Greater spire

A greater spire

The zerg greater spire is evolved from the spire (if there is a hive present somewhere in the same command structure) and it produces the genetic code that allows some zerg air breeds to mutate into different forms.

Game Structure

StarCraft

Greater Spire
Structure
Race	Zerg
Production
Minerals	100
Gas	150
Build time	120
Evolves from	Spire
Requires	Hive
Protection
Hit points	1000
Armor	1
Function
Allows	Mutalisk Scourge Guardian Devourer (BW only)
Research	Flyer Attacks Flyer Carapace

The greater spire enables mutalisks to mutate into guardians and devourers. It also provides the same upgrades as the spire and will retain the evolutionary progress so that any aerial units keep all upgrades that were completed at the spire.

Researched Upgrades

Flyer Attacks

• +1 bonus to attack per level for mutalisks
• +2 bonus to attack per level for guardians and devourers.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire Greater spire Hotkey A Level 1 Cost 100 100 266 Level 2 Cost 175 175 298 Required Lair Level 3 Cost 250 250 330 Required Hive

Flyer Carapace

+1 bonus to armor per level for overlords, mutalisks, guardians, devourers, scourge and queen.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire Greater spire Hotkey C Level 1 Cost 150 150 266 Level 2 Cost 225 225 298 Required Lair Level 3 Cost 300 300 330 Required Hive

Development

The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft which is no longer valid.

The greater spire used "muta chamber" as a placeholder name, referring to the cancelled mutation chamber.

StarCraft II

Greater Spire
Structure
Race	Zerg
Properties
Broodlingsproduced	6
Production
Minerals	100
Gas	150
Build time	71 30 (Co-op Missions) Mastery: -0.6 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 12 (Co-op Abathur)
Evolves from	Spire
Requires	Hive
Hotkey	G
Protection
Hit points	1000
Armor	1
Type	Biological Structure
Armor type	Armored
Function
Allows	Versus Mutalisk Corruptor Brood lord Campaign and Co-op Exclusive Viper (HotS campaign) Devourer (Co-op Missions) Guardian (Co-op Missions)
Research	See below

In StarCraft II the greater spire enables production of the brood lord.

Researched Upgrades

Flyer Attacks

• Increases attack damage of mutalisks, corruptors, and brood lords.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire Greater spire Level 1 Cost 100 100 160 Level 2 Cost 175 175 190 Required Lair Level 3 Cost 250 250 220 Required Hive

v • e

Flyer Carapace

Increases armor of zerg air units.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire Greater spire Level 1 Cost 150 150 160 Effect +1 armor Level 2 Cost 225 225 190 Required Lair Effect +1 armor Level 3 Cost 300 300 220 Required Hive Effect +1 armor

v • e

Co-op Missions

The greater spire is available to Kerrigan and Abathur in Co-op Missions. For Kerrigan, the greater spire unlocks brood lords, and upgrades for Kerrigan's fliers upon reaching level 11. For Abathur, the greater spire unlocks guardians and devourers, as well as upgrades for the two strains.

Stetmann can create mecha greater spires, allowing him to produce mecha battlecarrier lords.

Upgrades

Kerrigan

Zerg Flyer Attacks

Increases the attack damage of zerg air units

Usage
Passive

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.

Acquisition

Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey M Level 1 Cost 100 Mastery: -2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 40 100 Mastery: -2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 40 160 Mastery: -3.2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 64 Level 2 Cost 175 Mastery: -3.5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 70 175 Mastery: -3.5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 70 190 Mastery: -3.8 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 76 Required Lair/Hive Level 3 Cost 250 Mastery: -5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 100 250 Mastery: -5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 100 220 Mastery: -4.4 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 88 Required Hive

v • e

Zerg Flyer Carapace

Increases the armor of zerg air units.

Usage
Passive

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.

Acquisition

Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey M Level 1 Cost 100 Mastery: -2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 40 100 Mastery: -2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 40 160 Mastery: -3.2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 64 Level 2 Cost 175 Mastery: -3.5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 70 175 Mastery: -3.5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 70 190 Mastery: -3.8 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 76 Required Lair/Hive Level 3 Cost 250 Mastery: -5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 100 250 Mastery: -5 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 100 220 Mastery: -4.4 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 88 Required Hive

v • e

Rapid Regeneration

Mutalisks regenerate 5 health per second when not in combat.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey R Cost 150 Mastery: -3 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 60 150 Mastery: -3 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 60 60 Mastery: -1.2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 24

v • e

Vicious Glave

Mutalisks attacks bounce three more times. Increases glave's search radius from 3 to 5.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey V Cost 150 Mastery: -3 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 60 150 Mastery: -3 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 60 90 Mastery: -1.8 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 36

v • e

Severing Glave

Subsequent bounces no longer decrease in damage.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Kerrigan Level 11

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey R Cost 200 Mastery: -4 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 80 200 Mastery: -4 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 80 120 Mastery: -2.4 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 48 Required Hive

v • e

Porous Cartilage

Increases brood lords movement speed by 1.406 and acceleration to 1.875, and increases health by 100.

