Larva

From StarCraft Wiki

Larva
Unit
Race	Zerg
Role	Foundational Unit
Properties
Hit points	25
Size	Small
Production
Produced at	Hatchery/Lair/Hive
Combat
Armor	10
Sight range	4

The larva is the base zerg unit from which all other units and, ultimately, buildings are created.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Game Unit 2.1 StarCraft 2.1.1 Upgrades 2.2 StarCraft: Ghost 2.3 StarCraft II 2.3.1 Abilities 2.3.2 Upgrades 2.3.3 Strategies 3 References

[edit] Overview

Larvae are the closest creatures to the original zerg insectoids. Although their size and toughness were greatly boosted by the xel'naga during their experiments, they still possess the two traits that originally intrigued the ancient masters: genetic versatility and psychic sensitivity.^[1] They often make a sucking sound from their tail section, akin to someone's boot stuck in mud.^[2]

Maggot-like, zerg larvae contain within them the genetic code for all other zerg breeds. When a new breed of zerg is needed, an individual larva will enter a pupal state and begin replicating the DNA of one specific zerg breed at an astounding rate. After a short gestation period, the new mature zerg minion hatches.^[1] Physically, they have a segmented, multilegged body, trailing a mucous-like substance behind them and a complex array of internal organs. Its small twin antennae probe the air around it.^[2]

A young hive will only have the genetic code for the most basic of zerg breeds, such as the drone, but as it grows and develops new structures, its library of genetic strains is expanded. With a command from the Overmind^[1] or a cerebrate,^[3] the larva will enter a pupal state and begin the metamorphosis into whichever breed is required by the hive.^[1] Within a larva's DNA are countless sequences, carrying billions of patterns and nearly infinite possible genetic combinations.^[2]

It is worth noting that larva has the dubious "honor" of being the first zerg strain ever encountered by the terrans of the Koprulu Sector. Around 2487 larvae were discovered on a number of fringe worlds. These worlds were depopulated by "cholera" and the specimens shipped to a Confederate science facility on Vyctor 5, only to be discovered by the Sons of Korhal nearly five years later.^[2]

[edit] Game Unit

[edit] StarCraft

Larvae are automatically produced by a hatchery, lair, or hive over time, up to a maximum of three at any one time per building. Players may only order larvae to evolve into other units. Larvae automatically "wander" near the building that spawned it. If the creep under the larva dissipates, the larva will die instantly. Canceling an evolution will also kill the larva.

[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.

[edit] StarCraft: Ghost

Concept art for larvae appears for StarCraft: Ghost. As seen, the larva appears larger and more adept at battle.

[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.

Larva
Unit
Race	Zerg
Role	Hive Spawn
Properties
Hit points	25[4]
Type	Ground, biological[5][6]
Armor type	Light[5]
Production
Produced at	Hatchery/Lair/Hive
Combat
Armor	10[6][7]

Larvae are produced every 20 seconds from a hatchery.^[8]

If multiple hatcheries are selected, pressing the "S" hotkey will select all of the available larvae at all the selected hatcheries. The player must press a hotkey (or select a morph icon) once for each unit they wish to build.^[9]

[edit] Abilities

• Mutate
  • A larva can produce a large variety of units: drone, overlord, zergling, roach, corruptor, mutalisk, hydralisk, infestor, and ultralisk.^[5][7]
  • However, there are some zerg units that are not produced by the morphing of larvae: queen, baneling, overseer, lurker and brood lord, as well as spawned units such as broodlings, changelings, and infested marines.

Spawn Larva
Usage Energy 25[10][11][12] Duration 25 seconds[10] Hotkey W[13]
Notes
Queens can target a hatchery/lair/hive with Queen Ichor, causing it to swell and grow green sacs which burst, producing four larvae. These join any already-present larvae.[14] The larva-producing structure will not naturally produce any more larvae until the total falls below three.[15] Each hatchery gets an individual cooldown for this ability.[11]
Edit

[edit] Upgrades

Carapace
Evolved at	Evolution chamber[16]
Hotkey	C[16]
Properties
Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 150[16] 225[16] 300[16] Gas 150[16] 225[16] 300[16] Evolution time 140[16] 170[16] 200[16] Required Hatchery[16] Lair[16] Hive[16]
Notes
+1 bonus to armor per level for drones, queen, zerglings, banelings, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, roaches and ultralisks.[16]
Edit

[edit] Strategies

The ability to spawn additional larvae can indirectly help the zerg economy, as this enables them to produce a high number of drones (or a high number of combat units, or a mix of both).^[17]

[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
Other	Creep

Zerg Units of StarCraft: Ghost
Ground	PC	Hydralisk · Infested marine · Zergling
	Other	Drone · Infested terran · Infested SCV pilot · Infested scientist · Larva · Lurker · Ultralisk
Aerial	PC	Mutalisk
	Other	Overlord · Brain spectre
Other	Zerg Egg

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