StarCraft: Legacy has conducted an exclusive Q&A session with Karune, Blizzard’s RTS community manager. Eight of their questions were answered thoroughly, providing a lot of new information.

1) What is the current state of the Hydralisk? The current stats we have are tier 2-2.5, 100 minerals, 75 gas, 80-90 HP, and 8-10 dmg with no special abilities. Compared to the Roach, the Hydralisk appears inferior in every way, with it’s only saving grace being GTA capability. However, because the Mutalisk is in the same tier, only slightly more expensive, and it can fly, the Hydralisk appears to be almost useless for such an iconic unit.

 

Actually, the Hydralisk has since been boosted up quite a bit in terms of damage. They currently have 80 hit points and have a ground attack of 13 + 3 versus armored and an air attack of 12 + 5 versus armored. The Hydralisk also has a range of 6 and moves at a ‘fast’ speed, with no need to upgrade with the speed bonus anymore. Roaches on the other hand, only have an attack of 10, half the Hydralisk’s range, and is slower to move as well. The new damage the Hydralisk is able to put out now makes it very dangerous, as Zerg players will be able to take out buildings with a pack of Hydras, with only a few volleys (same goes to Battlecruisers!). Nonetheless, they are extremely weak at 80 hit points, and thus need to always be protected. The new cost for Hydralisks are also 100 minerals and 100 gas.

The Hydralisk of StarCraft 2, not unlike its old incarnation, is a well rounded, multi-purpose unit for the Zerg race. While its price has been increased, most noticeably on the Vespene Gas front (from 25 to 100), the Hydralisk now comes with both available StarCraft 1 upgrades pre-installed. As well, it has been given a damage boost – in damage points as well as in attack type: The StarCraft 1’s Hydralisk attack was “explosive”, which only dealt 50% of the damage to small units. With 13 damage per attack, the new Hydralisk will be able to take down his nemesis, the Marine, in just 4 hits.

2) How does Anti-Gravity work on Zerg buildings since they’re organs intrinsically a part of the creep? They are essentially part of the creep. Do they lose health? Also, how does it affect burrowed units? Will they go back to being burrowed or not?

 

Zerg buildings will not take damage when they are lifted. Burrowed units lifted will become burrowed again when the ability finishes.

Karune reveals a new way to detect burrowed units – Anti-Grav! The Nullifier will be able to “explore” important locations and reveal hidden underground Zerg units for the cost of some energy.

3) With the Thor back to having both anti-air and anti-ground attacks, will he be capable of discharging both weapons simultaneously at a Colossus? Or will only the stronger attack affect it? If it is only the stronger attack, is that dynamically chosen by the game?

Any unit with both ground and air attacks will attack the Colossus with the stronger of the two attacks, but not with both.

4) With the Medivac being a late-game tech, are Terran infantry impaired against the other two races in early to mid-game?

 
No, Terran is actually quite strong early game for a few different reasons. One, their tier 1 unit is ranged and is thus excellent at defending cliffs without being able to be countered without sight. Two, the new supply depots are excellent at building the perfect barricade in early game. Three, Marauders are very tough and are excellent at winning heavy micromanaged battles, preventing units from reaching your Marines.

5) Does the Ghost’s EMP Grenade ability function any differently from the Science Vessel’s EMP ability from StarCraft Vanilla?

Nope, the EMP currently works the same as the EMP from the original StarCraft.

  

6) What special abilities, in the current build, can be cast from inside a bunker? Can a nuke be called down?

In a bunker, units will be able to use Stim Pack, call down Nukes, Sniper, and use EMP.

The news about the Ghost being able to call down nukes from within the safety of bunkers has been discussed before. This is a concern for the enemies of the Terran, since it’s going to be impossible to figure out which Bunker actually holds the attacking Ghost, before even mentioning the unbalanced nature of the Bunker’s protection. Since the Ghost has to be killed for the Nuke to be disabled, this is a big issue. here’s what Karune said about the subject last time:

Honestly, this is completely up to balance, and of course if it proves too difficult to prevent or avoid, I’m pretty sure it will be changed.

7) Does the Jackal’s attack damage friendly units and/or have AoE capabilities?

 

The Jackal’s attack will only damage enemy units in its area of effect. Technically, it will target a set unit and all units in that line of fire will take damage.

This is where being able to target the ground would come in useful. Since the Jackal has to target a specific unit which will determine the path of the linear Area of Effect weapon, it is limited in its ability to optimally utilize its fiery attack. Smart enemies of the Terran will quickly put distance between the units coming under attack and their friendly forces or just spread their units in advance.

