Back

Mac Starcraft Structures:

Zerg:

Hatchery

Building Type and Primary Role: Town Center/Produces Units
Cost: 350 minerals
Build Time: 100
Pre Requisite Buildings: none
Upgrades Researched Here: Burrowing (100/100/80)
Hit Points: 1250
Can Evolve Into: Lair (150/100/100)
Allows You to Make: Drone, Overlord
Other: Produces Creep, Provides 1 Overlord Control, does not need to be built on Creep

The Hatchery serves as a multipurpose building for the Zerg. It's the building where Drones return their harvested resources and it's also where the larvae from which the Zerg spawn all their troops are produced. For these reasons it's very crucial to protect your Hatcheries very carefully from attacks. At first, it may seem like a disadvantage for most of the Zerg's units to be produced at the Hatchery. However, one must realize that 3-4 larvae are always around the Hatchery at any given moment. This means you can make 3-4 units simultaneously, whereas the other two races must queue their production (one at a time) from each of their unit producing buildings.

It's easy to see the advantages a Zerg player would have after making 4 Hatcheries. Given enough resources, that player could produce 12-16 units within seconds! Therein lies the great advantage of being a Zerg player: Parallel production. To get the same production rate of a Zerg player with 4 Hatcheries, a Terran or Protoss player must make 12-16 unit producing buildings (Barracks, Factories, Gateways, Stargates, etc.). That usually does not happen, whereas it is quite logical and easy for a Zerg player to have and manage 4 or more Hatcheries.

The Hatchery is the first building a Zerg player needs to make when expanding. This is because it's the only Creep producing building that can be placed off-Creep. This is a bit of a disadvantage, compared to the other races, both of whom can build defensive structures first, before placing their town centers. However the Hatchery is a bit cheaper than the other races' town centers, plus it doubles as a unit producing building.

Lair

Building Type and Primary Role: Town Center/Produces Units
Cost: 150 minerals, 100 gas to mutate from Hatchery
Build Time: 100
Pre Requisite Buildings: Hatchery, Spawning Pool
Upgrades Researched Here: Burrowing (100/100/80)
Movement Speed Upgrade for Overlords (200/200/200)
Transport Ability for Overlords (150/150/133)
Sight Range Upgrade for Overlords (150/150/133)
Hit Points: 1800
Can Evolve Into: Hive (200/150/120)
Allows You to Make: Drone, Overlord
Other: Produces Creep, Provides 1 Overlord Control

Once you've established a Spawning Pool, you can mutate your Hatchery into a Lair. This is a fairly time-consuming and costly endeavor, yet one that is imperative to undertake as soon as the opportunity presents itself. The Lair is a tougher structure than the Hatchery from whence it came, and it contains the data necessary for your Drones to morph into the very important Queen's Nest and Spire structures. Further, the Lair makes available three different evolutionary enhancements for your Overlords. Pneumatized Carapace makes them faster, Antennae increase their field of vision, and Ventral Sacs let them function as transports. The former two upgrades turn Overlords into effective scouts. After you add a Queen's Nest to your rapidly growing headquarters, you may elect to mutate your Lair one stage further into a Hive. The Hive is the ultimate stage in Zerg central intelligence. In the interim, while you need a Lair to produce advanced structures like the Queen's Nest, once those are set up, the corresponding Zerg breeds may be hatched from any Larva. Therefore, you require just one Lair, while expansion bases may operate soundly from Hatcheries. Like a Hatchery, a Lair supports a max-imum of three Larvae at once.

