Aura abilities in SC2

new zergling ability: rape

I am, in general, against auras in SC.
WC3 could handle auras because armies were small. But armies in SC get very large, and its hard to balance.
WC3 had auras operate on percentages, which was fine because there were many different damage types which added or decreased based on percentages too. Auras could have worked in SC1. But SC2 functions on bonuses now. So again, the percentage balancing would need to ignore those bonuses in some cases, and use them in others. Its just not conducive.
We also have to consider that auras are not unlike aoe spells. The only difference is they usually don't cost energy. But for all intensive purposes, Irradiate is a debuff aura. Dark Swarm is a static buff aura. And as mentioned before, the Arbiter's cloak is an aura.

Despite all this, however, I believe that auras can serve an important function. Namely, to counter mass effect. For example, the Carrier is either never built, or built en mass. There's never any reason to just build one or two, they're too weak by themselves and easily countered. But if the Carrier had an aura that effected all the other units in your army, suddenly building a few Carriers as actual buffs to your army becomes viable.

I think auras have their place. But its a very small place in SC2.

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Originally Posted by DemolitionSquid

But for all intensive purposes,

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ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHH



and I agree with everything DS said.

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Originally Posted by Quirel

Well, just throwing this out here...
But what if the Archon had an aura that let nearby units regain energy/shields faster? It's a walking ball of psionic plasma, so SOME sort of energy is going to be hovering around it...

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I really like this idea!

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Originally Posted by trace wm

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHH

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Them purposes are quite intensive.

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Originally Posted by n00bonicPlague

new zergling ability: rape

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New Zergling macro ability:
Teabag en masse.

We've got to mod that into StarCraft II.

It's late I haven't read the thread and I'm just throwing in my opinion.

I totally am for Auras as long as they're invisible (and only shown on the interface).

I'd really not prefer magicky glowy circles around my units.

I think auras can be used pretty well in the single player.

Hell even creep can sort of be considered an aura for all Zerg units.

I doubt anyone is interested in my opinion. I'm sure Flabortast will want to kick me for this. But I have to say it.
To hell with auras!!! People, do you want to merge WC and SC or what? Those who adore auras can play WC, but, please, do not mix it to where it's not suppose to be! It is not necessary, it is not needed, it does not fit. Phew.

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People, do you want to merge WC and SC or what?

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What do auras have to do with WarCraft? I mean, it's not like SC1 didn't have Arbiters with their CLOAKING AURA or anything.

It is a legitimate dimension of gameplay for them to use.

Maybe it's Cloaking FIELD, huh? I may be terribly wrong, but I thought auras are to boost some stats or add some effects, but not to change properties like visibility(there is such a word, right?). I correlate WC with auras because there are plenty of them. And I don't see anything in SC that could really be called an aura.
Also, if you want auras in SC2 so badly, there is a Cloaking Field of the Mothership. One "aura" here, one "aura" there. Fair and square.