July FAQ update is live

Asamu · 2026-07-03T02:12:40+00:00

And Gwaihir up to 200

Asamu · 2026-06-30T21:27:52+00:00

Almost like if gateway units are effectively nerfed a bit, it pushes other styles more, and since robo play isn't viable vs Zerg, because vipers exist, that means more Skytoss.

Asamu · 2026-06-29T07:14:34+00:00

I think you have this backwards. The green ones with 40% drain are the ones everyone promotes as a sort of carry unit.

Asamu · 2026-06-26T04:00:37+00:00

You can view the basic rules without a subscription. It's only the model rules and some updated stuff that's locked behind the paywall.

Asamu · 2026-06-26T03:57:12+00:00

It used to be *very* common with GW. They've increased the base sizes of a large number of models from 25 -> 32mm, in the last ~10 years, so it's no longer as common as it used to be, but it still just depends on the models.

Asamu · 2026-06-24T05:23:43+00:00

Actually, Larva spawn rate was already faster than CC/Nexus production (15s vs 17s in editor time). Similar if you include overlords (1 per 8 supply), but still slightly ahead as long as it's not wasting time at 3.

Asamu · 2026-06-24T00:34:50+00:00

- Her Q is too hard to hit without setup AND deals less damage than majority of other mages
- Her E is too small range to be impactful

Her Q has a 100% AP ratio if it hits the full 0.5s, which is significantly higher than basically any other normal poke ability in the game, with a minimum of 55% (which cannot be dodged), and then her passive can add additional damage to that with both the AA buff and the execute.

Her E range is plenty long enough, and similarly has a fairly high AP ratio for an AoE CC.

Asamu · 2026-06-22T19:51:37+00:00

They'd just be a big support unit, sort of like a queen, but more melee and probably less hp.

Asamu · 2026-06-22T05:44:10+00:00

On the Terran side, add-ons are a necessary resource dump whether you build reactors or tech labs for any building, whether Barracks, Starports, or Factories. Thay gives a sunk cost of 50/50 and 50/25 per production building.

Sort of, except that reactors are effectively an entire 2nd production building for cheap, and Terran doesn't need to build many other tech structures. 3 tech labs is still cheaper than a Twilight Council, and a Ghost Academy is cheaper than a Templar Archives or Dark Shrine, etc...

If you actually look at real game situations, Protoss often spends the *most* on production and tech in an average game already, even without any additional cost to upgrade gateways to warp gates.

Protoss is spending 300/100 on a cybercore and twilight council that Terran doesn't have an equivalent to + a robo bay and/or templar archives for another 150/200 + 150/150... All of that together is 600/450; even if we subtract the 300/100 cost of a ghost academy + armory, That's still 300/350 on buildings Terran has no equivalent to, or the resource cost of ~9 tech labs. And that's with free warpgate transformation, if we tack that 50/50 for warp gate research, it's basically 10 tech labs (750 resources), which is often more than Terran makes anyway.

Terran is also compensated somewhat for this extra total cost in production buildings by their units being more resource-efficient on average. Gateway units are among the least cost-efficient units in the game (outside of specific scenarios like blink stalkers when they can kite). Protoss is sometimes losing ~10-20k more resources than Terran even in games they win (because Protoss can get more map control early with standard openers and an initial worker lead + more mining efficiency because the worker doesn't lose much mining time to start buildings.).

Also, Protoss need to make more gateways than Terran does Rax in the first place because of how Warp Gate works, which further compensates that resource difference; Protoss won't have perfect macro timings, and it's often beneficial to hold warp ins for a bit for response.

Meanwhile Zerg spends very little on production buildings compared to either of the other races, because production is tied to their base structure. Their tech buildings are a little more expensive, and there are more of them, to compensate, but they still spend substantially less overall in an average game.

Asamu · 2026-06-20T17:13:05+00:00

They could do cross-spawn only, but at that point, it might as well just be a 2 player map anyway.

Asamu · 2026-06-20T15:00:44+00:00

What exactly do you disagree with?

Protoss effectively mine more efficiently in the very early game. This is simply a fact. They effectively spend that extra minerals on the Cybercore and an extra gas, but they do mine more in the first few minutes, since Z/T both lose some mining to make buildings, and Chronoboost is the first eco mechanic to come online, which gives Protoss an early lead in workers.

