Zerg Units - In A Nutshell

Before you begin, I'd like to remind you that everything below is subject to change. Blizzard is doing a lot of work and units are coming and going monthly. Nothing here is concrete. With that out of the way, read on!

Protoss Units - In A Nutshell - http://www.starcraft2forum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5244
Terran Units - In A Nutshell - http://www.starcraft2forum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4204

Drone

Core Genus: Larvae
Primary Attack: Splinter Spines
Type: Base Creation/Resource Gathering

The Drone is the starter unit for the Zerg race. Their weak carapace and insufficient Splinter Spines make them unsuitable for combat. They can gather resources from minerals and infested Vespene geysers. Their DNA is extremely elastic allowing them to mutate into many critical Zerg structures. The Drone is lost in this process. Like most Zerg units the Drone can burrow into the earth.

Zergling

Core Genus: Zz' Gashi Dune Runners
Primary Attack: Claws
Type: Light Assault/Reconnaissance

The Zergling is a very basic metamorphosis, so basic in fact that two can be spawned from a single egg. Alone they make excellent scouts, but in large numbers they become quite a formidable foe. They are often employed as cannon fodder while the more powerful units such as Hydralisks and Ultralisks move in and engage their opponents. They have the ability to morph into Banelings. Like most Zerg units they have the ability to burrow into the ground.

Baneling

Core Genus: Zergling
Primary Attack: Volatile Burst
Type: Sapper

The Baneling is a large acid-filled mutation of the Zergling that is so bloated that it rolls across terrain rather then walking. It can detonate itself in a volient explosion that can obliterate small settlements or armies. Since their core genus is the Zergling they can be produced cheaply and in large numbers. They make highly effective suprise attacks by burrowing into the dirt.

Hydralisk

Core Genus: Slothien
Primary Attack: Needle Spines
Type: Medium Assault Warrior

These once peaceful creatures now fight for the Zerg using their adapted Needle Spines. Hydralisks launch volleys of these spines over quite a distance, capable of hitting both ground and air unit deployments. Like most Zerg units the Hydralisk can burrow into the earth.

Lurker

Core Genus: Hydralisk
Primary Attack: Subterranean Spines
Type: Support

Lurkers evolve directly from battlefield mutations of the Hydralisk. Their Needle Spines solidify and become extensions of the Lurker. By burrowing underground the Lurker can thrust these Spines out of the ground, skewering the unsuspecting opposition. The Lurkers spines can only penetrate so much dirt however, so Lurkers have to burrow close to the surface, resulting in enemy troops gaining visuals.

Roach

Core Genus: Unknown
Primary Attack: Toxic Spores
Type: Light Assault/Support

The Roach has a rather high regeneration rate which makes it quite useful for the Zerg. Using hit-and-run tactics the Roach can easily whittle down an enemies health while quickly resupplying its own. If the Roach takes too much damage it will be unable to regenerate resulting in death. So Queens must know when to order their Roaches into retreat. Roaches can be evolved to further increase their regeneration capabilities.

Ultralisk

Core Genus: Brontolith
Primary Attack: Kaiser Blades
Type: Heavy Assault

The Ultralisk is one of the most fearsome and lethal Zerg mutations. Towering over its fellow Zerg the Ultralisk inspires terror in the heart of its enemies. Its massive reinforced Kaiser Blades can cut down multiple foes with a single swing, as well as tunnel large burrow holes into the earth. Ultralisks can withstand and dish out considerable firepower.

Infestor

Core Genus: Unknown
Primary Attack: None
Type: Support

The Infestor is a highly useful support strain offering a variety of techniques for the Zerg. Most notably is its ability to infest almost any Terran or Protoss structure, which then allow infested units to be spawned via these structures. This effect only lasts a short while before the inhabitants purge the infested structure. Using the "Disease" technique the Infestor can spray toxic chemicals onto enemy opponents. This quickly lowers their vitality and has the ability to spread to nearby enemies. Its "Dark Swarm" ability throws up a dense cloud over a wide area which absorbs incoming projectile fire or aerial strafing runs. This ability provides perfect cover during assaults. Like most Zerg units the Infestor can burrow into the ground, however it can also tunnel its way around, allowing it to slip past enemy defences undetected.

