Finally, the massive update we've all been waiting for is here! This update contains the big overhaul to the infested terran doctrines, and countless other balance updates across all documents! Let's take a look at the full update notes!
*Notes in Red are changed that have been added since these patch notes were originally posted on 7/15/2020
Core Rulebook
Combat Rules:
You cannot gain a morale on an action you spent a morale on.
Dropping to 0 instinct makes you unconscious and comatose
Clarified that dual-wielding attacks are made simultaneously, so dodging one is not proof against the other.
Attacking a cloaked character gives a -5 penalty, reduced to -0 if they are detected. Furthermore, cloaked characters can be heard if they move near enemies. Detection also now lasts until the cloaked character moves. Some dedicated detectors (such as missile turrets, overlords, and probes) now also constantly auto-detect all nearby creatures instead of requiring an action
Draw or holster now allows you to draw one small item into each hand with the same action if both hands were free.
Rending now may only reduce the target’s damage threshold by up to 20, any rending over 20 directly turns into damage.
Every kind of free action is limited to 1/round on the characters turn
Drop something in hand has been moved to be a free action
Opportunity attacks, Evading, and other actions performed not on a character’s turns, are now all reactions. A character may make one reaction per turn, with combat reflexes adding more reactions. Evading may still only be done once per turn.
Clarified how multiple energy shield interact (other than guardian shield, see supplement 3)
Regeneration now heals crippling wound points after a long rest. This applies to infested terrans, primal zerg, and purifiers. Lost limbs regrow after 10 days. Purifiers need work done in a science facility to replace lost limbs.
Regeneration and death have more details. Now, they must make a number of stabilization checks equal to the surgery checks required. If they fail 3 auto-stabilization checks, they fail to stabilize themselves.
Specified under Death and Dying- Unconscious, that effects that occur upon killing an enemy happen when the enemy is reduced to 0 hit points.
Specializations
Battle Acrobat has been reworked
Now when attacking with a non-unarmed melee weapon and bobbing and weaving you gain cleaving.
Master gymnast no longer gives advantage on evasion attempts. Due to reaction rework, now requires the combat reflexes talent to evade twice per turn.
Gentleman marksman: when combined with smart shot no longer gives aiming bonus to damage but instead gives ½ int to ranged damage and penetration
Icon of Mankind has been reworked.
Inspirational rally: now gives a flat +2 morale to other allies under leadership
Never give up (redesigned) now gives a flat +4 to toughness and resolve to other allies under your leadership, and allows other allies that spend a morale point on an attack to spend another morale point to reroll the attack roll.
Corrected that the Sniper specialization ability, Terror on the Range, functions when used beyond medium range, not medium range or beyond.
Skills
Leadership (Strategic Interrupt) has been replaced by Leadership (Responsive Strategy) which allows a melee or ranged reaction attack after being struck at the cost of the character’s reaction and 3 morale. Additional overages on the leadership check gives bonus accuracy to the attack.
Leadership (Defensive Formation) now requires you to have an adjacent ally, and the bonuses have been reduced. You also cannot be flat-footed and must be aware of the attack.
Lore (predictable attacks) removed
New Lore option (Armor Vulnerability) Character gains +1 penetration to all attacks against the target.
Lore (weak point) now gives half the old benefit
Talents
Two-Handed Expertise: Now gives +1/2 str accuracy and MAO. No longer gives a follow-up attack
Mighty blow charge bonus damage is reduced to +2 per rank
Brutality no longer causes bleeding.
Defensive Motion: reworked – now you can choose at the start of the movement to move at half speed to ignore opportunity attacks from that movement.
Dodge 2 applies a -5 penalty to evade non-area attacks
Duck and Cover reduces the evasion bonus to +2
Defensive Fighting now gives +1 defense per rank in no/light/heavy armor and +2 dr per rank in power armor – while piloting vehicle, gain the bonus of the vehicle’s armor
Grand Leader and Master Tactician no longer remove the cap for those combat augmentations, but instead set the cap to DC 35 instead of 25.