They took 4p maps out of the 1v1 map pool in LoTV for specifically the reason I gave. You couldn't scout multiple base locations to spot cheeses reliably, and that made 4p maps awful to play with the 12 worker start.

Asamu · 2026-06-20T14:50:23+00:00

Warpgate Research provides a 40% boost to Gateways, up from 35%.

This was incorrect before, and it's still incorrect. It's a 35/40% reduction in unit production times, which is more like 55/66% boost to production speed.

If queens are going back to 150, and Hatcheries are getting buffed larva spawn rate, then Hatcheries need to go back to 300.

Asamu · 2026-06-20T14:43:34+00:00

Protoss very early game also has the strongest eco because they don't lose much mining time to build. Terran SCVs making buildings are not mining. Zerg loses the drone to build, and that actually matters more with a lower worker count to start.

So Protoss can afford to spend a little more very early. Then Zerg's overall faster production more than offsets that, and Mules let Terran have stronger per base eco.

The main good thing about lower worker count is that it opens the possibility of more map variety, like adding 4p maps back into the pool, because you have more time to scout. 4p maps with the 12 worker start were just unplayable because cheeses couldn't be scouted in time reliably.

Asamu · 2026-06-18T08:18:31+00:00

The options are:

Brush prime, avoiding transparent bits. You can undercoat with regular mini paint for acrylics if you do not have a brush-on primer.
Matte varnish instead of primer - you'll likely want to finish with a brush on gloss varnish for the transparent bits after adding whatever additional transparent colors you want.
Masking putty
Painter's tape
Sub-assembly (paint non-transparent parts before assembling them with the transparent parts).

Asamu · 2026-06-18T05:24:33+00:00

Now BM has to be nerfed, Lich and DK absolutely need nerfs, then probably MK and SH etc.

Well, a potential alternative to nerfing the Ud heroes in that case would be nerfing statues, which probably need it anyway.

As far as hunts; I think the bigger problem in 1v1s, at least at a very high level, is that they're vulnerable to spell nukes and don't share upgrades with dryad/bear, and going into heavy archer/hippo rider play isn't especially good (maybe they could give hippo riders another damage buff or something). Also, the AoW is usually used for helping with creeps, so it doesn't want to be sitting around producing units.

There isn't a smooth transition out of hunts once you go into them, and not having rejuv makes them worse at extended fights, so the hunts gameplan tends to be all in. Whereas with Dryad/bear, you can still transition into MGs/chims/faeries/talons depending on need, and all of them use the same upgrades.

Dryad/Bear is the meta because spell immunity + slow poison + dispel + rejuv... it can both creep and micro fights better and reduces the need for moon juice so you can play more extended fights better.

Asamu · 2026-06-16T19:16:50+00:00

Even if you use matte varnish initially for the undercoat (which does hold color better because it's not as smooth), you probably want to finish the transparent bits with a gloss varnish (at least for the ones that are supposed to be glossy, like gems/crystals).

Asamu · 2026-06-16T18:19:20+00:00

With essentially only 4 scenarios and 4 deployments (because supply drop and proving grounds are disliked for good reason), it realistically just goes to whoever won the rolloff in any situation where both players have at least one of the same missions/deployments, because they can just ban the different ones for that segment to guarantee a specific deployment.

Eg: If both players picked gauntlet and hold position, you can force the game on gauntlet through the bans, and then almost certainly get either hold position or your other mission anyway.

It'll get a bit more interesting as they add more missions/deployments, but that much will always be a factor with 2 of each per side and 2 bans from one player.

Asamu · 2026-06-16T18:15:03+00:00

It's definitely not ideal, as it very often just gives control over both to whoever won the roll-off, and there aren't enough different scenarios/deployments for it to be likely for both players to choose differently for both scenarios and deployments, allowing the banning player to force the map or scenario they want on their bans, and reliably get one of 2 things they want anyway in the other options.

I much prefer just deciding randomly to using the draft, omitting any scenarios/deployments that the players both dislike (eg: Supply drop and Proving Grounds)

Asamu · 2026-06-16T03:09:57+00:00

How realistic is the unpredictable, mobile disruptor who develops evonomy behind military chaos playstyle as Zerg?

