Co-Op Commander Theorycrafting

[FanaticTemplar]

I think it's just an Inspector Lestrade issue where you make your main character look smarter by surrounding him with idiots.

[Sheliek]

Given Karax, from what little we've seen, has the Purifier-looking beam, I'd wager he's the Purifier commander to Artanis' Khalai and Vorazun's Nerazim. Alarak seems extremely likely for the fourth, as a Tal'Darim commander. Be neat if we saw a Tal'Darim version of the zealot.

[Drake Clawfang]

Okay yeah, with all the ridiculously OP Taldarim variants and Alarak's popularity, I see the only hurdle to getting him in is John de Lancie's fee to come back. But if My Little Pony can afford him every season, Blizzard can afford a second session.

Also gonna throw out an idea for the Tal'darim Zealot - the fanatic, restores some HP and shields to itself each time it kills something.

[KaiserStratosTygo]

Still not a fan of Swann being one of the commanders should've had Valerian or someone else.

I've warmed up to Karax since he can take over robotic units in the campaign.

[NikoMyCousin]

Slightly off topic but I just played a few coop games as Protoss for the first time and noticed that Paul Eiding doesn't voice the dialogue of the Protoss advisor when talking about the mission at hand. Pretty disappointing.

[Drake Clawfang]

After playing a lot, I realize the different commanders are fun, but the missions quickly wear out. Very few missions actually let you use the full scope of a commander's abilities, and they all play the same. Teamwork is actually non-existent at times, I've had games where my teammate and I never exchange a word, and we win fine. The reason is that co-op missions don't require two players to win, in terms of gameplay: all attacks on your base are telegraphed well in advance, and otherwise you just move out and hit the objective.

So here's my nominations to expand the types of missions and force more creative gameplay from players.

Jungle Beat: Harvest terrazine while fending off enemy forces. Some terrazine sites are in enemy bases. (Based on Welcome to the Jungle from WoL)
;Players will have to juggle defending their workers with mobilizing an attack force and defending their base as normal, as well as stopping enemies from sealing sites. The option to harvest multiple terrazine sites as well as the mentioned juggling of objectives encourages teamwork, multitasking, and a varied army composition.

Psionic Storm: The psi destroyer is going to overwhelm your bases if you don't deactivate it quickly. (Based on Death from Above from HotS)
;Like the HotS mission, players will need to move swiftly and heavily on the offense to push to the enemy bases, and then back off to defend and attack the power links once it reactivates. Players will need to coordinate and strategize for maximum damage and move quickly to finish the mission before the destroyer field reaches their bases.

The Moebius Strip: You've located Amon's asteroid-bound forces with limited resources. Destroy the power generators to shut them down. (Based on Templar's Charge from LotV)
; Players will need to coordinate their attacks and strategize well to make the most of their limited resources and destroy the objectives efficiently.

BTW, is anyone else finding Oblivion Express (the shuttles) way too insane? I'm playing on Hard and can do all the other missions fine, but on that one, the last couple waves of shuttles are escorted by Leviathans/Loki Battlecruisers, depending on the enemy race, multiples of them, along with other forces.

[Drake Clawfang]

Ta-da!

Admiral Gerard DuGalle

Initial units: Marine, Medic, Goliath, Siege Tank, Wraith, Valkyrie

Special Building: Psi Disruptor. DuGalle gets one near his base at the start of each mission. The Disruptor can use the following abilities, which he can target anywhere in sight on the map:

EMP Pulse: Damages shields and energy of all enemies in a radius by 200 and negates shield and energy regeneration for 5 seconds. Has cooldown of 180 seconds.
Sigma Burst: Damages biological units over time for a period of time, dealing 200 damage over 10 seconds. Has cooldown of 180 seconds.


