The stalker is a Dark Templar cybernetic war machine.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Game Unit 2.1 Abilities 2.2 Upgrades 2.3 Quotations 2.4 Development 3 Achievements 4 Trivia 5 References

OverviewEdit

The fall of Aiur demonstrated to the Dark Templar that more than just stealth and guile were required to defeat the zerg. Hence, the Dark Templar developed the stalker, a war machine inspired by the Khalai dragoon. While dragoons were piloted by crippled protoss, the stalker is controlled by the shadow-essence of a Dark Templar warrior fused into a metal body. The new walkers are armed with carapace-mounted particle disruptors adept against both ground and aerial targets.^[1]

Stalkers have been credited with many fantastic powers since their battlefield début.^[1] (as early as 2502).^[2][3] However, only one is witnessed consistently: an ability to instantly teleport, or "blink", from one spot to another.^[1] This ability requires augmentation to a stalker,^[4] but the improved mobility allows the stalker to conduct ambushes, catch fleeing foes, and generally engage on their own terms.^[1]

Stalkers are often used to support zealots on the battlefield.^[5]

Game UnitEdit

Stalker
Unit
Race	Protoss
Role	Ranged support strider
Armament	Particle disruptors
Properties
Transport size	2
Sight range	10
Production
Minerals	125
Gas	50
Psi	2
Build time	42 (32 warp gate cooldown)
Produced from	Gateway/Warp gate
Requires	Cybernetics core
Hotkey	S
Movement
Speed	2.953
Acceleration	1000
Lateral acceleration	46
Deceleration	0
Collision radius	0.625
Protection
Shields	80
Shield regen/second	2
Hit points	80
Armor	1
Type	Ground Mechanical
Armor type	Armored
Particle disruptors
Damage	10 (+4 vs armored)
Targets	Ground Air
Cooldown	1.44
Range	6
Upgrade/level	+1
Meta
Target priority	20
Kill score	500
Production score	250

In-game, stalkers function like fragile, but more agile dragoons. They serve as excellent economy raiders.^[6]

Stalkers can dance like a dragoon,^[7] moving injured stalkers away from opponents when they are being attacked by melee attackers or targeted by focus fire. Blinking can also be used as an alternative form of dancing.

In large groups, stalkers can use Blink to instantly teleport to an important enemy unit's position – such as a queen, and destroy it with focus fire.^[8]

Stalkers and colossi may be used together to bypass ramps and choke points. The colossi provide high-ground vision and fire support when stalkers blink up to higher ground.

Stalkers gained a reputation for being overpowered at BlizzCon 2008 due to the widely viewed Sonkie vs Yellow match. Karune responded that stalkers are weak vs zerglings even with Blink micro, but are strong against armored units such as roaches. Stalkers do well against units with low damage per second (such as roaches) but weakly against more offensive units (such as zerglings).^[9]

Stalkers are strong against reapers, void rays, mutalisks, and roaches, but weak against marauders, immortals, and zerglings. Groups of stalkers can also take on carriers, battlecruisers and brood lords to an extent due to their bonus damage against armored units.

On Battle.net, massed formations of stalkers backed with sentries and collosi are a popular combo.

AbilitiesEdit

Blink
Acquisition Minerals 150 Gas 150 Research time 140 Researched at Twilight council Hotkey B	Usage Cooldown 10< Hotkey B<
Notes
Stalkers possess the ability to instantly teleport over short distances. This ability enables stalkers to strike from unexpected quarters, catch a fleeing foe, or escape an unfavorable encounter. Blinking does not cost energy, but has a cooldown of ten seconds. Blink requires line of sight to use. Stalkers may blink obstacles and up and down cliffs and onto higher or lower ground; the distance is not reduced. Stalkers affected by Fungal Growth cannot Blink.
Edit

UpgradesEdit

Ground Weapons
Researched at	Forge
Hotkey	G
Properties
Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 150 200 Gas 100 150 200 Research time 160 190 220
Notes
Applies to zealots, dark templar, archons, stalkers, immortals, sentries and colossi.
Edit

Ground Armor Researched at Forge Hotkey A Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 150 200 Gas 100 150 200 Research time 160 190 220 Notes Increases the armor of protoss ground units. Edit

