Game Director Dustin Browder hopes that by release, these Battle Focuses will present the player with a difficult question: "What we want to do is have very different styles for each, so that you can say, "This is my defensive Kerrigan", "This is my Roach-burrow supporting Kerrigan", "This is my Kerrigan that combos with air units", "This is my stealth Kerrigan" that can just sneak around a wreck shit, right? We want these different vibes so when you're looking at it, it's very clear what you're choosing." Corruption is decidedly Zerg: Kerrigan can "explode" any enemy unit to create two Broodlings, or unleash a spore cloud - affected units are vulnerable to a damage modifier.įor now, these are two of a possible four load-outs. Specs Ops is a suite of Ghost-like skills including an energy boost, a mirror unit that deals half damage and an area effect stun ability. In the build we played, two were available. In this current build - and anything could change between now and release, warns Blizzard - Kerrigan is able to choose skill load-outs called Battle Focuses. She is a controllable force in the campaign replete with preternatural skills that can dramatically impact on the success or failure of any excursion. Hailing back to Warcraft III, Kerrigan operates as a genuine Hero unit. There, we were presented with a handful of assets and two early levels from the game that demonstrate Heart of the Swarm's not-insignificant departure from the campaign structure of the Terran-focused Wings of Liberty.įoremost amongst these is the more proactive role that Kerrigan will take in the campaign. Or, this is the premise as we can piece it together from the little time we had with StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm at Blizzard's campus in Irvine, California. Many of the Zerg once under her psychic command have gone feral, and many of her formerly submissive Queens and Brood Mothers have presumed to adopt the seemingly vacant role of Zerg oivemind. Nonetheless, her recent defeat and subsequent purging at the hands of Raynor and General Warfield has left her vulnerable. One avenue is clear: Kerrigan is still psychically connected to the Zerg.