Hatchery
--------
Minerals - 300
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 120
Hit Points - 1250
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - none
Abilities - create and increase Creep
- evolve Burrow (ground unit ability)
- create larva
- mutate into Lair
- provides 1 control (supply)
Misc. Data - Hatcheries are your basic money makers. You start out
(in games other than those in campaign mode) with only
one of them near a resource area and without any other
buildings nearby. This is so because the Hatchery is
the prereq of all Zerg prereqs and should generally be
always built near resource-filled areas, where they could
select larvas which in turn could morph into your everyday
resource gatherers for the Zerg, the drone. The Zerg system
of construction (morphing, actually) is quite different
from the other two. First of all, its Hatchery---and its
upgraded versions discussed next---is its only unit producing
building, therefore is also equipped with the ability
to build (or morph) all the other Zerg units in the game
(that is, from the larva it creates) The other Zerg buildings
in the game (most of them) therefore only serve as prerequisities
as well as upgraders (or evolvers) for these units.
Lair
----
Minerals - 150
Vespene Gas - 100
Build Time - 100
Hit Points - 1800
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Hatchery
- Spawning Pool
Abilities - create and increase Creep
- evolve Burrow (ground unit ability)
- evolve Ventral Sacs (transporting for Overlord)
- evolve Antennae (increase Overlord sight range)
- evolve Pneumatized Carapace (faster Overlord movement)
- create larva
- mutate into Hive
- provides 1 control (supply)
Misc. Data - The Lair is simply an upgraded version of the Hatchery,
and besides the numerous upgrades in can provide an
overlord with, and again besides having more HP than its
previous form, it generally has the same purpose as the
Hatchery, namely, your basic money---and unit---makers.
Be reminded though, that the Lair (or the Hatchery) do
not produce Zerg units by themselves, rather they only
create the ultra versatile larva which in turn could be
morphed into the other, more useful Zerg units of the game.
Hive
----
Minerals - 200
Vespene Gas - 150
Build Time - 120
Hit Points - 2500
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Lair
- Queen's Nest
Abilities - create and increase Creep
- evolve Burrow (ground unit ability)
- evolve Ventral Sacs (transporting for Overlord)
- evolve Antennae (increase Overlord sight range)
- evolve Pneumatized Carapace (faster Overlord movement)
- create larva
- provides 1 control (supply)
Misc. Data - And as the Lair is an upgrade to the Hatchery, the Hive
is the upgrade for the Lair! It can still upgrade your
overlords if you haven't done that yet, but again besides
having even more HP than the Lair itself, this version
of the Hatchery does just the same thing: create larvas
that morph into drones that in turn gather your much needed
resources. And don't forget about all the other Zerg units
a larva can morph into, ok?
Extractor
---------
Minerals - 50
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 40
Hit Points - 750
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - none
Abilities - readies Vespene Geysers for gathering
Misc. Data - Vespene Geysers are nothing but a useless piece of land
without something built upon it for the sole reason of
processing its raw energy (called Vespene Gas) into a
compound a lot more useful for the construction of other
units and buildings. The Extractor is that something.
Spawning Pool
-------------
Minerals - 150
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 80
Hit Points - 750
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Hatchery/Lair/Hive
Abilities - evolve Metabolic Boost (faster Zergling movement)
- evolve Adrenal Glands (faster Zergling attack)
Misc. Data - As mentioned above, most Zerg buildings serve only as
prerequisites for units produced only through the larva
coming out of Hatcheries, Lairs, and Hives. The Spawning
Pool is no different. It's your basic prereq, and thus
needed for the morphing of your most basic attackers,
the zerglings. Notice that most Zerg buildings are also
upgraders (or evolvers) and again the Spawning Pool is
no different. It obviously does something for the specific
unit it is a prereq for, but what? And the answer or
rather answers are providing faster movement and reducing
cooldown time.
Hydralisk Den
-------------
Minerals - 100
Vespene Gas - 50
Build Time - 40
Hit Points - 850
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Spawning Pool
Abilities - evolve Muscular Augments (faster Hydralisk movement)
- evolve Grooved Spines (increase Hydralisk attack range)
Misc. Data - It should be obvious what unit is focused upon by the
fan-shaped Zerg building called the Hydralisk Den...What!?
You don't know!? THE HYDRALISK, DAMMIT!!! (whoops, just
had my stim packs, sorry) And again as with most Zerg
buildings, this one's not only a prereq for the said unit,
but also has two upgrades for that unit as well.
Spire
-----
Minerals - 200
Vespene Gas - 150
Build Time - 120
Hit Points - 600
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Lair/Hive
Abilities - upgrade flyer attacks
- evolve flyer carapace
- mutate into Greater Spire
Misc. Data - Simply put, the Spire enables your larva to morph into
mutalisks. It can also increase the damage they bring
as well as that which they could sustain. Pretty neat
building and a definite must if ya ask me.
Greater Spire
-------------
Minerals - 100
Vespene Gas - 150
Build Time - 120
Hit Points - 1000
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Spire
- Hive
Abilities - upgrade flyer attacks
- evolve flyer carapace
Misc. Data - If you thought only Hatcheries and Lairs could be further
upgraded, think again. The Spire also has an upgrade of
its own, and it was named...the Greater Spire! (so clever...)
Anyway, not only does this building continue on upgrading
your air units if you haven't done so already, but it's
also a prereq for one of your best bets against building
attackers---the guardian.
Queen's Nest
------------
Minerals - 150
Vespene Gas - 100
Build Time - 60
Hit Points - 850
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Lair/Hive
Abilities - evolve Spawn Broodling (Queen ability)
- evolve Ensnare (Queen ability)
- evolve Gamete Meiosis (+50 Queen energy)
Misc. Data - One of the less gross buildings of the Zerg (looks like
a macaroon in my honest opinion), the Queen's Nest is
both a prereq and an upgrader...for the queen! It gives
her the ability to cast two very useful spells (the Spawn
Broodling and the Ensnare) as well as reduces the minimum
amount of time needed to charge up her next spell after
casting one via the Gamete Meiosis.
