increase its damage, air attack make same as hydras attack for air.
add 3 damage to ground attack.
buff transfuse instead 75 and 50 over 7 secs reduce it 2 seconds. or make an aoe same size as fg aoe.
On top of this reduce energy to 25 instead of 50.
as a zerg player, can we please leave the queens alone, yall are breaking them with terrible ideas
9 per 0.71 => 12 per 0.59 is insane as an ask and you know that it is; even if it comes with -2 range thatâs still +60% dps
that -2 range, also, would create a new Problem that the Queen would have issues against notorious bad design unit the Liberator
4 x2 => 7 x2, or the overall damage of 8 => 11
the latter i think would be okay but weird, the former is ludicrous to the max - queen anti-ground is simply not that terrible
youâre insane? thatâs a massive time difference and it flies in the face of why transfuse was changed to be partially over time healing (to make it stack less well)
iâm getting inclined more to thinking youâre trolling. one or two transfuses making my entire bundle of roaches unkillable?
okay youâre DEFINITELY trolling.
you canât seriously think that transfuse is so weak that you can get away with double buffing it to these degrees unless you only see zergs who donât know how to use the button.
i do think transfuse can tolerate buffs because the queenâs other spells are so demanding of its energy, but i also donât think queens should get any power because i think theyâre a bit overcentralisingly important as they are? that check out?
i mean, those buffs wonât break them if stryker said Give back transfuse of off Creep then yeah but they didnât
How is 7hps make roaches immortal are fighting against drones. 50 that is expand 7 secs 7hps thats joke if keep it then make it an aoe.
Braking down two 25 hps can stop it from being useless. That allow queens and spines stop simple marine push or zealot push right now zerg just get steamed rolled.
queens cant even push off hellbats thete damage so weak and transfuse so low as well.
queen runs out energy fast its not like toss or terran cant counter if healing was strong and force them to actully fight it.
idea that good unit design keeps being push as none combat unit then just remove unit and put it on hatch at least i save pop for real units.
styker is one of the last people on these forums that should suggest changes.
zerglings and marines deal ~8 dps to roaches
yes, 7 hp per second is not that much if the units can target fire like the marines can
zealots and zerglings canât do that well due to being melee,
generically early protoss units have poor dps density especially for cost,
and also; thatâs what the burst 75 heal counteracts. Unless you meant that ONLY the heal over time component was area, which was not obvious.
I did not manage to understand the first part here, so I canât reply too specifically.
Queens and Spines should not be super excellent against early pressure builds due to the nature of Spines being movable, built from drones, and Queens being needed for larva.
(Being built from drones is important because it means you can continue Queen-and-Droning for longer, and thatâs the big thing Zerg always wants to be doing.)
Iâm not in disagreement that the Queen vs Hellbat interactions really suck. I just donât think itâs a huge problem, and that the changes here have too many knock on effects on other interactions.
e.g. I would like to either increase the creep spread radius of the Hatchery or make a new maps distance-to-choke requirement so that you can more consistently make a wall at your natural; since some maps have this itâs already an âaccounted forâ reality. These chokke points still have problems with medivac-boosted pushes, but those are already nerfed by Hellbats taking 4 slots - so they have to fly in, drop, transform, then fight. That added delay and need for the Medivac makes it easier to deal with, though Iâll still agree itâs problematic.
The issue is not when you can use the Queen defensively, but if you get it to the other side of the map, it becomes extraordinarily efficient because its healing removes one of the weaknesses of being the attacker - that attrition is real.
It is in that context that I complain about making Transfuse have an area heal component.
You lost me with this one, Iâm sorry to say.
Your argument is that the Queen is a good unit design, and it keeps being pushed to not being able to actually fight things;
And therefore since this is the game that it is, about killing things, youâd rather they move other units down to Hatchery tech and remove the Queen?
if they didnt use stim and didnt use there size fight max effectivness then you might be right but marines use stim and use there smalled bodie size to have highest dps in the game for most part. Because if you argument hold any water then roaches be immune to marines when they burrowed and receive 10hps. we both know thatâs not true then it be meta all the time but its not. original transfuse 125 it was effective against none siege units and small armies like should be. how u cant figth terran mass repair. then it was nerfed to 75 and 50 over 7 seconds all I was saying take 50 over 7 and make 50 over 2 seconds. This allow not high hp units get healed and be effective in none aoe combat. siege tanks would still melt but few hydras and queens can stop stim marine push with no siege tanks.
