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Hydralisk

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Hydralisk
Race Zerg
Role(s)

Hatchery Evolved Ranged Unit

Statistics
Hit points80
SizeMedium
Production
Control1 Control
Minerals75 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png
Gas25 Vespene gas
Build time28
Produced atLarva
RequiresHydralisk Den
HotkeyH
Combat
Weapon(s)Needle spines (most commonly used attack)
Ground Attack10e
Air Attack10e
Armor0
Range4 (5 upgraded)
Sight6
Cooldown15

The hydralisk is a ranged-attack zerg warrior.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Post-Brood War
Post-Brood War

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

The Hydralisk in StarCraft I
The Hydralisk in StarCraft I

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

image:Burrow SC1 Able1.png Burrow
Acquisition
Minerals 100 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png
Gas100 Vespene gas
Evolved atHatchery/Lair/Hive
HotkeyB
Many Zerg ground units may burrow, rendering themselves invisible but incapable of moving or attacking.
Lurker Morph
Acquisition Usage
Minerals 200 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png Minerals 50 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png
Gas200 Vespene gas Gas100 Vespene gas
Units Units 1 hydralisk
Evolved atHydralisk den Duration
Allows a hydralisk to morph into a lurker. The control cost increases to 2.

[edit] Upgrades

Hydralisk stat profile
Hydralisk stat profile
Missile Attacks

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

100 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

200 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

100 Vespene gas

150 Vespene gas

200 Vespene gas

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.

image:Carapace SC1 Upgrd1.png Carapace

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

225 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

300 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Vespene gas

225 Vespene gas

300 Vespene gas

Evolved at

Evolution chamber

Evolution chamber

Evolution chamber

Required

Lair

Hive

Hotkey

C

C

C

Muscular Augments

Minerals

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Vespene gas

Evolved at

Hydralisk den

Hotkey

M

Increases the speed of hydralisks.
Muscular Augments

Minerals

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Vespene gas

Evolved at

Hydralisk den

Increases the range of hydralisks by 1 (to 5).

[edit] StarCraft: Ghost

The Hydralisk in StarCraft: Ghost
The Hydralisk in StarCraft: Ghost
Image: StarCraft Ghost Logo2.jpg

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
RoleRanged Attacker
Statistics
Hit points80[11]
TypeGround, biological[12][11]
Armor TypeLight.[12][11]
Production
Control2[11] Control
Minerals100[11] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png
Gas50[11] Vespene gas
Build time33[11] time
Produced atLarva[11]
RequiresHydralisk den[13] or Deep warren[14]
HotkeyH[11]
Combat
Ground Attack10[11]
Air Attack10 (+6 vs armored)[11]
Armor0[11][15]
Range6[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 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png Minerals50[11][23] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png
Gas Vespene gas Gas100[11][23] Vespene gas
Evolved at Duration33[11][23]
RequiredDeep warren[11] Cooldown
Hotkey HotkeyL[11]
Allows a hydralisk to morph into a lurker.[24]
Edit


Burrow
Acquisition
Minerals50 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png
Gas50 Vespene gas
Evolution time35 time
Evolved atEvolution Chamber[25]
HotkeyB
Many Zerg ground units may burrow, rendering themselves invisible but incapable of moving or attacking.
Edit Source

[edit] Upgrades

Muscular Augments

Minerals

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Vespene gas

Research time

80 time

Evolved at

Hydralisk Den

Hotkey

M

Increases the speed of hydralisks.
Edit Source


Missile Attacks

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

100 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

200 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

100 Vespene gas

150 Vespene gas

200 Vespene gas

Research time

140 time

170 time

200 time

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 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

225 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

300 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Vespene gas

225 Vespene gas

300 Vespene gas

Research time

140 time

170 time

200 time

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

Hydralisks attacking marines in Warcraft III
Hydralisks attacking marines in Warcraft III

