The release of StarCraft Supplement 6: Fire and Fury is accompanied by a simply massive update. This update not only fixed countless problems and typos (largely thanks to the discord community), but also possesses lots of balance fixes and even some new content! Lets go over the list of changes that hit the game system.
Important Core Game Updates
These are core changes to the game system that can majorly impact the way people play the game, so pay close attention.
· Added a section at the beginning of the encounter chapter detailing the order of operations of when effects occur at the beginning of your turn. In simple terms, you chose to sustain or maintain effects first, then negative effects occur, then positive effects happen.
· When using an area of effect attack, such as a burst or cone, the attack applies against all allies that are adjacent to an enemy effected by the attack. Thus, if your ally is adjacent to an enemy that is within a burst 2 area you create, your ally will also be hit by the attack. This is a very important change to make area of effect weapons more dangerous to use and less effective as precision sniping instruments.
· The Charge action is now a full-round action, instead of a standard + move, and makes you flat-footed until the start of your next turn. This should reduce over utilization on charges and make it more of a strategic choice rather than the expected action.
· Vitals wounds against non-vehicles now deal +5 damage
· You must be within 6 squares of a target to provide flanking with a ranged weapon
· Burst attacks do not deal half damage on missed attacks when used outside their base range
· The Reinforcement trait of vehicle armors now removes 1 additional crippling wound per equipment tier of the armor. Vehicles, especially at high levels, were overly susceptible to taking numerous wounds.
Protoss Class Changes
As part of this update, we performed major changes to several protoss classes, that will drastically change how those classes are played and whether or not people will take them.
· Psychic Warrior
o Nerazim Psychic Warrior’s ability, Shadow Strike, now has a range of 30 squares and a jump distance of 6 squares between targets, and targets are flat-footed.
o Tal’darim Psychic Warrior’s ability, Blood Haze, now blinds the target for 2 rounds instead of stunning for 1 round.
o Tal’darim Psychic Warrior’s ability, Merciless Hunger, only gives a healing threshold upon killing an enemy on a 12+
· Psychic Master
o Tal’darim Psychic Master’s ability, Feed, only gives a healing threshold upon kill an enemy on a 12+
· Commander
o Elite Commander class now gives the Symbol of Command ability as a generalist feature at level 1. Symbol of Command increases your melee damage based on morale. The Sovereign class variant also has this.
o Elite Commander class now gives the Flexible Strategy ability as a generalist feature at level 4. Flexible Strategy allows you to activate all possible leadership augmentations at once. The Sovereign class variant also gains this.
o Aiur Commander Battle Synergy ability now affects all allies under leadership, not just Aiur protoss
o Nerazim Commander Shadow Mark ability now adds to accuracy and works with all allies under leadership, not just nerazim
o The passive bonus of Dark Prelate Mastery has doubled
o Purifier Commander’s Empowered Data Link now works with purifiers or any ally with a digital uplink of crystalline computing array
· Fateweaver
o All Fateweavers, including class variants, gain the new Influential ability at level 1. This ability allows them to target 3 enemies with combat influence at once. For the Manipulator variant, this increases to 5 enemies with Manipulator Mastery II.
o The Fatewearver’s Doomsayer ability now lasts 1 round
o Elite Fateweavers gain the Impair Instincts ability at level 1. This allows them to use Doomsayer on zerg, primal zerg, infested terrans, and animals.
o Elite Fateweavers of the Authoritarian variant gain Greater Despair at level 1. This allows the Despair ability to do double damage, and function at medium range.
o Elite Fateweavers of the Manipulator variant gain the Bewilder Instincts ability at level 1. This allows them to use their Confuse ability on zerg, primal zerg, infested terrans, and animals, as well as giving them +5 to checks to confuse terrans and protoss.
o Tal’darim Elite Favor’s Power from Pain ability only generates gives a healing threshold on a natural dice roll of 12+.
