Patch 1.4.0

[JackhammerIV]

Main problem with carriers isn't its speed. It's more the initial range it attacks from, how quickly it dies to standard units opponents make, the need for large amounts of sentry energy to use carriers safely (but carriers not being AOE meaning templar/colossi are more cost effective) and the build time of carriers.

If the carrier/interceptor could be more resistant to damage or SotG's suggestion of returning to a more BW style carrier micro, then yeah it'll be more than pretty much a gimicky unit that no Protoss has a reputation for making in competitive play.

[Jconant]

I'm pretty sure carriers should just get the tempest' shield bonus as an upgrade or something; carriers are pretty vunerable to anti air units, but i think its a bit ridiculous that a pack of marines with stim can take them down.

[Drake Clawfang]

I always thought it would be interesting if Carriers got different types of Interceptors. You get standard Interceptor Drones, then you get Shuriken Drones which do splash damage to units in their path but can only build four to a carrier, or Missile Drones which do bonus damage to armored units but have low base damage against other types. You could do other types too, like a type that has extra range, or a type that lasts for several seconds after the Carrier is destroyed. Each Carrier can only have one type of drone at a time, and can "recycle" the drones in storage into resources so the player can stock up a new kind. This would also afford some small micro chances as players could try to save a few resources on Carriers by running them away and recycling their drones to get back the resources for them before the Carrier is destroyed.

That's what I liked about the Alpha Battlecruiser, the idea they had several abilities you could customize them with separately, bring that back with the Carrier's Interceptors. Acc

[RamiZ]

That's what I liked about the Alpha Battlecruiser, the idea they had several abilities you could customize them with separately, bring that back with the Carrier's Interceptors.

Problem was that with those three abilities first BC had(Yamato Cannon, Missile Barrage and Defensive Matrix), it pretty much countered everything and that is why it was bad design.

[Drake Clawfang]

Problem was that with those three abilities first BC had(Yamato Cannon, Missile Barrage and Defensive Matrix), it pretty much countered everything and that is why it was bad design.

Except each ability had to be researched, if I recalled, and a Battlecruiser could only have one ability and it was stuck with it once you chose which one to give it. Yeah it could counter everything but not at once, and given the state of the unit now bringing it back for them would probably make BCs more viable. With the Carrier, you could easily do the same, allow the basic Interceptor normally with research needed to access the other types of drones.

[Twilice]

I think the problem with carriers are still the interceptors that cost to produce. I am still sure the problem lies here. It got nothing to do with the actual carrier and it's range/dps/speed. It acts like a siege weapon, only that it's ability to siege gets destroyed with the interceptors. Not speaking of that a carrier that lost all it's interceptors is 200 minerals right there. That's 550 minerals and 250 gas.

I still think that interceptors should not work as real units at all, they should not be able to be fired at. Or they have to fix it in another way like an automated construction of interceptors each 10 seconds or so.

[Drake Clawfang]

450 - the first four Interceptors come pre-built.

[JackhammerIV]

Don't see the mineral cost of interceptors as an issue. Protoss is typically high on minerals mid to late game which is why a huge amount of warpgates is made at that time. Carriers just need a buff and hopefully whatever Blizzard decides is a good idea.

[silencbank]

I think the problem with carriers are still the interceptors that cost to produce. I am still sure the problem lies here. It got nothing to do with the actual carrier and it's range/dps/speed. It acts like a siege weapon, only that it's ability to siege gets destroyed with the interceptors. Not speaking of that a carrier that lost all it's interceptors is 200 minerals right there. That's 550 minerals and 250 gas.

I still think that interceptors should not work as real units at all, they should not be able to be fired at. Or they have to fix it in another way like an automated construction of interceptors each 10 seconds or so.

Each interceptor is only 25 minerals per so it is only 450/250 like drake said. Also you CAN auto construct the interceptors each time one dies by just clicking on the construct interceptor button in the carriers control card window. Sure it takes time for each interceptor to be built, but it does it automatically if you click the button. It works similar to how auto repair works on the scv.

[RamiZ]

Except each ability had to be researched, if I recalled, and a Battlecruiser could only have one ability and it was stuck with it once you chose which one to give it. Yeah it could counter everything but not at once, and given the state of the unit now bringing it back for them would probably make BCs more viable. With the Carrier, you could easily do the same, allow the basic Interceptor normally with research needed to access the other types of drones.

It is not "except", I counted that. Even with it, Defensive Matrix game BC like 800 HP, or something like that, Missile Barrage was basically Valkyrie on steroids, and Yamato Cannon countered all of the bigger units. With few BCs, like 5-6, you could wreck the havoc upon the opponent's army, not even counting the rest of your army like Tanks, Marines, Ghosts and Thors.