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Greetings! Now that BlizzCon is behind us and the post-show patch looms, we’d like to take one final opportunity to examine some tweaks we could make to our initial proposals. As we’ve received generally positive feedback on the direction of the changes we’ve proposed, we intend to make these tweaks as small as possible while we wait for games to play out that will showcase these changes—for instance, at HomeStoryCup XX next week. Below is the list of final changes we’d like to make:
Lurker
- Lurkers affected by Blinding Cloud will now only fire to melee range.
Previously, Lurkers under Blinding Cloud could not target enemies outside of melee range, but their spines would still fire to maximum range if they attacked a unit at melee range. After this change, Lurkers will effectively only shoot out a single spine if an enemy is within melee range. As a result, we believe Ultralisks will become a more competitive option in late-game ZvZ.
Nydus Worm
- Removed the Propulsive Peristalsis upgrade from the Evolution Chamber.
We heard the feedback that the changes we proposed for the Propulsive Peristalsis upgrade, which reduced load and unload times on the Nydus Worm, would be unimpactful. As we’d like to avoid introducing upgrades that see little use and fail to encourage positive gameplay, we’d like to trim this upgrade from the upcoming patch.
Additional Changes/Bug Fixes
- Splash damage will now properly be applied to units affected by Anti-Armor missile.
- Fixed an issue where Abduct and Interference Matrix could still interrupt a Tactical Jumping Battlecruiser in certain situations.
- Updated the Tactical Jump visual glaze.
As there are relatively few changes in this update, we’d also like to take the time to highlight our primary points of focus when looking at future changes.
- Terran’s relationship against Disruptors with reduced Liberator range.
- The resulting strength of Nydus Worms, especially when combined with Swarm Hosts.
- The strength and prevalence of Lurkers in ZvP and ZvZ.
- Numbers tweaks we could make to the new Microbial Shroud ability.
- The strength and role of Zealots, both in general and against kiting Terran Bio units.
- The strength use of the new Resonating Glaive ability.
- The end-game dynamics of each matchup.
When this post goes live, the Balance Test Mod will have been updated with these changes. We also plan to push the balance changes to the live ladder at the start of next season on Tuesday, November 26th. Below is the full list of changes you’ll find in the upcoming patch:
Terran
Hellion/Hellbat
- Infernal Pre-Igniter research cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100.
Thor
- High Impact Payload damage decreased from 40 (+15 vs Massive) to 25 (+10 vs Massive).
- High Impact Payload weapon cooldown decreased from 1.7 to 0.9.
Medivac
- Moved the Rapid Re-Ignition System upgrade from the Starport Tech Lab to the Fusion Core.
- In addition to reducing the Medivac's Ignite Afterburners cooldown by 5 seconds, this upgrade will also increase the Medivac's base movement speed from 3.5 to 4.13. However, this upgrade will not affect Medivac’s movement speed during the Ignite Afterburners effect.
Liberator
- Advanced Ballistics upgrade moved from the Starport Tech Lab to the Fusion Core.
- Advanced Ballistics upgrade now increases the range of Liberators in Defender Mode by 3, down from 4.
Raven
- Interference Matrix energy cost increased from 50 energy to 75 energy.
- Interference Matrix duration increased from 8 seconds to 11 seconds.
- Raven movement speed increased from 3.85 to 4.13.
- Fixed an issue where splash damage will not properly apply to units affected by Anti-Armor missile.
Battlecruiser
- Tactical Jump now stuns and puts the Battlecruiser into a 1 second vulnerability phase before it teleports. In this state, the Battlecruiser can be damaged, but Tactical Jump may not be canceled.
- Yamato Cannon will no longer cancel itself if a target enters a transport or becomes cloaked/burrowed. Instead, the Yamato Cannon will miss, and the ability will go on cooldown.
M.U.L.E.
- Duration decreased from 64 seconds to 63 seconds.
- M.U.L.E.'s now always attempt to spawn on the side of minerals closest to a town hall.
Zerg
Creep
- Active Creep Tumors may no longer be canceled.
Overlord
- Pneumatized Carapace research cost increased from 75/75 to 100/100.
Infestor
- Removed the Infested Terran ability.
- New Ability: Microbial Shroud
- Creates a shroud that obscures ground units below, reducing the damage they take from air units by 50%. Lasts 11 seconds. Energy cost: 100.
- Cast range: 9.
- Radius: 3.
- New upgrade found on the Infestation Pit: Evolve Microbial Shroud
- Requirement: Hive.
- Research cost: 150/150.
- Research duration: 79 seconds.
- Neural Parasite range decreased from 9 to 8.
- Neural Parasite can no longer target Heroic units.
Lurker
- Lurker Den build time decreased from 86 seconds to 57 seconds.
- Lurker range decreased from 9 to 8.
- New Upgrade found on the Lurker Den: Seismic Spines
- Increases the Lurker’s range from 8 to 10.
- Requirement: Hive.
- Research cost: 150/150.
- Research duration: 57 seconds.
- Increased research duration of Adaptive Talons from 54 seconds to 57 seconds.
- Lurkers affected by Blinding Cloud will now only fire to melee range.
Brood Lord
- Broodling leash range decreased from 12 to 9.
NYDUS NETWORK
- Nydus Worm cost increased from 50/50 to 75/75.
- Summon Nydus Worm ability cooldown increased from 0 to 14.
- Nydus Network and Nydus Worm initial unload delay increased from 0.18 to 0.36.
- Nydus Network and Nydus Worm load period increased from 0.09 to 0.18.
- Nydus Network and Nydus Worm unload period increased from 0.18 to 0.36.
Protoss
Oracle, Sentry, and Void Ray
- Fixed an issue where beam attacks could deal more damage than intended.
Zealot
- The Charge upgrade no longer provides Zealots with +8 damage on impact. Instead, it increases Zealot movement speed from 3.15 to 4.72, up from 4.13.
Adept
- Resonating Glaives reworked. Instead of increasing attack speed of the Adept by 45%, it will increase the attack speed of the Adept by 60% for 6 seconds after a completed Psionic Transfer.
Observer
- Observer movement speed decreased from 3.01 to 2.63.
- Gravitic Boosters upgrade now increases movement speed by 1.31, down from 1.51.
Void Ray
- New upgrade found on the Fleet Beacon: Flux Vanes
- Increases the Void Ray’s movement speed from 3.5 to 4.65.
- Increases the Void Ray’s acceleration from 2.8 to 3.76.
- After the upgrade, the Prismatic Alignment ability will still reduce the Void Ray’s movement speed to 2.625.
- Research cost: 100/100.
- Research duration: 57 seconds.
Tempest
- Kinetic Overload (anti-air) range decreased from 15 to 14.
- Health increased from 150 to 200.
- Shields decreased from 125 to 100.
Mothership
- Time Warp now affects air units in addition to ground units and buildings.
- Time Warp delay reduces from 3.57 seconds to 1.79 seconds.
- Gains the Heroic Tag. Neural Parasite can no longer target Heroic units.