Zergling (StarCraft II)

Zerglings have evolved, affecting such things as their appearance. They develop small wings when given the speed upgrade.

Zerglings have been reduced in size and have much better path-finding than in StarCraft. Perhaps to balance this, the zergling's attack possesses a much higher cooldown in relation to the marine and zealot than it had in the original StarCraft. (An unupgraded zergling was able to attack almost twice for every time a fired, and had nearly a third of the 's cooldown. In StarCraft II an unmodified zergling cannot match this attack rate, and even with the Adrenal Glands upgrade the zergling can only strike twice for every  attack.)

Zerglings are strong against s, marauders, and stalkers, and weak against hellions, s, and banelings.

Heart of the Swarm
In Heart of the Swarm, zerglings can be upgraded into either raptors or swarmlings. At Level 10. Kerrigan can be given the Zergling Reconstitution ability, which causes killed zerglings to respawn immediately at the player's primary hatchery, up to 10 zerglings every 30 seconds.

Co-op Missions
Zerglings are available to both Zagara and Kerrigan. Their zergling strains automatically evolve when they reach Level 13: Zagara gains swarmlings, and Kerrigan gains raptors. The two unlock zergling upgrades at certain commander levels: Kerrigan unlocks the following upgrades at Level 4, and Zagara acquires them at Level 6.

Development
Zerglings could once have the following upgrades under the old mutagen gameplay mechanic:

Zerglings were also scheduled to gain Corrosive Talons and Swarm Frenzy upgrades. Corrosive Talons increased their base damage by 20%.

Strategies
Zerglings are very useful for an early rush. If the opponent masses units or builds defensive buildings you can morph some of them into banelings, a superior choice against some unit types.

Zerglings are useful even into the late game due to their ability to surround opponents quickly.

As of May, 2011, the most common early-game zergling tactic is to set them up at xel'naga towers.

Trivia
In multiplayer, a mutant skin is available for zerglings that is unlocked upon reaching level 30 with zerg. It uses the model for swarmlings for base zerglings and raptors for zerglings with the metabolic boost upgrade.