A new “Prestige” system has been added that allows players to play through the level 1-15 progression up to three additional times per commander. Each time a player activates Prestige with a given commander, they will unlock a unique Prestige Talent, which can be used to change the core gameplay of the commander.
Only one Prestige Talent may be equipped at a time for each commander and it is possible that a player equips none of these talents, in which case, the commander will receive their standard loadout.
Examples of Prestige Talents include:
Abathur: The Limitless
Ultimate Evolutions are uncapped in number. However, Ultimate Evolutions require 200 Biomass to morph and Biomass gives half the normal benefits.
Alarak: Artificer of Souls
When a Supplicant dies, it will permanently increase the damage and attack speed of one of Alarak’s nearby non-heroic mechanical units. However, Alarak’s active abilities deal 50% less damage.
Dehaka: Broodbrother
Dehaka gets a brother. However, they both have less life.
With 18 commanders and 3 Prestige Talents per commander, this means there are 54 new Prestige Talents to try out.
Note that Co-op experience gain rate has been GREATLY increased on the PTR to facilitate the testing of the Prestige feature.
COMMANDERS
The Double Biomass Chance mastery increased from 1% per point to 1.5% per point. Maximum bonus increased from 30% to 45%.
Tempest anti-air weapon range increased from 6 to 10.
The Greater Primal Wurm Cooldown Mastery increased from 1.5% per point to 2% per point. Maximum bonus increased from 45% to 60%.
The Gene Mutation Mastery decreased from 2% per point to 1% per point. However, it now works additively with the base trait instead of multiplicatively. Effective maximum gene mutation chance increased from 32% to 50%.
Assault Galleons with the Hanger Bay upgrade now have the Endurance Training ability, which allows them to regenerate health while out of combat.
Hellion damage increased from 15 (30 vs armored) to 15 (40 vs armored). Weapon upgrade bonuses adjusted accordingly.
Wildfire Explosives base search radius increased from 3 to 4.
Wildfire Explosives Mastery bonus search radius increased from 4.24 to 5.66.
Solar Efficiency level 1 upgrade cost decreased from 200/200 to 100/100.
Solar Efficiency level 2 upgrade cost decreased from 250/250 to 150/150.
Solar Efficiency level 3 upgrade cost decreased from 300/300 to 200/200.
Solar Efficiency level 1 upgrade now increases energy regeneration by 1 every 6 seconds, down from 2 every 6 seconds.
Solar Efficiency level 3 upgrade now increases energy regeneration by 3 every 6 seconds, up from 2 every 6 seconds.
Research Enhanced Targeting cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100.
Research Optimized Ordnance cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100.
Research Reconstruction cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100.
Research Rapid Recharging cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100.
Research Shadow Cannon cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100.
The Fire Beam upgrade no longer decreases the Colossi’s weapon speed.
Research Repair Drones cost decreased from 200/200 to 100/100.
New upgrade: Graviton Catapults: Costs 150/150: Makes Carriers launch Interceptors more quickly and increases Interceptor attack speed by 25%.
Repair Beam Healing Rate mastery bonus increased from 1% per point to 3% per point. Maximum bonus increased from 30% to 90%.
Chrono Wave Energy Generation mastery bonus increased from 1 energy per point to 3 energy per point. Maximum bonus increased from 30 energy to 90 energy.
Rank 0/1/2/3 Royal Guard units now increase Imperial Support by 1/1.5/2/2.5 per supply, up from 0.5/1/1.5/2.
Bulwark field radius increased from 3 to 5.
Bulwark field armor bonus increased from 3 to 5.
Rank 1+ Sky Furies in either mode now deal 50 bonus damage against Massive targets, up from 25 bonus damage.
Vehicle and Ship weapon upgrades now increased the Raid Liberator’s damage from 13 per upgrade, up from 5.
The Friends Forever talent has been moved from level 5 to level 9.
The Pushing the Egonvolope talent has been moved from level 9 to level 15.
The Mechnum Opus talent has been moved from level 15 to level 5.
Infested Marine cost decreased from 25 to 15.
The Outlaw Availability Mastery increased from 2 seconds per point to 3 seconds per point. Maximum bonus increased from 60 seconds to 90 seconds.
BUG FIXES
Newly built Nexuses will now properly cast Chrono Boost on themselves when there is a Karax in the game.
Increased the subgroup priority of Energizers in phasing mode to match that of regular Energizers.
Fixed a bug where Imperial Intercessors with the Dual Resuscitators upgrade would heal more quickly than intended.
Fixed a bug where Mecha Baneling Egonergy Enhanced Explosives damage was capped at 50.
Mecha Utralisks now have a cleave attack as intended.
Fixed an issue where canceling a queued Outlaw could cause a player to lose the Outlaw slot.
Is this for real? I’m happy to see Assault Galleon getting Endurance Training and Karax getting massive Upgrade discount.
But with Chrono Wave Energy Generation, I’m not sure if it becomes useful even increasing the energy regen.
It is a good start though. Kudos to the Developers.
I hope they will add extra dialogues to NPCs for Mengsk. Davis still screams at Mengsk and Donnie is still making snark comments about him (Kudos for his courage).
I’m curious what Prestige Talents can do for each commanders though. Ps. wait, did the developers took concept from my level 15 to 18 thread for the prestige Talent? I’m seriously asking. Pps. Nevermind it’s not
Prestige sounds like a good change. Even if most of the talents happen to be dumb, it’ll still be fun to have a reason to play the first 15 levels over.
Karax changes are what I’ve been waiting for.
There’s still no proper endgame, cause brutal+ is awful. But at least being able to replay 1-15 will add some challenge for awhile. Can’t expect em to fix everything in one patch.
With the prestige thing alone, it sounds like they did work to make what seems to be 18 new “commanders”. It actually makes me think we could get maybe Tosh as a “prestige” version of Nova, and maybe Selendis as a “prestige” version of Arty or something. Maybe I’m just tripping.
No offense CtG, I hope that you are really tripping. Otherwise, we may not get to see our favourite characters (Tosh, Selendis, Hanson, Iszha, Niadra) as new commanders in the future. Not to Jinx it but I hope there would still be future for SC2 coop beyond 2020
I wonder if now people can make Campaign containing Co-op commanders.
Permanent Death Fleet? I look forward to having permanent mothership even if its nerfed but Destroyers are weak as it is. They have to be buffed.
It would be a huge disservice to the potential those Commanders could bring. People want Selendis playable to use the Golden Armada. People want Tosh so they can use him and his Spectres. Etc.
Strictly my personal assumptions.
I’ve never had any crazy hopes for the company’s games. Given the upcoming new features for Starсraft (a Major alteration of the editor, achivki and a serious rebalance of the co-op) I come to the opinion that the commander will not be in the upcoming update. And in General, this update looks like something completing a logical cycle.
this upcoming patch