Ideas for new expansion units

Alright! Today is the last day before the hiatus. Maybe we'll have some more beta testing before release but it's unlikely that we would see some units removed and added.

Now with that in mind, what units do you think blizzard might throw in with the expansions?

Please bear in mind that isn't about the coolness factor. This is about gameplay.

Remember how back in SC vanilla protoss didn't have any AtA fighters? How Zerg didn't have any way of handling too large a number of ground units and the defiler didn't work with anything other than ultra/zerglings (which pushed it back a whole lot more in the tech tree).
Remember the days where stim had to be used with even greater care, because you could never get those 10hp back?

Also, back in SC vanilla, some of the expansion units, such as the valkyrie, were actually scrapped during the alpha or beta phase and kept for later.

Maybe back in SC vanilla people were saying the exact same thing, but I don't feel like Blizzard has left any gaps in WoL (which is a good thing of course).

Take terran for example: they've got their AtA unit, with long range, their uber turrets, GtA splash with the thor, cheap/quick GtA with the marine. They've got their serious ground splash with the tank and hellion(anti-light), their anti-armored units are the tank mode and marauders, plus two casters which are beyond awesome (direct damage, cloak, nuke, EMP, turrets, PDD, splash damage) and designated AtG which can cloak. They've also got a dropship/medic combo... which does a lot for just one unit.
What have I missed? The BC, which is the capital ship that can only be used in end game scenarios and can do everything (except hide) pretty well.
I also didn't mention the reaper because for now it seems to be exclusively an early game raider.

I'd be pretty curious to see people's opinion regarding the three races in the current build. Do you think there are any gaps to fill with a new unit?

I thought the predator was scrapped because they wanted to keep it for an expansion, but then I saw the PDD had taken its role.
Many people expect the lurker to come back but blizzard has shot down those suggestions by saying the splash was covered (and I agree, banelings fill that role in a challenging, but interesting way).
And I doubt the soulreaver or tempest will come back, since those fields seem to be vastly covered for protoss. Chargelots and blinkers seem to cover the mobility section pretty well (the whole "gets stronger with kills was scrapped), and the carrier isn't getting enough use anyways, so adding a AtG carrier seems to be overkill.

Have I missed any units that were shown but didn't make the build? My memory seems a bit fuzzy.
Does anyone think one of those units might come back?

TL;DR:

And now it's time for people's theories.

I'll edit the OP with people's suggestions for each race. I can also add a section for spells if people want to discuss that as well (matrix defense and volley for the BC for example).

I understand many of these ideas will be crazy, but as long as they fill some sort of a niche and don't overlap too much with other units it's all good!

Feel free to criticize my ideas. I don't really expect my zerg idea to be good, and I doubt people will have that many ideas that can fill a gap in the current races, but i wanted to give this thread a try.


Zerg:

-A very fast T1 unit, perhaps ling or roach evolved, that has a low range GtA attack. This unit can cliff-jump, and is supposed to hunt down air units with its superior speed. I can't figure out what kind of GtG damage it could have without overlaping with other units, and I wish I could give it a net or ensnare... but that's already covered. (Hammy)


Terran:






Protoss:

Protoss: A more traditional AtG attacker that can be used for harassment. VR is great, but you have to stick around for a while before any real damage is done. Something smaller that can fly in, do some damage, and high-tail it out would be different and exciting.

Nah zerg have enought early game units. Zerg realy realy need some more post hatchery ground units, both tier 2 and tier 3 zerg have only one ground combat unit :S. Where the protoss and the terran have almost twice the units to choose from later in the game.

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Originally Posted by Tobit

Protoss: A more traditional AtG attacker that can be used for harassment. VR is great, but you have to stick around for a while before any real damage is done. Something smaller that can fly in, do some damage, and high-tail it out would be different and exciting.

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You mean econ harassement right? Not like buildings or something? Just to be sure

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Nah zerg have enought early game units. Zerg realy realy need some more post hatchery ground units, both tier 2 and tier 3 zerg have only one ground combat unit :S. Where the protoss and the terran have almost twice the units to choose from later in the game.

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And yet you usually have to rush to T2 in ZvP/T :/
I'd love for T1 to not be insta-lose the second the opponent gets a starport/stargate.

I find that Terran are lacking a late tier infantry (Spectre?), and that they could also use a light ATA vehicle (Diamondback, anyone?). The Predator would be nice to have back, though, I liked the idea of the unit (even though its anti-missile laser was turned into a Raven ability) and its design. Plus, I think the Terrans could use some dedicated ATA fighter (have it require a tech lab, maybe?).

