The incomplete story of the Zerg Spellcasters

[Aldrius]

I meant a small radius (like forcefield) that could be cast several times (low energy cost). Think of it as placing many of those smoke line of sight blockers.

I suppose that could work... it'd be hard to cast a linear sight-blocker. I think just having circular hollow ones would work better. (Unless that's what you meant) Still work like force-field, but you could cast a single one and put all your zerglings under it. Especially if you're up against a Terran without Starport tech yet, they'll have to send in a spotter to see them. Or waste a scan.

Or cast it, stick your Hydralisks underneath it, then spot the mass-ranged army of your opponent with your fast-moving Overseer. Your long-ranged Hydralisks (or Lurkers, if they're put back into the game) can completely annihilate the enemy army before they even reach your forces.

It'd block charge too. And with Hydras, if they try to use an aerial spotter they can shoot it down.

Or for sieging an enemy base, with let's say Banelings. You can cast a Spore Cloud over their static defenses. Which will probably be at the edge of their base. They can't see out, and the Banelings can simply roll up to their defensive line without fear of ranged fire.



Okay, so er... try to ignore how horrible this drawing is and try to imagine the yellow circles as probes, the orange one as a nexus, blue ones as pylons, red ones as photon cannons, purple ones as Overseers, green ones as banelings and hollow purple circles as spore clouds.

In this instance, the Overseer can see into the Spore Clouds, because they can fly. The Photon cannons and pylons can't see out of the spore clouds. The banelings can't see into them either, but A) They don't need to, they can just walk into them and blast whatever is inside with melee range. B) they can see in with the Overseers watching. Also, the Nexus and Probes can't see past the two clouds (I drew it weird, but the spore cloud should go straight along the left cliff). So in essence the Protoss has completely lost sight of this little valley just outside his base, allowing the banelings to completely mop the floor with the cannons and Nexus.

[Todie]

thats a quite beautiful idea, but its very far fetched due to one single spotters ability to spoil the entire plan - and how easily it will typically be able to do this, given the average LoS of air units.

maybe if you needed detectors to see through it? (that or units within it obviously)

[Nicol Bolas]

but its very far fetched due to one single spotters ability to spoil the entire plan - and how easily it will typically be able to do this, given the average LoS of air units.

Overseers only require a Lair. It's OK for their abilities to work only in specific circumstances. When Overseers become available, air units are far from ubiquitous.

[Aldrius]

maybe if you needed detectors to see through it? (that or units within it obviously)

Nah, it's a sight blocker. It needs to work like a sight-blocker does.

Maybe the Overseer's third ability could be optical flare. Then it'd be able to stop a single spotter at least.

Something like:

Spawn Changeling - 50 energy

The overseer can create a changeling, which can spy on enemy forces.

Spore Cloud - 75 energy

Creates a spore cloud at a target area. Blocks the sight range of all ground units into or out of the cloud. Lasts 20 seconds.

Corrosive Flare - 75 energy

Blasts an enemy unit's optical sensors/eyes with a toxic pollen. The pollen disrupts the sight of the target unit, preventing them from detecting and reducing their sight range to 1 for 45 seconds.

As usual numbers are all rough estimates. Of course an Optical Flare-esque ability will be remarkably MORE powerful now that units can't hit what they can't see (3 colossi? 3 Corrosive Flares and an army of Hydralisks later)... so maybe that'd be too strong. But I think they might have changed that... my stalkers shot up a cliff at a Colossi that was shooting at it. Of course I had totally lost track of my Observer, so maybe it was there and that's how I did that...

...I'm not a very attentive player.

[RamiZ]

Maybe the Overseer's third ability could be optical flare. Then it'd be able to stop a single spotter at least.

WoW! now that is an nice IDEA! Even if it was their second ability, imagine Overseers having something like Optical Flare in small radius, like Force Field. So it would very a like Spore Cloud. I like it! And make it last for some period, like 15 sec or something. That way, you won't just shoot and forget, but you will do some plans on attack. If they all get "blinded" they should move back, since they can only fight in melee range, and with combination of Infestor's Fungal Growth, you can make deadly move!

Really like it, but of course it have t be some kind of balanced, like that it would cost 150 energy. And of course it can be negated with reveal or units that aren't affected with it.

[Aldrius]

WoW! now that is an nice IDEA! Even if it was their second ability, imagine Overseers having something like Optical Flare in small radius, like Force Field. So it would very a like Spore Cloud. I like it! And make it last for some period, like 15 sec or something. That way, you won't just shoot and forget, but you will do some plans on attack. If they all get "blinded" they should move back, since they can only fight in melee range, and with combination of Infestor's Fungal Growth, you can make deadly move!

Really like it, but of course it have t be some kind of balanced, like that it would cost 150 energy. And of course it can be negated with reveal or units that aren't affected with it.

Why couldn't it just work the way it did in SC1? (With a duration because sight is so much more powerful in SC2 than SC1) Then it'd be very different from Spore Cloud and it could have both!!

And be the master of vision that I have... envisioned. *Laughs lightly*

...sorry.

[Krikkitone]

That is an Idea that would be good for the Overseer... (and something that is missing..ie Blind)

Some type of Blind should go on them whether it is
Spore cloud:
Ground Units in an area are blind and invisible to other ground units..effect is on the area itself
and/or
'Flare spores'...on single target or all units in aoe
Units become blinded for time period

Note: I wouldn't make spore cloud a Hollow circle, I'd make it a Solid circle... ie a unit that is inside can't see or be seen (by other ground units)...this works because it is cast by the Overseer, so it won't significantly limit the Zerg themselves.


if they only had one of those two abilities, it would be interesting if they could temporarily make a unit/building a detector as well.

Possibly even losing their own natural detection for greater diversity.

[RamiZ]

Why couldn't it just work the way it did in SC1? (With a duration because sight is so much more powerful in SC2 than SC1) Then it'd be very different from Spore Cloud and it could have both!!

And be the master of vision that I have... envisioned. *Laughs lightly*

...sorry.

Well cause there is no point to have 2 very similar abilities. And it won't have effect if it is an single unit cast, since if there is an unit that doesn't have debuff, the Blinded unit will actually see cause of that unit. So in fights with more then 10 units, it will be worthless... And with duration it will be even more worthless if it is single unit cast.

This way(the way I suggested) it is quite similar to the spore cloud but it can't be double edge ability and it would cost a lot, meaning you won't just spam it. I think it is more balanced and more useful this way, just my opinion. But I doubt it that Blizzard will make this in game, lets just hope, they are reading this! xD

[Todie]

that looks like one interesting overseer alduris.

you should include this suggestion in some beta-tester feedback.

[RamiZ]

Yeah, that suggestion should be posted on SC2 B.net forums.