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"The spawning pool allows the hatchery to turn larvae into zerglings."
SpawningPool SC2 Rend1

The spawning pool

The spawning pool is a core zerg structure.

Overview[]

SpawningPool SC-FM Art1

A spawning pool

The spawning pool is a pit of primordial ooze which contains the genetic makeup of the zergling,[1] and makes possible several zergling evolutions that increase their speed and attack rate. It likewise carries the genome bank for core colony organisms.[2] A core feature of any hive cluster, the spawning pools are all modeled after the first spawning pool on Zerus, the pool of ooze where the very first zerg emerged and consumed essence to evolve.[3] The Dominion stresses that any marines that succeed in penetrating a zerg hive cluster should make the spawning pool a high-priority target, for if the zerg's ability to spawn zerglings is crippled, the Swarm's ability to spawn overwhelming numbers of units is also crippled.

The spawning pool uploads the DNA of the zerg queen for direct spawning, as well as the genetic codes necessary for drones to mutate into spine crawlers, spore crawlers, baneling nests, and roach warrens.[2]

Cerberus Program spawning pools were outfitted with cybernetic enhancements, which kept their temperatures and pH ranges considerably more precise than their base Swarm counterparts.[4]

Game Structure[]

StarCraft[]

The spawning pool gives larvae the ability to morph into zerglings and the hatchery the ability to evolve into the lair. The spawning pool is also responsible for evolving the zergling with Metabolic Boost (faster movement) and Adrenal Glands (faster attack).[1]

Researched Upgrades[]

MetabBoost SC1 Icon
Metabolic Boost
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey M
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 100seconds
AdrenalGlands SC1 Upgrd1
Adrenal Glands
  • Increases the attack rate of zerglings by 20%.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey A
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 100seconds
Required Hive

Development[]

The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft which is no longer valid.

The spawning pool used "chrysalis" as a placeholder name.[5]

StarCraft II[]

The spawning pool reappears in StarCraft II.

Researched Upgrades[]

MetabolicBoost SC2 Zergling
Metabolic Boost
  • Increases zergling movement speed. The zerglings "grow wings".
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Evolution pit
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey M
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 79seconds
ve
AdrenalGlands SC2 Game1
Adrenal Glands
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey A
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 93seconds
Required Hive
ve

Co-op Missions[]

As in Versus mode, Kerrigan and Zagara still unlock the same units and static defenses from this structure. However, it morphs faster and gains an additional zergling upgrade for each of the Lair and Hive stages. In terms of structures unlocked, neither of these commanders have access to the Roach Warren (instead relying more on their hero units than the roaches), although Zagara's spawning pool will still unlock the Baneling Nest to allow the morphing of her zerglings. Zagara also researches bile launcher upgrades at this structure.

Stetmann has access to the mecha spawning pool, allowing him to upgrade his mecha zerglings.

Kerrigan Upgrades[]
MetabolicBoost SC2 Zergling
Metabolic Boost

Increases Zergling movement speed by 60%.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey M
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 60seconds
Mastery: -2 Minerals -2 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 -1.2seconds per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a maximum 40 Minerals 40 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 24seconds
ve
AdrenalGlands SC2 Game1
Adrenal Overload

Increases Zerglings attack speed by 40%.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey A
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 60seconds
Mastery: -2 Minerals -2 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 -1.2seconds per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a maximum 40 Minerals 40 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 24seconds
Required Hive
ve
Shredding Claws SC2-LotV Icon
Shredding Claws

Zergling attacks reduce the target's armor to 0 for 10 seconds.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Kerrigan Level 4.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey R
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 90seconds
Mastery: -3 Minerals -3 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 -1.8seconds per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a maximum 60 Minerals 60 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 36seconds
Required Hive
ve
SC2 HardenedCarapace Icon
Hardened Carapace

Increases maximum Zergling HP by 10.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Kerrigan Level 4.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey C
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 90seconds
Mastery: -3 Minerals -3 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 -1.8seconds per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a maximum 60 Minerals 60 ZergVespene SC2 Game1 36seconds
Required Lair/Hive
ve
Zagara Upgrades[]
MetabolicBoost SC2 Zergling
Metabolic Boost

Increases Zerglings movement speed by 60%.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey M
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 60seconds
ve
AdrenalGlands SC2 Game1
Adrenal Overload

Increases Zerglings attack speed by 40%.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey A
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 60seconds
Required Hive
ve
Shredding Claws SC2-LotV Icon
Shredding Claws

Zergling attacks reduce the target's armor to 0 for 10 seconds.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Zagara Level 6.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey R
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 90seconds
Required Hive
ve
SC2 HardenedCarapace Icon
Hardened Carapace

Increases maximum Zergling HP by 10.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Zagara Level 6
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey C
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 90seconds
Required Lair/Hive
ve
RapidBombardment SC2 Icon
Artillery Ducts

Increases the range of the bile launcher attacks by 10.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Zagara Level 13.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey B
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 60seconds
Required Lair/Hive
ve
SC2 HydriodicBile Icon
Rapid Bombardment

Reduces the cooldown of bile launcher attacks by 50%.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Zagara Level 13.
Acquisition
Purchased from Spawning pool
Hotkey D
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 90seconds
ve

Development[]

SpawningPool SC2 DevRend1

Development render

The spawning pool was visually updated during the first pass of creating final artwork for StarCraft II. The main difference was artistic direction asking for a single large pool rather than the numerous smaller pools seen in the original game. The beating heart in the center was an afterthought to make the design more interesting. It was desired that the intestines have a more "veins pumping look" but the water obscured it too much for this to be implemented.[6]

The research to unlock the ability for zerglings to morph into banelings was once possessed by the spawning pool.[7]

Variants[]

Trivia[]

A spawning pool water park features as an attraction in the Blizzard World map in Overwatch.

Images[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Barba, Rick. StarCraft Field Manual (hardcover). Insight Editions, November 17, 2015.
  3. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Heart of the Swarm, The Crucible (in English). 2013-03-12.
  4. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. Collections Tab: Skins. October 17, 2016
  5. Hidden Pics, Angelfire. Accessed on 2019-08-28.
  6. 2010, SC2: Zerg Spawning Pool Deviantart, accessed on 2012-12-09
  7. 2011, SC2: Zerg Baneling Nest. Deviantart, accessed on 2011-07-01
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