Why the Protoss don't suck (Part I)
by Jeffrey Vaughn (Blizzard)
The biggest point of contention right now seems to be the Protoss, which some players (including non-beta testers? *boggle*) feel are too weak, either in the early game or the mid-game, depending on who you talk to. This weekend I played a lot of games both as and against the Protoss, testing out different strategies to see if this was the case, and I don't think that it is. The Protoss are more difficult to play in one way (which I'll explain in a moment) but overall I found them to be just as effective as the Terrans or Zerg. There's a reason why the Protoss are the final species you play during the Starcraft single-player campaign: they require a thorough knowledge of every unit to use effectively.----------
Anal-retentive author's note: Throughout these two posts I've exclusively used the masculine third-person pronouns, but this is solely for convenience and should not be considered sexism on my part. ;)
----------The Protoss Flaw
The primary Protoss weakness is inflexibility. The disadvantage of having expensive units isn't the cost (presumably the higher cost is compensated by greater ability) but the commitment that each unit represents. Protoss are the weakest of the three species when it comes to the "Oh, shoot!" factor. The "Oh, shoot!" factor is the ability of a species to react to an unexpected strategy (including early-game rushes.) At $100 per Zealot, a Protoss player who needs to build up a quick military during a surprise attack is going to have problems: he has to wait until he has $100 before he can start building a new unit, and that unit is going to take marginally longer to be produced. A Terran or Zerg player in the same situation only needs to wait for $50 to be harvested before he can react, and while the unit(s) that the Terran/Zerg player gets for that $50 are no match for a Zealot, the earlier firepower just might save a worker or two. Later in the game, even one Protoss unit represents a lot of resources, and the loss of a unit means more to the Protoss than any other species. A PROTOSS PLAYER MUST PLAN AHEAD.Rushing
I played several Protoss/Zerg and Protoss/Terran matches on an open 96x96 map (no fog of war) to test early rushing tactics, and every single time the Protoss player was able to effectively deal with the rush. (For those wondering, the build order was 3 more Probes, start Pylon, Gateway, Pylon, Gateway, produce Zealots as required and move on up the tech tree while your opponent takes it.) Even before you're able to produce some Cannons to back up the Zealots your opponent has little chance. The best part of it is that those Zealots that are being produced are only going to get more effective later in the game. (You'll see why in my next post.)Some people would argue that the Zerg player has the advantage in that he has dictated the Protoss player's build strategy-- but this is always the case with rushes. If two Zerg players are fighting, and one rushes the other, the defending player must build up a force to save himself, and won't be able to advance up the tech tree as quickly as he might have liked. That's why rushing works: you're gambling that your opponent is concentrating on his economy and technology instead of a military. The Zerg player's advantage is that if he has $75 minerals saved up to start on a new building and he gets attacked, he can spend $50 to get a quick (albeit weak) defense going. The Protoss player with $75 saved up has to sit and watch as his town gets pounded until he has enough cash to change gears and produce a Zealot.
My next post discusses each Protoss unit in detail. If you are the type of player that prefers to discover new strategies on your own, I would strongly urge you NOT to read it. It does contain strategic "spoilers" and I'm only posting it because the beta testers do not have the luxury of having played through 20+ missions before trying to command the Protoss fleet.
Part II: Warning! Spoiler!
by Jeffrey Vaughn (Blizzard)Starcraft is evolving over the course of the beta test, and we're implementing changes through various Battle.net patches. Before we release a patch, however, we test it internally and usually make more adjustments. As such, the values that I have listed here for units might not match those in the current version of the beta (or the shipping version of Starcraft...) Hallucination in particular is undergoing a significant change.
