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IEM Starcraft 2 Results, check inside!

This past weekend at Blizzon, Blizzard gave a lot of details on the Heart of the Swarm expansion for Starcraft 2. Some of the big news was regarding the multiplayer and the changes that were going to be implemented. Here are some things Blizzard addressed in a blog about the changes that will be in the upcoming expansion:

Protoss

Issues and weaknesses

• Needs more raiding options
• Needs area of effect, anti-air attacks
• New units and abilities

Tempest

• New protoss capital ship, replaces carrier
• Anti-air splash damage for mutalisks and other aircraft
• Has direct air-to-ground attack as well that isn't splash

Replicant

• Special unit that can clone itself into any non-massive unit
• Allows protoss to also take siege tanks or infestors from enemies
• Is very expensive
• Still very much a work-in-progress, not-final unit

Oracle

• Caster unit used for raiding and harassment
• Can disable enemy structures, or prevent miningwith its abilities
• Doesn't actually kill or damage anything
• Mothership is cut in favor of this unit

Terran

Issues and weaknesses

• Thor is too slow and clumsy
• Race has difficulties in handling mass zealots in late game

New units and abilities

• New "battle mode" for hellion - transforms like a viking
• Battle mode hellion has more hit points, moves more slowly
• Shorter, wider arc on flame attack, and stronger
• Gives terran a beefy front-line fighter in the late game

Warhound

• Smaller, more nimble version of Thor
• Effective anti-mech ground weapon to help break siege tank lines
• Anti-air attack with splash damage

Shredder

• Robot that emits channeled, area of effect damage when immobilized
• Damage automatically shuts off when an ally moves into range
• Gives terran cheap zone control, but can't be used near main army
• Is still very work-in-progress

Thor

• Moved to late game, more hit points and damage
• Can only have one, like mothership from Wings of Liberty

Zerg

Issues and weaknesses

• Mid-game difficulties with siege and controlling areas
• Missed opportunities with certain units like ultralisk and corruptor
• New units and abilities

Ultralisk

• Existing version is bulky and has difficulties engaging in battle
• New burrow charge ability lets it dive underground and get into the fight easily

Viper

• New caster unit with detection -- replaces overseer
• Has abilities like blinding cloud to help break entrenched positions
• Abduct ability allows it to pull units to itself -- pull siege tanks or colossus out of death balls

Swarm host

• Zerg artillery for map control and siege
• Burrows into the ground, and continuously generates small creatures to attack
• Feels very zerg-y

Also Game designer David Kim addressed these issues and fixes as well:

"There were some other adjustments and additions in multiplayer Heart of the Swarm. Some of the more interesting changes include the reaper gaining the ability to quickly regenerate health when out of combat, though its building attack has been removed. Battlecruisers will also get a new cooldown-based ability for a speed boost.

On the zerg side, banelings will be able to move while underground, through a late-game upgrade, while hydralisks will get a speed upgrade for off-creep movement. Corruptors will also have a new channeled ability called siphon. Siphoned buildings take damage over time, while the zerg player gains minerals as the building is being damaged.

Finally for the protoss, two new abilities have been added to the nexus. One is a mass recall, allowing protoss players to quickly return armies home, while the other is a defensive ability that temporarily gives any structure additional shield and building armor, as well as a weapon similar to a photon cannon."

All of these changes are going to make tournament play so different that it is going to feel like a brand new game with new strategies that every pro player is going to have to come up with. If you have yet to see the new units click here!

What do you guys think of the changes? Post a comment down below!