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The original was posted on /r/starcraft by /u/agedos on 2024-11-05 17:38:05+00:00.
I'm not suggesting this should be in the game; it's just a "what if" scenario/discussion.
To explain the doctrine system: Imagine StarCraft 2 as it is now, with the core factions (Terran, Protoss, and Zerg) each having their full kit. Now, imagine a layer on top of that: a doctrine system inspired by Company of Heroes. This would work like a sub-faction or specialization you choose either before or during the match, adding unique bonuses, units, and abilities to your faction as the game progresses.
These doctrinal bonuses might include:
- Unlocking new units or special call-ins.
- Access to new upgrades.
- Access to new buildings.
- Access to new abilities.
The bonuses would unlock gradually over the game, escalating in power and helping shape different strategies. Doctrines could be balanced for competitive play, themed for immersion, or even offer some wild, experimental abilities.
Here’s how it might look for each faction. I've created three doctrines for each one to show off different styles and playstyles.
Terran Doctrines
Infantry Doctrine
Focus: Ground infantry and combat medics
- Unlock Research - Improved Stimpack: Stimpack no longer costs health.
- Unlock Medic: Gain access to Medics from Barracks.
- Elite Infantry Call-In: Summon elite mercenary infantry units with boosted stats.
- Deployable Barracks: Air-drop an extra Barracks anywhere on the map.
- Advanced Infantry Upgrades: Unlock +4 and +5 attack and armor upgrades
Air Supremacy Doctrine
Focus: Air superiority
- Starport Independence: Starports no longer have requirements.
- Cheaper Banshees and Vikings: Reduced costs for Banshees and Vikings.
- Unlock Research - Banshee AOE Upgrade: Banshees gain area-of-effect damage.
- Free Yamato Cannon: Yamato Cannon research costs zero resources (still requires time).
- Call in the Fleet: Summon a squadron of air units anywhere on the map.
Mining Doctrine
Focus: Resource gathering
- Free SCVs with Command Centers: Each new Command Center spawns 2 free SCVs.
- Permanent MULEs: Call in a permanent MULE (limited to 1 per Orbital Command per game).
- SCV Durability: SCVs gain extra armor.
- SCV Ranged Attack: SCVs gain a weak ranged attack.
- Draken Laser Drill: Allows building of a Draken Laser Drill (1 per game).
Zerg Broods
Ambush Brood
Focus: Ambush tactics
- Automatic Burrow Research: All ground units start with Burrow unlocked.
- Unlock Research - Cliff Jumping Zerglings: Zerglings gain the ability to leap up and down cliffs.
- Enhanced Overseer Vision: Overseers gain an increased vision radius.
- Unlock Research - Camouflage Carapace: Burrowed units become invisible even to detectors if burrowed for at least 7 seconds.
- Nydus Ambush: One per game ability to spawn a strong Nydus. This Nydus is harder to kill and spawns 100 supply of Zerglings at its location.
Air Brood
Focus: Aerial dominance
- Flying Queens: Queens gain the ability to fly.
- Reduced Spire Cost: Spire becomes significantly cheaper.
- Swift Overlords and Overseers: Significantly increases the speed of Overlords and Overseers.
- Corruptor Bombardment: Corruptors deal extra damage to buildings.
- Summon Leviathan: Calls in a massive Leviathan. One per game.
Infestation Brood
Focus: Infestation and anti-Terran tactics
- Enhanced Creep Spread: Creep Tumors spread farther and faster.
- Building Infestation: If a Terran building is on creep for 30 seconds, it becomes infested, spawning Infested Terrans for Zerg. Affected buildings can't lift off to prevent escape.
- Exploding Creep Tumors: Creep Tumors can be sacrificed to infest nearby Terran bio units, turning them into Infested Marines.
- Spawn Infested Marine: Infestors gain the ability to spawn Infested Marines.
- Permanent Neural Parasite: Neural Parasite becomes permanent but costs more energy.
Protoss Conclaves
Celestial Conclave
Focus: Air superiority
- Stargate Warp-In Upgrade: Allows upgrading the Stargate to warp in units instead of training them.
- Tempest’s Disruptive Orb: Tempests gain an ability—a slow-moving AoE orb that damages both air and ground units.
- Unlock Research - Zephyr Shielding: Carriers and Phoenixes gain a bigger shield.
- Unlock Research - Stronger Lift: Phoenixes can lift two units at a time.
- Avatar of the Fleet: Summons a massive mothership with boosted stats and powerful AoE attacks. Once per game.
Assembly Conclave
Focus: Robotic units
- Unlock Research - Resilient Plating: All robotic units gain increased armor.
- Colossus Cooled Thermal Lance: Colossi gain faster attack speed.
- Unlock Ability - Disruptor’s Warp Anomaly: Disruptors can create a gravity well, slowing all nearby enemies.
- Unlock Research - Automated Repair: Robotic units self-repair when out of combat.
- Unlock Unit - Purifier Colossus: Build a massive Purifier with dual thermal lances.
Shadow Conclave
Focus: Cloaking and stealth tactics
- Unlock Upgrade - Dark Pylon: Pylons can be upgraded to Dark Pylons, giving cloak to nearby units.
- Unlock Research - Enhanced Void Prism: Dark Templars gain an ability to briefly stun and disable any unit or structure.
- Unlock Research - Silent Shadows: Cloaked units are revealed only if they are detected for at least 3 seconds.
- Unlock Research - Shadow Phoenix: Phoenixes gain a temporary cloak ability.
- Unlock Unit - Dark Archon: Two Dark Templars can merge into a Dark Archon.
I am not claiming these are good or balanced ideas, but I wanted to share my thought.
