Balance Patch: 5.0.13 PTR patch notes [03/07/2024] (2024)

Notes from ESL/Balance Council

En Taro Adun

We are happy to push 5.0.13 to PTR which features a variety of Map Pool Updates and Balance. We would like to thank our partners at ESL, Balance Community Council and Community Mapmakers for all your contributions that went into 5.0.13.

BALANCE UPDATE

General

• Worker attack range increased from 0.1 to 0.2.
  
• Worker inner radius (collision with terrain / structures) reduced from 0.375 to 0.3125.
  
• Reduced footprint size of Vespene Geysers.
  
• 'Zerg Rocks' now lose hp off creep.
  
• Mineral Fields now all have 500 hp (can be killed by collapsible rock towers)
  

Terran

Liberator
• Advanced ballistics range bonus reduced from 3 to 2.

Widow Mine
• Invisibility while reloading now requires Drilling Claws upgrade instead of a constructed Armory.
• Splash damage radius reduced from 1.75 to 1.5.
• Now gives an attack alert to the enemy when burrowing in range of enemy units.
• Increased visibility of targeting line and targeted unit.

Armory
• Cost reduced from 150/100 to 150/50.

Engineering Bay
• Infantry weapons/armor upgrades cost reduced from 100/175/250 to 100/150/200.

Cyclone
• Weapon cooldown increased from 0.48 to 0.58.
• Lock On now cooldown increased from 0 to 2.86.
• Damage bonus per weapon upgrade increased from 1 to 2.
• Weapon now has turret tracking, turns faster, removed damage point.
• Health increased from 110 to 130.

Raven
• Interference Matrix can no longer target units already targeted or affected by Interference Matrix.

Zerg

Hatchery/Lair/Hive
• Creep spread radius increased from 12 to 13.

Infestor
• Fungal Growth range increased from 9 to 10.
• Vision range while burrowed reduced from 10 to 8.
• Unburrow time increased from 0.36 - 0.71 seconds to 0.54 - 0.71 seconds (Range relates to random delay).
• Burrowed Infestor is now more visible while moving.

Overlord
• Transport Overlord morph time increased from 12.14 to 15 seconds.
• Transport Overlord move speed increased from 1.10 to 1.28 (2.83 to 3.00 with Pneumatized Carapace).

Protoss

Observer
• Build time reduced from 21.43 to 17.86 seconds.
• Health/Shields increased from 40/20 to 40/30.
• Model size increased by 10% / Surveillance Mode animation speed increased by 75%.

Sentry
• Damage increased from 6 to 6 (+4 vs Shields).
• Light attribute tag removed.

Pylon
• Sight range increased from 9 to 10.

BUG FIXES & QUALITY OF LIFE UPDATE

• Siege Tank Turret now tracks previously attacked unit.
  
• Fixed an issue where Siege Tank attack animation would sometimes not play.
  
• Fixed an issue with Reaper's KD8 Charge Animation.
  
• Fixed an issue with Ghost's Snipe tooltip not showing bonus damage vs psionic.
  
• Fixed an issue where Banelings could deal additional damage on ramps.
  
• Activating Generate Creep on overlords now activates for all selected Overlord types (Drop / Default).
  
• Lurker subgroup priority increased (Now has higher priority than Ravager).
  
• Fixed an issue where Immortals would not fire while surrounded by units or covered by Forcefields.
  
• Immortal Turret now tracks previously attacked unit.
  
• Fix tooltip on Mothership Cloak Field buff.
  
• Fixed various issues with Recall.
  • No longer includes units already being Recalled.
    
  • All Recall abilities now cancel Adept Psionic Transfer and Disruptor Purification Nova.
  
  
• Feedback can no longer units with no Energy.
  
• Tempest Tectonic Destabilizers upgrade now also applies to attacks targeting flying buildings.
  
• Fixed an issue where Guardian Shield would not apply to units on a different cliff level than the Sentry.
  
• Fixed an issue where certain Vespene Geysers would not update visually when Depleted.
  
• Fixed various issues with Rocks appearance on the minimap.
  
• Fixed various issues with Healing Shrines.