Hive

Building Type and Primary Role: Town Center/Produces Units
Cost: 200 minerals, 150 gas to mutate from Lair
Build Time: 120
Pre Requisite Buildings: Lair, Queen's Nest
Upgrades Researched Here: Burrowing (100/100/80)
Movement Speed Upgrade for Overlords (200/200/200)
Transport Ability for Overlords (150/150/133)
Sight Range Upgrade for Overlords (150/150/133)
Hit Points: 2500
Allows You to Make: Drone, Overlord
Other: Produces Creep, Provides 1 Overlord Control

Once you've constructed a Queen's Nest, you have the option to mutate your Lair into a Hive. The Hive is a remarkably tough structure that enables the construction of the top-level Zerg facilities and, through those, the most powerful Zerg breeds. The death-dealing Zerg Guardian
bombers and Ultralisk heavy assault warriors become available only after you upgrade to a Hive, as does the fiendish and dangerous Defiler.
Further, a Hive is required before you can set up a Nydus Canal, which lets you transport ground forces between your bases almost instantaneously. The mutation from a Lair is costly, as are the construction options made available thereafter, so you must not feel obliged to commit to the transformation until you have a large surplus of resources. Your Drones may continue to bring harvested resources to your Hive-in-progress as it forms. While you need a Hive to produce high-level structures like the Ultralisk Cavern, once those are set up, the corresponding Zerg breeds may be hatched from any Larva. Thus, you need only one Hive, while expansion bases may operate soundly from Hatcheries. A Hive still supports a max-imum of three Larva at any one time.

Queen's Nest

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center and Requirement for Queen Production
Cost: 150 minerals 100 gas
Build Time: 60
Pre Requisite Buildings: Lair
Upgrades Researched Here: Ensnare (100/100/80)
Broodling (200/200/80)
Maximum Mana Upgrade (150/150/166)
Hit Points: 850
Allows You to Make: Queens

This almost artistically symmetrical dome-like structure provides Zerg Larva with the genetic information necessary to morph into the dreaded Queen. The Queen's Nest becomes available after your Hatchery is upgraded to a Lair, and in turn lets the Lair upgrade to a Hive, so you must construct it as soon as resources allow, whether you intend to deploy Queens or not.
Queens are fast, versatile flying units that use various parasitic organisms to benefit the Zerg by harming the enemy. You may evolve new abilities for your Queens at the Nest, including Spawn Broodlings, a fatal attack that imbibes most any ground units with a vicious pair of infant Zerg creatures; and Ensnare, which coats the target in a sticky film that slows it down. Evolving Gamete Meiosis increases your Queens' maximum energy capacity by 50 points, letting them employ their useful abilities more often.

Extractor

Building Type and Primary Role: Gas Collector Building
Cost: 50 minerals
Build Time: 40
Pre Requisite Buildings: None
Upgrades Researched Here: None
Hit Points: 750
Other: Does not need to be built on Creep

This particularly frightful-looking structure must be built atop a Vespene Gas geyser. Unlike most Zerg structures, the Extractor needn't be placed upon a layer of Creep, as the Vespene Gas geyser itself provides the Extractor with the necessary nutrients to carry out its function. The Zerg demand Vespene Gas to produce all but the most rudimentary military forces and structures, and the Extractor is the means by which they can gather the valuable element. Only a single Drone may gather Vespene Gas within an Extractor at any time, so only a handful of Drones ordered to mine from the Extractor will prove sufficient in generating a continuous
stream of revenue. Select the Extractor to see how much gas remains inside. Once the geyser is depleted, your Drones will return with only two units of gas at a time instead of eight. Prevent the curtailing of this precious resource by locating additional Vespene Gas geysers before your first is depleted. While you need Vespene Gas to build the all-important Hydralisk Den, you mustn't rush to build an Extractor. See to defending your base with a good number of Zerglings before investing a Drone into the Extractor metamorphosis.

Creep Colony

Building Type and Primary Role: Creep Producer/Precursor to "tower"
Cost: 75 minerals
Build Time: 20
Pre Requisite Buildings: None
Upgrades Researched Here: None
Hit Points: 400
Can Evolve Into: Sunken Colony or Spore Colony

Aside from a Hatchery and an Extractor, every Zerg structure-including the Creep Colony itself-must be built over the fleshy organic blanket called the Creep. Creep spreads outward from a Hatchery over a fairly wide radius, but only so far. To extend the borders of their domain, the Zerg must set up Creep Colonies on the outskirts of the Creep. Creep Colonies then proceed to extend the borders of the thick, purple stuff outward beyond the Hatchery's limited radius to an equivalent margin.
Creep Colonies are defenseless, but for a small price they may morph into either a Sunken Colony that attacks any nearby enemy units with a subterranean tentacle or a Spore Colony that assaults aerial assailants with deadly spores. Because of their defensive potential, you may wish to build several Creep Colonies in close proximity if you seek to protect a key area.

