Mutalisk

From StarCraft Wiki

Mutalisk
Unit
Race	Zerg
Role	Medium attack flyer
Armament	Glaive wurm
Properties
Hit points	120
Size	Small
Production
Minerals	100
Gas	100
Control	2
Build time	40
Produced at	Larva
Requires	Spire
Hot key	M
Combat
Ground attack	9
Air attack	9
Cooldown	30
Armor	0
Attack range	3
Sight range	7

The mutalisk is an airborne zerg breed.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Game Unit 2.1 StarCraft 2.1.1 Abilities 2.1.2 Upgrades 2.1.3 Pre-Release 2.1.4 Notes 2.2 StarCraft: Ghost 2.3 StarCraft II 2.3.1 Game Unit 2.3.2 Upgrades 2.3.3 Strategies 3 Special Mutalisk Strains 4 Images 5 References

[edit] Overview

Occassionally refered to as "mutas" by terrans,^[1] mutalisks are evolved from the mantis screamer from the desolate Dinares Sector. The mutalisk has retained its predecessor's ability to travel through both air and space, although what other forms of propulsion it may have aside from its wings is unknown.^[2][3] The mutalisk spawns small, voracious creatures called "glaive wurms", or "glave wurms", and projects these creatures to attack. Glaive wurms fly between multiple targets as they degrade explosively.^[4] A mutalisk's fangs are also deadly and given that mutalisk blood is acidic, able to melt through even CMC armor, such close quarters are hardly favorable to a mutalisk's intended victim(s). This being said, the mutalisk is not without its vulnerabilities. Its own acidic blood is just as deadly to itself as it is to its foes and its wings are exceptionally fragile, able to be shredded even by glass.^[5] As such, it is a viable tactic for terrans to aim for the wings when trying to down a mutalisk.^[6]

In battle, mutalisks form the primary flying forces of the zerg, making hit-and-run attacks against vulnerable installations and wheeling across the skies in prodigious numbers above zerg nests or land-based forces. Many attempted engagements with the zerg have collapsed due to the rapid arrival of large numbers of mutalisks before any meaningful air defense could be mustered. Under these circumstances the total loss of the forces involved is virtually guaranteed. Conversely powerful air defenses have succeeded in keeping mutalisks at a distance, for the creatures are limited in vitality. However, they remain agile and dangerous opponents. In large numbers or against weak defenses, mutalisks will always be a deadly threat.^[7]

The mutalisk is not an especially intelligent creature and exercises little initiative, preferring to drift lazily through the air. Once engaged however, it demonstrates a blind bloodlust that makes it dangerous to all those around it, including itself.^[8] In addition, mutalisks are able to trace terran transmissions to their source.^[5]

[edit] Game Unit

[edit] StarCraft

The mutalisk's attack strikes three targets in succession, dealing 9 damage to the first, 3 to the second, and 1 to the last. Unlike many other air units, the mutalisk is small, making it more resistant to explosive damage, a common damage type found on anti-air units like dragoons and goliaths. The mutalisk deals normal damage and is only affected by the armor of the target. Large groups of mutalisks tend to clump together making them ideal targets against attacks with area of effect or splash damage.

Mutalisks in small groups are also fairly useless; their armor and size is easy for units that deal normal damage such as large groups of marines and battlecruisers. Compared to its terran and protoss counterparts (the Wraith and Scout), the Mutalisk's attack is individually weaker and its attack is not as effective against capital ships. Mutalisks are also fragile against corsairs and valkyries due to their wide area-of-damage and marine-filled bunkers serve as fairly decent counters in defensive terms.

[edit] Abilities

Guardian Morph Acquisition Requires Greater Spire Usage Minerals 50 Gas 100 Units 1 mutalisk Notes Causes mutalisk to morph into a guardian.

Devourer Morph Acquisition Requires Greater Spire Usage Minerals 150 Gas 50 Units 1 mutalisk Notes Causes mutalisk to morph into a devourer.

[edit] Upgrades

Flyer Attacks Evolved at Spire Greater spire Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 175 250 Gas 100 175 250 Required Lair Hive Notes +1 bonus to attack per level for mutalisks +2 bonus to attack per level for guardians and devourers.

Flyer Carapace Evolved at Spire Greater spire Hotkey C Properties Minerals 150 225 300 Gas 150 225 300 Required Lair Hive Notes +1 bonus to armor per level for overlords, mutalisks, guardians, devourers, scourge and queen.

[edit] Pre-Release

Originally the mutalisk was armed with an "acid spray" attack rather than glaive wurms. References to the acid spray may be found in the StarCraft manual. It can also be seen in The Death of the Overmind, the final cinematic for StarCraft Episode III where mutalisks attack the Gantrithor.^[9]

[edit] Notes

The unit portrait of the mutalisk is not the face of the mutalisk, but rather the tail, which fires the glaive wurm.

[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.

The mutalisk cannot regenerate like most other zerg units; instead, it can "abduct" landbound terran units, draining their life (which restores the mutalisk's health). The mutalisk's attack is a powerful bioplasma attack that does splash damage; the attack becomes more powerful if "charged up".^[10]

The mutalisk is the most expensive zerg unit in the Invasion Mode, costing five points.^[11]

[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.

Mutalisk
Unit
Race	Zerg
Role	Light Airborne Attacker
Properties
Hit points	120[12][13]
Type	Air[12][13] Biological[12][13]
Armor type	Light[12][13][14]
Production
Minerals	100[12]
Gas	100[12]
Control	2[12][13]
Build time	33[12][15]
Produced at	Larva[12]
Requires	Spire[12][13]
Hot key	M[12]
Combat
Ground attack	10[16]
Air attack	10[16]
Armor	0[12][13]
Attack range	3[12]

The mutalisk made an appearance in the WWI gameplay demonstration^[17] and has been confirmed as a playable unit.^[7]

[edit] Game Unit

In StarCraft II, its attack will still be able to strike multiple targets,^[18] bouncing to strike up to two additional targets as before.^[19] The attack automatically bounces towards the next closest enemy.^[20]

The mutalisk will be able to stack quite well^[21] but it will be difficult for them to remain clumped.^[22] Mutalisks will spread out when they move or attack.^[23]

Mutalisk will be able to attack on the move as in StarCraft I.^[24][25]

[edit] Upgrades

Flyer Attacks
Evolved at	Spire[26] Greater spire[26]
Properties
Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100[26] 150[26] 200[26] Gas 100[26] 150[26] 200[26] Evolution time 140[26] 170[26] 200[26] Required Hatchery[26] Lair[26] Hive[26]
Notes
Increases attack damage of mutalisks, corruptors, and brood lords.[26]
Edit

Flyer Carapace
Evolved at	Spire[26] Greater spire[26]
Properties
Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 150[26] 225[26] 300[26] Gas 150[26] 225[26] 300[26] Evolution time 140[26] 170[26] 200[26] Required Hatchery[26] Lair[26] Hive[26]
Notes
+1 bonus to armor per level for overlords, corruptors, mutalisks and brood lords.[26]
Edit

[edit] Strategies

The mutalisk is countered by marines (especially equipped with combat shields and StimPacks), the Thor, and the battlecruiser's Missile Barrage. The ghost's high damage against lightly-armored units also makes it effective against mutalisks.^[27]

[edit] Special Mutalisk Strains

• Cardis the Destroyer
• Evolved Mutalisk
• Kukulza
• Zergrinch Drake

[edit] Images

StarCraft I profile	StarCraft: Ghost concept art	StarCraft: Ghost artwork	StarCraft II portrait
A flock in StarCraft II	StarCraft II render

[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