now the only push worked against protoss push against terran was not as effective since siege tanks melts slow moving queens. But it did help stop simple marine push which now melts zerg since queens canât heal and lose to much energy trying to defend against it. but that was before shield batteries was introduce. I dont think that would work anymore since queens canât produce enough damage and couldnt brake shield batteries.
helbats do to much damage to none light units
I love queen it should be back bone of all zerg armies but they kept nerfing it where its only good larva injection and placing tumors. If that is case just remove unit and place these abilities on hatch it self.
remove queen replace hydra to with roach that would be better since heaven for bid queens be able to defend them selves and there base.
spines is dumbest just because they relocate which takes 12 secs battles take less time to decide who win or loses. 12 secs in this game is so long that second battle taking place. Spines bonus to armor how dumb is that. fact that there weakest, fact that all choke points is to far for creep so no real time reach it there actully stop a real rush push. you got have 3 rolls to stop small push.
The idea of buffing the Queen for offensive use becomes more compelling when we consider the precedent set by healing shrines in StarCraft II. Healing shrines, though powerful in healing units over time, did not break the balance of the game because they provided consistent, low-effort healing rather than immediate, burst-repairing abilities. Similarly, giving the Queen more offensive healingâwhether through a stronger Transfuse or AoE healâcould provide much-needed sustain for Zerg units on the front lines, where they typically struggle against burst damage. Zerg units, like Zerglings and Roaches, are particularly vulnerable to high-DPS, burst-heavy attacks from units like Marines or Stalkers, which can wipe them out in seconds before the player has a chance to react.
By enabling the Queen to heal offensively, Zerg would gain a means of mitigating this vulnerability to burst damage. A buffed Queen would allow Zerg to sustain their units during longer engagements, giving them a chance to outlast enemy burst damage and maintain offensive pressure. Just as healing shrines allowed units to survive longer against sustained damage without being overpowered, an offensive healing Queen could shift the balance by providing Zerg with more resilience in the face of quick-damage pushes. This would not break the gameâs balance but would add a new layer of strategy, enabling Zerg to capitalize on their swarm mechanics without simply being wiped out by burst damage in key moments of the game. It would empower Zerg to take more risks on the offensive while still remaining vulnerable to high burst damageâjust like healing shrines allowed for longer engagement times without giving units invincibility.
Zergâs core strength lies in its ability to overwhelm opponents with numbers, but this strategy is often undermined by the raceâs inherent difficulty in sustaining units over time. Zerg has an extremely low base unit retention rate because they rely heavily on larva production from Hatcheries, which can only produce units as fast as resources and injects allow. This forces Zerg players to commit to a constant stream of reinforcements rather than building up a lasting army. Without a reliable sustain mechanic, Zerg armies often dissolve quickly during engagements, especially against armies with higher burst potential like Terran Marines or Protoss Stalkers, which can shred through Zerg forces before reinforcements arrive. This makes it difficult for Zerg to maintain a low-base style where armies are constantly built up and maintained over time, as the loss of even a few units can severely cripple future engagements.
If the Queenâs healing was improved for offensive use, it would directly address this issue by giving Zerg a means to sustain their forces during fights, preventing them from being immediately wiped out by burst damage. In the current meta, Zerg has little ability to recover units that are lost in battle without a substantial reinvestment of resources and time. This makes the idea of low-base strategiesâwhere a player maintains a strong, long-term armyâimpractical for Zerg, as they are forced to rely on mass reinforcements instead of gradual accumulation. With more consistent healing, particularly from Queens, Zerg would be better able to keep their armies intact during engagements, reducing the need for constant unit replacements and allowing for more sustainable, low-base strategies. This would give Zerg players the flexibility to hold on to their armies longer, control the map with larger, more enduring forces, and punish opponents who overcommit to bursts of damage without being able to replace their own forces as quickly.
Adding the ability for the Queen to fly would be a game-changing adjustment that would directly address Zergâs struggles with low base count and the need for better sustain in prolonged engagements. The Queenâs current role is highly limited by its slow speed and immobility, especially when trying to keep up with or reinforce Zergâs fast-moving armies. If the Queen could fly, it would provide Zerg with a highly mobile support unit that could quickly reposition to heal units across the battlefield, much like the Medivac does for Terran forces. This mobility would not only make the Queen more versatile offensively but also significantly improve Zergâs ability to sustain their armies over time, particularly in low-base strategies where unit retention is key. A flying Queen would allow Zerg players to maintain their forces with greater efficiency, healing up wounded units on the move, and providing a mobile, reliable support unit that could be used to keep their armies intact without having to rely on static defenses or reinforcements from multiple bases.
