Zealot

"My life for Aiur!"

- Protoss zealot

Zealots are a type of protoss warrior.

Overview
Zealots are lower-ranked Templar who have yet to reach the upper levels of the Khala. They form the backbone of the protoss military, and have been utilized since before the Discord. At least some, if not all Khalai zealots are members of the Zealot Order. Zealots can operate in platoons and legions. The Tal'darim also employ zealots.

Training
Each zealot is trained for decades in hand-to-hand combat, tactics, pain tolerance and martial discipline. Zealots are taught to hate their enemies with a white hot passion and to hunt them down without mercy. Through the path of the Khala, zealots learn to hone their innate battle rage to a fine edge, though they can invoke a near-berserker rage when in battle if need be. Zealots undergo rigorous training and trials before receiving their power suits. Those that distinguish themselves in battle receive complex leg augmentations that enhance their speed, mobility, and endurance.

The shame of the fall of Aiur drove the zealots to intensify physical training. This includes duels at the end of their training, which appears to have the potential to be shortened.

Tactics
All protoss have a degree of psionic power, and zealots use theirs exclusively for battle. Zealots have a limited form of precognition; they may predict enemy movements, strike with deadly accuracy, and dodge attacks. Leg augmentations enhance movement speed; zealots may catch an enemy offguard with brutal charges. After the Brood War, some zealots developed the ability to turn their body into pure energy for a few microseconds; the resulting lighting-fast speed allows them to strike suddenly against an enemy that thinks they are out of range.

Zealots are armed with psionic blades channelled through the forearm units of their power suits. The Khalai's refinement of the focussers in these units allow the psi-blades to increase in power as a zealot's rage increases in battle. The blades may tear through armored structures and vehicles. Zealots use their psionic powers, with the aid of cybernetic implants, to surround themselves with plasma shields.

The zealots' mastery of their emotions mean they can fight longer, harder, and better than their adversaries. A handful of zealots can easily control an entire colony of lesser species.

The protoss population has diminished due to conflict, and great lengths are taken to minimize zealot casualties. A severely injured zealot may be transported off the battlefield upon the moment of defeat, in order to be transformed into a dragoon or an immortal.

StarCraft

 * For StarCraft gameplay information see: Zealot (StarCraft).
 * For StarCraft in-game quotations see: StarCraft Zealot Quotations.

StarCraft: Ghost
Zealots appeared as enemies to Nova in StarCraft: Ghost. They appeared identical to their portrayal in StarCraft.

StarCraft II

 * For StarCraft II gameplay information see: Zealot (StarCraft II).
 * For StarCraft II in-game quotations see: StarCraft II Zealot Quotations.

Heroes of the Storm
Zealots appeared in early builds of Heroes of the Storm.

Known Zealots

 * Akam
 * Argus
 * Bratalix
 * Darsiris
 * Edullon
 * Fenix (later transplanted into a dragoon)
 * Golarath
 * Kaldalis
 * Khastiana (later transplanted into an immortal)
 * Martul
 * Minos the Malevolent (mercenary leader)
 * Ruom (later became infested)
 * Selendis
 * Teredal
 * Thuras
 * Turavis
 * Xulata
 * Zenish (Tal'darim)
 * Zyrkhan (mercenary leader)

Specialists

 * Aiur zealot
 * Sentinel zealot (Purifier)
 * Centurion zealot (Nerazim)
 * Votary zealot (Tal'darim)

Trivia
Historically, the term "zealot" means one who is zealous on behalf of God.

A zealot bottlecap figure produced by Kotobukiya is available.