8 ) The Zerg do not seem to have equal air power compared to the other two races. The Protoss have Carriers and Warp Rays; the Terrans have BCs. While the Mutalisk makes a great harassment unit, they simply cannot stand up to significant firepower. Corruptors and Swarm Guardians are strong in their respective fields, but they lack a single unit that can attack both air and ground well. This suggests that air units will be limited to defense and support for a primarily ground based army. The other two races seem more able to have a well-rounded primarily air-based army. Is this the case, and if so, will anything be done to give the Zerg stronger air options?

 

Zerg currently has the most powerful anti air unit in terms of damage per second, which is the Hydralisk. Furthermore, while the Mutalisks are not the stronger aerial fighter, they do have flexibility, being able to morph into Swarm Guardians for that additional ground damage and range when needed. Corruptors, in mass groups are also one of the most powerful air to air units, especially considering every unit you kill, makes the battle turn even more into your favor. While we have experimented with other types of Zerg air units, there are no plans to introduce any of them to the multiplayer version of the game.

Karune makes a good argument in favor of the Zerg, and lends strength to our assertion that the Hydralisk is a robust unit. The Zerg of StarCraft 1 do not have a capital ship, like the Battlecrusier or the Carrier, but that’s part of the charm of the game – every race has obvious disadvantages in some areas, but balance is still maintained between the three of them. It’s only natural for the Zerg of StarCraft 2 to rely on mass numbers, overwhelming their enemies with sheer force, without relying on any capital-class fliers.

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22 Comments to “Q&A 40.5: Robust Hydralisks, Friendly Jackals, Zerg Air Power”

1. bargamer — June 22, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
   

   It looks like the Jackal took a page from the Baneling’s book: Its AOE doesn’t hurt friendly units. :-p

   Noob question: Given the emphasis on quantity over quality, the Zerg should be cheaper per unit than the other races. Do we know that this holds true for the previous games, and will it stay that way for SC2?

   Furthermore, between the Hydralisk, Mutalisk, and the Corrupter, it looks like the Medivac Dropship will be in constant danger. How will it repair itself? Will we be able to bring alone an SCV to heal from inside, or can two Medivacs heal each other? It seems like the other two races will have to work to maintain their air superiority, as at any time, they can be Corrupted.

   While both the Medivac and the Bunker can hold units, can you use a unit’s Stim Pack, call down Nukes, Snipe, and use EMP while inside a Medivac? Would it be possible to hover a Medivac over a Bunker, to heal the units inside? If not, how difficult would it be micro, cycling units between the Bunker and the Medivac?

2. Yank31 — June 22, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
   

   I dont like what they’re doing with Hydras. And both range / speed upgrades preinstalled, while unit price is 100 / 100, dont like it either.

   So, no more scourges?

3. Kane — June 22, 2008 @ 5:01 pm
   

   Good questions, bargamer.

   Wouldn’t it be nice if the Terran had a jeep/armored car unit which functions like a bunker on wheels? That would make for a nice unit. Also, its attack would be a surprise since the enemy wouldn’t be able to know what units are inside till it attacks.

   I think 100/100 for Hydras is crazy too. They’ll drop it to 50 or 75 max for sure.

4. Dill — June 22, 2008 @ 7:05 pm
   

   I dont like what they’re doing with Hydras. And both range / speed upgrades preinstalled, while unit price is 100 / 100, dont like it either.

   The hydralisks do a lot more damage from this information.

   I wonder whether they have upgrades planned for this new hydralisk version provided it stays the same as now.

5. St4lk3r — June 22, 2008 @ 9:09 pm
   

   mmm… Zerg, medivac dropship… things looking akward…

   Nevertheless, I trust Blizzard 100%, they have never failed me, nor will they start now

6. bargamer — June 22, 2008 @ 11:09 pm
   

   @Kane: A vehicle that you don’t know the capabilities of, until it attacks… … … Didn’t they do that in one of the Command and Conquers?? Some kind of “time travel” theme? *Has only casual knowledge of C&C.*

7. Anonymous — June 23, 2008 @ 1:31 am
   

   Hear-here! Excellent updates.

   I wonder if the zerg are more dependent on Gas than other races.

8. THE_BANANA_REPUBLIC — June 23, 2008 @ 1:31 am
   

   Last comment by the banana

9. Anonymous — June 23, 2008 @ 8:22 am
   

   i agree that 100/100 is way too expensive for hydras, especially considering the magnitude they are produced in. a hike is fair enough due to the increased damage, but maybe something like 100/50 would be more appropriate. it is highly unusual (or was, in SC1) to have such a mainstream ground unit cost equal amounts of mins and gas.

