StarCraft 2 gets a new update for November 2024

Key takeaways

• StarCraft 2 gets a community-driven update every 9 months, maintaining a consistent competitive scene for 14 years.
• The new update focuses on multiplayer balancing, addressing changes to all three races to enhance gameplay.

Hit real-time strategy game Starcraft 2 Has received a new update, almost 9 months after its last set balance change. Starcraft 2 The game has received continuous support from its community and developer Blizzard for almost 14 years since its first release in 2010.

With an active scene that extends all the way back to the original 1998 title, starcraft It is one of the longest-running major competitive gaming communities. starcraftThe community has run through many releases of the game over the years, and in the process has become one of the pioneers of the competitive gaming eSports scene. Meanwhile, support Starcraft 2 It is now in its 14th year StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty Started in July 2010. Despite developer Blizzard officially ending content development Starcraft 2 In 2020, the game has received regular balance adjustments and bug fixes, led by a community-run council dedicated to maintaining the health of the game's ongoing competitive scene.

That Community Balance Council has just released a new patch for the game. After several weeks of testing via public test servers, the latest patch notes for Starcraft 2 Description changes for the game when upgrading to version 5.0.14. A fully targeted and story-driven campaign in multiplayer without any ramifications to do with it Starcraft 2 Custom Campaigns The patch notes include adjustments that affect all three playable factions of the game.

The new StarCraft 2 update brings changes to all 3 races

New Starcraft 2 The update 5.0.14 patch notes discuss a series of balance-related changes. Changes the address units in all three starcraft Playable races, potentially changing the quality of various matchups. Of particular concern is the popularity contest Starcraft 2 Zerg units against Protoss, which received an overall buff. However, the council noted that the “extensive testing” required to fully assess the impact of the changes on the Protoss would significantly delay the release of the patch. As a result, the Council has chosen not to move forward with “experimental” changes to Zerg and will instead monitor Zerg vs. Protoss matchups moving forward.

Other changes are more divisive, notably the increase in the supply cost of Terran ghosts, the iconic one starcraft Special Forces Unit. According to the patch notes, members of the Balance Council were not in “full alignment” regarding the change, but because the change was “desired by the community” it would go ahead despite complaints from professional Terran players. Terran matchups against Zerg and Protoss will be carefully monitored in the post-5.0.14 competitive environment.

It's encouraging to see the long-standing and community-driven support for this old game Starcraft 2. In an era where games with a live service component can shut down months or even weeks after launch, it's refreshing to know that developers and community members can be dedicated to keeping a title thriving for over a decade. Also bodes well for support Starcraft 2of possible future prospects, especially in light of rumors about new starcraft The shooter is in development.

StarCraft 2 Update 5.0.14 Patch Notes

Early game in Protoss vs Terran

Community Council Comment: We believe that the energy recharge ability has its place in Protoss builds and is very helpful in scouting and defending in various scenarios. With a few minor adjustments below, we feel the current set of Protoss and Terran changes is an overall improvement for Protoss gameplay stability in the early game compared to the previous patch.

the nexus

• Increased range of shield batteries starting at full energy from 10 to 12 (max distance to nearest Nexus).
• Increased energy recharge capacity range from 10 to 12 (max distance to nearest nexus).

Community Council Comment: The increased range will allow Protoss players to be more flexible when defending their base and deploying shield batteries while expanding to new locations without overestimating the offensive capabilities of shield batteries.

Other changes

motherhood

• Model size reverted (increased) to patch 5.0.11 values.

Ultralisk

• Model size reverted (increased) to patch 5.0.10 values.

Community Council Comment: We would like to continue to follow the community's feedback on the identification of these powerful units. The mothership is back to its original power level, and its size increase to 5.0.11 fits this change perfectly. This adjustment can help a bit with unit focus in Zerg vs. Protoss matchups, where Abduction is no longer countered. For the Ultralisk, the original idea of ​​reducing its size was to minimize the incidence of getting stuck behind other related units, a problem solved with the push priority change included in this patch.

Changes removed

• Removed Thor explosive payload weapon changes.

Community Council Comment: We received feedback from both Terran players and players of other races that they did not feel positive about this change, as it did not unlock any new playstyles while negatively affecting existing ones. While we still see potential to adjust Thor, this unit will remain unchanged from 5.0.13 in the upcoming patch.

