The roach is a zerg ground unit in StarCraft II.
Overview
The roach is a particularly tough, armored breed which possesses a high-speed regeneration ability when burrowed.[1] A roach is slightly shorter than a terran wearing CMC armor.[2]
Roaches evolved from the fast-healing zantar slug of Garxxax[1] and were in use by 2501, taking part in a battle on Shi.[3] Their ranged acid saliva attack is capable of penetrating neosteel and armor, and violently dissolving flesh on multiple entry points. This saliva is derived from the zantar slug and is expelled with considerable force through the muscles that surround the roach's salivary glands—highly specialized striated ducts that produce a unique enzyme that weaponizes the creature's already corrosive saliva.
If pressed into close quarters, roaches use scythe-like blades on their backs to dispatch the enemy. The hardness of these scythes allows roaches to scythe through neosteel and armor with ease.
The roach's metabolism is ten times greater than that of the zantar slug (increased through assimilation), and gained the ability to quickly regenerate even the most grievous wounds when burrowed.[1] This is through a process known as osmotic epithelium.[4] The absorption of soil compounds, especially rare earths and metals, has allowed roaches to develop extremely thick carapaces. Some Dominion scientists have theorized that the roach is not immune to the ravages of its acidic body fluids, and the creature's potent regeneration capabilities ensure tissue integrity in spite of constant corrosion.[1]
The Leviathan Brood roaches are known to be incredibly aggressive due to vespene exposure.[5]
After the ascension of Zagara to supreme ruler of the swarm, Abathur was ordered to continue to experiment with the roach genome in a continuing pursuit of perfection. This resulted in variant strains of the roach.[6]
Tactics
- Major Lee Treicher directing marines against roaches(src)
One on one, few are capable of taking on a roach and winning.[1] They are deployed when zerglings start to be thinned out and are sometimes supported by infestors.[7] When paired with zerglings, they can be nearly unstoppable against marines bereft of siege tank or bunker support.[8] Roaches are nearly impervious to small-arms fire, and nigh immune to flame-based weapons, and explosives and artillery are a must for terran forces when these creatures are deployed.[1]
Game Unit
The roach is a ranged unit, giving it added utility at choke points.[9] The roach rises slightly when it attacks.[10] It also has a melee attack that it, like the hydralisk, performs at close range for the same damage as the ranged attack.[11]
Roaches are strong against hellions, zealots, and zerglings, and weak against MMM, immortals, and ultralisks. Thors, stalkers, and siege tanks also pose a strong threat to roaches due to their bonus damage against armored targets.
They have no anti-air attack. Roaches inherit the roles of medium attacker and ambusher from the original StarCraft's hydralisk and lurker. To compensate for its lack of anti-air attack, it is common to see roaches combined with hydralisks. A common strategy is for roaches to absorb damage while hydralisks deal it.[12]
Abilities
Roaches regenerate at 5 hit points/second when burrowed.[13]
The rate of healing increases with the Tunneling Claws upgrade to a rate of 10 hit points per second.[13]
The regeneration doesn't stack with the medivac dropship's healing ability.[14]
Many zerg ground units may burrow, becoming invisible and revealed primarily by detectors, and may not move or attack while burrowed.
Exceptions include:
- Roach, which may move while burrowed
- Lurker, which may attack while burrowed
- Infestor, which may move while burrowed
- Baneling, which can detonate while burrowed.
Some units can unburrow via autocast, causing them to emerge and attack when an enemy moves into range.
The ability is not smartcast.
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Upgrades
Increases Roach movement speed to 4.2 while unburrowed, and to 4.4 while burrowed under creep.
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The roach can move while burrowed. It moves faster when burrowed beneath the creep. Glial Reconstitution has no impact on burrowing speed.
While it can be researched earlier, Tunneling Claws cannot be used until burrowing has been evolved.
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- +1 damage for queens,hydralisks and locusts
- +2 damage for roaches and ravagers
- +2 base damage and +1 bonus damage for lurkers
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Level 1
Level 2
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- +1 bonus to armor per level for zerg ground units.
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Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Heart of the Swarm
In the campaign of Heart of the Swarm, roaches may be evolved into either corpsers or vile roaches after completing the required evolution mission.
Upgrades
Roach deals +8 damage to light units.
Base composition of roach acidic saliva identical to that of zantar slug. Highly corrosive. Can alter chemical compound. Systematically evolve bile duct membranes, force production of hydroiodic bile. Upon contact, will melt tissue, flesh, bone. Dissolve poorly armored foes.
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Roach gains +3 armor when below 50% HP.
Roach carapace effective. Improvement difficult. Requires redesign, alternate carapace structure. Can use modular plates to protect roach, provide equivalent defense. When roach wounded, adaptive plates react to blood flow, thicken. Ensure survival.
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Roach can move at full speed while burrowed. Doubles roach regeneration rate while burrowed.
Can enhance roach utility, several key evolutions. Able to evolve tunneling claws, series of spiracles lining carapace. Will allow roach to tear through terrain while burrowed, draw additional nutrients from soil. Combination provides strategic advantage.
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Legacy of the Void
In Legacy of the Void, the roach gains the ability to mutate into a ravager, a specialist artillery unit.[15]
Co-op Missions
Zagara is able to summon sacs of roaches with timed life in Co-op Missions. Otherwise, roaches are exclusive to Abathur. Abathur is able to evolve his roaches into ravagers, and they upgrade to the vile strain when he reaches Level 14. Additional upgrades for roaches and ravagers are unlocked when Abathur reaches Level 4. Dehaka has access to primal roaches, which can evolve into primal igniters or primal guardians.
Upgrades
Increases the movement speed of roaches by 33%
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Allows roaches to move while burrowed. Increases HP regen rate of burrowed roaches by 100%.
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Roaches gain +6 armor when below 50% health.
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Roaches gain +8 damage vs light units.
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Roach Strategies
On normal and rush maps, roaches are well suited for the early and mid-game.[16]
Zerg vs Terran
A roach/baneling combo is very powerful against terrans, as the roaches will soak damage, enabling the banelings to get close to the enemy and deal their high damage attacks.[17]
Zerg vs Zerg
Roaches and zerglings are used early in ZvZ matches. Roaches are a more defensive unit compared to zerglings. Cost for cost, roaches win against zerglings at chokepoints but lose in open areas. Later in the game, numerous roaches can defeat numerous zerglings even in open areas.[18]
As a game progresses, a roach/hydralisk combo can defeat a zergling/mutalisk combo.[18]
Zerg vs Protoss
Roaches are a great way to defend an early expo against 2 Gate zealot push. Mass overwhelming roaches is also quite strong against a fast teching opponent, even one who goes air. Use roaches to soak up colossus damage until ultralisks or air units can support.
General
Roaches, coupled with their speed and burrow move upgrades, make great harassment units at exposed bases.
Roaches are a great staple unit and have great value for cost, but take up control quickly. In direct encounters with enemy armies of equal supply, mass roach is more likely to lose.
Development
Achievements
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Points | |
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Regenerate 500 life on a single Roach without taking friendly fire in an Unranked or Ranked game. |
Special Roach Strains
Gallery
References
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