Stalker

"I am here in the shadows."

- Protoss stalker

The stalker is a Dark Templar cybernetic war machine.

Overview
The fall of Aiur demonstrated to the Dark Templar that more than just stealth and guile were required to defeat the zerg. Hence, the Dark Templar developed the stalker, a war machine inspired by the Khalai dragoon. While dragoons were piloted by crippled protoss, the stalker is controlled by the shadow-essence of a Dark Templar warrior fused into a metal body. The new walkers are armed with carapace-mounted particle disruptors adept against both ground and aerial targets.

Stalkers have been credited with many fantastic powers since their battlefield début. (as early as 2502). However, only one is witnessed consistently: an ability to instantly teleport, or "blink", from one spot to another. This ability requires augmentation to a stalker, but the improved mobility allows the stalker to conduct ambushes, catch fleeing foes, and generally engage on their own terms.

Stalkers are often used to support zealots on the battlefield.

Game Unit
In-game, stalkers function like fragile, but more agile dragoons. They serve as excellent economy raiders.

Stalkers can dance like a dragoon, moving injured stalkers away from opponents when they are being attacked by melee attackers or targeted by focus fire. Blinking can also be used as an alternative form of dancing.

In large groups, stalkers can use Blink to instantly teleport to an important enemy unit's position – such as a, and destroy it with focus fire.

Stalkers and colossi may be used together to bypass ramps and choke points. The colossi provide high-ground vision and fire support when stalkers blink up to higher ground.

Stalkers gained a reputation for being overpowered at BlizzCon 2008 due to the widely viewed Sonkie vs Yellow match. Karune responded that stalkers are weak vs s even with Blink micro, but are strong against armored units such as roaches. Stalkers do well against units with low damage per second (such as roaches) but weakly against more offensive units (such as zerglings).

Stalkers are strong against reapers, void rays, s, and roaches, but weak against marauders, immortals, and s. Groups of stalkers can also take on carriers, battlecruisers and brood lords to an extent due to their bonus damage against armored units.

On Battle.net, massed formations of stalkers backed with sentries and collosi are a popular combo.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft II Stalker Quotations

Development
The stalker was re-designed to more closely look like the concept art, and the new model was revealed at Blizzcon 2008.