Sunken Colony

Building Type and Primary Role: Anti Ground "Tower" unit
Cost: 75 minerals to mutate from Creep Colony
Build Time: 40
Pre Requisite Buildings: Creep Colony, Spawning Pool
Upgrades Researched Here: None
Hit Points: 400
Ground Attack Strength and Range: 30
Range: 7
Rate of Fire: 20 attacks per minute
Damage Type: Explosive

Spore Colony

Building Type and Primary Role: Anti-Air "Tower" unit
Cost: 50 minerals to mutate from Creep Colony
Build Time: 40
Pre Requisite Buildings: Creep Colony, Evolution Chamber
Upgrades Researched Here: None
Hit Points: 400
Air Attack Strength and Range: 15
Range: 7
Rate of Fire: 70 attacks per minute
Damage Type: Explosive
Other: Detector Unit

The Sunken and Spore Colonies serve as the Zerg's means of automated base defense. They work very well in complement to your troops as a means of base defense, but cannot be counted on alone to provide defense for your base. In other words, they're not a replacement for your units. They do, enjoy the most hit points out of any defensive structures of any of the three races. The Spore Colony is a detector unit that can locate cloaked or burrowed enemies. One feature of these defensive structures is that you can select one, and direct it to attack a specific enemy by right clicking on that enemy.

After you build a Spawning Pool, you may upgrade a Creep Colony into a Sunken Colony, which roots itself deep within the Creep and assaults any incoming ground enemies with a barbed tentacle that lashes out and strikes fiercely from underground. The Subterranean Tentacle in-flicts substantial damage with each strike, but its very slow rate of attack makes it an ineffective defense against large groups of enemy units who can easily swarm the Sunken Colony and destroy it in spite of its durability.
The Subterranean Tentacle has a considerably long range and attacks from just beyond the border of the Creep generated from the host Creep Colony. Nevertheless, certain units like Terran Siege Tanks in siege mode may strike the Sunken Colony from out of range. Likewise, the Sunken Colony is completely vulnerable to flying units, and unlike its Spore Colony cousin, it cannot detect cloaked enemies. While it often proves helpful to set up a few Sunken Colonies to help defend your base if only to discourage an all-out assault, these expensive structures are entirely ineffective without support from Zerg units.

Spawning Pool

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center and Requirement for Zergling Production
Cost: 150 minerals
Build Time: 80
Pre Requisite Buildings: Hatchery
Upgrades Researched Here: Movement Upgrade for Zerglings (100/100/100)
Attack Rate Upgrade for Zerglings (150/150/100)
Hit Points: 1250
Allows You to Make: Zerglings

This is an important structure, due partly to the fact that it lets you upgrade your Hatchery to a Lair, which in turn lets you build new structures and evolve new upgrades. The Spawning Pool is a stew of base genetic data required before producing the more advanced Zerg breeds. It contains the specific genetic information necessary to hatch Zerglings, the feral Zerg foot soldiers who must protect the Zerg base early on, as well as scout its immediate vicinity. It's a pre requisite to making lots of other buildings, like the Hydralisk Den, the Sunken Colony, and upgrading your Hatchery to a Lair, so it's a very important building in the early stages. Start building one about the same time or before you make your second Overlord. You can upgrade your Zerglings with enhanced ground speed through Metabolic Boost and enhanced attack speed through Adrenal Gland, both available at the Spawning Pool. With maximized claw upgrades and both Metabolic Boost and Adrenal Gland, the diminutive Zerglings become a force to be reckoned with when deployed in large groups.

