As to see how Thors are capable as an example of walking buildings. Why can't they lift off? As to see how Thors (That I know of) can't be transported by the Dropships, rendering Thors completely useless in 'island to island' maps. Not only that, but crowded ramps, small ramps and buildings can become an obstacle for Thors. Lifting off will allow Thors to flank and maneuver to eliminate threats.

As far as I'm concerned for balance, as Thors are currently in lift off, they should be completely defenseless. According to being defenseless without any attacks, it's slightly slower than the average Terran Building that is also currently in lift off but it should only be slightly decreased if Blizzard decides to. Thors should also tuck it's outer armor that allows the Thor to actually move around as if it were in reality. Which this also gives the Thor taking more damage than it does as a ground unit.

The lift off ability for the Thor should be researched first in the Ammunitions Depot. Estimate cost of 175 minerals and 100 Vespene Gas.

And I'm sure that the enemy units will try to 'go under' the Thor to prevent it to land. Reminding me in the original StarCraft where the patch allowed the player to crush Siege Tanks, Missile Turrets, Photon Cannons, Spore Colonies and Sunken Colonies with a Command Center. Thors, and/or any other Terran Building with the lift off capabilities, should kill any unit that it is currently landing on. As far for balance, I'm not recommending landing on units to kill them.

If you think the Thor with this ability becomes 'cheap', you can add a limit amount of time of the Thor in it's lift off. Running out of time forces it to land and a fifteen to thirty second cooldown to allow it lift off again. Running out of time and is over on water may destroy the Thor completely. Though this isn't part of my recommendation list.

As the Thor is lifting off, SCVs can repair it as similar as how they can repair air units and any other lifted off Terran Building.

Wrapping it up, this summarized list should make the Thor very useful with the use of the lift off ability:

1. Can be built and used in "Island to Island" multiplayer maps.
2. Flanking and Maneuvering
3. Taking shortcuts in cliffs, just like the Reapers but a lot slower.
4. As it lifts off, rendering the Thor vulnerable but considering players second thoughts than a simple penetration.
5. Thors, like all of the units, can finally enter from the sides other than the entrance to lead the assault inside the base.
6. Allows strategies for players use smaller and abundant units to take out the defenses and then bringing in the big giant Thor for last to assault the major buildings such as the Command Center. Saving best for last.
7. Missile Turrets, Phase Cannons, Spore Colonies can be very effective counter attacks to the Thors that is is currently in the ability of lift off
8. It must be researched first before the player is allowed have Thors lift off.
9. If the Thors becomes a focused unit to get attacked, enough Vikings and Banshees combined is a perfect defense.
10. Vikings, Battlecruisers, Warp Rays, Corruptors, Hydralisks, Pheonix, Twilight Archon and perhaps Roaches are good counter attacks against the lift off Thor.

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

But then what would it do on Space maps?

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

From what I understand the thor is supposed to be a behemoth unit whose only weakness is mobility. Making the thor fly around means it can get behind choke defenses and kill your CC no problem. You've completely removed the thors only weakness.

Did you watch the gameplay video for terrans? they designed the thor so that it can be killed by fast moving gtg units. If the thor can take off then it can just fly away to safety behind your front lines and redeploy again once it's repaired.

Here's a scenario. You're playing as zerg. a terran lines some tanks and bunkers outside your base. Your opponent sends a thor in, so to counter the thor you could send a bunch of zerglings. The splash from the tanks kills the thor and your zerglings. You're in the clear, and the thor kills some of your buildings.

If the thor can take off then it's useless to use this strategy. Now you have to use your ranged attackers. The thor comes into your base kills some tech, flies off for repairs and repeats. There's no danger to the thor if it just keeps repeating this strategy. You'd have a bunch of ranged zergs chasing the flying thor getting destroyed by tanks.

Anyways, my point is that thor loses its weakness if it can fly, and every unit is supposed to have a unique weakness and strength. This is why the thor flying is imbalanced. Also flying thors would be an extremely ugly game mechanic.

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

What you're saying is that the Thor will be the very first unit in the whole StarCraft universe to ever move on water? I don't think so especially since it's very heavy and it might as well sink to the bottom of the ocean, burned by magma, malfunctioning on Tar, and falling through Space. And besides, you did not even state why the Thor is imbalanced. Hell, I even counter argued 'loof' in the Battle Net forums. Click the link I've put up on the top of my first post.

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

But then what would it do on Space maps?

Quote from KrAzY

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

What you're saying is that the Thor will be the very first unit in the whole StarCraft universe to ever move on water? I don't think so especially since it's very heavy and it might as well sink to the bottom of the ocean, burned by magma, malfunctioning on Tar, and falling through Space. And besides, you did not even state why the Thor is imbalanced. Hell, I even counter argued 'loof' in the Battle Net forums. Click the link I've put up on the top of my first post.

Because if it could lift off basically NOTHING could kill it?

Quote from KrAzY

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

What you're saying is that the Thor will be the very first unit in the whole StarCraft universe to ever move on water? I don't think so especially since it's very heavy and it might as well sink to the bottom of the ocean, burned by magma, malfunctioning on Tar, and falling through Space. And besides, you did not even state why the Thor is imbalanced. Hell, I even counter argued 'loof' in the Battle Net forums. Click the link I've put up on the top of my first post.

Because if it could lift off basically NOTHING could kill it?

I think despite the use of lift off, it wouldn't make thor any more useful. Thor is designed strictly for portable defences... you would never see an army of thors coming at you, and if you did, it would probably be a noob. If you saw the terran demo (i think it was the terran demo) where they explain how thors weakness is it's slow turning speed, a pro would be able to circle the thor unit and rape it without being hurt.

As to thor in lift off taking more damage, I think this is quite possibly the stupidest idea ever... thor would be raped in the air, then land and of lost more then he would normally have. This doesn't make thor more balanced, if anything it makes all AA units rigged vs portable thor, leaving him once again useless in air.

As for AA, I think this would encourage the defensive purpose of the thor unit, making it a sturdy unit that can dominate the homeground, but not designed to trek far.

Overall, Thor is balanced, IMO and any mods or downgrades of serious proportions will take away or completely change thor's purpose making him rigged or useless.

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Quote from KrAzY

Quote from Syphon[MM]

Here's a better idea, make it able to wade through water. Having it liftable is so imbalanced it's not even funny.

What you're saying is that the Thor will be the very first unit in the whole StarCraft universe to ever move on water? I don't think so especially since it's very heavy and it might as well sink to the bottom of the ocean, burned by magma, malfunctioning on Tar, and falling through Space. And besides, you did not even state why the Thor is imbalanced. Hell, I even counter argued 'loof' in the Battle Net forums. Click the link I've put up on the top of my first post.

Because if it could lift off basically NOTHING could kill it?

Uh, what? It wouldn't be able to attack while lifted off, just move.