· Scholar
o Chronicles now stack. Every new chronicle you put on an ally gives that benefit in addition to the previous different chronicles and refreshes the duration
o Chronicles can be applied to protoss and terrans
o Elite Scholar now gives a new subrace specific ability at level 1 for the Aiur, Nerazim, and Purfier subraces. Aiur gains Blended Knowledge. Nerazim gain Psionic Inspiration. Purifiers gained Protected Data Archive.
o The Faith chronicles no longer gives free morale levels, and the morale bonus is reduced by half
o The Purification chronicles has had its bonus power damage reduced to 5 per rank
o The Utter Darkness chronicles has had its bonus rending reduced to 2 per rank
o The Stewardship chronicle no longer specifically works on terrans, instead it gives damage threshold in addition to defense
o The Relatable Story ability of the Lorekeeper variant now instead gives advantage on lore checks to apply chronicles.
o The Infinite Understanding ability of the Aiur Scholar now gives a reroll once per round instead of previous benefits
o The Scholar class variant in SUP-5 previously known as Doomsayer is now known as Harbinger, to reduce confusion with the Fateweaver’s Doomsayer power.
o The Scholar class variants, Shaman and Harbinger (see directly above), now require lore checks to activate their effects at higher results, much like combat augmentations. This effects both blessings and curses.
· Pilot
o The Pilot class and all of its variants now gives the Pilot Expert trait at level 1, which gives +3 accuracy, +3 defense, and +1 power ratings of damage with vehicles. The elite pilot class now gives Pilot Ace trait at level 1, which doubles these bonuses. All class variants of the pilot also get these bonuses at the same levels. This new rule is to give the pilot more parity with dedicated terran pilots for the investment that protoss must go through to become dedicated pilots.
Core Rulebook Updates
· Encounter Rules
o Clarified rules about different movement modes requiring separate actions
o Limited movement modes may not be used as part of a shift action
o You cannot tumble through obstacles as part of a shift or charge action.
o Jumping is a limited movement and requires a separate move action fo reach jump
o You cannot attack with multiple two-handed weapons regardless the number of arms, unless a rule specifies otherwise.
o Suppressing fire cannot suppress a target that it cannot damage without attack overages. Suppressing fire also does not effect the following targets: mind controlled characters, controlled zerg minions, enemies controlled by hybrid, and resocialized terrans
o Clarified that the hailfire attacks deal multiple wounds to a single location with a single target attack
o Clarified that the Cleave weapon trait does not deal half damage on a missed attack
o The Blind condition now gives a -5 penalty to skill checks as well
· Specializations
o The Gunner advanced specialization has been changed so that it now deals a flat +1 hailfire to the primary target of non-suppressing automatic attacks
· Skills and Talents
o The shift action from Leadership: Coordinate is now a minor action that can be performed once per round, instead of a free action.
o Influence now has a special sidebar that states when you have an ability that makes you be able to use combat influence at a target at higher than normal morale level, the target’s resolve is increased by 5 for each morale level they are higher than normally required.
o Clarified that surgery still requires a healing threshold from the target
o The Power Strike II talent now gives the option to doubling accuracy penalty to get double the power ratings of damage
o Clarified that Quick Draw gives a once per round free action to draw items, and a once per round free action to stow items on an equipment belt.
o Clarified that Stalker lets you move at full speed while hidden
o Acrobatics checks to Fast Stand no longer provoke opportunity attacks
o Surgical Precision now grants +2 damage and +1 pen per rank to living targets. Rank 4 also gives you the ability to target limbs with a heavy strike melee attack. Rank 5 causes your crippling attacks to lose a healing threshold.
o Structural Weakness now grants +2 damage and penetration per rank to constructs. Rank 4 gives 5 rending against those targets, and rank 5 gives 10 rending and +1 crippling wound against the targets.
o Sneak Attack now gives +4 damage and +1 rending against flat-footed targets per rank. Rank 4 also gives +1 crippling wound point on sneak attacks and Rank 5 increases this to +2.
o Never Give Up now gives immunity to Bleed while at 0 healing thresholds, and gives the ability to receive surgery with no healing thresholds. It also gives 5 temporary hit points each round, but does not increase DT with no healing thresholds.
o Deft Charge now only prevents opportunity attacks from the charged target, not every enemy
o Shotgun Spread has regained the Hailfire (1) on the cone attack
o Strafing Attack gives an extra strike when action moving instead of making the target flat-footed
o Clarified that the strength bonus from Wrestling Combatant is in place of any other strength modifiers to damage.
