The fate of the Defiler?

[Ling Rusher]

Okay I have seen threads for the fate of almost all the Zerg units, but I haven't seen one for the Defiler. The Defiler has been one of the Zerg's best helpers in combat. His abilities to kept the ground troops safe from air, the ability to kill other biological units with plaque, and the ability to eat his fellow units to convert them into energy. The defiler was definitely a good unit against the protoss and the terrans, and they still would be (of course with a few changes).

What do you think should be the fate of the defiler?

[cereal]

I think it should definitely come back, it was really really useful sometimes.

[I)4rk]

Definately, the defiler was very useful vs Terran but maybe not as useful vs Protoss. Because if protoss went zealots and archons, it really would not matter much. And often at times, Toss goes DA a little which can easily feedback the defiler. Plus if he keeps eating lings, he'll really die compare to feedback.

[kehmdaddy]

I would be surprised to see it go away. Its unit portrait was one of my favorites in the first game and I think they'll look incredible with a SC2 3D make-over. I actually think it will become even more useful in SC2; I would love it if they gave it some sort of attack. Its portrait just made it look so lethal. If the Ghost has 5 abilities like it apparently does right now, I could completely see the Defiler having a good 4 or 5 as well.

[Itsmyship]

Let me just say...copyright infrignement of "Fate of the Ultralisk"!!! :P

Next off, there's been some sources that mention the Succubus as being the new zerg caster. Of course this isn't certain, but its been seen in like 2 or 3 different places.

[Star-Crap]

imma call him my "thor killa"

plague ftw

[Darkreaver]

The only units ive seen coming back from starcraft bw are the ones which are either really popular or really essential (or both in some cases) ... aka high templar, zergling, marine, etc

IN the case of the defiler, it should definately be making a return because of the number of abilities it is able to produce, plus the popularity of this unit is immense ; everyone who plays zerg (and climbs the tech tree to use this thing) uses it, including the korean pro gamers.

[Star-Crap]

even if they dont bring him back they might put his casts on other new zerg units

[PhantomFF]

Yes I was hearing about the succubus replacing the defiler as well.

She's suppoesed to be really cool tho...so I dont know how tradeoffs would work

[Dxun]

The only units ive seen coming back from starcraft bw are the ones which are either really popular or really essential (or both in some cases) ... aka high templar, zergling, marine, etc


The units you name here are not from the Broodwar expansion.

And the only BW units that we know about are Dark templar.

[Ling Rusher]

Yes I was hearing about the succubus replacing the defiler as well.

She's suppoesed to be really cool tho...so I dont know how tradeoffs would work

So maybe the Succubus would be cool, but if that site was right all it would have was the ability to infest things... If anything that would be replacing the queen not the defiler. I mean the queen had just ensnare, parasite, and infect terran command center. In fact it would be real easy to give the defiler the ensare ability, and give the succubus the parasite. Anyhow, the defiler probably will not be dropped.

[Dreadnought]

Defiler was a huge part of battles and its theme is "kinda" cool. but honestly I think blizzard will think of something better. The queen had a better theme to it imo but its battle role wasnt as important. I think they will keep the queen and overhaul it.

[Fenix]

"Better"? Seriously, Plague is the number one most devastating ability in the whole game. It's damage dealing is unmatched. And while it's not to good against the Protoss, it will own any army not being micro-managed well enough.

[PhantomFF]

I always hated plague no matter what race I was >.>

but I'm pretty sure Zerg will get plenty to make up for it :)

[TidalSpiral]

The Defiler was one of my favorite theme units. The cloud of insects to protect ground units is awesome, I think that they will keep this ability above any others. Imagine all the intense firepower that the Terrans now have - without the Defiler cloud, most units would have no way of penetrating all the projectile attacks unless they were dropped on top of the enemy. Hopefully it would be improved though, with how toxic they are supposed to be they should be able to regularly throw blobs of acid or spray diseases at people.

[CodyFallsForth]

spray diseases at people.


Plague...

[TidalSpiral]

Well I obviously mean consistently, like a regular attack that utilizes the toxins or parasites. Maybe they could send the cloud of bugs out to hurt someone then they return to the body?

[Fenix]

Maybe they could send the cloud of bugs out to hurt someone then they return to the body?


Like the Crypt Lord in War III?


Lol ;D

[mc2]

Actually, I found the plague quite useful against Protoss. Most Protoss units have a base armor, the zealot had 1, the carrier had 4!! While all of their shields does not have a base number, all shield starts with 0. The plague rips through their tough armor, allowing the hydralisks and zerglings to attack their more vulnerable shields. And the fact that their HP does not regenerate nor repairable, the plague is rather powerful when using against the protoss.

[SirBaron]

Okay I have seen threads for the fate of almost all the Zerg units, but I haven't seen one for the Defiler. The Defiler has been one of the Zerg's best helpers in combat. His abilities to kept the ground troops safe from air, the ability to kill other biological units with plaque, and the ability to eat his fellow units to convert them into energy. The defiler was definitely a good unit against the protoss and the terrans, and they still would be (of course with a few changes).

