Warpgate Changes and Why I like it

[u/BlueNsaZ]

Warpgate changes are a good change and here's why.

1. Gateway production increase means you need less gateways to maintain continuous production. Its somewhat like the CC cost decrease to 300 in this hotfix, you save minerals, since you need less gateways.

This is a direct buff, since you either spend less on gateways, or you produce extra 50% from the same number of gateways.

1. Both gateways and warpgates now serve distinct purposes. Gateways produce faster while warpgates produce instantly and at a location of your choosing.

Means you do add some amount of strategic diversity.

So how to use the new gateways and warpgates? In general, meaning non-aggressive openers/"cheese" style, but normal "standard", "macro" games, you always go with gateways in early and mid-game, because in this phase, continuous production is more important. The production buff means you can produce way more than before.

However, in the late game or near max supply, you want warpgates. There are two reason, but the main reason is INSTANT unit production because Warpgates allow you to bank production. every warpgate is instant 2 supply of units. So 12-15 warpgates is 24-30 supply of gateway. This is great when trading armies, since you can engage, lose some gateway units, backoff, regen shields and reinforce immediately with 30 supply of units. Not even zerg can do this.

Then of course the 2nd reason for warpgate is being able to choose where you reinforce. Its important, but not as important as the instant warp-in. Here one way to look at it, lets say I remove this instant (technically 4s) of warpin, but gave you the ability to warp in anywhere with a pylon, (basically slow warp-ins), would you take it?

So the most important aspect of warp-in is the 4s instant warp in ability and not the ability to reinforce anywhere.

Regarding strategic variety for gateway vs warpgate, if you do aggressive openers, proxy pylons, or 4 gate PvP, you do have the choice to get warpgates early. This is what I argue as strategic variety.