Arbiter

The Arbiter-class starship is a protoss warship specializing in providing psychic support.

Overview
Arbiters were crewed exclusively by Judicators, unlike other warships that were manned predominantly by Templar. The Judicator used the Arbiter as a base to provide support using space-time manipulation.

The Judicator could generate a large reality-warping field that served to conceal nearby friendly units. The Arbiter had to remain firmly anchored in space-time to generate the field and so was not concealed. Arbiters could weaken space-time, tearing rifts in the fabric of space-time, creating a vortex linking another location to the Arbiter's location. This could be used to move personnel and supplies over long distances. On the other hand Arbiters could also strengthen space-time and create discrete pockets of space-time, trapping objects and preventing those objects from interacting with objects outside of their pockets.

Despite troop transport usually being left to shuttles, Arbiters were capable of transporting forces within their holds, including dragoons.

After the Judicator Caste was eliminated from the Protoss power structure, the Arbiter quickly fell into disuse. When the protoss fled Aiur to Shakuras, the Arbiters were lost along with Aiur.

StarCraft
The Arbiter, like the terran science vessel, is a support unit. They cost lots of resources and time to produce though their special abilities make up for it. They have a cloaking range field that can cloak any unit within its radius (even allies) which is best used for catching the enemy by surprise with a large force. A popular strategy is utilizing Arbiters with a force of Carriers backed up with one or two Observers for detecting cloaked enemies. When attacking the enemy, the Arbiter's field cloaking ability allows Carriers to be safe from direct enemy fire and even if the opponent tries to target the Arbiter, the Carriers can backdown any attempt.

Arbiters have fairly large shield and hit point reservoirs. It has its own attack, although it is widely recommended that the Arbiter shouldn't be used for attacking since it has a very slow rate of fire and deals little damage.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft I Arbiter Quotations

StarCraft: The Board Game
Arbiters are featured in StarCraft: The Board Game.

Known Arbiters

 * Danimoth
 * Escort Leader
 * Serenity

Arbiter Variants

 * High Arbiter
 * Paganite

Known Arbiter Crew

 * Executor Koronis
 * Judicator Amdor
 * Judicator Assmael
 * Judicator Syndrea