Your camera control is the only reason I watch SC2 replays.

Don't sell yourself short. You're the best SC2 commentator out there by far. Camera work and commentary.

you can hear him smiling during the intro😂

So... instead of playing the games... we're nerdy and we don't just watch someone playing a game... but we watch somebody, who's watching a camera man, who's watching a game that is played by other people? What's next? A reaction to this cast? :-D

Lowko's casting is like a rollercoaster ride of knowledge, enthusiasm, and questionable puns. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Your camera control is better Loko! Keep it up🤙

If anyone wants to get better at like... reading SC2 like a pro does and increasing your speed of information processing, watching uThermal's channel really helped. Seeing a pro gamer move at the speed he does, and talking through his thought process at the same time really helped me be able to see what pros see. I'm still by no means moving as fast as they do, but I feel like I can keep up in POV videos a lot better

Stasis of the year at 19:07

I think that protoss race overall is like a diamond - very firm, but brittle if dropped. Humans make mistakes and it's easier to recover from this mistakes if you are playing other races.

As a casual observer (grain of salt needed), my perspective is that each faction should have options in terms of reliable/risk-reward strategies. I think the current meta for Protoss might need a relatively inexpensive and cost-effective unit to round out the reliable option if zealots and stalkers aren't on par with Terran and Zerg's early-mid options.

As someone who knows Starcraft/Starcraft 2 but has not played competitively myself, it is always a pleasure having you explain each and every detail of a match! Makes it so much fun to watch and I have been binging your replays recently.

I'd say protoss is more overly fragile than underpowered in pvt. Pvz seems fine. It is very easy for protoss to suffer major worker loss early on to mines, ravens and drops. There are numerous good Terran cheese that are difficult to scout while protoss has almost none. A blink timing is about the only shot protoss has to clinch a win in the early game and it is very easy to lose too many stalkers and just die to a follow up push. Protoss is expected to stay 1 base ahead of Terran to make up for mules and better trading Terran units but expanding is way riskier for protoss vs a Terran who can build a third in the main and float it away if attacked, or turn it into a PF and it defends itself. In the mid-game, protoss relies on robo units to prop up weak gateway armies. Robo units build slow, move slow and are easy to lose anytime a protoss tries to disengage. Meanwhile it is very hard to punish the fast Terran army when it retreats or is caught on the map with libs unsieged. How are libs so damn fast for a siege unit? Way faster than any other air siege unit, faster than stalkers.... Even if protoss makes it to a stable late game, ghost emp is brutal and one bad engagement where protoss bleeds out too many disruptors and it's often gg. Even if both sides have their armies wiped, Terran can reinforce on fast building cheap bio, while protoss often can't rebuild critical robo units fast enough for the follow up attack. You say it looks like protoss is just getting out played here but I think army control demands are higher. You have zealots that want to charge in and die, stalkers that need to try to selectively target vikings while colossi need to be kept back and targeted on marines (not marauders) and disruptors you need to both fire and control the nova... meanwhile Terran has an all ranged army of similarly fast units, where even the vikings are going to automatically target the colossi as that's the only unit they can hit with an air attack. Protoss also has to look away from the fight for a second to warp in units while Terran can just use hotkeys to queue up more units mid battle. So, it's no one thing, just a lot of little things that I think make it harder for protoss to play clean and way easier to accidentally die from mistakes, where Terran often gets more chances. I mean, it's commonly said by commentators after some Terran blunder that they may be able to "sit back and camp and try to get back into the game" but as soon as those threatening robo units fall, Terran can just yolo into the protoss main with no fear.

There is a movie called equilibrium I think and I remember well it’s a kick ass film with guns

I think concussive shells are slightly too powerful. I think it makes it much too easy for a simple terran bio comp to escape from charge, force a retreat after charge is spent, and chase down the rest of the protoss army. Couple this with the fact that Marauders are going to do really well against everything that the Zealots are protecting and it's just a case of compounding strengths.

It seems that the balance is good on paper, but Protoss just has less flexibility in overall strategy than Terran, which the top players can really leverage. Protoss can make bioball less good, but not bad, because Terran can counter anything Protoss does to counter bioball with units in addition to the bio ball, such as ghosts + a few vikings. Top Terrans are really good at dealing with stealth, so DT rushes and mothership play are just... gimmicky. Outside the top players, it's a different story. Protoss has several different ways of doing splash damage to obliterate a bioball. But at the top level, their reaction times and micro are so good that the splash damage is less effective and Protoss just can't keep up with the damage density of a bio and EMPs, etc.