Zerg definitely needs more late tier combat units! I'd give them a mutalisk mutation, the lurker, and a late tier artillery of some kind.

As for Protoss, I think they're ok, but they could always use a new ship or two. (Light Air ATA/ATG similiar to the scout, perhaps a DT unit?) They could always get a Shield Generator of some kind (Note: Not a shield battery, but an actual building that creates a shield bubble around it).

BTW, I've read somewhere that Blizzard says they might not add new units to multiplayer in expansions at all, as they feel the races are already kind of complete.

Terran:
Remove Hellion
Add Firebat
Stats: 80HP, 1 Armor, Range 3, Movement speed normal, attack rate: very fast, damage 2x5 + 2x3 vs light
Abilities: Stim
Costs: 100 minerals, 25 gas, 30 seconds build time, 2 supply

Protoss:
Remove Carrier
Add Tempest
Stats: 200HP, 100 shield, 2 armor, Range 8, Movement speed normal, starts with 4 interceptors
Interceptors stats: 25HP, 0 armor, range 2, movement speed fast, attack rate: fast, damage 5, ATG only
Abilities: buy + 4 interceptors, defensive matrix
cost: 200 minerals, 150 gas, 45 seconds build time, 6 supply
Defensive Matrix: Creates a temporary shield around the tempest, that negates damage.
Stats: 50 energy, lasts 12 seconds or negates 100 damage and it dissipates

Rework Mothership:
Stats: 300HP, 400 shield, 50/200 energy, 2 armor, range 5, movement speed slow, attack speed normal, damage 4x8
Abilities: Overload, Cracker
Cost: 300 minerals, 250 gas, 80 seconds build time, 8 supply, can only build 1
Overload: As a latch dish defense or attack the mothership is overloaded and starts firing with more lasers and faster than ever.
stats: 100 energy, adds 4 more attacking lasers and makes attacking rate very fast, lasts 8 seconds.
Cracker: Spawns mini space-ships to defend the mothership
stats: 100 energy, spawns 6 space-ships, that fire at the nearest enemy units, lasts 15 seconds
Space ship stats: 45HP, 1 armor, range 4, movement speed fast, attack rate fast, damage 6

Zerg:
Add Lurker
Stats: 120HP, 1 armor, range 7, movement speed slow, attack rate slow, damage 8 + 4 vs light, morphs from hydralisk
Upgrades: 2 way spikes, tunnel claws
2 way spikes: makes the lurker have attack spikes from the other side also
tunnel claws: makes the lurker able to move while burrowed but at a speed of 1.
Cost: 75 minerals, 50 gas, 15 seconds morph time, 2 supply

Remake roach
Stats: 160HP, 2 armor, range 3, movement speed normal, attack rate slow, damage 10 + 6 armored
Abilities: can move underground, 2hp regeneration per second
cost: 150 minerals, 50 gas, 35 seconds build time, 3 supply

Remake Hydralisk
Stats: 80HP, 0 armor, range 5, movement speed normal, attack rate fast, damage 8
Upgrades: +1 range, faster movement speed
Costs: 75 minerals, 25 gas, 30 seconds build time, 1 supply

Zergling buff:
Stats: same as now
upgrades: +1 specific zergling armor

Remove Ultralisk
Add Brutalisk
Stats: 800HP, 3 armor, Range 5, movement speed normal, attack speed normal, damage 6x6
Upgrades: Specific +2 armor upgrade, +1 range upgrade
Abilities: Toxic blast
Cost: 350 minerals, 400 gas, 70 seconds build time, 8 supply
Toxic Blast: Upon death the Brutalisk explodes, damaging all enemy units within 2 radius of it, for a total of 200 damage

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Originally Posted by Hammy

You mean econ harassement right? Not like buildings or something? Just to be sure

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yeah, econ harass

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Originally Posted by Alex06

BTW, I've read somewhere that Blizzard says they might not add new units to multiplayer in expansions at all, as they feel the races are already kind of complete.

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Dustin Browder mentioned this. http://starcraft2.net.pl/portal/sc2/...aft2netpl.html

Hm, meele units for terran. Idk what they should be good versus. (new technology based, stolen protoss technology in testing?) So it's not firebats, and we already got hellions for light units. Maybe a special spellcaster killer or similar? (but we already got snipe...)

Damn this was hard :o

Maybe an dedicated terran GTA unit? The thor hardly files that role, and he is late tier unit.

hm, maybe both protoss and terran needs it. I got lots of troubble dealing with a late late zerg combo of mass mutas/corruptors/broodlords which are uppgraded. Doesn't really happen in 1v1 at all, but it does in 2v2 and up. The broodlords just eat thors/marines, mutas eats vikings, and protoss phoenix didn't work well either.... and where way to hard to mass and cost to much.

