A Call to Action was announced in 2012 by Blizzard Entertainment. It involves a focused playtest which doesn't use the PTR system.
The changes are tested on variant maps.
Blizzard believes all matchups below pro-level are balanced, but that pro-level zerg are struggling to scout early and defend against all-in rushes; Blizzard needs to improve the situation without making them overpowered. Blizzard wants to test only small adjustments that will affect pro-level play.
As of January, 2014, Blizzard began testing a new balance testing extension mod, which allows other maps to be tested. In order to activate the mod
- Navigate to Browse Maps on the Custom Games menu,
- Select a map and click the Create with Mod button in the lower right corner,
- Choose to sort by Blizzard Mods from the dropdown list at the top of the screen.
- Select the “Balance Test Mod” Extension from the list and then hit Create Game.[1]
Change Log
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Deadwing LE
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March 5, 2015
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Balance Test Map Changes
Balance Test Map: “Deadwing LE (2.1.8 Balance v1.1)”
This is an update. For a complete list of changes please also reference our post regarding Balance v1.0.
Zerg
- Locust
- Locust duration decreased from 30 seconds to 25 seconds
- Viper
- Blinding Cloud range increased from 10 to 11
Protoss
- Tempest
- Bonus damage versus massive air units removed[2]
January 29, 2015
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Balance Test Map Changes
Balance Test Map: “Deadwing LE (2.1.8 Balance v1.0)”
Zerg
- Swarm Host
- Cost modified from 200 Minerals and 100 Vespene to 100 Minerals and 200 Vespene
- Supply cost increased from 3 to 4
- Movement speed increased from 2.25 to 2.95
- Swarm Hosts now require the Burrow research in order to burrow
- Swarm Hosts no longer collide with Locusts
- Spawn Locusts – This ability has been reworked
- Auto-cast removed, Spawn Locusts must now be manually cast.
- Spawn Locusts cooldown increased from 25 seconds to 60 seconds
- Casting Spawn Locusts no longer requires a Swarm Host to be burrowed
- Locust
- Weapon speed increased from .8 to .6
- Locust duration increased from 15 seconds (+10 seconds with Enduring Locusts) to 30 seconds
- Infestation Pit
- Enduring Locusts – This upgrade has been removed
- New upgrade: Flying Locusts - Allows Locusts spawned by Swarm Hosts to fly. Flying Locusts can use Swoop to land and attack
- Requires Lair
- Cost is 200 Minerals, 200 Vespene, 160 seconds
- Allows Locusts spawned by Swarm Hosts to fly. Flying Locusts can use Swoop to land and attack
- Swoop: Orders the Locust to land at the targeted location, allowing it to attack
Terran
- Raven
- Point Defense Drone duration decreased from 180 seconds to 20 seconds[3]
December 15, 2014
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Terran
- Widow Mine
- Widow mine splash damage decreased from 40 +40 shields to 40 +20 shields.[4]
Overgrowth LE
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July 17, 2014
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Terran
- Widow Mine
- Splash radius is now 1.75. There are no longer 50% or 25% damage zones.
- Splash damage is now 40 (+40 Shields) for the full 1.75 splash radius.
- Thor
- Changed to prioritize their AA weapon over the AG weapon
Protoss
- Mothership Core
- Time Warp duration decreased from 30 to 15 seconds[5]
July 11, 2014
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Terran
- Widow Mine
- Splash radius increased from 1.25/1.5/1.75 to 1.5/2/2.5
- Thor
- Changed to prioritize their AA weapon over the AG weapon
Protoss
- Mothership Core
- Time Warp duration decreased from 30 to 15 seconds[6]
Merry Go Round LE
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May 21, 2014
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Terran
Zerg
- Brood Lord gains the Frenzied ability
- Frenzied is changed to also be immune to movement altering abilities[7]
May 14, 2014
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Terran
Zerg
- Spore Crawler damage decreased from 15 + 30 vs biological to 15 + 10 vs biological
- Hydralisk damage against air increased from 12 to 12 + 4 vs biological[8]
May 5, 2014
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Terran
Frost LE
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The following Calls to Action were sounded for Frost LE.
