Starcraft 2 Best Maps For Great Combat [Top 10]

Any Starcraft player knows that map design is at the heart of the game's strategy Let's get familiar with some recent notable maps, shall we?

10. Nightshade

Nightshade is about as standard as it gets --- a closed natural, a fairly defensible third, and some riskier expansions winding around the map Of interest is the central high ground --- controlling it gives you lots of room to push and expand, but its open nature makes backstabs a big threat.

What's Awesome about Nightshade:

• Double ramp leading into base

• Pocket third base

• Central high ground

• Many destructible rocks, including around center paths and the third

9. Purity and Industry

Purity and Industry is reminiscent of the classic map Habitation Station, with its close air distance, valuable inner territory, and looping expansion path around the edge But the map's salient feature is its Inhibitor Zone Generators between the mains --- these zones will slow any units inside them, adding another layer to sky battle micro.

What's Awesome about Purity and Industry:

• Close air distance, blocked by IZGs

• Expansions away from opponent

• Distant gold base

• High ground leading to center

• Vulnerable low ground bases

8. Disco Bloodbath

This map is here almost entirely for the name Disco Bloodbath How do you come up with that Genius.

What's Awesome about Disco Bloodbath:

• Easily defended natural

• High ground third base, blocked by destructible rocks

• Difficult fourth base decision --- open low ground, or distant high ground?

• High ground center, emphasizing positional play

• Disco floor in the center --- great for dancing!

7. Ever Dream

This map's coral theme is absolutely gorgeous The map itself features a difficult decision for the third, which always makes for a good game --- taking the linear third gives your opponent two strong attack paths, but the triangular one has a dangerous high ground nearby.

What's Awesome about Ever Dream:

• No ramp into natural

• Two interesting third bases

• High ground leading into center

• Many backstab paths

• Low ground near main, option for drop play

6. Ephemeron

Another map designed to highlight the positional game The path to the third base is unusually long, a space that has to be controlled to secure one's position But pushing along the high ground gets you a natural fourth and fifth, as well as a staging ground for invading your opponent safely.

What's Awesome about Ephemeron:

• Tight natural choke

• Distant third

• High ground into center

• Linear expansion pattern

• Tight chokes for positional play

5. Eternal Empire

Eternal Empire is what I call a "Cloud Kingdom," a map reminiscent of a classic map with a triangular third and a ramp leading into it This map also features a thin passage into the natural, which can be widened by destroying the low ground rocks, and a weaving high/low pattern that gives players plenty of spots to take a stand.

What's Awesome about Eternal Empire:

• Triangular first three bases

• Tight choke near natural

• Many ramps

• Open third leads to drop play if not controlled

• Valuable watchtowers in center

4. Simulacrum

Simulacrum is another gorgeous map, but more importantly, it features the classic third base dilemma, between a distant high ground and a close, but open low ground base The map's wide open low ground flanked by high ground bases makes pushing tempting, but risky A standard macro map.

What's Awesome about Simulacrum:

• Third base dilemma

• A lot of space for drops in the main

• Interesting high ground placement

• Alternating tight chokes and open space

• Player's choice of expansion direction --- defensive or aggressive

3. World of Sleepers

World of Sleepers is a Cloud Kingdom with a twist --- your safest third is blocked by minerals, meaning you need to spend mining time to reach it easily Your other options for a third base are reasonable but tricky to defend, and losing control of your pocket third means giving your opponent a staging ground into your main This map has seen plenty of amazing games already, and it's a favorite of mine design-wise.

What's Awesome about World of Sleepers:

• Standard base layout

• Mineral-blocked path to safe third

• High ground surrounding vulnerable push directions

• Bases around perimeter encourage longer games

2. Zen

Zen has a few features that make it another favorite: the one-tile ramp with a mineral field to open it The linear expansion pattern with lots of space for harassment The unusual pocket base, blocked by ground, but too close by air to ignore And finally, the tempting but dangerous rich Vespene Geysers, easily attacked from all directions, but with a motherlode of resources to offer.

• Linear expansion path

• Tight choke at natural blocked by minerals

• Pocket base offering a drop path into main

• Short rush distance, but difficult to navigate safely

• Rich Vespene Geysers to encourage moving onto the map

1. Golden Wall

And finally, Golden Wall I don't normally go for the "gimmick" map, but Golden Wall has consistently featured tense, strategic, and downright cool games that test players' intuition and flexibility The third base south of the main is easy to defend, but requires a mineral investment, and the gold base towards the center is valuable, but can be attacked from many directions. This map is really in the hands of the player --- whether you ignore its features in favor of standard development, or try to leverage them with creative gameplay, Golden Wall will push you to your limit.

What's Awesome about Golden Wall:

• Two expansion directions, one blocked by small mineral patches

• Gold bases in the center

• Distant looping bases, safe from direct pressure from below, but vulnerable to harass

• Southern path is difficult to access, but potent to push and control

• Thin walls in the center encourage map control and maneuverability

Also be sure to read:

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• Starcraft 2 Best Maps For Great Combat [Top 10]
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• Starcraft 2 Best Co op Commanders [Top 5]
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