Zealot
In my opinion the Zealot is the most cost-effective unit in the game. For $100 you get an 80/80 unit (80 shields, 80 hp) with a 16 strength fast attack. One Zealot can give and receive more damage than 4 Zergling or 2 Marines. Upgrades are especially vital for the Zealot: his attack is a two-hit strike, effectively doubling the benefits of weapon upgrades. A fully upgraded Zealot does ([8 base + 3 from upgrades] x2 for doublestrike=) 22 damage with each attack! The Zealot also attacks very quickly-- twice as fast as the Tank's normal shot. Having such massive firepower in a tiny package also means that the Protoss can devastate enemy bases-- 8 Zealots fit inside a Shuttle-- and I would argue that they are the deadliest cargo a single transport can carry. ** All other Protoss units should be considered support for your Zealots. **Dragoon
The Zealot's only weakness is his lack of range and air defense, and that's where the Dragoon comes in. The Dragoon is equally effective against air and ground targets, but it will lose to units that specialize in ground attacks (like the Ultralisk and Siege Tank.) They should be used to keep air units away from your Zealots and to provide long-ranged support, not as front-line combat troops. The Protoss warriors encased inside the Dragoons have had their day of glory already, and must concede the battle to their able-bodied brethren.Reaver
The Reaver is the Protoss tower-buster, and can be used against masses of units (or powerful single units) but its slow speed makes this dangerous. Reavers are best used in pairs to instantly evaporate buildings. Always protect your Reavers or prepare an escape route (Shuttle, Recall) for them.High Templar
The High Templar has tempered the rage of the Zealot and refocused it, making him a weak combat unit but capable of using potent psionic abilities. Psionic Storm is a great defensive spell, since it can be cast on your own town with impunity. Using it against mobile enemy units is trickier, but an experienced War2 player can give you a few tips.Hallucination
As it is currently implemented in the beta, isn't all that hot. We are making a minor change to it, though, that I think will make it the first High Templar spell you research: we've altered the two Hallucinations produced by the ability so that each one has the same HP and Shields as the original unit, but takes double damage from all attacks (and is destroyed by "spells".) What does this mean? For 75 energy, you can effectively double the HP and Shields of any unit. You can generate multiple "dummy" units to make your opponents waste their Yamato Cannons/Broodlings/EMP/etc. Besides the obvious combat uses, Hallucinations can also be used to falsely beef up secondary bases, scout, make diversionary raids, and more.Archon
The High Templar has not forsakaken his war rage, and two Templar can merge into the Archon, the physical personification of Protoss fury. The Archon is especially devastating to smaller units like the Marine and Zergling-- its area-effect attack can destroy a cluster of Zergling even as they attempt to close. The Archon fears neither air nor ground troops, but it can be crippled or destroyed by the Zerg Queen and Terran Science Vessel. It is absolutely vital that you dominate the air before you summon an Archon. A Carrier/Archon combination is very effective, as is a Scout escort flying just ahead of the Archon to detect and harass incoming Queens/Vessels.Scout
The Scout is expensive and slow to build, but more than a match for the Mutalisk and Wraith. They work best when used as skirmish troops and escorts for your Carriers and Arbiters. Don't forget to upgrade their sight range!Carrier
The mighty Carrier is very expensive, and vulnerable to a concentrated attack, but it is (to quote a fellow Blizzard employee) "the hammer that drives in the final nail." Always, ALWAYS upgrade your Carrier capacity before you send them into battle, and NEVER send them in alone. The strength of the Carrier lies in its multiple Interceptors, which not only provide good firepower but also draw fire from enemy towers and anti-air units, keeping your other troops alive.Arbiter
The Arbiter, like the Carrier, is first and foremost a -support- vessel, not intended to go into combat alone. Its most obvious use is providing cloaking for your other troops, but don't overlook its two other special abilities-- Recall and Stasis. I like to keep an Arbiter back at my base with a hotkey assigned to it, so I can Recall troops from anywhere on the map. This keeps my base defended and also lets me pull out of a sticky spot quickly. Recalling a squad of Dragoons can turn the tide on an opponent who tries to air-attack your Arbiter.Stasis
Stasis is an unusual ability in that it doesn't really do anything in and of itself. It must be combined with other tactics to be useful. It is the Protoss answer to their "Oh, shoot!" weakness. ;) Attacked by something you're not ready to deal with? Throw 'em in Stasis. Horde of Zergling coming down your throat and your Archons are elsewhere? Throw 'em in Stasis and pick off the stragglers. Just get EMPd? Throw the poor Archon in Stasis and chase down that Science Vessel. Zap those pesky Scourges and bring in some Scouts to pick them off when they activate. Stasis is intended to destroy support and break up your opponent's delicate paper-rock-scissors army.Observer
Upgrade your Observers and saturate the map with them. Their only real vulnerability is to Zerg Scourges, so you need to make sure you keep them away from enemy Overlords, but with both speed/sight upgrades they can avoid most other trouble.Photon Cannon
Although it is the most efficient tower in the game, the Cannon, like all other Protoss weapons, cannot operate all by itself. It has a fairly slow rate of fire, leaving it vulnerable to attack by masses of smaller troops, and it is outranged by Siege Tanks and Guardians. They should be scattered around your base to provide Detection and fire support. Don't forget to defend your back! Many players are still having problems defending against flying transports. Never assume opponents cannot break through your front line. A Cannon or two guarding your Probes and Nexus is great insurance and can keep Ghosts from infiltrating your base.
