Brood Lord mechanic

[Nicol Bolas]

After watching some of the new videos, I think I've figured out how the Brood Lord works.

He produces Mantalings like other units might produce energy: automatically. He can carry up to 2 Mantalings. But he can throw however many Mantalings he has produced simultaneously. So the first Brood Lord attack is basically double damage, always.

[PsiWarp]

So... the Mantalings act like damage modifiers (25 x 2 on first shot?)?


-Psi

[DemolitionSquid]

After watching some of the new videos, I think I've figured out how the Brood Lord works.

He produces Mantalings like other units might produce energy: automatically. He can carry up to 2 Mantalings. But he can throw however many Mantalings he has produced simultaneously. So the first Brood Lord attack is basically double damage, always.

The exact damage isn't clear.

The Brood Lord does 25 damage per attack. Each attack launches a Mantaling (who each do 4 damage when they attack) except the first attack which shoots 2 Mantalings.

So we can't be sure until we can test it whether the damage the Brood Lord does is based on how many Mantalings is shoots (ie. 50 dmg for 2) or if it is always set at 25 damage, regardless of its the first attack or not.

[Triceron]

The scariest thing is how efficient it is in tying up marines and other early tier units. In some of the vids, the marines were so occupied with mantalings that the hydras were pretty much getting free shots in.

A couple brood lords would potentially be able to tie up a Plantery Fortress while you move in banelings or other units.

[MattII]

A couple brood lords would potentially be able to tie up a Plantery Fortress while you move in banelings or other units.

PF can't hit air, and even if it could the BL would outrange it. I can see them tying up Thors though.

[Nicol Bolas]

PF can't hit air, and even if it could the BL would outrange it.

It's mostly that the PF will likely shoot at the Mantalings, unless the opposing player explicitly micros it to shoot the Banelings. This lets more Banelings get close enough to explode on it.

[Norfindel]

It's mostly that the PF will likely shoot at the Mantalings, unless the opposing player explicitly micros it to shoot the Banelings. This lets more Banelings get close enough to explode on it.

How many Banelings do you need to blow a PF? They deal 80 dmg, so that's at least 19 Banelings, not counting those dying by being to close to the splashed area. That's at least 950m 475g to destroy a PF with Banelings.

Zerg needs Dark Swarm for this, and we're talking about an early building... And even with DS, splash did apply anyways, right?

[n00bonicPlague]

IIRC Banelings are immune to friendly splash.

[Norfindel]

IIRC Banelings are immune to friendly splash.

I was referring to splash from the PF attack, shooting at whatever is there, and taking out some Banelings by "collateral" damage.

[Nicol Bolas]

I was referring to splash from the PF attack, shooting at whatever is there, and taking out some Banelings by "collateral" damage.

The PF splash is not that big. And there's no reason to march your Banelings through the line of fire, especially when the whole point of using the BL here was to serve as a distraction for your Banelings.

And the point still stands; the PF will be busy shooting at disposable units while the real killers can move in unopposed.

Now personally, I wouldn't spend Banelings on a PF. I'd prefer to use a bunch of Zerglings, coupled with a damage boost from Acid Spores from an Overseer. Zerglings that do 10 damage apiece are a frightening thing indeed.