Gear
Rage is clarified to give 3x potency temporary hit points per turn.
Marauder and Firebat armor no longer apply dual-weapon skill to attacks other than the built-in arm weapons
The planted explosives rule was clarified that the planting character still applies damage bonuses to the attack as if they made it themselves.
Binoculars clarified that the goggles variant still requires a full-round action to gain the perception bonus.
Medical Delivery Systems clarified that the arm with the MDS may be used as normal except for carrying weapons, shields, or helping with a heavy weapon.
Psionic Powers
If a psionic power or other ability would cause you to gain enough energy fatigue to bring your manifestation bonus negative, then the power or ability fails to go off and the action is wasted.
Stop Organ has been redesigned – it now has a large amount of psionic damage to deal random wounds, then the damage is never actually applied to the target’s hit points. At higher psi levels the wound location for the wounds can be decided by the caster.
Feedback no longer has a PL12 power upgrade
Manipulate now generates 5 energy fatigue when used to jam or interact with a weapon or item carried on someone’s person
Telekinetic Push no longer deals extra damage for every five overages vs their toughness
Acute Senses: Clarified that the bonus does not stack with equipment bonuses.
Muscular Enhancement now gives +PL to skills instead of +2xPL
Regeneration: pl 8 bonus now increases duration to pl minutes instead of curing crippling wounds
Breathless: Has been reworked, now called Psionic Adaptation
Enhanced Attributes: No longer has a PL12 Power upgrade, and the bonuses no longer stack with other ability score modifiers, such as those from equipment.
Eternal Form: Now lasts until the end of the character’s next turn, and the character is stunned for the duration. Clarified that the character is immune to everything, and also clarified how movement works while under the effect.
Vehicle Rules
The extreme turn maneuver causes the vehicle to lose its agility to defense for 1 round.
Supplement 1
All of the Infested Terran Directives have been redesigned
Each directive gives 2 skill foci instead of 1
Infested Agents of Swarm gained abilities from the old version of the infested commanded advanced directive, as well as the Directed Strikes ability, a scaling aura enhancing your allies attacks
Infested Evolutionists lost their biomass regeneration, but gained scaling bonuses to attack with evolution powers, the ability to spend extra biomass to add extra targets to their powers, and even gain the ability to gain a master evolution discipline at level 15!
Infested Metamorphs lost their combat forms, and their extra mutations stop at level 20. Instead they now gain substantial scaling bonuses to their natural weapon and armor.
Infested Psionic Node now begins at Psi Level 3 and does not need to be combined with Agent of the Swarm to gain the maximum PL. Furthermore they gain a scaling bonus to psionic manifestation and accuracy, and may specialize in one of the available psionic disciplines.
Specified that if you replace a mutation in a body slot with another (for infested terran), then you discarded mutation refunds its slot, but remains in the same tier of mutation
o Psionic Powers
Surge of Activity: add requirement: non-infested, non-primal zerg
o Evolution Powers
Spawn Broodling: Now spawns broodlings directly next to the target instead of the implant mechanic
Supplement 2
Talents:
Double Whirlwind: reworked to work while bobbing and weaving and dual-wielding non-unarmed weapons
Brain Lock: Redesigned to make offensive telepathy powers have a chance to stagger opponents.