A cliff climber for zergs would be nice. They also need a second gta unit, protoss and terrans got 5 units that can hit air, while zergs got 4, although the queen is moré like defensive building than a unit.

A new race. :P (though it is a definite possibility)

Lurkers; I will be very surprised if they don't return in at least one of the expansions. Specifically, the Ultra should go back to being the BW Ultra, and the Lurker should take its role as anti armored ground.

A melee unit for terran would be cool. It would also be good if it was a vehicle, since they need more of those. Or, as Alex mentioned, a late-tier infantry unit.

Oh, and definitely make give zerglings a more powerful T3 upgrade.

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Originally Posted by MulletBen

A new race. :P (though it is a definite possibility)

Lurkers; I will be very surprised if they don't return in at least one of the expansions. Specifically, the Ultra should go back to being the BW Ultra, and the Lurker should take its role as anti armored ground.

A melee unit for terran would be cool. It would also be good if it was a vehicle, since they need more of those. Or, as Alex mentioned, a late-tier infantry unit.

Oh, and definitely make give zerglings a more powerful T3 upgrade.

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I don't know if I would be in favor of a new race...What can they add? Xel'Naga, Hybrids, Tagal, Kalathi, UED or The Elder Races. Tagal and the Elders are not important in the storyline and would detract from the StarCraft storyline. Kalathi are probably goners and would also detract from the story, their only purpose would be vengeance on the Protoss. I'm not even sure they could be a full race. Elders, once again, would detract from the story, but they are also several races, so it would kinda drown the effect of the "3 powerful races", and the reality and uniqueness of sentient life, because let's face it, sentient life isn't probably super-common like in Star Wars, especially not just around only one sector of the galaxy. UED have already played their part and would be probably too much like the Terrans, Xel'Naga have been gone and are waaayyy too powerful and advanced to feature as a playable race (IMO), and the Hybrids are probably not a full race, unless they feature the races who created them...That'd be interesting, knowing what races created the Hybrids (Who, or more appropiately, WHAT is Duran? And what about the Voice in the Darkness?).

As for Terrans needing vehicles, I definitely agree. The Diamondback would be a good factory unit (no other buildings required), and maybe the Spectre could use a Terran version of the warp blade (we've seen those in the comics) as a melee weapon.

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Originally Posted by KadajSouba

A cliff climber for zergs would be nice. They also need a second gta unit, protoss and terrans got 5 units that can hit air, while zergs got 4, although the queen is moré like defensive building than a unit.

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Cliff climber for Zerg? Well, they already kinda have the Nydus network system, and giving them a cliff climber seems like it'll make such units less unique...

Terran Melee Unit: The Terran Impaler

A TANK that transforms into a MECH with CHAINSAWS!

Gameplay - Something micro intensive. Fast in tank from but no attack, slow in mech form with good damage. Goes from tank to mech in less than a second, with deceleration right after.




Protoss Ambush Unit: The Protoss Prisim Drone

A mobile production drone that plants prisim mines that leave traces of pylon power post explosion.

Gameplay - For a bit of positional play/ambush mechanics for protoss. A prisim drone plants mines in the map, when the enemy walks over, it detonates doing area damage. Then 1 cell of pylon power is left for a short amount of time, the player may then proceed to warp a unit in the cell.
Would be very powerful if mixed with DT warp-ins IMO.




Zerg Lurker Remake: The Zerg Lurker

Just the old SC1 lurker, but... it can now attack air!

Gameplay - Instead of the old line splash, the lurker now does a single point attack, but the spine may shoot up the air.

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Originally Posted by Hammy

-A very fast T1 unit, perhaps ling or roach evolved, that has a low range GtA attack. This unit can cliff-jump, and is supposed to hunt down air units with its superior speed. I can't figure out what kind of GtG damage it could have without overlaping with other units, and I wish I could give it a net or ensnare... but that's already covered.

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How about this? Somewhat similar but without a default GTA so as not to mess with the Hydralisk's niche:

Unit: Ripling
Evolved from: Zergling
Description: Small, bipedal creature with a small head and a long tail that acts as a counterbalance when it moves. It has large, muscular legs and disproportionately small arms, though each has a giant, scythe-like claw, which are used as a melee attack.

Abilities:

Pounce: Passive. When the Ripling acquires a target, it will pounce on it once coming within 6 range; closing the gap quickly. Works across cliffs and chasms as well.

Dense Mucus: Spits a growing ball of mucus that immobilises and grounds a non-massive ground unit. As animation, the air unit is covered by yellow gunk and spins as it is lowered down to ground level.