10. Ryan — June 23, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
    

    Looks very very interesting. Sounds to me like the hydra might be a little bit overpriced, what do you think?

    The Jackal is going to be a very useful unit.

11. Lonia — June 23, 2008 @ 5:20 pm
    

    Personally I am a zerg fan but I don’t want to press “sh” all games all year.
    It happened in vanilla and still happening in fastest maps.

    I don’t like it.

12. i luv guardians — June 24, 2008 @ 4:02 am
    

    that hydralisk cost used to be a mutalisk cost. its way too crazy….

13. David Herbert — June 24, 2008 @ 4:24 am
    

    Amazing interview guys

14. sarge52 — June 24, 2008 @ 7:09 am
    

    i dont like the hydra as a tier2-tier2.5 unit as well… but i think they are just giving some insight into the process of “unit-calibration”.

    “Nevertheless, I trust Blizzard 100%, they have never failed me, nor will they start now!” – that statement fits perfectly well for me, too.

    little objection to q&a-#4: i DAMN miss the medic!!! how do they want to make terran no-base-map inside a cave or building without medics :>. PLZ bring back the medic!

15. Mike — June 24, 2008 @ 10:36 am
    

    Considero apropiado el hecho de que el hidralisk tenga ese ligero cambio, al no haber una unidad aerea extremadamente fuerte para los zerg el hidralisk seria una unidad util contra las otras 2 razas, ya era hora de que tuviera un papel mas protagonico…

    Los terran sin las medic van a tener una ligera desventaja y esperar para producir la medivac simplemente….no creo que tengas tiempo para hacerlo ya en ese momento….PUM!!!!! estas muerto asi que creo que la medic deberia volver a su forma natural….

16. Joe — June 24, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
    

    I am actually getting used to the medic’s absence.. and I’m liking it! Of course that’s when I’m playing Starcraft 2 in my mind… hmm, wait.. argh! Dragons are eating my Zerglings!

17. Nattaboy — June 24, 2008 @ 11:35 pm
    

    Why is the Hydra the most powerful Ground 2 Air? Shouldn’t the Thor be, since ITS A BIG F**KING MONSTER MACHINE WITH MASSIVE FLAK CANNONS?? to me, it doesn’t make sense…

    of course, I am a terran player.

    Im not completely sold with the Thor as an anti air platform (its basically a fancy goliath) but If thats whats fated for it, i would at least want it to be a weapon to strike fear into enemies.

    I reckon the Thor should be like a ground version of a BC, so you have BCs in the Air, and Thors on the ground, both with special upgrades and the like.

18. Lord_Of_Undead — June 25, 2008 @ 1:11 am
    

    One thing…just say a Ghost nukes a target in a bunker…what happens when the bunker is destroyed b4 the nuke is launched… will the Ghost appear from the bunker still targeting or will the nuke be canceled??

19. Lord_Of_Undead — June 25, 2008 @ 1:12 am
    

    for understanding, the ghost is in the buker nuking a spot elsewhere…my msg did look too clear…

20. SikTh — June 25, 2008 @ 2:49 am
    

    Who needs a walking Battlecruiser? The Thor should be something unique, not another unit you mass produce and attack move with.

21. meo123 — June 25, 2008 @ 9:18 am
    

    So why don’t we make the Thor movements controled by using keyboard to launch attack with combination of multiple key presses(Eg. with A+A+A+S the Thor will dash backward a bit then fire bunch of bullets ahead or A+A+A+S+D+A+W will make it spin and fire rockets around, etc). I know this is stupid but it’s also funny as hell.

22. Anonymous — February 16, 2009 @ 11:03 pm
    

    The Hydra’s time as the Zerg ground support is over. We already established that lurkers and banelings provide much better gtg support for Zerglings, especially against masses of infantry. The only interal base threat that that ground force(lings,lurkers,blings) would face would be the arriving Air Rebuttal (Anything that flies including Reapers and Vikings). The hydralisks new ground meelee should be a troubling sign that close range is going to be troubling especially considering that all meelee infantry (lings,lots,dt’s) are going to be moving in for the kill alot faster.

    One of the old dynamics I’m alittle more disappointed to be see going is the way Zerg would use offensive spells to break Terran choke points with combos of Defiler’s (both Swarm and Plague) with hydra’s and ultra’s for back-up, therefore completly taking away the Advantage of a large armada (BC’s/Carriers). But with the advance of Terran spotting potential (Radar towers expose “cloaked” Infestors with an actually detector) Siege tank/jackal implacement with be able to pop the before they get close enough to cast their spells.