On the topic of balance: It really does feel like Protoss can't afford to make mistakes as much as Terran or Zerg can in the early- to midgame (at least on the pro level) Missing or not reacting fast enough to a widow-mine drop for example can snowball fast into a disaster for Protoss, with batteries or recall not making a huge difference, while Terran has more tool's to patch up similar early game damage faster (Mules, supply drop, scan), or Zerg with transfusions and larva It feels like Terran has more flexibility early on compared to Protoss I guess Protoss not having the same tools to rebuild an economy as quickly as Terran (mules) or Zerg (Larva) early on could be an Issue That's just my subjective impressions though Edit: Maybe looking at the Nexus abillities and perhaps replacing recall with an abillity to temporarily add additional shield health to units in an area close to the Nexus, or something along those lines could be an idea 🤷‍♂️

I've been watching you since 2018, always making my days better with your casts or gameplays and the way you observe is a part of that! It makes it really easy to follow the game that we're watching ❤

og intro, like and comment

I think there are some subtle changes that would help the Protoss players in this matchup. Nerf the widow mine damage to shields or as you have suggested for a long time make the medivac only able to carry two widow mines instead of 4. I don’t think the ghost needs another nerf. And the only one I’d look at adjusting is the EMP damage to shields. I’m not a Protoss main, I know they have way more tools to deal with the Zerg. And I agree that matchup swings more towards the Protoss.

I like the thematic inserts, Lowko. It's something that splits you from the others and something that is very close to my nature as well. Like 15:10, for example 🤣

I gotta say I enjoy your camera control a lot better, been tons of times I've noticed some tiny detail just to have you halt the whole replay just to focus on it and talk about it, I love it haha

I don't think the chrono on the stargate was necisarilly a mistake, I don't think protoss was completely confident to transfer workers when there was an incoming attack. If there were workers terrain could have gone a little harder against the base

SC2 music is soo good

nice video lowko u make me smile everyday!

Intro is back awsome job lowko like usual

Mapu is the observer goat! Edit: I do understand that u have to observe what you are talking about as well :D

Love your camera controle Loco !

Protoss is so underbalanced that even if you created tournaments for protoss only, they'd still lose and another race would win x)

❤ The Intro, gets me everytime

You comment that "if Terran falls behind in the early game they still have a decent chance of coming back, but not the case with Protoss" pretty much sums it up meaning that new balance patches should increase Protoss mid-game units or upgrades that allows them to survive early game imperfections.

great game!

I genuinely though you really just said equilibrium 😂

That classic intro! haha

Good to hear some positive talk about hero haha

cant believe i watched this guy cast for so long and i only just found his yt channel

Honestly i feel that Protoss simply lacks in the production for army for the early game. Like you got Chrono and Warp ins, one of which needs to be meticulous managed on a structure by structure basis, while the other only really has a big impact in the late game, which leaves them struggling to recoup losses in the early to mid if they take a bit of a hit.

Ahh that opening.

I like your casts because they are more quiet. when I actually watch the the tournament matches live, there is just too much excitement. :)

Toss gets 4 colossous and goes like "look at me momma i am A moving"

Don't you think that whoever stutter-steps should lose some of the damage output since they will be pointing the ground the half the time?

Yes, Protoss is a bit under tuned. However what Protoss lacks the most is a Serral or a Clem to lead it and unleash its full potential. MaxPax may have been that champion, if only he played offline tournaments... Hero is good, he's just not at that absolute top. He's basically the best Protoss player by default as he doesn't have real competition. Other than the above mentioned MaxPax, the next best Protoss players are Classic and Showtime, and well, they just arent top tier...

Hey Lowko I was wondering does it benefit you more if we watch the KZfaq Ads versus us skipping them?

Man, I love a good HELLOOOOOOOOOO in the morning.

Long E for Equalizer, short E for Equilibrium because of the "a". So you were right, Lowko, and THEY were wrong. 👍👍

personally i highly dislike replay camera because the movement is jarring in some weird way, but besides that i really love player cameras/points of view, or spectator camera in tournaments

What would happen if Adepts got a second upgrade that gives them splash damage for some mid/late-game utility? Give protoss more options against marine balls and zergling swarms

Do the Camera by yourself ur the best i've seen. And u got the best energy from all of em ❤

Bravissimo 🤘👽🤘

Your camera control is better, just because you explain and show stuff on its own the a big reason and honestly you control it well too. If you get lazy someday go ahead, but untill then me want you to do camera yes 😂😂

Nice game

the balance council has set Protoss up for failure.. like they even nerfed the thing that is supposed to save Toss from total annihilation.. and has a critical spot in protoss tech/defense.. battery overcharge.. on the other hand Terran has been given so many different units and tech that they can even harass you to death..

Viewer submitted games please!! Amon demands it!