Zerg: Ground units more stronger!

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Originally Posted by mr. peasant

How about this? Somewhat similar but without a default GTA so as not to mess with the Hydralisk's niche:

Unit: Ripling
Evolved from: Zergling
Description: Small, bipedal creature with a small head and a long tail that acts as a counterbalance when it moves. It has large, muscular legs and disproportionately small arms, though each has a giant, scythe-like claw, which are used as a melee attack.

Abilities:

Pounce: Passive. When the Ripling acquires a target, it will pounce on it once coming within 6 range; closing the gap quickly. Works across cliffs and chasms as well.

Dense Mucus: Spits a growing ball of mucus that immobilises and grounds a non-massive ground unit. As animation, the air unit is covered by yellow gunk and spins as it is lowered down to ground level.

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My idea was to make that unit the "quick response" to air harassment that won't let the unit get away. That's kind of where the hydra is the really solid, but slow and immobile, response to air. Though you're right that on creep it's just fine.

I'll start editing in your suggestions soon ;) Try and be as specific as you can!

Has blizzard mentionned anything about possibly removing units? It seems really unlikely that they'd scrap any units at this point.

BTW I haven't tested it, but can't Infestors and Roaches use their burrow move capacity to go under cliffs? If they can't now, I know they used to at one point.

As for the Zerg cliff climber idea, that could be a way to do it and make it unique...Or perhaps some kind of "jump" ability like the Soviet Sickle walker in Red Alert 3, that would have to take some time to reload (While jumping the unit should still be targetable, as to avoid it being too similiar to the Stalker). (Could also do minor AOE damage, that could be interesting or simply stun biological units for a second or two)

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Originally Posted by Hammy

My idea was to make that unit the "quick response" to air harassment that won't let the unit get away. That's kind of where the hydra is the really solid, but slow and immobile, response to air. Though you're right that on creep it's just fine.

I'll start editing in your suggestions soon ;) Try and be as specific as you can!

Has blizzard mentionned anything about possibly removing units? It seems really unlikely that they'd scrap any units at this point.

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I feel it would be counter-intuitive for the Zerg to lore-wise have a unit with a defensive bent to its purpose. As for its effectiveness as a 'quick response', the Ripling's evolution from Zergling means that they should be readily available for evolution (since the loss of a few Zergling would be a negligible cost) and be able to match the attacker's numbers. If present, the Dense Mucus would very quickly neutralise air units; allowing it and the Zerg's generally strong, ground-focused force (such as Zerglings, Roaches and Ultralisks) to be brought to bear.

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Originally Posted by MulletBen

A melee unit for terran would be cool. It would also be good if it was a vehicle, since they need more of those. Or, as Alex mentioned, a late-tier infantry unit.

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So you're saying that another walker should be made?
I think terran has enough mech that can walk. I suggest a melee unit that is like the hellion, a vehicle. Good luck figuring out how to do that.

One thing I'm curious about: would the developers be crazy enough to remove an existing unit and replace it in an expansion?

"Blood Queen"

Morphs from: QUEEN

COST: A LOT

A Scorpion shaped unit the size of a Queen, which uses its scorpion tale to inflict a poison on its prey that causes mental paralysis, forcing the unit to attack at a slower rate, as well as stunning the unit for an extremely short period of time.

This is a heavy support unit, who's tale ranges a little less than a siege tank, attacks like the lurker but from the above, as its tails has three tips that attack in a straight line, like the lurker.

Attacks: 3 unit at a time, in a straight line stuns for half a second, disrupting attack. Good for mass marines as a couple Blood Queens can stun a set of marines that come rushing in.

Attack Speed: Lurker speed, uses tall scorpion tale that reaches the height of a colossus, and splits into three vertically, so as to attack in a forward line. (cannot poison or stun mech but still damages.)

Damage: I dont know, like twenty?

Life: Like a small Ultralisk

Size: Small Ultralisk

Appearance: Almost like that of the ALIEN'S Face hugger, because they need to fill that role visually. Color variable. It has to look more menacing than the Hydralisk, because I feel like the roach is kind of funny looking and the hydralisk could use a freaky partner on the field.

I just think they need a scorpion like unit that fills the role of the lurker, is available to morph with the queen and be like an offensive Queen, that scurries around like a lurker, and pummels a line of marines with its stun tail, so things like marauders behind other units are able to be handled for a short period of time.

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Originally Posted by Tobit

Protoss: A more traditional AtG attacker that can be used for harassment. VR is great, but you have to stick around for a while before any real damage is done. Something smaller that can fly in, do some damage, and high-tail it out would be different and exciting.

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It's called a Pheonix.

a new race and the lurker back