What do you think should be the fate of the defiler?

Of all units i use the most when playing Zerg (which is all the time...), Defiler comes 2nd after Hydras. The use of that unit is like, unbelievable... plague, which softens up Protoss, Dark Swarm, which immunilizes Hydras vs Rangedmg and consume, which just kicks ass. The Defiler HAS to return, or i am going to cry blood or something.

[CodyFallsForth]

I use drones the most :)

[SirBaron]

Well, aside Drones (and Overlords...)

[CodyFallsForth]

:D yeah.

But i see what you're saying. Hydras used with defilers and lings are the best combination if used correctly.

[ShoGun]

Get rid of the defiler; replace it with something else that fits with the Zerg's new strategies. I’d rather see new units, then old ones with the same or similar abilities.

[opm]

Get rid of the defiler; replace it with something else that fits with the Zerg's new strategies. I’d rather see new units, then old ones with the same or similar abilities.

i have to generally agree. i'd be disappointed if all the other races had so much design effort invested and zerg was just the same old. I think we need to retain the abilities, but yet the units i have a feeling will have to change. How drastic of a change is the question.

I know right now people are really high on the fact that blizzard is watching, but personally I'd rather they take an independent approach. They're creativity is what I pay for, not the input of the community. I think the community approach, is worthwhile in polishing the game, but I'd rather they take my comments on how to improve the race, rather than take my ideas for new units.

[Cerebrate]

Defiler is very underused unit of Zerg swarm.

It's a shame, Defiler really is awesome unit that has some game breaking abilitys that helps zerg considerably, well placed Dark swarms wins battles.

But Defiler is quite pain in ass to get on field I have to admit. Starcraft is fast paced game and melee games tend to end quite fast. Defiler requires pretty much all tech before it can be created, I guess most players will just forget it or don't bother to tech it.

I hope it stays but it should be make little easier to obtain.

[TidalSpiral]

I'm pretty sure it's going to return, just it might have a name and body change. So far none of the SC2 units look like they are defenseless (still have to see about Observers and HT) so maybe Defilers will become Desecrators or something and be able to bite. With a shell. :D There I go with unit ideas again.

Totally agree with OPM - I'm buying because I know Blizzard creates badass games, with tweaking help from the community so that it's widely balanced. I don't want to see anything from SC1 that is completely the same, besides basic mechanics like resource gathering and building. Yeah some units were awesome but if there is no extra kick from the first game then it's a waste of a unit slot in my opinion.

[SirBaron]

Defiler requires pretty much all tech before it can be created, I guess most players will just forget it or don't bother to tech it.

Yeah, but if you manage to stay alive long enough to build Defilers, coupled up with craploads of 'lings and hydras, it's pretty much game over (Consume F T W...)

[xasterothx]

i hope they change the looks of it...or move on the role to other unit

[BoydofZINJ]

My favorite ability was the plague. In a recent battle, I started to replay SC and BW recently, I was being over whelmed by terran tank rush. I suicide charged a Defiler and swarm the tighly packed tanks. After about a minute i charged some zergings in line abreast formation. A few made them and made short work of the 1 hp tanks.

[kehmdaddy]

I'm pretty sure it's going to return, just it might have a name and body change.
If they change the name and body, then it's not really a defiler anymore, is it? Defilers are cool, I think they definitely need to look more fearsome like their portrait. Right now they're big, wriggling silverfish. And those things creep me out, but just because they're so gross and uuuugly. I think it would be cool if they could either bite or maybe even spit the ensnare goo as an attack, although it would only affect one target and not splash all over a whole army. That way a pretty useless Queen spell returns as a useful and easier to use ability. You think that would be balanced? It wouldn't have to do damage, although they could make it do a little bit if they chose to.

[ShdwyTemplar]

With the evolution of the Zerg Swarm comes multiple branches and strains of evolving DNA with every Larvae Morphed. So it only makes sense the Deflier will be back in one form or Another resembling the old form. Although, Blizzard has stated in its Lore the Deflier was 1. A Viral Shock Trooper and 2. Rarely seen in combat as it was a unique creature. So making sense by that standpoint we will most likely be seeing a unit that has great support value as the Zergs equivalent of Biological Warfare on the other races.
The Queen was a matriarch that attended the Larvae as was the Overlord(Not sure why I put Overlord in maybe you can make sense of that), so, the Queen's small arsenal of spells is not in any way a Viral Shock Trooper and this would not be a valid place to displace the defilers value as it purpose was one that is totally different than the defiler. A new Zerg Viral Shock Trooper would not be as effective at this capability either as the Deflier uses metasynaptic (Whatever the hell that means, lol its SC they can make up this concept.) energies it generates to create the Volatile Toxins and Cancerous Gases.
In conclusion the Deflier will most likely be appearing in a Cancerous Cell induced Madness that it seems to have about it, but on steroids. ;D
Information on Deflier gathered from http://www.battle.net/scc/zerg/
Anyway thats it for my post. -Shdwy Out