Comforting Presence: Bonus reduced to +2
Drilling Volley: Now is no longer a separate attack mode, but now gives the option for a focused burst to lose a hailfire and gain penetration
Focused Attack: now requires a move action to activate
Hypnotic Suggestions: Clarified that a manifestation check is still required
Ultra-Specialization (Guardian-Protector) reworked, now when you shield ally you and the ally gain +5 DR vs the attack
Ultra-Specialization (Sniper-Sharpshooter) reworked, now removes range limitations on terror of the range and causes extra morale damage
Undying Defiance now also gives 5 temporary hit points when you are hit by one of your hated enemies
Untapped potential clarified that it cannot be taken by latent psychics
Specializations:
Master of Arms (pistols) based on free action changes, now the free reload is 1/round
Calm Bringer’s aura effects have been toned down
Sympathic Naturalist’s Fortitude bonus has been reduced to ½ PL
Gear
The tactical mask now requires a full-round action to gain its perception bonus
Many Spectre benefits and drawbacks have been adjusted
infinite energy now clears 2 energy fatigue per round
Bloodlust has been replaced with burnout, which causes damage when they would gain energy fatigue
broken mind now causes cynic or emotionless characters to gain ½ temporary hit points from all sources
odd behavior now also prevents the spectre from benefiting from tactics combat augmentations
raging psychic has been reworked and the spectre overcharges their powers on a natural 1-4 regardless of morale or any other abilities they possess
Pyromancy
Conflagration’s blaze effect has been reworked
Rain of fire has been reworked
Brimstone form now also makes you immune to pyromancy powers
Supplement 3
Classes
Psychic Warrior (Centurion) Art of avoidance no longer increases the evasion shift distance.
Psychic Master (High Templar) Rapid channeling now increases the energy fatigue by +5, cannot work on powers that take longer than a standard action, and rapid channeling powers cannot be sustained.
Elite Psychic Master (Master Templar) Master Templar Mastery changed to increase manifestation bonus instead of reduce energy fatigue cost.
Artificer (Technician) The void specter’s manipulate at will works on non-carried objects
Gear
Implements have changed. Now, the implement trait has a number attached to it, which is the DC to recharge the implement with a standard action psionics check. Your energy fatigue applies to this check. If you succeed, your implement is fully recharged, regardless of what level it was at.
Uraj Fragment (Dominance Socket) – no longer may activate when it is not your turn
Argus (wisdom socket) – no longer ignores through blocking, gives +5 accuracy to telepathy powers
Ilhan (wisdom socket) – radius reduced to ½ willpower
Khaydarin (dominance socket) – bonus to attacks vs toughness reduced to +5
Plasma Shielding (normal socket) – now gives 12xPL shield pool
Uraj (wisdom socket) – instead of current bonuses gives +2 accuracy with psionic powers
Psionic powers
Guardian shield now prevents you from manifesting if inside another guardian shield, and clarified that the attack gets to choose which of the available guardian shields to attack if multiple overlap
Vehicle Gear and Weapons
Phase Cannon – damage reduced to be in line with similar weapons
Psionic Entities
Archon creatures (type of Psionic Entity, described in supplements 3 and 5) now have 3 times intelligence shield armor. Also, archons larger than medium size have an even greater multiplier of hit points. This is to make true archons less easily destroyed and more equivalent to their threat level.
Supplement 4
Infested Directive and Advanced Directives have been redesigned
Infested Bio-engineers now can act as a living digital uplink for their zerg allies as a buff aura and may augment their allies with cyber-zerg augmentations
Infested Commandos gain a number of special, scaling bonuses when wearing terran gear, especially power armor
Infested pilots gain more scaling bonuses from vehicle symbiosis, and gain the ability to quickly repair infested vehicles using biomass
Infested Bio-Mages may now reduce the cost of many evolution powers in place of enhance biomass regeneration, may cast multiple powers at the same time, and gain boosts from manifesting powers from different disciplines
Infested Commanders now may gain a powerful hydralisk guardian, and give bonus actions to zerg under their command while they act themselves
The infested hypermorph continue the mutations given to metamorphs and gain a multi-attack option in place of their old ability to temporarily gain mutations
Infested Praetorians gain additional protection to allies within their melee reach while bobbing and weaving, and gain the ability to fly with grip points for passenger(s).
Infested Psionic Paragons gain defensive bonuses from manifesting psionic powers, and choose a discipline to gain bonuses in.