Lategame anxiety

ghost nerf

Community Council Comment: We heard major concerns from many professional Terran players about the Ghost nerf, and there was not complete alignment among Balance Council members regarding this change. However, we also believe that the community wanted to move forward with this change, so we intend to move forward with the Ghost supply nerf for 5.0.14 while continuing to carefully monitor its effects on both Terran versus Zerg and Terran versus Protoss matchups. .

Zerg vs. Protoss

Community Council Comment: Since the Mothership is no longer hijackable and the overall late-game Protoss army is stronger after the Tempest change, we are concerned about the potential state of Zerg vs. Protoss late game at various levels of the game. We have received suggestions for some experimental changes to address this matchup, but they will require extensive testing, which will significantly delay the release of the patch. Therefore, we will not proceed with any experimental changes for now and will carefully monitor the state of this matchup.

Fully updated Changelog

Protoss

the nexus

• Increased the maximum range of shield batteries starting at full energy from 10 to 12.
• Removed battery overcharge.
• New Ability: Energy Recharge (50 energy / 60 second cooldown)
• 12 of Nexus Recharges 100 energy to any unit or structure within range.

shield battery

• Shield/HP increased from 150/150 to 200/200.

hunter

• Train time from gateway reduced from 30 to 27 seconds.

Colossus

• Shield/HP changed from 150/200 to 100/250.

The Tempest

• Supply cost reduced from 5 to 4.
• Vs air attack range reduced from 14 to 13.

Immortal

• Cost reduced from 275/100 to 250/100.
• Weapon cooldown increased from 1.04 to 1.14.

barrier

• Refinement Nova radius increased from 1.375 to 1.5.
• Purification Nova damage reduced from 145 (200 vs shield) to 100 (200 vs shield).

motherhood

• Cost increased from 300/300 to 400/400.
• Supply cost increased from 6 to 8.
• No longer can motherhood be targeted by kidnapping.
• Damage increased from 6×6 to 6x4x4 (36 damage vs. 1 target to 24 damage vs. 4 targets each).
• Model size reverted (increased) to patch 5.0.11 values.

Terran

Cyclone

• Returned in the 5.0.11 Cyclone patch.

rescue

• Damage now cancels the rescue process.
• The rescue timer is now visible to enemies.

Planetary fortress

• Armor reduced from 3 to 2.

Sensor tower

• Cost reduced from 125/100 to 100/50.
• Radar range decreased from 27 to 22.
• Can be saved now.

Orbital Command

• Calldown: Extra supplies increase the current/max health of the target supply depot to 500.

the ghost

• Supply cost increased from 2 to 3.

Zerg

the queen

• Cost increased from 150/0 to 175/0.

Hatchery

• Cost reduced from 300/0 to 275/0.

The spore crawler

• Damage increased from 15 to 20.
• Health reduced from 400 to 300.

Hydraulics

• Muscular Augment creep speed bonus reduced from 1.03 to 0.74.
• New Research: Nanomuscular Swell (New Lung Capacity Research)
• Cost: 100/100, 64 seconds. Hive is required.
• Lunge ability (formerly known as Dash) increases speed by 100% for 0.71 seconds.

Infestor

• Microbial shroud now lasts for 3.6 seconds on units that drop the shroud.

Ultralisk

• Increased allied push priority from 0 to 1 (now pushes allied units out when moving).
• Anabolic Synthesis move speed bonus decreased from 0.82 to 0.57.
• Model size reverted (increased) to patch 5.0.10 values.

Bug fixes and quality of life changes

• Orbital command scanner sweep visuals now use team colors.
• Command Center, Nexus and Hatchery now auto-rally in mineral fields.
• Workers waiting for a refinery, extractor or assimilator to finish do not count as idle.
• SCV random delay between buildings adjusted from 3.57-7.14 to 4.64-6.07 (same average).
• Added icon to command card for Infestor, Hellion, Hellbat showing upgraded inactive upgrades.
• The siege tank and immortal tracking change from the previous patch was reversed due to inadvertent retargeting.
• Fixed an issue where Blinding Cloud caused the attacks of certain air units to cancel more easily.
• Fixed an issue where blinding clouds could cause planets at certain angles not to become attacking units in melee range.
• Fixed an issue with issuing commands on certain types of rocks in fog.
• Fixed an issue with Changeling Zealot move animation speed.
• Tweaked Hydralisk move animation speed to match its actual movement speed.
• Fixed an issue where Gravaton Beam could be canceled within 0.04 seconds of casting by teleport/transport abilities.
• Fixed an issue where the Lurker's attack could be canceled when the target leaves/dies range and no other unit is in attack range.
• Fixed an issue with the maximum cyclone lock range.