Ravager

"They fire bile from their backs. I say that counts as poop. Silva says it's puke. The debate rages on."

- A Dominion marine

The ravager is a zerg artillery unit evolved from the roach, introduced in Legacy of the Void.

Overview
"Now they're sending ravagers our way. Watch out for their corrosive bile."

- Jessica Hall

In use by 2505, the ravager is the result of years of twisting and fine-tuning the genome of the roach far beyond its biological limitations. Ravagers stand two to four times as tall as a terran wearing CMC armor, and hardened bone spikes portrude from its back. Its eyes grant it a broad spectrum of vision.

The ravager wields plasma fire both in close-quarters combat and as a wedge to crack open entrenched positions, something the Swarm has struggled with in the past. As an evolution of the roach, the ravager has developed a larger, heavier frame to store quantities of fiery fluid in its back. The ravager can launch a gob of corrosive bile from its back in a parabolic arc. This projectile is slow, best used against stationary targets, but can destroy protoss force fields, and is effective against heavy units and structures. The Dominion has theorized that this ability was developed to boost the ravager's utility in assaulting entrenched positions. This mortar-like ability is slow moving however, and ground forces can move out of the way in time.

Occasionally the ravager's exoskeleton would calcify, allowing for more durable armor. Abathur considered the resulting intimidation factor of such armor to be an added bonus. Leviathan Brood ravagers have an even more monstrous appearance than standard ravagers, with spikes jutting out from their bodies (as is normal within the brood.

Primal zerg have adapted a species of ravager known for being brutal and bloodthirsty, known for eating their own young should they not be strong enough to fight back. This nature has put the survival of their strain into question.

Game Unit
Ravagers are stronger than roaches. However, their effectiveness heavily relies on player micro due to their corrosive bile ability.

Co-op Missions
Abathur is able to mutate his roaches into ravagers in Co-op Missions. Additional upgrades for them unlock at the roach warren once Abathur reaches Level 4.

Development
An upgrade existed that allowed the range of corrosive bile to be increased to 13. It cost 100 minerals and vespene gas. This required a lair.