Hydralisk

From StarCraft Wiki

Hydralisk
Race	Zerg
Role(s)	Hatchery Evolved Ranged Unit
Statistics
Hit points	80
Size	Medium
Production
Control	1
Minerals	75
Gas	25
Build time	28
Produced at	Larva
Requires	Hydralisk Den
Hotkey	H
Combat
Weapon(s)	Needle spines (most commonly used attack)
Ground Attack	10e
Air Attack	10e
Armor	0
Range	4 (5 upgraded)
Sight	6
Cooldown	15

The hydralisk is a ranged-attack zerg warrior.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Game Unit 2.1 StarCraft 2.1.1 Abilities 2.1.2 Upgrades 2.2 StarCraft: Ghost 2.3 StarCraft II 2.3.1 Researched Abilities 2.3.2 Upgrades 2.3.3 Strategies 3 Other Appearances 4 Special Hydralisk Strains and Characters 5 Images 6 References

[edit] Overview

The hydralisk is a zerg evolution of the slothien. While slothiens were peaceful herbivores, the hydralisk is noted as being one of the most fierce and sadistic of the zerg strains.^[1] Hydralisks commonly reach 5.5 meters in length and can draw themselves up to over 2.4 meters in height. Since hydralisks move relatively slowly over open terrain,^[2] it is common for hydralisks to burrow and await their prey to enter killing range before attacking,^[3] destroying their enemies in a deadly crossfire.^[4] Despite their relatively sluggish nature, hydralisks can climb vertical surfaces^[5] and continued evolution of the strain through muscular augmentation has resulted in faster hydralisks.^[1]

Hydralisks may attack directly with scythe-like arms or strike from a distance with volleys of armor-piercing spines, the latter being the more common method of attack.^[3] Hundreds of spines are stored in the upper carapace plates.^[1] These spines have been specifically evolved from the defensive urticating (stinging) hairs of the slothien^[4] and may be "grooved" for increased range.^[1] They can penetrate 2 cm of neosteel even at maximum range, such penetrative force stemming from their remarkable muscle structure (4,000 muscles compared to a terran's 629).^[4] In addition, these spines are slightly poisonous,^[6] symptoms include interference in a terran's vision.^[7] Fortunately for their enemies however, a few seconds warning is given before a hydralisk launches such a volley, courtesy of the carapace folding back.^[5]

Prior to the beginning of the Brood War, hydralisks gained the ability to mutate into lurkers.^[8]

The first recorded encounter between terrans and hydralisks was aboard a cargo vessel. The hydralisk was recorded by the derelict ship's security cameras.^[2] Current terran tactics for dealing with the creatures stress the need for siege tank support.^[4]

[edit] Game Unit

[edit] StarCraft

Hydralisks have a single ranged attack, unlike in the cinematics where they may melee attack. They are the only zerg ground unit able to hit air targets, making them one of the most important zerg units in the whole game. hydralisk dens are required to create them.

Hydralisks are cheap enough to be mass produced in a short period of time. Although hydralisks can deal huge damage in large groups, there are numerous counters; terrans benefit from large numbers of siege tanks, and marines paired with medics. Protoss can effectively counter mass hydralisks with, reavers with ground support and high templar using Psionic Storm, and which is especially effective. In competitive StarCraft, hydralisks are most often used against the protoss race because it is an effective counter to many protoss units such as the famous 3 hatch hydra opening. This is especially true if the zerg player is skilled at micromanaging his hydralisks. Against terrans, hydralisks do not see much usage because professional players are too skilled with their marines, medics and siege tanks which are also natural counters to the hydralisk. In zerg vs zerg competitive play, hydralisks are virtually unseen as are most zerg units because the game is usually dominated by zerglings and mutalisks.

[edit] Abilities

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

Lurker Morph
Acquisition		Usage
Minerals	200	Minerals	50
Gas	200	Gas	100
Units		Units	1 hydralisk
Evolved at	Hydralisk den	Duration
Allows a hydralisk to morph into a lurker. The control cost increases to 2.

[edit] Upgrades

Missile Attacks
	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Minerals	100	150	200
Gas	100	150	200
Upgraded at	Evolution chamber	Evolution chamber	Evolution chamber
Required	Hatchery	Lair	Hive
Hotkey	A	A	A
Effect	+1 damage to hydralisk attacks, +2 damage to lurker attacks.	Additional +1 damage to hydralisk attacks, +2 damage to lurker attacks.	Additional +1 damage to hydralisk attacks, +2 damage to lurker attacks.

Carapace
	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Minerals	150	225	300
Gas	150	225	300
Evolved at	Evolution chamber	Evolution chamber	Evolution chamber
Required		Lair	Hive
Hotkey	C	C	C

Muscular Augments
Minerals	150
Gas	150
Evolved at	Hydralisk den
Hotkey	M
Increases the speed of hydralisks.

Muscular Augments
Minerals	150
Gas	150
Evolved at	Hydralisk den
Increases the range of hydralisks by 1 (to 5).

[edit] StarCraft: Ghost

This article or section contains information about StarCraft: Ghost. The content may be significantly out of date. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details.

Hydralisks are featured as a player unit in StarCraft: Ghost, in addition to acting as enemies. Hydralisks maintain their StarCraft abilities but also gain a powerful claw attack.^[9] Their poison quills attack interferes with terran vision.^[7] They move more slowly than zerglings.^[10]

In Invasion mode, transforming a zergling into a hydralisk costs one point.^[10]

[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.

