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"I am here in the shadows."

- Protoss stalker(src)


The stalker is a Dark Templar cybernetic war machine.

Overview

MarineStalker SC2 Art1

A marine faces down a stalker

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 warriors, the stalker is controlled by the shadow-essence of a Dark Templar warrior fused into a metal body.[2] Nerazim who control stalkers undergo this process voluntarily, said process involving a ritual which fuses their shadow essence to the machine. This gives them a preternatural degree of control over their new bodies. The process cannot be reversed.[3]

Design

Stalker SC2 Art1

A Nerazim stalker

Stalkers are armed with carapace-mounted particle disrupters adept against both ground and aerial targets.[2] These weapons draw upon the power of the Dark Templar’s training and technology to fire lethal blasts of entropic Void energy. Each shot destabilizes matter at a fundamental level, and ultimately tears it apart by disintegrating its atomic composition. The particle disrupters are especially effective against materials with high hardness indexes—like chitinous carapaces or heavy armor plating.[3]

Stalkers have been credited with many fantastic powers since their battlefield début.[2] (as early as 2502).[4][5] However, only one is witnessed consistently: an ability to instantly teleport, or "blink", from one spot to another.[2] This ability requires augmentation to a stalker,[6] through the implementation of a device called a Void displacer. When enabled, the displacer grants stalkers the ability to fade and materialize instantly at a different location, affording them an unprecedented degree of mobility, perfect for quick strikes against the enemy.[3] The improved mobility allows stalkers to conduct ambushes, catch fleeing foes, and generally engage on their own terms.[2] However, each "blink" generates a flux that taxes the stalker's systems. It must go through a brief recharge period before initiating another displacement.[3] When the Daelaam retrieved the Spear of Adun, stalkers were outfitted with reactors technology linked to the solar core, allowing rapid shield regeneration upon using its displacement abilities.[7]

Stalkers are often used to support zealots on the battlefield.[8]

By 2504, the Tal'darim had incorporated Stalkers into their arsenal.

Game Unit

StarCraft II

In-game, stalkers function like fragile, but more agile dragoons. They serve as excellent economy raiders.[9]

Stalkers can dance like a dragoon[10]. This may be enhanced by Blinking, especially in multilevel terrain.

Stalkers are effective against units with low damage per second, especially with Blink micro.[11] The reverse is true for offensive units, especially those with attack bonuses against armored units.[12] Zerglings are cost effective counters to stalkers; the Blink cooldown is too slow to ensure escape.[11]

Stalker/sentry combinations are common in mid-game scenarios.[13]

Legacy of the Void

In the campaign of Legacy of the Void, stalkers have an additional passive ability, their Blinking causes them to rapidly regenerate shields for a brief period. The stalker is one of three ranged attacker role available to the player in the campaign, the other two being Dragoon and Adept.

Co-op Missions

Vorazun can build stalkers in Co-op Missions. Once she reaches level 4, stalker upgrades become available at the twilight council.

Abilities

Stalker SC2 Game1

Stalker's blinking ability

Stalkers instantly teleport over short distances. This allows stalkers to strike from unexpected quarters, catch fleeing foes, or escape unfavorable encounters.

Usage
Hotkey B
Range 8
Cooldown 7 seconds
Notes

Blink requires line-of-sight. Distance is not reduced when bypassing terrain obstacles, including cliffs from both directions. The effects of Fungal Growth prevents Blinking.

Acquisition
Purchased from Twilight council
Hotkey B
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 121seconds
ve
PhaseReactor SC2 Icon
Phase Reactor

After using Blink, the stalker rapidly regenerates 80 shields over five seconds. Cloaks the stalker for five seconds.

Usage
Passive
Duration 5 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Vorazun Level 4
Acquisition
Purchased from Twilight council
Hotkey C
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 90seconds
Required Research Blink
ve

Upgrades

Additional stalker upgrades may be researched at the twilight council when playing as Vorazun in the Co-op Missions mode of Legacy of the Void.[14]

PhaseReactor SC2 Icon
Phase Reactor

After using Blink, the stalker rapidly regenerates 40 shields over five seconds.

Usage
Passive
ve
Acquisition
Purchased from Forge
Hotkey G
Level 1
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 121.6seconds
Level 2
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 144.6seconds
Required Twilight council
Level 3
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 167.9seconds
Required Twilight council
ve

Increases the armor of protoss ground units.

Acquisition
Purchased from Forge
Hotkey A
Level 1
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 121.6seconds
Level 2
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 144.6seconds
Required Twilight council
Level 3
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 167.9seconds
Required Twilight council
ve
  • +1 armor to shields per level.
Acquisition
Purchased from Forge
Hotkey S
Level 1
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 121.6seconds
Level 2
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 144.6seconds
Required Twilight council
Level 3
Cost 250 Minerals 250 Vespene gas 167.9seconds
Required Twilight council
ve

Quotations

See: StarCraft II Stalker Quotations

Development

Stalker SC2 Rend1

The stalker (early render)

The concept behind the stalker was that of a "dark dragoon." It took awhile for the specifics to be nailed down.[15]

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.[16]

Eventually, Samwise Didier called for an overhaul, wanting the stalker to be based more on his original concept art. The stalker was thus redesigned,[16] and the new model was revealed at BlizzCon 2008.[17]

Achievements

ToTheShadowsIRun SC2 Icon1 To the Shadows I Run
Points

10 Achievement SC2 Game1

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

Heroes of the Storm

Heroes DevLog2
The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm and is not canon to StarCraft continuity
StalkerMarine Heroes DevGame1

Blizzard DotA stalkers

Stalkers appeared in early builds of Heroes of the Storm.[18]

Trivia

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

References

  1. Barba, Rick. StarCraft Field Manual (hardcover). Insight Editions, November 17, 2015.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Blizzard Entertainment (2007-05-19). Stalker. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-06.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 2014-10-30, Stalker Science. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2014-11-04
  4. 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.
  5. April 6, 2010. "Timeline". StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). pp. 311 - 323. ISBN 978-1416-55084-6.
  6. http://sea.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/stalker Unit: Stalker], Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2010-12-14
  7. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. War Council interface (in English). 2015-11-10.
  8. Races: Protoss. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2010-08-07
  9. Zetaras Xal'Kurat. 2008-03-16. StarCraft 2 Korean and Chinese Build Summary. SC2 Blog. Accessed 2008-03-18.
  10. Karune. 2008-07-16. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 41. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-07-16.
  11. 11.0 11.1 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.
  12. Stalker. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2012-05-28
  13. 2012-06-08, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm - Battle Report (Protoss vs Zerg). Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2012-06-21
  14. 2015-10-08, LotV Data Hidden in Patch, accessed via map editor. StarCraft Legacy, accessed on 2015-10-08
  15. 2011-05-31, May 2011 HoTS Fansite Interview. StarCraft Legacy, accessed on 2011-05-31
  16. 16.0 16.1 2010, Starcraft 2: Protoss Stalker' Deviantart, accessed on 2011-07-20
  17. Karune. 2008-07-16. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 43. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-07-16.
  18. 2014-05-21, Blizzard set out to make a StarCraft mod, and instead reinvented gaming's most popular genre. Polygon, accessed on 2014-05-22
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