg for crying out loud). When using the ability, a Swarm Clutch will spawn beside the Queen (you don't need to target). Each Swarm Clutch costs 25 energy to spawn (a Queen has 150 energy, so it can spawn 6 Swarm Clutch), and one Queen can stock up 3 eggs maximum. A number at the bottom left of the ability button will show how many Swarm Clutches the Queen has (ex. 3). Each Swarm Clutch takes 15 seconds to restock, when a Hatchery takes 20 seconds. In a nutshell, a Queen can lay up to 3 eggs all at once, or 2 eggs or just 1 egg, depending on how many she has inside her egg sac. So, 3 eggs need 75 energy and 45 seconds to restock (Hatchery takes 60 seconds), 2 eggs need 50 energy and 30 seconds to restock (Hatchery takes 40 seconds), and 1 egg needs 25 energy and 15 seconds to restock (Hatchery takes 20 seconds). See a pattern? Swarm Clutch ability Pros and Cons: 1) Swarm Clutch gives unit production speed discount (by 5 seconds, Zergling = 23 seconds becomes 18 seconds, Hydralisk 33 secs = 28 secs, Roach same as Zergling, Mutalisk same as Hydralisk, Corruptor 40 secs = 35 secs, Infestor same as Hydralisk and Ultralisk 70 secs = 65 secs). 2) Swarm Clutch cannot move, once spawned it stays at that area. 3) Swarm Clutch costs 25 energy, but does not require the Creep. 4) Up to 3 Clutches can be spawned simultaneously, depending on player's needs. 5) Queen does not need a Hatchery to spawn Swarm Clutches. 6) Swarm Clutch can have more HP and armor than Mutant Larva, because it cannot move. 7) Swarm Clutch requires 15 seconds to restock. 8) Swarm Clutch cannot spawn Drone or Overlord, but can spawn Zergling, Roach, Hydralisk, Mutalisk, Corruptor, Infestor, and Ultralisk. - - - Think Warp Gate, when one use will make ALL the units go on cooldown, but Swarm Clutch can automatically save up to 3 uses. Best thing about this is, Swarm Clutches can spawn wherever a Queen is, and they cost low energy. So a Queen can still build Creep Tumors, or use Razor Swarm, while giving the Zerg player enough energy to have a production discount. However, I'd probably need more info on Mutant Larva ability to edit this bit. How about it? Now you can literally fill your base full of eggs, that can hatch faster than normal Larva. While it has its up and downs, you always leave Drone and Overlords (gatherer and control) with normal Hatchery. -Psi
I'll just go ahead and say "cool" for the simple reason that I'm a SC2 nabster and would probably say something stupid if i did try and discuss anything here.
Oh don't look down on your abilities, opinions are just as good as constructive criticism No need for Hatchery to poop some eggs, those Queens xD -Psi
You're right on that, its just that needing a Hatchery to spawn makes it repetitive, is all. Plus the name Morphalisk is just... lacking. -Psi
err, wont the swarm clutch make the warpgate... ...un-unique? i mean like each race should have different buildings for different purposes. The warpgate makes the protoss protoss and the queen makes the zerg zerg. soo if blizzard makes basicly the same buildings for each race but they look different, that would eliminate the difference between each race. anyways i think that swarm clutches shouldn't have soo much armor because: 1) people can use them as walls. so set a limit on how much each queen can make 2) if your making a bunch of swarm clutches and you have basicly an instant "non build hatchery mass(which costs quite a bit 300ea)" zerg army every 45 sec plus the fact that you saved maybe 3000 mins for your mutalisks,hydras or whatever your strategy is.
1) They are not placed like buildings, they don't have collision sizes like normal eggs. 2) Fact that it costs energy and cooldown, makes a Queen a more costly a mobile Hatchery. 3) It's same cost really, only the build time is shortened (5 seconds, any further would have totally unbalanced the system). I do agree on the armor, since it's extremely tough to kill a normal zerg egg. I don't really see how Warpgate and the Swarm Clutch are similar, one is a constructable building and one is a spawned token, one can place units anywhere in pylon power, one stays near the Queen at all times. Mutant Larva is an idea deprived from Warp-In though, to increase unit production. -Psi