Evolution Chamber

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center for all Zerg ground units
Cost: 75 minerals
Build Time: 40
Pre Requisite Buildings: None
Upgrades Researched Here: Melee Attack Upgrade (x3)
Missile Attack Upgrade (x3)
Armor Upgrade (x3)
Hit Points: 750

The Evolution Chamber is required before you can morph Creep Colonies into Spore Colony anti-air defenses. Otherwise, the Evolution Chamber is responsible for evolving upgrades for Zerg ground units. Zerglings and Ultralisks benefit greatly from melee attack upgrades, while Hydralisks become more potent with improved missile attack. All Zerg ground units become tougher from carapace upgrades, but make sure to evolve weapons upgrades first.

Spire

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center for Air Units and Requirement for Scourge, Mutalisk Production
Cost: 200 minerals 150 gas
Build Time: 80
Pre Requisite Buildings: Lair
Upgrades Researched Here: Attack Upgrade for Air Units (x3)
Armor Upgrade for Air Units (x3)
Upgrade To Greater Spire (150/100)
Hit Points: 600
Allows You to Make: Mutalisks, Scourges

Once your Hatchery is upgraded to a Lair, you may set up a Spire that lets your Larva morph into Mutalisks and Scourge suicide bombers, two key members of the Zerg airforce. The Spire is very slow to build, expensive, and vulnerable, yet the Zerg airforce is so powerful that the investment and risk tends to be worthwhile. After you upgrade your Lair to a Hatchery, you may in turn upgrade to a Greater Spire, which lets your Mutalisks morph into their Guardian aspect. The Spire can also be used to evolve attack and carapace upgrades for your flying units. Attack upgrades do not affect the naturally deadly Scourge, but greatly benefit your Mutalisks and Guardians (once they become available). You need a consistently fast flow of resources to build a Spire and hatch the costly flying units it makes available.

Ultralisk Cavern

Building Type and Primary Role: Requirement for Ultralisk Production
Cost: 150 minerals 200 gas
Build Time: 80
Pre Requisite Buildings: Hive
Upgrades Researched Here: None
Hit Points: 600
Allows You to Make: Ultralisks

The Ultralisk Cavern serves no other function than to enable the Ultralisk genetic strain, letting your Larva metamorph into the single most powerful ground attacker the Zerg have to offer. You may only produce an Ultralisk Cavern after your Hatchery has been upgraded to a Hive.
Ultralisks are expensive but incredibly powerful ground units that, in great numbers, are vital toward a decisive victory during longer battles. The Ultralisk Cavern is more delicate than most Zerg structures. Defend it well.

Hydralisk Den

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center and Requirement for Hydralisk Production
Cost: 100 minerals 50 gas
Build Time: 40
Pre Requisite Buildings: Spawning Pool
Upgrades Researched Here: Movement Rate Upgrade for Hydralisks (100/100/100)
Attack Range Upgrade for Hydralisks (150/150/100)
Hit Points: 850
Allows You to Make: Hydralisks

The ominous Hydralisk Den imbues Zerg Larva with the power to morph into Hydralisks, the snakelike assault troopers at the forefront of every major Zerg assault. Hydralisks are deadly in every situation, so the Zerg commander must strive to set up a Hydralisk Den as soon as possible, so he can begin hatching these mighty creatures. Because the Hydralisk Den requires Vespene Gas, and thus an Extractor and plenty of Drones with which to harvest from it, you must gather a considerable quantity of minerals to build this important structure. Resist the urge to rush straight for a Hydralisk Den and make sure to have plenty of Zerglings defending your base beforehand. Once the Den is built, you may use it to upgrade your Hydralisks' ground speed with Muscular Augments and increase their attack range with Grooved Spines. Evolve the upgrades in that order as the resources become available.