Plasma Shields Researched at Forge Hotkey S Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 150 225 300 Gas 150 225 300 Research time 160 190 220 Notes +1 armor to shields per level. Edit

QuotationsEdit

See: StarCraft II Stalker Quotations

DevelopmentEdit

The concept behind the stalker was that of a "dark dragoon." It took awhile for the specifics to be nailed down.^[10]

The design was finessed several times as its asymmetrical shield and legs gave it a zerg-like appearance. This dictated that platinum be made the dominant color in order to distinguish it (which led to platinum being the dominant color for Dark Templar as a whole). However, the shield made the stalker look heavier and more imposing from some angles, while weak and frail from other views. It was eventually settled that the stalker should have a medium sized shield to interfere the least with visual communication.^[11]

Eventually, Samwise Didier called for an overhaul, wanting the stalker to be based more on his original concept art. The stalker was thus redesigned,^[11] and the new model was revealed at BlizzCon 2008.^[12]

AchievementsEdit

To the Shadows I Run
Points	10
Criteria	Use Blink to save a Stalker in a Melee game.
Notes
The stalker must dodge a killing blow, and blink away from the projectile while it is traveling in midair

TriviaEdit

The stalker resembles the Shock Trooper from Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars in appearance, purpose (anti-armor ranged fighter), and ability to blink.

ReferencesEdit

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Blizzard Entertainment (2007-05-19). Stalker. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-06. ↑ Elder, Josh (w), Ramanda Kamarga (p). "Why We Fight." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 1 (paperback binding), pp. 6–47. Tokyopop, August 1, 2008. ISBN 978-1427-80721-2. ↑ April 6, 2010. "Timeline". StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). pp. 311 - 323. ISBN 978-1416-55084-6. ↑ http://sea.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/stalker Unit: Stalker], Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2010-12-14 ↑ Races: Protoss. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2010-08-07 ↑ Zetaras Xal'Kurat. 2008-03-16. StarCraft 2 Korean and Chinese Build Summary. SC2 Blog. Accessed 2008-03-18. ↑ Karune. 2008-07-16. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 41. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-07-16. ↑ Blizzcon Video Archive (Sonkie vs Yellow). Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2008-10-19. ↑ Stalkers still fall to large groups of Zerglings in terms of cost, even with Blink micro. Although, with the additional micro, especially while also using terrain to your advantage, a Protoss player will definitely be able to at least fight a group of Zerglings, rather than being forced to retreat. In the Sonkie/Yellow game 1, the Blinking micro definitely kept his Stalkers alive longer, though force firing would have ended that battle in the Protoss favor as well, since the Stalker has bonus damage towards armored units like the Roach. Zerglings are still definitely the best counter against Stalkers from the Zerg side, especially since the improved pathing system allows them to get to their ordered locations faster and are able to surround more efficiently. The cooldown for Blink is perfect in saving Stalkers from death against Roaches which have a much lower rate of dps than Zerglings. Against Zerglings, the cooldown is not fast enough, similar to the announcement video of the Protoss race when the Stalkers were first introduced. Karune. 2008-10-14. Re: Stalkers seem imba (page 3). Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-10-14. ↑ 2011-05-31, May 2011 HoTS Fansite Interview. StarCraft Legacy, accessed on 2011-05-31 ↑ 11.0 11.1 2010, Starcraft 2: Protoss Stalker' Deviantart, accessed on 2011-07-20 ↑ Karune. 2008-07-16. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 43. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-07-16.

Protoss Units and Structures of StarCraft II
Infantry	Probe · Zealot · High templar · Dark templar · Archon
Land mechanized	Stalker · Immortal · Sentry · Colossus
Air units	Warp prism · Observer · Phoenix · Void ray · Oracle (HotS) · Carrier (Interceptor) (WoL) · Tempest (HotS) · Mothership (WoL)
Basic buildings	Nexus · Assimilator · Pylon · Gateway (Warp gate) · Forge · Cybernetics core
Combat buildings	Photon cannon
Advanced buildings	Twilight council · Dark shrine · Templar archives · Robotics facility · Robotics bay · Stargate · Fleet beacon
Campaign-only units and structures	Units Scout · Star relic · Stone guardian Buildings Monolith · Obelisk
Canceled Protoss Units and Structures of StarCraft II