Infested Symbiont alters the way they take damage along with their attached vehicle, as well as gaining bonus damage resistance in heavy terran armors and gaining a symbiotic hive of sensory creatures that aid in combat, piloted and otherwise.
Infested Mutations:
Added the Creep Cysts and Creep Bloom mutations to give a pathway to biomass regeneration
Removed the Unstable Metamorph mutation, due to the removal of the combat form ability
Harmonic Chameleon gained extra requirements and a second rank.
Barbed Wings II adds psi level to fly speed.
Primal Zerg
The intelligence genetic quirk now requires an intelligence check to successfully recall a memory
There is a new section next to the birther archetype regarding some specific balance rules for using birthers in game.
Now lists how long consuming a corpse requires, based on relative size
Primal zerg now gain a sixth archetype at level 30+
Psionic Powers
Disintegration field: increased damage and reduced energy fatigue cost
Supplement 5
Purifiers have received major changes in order to curb their power level. Purifiers have inherently more advantages than other races, so updates were made to reduce their overall effectiveness.
When a purifier dies, their equipment is destroyed. They must requisition new gear upon being reformed. They also take a permanent -20% loss to total honor upon being recreated.
Purifies have received the following changes to their base classes:
Psychic Warrior: Overlapping shields now gives 25 shield pool, instead of shields based on level
Psychic Master: Magnetic power does not give bonus pen, only gains ½ bonus accuracy, and only reduces cost by 1
Psychic Master: Magnetic Storm Costs 4 energy fatigue, accuracy bonus reduced by 5
Psychic Master: Purifier Templar Mastery III does not give +2 power accuracy.
Elite Psychic Master: Pure Force does not give bonus penetration, and only gives bonus accuracy equal to ½ willpower
Elite Commander: Shielding Network gives +1 shield armor per protoss, instead of +2
Fateweaver: Efficiency has been clarified, and Efficiency II now requires 2 move actions to effect two allies.
Elite Fateweaver: Hyper Efficiency no longer gives advantage on the target’s check, just the fatweaver’s influence check
Artificer: Rapid Recharge now recharges an implement as a move action.
Artificer: Weaponized servitor no longer mounts 1 handed implement, now it has its own attack profile listed below it.
Elite Artificer: Specifies that Coordinated Data Link does not effect purifiers, just robots
Elite Artificer: Dual Servitors: Now gives weaponized servitor weapon hailfire 1
Pilot: Attuned Mastery gives half as much defense per rank
Pilot: Extension of Will only gives a bonus to vehicle damage threshold
Pilot: The Jet Pack does not have the ability to hover, you fall at the end of your turn if you do not end your turn on solid ground.
Elite Pilot: Rapid Jet Pack maintains speed of 10, loses rapid flight, but allows you to hover as part of flying, instead of falling at the end of your turn.
Elite Pilot: Improved Extension of Will gives you +20 acceleration rating instead of x4 acceleration at combat speed
Gear
Regenerator Field
Tier 3 no longer cures crippling wounds, as per the previous regeneration change.
Renown Classes
Blade Dancer has been reworked, see below
Variant Classes
Telekinetic Fury: Natural manipulation still generates energy fatigue
Vehicle Upgrades
Advanced Sensors
Upgraded to a detector, like similar abilities on other vehicles and creatures, as per cloaking changes
Dominion Intel Briefing
Blade Dancer has been reworked. The class is still a defensive melee specialist, now based on bobbing and weaving and opportunity attacks.
Explorer’s Guide to the Galaxy
Terran Talents
Targeted Volley: fully-automatic weapons no longer get double the bonus
Psionic Powers
Meditation: changed pl4 bonus to allowing non-sight perception with a bonus
Starcraft Heroes Guide
Fateweaver talents: Fearsome reputation now requires having completed the fateweaver class, and clarifies that the minimum honor cost for a good is 1
The DOOM Tabletop RPG
Example NPC entries updated for the changes to Defensive Fighting and Mighty Blow talents