Some improvements that might render Hellbats and Hellions more viable. Most of the focus is on Swann and Nova’s Hellbats and Hellions. I’d be interested in hearing feedback on these suggestions.
Swann
Hellions and Hellbats now have 1 baseline armor. Hellion life increased to 125. Hellbat movement speed increased from 2.25 to 3.15. Infernal Pre-Igniters and Infernal Plating upgrades reworked.
Upgrades:
Infernal Pre-Igniters: Gives Hellions and Hellbats +10 universal damage. Hellions and Hellbats’ attacks slow enemy movement and attack speeds by 50% (20% for heroic units).
Infernal Plating: Grants Hellions and Hellbats +2 armor and +100 life.
Nova
Infernal Pre-Igniters upgrade reworked, and Jump Jet Assault upgrade replaced. Hellbat Rangers now have 1 baseline armor and +1 range in both modes, and can jump up and down cliffs while in Hellbat mode. Hellbat mode movement speed increased from 2.25 to 3.15.
Upgrades:
– Infernal Pre-Igniters: Gives Hellbat Rangers +15 universal damage in both modes. Hellbat Rangers’ attacks slow enemy movement and attack speed by 50% (20% for heroic units) in both modes.
– Ionic Plating Matrix: Grants an automatic Barrier ability that blocks up to 200 damage for 10 seconds; when the duration ends, the remaining amount is restored as life. Cooldown 60 seconds. The Barrier functions in both modes. Also upgrades Hellbat Rangers’ armor by +2 in both modes.
Han and Horner
Hellions and Hellbats now have 1 baseline armor. Hellion life increased to 125. Hellbat mode movement speed increased from 2.25 to 3.15.
I always liked the idea of giving them the Ionic Force Fields from NCO to replace the awful Jumpjets, but your twist on them feels a bit lackuster, when the Hardened Shield effect of the original ability is just more useful.
Provides the Hellbat/Hellion with a shield that reduces incoming damage to a maximum of 10 until 200 damage is absorbed. Shield lasts for 10 seconds.
This would solidify the Rangers as a tanking unit that can actually tank, while not jumping out of position and getting themselves killed. The hardened shield effect lets them tank even the big boy damage for a time while pushing into fortified locations.
Also, I think Hellion Rangers should have Fire On The Move as a default trait (in NCO you had to give Smart Servos to them to allow them to do that), to give at least some use for that form. As it currently stands, it may as well not exist since it is just blatantly inferior to the Hellbat form.
There is no need for increased damage and durability for Hellbats, they are cheap anti light tankers and they already do a fantastic job.
If you need for speed, just transform Hellbats into Hellions and transform them back again!
Simple and tidy.
I actually prefer Hellions to get moving shot for Swann so players can use Cyclones in tandem.
I would love to see Cyclones and Hellions gliding across the field and conquering their enemies with moving shots (increase speed for Cyclones too).
For Nova’s Hellbats its fine where they are there is no need for speed increase it (for any of the Hellbats really). I can go for Hellbat Rangers leaping across cliffs (I wish giant Dehaka can move across the cliff like Colossus).
I say Hellbats are fine where they are but as for Hellions, I wish devs give them moving shots as a way to appeal to players to play them (I see Hellion plays extremely rarely (save for HanHorner’s)).
I’m assuming that the online guides are wrong then? They all seem to recommend never building Hellbats, even as a mineral dump. I know the Team Liquid guides aren’t current, but the one at “Starcraft 2 Co-op .com” is up-to-date, and it still says they’re never worth building because of their poor HP (even though they have an excellent health-to-cost ratio post-buff).
I’ve updated the suggestions with the above feedback.
Swann
Hellions and Hellbats now have 1 baseline armor. Hellions can fire on the move, and their life is increased to 125. Hellbat movement speed increased from 2.25 to 2.75. Infernal Pre-Igniters upgrade reworked.
Upgrades:
Infernal Pre-Igniters: Grants Hellions and Hellbats +5 universal damage and +5 damage vs. Light. Doubles the width of the Hellion’s attack.
Infernal Plating: Grants Hellions and Hellbats +2 armor.
Nova
Infernal Pre-Igniters upgrade reworked, and Jump Jet Assault upgrade replaced. Hellbat Rangers now have 1 baseline armor and +1 range in both modes, and can jump up and down cliffs while in Hellbat mode. Hellion mode can fire on the move. Hellbat mode movement speed increased from 2.25 to 2.75.
Upgrades:
– Infernal Pre-Igniters: Grants Hellbat Rangers and Hellion Rangers +8 universal damage and +7 damage vs. Light. Doubles the width of the Hellion Ranger’s attack.
– Ionic Plating Matrix: Grants Hellbat Rangers and Hellion Rangers an automatic barrier ability that reduces incoming damage to a maximum of 10 until 200 damage is absorbed. The barrier lasts for 10 seconds. Cooldown 60 seconds. Also upgrades Hellbat Rangers’ and Hellion Rangers’ armor by +2.
Han and Horner
Hellions and Hellbats now have 1 baseline armor. Hellions can fire on the move, and their life is increased to 125. Hellbat mode movement speed increased from 2.25 to 2.75.