Infested Terran

Core Genus: Terran
Primary Attack: Tentacle Mutations
Type: Cannon Fodder

The result of an Infesters corrupting spray. The Infested Terran is exactly what it sounds, a Terran corrupted and mutated by Zerg infestation techniques. Their main purpose is to distract the enemy while the more powerful combat strains move in.

Nydus Worm

Core Genus: Unknown
Primary Attack: None
Type: Transport

The Nydus Worm is the Zergs most effective method of transport. They can carry armies of Zerg to any creep infested point on the battlefield, allowing for extreme suprise attacks and quick defence for beseiged outposts. Sustained fire can quickly bring down a Nydus Worm, so Cerebrates must be strategic with the placement of these beasts.

Queen

Core Genus: Unknown
Primary Attack: Stingers
Type: Heavy Support

The Queen is the centre of any Zerg force deployment. She oversees base construction and is responsible for any tactical maneuvers on the battlefield. She grows stronger and gains more abilities over an evolutionary period. She can use "Swarm Infestation" to temporarily mutate any nearby structure into a stationary offensive organism, capable of spewing forth toxic particles. Like most Zerg units she can burrow into the earth, however she can also use "Deep Tunnel" to travel instantly between any Zerg outpost, allowing quick reaction times to enemy attacks. The Queen can lay eggs and cause larvae to mutate and spawn into a variety of random Zerg organisms. In addition, she can toxify areas of Creep, causing it to damage enemy infantry stalking across her domain. Lastly, her "Transfusion" ability instantly restores any Zerg unit or structure to full health. Only one Queen can be built per player.

Overlord

Core Genus: Gargantis Proximae
Primary Attack: None
Type: Supply

These airborne behemoths still continue to serve the Swarm by managing small clusters of Zerg, however they no longer transport units nor detect disguised opponents. Now they have been equipped with large sacs filled with Creep, which they can dump onto the battlefield at a moments notice. The Overlord can morph into the Overseer.

Overseer

Core Genus: Overlord
Primary Attack: None
Type: Supply/Detection

Overseers are the evolved version of the Overlord. Their speed and sight is greater then that of the Overlords, and if the Overseer remains stationary it can increase its vision further still. The Overseer retains the ability to produce creep, as well as detect disguised or invisible units. Overseers can produce Changelings which can disguise itself as an enemy unit, thus acting as perfect spies for the swarm.

Mutalisk

Core Genus: Mantis Screamer
Primary Attack: Glave Wurm
Type: Medium Attack Flyer

These swift aerial beasts are the bread-and-butter unit for the Zerg fleet. They can travel long distances with ease and damage multiple targets with their highly effective Glave Wurms, which bounce between targets before dissipating. In large packs Mutalisks can rip apart most enemy deployments, however a concentrated air defence will shred a Mutalisk attack wave, as they have quite low vitality.

Swarm Guardian

Core Genus: Mutalisk
Primary Attack: Swarm Seeds
Type: Aerial Bombardment

The slow moving Swarm Guardians are the aerial artillery of the Zerg. They can attack opponents from extreme distances using their extremely potent Swarm Seeds, which actually mutate a downed unit into a Broodling, a small, vicious Zerg creature that can cause havoc if allowed to gain greater numbers. Morphed from the Mutalisk, The Swarm Guardian can be a useful asset when attempting to break a concentrated defence, and a barrage of Swarm Seeds can quickly result in a small army of Broodlings.

