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"Vile strain: Acid saliva coats enemy. Slows movement, slows attacks."

The vile is a variant strain of the roach that appears in Heart of the Swarm. It is the alternate to the corpser roach.

Overview[]

During Kerrigan's resurgence, Abathur discovered the vile strain by forcing roaches on the world of Mehlus IV to drink microbe-infested water on the planet's surface. The roaches that survived the toxic ingestion adapted to produce acidic saliva which were altered by the byproducts of the microbes. When the vile attacks a target, their acidic saliva will act as a constrictive agent. As newer layers are added with each attack, the old layers harden and tighten thus debilitating the target.[1]

Viles appear as enemies in the Legacy of the Void prologue campaign mission "Dark Whispers."[2] They appear as allies in the main campaign mission "Harbinger of Oblivion," and again as allies in the epilogue campaign mission "Into the Void."[3][4]

In Co-op Missions, Abathur is able to produce vile roaches.

Game Unit[]

Its attacks slow normal enemy units' movement speed and attack speed by 75%. Heroic units instead suffer a penalty of 20% to both movement speed and attack speed.

The slowing attacks of the vile roach make it very effective against larger enemy units such as the colossus, thors, siege tanks and archons by making their already slow attacks even slower. With proper micro, vile roaches can also kite zealots easily. They are also useful against ultralisks and hybrids, greatly reducing the threat they pose. However, the slowing effect is somewhat wasted on masses of smaller units, such as marines.

When compared with the corpser, the vile is more effective against larger, heavier hitting units such as colossi and thors, while the corpser is more effective against smaller closely grouped enemies.

Co-op Missions[]

Abathur's roaches automatically upgrade to the vile strain when he reaches Level 14.

SC2ZergBurrow
Burrow

Buries the unit underground. Burrowed unit are unable to move or attack, but they cannot be seen without detection.

Usage
Hotkey R
Cost 2 (burrow)seconds
1 (unburrow) seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
ve
RapidRegeneration
Roach Regeneration

The vile roach regenerates life very quickly while burrowed. Regenerates 5 health per second.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
ve
Icon Zerg Ravager
Ravager Morph

The vile roach can morph into a ravager, a large creature with the Corrosive Bile ability.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available
Acquisition
Hotkey T
Cost 13 Minerals 38 ZergVespene SC2 Game1
48 (With Tunneling Horror) Vespene gas
1 Control
5seconds
Required Lair/Hive
ve
DeepTunnel SC2 Icon1
Deep Tunnel

Vile roaches quickly burrow to a targeted location.

Usage
Hotkey D
Cost 2 seconds
Cooldown 30 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur Level 9.
Tunneling Horror prestige
Acquisition
Purchased from Infestation pit
Hotkey D
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 120seconds
Mastery: -2.4seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 48seconds
ve
SC2 Abathur AC - Biomass
Biomass Gatherer

The Vile roach gain +3% hit points, +1% attack speed, +5% armor and +1% Biotic Leech per stack of Biomass. Can stack up to 100 Biomass.
Passive: Heal 1% hit points per Biomass.

Essence Hoarder: Vile roaches can collect an additional 25 Biomass (summary 125).

The Limitless: Vile roaches can collect an additional 100 Biomass (summary 200), but gain +1.5% hit points, +0.5% attack speed, +2.5% armor and +0.5% Biotic Leech per stack of Biomass.

Usage
Range 4
Notes

The amount of collected biomass vary, based on difficulty and the amount of supply consumed by the killed enemy unit:
Collect 5 biomass per supply (Casual and Normal)
Collect 4 biomass per supply (Hard)
Collect 2.5 biomass per supply (Brutal)

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Basic: Initially available.
Biotic Leech: Reach Abathur level 15.
Acquisition
Basic
Effect Hit Points: +4.35 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 580
Attack Speed: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 1
Armor: +0.05 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 6>>7>>8>>9
Biotic Leech: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 100%
With Essence Hoarder
Effect Hit Points: +4.35 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 688.75
Attack Speed: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 0.89
Armor: +0.05 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 6.25>>7.25>>8.25>>9.25
Biotic Leech: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 125%
With The Limitless
Effect Hit Points: +2.175 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 580
Attack Speed: +0.5% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 1
Armor: +0.025 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 6>>7>>8>>9
Biotic Leech: +0.5% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 100%
ve
Icon Zerg Brutalisk
Evolve to Brutalisk

The Vile roach evolves into a Brutalisk. Can be set to autocast.