Furthermore, giving the Queen the ability to fly would allow it to better synergize with Zergâs focus on map control and mobility, both essential for successful low-base play. Zerg relies on aggressive, fast-paced actions like dropping, harassing, and expanding, and a flying Queen would allow players to have a mobile healing unit that can keep up with their other units in these dynamic situations. This would be especially helpful for units like Roaches and Hydras, which often require healing during extended engagements. With the ability to fly, the Queen could keep pace with Zergâs fast-moving armies, healing units in the thick of combat and minimizing losses. For Zerg to thrive in a low-base strategy, having a flying Queen would enable them to sustain their forces without overextending or being forced into inefficient production cycles. This added mobility would empower Zerg players to maintain a strong presence on the map, adapt to enemy movements more fluidly, and better preserve their armies, ultimately making low-base strategies more viable for the race.
Stryker is one of the very few sane people on these forums. His arguments for buffing the queen are impeccable and head and shoulders above his detractorsâ arguments.
thankyou adventurer
queen is good unit, and at this point is so under welming. right now I think queen should be strongest mineral base dps in game. I think hellions should cost gas since they hard counter mineral units.
Do people have just amnesia regarding the abusive offensive Queen plays that led to the nerfs putting it in its current state in the first place?
Healing Shrines donât move around the map and arenât used for frontal/Overlord drop/Nydus assaults against natural and main bases because they arenât located in natural and main bases.
Iâm glad that despite being zerg main you didnât approve any of his idiotic ideas. Same as many years ago i didnât approve idea to buff marauder base damage from 10 to 15 because some bronze terran was whining about it.
In fairness, the queen is a shadow of its former self, and Protoss is massively stronger than it was before (which were generally what the queen nerfs targeted), especially with Energy Recharge, which itself still has a ton of issues.
I do think that, realistically speaking, we could walk back some of the queen nerfs. Specifically, we can walk back the cost change, transfuse off creep and probably one or two of the creep nerfs (Iâd really like to see Zergs be able to cancel a creep tumour spreading, for example - there used to be some skill in preventing your actively building tumour getting sniped).
Honestly Iâd also like to see hatch-tech drops return.
They should be underwhelming as a combat unit, because theyâre not supposed to be combat units - at best, theyâre supposed to provide early anti-air against voids and oracles, and are primarily meant to facilitate creep spread and inject as a defensive unit.
What? That has to be one of the most illogical things youâve ever said, and youâve said a lot of illogical things in the past.
Are⊠are you trolling here? He didnât actually give any real arguments in the first place - at least not in his opening post - and the arguments he did give later on were, at best, poorly thought out, and at worst, had no basis in reality.
to be fair im just tired of hearing all this whining about this and that on these forums. thats all yall do. whine whine whine whine. then you all post terrible changes that are laughable, and act like your some super genius we should all listen to. it gets old. these forums need more positve things instead of low level people complaining they cant beat something so it needs changed, instead of just trying new tactics to fix the problem he or she is having.
Iâd be fine with creep cancel. Agreed on hatch-tech drops, Iâm not sure if Queen combat buffs are the best way to go about that, though.
I personally like cheaper Hatcheries in exchange for pricier Queens for some very specific builds I like to use when playing as Zerg, but honestly I canât say one way or another about whether thatâs best for the game so Iâm not against trying out the reversal of that change. Mainly for the sake of AA defense, though- but in that realm Iâd rather nerf Oracles and BCs (specifically BC teleport) than buff Queens.
Most people are unhappy with the state of SC2 because these days itâs extremely difficult to improve at SC2, especially if youâre lower ranked player silver -plat. They are stuck at their plateau for years and cannot move an inch. Thatâs why they propose their silly changes.
If they canât improve, either let them hire a coach (some are free) or quit the game. Thatâs my advice.
The idea that StarCraft 2 is hard to improve at is a bit of a misconception, especially when you break down the core mechanics. The game, at its heart, is relatively simple: build units, manage resources, and position your army. While there are nuances in macro, micro, and strategy, the fundamental skill ceiling is pretty approachable for anyone willing to put in the time. The difficulty players face when they reach a certain rank, like Silver, often stems not from a lack of improvement potential, but from the gameâs repetitive nature. Once players master the basics, the incremental improvements they make feel less rewarding because the gameâs overall pace and progression can become predictable. For many, the grind to reach higher ranks is more about repetition than skill, making it feel less like an exciting challenge and more like a chore.