Hydralisk
Race	Zerg
Role	Ranged Attacker
Statistics
Hit points	80[11]
Type	Ground, biological[12][11]
Armor Type	Light.[12][11]
Production
Control	2[11]
Minerals	100[11]
Gas	50[11]
Build time	33[11]
Produced at	Larva[11]
Requires	Hydralisk den[13] or Deep warren[14]
Hotkey	H[11]
Combat
Ground Attack	10[11]
Air Attack	10 (+6 vs armored)[11]
Armor	0[11][15]
Range	6[16]

Hydralisks will be featured in StarCraft II.^[4]

Their appearance have changed slightly in StarCraft II. The most notable difference is their scythes, which now boast more spikes than in StarCraft. Their face is also slightly different from what it was before.

Hydralisks move quickly (there is no need to research a speed upgrade) and can devastate enemy buildings in only a few volleys, but are fragile. They are currently the strongest anti-air unit (in terms of damage per second) in the game.^[16]

Hydralisks had been moved back to tier 1.5.^[17][18] In a post-BlizzCon patch the hydralisk was moved back to tier 2 and made more "hardcore".^[19]

[edit] Researched Abilities

Lurker Morph
Acquisition		Usage
Minerals		Minerals	50[11][23]
Gas		Gas	100[11][23]
Evolved at		Duration	33[11][23]
Required	Deep warren[11]	Cooldown
Hotkey		Hotkey	L[11]
Allows a hydralisk to morph into a lurker.[24]
Edit

Burrow
Acquisition
Minerals	50
Gas	50
Evolution time	35
Evolved at	Evolution Chamber[25]
Hotkey	B
Many Zerg ground units may burrow, rendering themselves invisible but incapable of moving or attacking.
Edit Source

[edit] Upgrades

Muscular Augments
Minerals	150
Gas	150
Research time	80
Evolved at	Hydralisk Den
Hotkey	M
Increases the speed of hydralisks.
Edit Source

Missile Attacks
	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Minerals	100	150	200
Gas	100	150	200
Research time	140	170	200
Upgraded at	Evolution Chamber	Evolution Chamber	Evolution Chamber
Required	Hatchery	Lair	Hive
Hotkey	A	A	A
Effect	+1 damage to attacks of Queens, Roaches, Hydralisks, and Lurkers.	Additional +1 damage to attacks of Queens, Roaches, Hydralisks, and Lurkers.	Additional +1 damage to attacks of Queens, Roaches, Hydralisks, and Lurkers.
Edit Source

Carapace
	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Minerals	150	225	300
Gas	150	225	300
Research time	140	170	200
Upgraded at	Evolution Chamber	Evolution Chamber	Evolution Chamber
Required	Hatchery	Lair	Hive
Hotkey	C	C	C
Effect	+1 armor to drones, queens, zerglings, banelings, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, roaches and ultralisks	Additional +1 armor to drones, queens, zerglings, banelings, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, roaches and ultralisks	Additional to drones, queens, zerglings, banelings, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, roaches and ultralisks
Edit Source

[edit] Strategies

Hydralisks are mainly anti-air units in StarCraft II and counter mutalisks. A combination of roaches and hydralisks can defeat a combo of zerglings and mutalisks.^[20]

[edit] Other Appearances

A hydralisk unit is available as an easter egg in the single player campaign of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. In the second Night Elves mission,^[21] the hydralisk is hidden in the forest north of the final undead camp, almost right next to the site where abandoned Ballistas are available for rescue. They can be obtained by using the newly obtained ballistas to destroy trees, then bringing a friendly unit near it.^[21][22] Hydralisks can also be seen in the finale, if the game is beaten in hard mode.

In WarCraft III, the hydralisk's attack can clearly be seen - it opens shoulder plates to fire its spines at the enemy (as opposed to firing them from the groove in its lower jaw).

[edit] Special Hydralisk Strains and Characters

• Frayne the Feral
• Hunter Killer
• Specimen 16G
• Zergrinch Warg

[edit] Images

Initial concept art	StarCraft concept art	StarCraft profile	StarCraft: Ghost game model
StarCraft II concept art	StarCraft II cinematic appearance	A hydralisk closes in on its prey	StarCraft II profile artwork
StarCraft II portrait

[edit] References

Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War
Ground units	Larva · Drone · Zergling · Hydralisk · Lurker · Defiler · Ultralisk
Air units	Overlord · Mutalisk · Guardian · Devourer · Scourge · Queen
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
Other	Creep

Zerg Units of StarCraft: Ghost
Ground units	PC Units — Hydralisk · Infested marine · Zergling — Other Units — Drone · Infested terran · Larva · Lurker · Ultralisk
Air units	PC Units — Mutalisk — Other Units — Overlord · Brain spectre
Other	Zerg Egg

Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft II
Land units	Larva · Morphalisk · Drone · Zergling · Baneling · Roach · Hydralisk · Lurker · Infestor · Ultralisk · Queen
Air units	Overlord · Overseer · Mutalisk · Swarm guardian · Corruptor
Spawned units	Broodling · Changeling · Infested marine
Transition units	Egg · Baneling egg · Overlord cocoon · Guardian egg · Lurker egg
Basic buildings	Hatchery · Creep tumor · Extractor · Evolution chamber · Spawning pool · Roach warren · Baneling nest · Hydralisk den · Deep warren
Combat Buildings	Spine crawler · Spore crawler
Advanced buildings	Lair · Hive · Infestor pit · Spire · Greater spire · Nydus network · Nydus worm · Ultralisk cavern
Others	Creep
Removed Units	Infested protoss · Large Queen · Huge Queen · Swarm
Removed Buildings	Infested protoss buildings · Infested terran buildings · Shrieker · Spore colony · Sunken colony · Swarm clutch · Swarm Infestation