MAP POOL UPDATE

1v1

Goldenaura LE
Site Delta LE
Oceanborn LE
Post-Youth LE
Amphion LE
Crimson Court LE
Dynasty LE
Alcyone LE
Ghost River LE

2v2

Catalesque CE
Divergence CE
Nightscape CE
Emerald City CE
Heavy Artillery LE
Overgrowth LE (Void)
Reclamation LE
Rhoskallian LE
Graystone Ravine

3v3

Flashback CE
Black Site 2E
Sandstorm CE
Mountain Pass CE
Sentinel CE
Jungle Depths LE
Bastion of the Conclave
Misty Swamp

4v4

Alaeni Enclave CE
Enigma CE
Fractional Disstilation Plant
Lexiphanicism CE
Multiprocessor CE
Concord LE
Forgotten Sanctuary
Shipwrecked LE
Tuonela LE

Can't blame me for that thankfully.

I'm convinced these balance changes will have next to zero impact on Protoss' struggles in tournament play, which is the main balance concern for most.

These changes might have significant impacts in TvZ and TvT though. I for one am relieved the Cyclone is getting nerfed in TvT.

The Interference Matrix change is my favorite of this patch. Nerfs how oppresive the spell can be in situations in TvT. Also nerfs it slightly against Protoss which is still needed due to Terran timings with Ravens.

not sure why the lib nerf is necessary

On March 08 2024 04:46 Charoisaur wrote:
4 heavy widow mine nerfs? Seems a bit much, might as well remove the unit from the game. The upgrade buffs are pretty good though and probably enough to compensate. Still seems like they let r/starcraft balance the game

I think the Widow Mine changes are ridiculous but if it will shut up r/starcraft on the issue I'm willing to let it go. This won't have any impact in TvP at all. It will just make mines less effective vs Zerg.

The Liberator nerf also seems unneeded but it's not a huge deal since Lib range is such a late game upgrade anyway so whatever.

The council's comments on why such changes are made.

The fact the balance council thinks the only thing wrong with Protoss is TvP at the highest level is hilarious. Says everything right there honestly.

On March 08 2024 04:55 Moonerz wrote:
The attack alert on WM burrow is so dumb imo. Can we get alerts when banes are rolling towards our workers too?

That would be a nerf to Zerg. We can't nerf Zerg unless the other races get nerfed more. That's how things work around here.

On March 08 2024 04:58 Nebuchad wrote:
There are many games in which a good widow mine hit happens and then we pretend the game isn't over for ten minutes. There will now be fewer of those. It's not the change I would have done in TvP, seems strange to focus on this interaction and not the ghost interaction, but it isn't nothing at all.

In the balance council's own words. They aren't nerfing Widow Mines because they think it will help TvP. They are nerfing them because it's a "community concern at all levels of play."

They're calling it what it is. A reaction to r/starcraft whining about it so often. That's all it is. The council isn't considering it anything more substantial than that.

The fact it has the largest impact by far in TvZ isn't really a concern to anybody apparently.

https://rentry.co/5013balancetest

I'll add the comments to the main post. oh nvm someone already put the link in there.

It is objectively true that it will help TvP. I agree with you that it isn't the change I would have made either, but there's no reason to lie about something obvious.

What I like: Observer change, infestor changes, visibility and alert changes for WM (honestly WM drops are so painful this is just good for the game), pylon vision radius.

What I don't like: WM splash radius, Lib range nerfs. The lib nerf seems unnecessary? Why are we changing this? And the splash radius is just going to delete bio mine from TvZ completely.

Everything else just seems kind of arbitrary. Like... why the sentry + shield damage? What's the plan there? The dropperlord changes seem like an overall buff, I guess, but why? Will have to see how the cyclone plays out to have any feel for it - on first read it seems like they've moved it midway between its last two iterations.
Just not really understanding their rationale for this patch.

Quote from rentry entry:

If this is the case, why are we drastically shifting TvZ in Zerg's favor? I hate mines, and am as much a zergy fellow as one can be, but I can admit that the splash radius change is not going to leave the matchup in a pretty state.

Read the balance council's post, don't take it from me. They say in their own words why they are nerfing Widow Mines.

They're nerfing Liberator range for TvP. They're nerfing Widow Mines because r/starcraft wants them to.