February 13, 2014
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Protoss
- Mothership Core
- Vision radius decreased from 14 to 9.
- Stalker
- Blink cooldown increased from 10 to 15.
- Tempest
- Damage increased from 30 to 30 + 30 to structures.
Terran
- Widow Mine
- Splash damage now deals 40 + 40 shield damage.
Zerg
- Hydralisk
- Delay between attacks decreased from .83 to .75.[10]
January 31, 2014
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Protoss
- Mothership Core
- Photon Overcharge duration decreased from 60 to 50 seconds.
- Time Warp energy cost increased from 75 to 100.
- Tempest
- Resonance Coil ground weapon damage increased from 30 to 30 + 30 vs. Structures.
Terran
- Ghost
- Starting energy increased from 50 to 75.
- The Moebius Reactor upgrade has been removed from the Ghost Academy.
Zerg
- Hydralisk
- Cost decreased from 100/50 to 100/25.[1]
Explanations for the testing changes were given by David Kim.
Bel’Shir Vestige LE, Yeonsu LE and Alterzim Stronghold TE
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The following Calls to Action were sounded for Bel’Shir Vestige LE, Yeonsu LE and Alterzim Stronghold TE.
October 23, 2013
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- Bel’Shir Vestige LE (2.0.11 Balance v1.1)
- Yeonsu LE (2.0.11 Balance v1.1)
- Alterzim Stronghold TE (2.0.11 Balance v1.1)
Protoss
Oracle
- Movement speed increased from 3.375 to 4.0
- Acceleration increased from 2 to 3
- Units that burrow or cloak while under the effects of Revelation will once again be revealed after unburrowing or uncloaking.
Terran
Armory
- Vehicle and Ship Weapon upgrades have been combined
Siege Tank
- Siege Mode attack period decreased from 3.0 to 2.7
Widow Mine
- Sentinel Missiles now deal reduced damage to units caught within its splash radius based on their distance from the target:
- 40 damage within 1.25 radius
- 20 damage from 1.25 to 1.5 radius
- 10 damage from 1.5 to 1.75 radius
Zerg
Roach Warren
- The Tunneling Claws upgrade now increases burrowed Roach movement speed from 1.41 to 2.25.[11]
Bel'Shir Vestige
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The following Calls to Action were sounded for Bel'shir Vestige
October 17, 2013
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Bel'Shir Vestige LE (2.0.11 Balance v1.1)
Protoss
- Oracle
- Revelation casting range has returned to 9.
- Units that burrow or cloak while under the effects of Revelation will once again be revealed after unburrowing or uncloaking.
Terran
- Widow Mine
- Sentinel Missiles splash damage radius has returned to 1.75.
- Sentinel Missiles now deal reduced damage to units caught within its splash radius based on their distance from the target:
- 40 damage within 1.25 radius
- 20 damage from 1.25 to 1.5 radius
- 10 damage from 1.5 to 1.75 radius[12]
October 2, 2013
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Bel'Shir Vestige LE (2.0.11 Balance v1.0)
Protoss
- Oracle
- Movement speed increased from 3.375 to 4.0
- Acceleration increased from 2 to 3
- Revelation casting radius increased from 9 to 10
Terran
- Armory
- Vehicle and Ship Weapon upgrades have been combined
- Siege Tank
- Siege Mode attack period decreased from 3.0 to 2.7
- Widow Mine
- Sentinel Missiles splash radius decreased from 1.75 to 1.25
Zerg
- Roach Warren
- The Tunneling Claws upgrade now increases burrowed Roach movement speed from 1.41 to 2.25.[13]
August 19, 2013
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Bel’Shir Vestige LE (2.0.10 Balance v1.1)
Terran
- Armory
- Vehicle and Ship Weapon upgrades have been combined into just one upgrade.