Talents

Level 1: "Aerial Dominance." DuGalle's Starports build faster and are less expensive (construction time -10 seconds, cost is 100/50)
Level 2: "Calldown: Spartan Company." Pinpoint a spot of open ground and call four mercenary Goliaths with timed life of 60 seconds to the field. Spartan Company comes with the Goliath's Charon Boosters and Explosive Payload upgrades as detailed further down.
Level 3: "Infantry Cache Upgrade." Unlocks Marine and Medic upgrades at the tech lab.
- Marine gets U-238 Shells and Stimpacks, Medics get Restoration and Optical Flare. Restoration can be set to autocast, Optimical Flare reduces the range of enemies near the point of impact to 1.
Level 4 "Unlock: Power Generator." SCVs can now build Power Generators (100/100/30). Power Generators have an energy meter and can recharge the energy of nearby units with energy, similar to a shield battery.
Level 5 "Unlock: Ghost." Unlocks Ghost and Ghost Academy for production.
Level 6 "Factory Upgrade Cache." Unlocks Goliath and Siege Tank upgrades at the tech lab.
- Goliaths get Charon Boosters (air attack range +3, damage +4) and Explosive Payload (Goliath air attacks deal splash damage). Siege Tanks get Napalm Rounds (Siege attacks deal an extra 30 damage over 5 seconds) and Resonance Coil (attack range in siege mode +4)
Level 7 "Advanced Fusion Reactor." SCVs repair faster and at no resource cost.
Level 8 "Psionic Wave." Unlocks the Psionic Wave wave ability at the Psi Disruptor. Psionic Wave launches a wave of energy in a line across the map, stunning enemies for 5 seconds and dealing 400 damage to them. Has a cooldown of 240 seconds.
Level 9 "Starport Upgrade Cache." Unlocks Wraith and Valkyrie upgrades at the tech lab.
- Wraiths get Magnum Thrusters (movement speed +100%) and Advanced Targeting Systems (attack speed +50%). Valkyries get Hellfire Boosters (splash radius of attacks +50) and Armored Warheads (Valkyrie attacks ignore armor)
Level 10 "Unlock: Battlecruiser." Unlocks Fusion Core and Battlecruiser for production.
Level 11 "Extended Contract." Doubles timed life of Spartan Company to 120 seconds and generates two more Goliaths when using Calldown.
Level 12 "Battlecruiser Upgrade Cache." Unlocks the Defensive Matrix and Missile Pod abilities for research at the Fusion Core.
Level 13 "Psionic Dominance." Unlocks the Psionic Dominance ability at the Psi Disruptor. Psionic Dominance converts non-heroic enemy units in the area of effect to DuGalle's control for 15 seconds. Has a cooldown of 360 seconds.
Level 14 "Death From Above." Halves the time it takes a launched nuke to drop. Ghost Academies can store up to 3 nukes at once.
Level 15: "Behemoth Reactor." DuGalle's Battlecruisers start with full energy and have their energy regen rate doubled.

May do one for Alarak later.

[Drake Clawfang]

And here we are.

Highlord Alarak

Initial units: Zealot, Sentry, Immortal, Colossus, Void Ray.

Note: Alarak cannot build photon cannons or shield batteries.

Special Abilities: Alarak can call down attacks from a Tal'darim Mothership. This functions identically to the Spear of Adun's abilities.

Solar Lance: Works identically to the campaign. Costs 50 energy, 120 second cooldown.
Mass Recall: Works identically to the campaign. Costs 50 energy, 60 second cooldown.


Talents

Level 1: "Aggressive Doctrine." Alarak's combat units deal +25% damage when attacking a mission objective unit or structure.
Level 2: "Righteous Fury." Alarak's combat units gain +5% attack speed each time they attack, stacking up to +20%.
Level 3: "Calldown: Mothership." Pinpoint a spot of open ground and call a Tal'darim Mothership with timed life. Lasts 60 seconds, costs 100 energy, 240 second cooldown. Mothership has the Planet Cracker, Blink, and Time Bomb abilities.
Level 4: "Twilight Council Upgrade Cache." Unlocks upgrades for the Zealot and Sentry at the Twilight Council. Zealots and Sentries are replaced with Fanatics and Havocs subsequently.
- Zealots get Charge and Bane Blades (+3 damage, -0.3 attack cooldown). Havocs get Squad Sight and Target Lock.
Level 5: "Unlock: Ascendant." Unlocks Ascendant and Templar Archives for production. Ascendant comes with Psionic Orb and Sacrifice abilities.
Level 6: "Chaotic Torrent." Allows the Chaotic Torrent ability from the top menu. 75 energy, 180 second cooldown, deals 100 damage to all enemies in target area and halves their attack and movement rates for 20 seconds.
Level 7: "Templar Archives Upgrade Cache." Unlocks Ascendant's Mind Blast and Bloodstone Amulet abilities. Bloodstone Amulet causes Ascendants to spawn with full energy and doubles their energy regen.
Level 8: "Robotics Bay Upgrade Cache" Unlocks the Scatter Cannon and Charged Blast upgrades for the Immortal and Colossus. Immortals and Colossi are replaced with Vanguards and Wrathwalkers subsequently.
- Vanguards retain the Immortal's Barrier and have Scatter Cannons as an auto-cast active ability, similar to the Annihilator's Shadow Cannon. Colossi gain Charged Blast as an air attack and keep their beams for ground enemies.
Level 9: "Unlock: Skylord." Unlocks Skylord (Tal'darim Carrier) for production.
- Skylord's passive ability has them deal increased damage to ground targets.
Level 10: "Soul of Strength." Doubles Tal'darim Mothership's timed life, reduces cooldown by 60 seconds.
Level 11: "Blood Fury." Alarak's combat units deal +50% damage when their shields are depleted.
Level 12: "Stargate Upgrade Cache." Unlocks the Chain Beam and Scar Beam upgrades. Upgrades Void Ray to Destroy subsequently.
- Void Ray's attacks now bounce to hit three extra targets, still keeps Void Ray's damage bonuses. Skylord's Scar Beam deals continous damage to target for 10 seconds, up to 300 damage. Cooldown of 60, range 7.
Level 13: "Unlock: Mothership." Unlocks Tal'darim Mothership for production. Mothership is identical to the campaign.
Level 14: "Soul Siphon." Alarak's combat units heal +20 HP and shields when they kill something.
Level 15: "Vengeance for the Betrayed." Alarak's combat units gain +25% attack speed when under attack.