Defiler Mound
-------------
Minerals - 100
Vespene Gas - 100
Build Time - 60
Hit Points - 850
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Hive
Abilities - evolve Plague (Defiler ability)
- evolve Consume (Defiler ability)
- evolve Metasynaptic Node (+50 Defiler energy)
Misc. Data - A more advanced spell caster in the game comes in the
form of a defiler, and this unit in turn relies on the
existence of its own mound, the Defiler Mound. And like
the Queen's Nest with its queen, the Defiler Mound gives
its defilers the ability to cast two very useful spells
(the Plague and the Consume) as well as reduces the minimum
amount of time needed to charge up her next spell after
casting one via the Metasynaptic Node.
Ultralisk Cavern
----------------
Minerals - 150
Vespene Gas - 200
Build Time - 80
Hit Points - 600
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Hive
Abilities - none (it's a prereq for the ultralisk so you'll still
need this even if it has no abilities)
Misc. Data - Well, what else to say bout this big green breathing thing
but..."it's a prereq for the ultralisk so you'll still
need this even if it has no abilities."
Evolution Chamber
-----------------
Minerals - 75
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 40
Hit Points - 750
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Hatchery/Lair/Hive
Abilities - upgrade melee attacks
- upgrade missile attacks
- evolve carapace
Misc. Data - Going back to the basics, the Evolution Chamber is your
basic unit upgrader. Though also a prereq for one of the
two attacking buildings in your race, its main abilities
include providing zerglings with bigger claws, hydralisks
with larger jaws, and both with a thicker, sturdier armor
(or at least that's how I interpret it, you really won't
notice any graphical change in them, only the fact that
their enemies die faster and they die slower)
Creep Colony
------------
Minerals - 75
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 40
Hit Points - 750
Armor - 0
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - none
Abilities - increase Creep
- mutate into Sunken Colony
- mutate into Spore Colony
Misc. Data - Zerg buildings should be built on Creep, and since the
main Creep producer, the Hatchery (or Lair, or Hive),
costs too much for such a minor reason, you may use Creep
Colonies to increase the area of your Creep instead.
Note that only the Zerg's main building has the ability
to create Creep and these Creep Colonies are only here
to extend what the Hatchery, Lair, or Hive has created.
One more thing, this building may very well be morphed
into two others, the Sunken Colony and the Spore Colony
both of which, while retaining the Creep increasing abilities
of their their previous form, are also the only two attacking
buildings at the Zerg's disposal.
Sunken Colony
-------------
Minerals - 50
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 20
Hit Points - 400
Armor - 0
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Creep Colony
- Spawning Pool
Abilities - ground attack
Misc. Data - This is one of the two building attackers I was talking
about, and it sure is a handy thing to have especially
whenever your opponents plan to attack early in the game.
Most likely he'll use a pure ground assault, and since
this building, the Sunken Colony, attacks from below,
your guaranteed a tough defense, at least until air
or ultra long-range ground units arrive.
Spore Colony
------------
Minerals - 50
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 20
Hit Points - 400
Armor - 0
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Creep Colony
- Evolution Chamber
Abilities - detector
- air attack
Misc. Data - The Spore Colony is the second attacking building the
Zerg race has to offer, and has definitely proven itself
to be invaluable in countless situations. Besides automatically
attacking every single enemy air unit in sight, it is a
detector, meaning cloaked wraiths have no chance of entering
an opponent's Spore Colony filled base unharmed. Beware
though, since these building attackers will only prove
useful until the opponent decides to build higher level
units like the battlecruiser, the carrier, and especially
the guardian. These units can whack tons of Spore Colonies
without suffering a scratch, so the only way to effectively
defend against them is providing air-to-air encounters.
Nydus Canal
-----------
Minerals - 150
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 40
Hit Points - 250
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Hive
Abilities - place Nydus Canal Exit
Misc. Data - This building, in my honest opinion, is what truly distinguishes
the Zerg race from the other two. It is the only one
without a Terran or Protoss counterpart, and is another
extremely useful tool both defensively and offensively
in deceiving the enemy into thinking that you don't or
have very few attacking units in a certain area whereas
you can readily send an entire army of reinforcements
when the need arises. Any ideas what this building does?
Well, it provides underground transport for your ground
units and lead them to wherever you have placed the Nydus
Canal exit. Just right click your units on one Nydus Canal
and voila! They're somewhere else!
Infested Command Center
-----------------------
Minerals - 0
Vespene Gas - 0
Build Time - 5
Hit Points - 1500
Armor - 1
Shields - 0
Prerequisites - Command Center (duh!)
Abilities - train Infested Terran
- liftoff
Misc. Data - Oh don't jump for joy the first time you see its stats
cause it's not what you think. It may not cost anything
at all, but it does have its requirements: First of all,
you need a queen since infesting Command Centers is her
inate ability. Second, you must have a Command Center to
infest. It's rather tough to pull this trick off since
few good Starcraft players leave their Command Centers
unguarded. (You CAN do this with your allies though, IF
they allow it to happen) Lastly, the said Command Center
should be at least down to half its life (750HP) before
the spell could be cast. On the bright side, besides the
all powerful infested terran you can train from this
building, the building itself is void of all Terran and
Zerg building weaknesses---unlike Terran buildings, it
doesn't explode by itself when it catches fire on low
HP, and it may be landed on Creep. And unlike Zerg buildings,
it doesn't NEED to be on Creep for it to be functional.
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