Zerg Changeling

Agreed that the Changeling is just a waste of time and resources to code and draw it if it doesn't do anything useful but I don't think it needs to becoma a combat unit to be viable.

Having a more powerful spy would make sense if information gathering in starcraft was as involved as its combat and resource management.

Maybe if a changeling could allow a zerg player to get information on another player's mineral/gas count by clicking on a CC/hatch/nexus while the changeling is next to the building, or finding out what units are in production queue while the changeling was near the appropriate training building would make them worth the time to create them. Otherwise Blizzard should just drop them.

 

Well, firstly, the Baneling no longer has that damage bonus vs. buildings. Now it's just +30 vs Light units.

Secondly, I don't know why you guys are complaining about the Changeling. It's just pure awesome.

It costs no money, just energy, it has a really long life, probably around three minutes. It's perfect for scouting. I often drop one off at the corner of the enemy plateau and then just walk around their base sightseeing. It's a free scout and the enemy player hardly ever notices it unless you walk in the front door and bottle up their units or bump things around. It's great.

If anything its imbalanced because it's so easy to scout!

 

I for one think this is the coolest thing ever!

One thing though....wouldn't you know it's a changeling when you see one random marine walking around while no other marine is? Or the fact that you have a Zealot when you know for a fact you didn't make one recently?

See...just a couple simple thoughts really can tell these things apart. I love this unit!

 

If it can't be detected by detectors thus forcing a player to click attack and left clicking on that unit would give it a lot of survivaility the longer a player isn't looking in the area the scout is. Otherwise it's no different than using lings to scout and why use lings when overlords can fly and are cheap and mutas can absorb more damage. This unit can only be built after getting Overseers and at that point other flyers are available.

They would be more expensive to lose but they can see in areas a ground unit can't.

This just makes the zerg look like more of a cheap knock off of Tyranids.

 

It can't be detected by anything but you directly putting your mouse over the unit.

 

The way Jon puts it I suppose it could work.

I hate to think its something I could fall for though.

 

I know for sure I'll fall for it. With a three minute life span I could see it being useful if used carefully.

 

I´d really like to see a comeback of the parasite. It´s way more cooler than the cangeling, I think.

Maybe they could add an ablity to the attached parasite: You infect an enemy unit with the parasite. From now on this unit can be used as a "passive spy". Just like in SC1 you can see what the enemy unit can see.

When you klick the infected unit, you have access to some abilities:

"Burst out" kills the infected unit and creates one or two broodling with limited lifetime that can do some damage. Just like a combination of "parasite" and "spawn broodling"

"Confuse" disorientates the infected unit and it will attack friendly units at random. While confused the hitpoints of the unit decrease until the unit is ether shot by its own mates or destroyed by the influence of the parasite.

I think abilities like that would be a great addition to the Zerg!

 

Parasite is worse than the changeling because atleast with the changeling you can control your hidden spy. Parasite is usable to a small degree now but it was only good at keeping track of army movements. The changeling moving around on its own can see expansions and what tech the other player is using.

I am curious though if changelings can bypass Spidermines. This will break them in Terran matchups if mines can kill them.

 

If mines kill them, then that just means you have a free counter to Spider Mines. Actually, with the main dection unit spawning them- a Zerg player would be able to take them out almost as quickly and easily as they can detect them. I'd bet mines don't respond to them.

 

hmm...maybe the changeling should have the slime ability?

 

I like that idea! If the Slime ability had a casting time of 5-10 seconds, it could be balanced. The victim in this case would have a few seconds on him to notice that a Marine/Zergling/Zealot is making some weird channeling pose or something near their mineral line take him out.

 

i thinking more of a verbal warning that the workers cannot mine it like the "cannot build there" warning so you don't have to be there right there to not lose heaps of minerals.

 

This is a very good addition to the Zerg, being a new twist to Parasite (which cost more energy with it's caster is so rarely used). It would be very funny if the player finds his own "Marine" attacking his SCVs

For 35 energy, not a bad ability at all!


-Psi