Essence Hoarder: Evolve to Brutalisk is unavailable.

The Limitless: Evolve to Brutalisk is no longer limited to 3, but requires 200 stacks of Biomass.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur Level 2.
Acquisition
Basic
Cost 5seconds
Required Collect 100 Biomass
Cannot have more than 3 at the same time.
With The Limitless
Cost 5seconds
Required Collect 200 Biomass
ve
SC2 Abathur AC - BiomassRecovery
Biomass Recovery

When killed, your units have a 50% chance to drop all their Biomass.

Essence Hoarder: Increases the Biomass Recovery chance from 50% to 100%.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur level 7.
ve
GlialReconstitution SC2 Icon1
Glial Reconstitution

Increases the movement speed of roaches by 33%

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available
Acquisition
Purchased from Roach warren
Hotkey G
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 110seconds
Mastery: -2.2seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 44seconds
ve
TunnelingClaws SC2 Game1
Tunneling Claws

Allows roaches to move while burrowed. Increases HP regen rate of burrowed roaches by 100%.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available
Acquisition
Purchased from Roach warren
Hotkey T
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 110seconds
Mastery: +2.2seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 44seconds
Required Lair/Hive
ve
SC2 AdaptivePlating Icon
Adaptive Plating

Roaches gain +6 armor when below 50% health.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur Level 4
Acquisition
Purchased from Roach warren
Hotkey D
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 110seconds
Mastery: -2.2seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 44seconds
Required Hive
ve
HydriodicBile LotV Game1
Hydriodic Bile

Roaches gain +8 damage vs light units.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available
Acquisition
Purchased from Roach warren
Hotkey G
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 110seconds
Mastery: -2.2seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 44seconds
ve
SC2 ZergMissileWeap
Zerg Missile Attacks

Increases the attack damage of zerg ground ranged units.

(Also affects Broodlings)

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
Acquisition
Purchased from Evolution chamber
Hotkey M
Level 1
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 160seconds
Mastery: -3.2seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 64seconds
Effect Damage: 18 (basic)
18 (+8 vs Light) (with Hydriodic Bile)
Level 2
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 190seconds
Mastery: -3.8seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 76seconds
Required Lair/Hive
Effect Damage: 20 (basic)
20 (+8 vs Light) (with Hydriodic Bile)
Level 3
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 220seconds
Mastery: -4.4seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 88seconds
Required Hive
Effect Damage: 22 (basic)
22 (+8 vs Light) (with Hydriodic Bile)
ve
SC2 ZergGrndCara
Zerg Ground Carapace

Increases the armor of zerg ground units.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
Acquisition
Purchased from Evolution chamber
Hotkey M
Level 1
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 160seconds
Mastery: -3.2seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 64seconds
Effect Armor: 2
Level 2
Cost 175 Minerals 175 Vespene gas 190seconds
Mastery: -3.8seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 76seconds
Required Lair/Hive
Effect Armor: 3
Level 3
Cost 250 Minerals 250 Vespene gas 220seconds
Mastery: -4.4seconds per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a maximum 88seconds
Required Hive
Effect Armor: 4
ve

Notes[]

In early builds of Heart of the Swarm, vile roaches were replaced with prowlers, which were able to move while burrowing. This was added as a regular mutation option to roaches.[5]

References[]

  1. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Heart of the Swarm, Roach Evolution (in English). 2013-03-12.
  2. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Whispers of Oblivion, Dark Whispers (in English). 2015-07-15.
  3. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Legacy of the Void, Harbinger of Oblivion (in English). 2015-11-10.
  4. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Into the Void, Into the Void (in English). 2015-11-10.
  5. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Map Editor. (Activision Blizzard) (in English). March 12, 2013
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