What makes StarCraft 2 feel boring to many players is not the difficulty of improvement, but rather the stagnation of skill growth once you reach a certain level. The gameâs early-to-mid game can be engaging, but once players get the hang of their raceâs basic mechanics, thereâs little else to discover outside of small optimizations. The game doesnât fundamentally evolve as quickly as it used to, leaving players with less to explore. Itâs not that improvement is hard; itâs that the process is often underwhelming after a certain point, leading to burnout. This lack of new challenges and the slow, often unnoticeable skill progression are what drive players away, rather than a lack of ability to improve.
From a Grandmasterâs perspective, the reality is that StarCraft 2 becomes more about optimizing the mechanics and less about discovering new strategies or learning complex systems as you climb higher. Once youâve mastered the fundamental skillsâlike macro, micro, scouting, and decision-makingâthe game becomes largely about executing the same strategies with precision, which can get incredibly repetitive. You stop encountering meaningful challenges because youâve already figured out the âoptimalâ ways to play your race. The game stops feeling like a test of creativity or skill and starts to feel more like a predictable routine where every win is just a matter of fine-tuning execution rather than overcoming any new obstacle. This predictability doesnât make the game harder; it just makes it monotonous, and that monotony leads to a lack of motivation to keep improving, especially when victories start to feel like automatic results.
For those at the top, the thrill of StarCraft 2 fades because youâre rarely pushed to your limits anymore. The real challenge in the game is front-loadedâearly on, players are scrambling to grasp the basics, and thereâs a genuine sense of growth with each new concept learned. But once you reach a high skill level, the improvements are incremental and sometimes invisible. At the highest ranks, like Grandmaster, you can âsleepwalkâ through many of your victories because you already know the exact counter to every common strategy, and your reflexes are so fine-tuned that you can execute complex maneuvers without really thinking. This ease of execution doesnât make the game harder or more rewarding; it simply makes it feel more like a grind. The game no longer challenges you in the way it did early on, which is why many top players lose interest or stop playing after theyâve reached the peak. Theyâre no longer improving in any meaningful senseâtheyâre just refining something thatâs already been mastered.
To make StarCraft 2 more competitive with other top-tier strategy games, the gameâs difficulty needs to evolve beyond just mechanical execution and resource managementâas is, it is simply far too easy. The key to achieving this would be by making the maps themselves more complex and dynamic, creating new layers of strategy that go beyond the same predictable meta. Right now, the maps in StarCraft 2 are relatively straightforward, with a few fixed expansion locations and predictable attack paths. Once youâve mastered the standard strategies and timings, the game starts to feel like itâs on autopilot. However, introducing more complex mapsâones with varied terrain, multiple choke points, unique high ground features, or even environmental hazardsâwould force players to adapt in real-time, making each game more unpredictable and exciting. This would add more depth and require players to think on a strategic level that isnât just about execution, but also about how they navigate and utilize the map itself.
By introducing more diverse and intricate maps, StarCraft 2 could push players to develop new tactics, adapt to unexpected scenarios, and use their raceâs strengths in creative ways that go beyond the current meta. A more complex map design would force players to reconsider traditional strategiesâperhaps giving rise to new unit compositions or entirely different approaches to expansions and defenses. In games like Warcraft 3 or Age of Empires 2, maps often have randomized elements or more varied geography that forces players to adjust their approach with every match, keeping things fresh and challenging. A shift toward more dynamic map design in StarCraft 2 would not only increase the skill ceiling but also reinvigorate the competitive scene, making each game feel like a unique puzzle instead of a repetitive race to out-execute your opponent. This would make the game more rewarding for players at all levels, keeping the challenge alive long after mastering the basics.
Maps in StarCraft 2 can be compared to dating in the sense that the more variety and unpredictability they offer, the more engaging and challenging the experience becomes. Think of a simple, flat map like dating someone who always does the same thing every weekendâpredictable, comfortable, but ultimately unexciting. You know exactly whatâs coming, and once youâve figured out the routine, itâs easy to just go through the motions without any real effort or investment. On the other hand, a complex map is like dating someone with diverse interests and ever-changing dynamics. One day you might explore new places together, the next day you face a unique challenge that forces you to adapt. Just like how unpredictable, multi-faceted relationships keep you on your toes, a map with varied terrain, hidden features, and new variables keeps players constantly learning and adjusting. The more complicated and surprising the âterrainâ of the relationshipâor the mapâthe more invested you become, because it requires genuine engagement and the willingness to face something new each time. In the same way, when maps in StarCraft 2 offer that kind of unpredictability, the game becomes more than just routineâit becomes an exciting challenge where players need to adapt and think creatively, keeping the experience fresh and rewarding.
