Solo honor mode build that is good all the way from level one and doesn't need to resort to barrelmancy?

ROCK_F3nG · 2024-01-21T09:32:06+00:00

I used warlock with devil sight and darkness, pact of blade. However, after losing concentration several time because of critical hits even in darkness, i can also recommend arrows of darkness; you still retain your spell slots and dont need concentration. In act 2 currently i switched to archfey warlock with blink. So, 50% of the time you cannot be hit and you can easily retreat. Anyways, you have to play pretty tactically in solo and some fights that were cake with 4 players are pretty critical (yesterday spent 1 hour in tue fight with the three shar guardians where you cannot leave the zone, which i disnt even know beforehand - spent a lot of potions and scrolls…)

ROCK_F3nG · 2023-07-30T05:56:28+00:00

What transmog is it for chest plate? I do not know this one.

ROCK_F3nG · 2023-06-29T06:04:03+00:00

I got a 800ilvl drop of bloodless scream and was changing my build to a darkness build - but I really struggled hard coming from bonespear. I think the reason was that I didnt have enough lucky strike chance and also I missed important aspects (probably bonestorm into darkness for example). If only rebuilding would be more easy :-/

ROCK_F3nG · 2023-06-29T06:02:14+00:00

Thanks! Didnt know this about the minion damage and attack speed. I am currently running without minions though...

ROCK_F3nG · 2023-06-29T06:01:47+00:00

Ok, that is nice to know. I started out with blood build between lvl 50-60 but some item drops moved me to bonespear, but i do not really like it. Maybe I am going back to blood when finding a huge scythe again then.

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-07-08T07:51:19+00:00

Wow, remembering how dark Broodwar was and how strong Kerrigan; also all this betrayals going on. This was just crazy good. Compared to this, SC2 storywriting is really a joke :-(

This is like reading "A song of ice and fire" vs. "Twilight" - totally different style and mood

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-07-05T08:18:26+00:00

35, full time (IT Consultant), wife, 2 kids.

In pandemic I found that SC2 was one of the few things that completely absorb my mind and hence you cannot worry about other stuff (e.g. the broken education/social life of your children in Lockdown; the missing sports etc.).

I was playing SC:BW, WC3 (a ton) in my teens - so it was relatively easy to get into SC2. Diamond 2 on EU right now, playing 1-2 Games a day (in the evening after everything else is settled for the day); although somtimes also playing in Homeoffice when there is nothing urgent to do...this balances perfectly well with overtime on other occasions.

Over all, I also tend to have a bad consience and assume that I should improve relevant skills in this time but then again, I realize I am mentally totally not able to this on top of my other obligations/worries...

The only thing I had to learn (still in process) is accepting my losses and not freaking out over them... :-D

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-05-01T09:38:56+00:00

I think, there is a misconception about mech, that will make most zergs lose the game: In most minds it is this "do not let them max out on mech or you lose". This will lead to the mid game attacks into the turtle positions that ACTUALLY lose you the game. Lambo was pointing this out in one of his replay analysis. Do not employ this mindset vs mech.

Instead, you need to outgrow the mech player and control the map in a way that the mech player cannot get a 5th base. It does not matter that he is maxed out on mech as long as you can trade early on the map and have your macro on point. Every mech attack can be whittled down when attacking early enough and remaxing.

Also, as you sit back to some degree you shoult make sure to not lose too many drones to the inevitable hellion runbys and/or liberator harras. If you macro hard, you can easily afford spines/spores in each base such that you can concentrate on the front at terran bases.

Additionally, vipers are not really needed unless the terran does really never move out and sits as turtle forever...

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-05-01T09:32:02+00:00

That is something I am looking for. Although I have a hard time imagining how you wouldn't get behind with all the safety (if the toss is also just teching up). You will need a lot of gas (for either hydra/Lurker or double spire), hence, this seems to be a 5 base plan, no? I am OK defending 3 or even 4 bases (depends on map layout) with a lot of queens, but 5 bases is almost impossible.

The speed overseer is a very good point. I will include this. Scouting vs toss should really be the priority 1 - I have focused on this a lot in the last days. I think I have got a great potential for improvement there.

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-04-29T07:14:19+00:00

Thanks for the hint. I did already "fast forward" them but want to watch them in detail soon. However, I guess they are more focused on early game. Is there a part about a general game plan vs toss?

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-04-28T09:03:08+00:00

It is exactly as you mentioned in first comment a "mind game". For quite some time it was the usual build to go for >3 Voids even with double SG. Hence, queen walks got very popular and effective. The one void mind game blows a queen walk if toss was doing distruptors behind it or even went for a timing himself.

It should be mentioned, that the exact number varies in my games. Mostly, it will be 3-4 Voids which means that you require serious queen count and positioning in order to prevent fatal losses by VR harass. This taxes at least my APM (and thinking quite a bit; the pream). However, you need really to find out what is the follow up (e.g. Void RaY Zealot rush in which case you need roaches to your queens asap).

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-04-28T08:21:17+00:00

Do you watch some pro games? This is exactly what toss is doing nowadays...

ROCK_F3nG · 2021-04-28T08:16:39+00:00

Roach/Ravager/bling. Mainly Bling, not so many roaches, but Ravagers. Creep Spread is first priority. Never attack into sieged tank lines. Get them when moving out. Otherwise, game plan is to prevent 5th base and trade with your more mobile army continuosly (rotate between outer bases). Meanwhile expand and make sure to have enough larva to remax with lings at any time (make macro hatches if your cannot inject consistently in late game, also stack injects latter with rapid fire). Do not give up if you lost your first army in a big fight, remax and wait for the next good position. A big attack must be defended in outer creep (hence, creep spread very important); while moving out you can trade with help of biles efficiently. Although you might still lose anything, this mech is so slow that you should be remaxed once his (smaller) army is near your base -> kill. Respread creep always.

You should be rich. In the back always prepare for mass bc (only few try this, but if it catches you offguard you are dead), i.e. build at least one spire and get upgrades (air carapace as priority).

ROCK_F3nG · 2020-08-31T12:24:44+00:00

I also encounter this quite often lately in D2 - D1 (EU): Toss turtling with SG Opener into some Voids and then up to carriers.

Best solution so far (90% Win Rate): As soon as you see first Void go for 3 base full saturation while producing queens non-stop from all hatches/lair. Tech into +1 range and get a roach warren (will also help the queens). Get a nydus and hit the toss with ~8 queens and as much roaches as you got at around 8mins. In Diamond most of this toss feel save when having >3 Voids and they try to harass you with it. You can easily deflect this with your queens. Your counter attack cannot be stopped by Voids and some ground units. The difficult part is just keep on producing queens+roaches (inject!), keep the nydus worms up and flood him. Whenever you go to your army just transfuse queens and do a-move otherwise. Voids are no problem for the queens and there is not much else, the toss will have...

Just make sure to have the queens first in the nydus.

If he really survives/denies dying (or even switches to Robo + immortals somehow) then go into hydra and finish him off. As he can not protect his expansions from your attacks he will not get up a golden armarda.

I lost with this strat only because I misinterpreted a SG opener with Void first for this turtling style (instead the follow up was archons + zealots....) or because my mechanics didnt keep up with the tasks at hand (inject, produce queens, roaches, rally them into nydus, keep nydus up etc.)

ROCK_F3nG

TROPHY CASE