Corrupter

Core Genus: Unknown
Primary Attack: Spores
Type: Light Attack Flyer

The Corrupter is a lightweight Zerg flyer with the ability to infest airborne enemies by covering its hull with spores. If the aircraft is destroyed while infested with these spores it will be reanimated as a stationary Zerg firing platform, capable of attacking nearby enemies with fast firing projectiles. While under Zerg control it remains stationary and hits nearby enemies with projectiles. Eventually the corrupted vessel can no longer sustain the growth and will collapse. Large numbers of Corrupters can very quickly turn the tide of battle, however their low vitality and weak attack necessitates the use of stronger units to cover for them.

 

Roach: has an upgrade that further enhance their regeneration ability

Infester: Disease ability can only be cast on one unit, but the ability is contagious( so it can spread to all your units that are close together, but can also spread to the zerg player units), takes 90% of the afflicted units health, if the unit caught Disease when its health was below 90% it will die.

Nydus Worm: can only be 'built' on creep, can no longer move on their own power.

Overseer: lost its ability to place Zerg growths over mineral fields, and gained an ability called Changeling that produce a Changeling that morphs into the basic combat unit of the enemy so you can scout out their base(they cant attack), the enemy units and defenses will not be able to attack the Changeling unless the enemy tells them to do so.

Corrupter:' When enough spores accumulate the vessel succumbs to Zerg control' is no longer true, the enemy unit now has to die within something like 5 seconds from the last time a corruptor attacked them for them to be corrupted.

 

Awesome list. Thanks for taking the time to put that together.

 

Excellent list, and some of those core genus' we know.
Here:

Zergling - Zz' Gashi Dune Runners
Ultralisk - Brontolith
Overlord - Gargantis Proximae

 

@ lurkers_lurk. From what I've read on StarCraft Wiki it deals ninety five percent damage, not ninety, but that might be outdated. Also, I haven't heard about this part but I think you must mean if a unit catches the Disease when it's below ten percent health is will die, not ninety. Otherwise a Marine that's been hit once or something would die, as it'd be under ninety percent.

 

im going off of what ive seen and heard, it could have been 95% but 90% is also close, but i know i heard that it will kill the unit if that unit had less than 90% when it 'caught' Disease. but you are right on it being old data, its been a few months since we have heard anything about the Infester, so anything is possible.

 

Ah k then. Well a plague that actually kills them could certainly get interesting, especially with moving while Burrowed. You could have groups of paired Infesters going around Diseasing, and you wouldn't need anyone else to finish off any straggling units. Could be even deadlier against Protoss.

 

On a vaguely related note, there's a video from the Zerg Rush event last March showing disease killing ultralisks. (I'm pretty sure those ultralisks were at full health, too.) However, there's been varying slightly conflicting information on it.

The wiki used StarCraft Legacy's report, which often directly quoted the ability description (although not in that particular case).

 

this is a verygood alaround data of the zerg units.

i like how it has been mashed up into one place. it really helps know better what the zer units ae for.

i now know what a Overseer is for and wht it is. im really glad to find out because the pictures they have been werent really "showing" the overseer do stuff.

and i like all the info about the zerg. it really makes me feel like i know the background of them ;P

-Zerks
also

 

Thanks for the input guys, I've updated everything.

 

What is the status of Dark Swarm? I haven't heard much about it.

 

I think it comes from the infestor and acts the same as the original dark swarm.

 

@iCMN

It works just like in Starcraft. It is the one spell that the Infestor starts out with, no research needed.
http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Infestor

 

I can't help but think that we Zerg players are getting an awesome deal. The Roach are fricking so powerful if you can micro well, and the Changelings/ Baneling/ Infestor all seem like units that will be extremely powerful if you master them.

WOOT!

 

recent build:
the infestor no longer have swarm and infest. Instead they have 3 new spells, soon to be found out.
http://www.starcraft2forum.org/forums/showthread.php?p=178788#post178788

 

Hm... a name change is imminent if it can't "Infest".

 

^
we will find more news when our admin comes back from blizzcon, he said his gna write a article.

 

Our admins are all away, and the Blizzard pages on SC2 are pretty much outdated.

 

not our admin...he should be back soon =]

 

The time of that post was when most admins were still away.