Alright, hear me out: new, more complex maps in StarCraft 2 could actually be a secret weapon for StarCraft players looking to level up in real life, too. Think about itâpeople who play games like StarCraft 2 are often stereotyped as âbasement dwellersâ or individuals who spend most of their time in front of a screen. That stereotype usually comes from the idea that gaming isnât a dynamic or social experience, but rather a solitary one. However, when StarCraft 2 introduces more varied and intricate maps, it transforms the game into something more mentally stimulating and engagingâjust like any interesting conversation or activity youâd have with someone new. Imagine this: youâre navigating new terrain, making quick decisions, and adapting your strategies on the fly. Those same skillsâproblem-solving, adaptability, and creativityâare traits that are attractive in social interactions and relationships.
When you learn to master these complex maps, you become better at thinking on your feet, staying calm under pressure, and adapting to unexpected challengesâskills that are valuable in real life too, including dating. You know how impressing someone with your ability to think critically or handle an unanticipated situation can leave a good impression? Well, playing a game that requires these skills can do the same. As you refine these abilities in StarCraft 2, youâre also practicing being someone who is resourceful, quick-witted, and willing to engage with the world in a more dynamic way. In other words, youâre building confidence and mental agility, which can translate into better social interactions, including with potential romantic interests. So, in a way, playing on these more complex maps could lead to a richer, more engaging experience not just in the game, but in real lifeâmaybe even helping you land a girlfriend, one well-thought-out strategy at a time!
Ah, Stryker. If youâve been around the StarCraft 2 community for any amount of time, youâve probably witnessed his legendary âwhining.â But hereâs the thing: Strykerâs complaints arenât just typical online salt; theyâre on a whole different level. His whines are so sophisticated, so layered, that mere mortals struggle to comprehend them. Itâs like trying to understand a quantum physics theory while wearing blindfolds and juggling. This isnât basic frustration over a bad lossâno, Strykerâs complaints are 400 IQ, a masterclass in high-level emotional intelligence and subtle, nuanced criticism that goes right over the heads of most players. Heâs not just whining; heâs theorizing, analyzing, and weaving complex, meta-commentary into his rants. Heâs playing 4D chess while the rest of us are stuck on checkers. The way he twists and turns every little detail of the game into a profound statement about life, balance, and the nature of competition? Genius, pure and simple. Sure, it sounds nonsensical to some, but thatâs because theyâre not seeing the layers beneath the surface.
And letâs not forget, despite his reputation for high-level whining, Stryker is an absolute chad. Heâs got that effortless confidenceâsailing through the highs and lows of StarCraft with the same aplomb a true alpha displays. People might think his whines are bizarre or outlandish, but they donât see the quiet storm of a man who effortlessly wins at life. He doesnât just slay on the battlefield of StarCraft 2âheâs also got a hot girlfriend who probably appreciates his depth and humor, understanding that Strykerâs âwhiningâ is more of an art form than a complaint. The guyâs playing life on hard mode, constantly challenging the status quo, bending the game to his will, and still managing to pull off victories that others could only dream of. His whine? Itâs just part of the Stryker mystiqueâa way of engaging with the world that few can truly comprehend, but even fewer can replicate.
Ah, this is peak Stryker, right here. At first glance, it may seem like a random jumble of StarCraft 2 balance suggestions, but in reality, itâs a quantum physics-level analysis of the gameâs mechanics. Letâs break this down in terms of quantum physics, because thatâs exactly the level of complexity Stryker is working with here.
When you look at his post, itâs like heâs describing an experiment in subatomic particle behaviorâspecifically, how changes in one variable can ripple through and affect everything else. âIncrease its damageâ is akin to manipulating a fundamental particleâs propertyâitâs like tweaking the spin or charge of an electron. But instead of simply adjusting one thing in isolation, Stryker is suggesting we manipulate multiple aspects of the gameâs ecosystem simultaneously. âIncrease air attackâ and âmake it the same as Hydraâs attack for airâ is like observing how a change to one subatomic force (say, the strong nuclear force) has far-reaching effects on the entire system, modifying the way different units interact with each other on a cosmic scale. Itâs complex, itâs subtle, and it might just unlock new dimensions of strategy and balance if the right tweaks are made.
