Void ray

"Channel the light of Aiur!"

- A void ray commander

The void ray, formerly known as the warp ray, is a protoss ship in StarCraft II.

Overview
In use by 2502, the void ray is a Dark Templar protoss escort ship; the result of combining Nerazim and Khalai technologies. It is built around a prismatic core, which serves as a virtually eternal power source. The core derives its energy from both the Void and psionic matrix, forming a self-sustaining reaction. Normally the core is kept in check by an arrangement of flux field projectors. When the void ray has locked onto a target and deployed these projectors however, it can shoot searing beams of energy that grow exponentially more powerful over time. Even heavily armored structures and warships have been incinerated by the void ray, leading some terrans to believe that it will eventually replace the carrier as the flagship of the Great Fleet.

Game Unit
The void ray's attack starts with one beam arm firing. Over time all arms will fire. The ship will follow the target and continue to attack.

The void ray is most efficient against units and structures with high hit points as it gives time for all arms to fire and rate of damage to maximize. There is a noticeable time between switching targets, making it less efficient against groups of weaker units.

If additional arms have engaged when a target is destroyed and a new target is selected within a short time, the void ray will engage the new target in that state from the onset. This allows many lesser units to be destroyed in quick succession. The void ray is still vulnerable from swarms of smaller anti-air units while it charges up on a significant target.

Void rays are strong against s, corruptors, motherships, and carriers, and weak against vikings, phoenixes, s, and s. The void ray is countered by specialized anti-air units or swarms of inexpensive units. In turn, the void ray should be partnered with other units to distract the enemy while it charges up.

Void rays work well with phoenixes as a raiding unit, via the former's graviton beam.

Blizzard is investigating whether the graphics of the attack needs to be changed to more clearly communicate the damage the void ray is doing.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft II Void Ray Quotations

Development
The Flux Vanes ability was removed in patch 1.2.

The void ray's attack increased in power the longer it remained trained on a target, but switching targets automatically reset the attack's power.

Beta Development
Prior to April 2010, the void ray had three levels of attack. StarCraft II beta patch #8 reduced the number of levels to two.

Heart of the Swarm
In beta patch #8, the void ray's Prismatic Beam no longer charges up, the cooldown of the weapon was improved, and it no longer did bonus damage to massive units. Instead, the Prismatic Alignment upgrade increased damage to armored units by 6 for 20 seconds, with a 1 minute cooldown, and this does no stack with upgrades.

Known Commanders

 * Mohandar