Defiler (StarCraft)

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Defiler
Unit
Race	Zerg
Role	Toxic support warrior
Properties
Hit points	80
Energy	200
Size	Medium
Production
Minerals	50
Gas	150
Control	2
Build time	50
Produced at	Larva
Requires	Defiler mound
Hot key	F
Combat
Armor	1
Sight range	10

The defiler is a high-tier zerg ground-based "spellcaster".

Its two primary abilities, Dark Swarm and Plague, are used to assist zerg units that are relatively weak in health compared to protoss with plasma shields and terran with repair and heal. Dark Swarm allows infantry units within its radius to remain invulnerable to most standard ranged attacks, allowing the zerg to advance with less damage. Plague severely weakens health of units and buildings in a smaller area effect, letting friendly forces destroy them faster.

Contents 1 Strategy 1.1 Counters 1.2 Abilities 1.3 Upgrades 2 References

[edit] Strategy

Defilers can use the Dark Swarm ability to cast a circular, flower petal-like cloud that keeps ground units inside from taking damage from ranged attacks. Particularly vulnerable zerg infantry (compared to terran who have medics and protoss who have plasma shields) will benefit from this as they are almost invincible from standard attacks. This increase in toughness allows even smaller groups of zerg to overcome enemies that would otherwise cut them down with ease. When cast in a more reserved position, it allows units with ranged attacks the ability to stay within the cloud and attack without taking as much damage in return. When used more aggressively, it allows close combatant zerg units the ability to charge through it and more safely reach their targets. Ranged units within the cloud cannot damage units (such as Hydralisks shooting at infantry units that moved inside the cloud), and melee and energy-based attacks are unaffected.

Defilers can also use plague, a much smaller area-of-effect power, that will inflict up to 300 damage to a minimum of 1 over a period of time. This is effective against anything that can take damage, but does no harm to protoss plasma shields (though it still damages the actual health). Against terran, units become vulnerable if they are not healed or repaired, and buildings must be repaired if they are damaged enough to collapse. Protoss units are not capable of repairing building or unit health, and are thus weakened for the rest of the game, relying only on rechargeable plasma shields. Zerg units and buildings take time for self-repair, and are more vulnerable to attack.

Defilers can often be accompanied by zerglings or other inexpensive units to be used as "food" for their Consume ability.^[1]

When two defilers are used, one can spread plague on a concentration of defenses, while the other produces the Dark Swarm cloud. This allows a zerg force to destroy their enemies more quickly, while keeping themselves highly indestructible. A defiler may also evolve the Consume ability, which allows it to regain 50 energy by killing any zerg infantry unit (such as inexpensive zerglings).

Defilers with the Burrow research are able to hide behind enemy lines and as their energy grows, can cast Plague on unsuspecting enemies, or Dark Swarm for the arrival of friendly forces.

It is important to note that defilers are expensive when gas is concerned and are also high on the zerg tech tree, making them units to be used more for the late game.

Since defilers have no means of attack, and are slower than other zerg infantry, they are vulnerable to spellcaster abilities from other races, long-range attacks and faster, "harasser" units

[edit] Counters

Defilers are an unarmed caster unit, so they are vulnerable to any attacking unit, especially faster air units that it would not be able to run from very well.

Defilers can use burrow to help hide them from these vulnerabilities.

[edit] Abilities

Burrow Acquisition Minerals 100 Gas 100 Evolved at Hatchery/Lair/Hive Hotkey B Usage Hotkey U Notes Many zerg ground units may burrow, rendering themselves invisible but incapable of moving or attacking.

Dark Swarm Acquisition Evolved at Starting ability Usage Energy 100 Notes Projects a cloud over a target area that makes all ranged attacks directed against units and building under the cloud useless. Dark Swarm does not prevent melee or splash damage.

Plague Acquisition Minerals 200 Gas 200 Evolved at Defiler mound Usage Energy 150 Range 9 Notes Sprays all units and buildings in a target area with spores that inflicts 25 damage per second for a maximum of 300 damage. 'Plague' will not kill or destroy affected units and buildings leaving at least 1 hit point. Plague does not drain shields but will affect the hit points underneath regardless of shield strength. Affected cloaked units will be revealed.

Consume Acquisition Minerals 100 Gas 100 Evolved at Defiler mound Notes Kills one of the player's zerg units while giving the consuming unit 50 energy points. The amount of energy gained is the same regardless of the unit 'consumed'. Therefore a cheap unit, such as a zergling, or one that is about to die should be consumed.

[edit] Upgrades

Carapace Evolved at Evolution chamber Hotkey C Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 150 225 300 Gas 150 225 300 Required Lair Hive Notes +1 bonus to armor per level for broodlings, defilers, drones, hydralisks, infested terrans, larvae, ultralisks, zerglings.

Metasynaptic Node Evolved at Defiler mound Properties Minerals 150 Gas 150 Notes Increases defiler maximum energy by 50.

[edit] References

Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War
Ground units	Larva · Drone · Zergling · Hydralisk · Defiler · Ultralisk • Brood War only • Lurker
Air units	Overlord · Mutalisk · Guardian · Scourge · Queen • Brood War only • Devourer
Infestation units	Broodling · Infested terran
Transition units	Egg · Lurker egg · Cocoon
Basic buildings	Hatchery · Extractor · Evolution chamber · Spawning pool · Creep colony · Spore colony · Sunken colony · Hydralisk den
Advanced buildings	Lair · Hive · Spire · Greater spire · Queen's nest · Nydus canal · Defiler mound · Ultralisk cavern · Infested command center