The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft II which is no longer valid.
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Early reaper concept art
Concept art for reapers exists at least as far back as 2005. Most of these concepts correspond to the idea of a jetpack-wearing terran equipped with dual weapons. One, however, depicts the reaper armed with a single cannon weapon, with micro-missiles held alongside its jets.[1]
Wings of Liberty[]
Reapers were revealed in 2007. They had longer jump animations and different unit quotes and death sounds. They could throw "magnetic mines" that had 10 HP and detonated after several seconds.[2] By December, they had 45 HP, 4 attack range, and cost 25 gas.[3] By September 2008, they had 50 HP, cost 50 gas, and dealt 3 damage per attack.[3] This was increased back to 4 damage by October, and they were given 60 HP, a 75 mineral cost, and +4 damage vs. Light.[3] By the StarCraft II beta, they had a 50 mineral cost, 50 HP, 4.5 range, and +5 damage vs. Light.
Reapers were produced from the merc haven at BlizzCon 2007,[4] using a different technique than other terran infantry units. The haven housed up to four reapers. The entire supply could be bought at once, with the supply recovering over time. Reapers could be built very quickly. However, this was later changed by November with reapers being built at the barracks like other infantry units, and the merc haven becoming a tech structure that required a factory.[5] The structure had also been removed and readded by that point.[6] It was still in the game as late as 2009 during the Battle Reports, using its updated model.
Early reaper model
Reapers previously could not jump up a cliff without vision on the high ground, and the medic's new Flare ability was an early game method of enabling reapers to do so.[7]
The reaper throws a demolition charge on the ground; two seconds later, it detonates, damaging friendly and hostile ground units and buildings in the vicinity. A red timer bar shows how long until it detonates.
The mines deal 30 damage + 30 against armored units and buildings. Mine explosions do not detonate other mines and do not deal damage to burrowed units unless the player can detect them.
The mines are very small but visible. They can be hidden by units moving past them.
The mines do not take damage.
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The reaper had D-8 Charges by May 2008, which were vulnerable to attack and had a 30 second cooldown.[8] They still had them well into 2009 during the Battle Reports, where they had a 20 second cooldown. By February 2010, the mines were indestructible.[9] In the StarCraft II beta, the reaper's D-8 Charges were modified into an anti-structure auto-attack. Beta Patch 1 decreased their damage from 40 to 30 and the delay between attacks from 2.5 to 1.8. A very similar reaper ability, G-4 cluster bombs, appeared in the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty campaign.[10]
Enables affected infantry to attack and move 50% more quickly.
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Reapers lost the ability to stim in March 2008,[11] though they later displayed this ability in October 2009 during Battle Report 4.[12] By the StarCraft II beta, reapers could not stim.
Beta Patch 2 increased reaper build time from 30 seconds to 40 and the Nitro Packs upgrade build time from 90 seconds to 100. Patch 15 decreased the cost of Nitro Packs from 100 minerals and gas to 50. Patch 16 increased reaper build time 40 seconds to 45 before Patch 17 reverted this and Patch 1.1 reapplied the change. As of Patch 1.1.2, Nitro Packs required a factory.
Heart of the Swarm[]
Reapers lost their D-8 Charges and gained the passive Combat Drugs ability. In Balance Update #2, reapers gained an ability called "Combat Awareness", enabling them to see up cliffs.[13] This was eventually renamed "Battlefield Awareness."
Balance Update #8 increased the reaper's speed from 2.95 to 3.375 and their upgraded speed from 3.84 to 4.25.[14] Balance Update #11 removed the tech lab requirement for reapers, as well as Nitro Packs, Battlefield Awareness, and the reaper's +5 damage to light units. Their speed was increased from 3.38 to 3.75.
Reaper HP was increased from 50 to 60 in Balance Update #12.
Legacy of the Void[]
Reapers gained the KD8 charge ability in Patch 2.5.1 Balance Update #1. The Patch 3.11 Balance Update increased the cooldown from 7 seconds to 14, while the 3.16 Balance Update reduced its damage from 10 to 5.
Reapers eventually gained a new death sound.
A significant upgrade to reaper building damage that could be researched from the fusion core was proposed as a means to increase the reaper's power in the late game.[15]
References[]
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