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

[edit] Images

[edit] References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Hydralisk. StarCraft Compendium. Accessed on 2007-11-27
  3. 3.0 3.1 Bill Slavicsek, David Eckelberry, Shawn F. Carnes. Alternity: StarCraft Edition. Wizards of the Coast, March 1, 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1618-4.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 StarCraft II-Hydralisk. Accessed on 2008-03-10
  5. 5.0 5.1 Hickman, Tracy (May 21, 2002). StarCraft: Speed of Darkness. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-671-04150-9.
  6. Metzen, Chris & Samuel Moore (March 29, 1999). "StarCraft: Revelations." Amazing Stories 596 (Spring): 20-27.
  7. 7.0 7.1 1up staff. 2005-10-28. StarCraft Ghost Previews from 1UP.com 1up.com Accessed 2008-11-09.
  8. Underwood, Peter, Chris Metzen and Bill Roper. StarCraft: Brood War (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  9. Source: BlizzCon 2005 StarCraft: Ghost information. Zerg units. Artist: Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Park, Andrew. 2005-10-28. Starcraft: Ghost Updated Multiplayer Hands-On - Zerg Rush! Gamespot. Accessed 2008-11-09.
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-10-29. Zerg Unit Information. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-10-30.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Onyett, Charles. 2008-03-10. StarCraft II Zerg Unit List: All the monsters in the game so far. IGN. Accessed 2008-03-11.
  13. Zerg Structure List. IGN. Accessed on 2008-11-03
  14. StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-03-13. Zerg - Buildings. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-03-22.
  15. StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-03-11. Zerg - Units. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-03-14.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Karune, StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-06-21. StarCraft: Legacy StarCraft II Exclusive Q&A with Karune. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-06-21.
  17. As an extra bonus, unrelated to this, but also would help is that hydralisks have been moved back down to tier 1.5. More details about this move will be included in the next Q&A batch. Karune. 2008-07-22. Zerg have no flexible transportation :-\ Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-07-22.
  18. Karune. 2008-07-25. StarCraft II Q&A Batch 42. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-07-25.
  19. Chris Sigaty, Samwise Didier. Blizzcon 2008 StarCraft 2 Press Q&A. StarCraft Source. Accessed 2008010-12.
  20. Karune. 2008-08-18. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 43. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-08-18.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Warcraft III. Blizzard Entertainment. Eternity's End. Daughters of the Moon.
  22. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Cheats. IGN. Accessed 2008-09-05.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-06-29. Zerg Unit Information. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-06-29.
  24. Burnes, Andrew. 2008-03-10. -Unit-Images-Unit-Info StarCraft 2 - Zerg Attack: New Screenshots, Unit Images & Unit Info! IGN.com Accessed 2008-03-10.
  25. StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-10-29. BlizzCon 08 - Zerg Buildings. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-11-07.
Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War
Ground units Larva · Drone · Zergling · Hydralisk · Lurker · Defiler · Ultralisk
Air unitsOverlord · Mutalisk · Guardian · Devourer · Scourge · Queen
Infestation unitsBroodling · Infested terran
Transition units Egg · Lurker egg · Cocoon
Basic buildingsHatchery · Extractor · Evolution chamber · Spawning pool · Creep colony · Spore colony · Sunken colony · Hydralisk den
Advanced buildingsLair · Hive · Spire · Greater spire · Queen's nest · Nydus canal · Defiler mound · Ultralisk cavern · Infested command center
OtherCreep
Zerg Units of StarCraft: Ghost
Ground units PC Units — Hydralisk · Infested marine · Zergling — Other Units — Drone · Infested terran · Larva · Lurker · Ultralisk
Air unitsPC Units — Mutalisk — Other Units — Overlord · Brain spectre
OtherZerg Egg
Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft II
Land units Larva · Morphalisk · Drone · Zergling · Baneling · Roach · Hydralisk · Lurker · Infestor · Ultralisk · Queen
Air unitsOverlord · Overseer · Mutalisk · Swarm guardian · Corruptor
Spawned unitsBroodling · Changeling · Infested marine
Transition unitsEgg · Baneling egg · Overlord cocoon · Guardian egg · Lurker egg
Basic buildingsHatchery · Creep tumor · Extractor · Evolution chamber · Spawning pool · Roach warren · Baneling nest · Hydralisk den · Deep warren
Combat BuildingsSpine crawler · Spore crawler
Advanced buildingsLair · Hive · Infestor pit · Spire · Greater spire · Nydus network · Nydus worm · Ultralisk cavern
OthersCreep
Removed UnitsInfested protoss · Large Queen · Huge Queen · Swarm
Removed BuildingsInfested protoss buildings · Infested terran buildings · Shrieker · Spore colony · Sunken colony · Swarm clutch · Swarm Infestation
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