Random Karax Ideas

Co-op Missions Discussion
1

For the sake of conversation, here are a bunch of buffs for Karax. Which of these would you like to use/see and why?

  1. Remove forge requirement for cannons
  2. More starting spear of adun energy w/o mastery
  3. Better chrono field (level 2 unlock). Increase to buff self-production by 30% and ally by 15% (up from 15% all around)
  4. Dirt cheap pylons and/or probes. 25 minerals or something
  5. 50% more unit hp (shields unaffected), since they cost more
  6. Reduced unity barrier cooldown to 1 minute
  7. Units start with their unique upgrades (reconstruction, phasing armor, shadow cannon, etc)
  8. Salvage
  9. Removal of unit cost mastery, units cost normal price, and replaced by research cost mastery
  10. Observers gravitic boosters also gives them +50% or even 100% vision/detection range
  11. Chrono beam (energizers) also give life leech or attack range
  12. Energizer mind control is permanent and/or gives 3/3 upgrades
13 Likes
2

3 and 9 would be great. His biggest struggle tends to be his stupidly expensive units. Chrono boost is kind of supposed to be a big theme of his and his units tend to have longer build times anyway, so a boost there is always welcome. Most of the other suggestions just seem excessive.

6 Likes
3

Cheap pylons could work nicely for him, and I’d be in favour of his sentinels getting reconstruction right away.

It might be interesting for his last mastery set to be between spear of adun energy and a chrono boost (or whatever the universal one is called) speed increase as opposed to the nexus boost.

All in all I’m weary of making his units too cheap or too strong though, since he’s supposed to take a more back seat and support his partner more than running his own army.

1 Like
4

Maybe he can get a hatchery which spawns zealots that fire UED shells from their Gauss rifles? :smiley:

3 Likes
5

Well if we’re going that route, let’s just let the zealots fire the SoA shots for an attack.

3 Likes
6

Only if the shells explode into full sized carriers that are already full of interceptors.

2 Likes
7

Noooo, Carriers loaded with banelings!

4 Likes
8

Maybe the zealots can fire carriers which fire nuclear bombs instead of interceptors and then the zealots glow like disco balls for a while?

Edit: okay, I am kinda starting to feel bad for derailing the OP’s thread. Sorry, OP! But, I still maintain that Karax’s engineering genius can produce zealots that glow like disco balls.

2 Likes
9

4 seems reasonable and doesn’t erode his feel

1 Like
10

2 seems like something that should have been there a long time ago, seeing how reliant on the Spear of Adun he is.

3 would be really nice, I’m for it.

6 would make his lvl 15 really strong. Which is ok, but that would be really strong on mutations especially.

7 would be interesting, I would much prefer that to option 9, and it keeps his feel very strong which I think is an important part of this.

10 would be good, I mean at this point it feels like strike platforms have let H&H start intruding on Karax territory, at least if his observers could see further to kinda keep up with raven radar…

11 what should really be done is increase the buff from 25% attack speed 50% move speed to 50% attack and move speed, just like it was in campaign. All the complaints about vanguards and campaign stats, what about energizers?

12 I would rather see some help for Karax against zerg. Right now part of what is pushing the nothing-but-cannon/carrier meta is because everything else doesn’t work well against Zerg anyways, and the mastery is set up in a way that really forces you to pick your strategy before the game starts.

2 Likes
11

I think he only needs number 8.

If Karax could salvage his static defenses his playstyle would be a lot more flexible, reliable and less punishing. I find Karax’s static defenses not rewarding enough for the amount of resources you have to commit to them, you also can’t really move your defenses.

Commanders that have good static defense such as Swann, Zeratul and Stukov can move their buildings somehow (Salvage, Projection, Uprooting, respectively). I think Karax needs an “Unwarp” of some kind.

I would expand the unwarp to any type of building really, just like the Undead can do in WC3. That would allow you to salvage upgrade buildings once you are done upgrading for example, and get that gas back for more units or monoliths, or make 4 robo or stargates for quick production and then salvage two later on as your gas goes down.

The difference from Swann’s salvage would be two:

  • Requires a probe to do it.
  • Can be done in any building.
5 Likes
12

Allow him to recall a pylon, along with all buildings in its power field (Except nexuses), and then redeploy them elsewhere.

Only one Pylon can be in “storage” at a time, and you have to be able to fit all the buildings in the place you want to redeploy.

6 Likes
13

This would be awesome.

Build up a defensive perimeter and use global powers to move the whole perimeter to a point to bolster your presence there.

I suggested something of this sort a long time ago when I tried to write up a character concept for Ariel Hanson, but that was ages ago. And, the sort of dude Karax is, it would make sense for him.

3 Likes
14
  1. All upgrades seems a bit too good, I think what Karax need is a bit stronger early game army:
  • Zealots have reconstruction that works only once until you research it;
  • Energizers in phasing mode have bigger range for abilities (especially reclamation), and can summon phase cannon (lasts 30 sec, 20 sec cooldown, cost 100 energy)
  1. or how suggested by @Phlynch - teleport for his static def from one pylon to another.
2 Likes
15

I like these ones since they play more to what makes him unique. I am all for buffing Karax’s offensive options, and doing it in a way that still aligns with his phase-smith theme.

Other things I might suggest to improve his strength include one or a combination of the following:

  1. Reduce Solar Lance cooldown to 30 seconds [down from 2 minutes].
  2. Allow probes to “hover” over other units [especially sieged energizers] and static defense.
  3. Decrease Purifier Beam cooldown and initial cool-up time to 5 minutes [There was never a reason to make it have a longer cooldown and coolup than Solar Bombardment to begin with].
  4. Allow static defense to attack faster during Chrono Wave.
  5. Include build time reduction in unit cost reduction mastery.
5 Likes
16

I would note that in the LotV campaign it was 1 minute. It’s crazy how while other commanders almost all get units far better than their campaign version, Karax is equal or inferior to the campaign version for basically everything but cannons and orbital strike.

3 Likes
17

One thing that might help with his feel in particular is a 30% decrease in combat building cost (applied at level 1 where he gets a 30% increase in combat unit cost)

(decrease in SOA cooldowns would be good as well)

[that would be my general suggestion

  1. Combat buildings [cannons, monoliths, and batteries] are 30% cheaper
  2. Combat units have 20-30% more hp ?or build 30% faster?
  3. SoA cooldowns reduced by 25-50%
1 Like
18

What a bunch of great ideas, if only Karax gets any bit of love ever.

1 Like
19

I never realized it was nerfed down to 25% attack speed for Coop, that’s interesting. TBH it’s still really good and probably unneeded, as opposed to vanguards which still kinda suck

3 Likes
20

A big improvement would also be 3 independent charges for solar lance and get rid of that nautic vision, while using solar lance. Simply doesn’t feel right.

2 Likes