May be overpowered, but I wanted to emphasize hte Tal'darim's brutality and aggression.

[TheProgramer]

Infested Stukov

This Commander's theme is swarming the battlefield with disposable infested units, supported by Infestors and Stukov.

Units
Infested Terran
Infested Marine
Abberation
Infestor
[Infested Bunker Monster]
Infested SCV
Drone
Overlord
Overseer

Buildings
Command Center
Supply Depot
Refinery
Extractor
Barracks
Engineering Bay
Evolution Chamber
Infestation Pit
Bunker
Missile Turret

Hero Unit: Infested Stukov has the following abilities:

Corrosive Blast - Deal 200 damage to target enemy unit or structure. Affected unit or structure takes 50% extra damage from attacks for 5 seconds.
Spawn Infested Marines - Spawn four infested marines with timed life. Infested marines last 30 seconds.
Regeneration Aura - Units in a radius around the caster gain +3 life regeneration per second. Also affects the caster.

Talents

Level 1 - Infested: All of Stukov's Buildings are units are Infested, and the Command Center spawns Larva

Level 2 - Spawn Scourge: Unlocks Stukov's Spawn Scourge Ability - Spawn 2 scourge with timed life. Scourge last 30 seconds.

Level 3 - Speed Aura: Regeneration Aura now also increases move speed of nearby friendly units by 30%

Level 4 - Evolution Chamber Upgrade Cache: Unlocks the following upgrades at the Evolution Chamber:
Unstable Metabolism - Infested Terrans explode upon death for very small splash damage.
Improved Heroic Fortitude - Stukov's gains + 200 life. Life regeneration rate increased by 200%

Level 5 - New Unit: Infested Bunker Monster:
Transformation Upgrade on the Infested Bunker that costs resources. Infested Bunker Monster is a durable unit that deal heavy ranged damage.

Level 6 - Engineering Bay Upgrade Cache: Unlocks the following upgrades at the Engineering Bay:
Servo Overload - Increase Infested Terrans and Infested Marines move speed.
Muscular Suit Augment - Increase Infested Terrans and Infested Marines attack speed.

Level 7 Grooved Weapons: Increases Range of Infested Terrans by 2 and Infested Marines by 1

Level 8 - Protective Cover: Abberations Grant +2 Armor to units positioned beneath them

Level 9 - Infested Stukov Upgrade Cache: Unlocks the following upgrades at the Evolution Chamber:
Acid Splash - Stukov's attacks deal splash damage in a small area
Improved Aura - Stokov's Regeneration Aura now heals for +6 a second.

Level 10 - Twin Spawn: Stukov's Spawn Scourge Ability now Spawns 4 Scourge. Scourge now deal 50% of their damage in a small area upon death.

Level 11 - Infestor Upgrade Cache: Unlocks the following upgrades at the Infestation Pit
Brain Borers - Neural Parasite is Permanent
Expanded Egg - Spawn Infested Marine spawns an Infested Terran as well
Extracellular Enzyme - Fungal growth lasts 100% longer

Level 12 - Tortured Residents: Barracks periodically spawn 1 Infested Marine

Level 13 - Durable Storage Sack: Infestors spawn 4 Infested Terrans upon death

Level 14 - Ability Efficiency: Stukov Regenerates Energy 100% faster

Level 15 - Infested Incubation: All friendly units spawn a broodling upon death.

Notes

Both Supply Depots and Overlords provide supply.
All units regenerate life and are classified as biological.
Infested Terrans only cost minerals, Infested Marines cost both minerals and gas.
Great synergy with other Zerg commanders as the creep buff stacs with Stukov's and his Level 15 talent goes great with Zerglings and Banelings.
The Infested Bunker model is already available in the editor, as well as Infested dialog for every Terran unit, and infested models for every Terran building.

[Drake Clawfang]

Sorry to disappoint, but Stukov is already in the editor. You can check him out if you like.