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The defiler

The defiler is a zerg breed that uses toxic substances to support other zerg forces.

Overview[]

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A defiler during the Great War

The defiler is a relatively rare zerg breed, resembling a silverfish in appearance and acting akin to a 'cancer factory' in function.[1] Its core genus, if it has one, is unknown, as the defiler contains the DNA of all other zerg breeds.[2] It was created from festering, carcinogenic pathogens that were, in essence, leftover genetic chains from other zerg strains.[3] It uses this genetic material to synthesize virus-like biochemicals.[1] These biochemicals are extremely hazardous, resistant to the most effective anti-toxins, and, paradoxically, dangerous even to the zerg.[1] A large amount of energy is expended in the production of these chemicals,[4] and defilers are known to cannibalize other zerg to fuel the metasynaptic processes that generated the compounds,[2] often accompanied by zergling escorts for this very reason.[1] They can also recharge the metasynaptic processes through burrowing.[4]

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A defiler

The defiler's body is host to countless small organisms that live on the carapace, constantly feeding on each other.[2] The defiler can spontaneously launch a number of these creatures to swarm a location that make it difficult to target anything under the ensuing cloud. In addition, defilers can produce corrosive spores and hurl them at a target area, the spores exploding in a dense cloud. The highly toxic mist that results corrodes anything it touches.[2] However, these spores are also prone to igniting due to a flammable accelerant contained in them.[5]

Defiler SC1 Art2

A defiler

Moving with a slow, intelligent slither, defilers are highly vulnerable to any form of counterattack (especially long-range or air assaults) and as such, usually stay at the rear of zerg formations.[4] The defiler evolved into obsolescence after the Brood War. However, with the need for a specialized support strain, the zerg revisited the defiler template and perfected it with genetic data from an unknown species, preserving its core functions while excising its unnecessary lethality.[3] The result was the viper.[6] Feral defilers still existed after the End War however, and the Defenders of Man used psi-emitters to lure a number of them to Borea.[7]

The following section contains information from StarCraft: Retribution.
Defiler SCR HeadAnim

A defiler up close

Defilers possess the ability to extract and process information from terran minds.[8]

Game Unit[]

StarCraft[]

Main article: Defiler (StarCraft)

StarCraft II[]

Defilers appear in the Nova Covert Ops mission "Sudden Strike."[7]

Known Defilers[]

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A defiler's visage

Variant Strains[]

Individuals[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Defiler. StarCraft Compendium. Accessed on 2008-02-07.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  3. 3.0 3.1 2015-01-16, Viper Science. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2014-01-20.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Barba, Rick. StarCraft Field Manual (hardcover). Insight Editions, November 17, 2015.
  5. Gerrold, David (w), Fernando Heinz Furukawa (p, i). StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 2 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, August 10, 2010. ISBN 978-1427-81613-9.
  6. Unit Guide: Viper, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-05-12.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Sudden Strike (in English). 2016-03-29.
  8. StarCraft: Retribution. WizardWorks Software. Zerg campaign: “Dynamic Evolution, mission 1: "Ascension” (in English). 1999.
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