· Equipment
o The Flak Pistol has been redesigned. It lost the spread trait, goes to slow attack speed, gains 8 damage and 6 penetration, and power rating increased to +4.
o Specified the actions required for a jet pack to be used: a move to launch, minor to boost, free to control fall, free or reaction to hover.
o The shoulder-mounted weapon trait has more clarifications in how it works. A suit of armor can have no more than one shoulder mounted weapon, it takes 5 minutes to install said weapon, and cannot be reloaded by the user.
o Versatile weapons no longer give power ratings of damage when wielded two-handed but instead reduce their attack speed by one category and give +2 accuracy and +4 penetration.
o Guided Explosive has been changed sot that it works with aim actions or target locks.
o The Expanded Capacity item upgrade no longer includes shotguns.
o Provided extra clarification that Heavy Weapons do not require grip extension to use with powered armor
o Antitoxin drugs now give +2 on endurance checks vs poison per potency
o The Freeze weapon trait breaks upon the user taking any damage, including condition damage
o Clarified you cannot aim with a one-handed rifle when you are not in powered armor
· Psionic Powers
o The Manipulate power now specifies that attacks on an person’s object requires a psionic attack roll at the target’s defense +5
o Telekinetic Combat now just allows weapons to be within short range of the caster.
o Telekinetic Combat is sustained as a free action. This is a clarification.
· Vehicles
o Ramming damage is now determined as using the higher of the two vehicle’s speeds and dealing damage to the other based on their own strength, rather than the higher of the strength scores being used for both.
o The missile trait now specifies that a single target lock affects all missile weapons
o The Jamming System vehicle equipment is now identical to the Tier 2 Jamming System from StarCraft Heroes Guide.
· Other
o Flying creatures no longer use their acceleration rating for base move speed. Now they use the original flyer speed based on size for move speed, while acceleration rating is specifically used for when they use a move action to sustain rapid flight. NPC entries have been updated to include their fly speed instead of acceleration rating/ maximum speed. Meanwhile, a sidebar has been added to this section for new optional rules to use regarding rapid flight, that it needs empty space on every side in order to use.
o Changed the rules for radiation to be more dangerous
o Open space environment now deals 1 crippling wound point to each wound location per round of exposure, bypassing any and all crippling wound protections.
· Typos
o The resilience talent no longer refers to limbs
o Removed references to Major Surgery
Supplement 1: The Zerg Swarm
· Content
o Infested Metamorphs ability now gives a free basic mutation and free enhancement mutation at level 5, instead of gaining free mutations every other level. It also increases Metamorph regeneration by 1, +1 per 2 levels.
o Specified how zerg natural and terran armor work together: higher of the two damage resistance values, and higher of the two defense penalties.
o Power Armor Training is now a bonus talent for Agents of the Swarm and Bio-Engineers
o Slavish Devotion mutation causes the character to not benefit from tactics combat augmentations, cannot use command combat augmentations, and has a command limit of 0.
o Rework of Acid Fumes: no longer requires an attack, affects all targets within an area. Ignores energy shields, but constructs ignore staggered and tormented conditions.
o Rework of Creeping Infection: now gives Health Drain for 10 minutes instead of strength damage. The corresponding Defiler ability that is based on strength damage has been changed accordingly.
o Rework of Wild Mutation: wild mutation is cheaper to cast, less powerful, and has a much shorter duration.
· Fixes
o Fixed errors with the Broodmothers tactics and power entries
o Fixed errors with the Infestors tactics and fluff entries
o Fixed the bonus talent on infested psionic nodes to be Psychic Power
o Re-added a description for Infested Metamorphs
o Infested Evolutionist’s Precixzse Powers now specifies the correct levels for scaling.
o Fixed numerous typos in the creating an infested character section.
o The infested minion template gives the user Power Armor Training if they were morphed in powered armor.
Supplement 2: The Advanced Terran Training Manual
· Content
o The Regained Memories talent cannot allow you to change your CP spending options, IE, UED background
o Due to its change, the flak pistol does not currently gain an extra effect from Ultimate Weapon Focus (flak)
o Psionic Force talent does not increase the damage of powers that do not require an attack roll, or the damage from conditions (including Pyromancy Pyre)
o Psionic Burst deals +8 base damage
o Writhing Darkness increased to 14 damage and allows an athletics check to escape immobilization
o Void Blast deals more damage, has only slightly reduced range, and no longer drains healing thresholds
o Astral Winds now heals 30 + 5x PL hit points
o Hungering Void is more expensive, but also keeps the penetration of Psionic Discharge.
o Void Explosion has changed to have normal range, extra rending, and less damage.