Zerg
- Overseer
- The Pneumatized Carapace upgrade now increases Overseer movement speed from 1.88 to 3.375 (previously 1.88 to 2.75.)
- Ultralisk
- Health increased from 500 to 550.[14]
August 15, 2013
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Bel’Shir Vestige LE (2.0.10 Balance v1.0)
Terran
- Armory
- Vehicle and Ship Weapon upgrades have been combined into just one upgrade.
Zerg
- Overseer
- The Pneumatized Carapace upgrade now increases Overseer movement speed from 1.88 to 3.375 (previously 1.88 to 2.75.)
- Viper
- Starting energy increased to 200.[15]
Derelict Watcher
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The following Calls to Action were sounded for Derelict Watcher
June 14, 2013
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Derelict Watcher TE (2.0.8 Balance v1.1)
Protoss
- Warp Prism
- Movement speed increased from 2.5 to 2.953 (previously 2.5 to 3.375.)
- Acceleration increased from 2.125 to 2.625 (previously 2.125 to 3.25.)
- The Gravitic Drive upgrade has returned to the Robotics Bay and will increase movement speed to 3.375 and acceleration to 3.25 when researched.
Terran
- Hellbat
- Attack damage decreased from 18 +12 vs. light to 18.
- The Infernal Pre-Igniter upgrade increases attack damage from 18 to 18 +12 vs. light.
- Banshee
- Cloaking Field research cost decreased from 200/200 to 100/100
- Cloaking Field research time decreased from 110 seconds to 90.[16]
May 30, 2013
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Blizzard proposed the following changes to a version of Derelict Watcher.
Protoss
- Warp Prism
- The Gravitic Drive upgrade has been removed from the Robotics Bay.
- Movement speed increased from 2.5 to 3.375.
- Acceleration increased from 2.125 to 3.25.[17]
Akilon Wastes
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The following Calls to Action were sounded for Akilon Wastes
May 2, 2013
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Blizzard proposed the following changes to a version of Akilon Wastes.
- Spore Crawler damage increased from 15 +15 vs. biological to 15 +30 vs. biological
- Burrow research cost decreased from 100/100 to 50/50
- Oracle movement speed increased from 3.375 to 4
- Oracle acceleration increased from 2 to 3[18]
Antiga Shipyard
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The following Calls to Action were sounded for Antiga Shipyard
January 11, 2013
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Antiga Shipyard (1.5.3 Balance v2.0)
- Infested terrans no longer gain weapon and armor upgrades.[19]
November 30, 2012
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Blizzard proposed the following changes at Antiga Shipyard:
- Raven seeker missile no longer requires an upgrade.
- Infested terran egg health reduced to 80 (was 100).[20]
November 20, 2012
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Blizzard proposed the following changes at Antiga Shipyard (1.5.3 Balance)
- Fungal Growth no longer affects Psionic units.
- Raven Seeker Missile no longer requires an upgrade.[21]
August 8th, 2012
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Another Call to Action was sounded for patch 1.5, again on Antiga Shipyard.
- Creep tumor build radius, vision radius, and creep spread radius decreased from 10 to 8.
- Raven movement acceleration increased from 2 to 2.25.
- Raven movement speed increased from 2.25 to 2.5.[22]
May 4th, 2012
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Blizzard proposed the following changes:
- Queen anti-ground weapon attack range increased from 3 to 5.
- Observer build time decreased to 30, down from 40.[23]
Most of the changes made it into the special balance update issued later that month.[24]
May 2nd, 2012
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Blizzard proposed the following changes:
- Overlord movement speed increased to 0.586, up from 0.4687. Upgraded overlord movement speed unchanged.
- Queen starting energy increased to 50, up from 25. (Blizzard later removed this change.)
References
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