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A probe
The probe is the basic protoss construction unit.
Overview
A probe during the Great War
Probes are robotic drones controlled by an artificial intelligence.[1] They were originally designed by the Khalai Caste to lay the foundation for protoss colonies on hostile worlds where living workers would be at too great a risk.[2] Even after the Brood War, it is not uncommon to see hundreds of probes lining the streets of a protoss settlement, performing one task or another.[1]
The probe truly shines in its service to protoss military might, providing service to the nexus of any protoss base.[3] They are also used to warp in structures, manufacturing and planting micro-beacons, allowing fully functional buildings to be warped in over interstellar distances.[3] Although this is their primary function, probes can still construct facilities from scratch, along with harvesting resources,[1] courtesy of their in-built particle beam.[3]
Probes are occasionally used as scouts,[1] sent ahead to survey the potential locations of enemy encampments.[4] If the situation calls for it, probes may be used as a last line of defense.[1]
Game Unit
StarCraft
Probe portrait in StarCraft I
Probes construct buildings by starting the building's warp-in process. After that point the building "constructs" by itself and the probe is free to leave and pursue other activities. This is unlike the SCV and drone which are fully occupied when constructing buildings. Like other workers, probes float and do not trigger spider mines.
Some protoss early game rush strategies feature probes constructing pylons and photon cannons near or in an enemy base, known as cannon rushing. Probes may also warp in assimilators to frustrate an enemy's vespene gathering efforts.
Probes are more fragile than SCVs. However, they have faster acceleration than drones and greater attack range than SCVs, giving protoss players an edge in worker harassment, particularly versus terran SCVs, which have the shortest attack range of the three. Probes also have a sight range of 8, while the drone and SCV have a sight range of 7, allowing the probe to scout easier than its counterparts and see them without being seen itself.
Abilities
The probe warps in structures and harvests minerals and vespene gas.
Upgrades
- +1 bonus to armor per level for probes, zealots, dragoons, reavers, high templar, dark templar, archons, and dark archons.
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Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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- +1 armor bonus to shields per level for all units and structures.
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
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Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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StarCraft: Ghost
StarCraft: Ghost probe
The probe seemingly appears in StarCraft: Ghost, although its function(s) are unknown.
StarCraft II
The probe retains its role as the protoss worker unit in StarCraft II with no noticeable changes in function. However, as protoss shields regenerate faster than they did before, probes are more versatile scouts than they were in the original games.
Abilities
The probe warps in structures and harvests minerals and vespene gas. Idle probes can be selected by pushing F1 (By default).
Upgrades
Increases the armor of protoss ground units.
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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- +1 armor to shields per level.
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Development
The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft II which is no longer valid.
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An area of effect ability[5] which allows a group of probes to gather one more mineral per trip[6] for a short time by enhancing their proton-cutters.[7] Proton Charge only directly enhances their ability to harvest minerals.[5] The duration doesn't stack when used multiple times, but casting it again will renew the duration.[8]
Proton Charge can be cast on the minimap.[9]
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Early render of the probe in StarCraft II
As of February 2010, the obelisk lost Argus Link and Proton Charge.[11]
Known Probes
References
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