Defiler Mound

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center and Requirement for Defiler Production
Cost: 100 minerals 100 gas
Build Time: 60
Pre Requisite Buildings: Hive
Upgrades Researched Here: Plague Ability (200/200/80)
Consume Ability (100/100/80)
Maximum Mana Upgrade for Defilers (150/150/166)
Hit Points: 950
Allows You to Make: Defilers

This den of filth and disease makes a comfortable home for the malignant Zerg Defiler, the perfect support weapon for virtually any large-scale Zerg attack force. The Defiler Mound is inexpensive as are Defilers themselves, thus this structure is a worthy addition to your headquarters whether you intend to use Defilers extensively or not. You may quickly research two additional abilities for your insidious, new brood directly at the Mound. Of utmost importance is Plague, which coats everything in a targeted area in a highly acidic substance that rapidly eats away at flesh and metal alike. Consume lets the Defiler gorge on any of your forces and break them down to their component nutrients, thus restoring 50 points of energy. Otherwise, evolving the Metasynaptic Node increases a Defiler's energy capacity by 50 points, letting it use its powers with greater frequency.
Defilers are most effective against Terrans, but they are useful against any opponent when deployed carefully. It is worth the effort to build a Defiler Mound when the opportunity arises, as Defilers can be devastating.

Greater Spire

Building Type and Primary Role: Upgrade Center for
Air Units and Requirement for Guardian Production
Cost: 100 minerals 150 gas
Build Time: 80
Pre Requisite Buildings: Hive, Spire
Upgrades Researched Here: Attack Upgrade for Air Units (x3)
Armor Upgrade for Air Units (x3)
Hit Points: 1000
Allows You to Make: Mutalisks, Scourges, Guardians

You may upgrade your Spire to this much tougher structure for a sub-stantial cost immediately after you upgrade your Lair to a Hive. The Greater Spire empowers your Mutalisks with the ability to transform into Guardians, a gradual, expensive, and irreversible process that turns the all-purpose Mutalisks into slow yet lethal long-range Guardian bombers. Guardians are perhaps the single most deadly unit available to the Zerg, and the Greater Spire is a sound investment for this reason. The Greater Spire may otherwise be used to upgrade flier attack power and armor.

Nydus Canal

Building Type and Primary Role: Quick Transport Mechanism
Cost: 150 minerals
Build Time: 40
Pre Requisite Buildings: Hive
Hit Points: 250

This is a special building that serves as an instant transport mechanism for Zerg ground units. The way it works is that after building the initial "entrance" (entrance and exit are really misnomers...once both sides are up, it doesn't matter which was built first) with a Drone as usual, you click on that "entrance" and there's an option to place the exit. Click that and you can place an exit on ANY Creep that is within your current sight range on the map. It doesn't have to be your own Creep! When you choose the spot for the "exit" it will immediately start mutating there without any need for a second Drone. Once that exit is done, you can move any Zerg ground unit right through one side of the Nydus Canal and instantly appear at the other end. It's very useful for island maps or huge 256x256 maps for quickly moving troops around. Link your bases with Nydus Canals so you can easily send reinforcements where they are needed.

Infested Command Center

Building Type and Primary Role: Makes Infested Terrans
Cost: a Command Center
Build Time: Instant(?)
Hit Points: 1500
Special: Can fly like a Terran CC, regenerate like all Zerg units
Train Infested Terran (100/50)

A Zerg Queen holds the power to infest a damaged Terran Command Center, thereby assimilating it into the Swarm. Once a Terran Command Center is reduced to 50 percent or below its maximum hit points, a Zerg Queen can fly in and infest it. Infestation occurs immediately; the Command Center is lost to its Terran creators, and an Infested Command Center joins the Swarm in full health. Much like the structure from which is originated, an Infested Command Center may lift off and slowly fly to the location of your choice. By its nature, the Infested Command Center needn't reside over Creep. It produces Infested Terrans, nightmarish revisions of human physiology who willingly give their lives to the Overmind even as they charge headlong toward a designated target and explode, causing monstrous damage to everything nearby. If nothing else, the terrifying visage of an Infested Command Center is the perfect weapon in the psychological war against your enemy. Should you ever find yourself part of an alliance between Zerg and Terran forces, consider sacrificing a Command Center for the sake of adding Infested Terrans to your collective arsenal.