Is Scouting & Detection Balanced?

[DemolitionSquid]

So lately, especially with the boost to Turrets, I've had a BITCH of a time scouting Terran.

As a Protoss player any real scouting options I have (after my first Probe) are limited to Detecting Observers, sacrificial Phoenix or Void Rays, and luck of the draw Colossi. Cannons are great for detection, but still blow pretty hard as base defense.

A Terran player can simply scan me from his OCC and see everything I'm doing, albeit at the expense of a MULE and possibly missing tech in the corner of my base. He can also build Reapers or Banshees, and get Ravens as mobile detection. Turrets slaughter all 4 Protoss scouts quite well.

Zerg get Overseers and Changelings which can be built in decent numbers, and Spore Crawlers detect.

So, what do you guys think about this dicotomy? And any advice for a Protoss who can't crack a lockdowned Terran to scout his tech choice? Banshee rush is so gay.

[Gradius]

I've never had problems with observers. There's always a hole you can use to sneak into his base. I do a fast Robo Bay and Observer against Terran, so I suppose that's part of it.

[DemolitionSquid]

I've never had problems with observers. There's always a hole you can use to sneak into his base. I do a fast Robo Bay and Observer against Terran, so I suppose that's part of it.

I get an Obs as fast as possible to make sure I can sneak one into their base. But you can cover a lot of space with just a few Turrets. And if they catch your Obs' ripple, you can bet they'll be putting up a turret under it. Most Terran I play are totally locked from Obs just a short bit after their first Starport, which is useless to me because they could just be going MedEvac or getting Banshees and I have no way to know.

It also doesn't help Observers are 100 gas now >_<

[XSOLDIER]

Have a sentry make Phoenix Hallucination, and you've got a scout for 75 energy.


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[DemolitionSquid]

Have a sentry make Phoenix Hallucination, and you've got a scout for 75 energy.


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True. I should use Hallucination more... hum. But If I'm building Sentries vs Terran their energy is for GS and using FF to trap Reapers and Hellions.

[XSOLDIER]

True. I should use Hallucination more... hum. But If I'm building Sentries vs Terran their energy is for GS and using FF to trap Reapers and Hellions.

True, but a Hallucinated Phoenix every so often, especially if you're apparently willing to sacrifice it (as long as he doesn't notice the ruse, since it shouldn't be attacking), may make him move towards more AA defense (unless he's got a really good idea of what you're doing), and give you some advantage on the ground to make up for the energy not going in to FF/GS.

I think that the spell has a lot of un-tapped potential.


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[pure.Wasted]

True. I should use Hallucination more... hum. But If I'm building Sentries vs Terran their energy is for GS and using FF to trap Reapers and Hellions.

That's like saying "If I'm building an OC it's for MULE." Well, yes, but in that emergency scenario, when push comes to shove, I can waste one MULE on a Scan. The same goes for the Sentry.

And I do think, as Grad said, you're overestimating just how many Turrets most Ts get, and how effective they are at placing them.

[SaharaDrac]

How is it that Overseers are a good scouting opton but the invisible Observer is not? There's a reason they put the observer speed upgrade in the game and then reduced it's cost. They want you to use it. They want you to use your Robotics Facililty for things besides rolling your eyes back in your head and hitting the Immortal button.

[DemolitionSquid]

Overseer's are horrible scouts.

Changelings, however, are not.

[XSOLDIER]

Each race has a spell for scouting, but the Protoss's is the least obvious, because it has so many other options.

Scanner Sweep:
• Most accurate- point & click.
• Won't be noticed easily.
• Shortest duration (12 seconds).

Changeling:
• Fairly Accurate- Involves changing a unit, and then moving it into the enemy base.
• Won't be noticed easily, (the unit disguise).
• Longest duration (150 seconds).
• Takes away from Macro.

Hallucination
• Fairly Accurate- comprable to any other scout unit of the type.
• Almost guaranteed to be noticed.
• Moderate duration (60 seconds).
• Can also be used to bluff.

The Protoss get the only detection spell that will be noticed, because their detection unit is constantly cloaked. The spell is also has another purpose, whereas Changeling doesn't and SS takes away from MULE, so it's rather versatile, although not a very apparent option.

(You could also probably sneak an Observer much more easily in while they're preoccupied with the fake Phoenix in their base), which, with an unlimited duration, gives you the upper hand as long as it's able to remain in place.


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