Archon

From StarCraft Wiki

"Power overwhelming!"

―Protoss archon^[src]

Archon
Unit
Race	Protoss
Role	Psionic Entity
Armament	Psionic shockwave
Properties
Hit points	10
Shields	350
Size	Large
Transport slots	4
Production
Psi	4
Build time	20
Produced at	2 high templar
Requires	2 high templar
Combat
Ground attack	30s
Air attack	30s
Cooldown	20
Armor	0
Attack range	2
Sight range	8
Unit speed	5

The archon is a protoss heavy assault warrior formed by merging two high templar.^[1]

Contents 1 Overview 2 Game Unit 2.1 StarCraft 2.1.1 Production 2.1.2 Upgrades 2.1.3 Quotations 2.2 StarCraft II 2.2.1 Production 2.2.2 Upgrades 2.2.3 Pre-Release 3 Known Archons 4 References/External Links

[edit] Overview

The first archon(s) were created unexpectedly and their formation was soon legally sanctioned by Khala.^[2]

The creation of an archon is a serious affair for it requires the reluctant sacrifice of valuable high templar^[1] for a short-term gain.^[3] Archons radiate energy like stars and burn out when depleted.^[2] The merging results in the abandonment of the physical form and the loss of self, but those who do so are bequeathed great honor and a place in the templar archives.^[1]

The loss of most of the psionic powers of the two merging templar is more than compensated for by the archon's formidable psychic gestalt. Archons can independently erect a resilient shield and direct psionic shockwaves.^[2]

Emotionally, archons are manifestations of pure rage,^[4] though this may be "twisted" should the merging be in error.^[5]

After the Brood War and the reunification of the protoss, archons can now also be created by merging dark templar with their high templar brethren.^[6]

[edit] Game Unit

[edit] StarCraft

Archons can attack both ground and air units and its attack causes tremendous splash damage. Attacking groups of enemy units greatly increases the efficiency of archons. Their attack is actually short ranged, and not melee, and is not affected by the defiler's Dark Swarm.^[7]

An archon has most of its "health" invested in its shields. This is worrying only against terrans who have the science vessel's EMP. With such a reliance on shields, shield batteries are a great boon for heavy archon use.

Archons are neither biological or mechanical and are therefore immune to a great many abilities, such as Lockdown, Spawn Broodling and Irradiate. They also count as hovering and do not trigger spider mines.

[edit] Production

Archon Warp
Usage Units 2 high templar Duration 20 (build time)
Notes
Two high templar can sacrifice themselves, transforming into an archon.

Unsurprisingly archons are expensive, especially in gas. Each effectively costs 100 minerals, 300 gas and 4 psi, the combined price of the two sacrificed high templar. The cost necessarily limits the number of archons that can be used, ensuring that lesser units like zealots remain a vital part of protoss strategy.

[edit] Upgrades

Ground Weapons Researched at Forge Hotkey W Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 150 200 Gas 100 150 200 Required Templar archives Templar archives Notes +2 cumulative bonus per attack per level for zealots and dragoons. +3 cumulative bonus per attack per level for dark templar and archons.	Ground Armor Researched at Forge Hotkey A Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 175 250 Gas 100 175 250 Required Templar archives Templar archives Notes +1 bonus to armor per level for probes, zealots, dragoons, reavers, high templar, dark templar, archons, and dark archons.
Plasma shields Researched at Forge Hotkey S Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 200 300 400 Gas 200 300 400 Required Cybernetics core Cybernetics core Notes +1 bonus to shields per level for all units and structures.

[edit] Quotations

See: StarCraft I Archon Quotations

[edit] StarCraft II

	This article or section contains information about a StarCraft II unit or structure.
	The content may be significantly out of date as StarCraft II experiences a new build weekly and may change substantially as more information becomes available. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details.

Archon
Unit
Race	Protoss
Role	Psionic Entity
Properties
Hit points	10[8][9]
Shields	350[8][9]
Type	Psionic[8][10] Massive[11]
Armor type	Light[8]
Production
Psi	4[8][9]
Build time	17[9]
Produced at	2 templars (2 high and/or dark templar)
Requires	2 templars (2 high and/or dark templar), templar archives[8]
Hot key	R[8]
Combat
Ground attack	25 + 10 vs biological (x2 attacks)[11]s[12]
Air attack	25 + 10 vs biological (x2 attacks)[11]s[12]
Armor	0[8]
Attack range	2[13][8]

Archons can now be formed by merging any combination of two high templar and/or dark templar^[14][6][8] as the Templar Caste has shared the sacred rite with the Dark Templar.^[15]

Against mass air units such as the mutalisk, the archon remains one of the best counters alongside the high templar's psionic storm.^[16]

Archons have no special abilities or energy meter.^[17]

[edit] Production

Archon Warp
Usage Duration 20 (build time)[9] Hotkey R[18]
Notes
A combination of two high templar/dark templar can sacrifice themselves, transforming into an archon.[14][6][8][15]
Edit

[edit] Upgrades

Ground Weapons Researched at Forge[19] Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100[19] 150[19] 200[19] Gas 100[19] 150[19] 200[19] Research time 140[19] 170[19] 200[19] Notes Applies to zealots, dark templar, archons, stalkers, immortals, disruptors and the colossus. Edit	Ground Armor Researched at Forge[19] Hotkey A Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100[19] 175[19] 250[19] Gas 100[19] 175[19] 250[19] Research time 140[19] 170[19] 200[19] Edit
Plasma shields Researched at Forge[19] Hotkey S[19] Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 200[19] 300[19] 400[19] Gas 200[19] 300[19] 400[19] Research time 140[19] 170[19] 200[19] Notes +1 to shields per level. Edit

[edit] Pre-Release

In early builds there was only the "twilight archon". Later on the unit was replaced by the standard "archon".^[20][21]

[edit] Known Archons

• Aedus/Xerxes (took part in the Brontes IV campaign)
• Mertick the Mauler (extraordinarily powerful mercenary)
• Nannoth/Taeradun
• Tassadar/Zeratul (non-canon)

[edit] References/External Links

Protoss Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War
Ground units	Probe · Zealot · Dragoon · Reaver · High templar · Archon • Brood War only • Dark templar · Dark archon
Air units	Shuttle · Scout · Arbiter · Carrier (Interceptor) · Observer • Brood War only • Corsair
Basic buildings	Nexus · Assimilator · Pylon · Gateway · Forge · Shield battery · Cybernetics core · Photon cannon
Advanced buildings	Robotics facility · Stargate · Citadel of Adun · Robotics support bay · Fleet beacon · Templar archives · Observatory · Arbiter tribunal

Protoss Units and Structures of StarCraft II
Infantry	Probe · Zealot · High templar · Dark templar · Archon
Land mechanized	Stalker · Immortal · Disruptor · Colossus
Air vehicles	Warp prism · Observer · Phoenix · Void ray · Carrier (Interceptor) · Mothership
Basic buildings	Nexus · Assimilator · Pylon · Gateway (Warp gate) · Forge · Cybernetics core · Obelisk
Combat buildings	Photon cannon
Advanced buildings	Twilight council · Dark shrine · Templar archives · Robotics facility · Robotics support bay · Stargate · Fleet beacon
Campaign-Exclusive Protoss Units and Structures of StarCraft II	Special Protoss Units	Stone zealot
Scrapped	Removed units	Escort · Reaver · Soul hunter/purifier · Star relic · Stasis orb · Tempest (Shuriken) · Twilight archon
	Removed buildings	Observatory · Phase cannon · War beacon · War shrine