There are a lot of issues and things, but this post is just about zealots.

As it stands, patch 9, April 24, 2010, zealots in my OPINION are the weakest starting unit.

Examples of why...

Marines can kite them easily in small numbers, zealots can force a terran to wall up, at which point terran can hold zealots off easily regardless of numbers.

I'm fine with that.

Zerglings can outrun zealots, and do a pretty good amount of damage to them anyways. An early zergling harass make zealots look silly as they wander around aimlessly.

I'm fine with that also.

The problem falls in the placement of their movement speed upgrade. Zerglings get their movement upgrade in the building built as the prerequisite to using them. Marines receive their upgrades in an attachment to the barracks which is the prerequisite to producing them.

Zealots upgrade comes after a cybernetics core, effecitvely an academy or roach warren... as well as the building of a twilight council which is basically the factory or perhaps a spire. These may not be perfect analogies but they give one an understanding of how much tech must be accomplished before reaching the building which contains a 200 mineral/200 gas investment. One which then allows zealots the chance to ENGAGE other tier 1 units, not necessarily defeat, but just to fight the other units.

Possible solutions:

1. A passive speed boost upgrade found in forge/cybernetics core/gateway while keeping the charge aspect where it is.
2. A flat increase to zealots base movement speed while keeping charge as an upgrade for later.
3. I dunno... give them a rock or something to throw? That would be more useful than his psi blades as it currently stands. Perhaps a stick and a bit of rope to swing around? Maybe an angry badger upgrade which can be thrown or less mineral investment in zealot donuts and more into a track around the cybernetics core for them to run on?

I don't know I'm not a game developer, but I am relatively fat and out of shape and even I know that if I can't run fast enough I'm probably going to be eaten right at the start of the zombie apocalypse rendering me completely useless.... so I feel for the zealots and their tiny midget legs... but we need love too

-Kaydog

Charge also passively increases Zealots movement speed.

Charge also passively increases the movement speed of Zealots.

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Q u o t e:
Didn't think I'd be saying this to a blue, but.... reread the op. He clearly has an understanding of that.

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Yes, but was putting it there for others, who didn't seem to know that :)