Ultralisk

The ultralisk is a zerg heavy ground unit.

Overview
The ultralisk is a 20 meter long and 5 meter high living battering ram, evolved from the docile brontolith; a creature that the ultralisk now bears little resemblance to. Ultralisks serve as the backbone of the Swarm, possessing an exceptionally thick carapace.

Ultralisks attack using large, bone-like scythes which protrude from their backs. Known as "kaiser blades", these scythes are nearly indestructible. Possessing monomolecular edges, these scythes are able to tear through most substances with ease.

Even during the conflict, ultralisk evolution continued. By 2500 at least some ultralisks sported four kaiser blades as opposed to the usual two. By the Brood War, prolonged exposure to vespene gas had resulted in an enhancement to the ultralisks' physical capabilities, among which was the evolution of a more hardened exoskeletal shell and the ability to carry out anabolic synthesis, alterations being made to the glands that produce endorphins and adrenal fluids.

StarCraft
The ultralisk's attack is hardly impressive for its cost and high tier. Its main advantage is durability, staying power and fear. The ultralisk may lead an attack and draw the first volleys of defensive fire allowing more of the lesser zerg units to survive and close to attack. The ultralisk's relatively slow speed requires some planning to get it to the front rank before the attack. Its large footprint may hinder it and its allies at choke points in addition to making it difficult to reposition once caught in a melee.

Ultralisks, while having strong armor, are not very effective against groups of units that deal explosive damage or large amounts of it; this includes siege tanks in siege mode, mass dragoons, reavers, dark templar and occasionally, groups of zealots. Spider mines are also effective against ultralisks. Other counters also include archons with support and the battlecruiser's Yamato Cannon which can take down more than half an ultralisk's hit points. Psionic storms and Irradiate are also capable of damaging ultralisks severely though not directly killing it.

Ultralisks are one of the few zerg ground units that cannot burrow.

StarCraft: Ghost
Ultralisks appear in StarCraft: Ghost.

StarCraft II
The ultralisk features in current builds of StarCraft II.

Development
The omegalisk was a pre-development version of the ultralisk, possessing spiked tentacles in addition to kaiser blades. The tentacles could attack multiple opponents.

The ultralisk was reverted because the skewering was too "random".

The omegalisk appears in concept art for StarCraft II.

Special Ultralisk Strains

 * Blade Guardian
 * Omegalisk
 * Torrasque
 * Wise Old Torrasque
 * Zergrinch Juggernaut