I’ve been thinking about it for a while, there’s Elite commanders for almost every race now: Terran has Nova with the powerful clusters of units, Protoss has Zeratul with expensive units that are equally more powerful in numbers, but what about Zerg?
It might be a strange concept but I think it would be fun to have an Elite Zerg Commander that can call down drop-pods of Elite or powerful swarms of units, possibly even temporary like most calldowns but the catch is at the end game you can end up calling in multiple drop-pods of multiple types of units, maybe even having powerful effects when they land.
What are your thoughts/ideas?
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The only missing “Elite” strain Zerg are Non-timed Hunter Killer, The Unclean (Defiler), Devouring One/Screamer (Lings).
I’d say the Overmind makes the most sense to make into an “Elite Zerg Commander”.
He’d be the most powerful Zerg character left to even create Elite style Zerg units.
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Could be put to good use with the Cerberus Brood skins. It’s stated in the skin descriptions that they’re few in number but have been equipped with the latest tech and weaponry terrans could fabricate.
Both Aba and Dehaka are very Elite to me.
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I’d have actually considered Kerrigan for that role. Taking her strongest, most elite Zerg into the fight. But she’s used already, probably before the concept was thought of.
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Abathur and Dehaka are powerful zerg.
Kerrigan and her Ultralisks are tough AF.
Even Stukov has two very strong calldowns and Infested Bunkers which are basically ultralisks with ranged dmg and regeneration.
To add stettman also has tough army units with zerglings, ultras and shields and AOE healing.
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Bear in mind folks, OP wasn’t referring to strong/heroic unit commanders. It was specifically a Nova/Zeratul style expensive unit that you don’t get many of.
Tychus isn’t viewed in the same vein as Nova, ditto Fenix versus Zeratul. So someone like Abathur is certainly out; Dehaka is a grey zone, strong sort of expensive units yes, but many don’t even operate as zerg units.
That aside! I think it’d be neat, having lings be better than zealots, possibly more expensive even, is the right kind of silly for coop.
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Expensive but few.
100 biomass zergs are expensive to me.
Double ir triple mutated Primal Zergs are also very expensive too.
Nova units key point is even if she has the mineral or gas to build she only have a limited charges of units that’s why you don’t see her 14 Libs in one match. It is very rare that she can get even 5 charges of one unit types.
Abathur biomass and Dehaka mutation acted in the same way that even if you have the mineral or gas or supply to spare getting these units in great number are extremely hard.
Dehaka and 3 pack leader acted as Nova and her Call down.
In Abathur case, his nests, Ultimate Evolution and healing mirror Nova, Airstrike and Protective Drone.
You don’t realise that but Dehaka and Abathur are creative ways to give Zerg a Nova-like Elite Zergs.
Well we’ll just have to agree to disagree on that. See, to me there are very distinct differences between Abathur or Dehaka and Nova or Zeratul.
I’d say that it’d be more apt to compare Abathur, Fenix, and H&H. Being that all three are commanders with a few powerful units capable of being backed up by large amounts of units of relatively normal power and cost. This is something neither Nova nor Zeratul have. Yes Abathur’s units get stronger as they get biomass, but there’s nothing stopping you from reinforcing them quickly with normal grade units when they die.
As for Dehaka, I did already mention that I viewed him as possibly close to the idea. His regular zerg has Zerglings, but everything else is pretty cut and dry for coop. His primal combat units on thq other hand are either relatively normal for coop standards, or far removed from zerg units. For example Ravasaurs and Igniters may as well be Mauraders and Firebats, meanwhile his Mutas and Guardians have little to call them elite compared to many “regular” coop units. Tyrannazors are a great example of what I’d call elite however, being a unit that has far greater cost and power than normal, but still operates very similar. In a way I’d say he’s more similar with Alarak, Stukov, and Tychus; where they operate the far outside the norm of the ladder races.
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Yeah, we can agree that we disagree with each other on that.
Both Abathur and Dehaka can be normal and nothing extraordinary if you exclude their ability to gain biomass and mutation.
I will say a Primal Guardian or Mutalisk + double or triple mutation is an Elite unit. The same for 100 Biomass Roach and Mutalisk.
You can replace the Mutalisk but the amount of Biomass and Mutation are limited. You can say they are a big group with some strong individuals surround by fodder. I see how Nova pay to call down Defensive Drone to soak up damage do a similar job just different mechanic.
Anyway, Yeah, we can call it a disagreement.
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I wish I could highlight this reply.
As precisely pointed out by that reply, I’m not talking about massing up an eventually powerful army or having a few exceptionally powerful units, I’m talking about having an ARMY of ELITE units, but on a Zerg commander.
While those units are strong, they’re not elite in the same way that each of Nova’s or Zeratul’s units are inherently powerful. Nova and Zeratul’s units are inherently more powerful variants of their counterparts with occasionally new abilities on top of or to replace abilities the original had, at the cost of being more expensive and sometimes costing more supply.
This is what I’m talking about when I talk about an “Elite” Zerg commander, not a commander with some powerful units if you’re lucky enough or that ramp up as the game goes on, just inherently powerful units you can eventually ramp up to make an unstoppable force.
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There seems to be a disambiguation of how we define “elite”.
To me, “elite” is upped stats from the base model. So Nova’s units are prime examples of those. They can include extra abilities (e.g. her Libs’ AG can target buildings, her Rines Stim Pack actually heals them not takes away hp, etc.)
To me, “hero” would be more like Tychus and his Outlaws. They have even higher stats, and extra abilities (or a sidegrade of them).
I’d consider Abathur’s Brutalisks to be “hero level”. I was amused how you can have 3 of them A-move across the map to victory!
If the Overmind’s going to be a CO, I’d advocate bringing back Creep/Sunken/Spore Colonies.
He could even build Cerebrates, who can create/control them elite zerg
That line of thought is interesting considering one of my ideas of timed-life Elite zerg units, similar to Stukov in a way but instead they each summon waves of units that slowly attack and bring down the enemy base, the Overmind being able to support them slowly with its own abilities or perhaps certain exclusive units.
Niadra worthy of being an elite zerg. It must be different from Zagara.
I want to make a pitch about that
Niadra = Mega Queen
Like Abathur’s Unit she improves through consuming Biomass. TECH tree is improved upon each evolution.
She breeds Zerg units along with a special Zerg breed. All zerg units’ max HP, attack and attack speed are improved through evolution.
Devouring One - has life leach and attacks 50% as fast when downed to 50% health
Hunter Killer - has longer range and impales through units
Kukulza - has Glaive Cluster that fires 6 Glaives, has 100% attack bounce
Old Torasque - Immediately Ressurects and invulnerable to damage while attracting attention to itself.