@49:22 @lowko story of my life.... :( p.s. @ 49:43 @lowko carefull about clips ;p glhf fam! asalwaystyforyourhardworkanddedication!!!

Protoss has been a badly designed race from the first day of SC2, and no amount of minor changes will ever change that. In my mind it's not even a question as to whether Protoss is weaker than T or Z, that much should be obvious. Hero here may look like he's playing worse to you, but that's because he has so few options available to make good plays, and so, so many ways make a game-ending blunder at any given moment.

I see Cure threw out the "no rush 10 minute" rule in "professional starcraft" and crushed that protoss the way every player below GM rank 1 would also have gotten crushed. Honestly I can't actually see these "pro builds" holding up against even diamond level cheese on a regular basis.

50:52 Is your argument really that the good players just know better than to pick protoss in the first place?

I'm not sure TOO much can be determined about balance out of these five games, it looks a lot to me like a Terran who spends two games getting beaten, figuring out his opponent, and then having done that just stomps the protoss thrice in a row. Cure figured out that herO likes to be greedy and go early nexus, so Cure uses cheese or builds up a heavy midgame timing attack after harass and just stomps herO

The balance problems with protoss have been around for years, like Zealots and Stalkers being rather weak units, especially zealot, but that's never held them back from winning tournaments in the past so it's not the problem now either

You have good camera shots, better than the tourneys... I enjoyed the 5 rounds, I think the balance is off. But there will always be players that overcome that.

I don't think its an underbalance issue of the protoss, but mostly a design issue of the races that could be adressed with a balance patch. Zerg can outrush you and the pros know it so zerg tend to play greedy with the macro and for Terran you don't get as punished if you are slower wth your bases, due to MULEs and being able to turtle, so that leaves Protoss with a akward place that is in the middle of the road of both styles and no one knowing how to make a strategy that complents Protoss as well as the other races.

Great series! About herO, I just can't understand how he can micro some things absolutely perfect and also be so sloppy at the same time, I don't know of any other player that is that inconsistent.

it got to be that all the best players are not playing that race or they are away

Thing is that the camera control is directing what you are going to talk about. And it feels like it would confine you. I prefer when you yourself are controlling the camera!

I don't think it's all about balance, Cure played better here. Maybe a balance change to make the early game easier for Protoss but maybe we just have better terran and zerg players atm. Anyway, love your work Lowko. keep it up!

I honestly just love the ways terran can skillcheck toss. T has about 5+ easy ways of harassing workers early on without much risk. P has two which can be countered by T just building one cyclone or closing his door when shades arrive.

Protoss needs maxpax to do offline events to show players like hero how to play. that is, if he can perform well in a live setting.

Your camera controll is the better one

5`11`` Scan layed right on arriving observer. Cure has maphack?

I feel like marines might be a bit too powerful. Fully upgraded zerglings also pack a punch, but can't fire up. Marines can shoot up and also fast, especially with stimpack, plus they have the benefit of getting healed by medivacs. Perhaps a slight nerf on either their dps or health could make things better for the other races, especially early game Protoss, like in the final game of this series

Algo 🎉❤

Yes.

Uthermal is My Fav Terran

i wish there were more reynor protoss games...

Werent the vast majority of top brackets in this tournament TERRANS? And that's not considered imbalanced?

I have a feeling that lowkos intro is pre-recorded..

Nerf terran bio The combat shield upgrade needs to be a higher tier (more like adrenal glands for zerglings). Stim pack is too strong. The other races are forced to climb the tech ladder. Terrans can beat literally anything with marines and kiting

i start saying it with you "heeeellooooo my name is lowko" XD

🎉🎉🎉INTRO🎉🎉🎉

Hello!

When will u cast a viewers game?

I believe it should be pronounced , al-see-on..like the word halcyon...Pig says it that way...

Protoss is definitely underpowered at the pro level for many reasons. Hero definitely leads the pack in sloppy losses. Other Protoss aren't as bad at screwing themselves with F2 or misrallies but it still happens too often to all of them. MaxPax doesn't participate in premier tournaments. Reynor is notable but obviously better at Zerg. Many returning Protoss are still recovering from inactivity. Protoss gets completely dismantled or annihilated by Abduct or EMP, and don't really have any GREAT reliable spellcasters of their own. Oracles are good later for utility and also early game harass, but not great at any point. Disruptors almost never get a devastating hit against the best players. They are difficult to micro against, but ultimately are lucky and extremely inconsistent. High Templar are too slow and clumsy to actually use their abilities and can't survive in general. If the balance council doesn't want to give them movement speed, they need range, or literally anything to make them safer. Mothership didn't have very impactful abilities other than cloak IF you're opponent is not prepared, or Mass Recall IF your opponent is not aware of its movement. Both of which don't tend to catch the best pros off guard at all. Protoss are also too lazy to learn better micro in general, because they've always relied on their unit's stats to get where they are, and didn't bother to learn the same skill Terrans and Zerg were forced to learn out of necessity. Obviously Protoss' design focus on stats and severe lack of numbers and economy makes them immobile and easy to overwhelm with numbers. That is why Protoss is crap!!