· Fixes
o Fixed a typo in the Needle weapon description
o Corrected that the cost of a Power Glove is 5,000 credits
o Fixed the Diamondback tank’s railgun to match the standard profile
o The rapid recovery talent no longer references healing ability scores. This was an old mechanic
o Clarified that the upgrade turret gains a certain number of attacks per day instead of strikes
Supplement 3: The Protoss
· Content
o The Aiur Zealot’s psionic charge still requires the target to be at least 4 squares away and the charge must be to the closest square within reach of the zealot’s starting position
o The Acceleration power has been reworked. It is not sustained, has a short duration, modified swiftness boost amount, and does not generate fatigue
o The Deceleration power has been reworked. It is not sustained, has a short duration, modified swiftness drain amount, and does not generate fatigue. It can be ended early with a willpower check as a move action
o Time Rift’s bonus/ penalty is changed as per the changes to the above powers. In addition, it speeds up or slows down projectiles that target individuals in the area. An improved speed field gives attacks at those in the area bonus accuracy equal to PL. A slow time field gives the same penalty.
o Psionic Burst deals +8 base damage
o Writhing Darkness increased to 14 damage and allows an athletics check to escape immobilization
o Void Blast deals more damage, has only slightly reduced range, and no longer drains healing thresholds
o Astral Winds now heals 30 + 5x PL hit points
o Hungering Void is more expensive, but also keeps the penetration of Psionic Discharge.
o Void Explosion has changed to have normal range, extra rending, and less damage.
o The Staff for Force has had its accuracy reduced to +0 and attack speed reduced to average.
o The protoss medipack now heals more than a terran medipack, instead of less, and automatically heals all poison and disease effects. Terrans cannot use a protoss medipack without the Racial Familiarity I talent.
o The Beyond Gravity ability of the Psionic Entity has been reduced to a base 3x willpower fly speed.
o The Templar Commander and Nerazim Commander NPCs are now level 22 ‘Advanced Heroic’ NPCs, up from regular heroic
o Protoss now need 600 total honor in order to be placed within an immortal or annihilator walker upon being injured. This represents only their most significant heroes taking advantage of advanced walkers.
Supplement 4: Monsters of Koprulu
· Primal Spawning Changes
o The Birther archetype and Spawn Minions (primal) abilities have been completely reworked for balance purposes. Now, primal spawners have a spawn limit for an encounter, and a dedicated list of minions that they can spawn from, based on level and size. Higher ranks of spawning discipline gives more spawning limit. Primals can now summon a collection of different minions at once. Spawn swarm not summons a swarm of one type of minion for x15 the spawning cost. Spawn minion has a set cost of 20 biomass, while spawn swarm has a set cost of 50 biomass.
o Spawning Sacks now reduces the spawning costs of all minions by 25% and causes them to hatch instantly
o The Primal Host, Gigantic Creeper Host, Warden, and Hive have all been overhauled based on the changes to the birther archetype.
· Content
o Primal winged evolution now gives base fly speed, and acceleration rating and maximum speed as before
o Primal floater evolution now gives 6 square fly speed, or +6 squares to those with other fly speed
o Primal extra wings upgrade gives +10 fly speed
o Manipulator arms mutation no longer allows any attacks to be made by the arm. It is too weak and awkward!
o The acrid jets infested mutation now gives a choice of either scaling line or scaling cone, and treats the infested as one size larger for those traits.
o Consuming Jaws no longer gives +5 rending
o Shock Spines II no longer grants the stun trait
o The Roll primal movement evolution now grants +2 DR when rolling, down from +5
o Adhesive Slime evolution affects targets that end their turn wholly within their reach, instead of only partially within reach
o Reworked the Devastating Fissures variant of the Annihilator Beam for infested energy powers. The intent is to make it less complicated and more effective.
· Fixes
o Scaling penetration table properly identifies that it scales on level
o Infested Bio-engineer’s tactical node now specifies that it has a range of 30 squares, not 30 feet
· Content
o The Phase Gauntlet now has the Phasetouch rule that prevents it from dealing damage to objects, constructs, or terrain.
o The Fleet Commander renown specialization has had a change to its mastery. Now, instead of giving a benefit to occupied crew actions (a mechanic that did not make it into this version of the game), it allows you to recover twice as much shields on a Recharge Shields action.
o The Macro weapon trait now only gains full effectiveness against targets that are gigantic or larger, instead of massive or larger
o The Tal’darim Commander and Purifier Commander NPCs are now level 22 ‘Advanced Heroic’ NPCs, up from regular heroic
o Protoss now need 600 total honor in order to be placed within a vanguard walker upon being injured. This represents only their most significant heroes taking advantage of advanced walkers.
· Fixes
o The hybrid commander racial ability of hybrid creature type now clarifies that the hybrid can command and enslave protoss
o The Vigor of the Hunt ability for the Avenger renown class is clarified that it works on targets whose level is equal or greater than the character’s level -4.
o Phase Gauntlet now properly shows as a slow attack speed in the summary table
o Remove contradictory language about Resilience of the Firstborn under the commander variant, that it properly affects to all rallied protoss
o Corrected Commodore variant of the Commander to state Flight Plan activates when they gain a morale point, not 2. Commodores have no way to give 2 morale points to a single target by base.