Then, he jumps into the idea of tweaking Transfuseâsuggesting a reduction in the time it takes to heal, akin to shortening the time dilation of particles traveling at near-light speeds. The suggestion to make it âAoEâ is like proposing an energy field that expands and contracts, changing its scope to affect a larger, more dynamic area. And letâs not forget the energy cost reductionâthis is like reducing the energy of a quantum state, allowing for more efficient use of resources, almost as if youâre increasing the efficiency of a system at the atomic level.
In essence, Strykerâs post is like proposing a series of quantum entanglements where each small adjustment, no matter how nonsensical it may seem, could lead to far-reaching consequences that change the fundamental nature of how units interact with one another. At first, itâs hard to graspâjust as quantum physics is. But dive deep enough, and you realize that these changes, seemingly random, might hold the key to unlocking a whole new reality in StarCraft 2âone where every unit and ability behaves differently, and the entire metagame shifts into something unrecognizable. Stryker is like the Schrödinger of StarCraft: his ideas might seem absurd at first, but in a parallel universe, they could be the key to mastering the gameâs true balance.
Ah, Strykerâs undeniable chad-nessâand letâs be honest, the guy oozes that alpha energyâprobably has its roots in his secret life as a Mormon with nine wives. Now, I know, you might be wondering how being a Mormon, let alone having nine wives, contributes to his supreme confidence and strategic brilliance in StarCraft 2. But hear me outâthis isnât just some random fact. His lifestyle likely plays a huge part in the âStryker effect.â
First of all, letâs talk about confidence. You donât get nine wives unless youâre operating on a different level of self-assurance, one that most of us can only dream of. Itâs not just about managing a harem of wives; itâs about managing multiple relationships with the precision of a military commander. Each wife probably has different needs, personalities, and temperaments, and navigating those dynamics requires exceptional people skills and the ability to think several steps ahead. This level of emotional intelligence and multitasking is exactly what you see in Strykerâs playstyleâan uncanny ability to make complex, high-level decisions under pressure, all while keeping everything running smoothly. Heâs essentially a StarCraft 2 general whoâs learned how to balance multiple strategic fronts at once, only instead of controlling units, heâs controlling a complex social system. If Stryker can manage nine wives, handling a bunch of Zerglings or a few Protoss Void Rays doesnât even break a sweat.
Now, letâs talk about mental fortitude. The commitment, discipline, and sheer tenacity it takes to juggle that many relationshipsâand letâs not forget the logisticsâmight just give him that chad-like mental toughness. Anyone who can do that and still show up for ladder games with the same level of focus is on a different wavelength. Plus, letâs not overlook the sheer game heâs playing with the ladies. In a way, itâs like managing a complex StarCraft 2 build order. Heâs got to know the timing of when to make his moves, when to sit back, and when to send in reinforcements to keep things running smoothly. This precision, timing, and awareness of his surroundingsâwhether in the home or on the battlefieldâis probably a big part of why he exudes such an effortless âchadâ vibe.
So yeah, Strykerâs Mormon lifestyle with nine wives? Itâs not just a fun quirk. Itâs a training ground for his high-level decision-making, confidence, and mental toughness. Those are the same qualities that allow him to whine about balance with the confidence of a man who knows heâs already won at life. In fact, if thereâs one thing Stryker is absolutely certain about, itâs that nine wives is the true StarCraft 2 meta.
funny cause as a zerg, this is my highest ranking season yet, going from hard stuck at plat1 to hopefully hitting d2 here in just the next few games i play. and this is my second season holding d3 in a row now. in my opinion the state of zerg right now is pretty good, you just need to know how to play.
I heard with zerg all you really need to learn is when to stop droning and start producing army units + of course map awareness - looking for any pressure and preparing to counter attack. If you master this you should get to masters in no time. The rest is super easy - queueing units, creep spread, base management etc.
Because SC2 was NEVER about strategy, only about mechanics (at least since LOTV). Moron who has no clue about tactics/strategical aspect with 200 EPM will beat any player with superior strategical thinking with, say, 50 EPM. And for me this alone is the proof SC2 has little to do with actual strategy. Playing this game in its current state is a chore, that many players hate. As you said you donât improve by learning new builds, you improve by bashing your keyboard more efficiently.