Protoss is always struggling whatever your level or configuration of the fights. As a beginner i can tell that it seems easier to master at first sight, but it's a lie. Cause one unit cost you an arm everytime, so they are valuable as hell. Losing one of them is the same as losing your house or life. My life for Aïur? No it should be "My life for my bank account" They are pro gamers, and protoss struggle on other games i saw and you cast loko.

I think Protoss need to start playing more defensively early and mid game cause mistakes are too costly. Use shield regeneration to the advantage by skirmishing more often. Early Protoss wins are a thing of the past against equally qualified top players is my main takeaway.

The protos are inferior, that makes more fun, Zerg and Terran are super strong.

Alright, here's my balance idea. First, change the zealot to be available at twilight council, give them charge for free, do not change their cost. Second, make the adept available at gateway, remove shade and make it available as an upgrade in cyber core, do not change their cost. Here's what this does: It gives protoss an early game unit that they can use, rather than walling off, and an early game rush possibility that is dangerous enough that it must be respected. Most protoss early games are about having a super crisp defense of walls and stalkers so that they can get to a creative play, which makes them one-sided and easy to counter.

Last game hero play really bad but otherwise hero play better in other game.. but terran is still stronger if they are overhead

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علي موحان💗❤💗😘💗😘😘💌😘💌😘💌😘💌😘😘💌😘💌😘💌😘💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💌💚💚💌💌💌

I do think protoss is clearly weaker than the other two races and you would be trying hard to convince yourself otherwise, the fact that we are arguing about it suggests that there is a problem, but that doesnt mean that you should discredit good players, i think over all zerg has more top tier players than protoss and terran with terran being second since they have more than one person to compete with people like serral in the form of maru and clem while protoss only rly has maxpax who doesnt participate in tournaments, the other protoss players seem to always lose against serral. But i will say that protoss has less microability in the late game lets say compared to zerg with infestors and vipers, while the terran has the ghost which is in my opinion the single most op unit in the game, protoss also has less siegeavility compared to the other two races where they can put pressure while also defending scot free in the form of siegetanks, brood lords, lurkers and swarm hosts while the protoss you can only argue for the tempest which only excels in attacking and fails in defence while also havong to put its life on the line to do any damage compared to zerg units which either go invisible or through their free units and run away. I could also go on with more reasons such as the fact that protoss cant split their army as efficiently as terran and zerg since they need the protoss ball to even have a chance at winning and they usually lose in straight up engagement unless the enemy doesnt use their spell casters but i will stop here.

😶‍🌫️

Instead of saying protoss lose because they play worse, say there would be better players on protoss if the race was viable at pro level.

We need a petition for Lownko to stop saying "crossing his..."

There is no such a thing like IMBA. No matter the race I play against, I allways loose. And Harstem would agree with me

Lowko doesn't read his KZfaq comments... I'll prove it. *AHEM..* Serral is a sub-par Zerg player, the only reason he wins so much is mostly due to luck, and that other players don't take him seriously, he is top 50 at best...

Gotta agree with Lowko, Cure just outplayed herO here. That engagement in the final game when HerO was pushing the natural for example. Left the stalker out of the fight completely and missed one of the gravitons and picked up a mule instead of a cyclone. I feel like better micro could have gotten significant value out of that fight. Not to mention the slow reactions to the engineering bay blocks etc.

...emp needs fixed for late game..basically end of discussion. Your right overall on top skilled players but id say thats because its not smart to focus on a race that cant compete with terran late game

every single cast you say the players are the best lol. Even if there is like 5 different people

Maybe try showing some zerg or protoss videos winning instead of 4 straight videos of terran winning.

it's absolutely not a race problem, Protoss is actually the race with the most op abilities and troops, mid game you just F2+A move and you did 90% of the work, no micro at all and in the meanwhile the opponent has to micro their ass out to win the exchange, both terran and zerg (terran a bit more), that means the player that are protoss mains are actually so much mmr inflated and worse overall than the other, we see the result in these pro games that have actually top level players that can micro and macro almost perfectly and will be able to defeat the protoss that have far less skills. You can see clearly in this series, cure dominates almost the entire game but then protoss just A move and wins the game deal battle. That's it, I think the only way to resolve this is to actyally nerf protoss units like zealots and carriers in a way that you just don't braindeadly A move, this way protoss will learn how to freaking micro and level up the average protoss players.