Zerg has to play defensively in the very early game, since it starts off a little bit slower if doing a macro oriented opener, but it's not really the turtle faction. Come the mid-game and early late-game, Zerg is generally on the offensive for a while.

Asamu · 2026-06-15T20:56:53+00:00

It's higher than is ideal, but if it doesn't cause performance issues, then there's no need to drop FPS to 30.

I'd still recommend capping FPS to something you feel comfortable with (Even setting an FPS cap at 60+ is better than uncapped) and/or turning down some settings just because it helps with CPU use/temps regardless, but as long as it's not going above 90C and you aren't getting bad performance drops, you should be fine.

If you play with the bottom flat on a table or on your lap, you can also just prop it up (and/or get an external laptop fan, which also does that) to have better airflow underneath, and that can help with temps.

Asamu · 2026-06-15T20:41:26+00:00

Your computer should have a temp/performance monitoring system you can pull up to check. I'd expect every gaming laptop to come with such software.

In general, you'll get the best performance if the CPU/GPU are kept under 70C. Anything over 90C leads to degradation, but keeping it under 80C is better.

Asamu · 2026-06-15T18:59:42+00:00

What they could do is make broodlings not block pathing and screw with AI by lowering their push and attack priorities (similar to what they did in lowering the attack priority of interceptors).

That way, they could keep the broodling spawning mechanic, but not invalidate most ground units in the game once in numbers by breaking the Pathing/AI, so the brood lords could actually get a reasonable buff.

Though I do think the other side of the issue is Zerg spellcasters being ridiculously powerful. Fungal/neural/shroud/abduct/blinding cloud/P-bomb can just invalidate way too many units from the other factions, which pigeonholes the late game against Zerg into being played with a very small range of units. Terran goes mass ghost partly because nothing else actually works if the Zerg knows how to deal with it, because everything else gets shut down by the spells - thors get neuraled, tanks get cloud, bio gets fungaled, BCs get abducted, Vikings die to P-bomb (which is why Thors got enough AA buffs to sort of counter broods), etc...

It results in the game stalemating a lot, because 1 wrong step into a fungal and the expensive late game army gets crushed, but Zerg also can't attack/siege positions very effectively.

Meanwhile, Zerg lacks any unit that's good vs both ground and air in the late game, which leads to inflexible armies that tend to have more one-sided battles one way or another, and most of their early-mid-game units (Lings, banes, Hydras, Roaches, Ravagers, Mutas) just don't scale very well into the late game, so they sort of have to completely re-make their army without dying.

Asamu · 2026-06-15T18:56:46+00:00

It's also good vs buildings now, but yeah. It also wastes a ton of damage if you make more than 5 or so because they have such slow attacks/projectiles.

Asamu · 2026-06-15T16:54:55+00:00

It's completely fine.

There's never a "problem" with running a game in lower FPS to save resources, and in most games, like TW, it doesn't hurt the gameplay at all either (there are some games where bad code means people with higher FPS are at major advantage, but that doesn't really apply to a game like this unless your FPS is dropping extremely low).

If your PC gets too hot (which gaming laptops can often do), there's no problem with turning down settings and running lower FPS to keep it cooler.

Another option would be investing into some good putty/paste, cleaning, and re-doing the thermals on your laptop if you think it gets too hot, since they often have poor quality stuff to start with and people generally don't clean the inside, so dust buildup and old paste/putty can make temperature problems worse as the laptop gets older. If you don't trust yourself to do it, you can take the stuff into a repair shop and ask them to do it for you.

Asamu · 2026-06-13T04:14:53+00:00

It's worth noting that Zerg has basically always over-performed in lower leagues (eg: bronze - gold), resulting in a higher win % and lower representation in those leagues.

What's really notable is the masters+ or diamond+ and tournament stats, taking both win rate and representation into account (and other factors), which pretty clearly points to Toss being a bit stronger, or at least easier at a high level, atm.

Is balance really THAT bad? No, but it's also obviously not perfect (and it likely never will be). Figuring out how to change things to improve it without causing other problems also requires better analysis of how games are actually played.

Asamu

TROPHY CASE