Supplement 6: Fire and Fury
These are some of the changes between the patreon release and the public release
· Content
o The Broodmother playable race has been added!
o Three example Broodmother NPCs, Naktul, Niadra, and Kilysa, have been added!
o The books is now complete with art assets!
o The Infested Slayer’s ‘Clever Flayer’ ability now grants bleed equal to ½ intelligence
o The Infested Slayer’s ‘Reckless Attacks’ ability now also hits allies adjacent to the target.
o Specifies that the Master of Destiny’s ‘Temporal Mirages’ now costs 4 energy fatigue and lasts for ½ PL rounds
o Reduced the base defense bonus for evasive maneuvers, modified the bonus for each additional evasive maneuver action. Protoss ships gain +2 to defense for each evasive maneuvers beyond the first.
o The Macro weapon trait now only gains full effectiveness against targets that are gigantic or larger, instead of massive or larger
o The Selective Breeder archetype has been reworked to function with the changes to birther. Now, your chosen minion is birthed at a reduced price, and spawning powers cost less biomass when you only spawn your favored minion.
o The Dracozor and Hollow Mother have been updated for spawning changes
· Fixes
o Fixed a problem of capital ship defenses being 10 too low
Resources 2-4: Dominion Intel, Explorer’s Guide, and Heroes Guide
· Dominion Intel
o The integrated thruster’s upgrade for powered armor no longer has half fuel capacity; now it uses up 10 times as much fuel when used for any purpose.
· Explorer’s Guide
o The Living Plague’s disease aura in R3 now has a DC of 10+ level instead of 10+ ½ level
o The Shadow Predator’s infested mutation in R3 no longer grants rending
o The Vicious Pounce of the Manhunt in R3 now clarifies that the leap distance is based on full agility, and bonus damage and cleaving only effect the first attack after the leap
o The Shadow Hunter ability of the infested manhunter in R3 now grants bleed equal to 1 + 1/5 level instead of ½ level.
o The Spider Grasp ability of the infested manhunter in R3 clarifies that climbing is not a limited movement mode for them and they may climb at full speed with this ability.
o Added clarity to the avoiding encounters exploration action. The max bonus for the whole party is now capped at +10.
o The analysis mask requires a full-round action to provide its perception bonus, and only allows seeing in the dark up to 30 squares
· Heroes Guide
o Architect of War’s ‘Grand Scheme’ now clarifies you can add the initiative bonus to a character more than once
o Quick Shot Duelist’s ‘Snapshot’ ability now clarifies it works on melee attacks you have not attacked with this turn
o Internal Power Supply no longer excludes the Combat Body Suit, HES, and Shadowblade HES
o In the vehicle customization rules, adding a brand new weapon to a vehicle has the requirement that the vehicle must be huge sized or larger to add a light vehicle weapon, and it must be colossal or larger to add a heavy vehicle weapon
o Corrected the table description of the terran armor upgrade ammunition feed
o The concentrated flak volley weapon upgrade can no longer be applied to the flak pistol
o The Flak Barrage weapon upgrade can no longer be applied to the flak pistol
o Fixed Adamantine Spikes to correctly have +8 pen
Paragon of the Galaxy: Masterminds and Tyrants Expansion
Paragons of the galaxy received a massive dose of new content as well as some fixes.
· Paragons: New Characters and Vehicles
o Arcturus Mengsk
o Matt Horner
o The Hyperion
o The Queen of Blades
o Abathur
o Tassadar
o The Gantrithor
o Aldaris
· Revised Characters
o James Raynor has been rebuilt from the ground up, and includes new options from the latest books
o Tychus Findlay has been rebuilt from the ground up, and includes new options from the latest books
o The Odin has been similarly reworked to be much more frightening and powerful!
o Zagara has been remade using the new Broodmother character rules.
o Kerrigan has received bonus ability scores, +2 to all maximum skill ranks, and the amazing Ascended Queen of the Zerg trait.
o Fenix lost his 7 pilot levels, and now has 5 Reanimated Champion levels and 2 pilot levels.
o Zurvan and Dehaka were both given the Apex Survivalist traits, giving them substantially more hit points
o Zurvan’s spawning abilities and tactics section have been reworked for the changes to minion spawning.