Usage
Passive

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Kerrigan Level 11.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey R Cost 150 Mastery: -3 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 60 150 Mastery: -3 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 60 60 Mastery: -1.2 per Expeditious Evolutions mastery point. Down to a minimum 24 Required Greater spire

v • e

Abathur

Zerg Flyer Attacks

Increases the attack damage of zerg air units

Usage
Passive

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.

Acquisition

Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey M Level 1 Cost 100 100 160 Mastery: -3.2 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 64 Level 2 Cost 175 175 190 Mastery: -3.8 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 76 Required Lair/Hive Level 3 Cost 250 250 220 Mastery: -4.4 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 88 Required Hive

v • e

Zerg Flyer Carapace

Increases the armor of zerg air units.

Usage
Passive

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.

Acquisition

Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey M Level 1 Cost 100 100 160 Mastery: -3.2 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 64 Level 2 Cost 175 175 190 Mastery: -3.8 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 76 Required Lair/Hive Level 3 Cost 250 250 220 Mastery: -4.4 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 88 Required Hive

v • e

Rapid Regeneration

Mutalisks regenerate 5 health per second when not in combat.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey R Cost 150 150 60 Mastery: -1.2 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 24

v • e

Vicious Glave

Mutalisks attacks bounce three more times. Increases glave's search radius from 3 to 4.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Initially available.

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey V Cost 150 150 90 Mastery: -1.8 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 36

v • e

Sundering Glave

Mutalisk attacks deal +100% damage to armored enemies. Flyer Attacks upgrade also increases damage for armored targets.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur Level 11

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey R Cost 200 200 120 Mastery: -2.4 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 48 Required Hive

v • e

Corrosive Spray

Devourer attacks deal splash damage.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur Level 11

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey D Cost 200 200 90 Mastery: -1.8 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 36 Required Greater spire

v • e

Prolonged Dispersion

Increases the range of guardian attacks by 3.

Campaign Acquisition
Unlock Reach Abathur Level 11

Acquisition
Purchased from Spire/Greater spire Hotkey E Cost 200 200 120 Mastery: -2.4 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 48 Required Greater spire

v • e

Development

An early render of the greater spire

The greater spire went through several revisions, essentially lingering in development hell. The initial designs were updates of the StarCraft I artwork which didn't seem to work. The shapes of the SC1 greater spire design didn't look good in 3D, as it was too bulky and the numerous pieces were too busy. Conveying the height the designers wanted was also a problem, since there were height limitations on tall buildings. When the development team started using Zbrush to create unit portraits some zerg buildings were also redesigned to take advantage of the more organic sculpting process. The redesigned top of the greater spire was based on an unused concept of a queen's head by Trevor Jacobs.

The revision of the greater spire made progress towards the final in-game design but the building still looked out of place compared to the rest of the zerg structures. The final unification pass finally solved many of these problems. The lower portion of the spire was reused and slightly modified with additional armor. The top portion was replaced with the new greater spire design and retextured, finally completing the long process of updating the first game's design.

Variants

• Mecha greater spire (terran replicant)

Images

Project Simulant greater spire

Cerberus Program greater spire

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References

Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War v • e

Ground units Larva Drone Zergling Hydralisk Lurker (BW) Defiler Ultralisk Air units Overlord Mutalisk Guardian Scourge Queen Devourer (BW) Infestation units Broodling Infested terran Transition units Egg Lurker egg Cocoon Basic buildings Hatchery Extractor Evolution chamber Spawning pool Hydralisk den Advanced buildings Lair Hive Spire Greater spire Queen's nest Nydus canal Defiler mound Ultralisk cavern Infested command center Defenses Creep Creep colony Spore colony Sunken colony Scrapped Fungal colony Mutation chamber Mutation pit Nydus pit Scoria

Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft II v • e

Versus units and structures Terrestrial units Larva Drone Zergling Baneling Roach Ravager (LotV) Hydralisk Lurker (LotV) Infestor Ultralisk Queen Swarm host (HotS) Aerospace units Overlord Overseer Mutalisk Brood lord Corruptor Viper (HotS) Spawned units Broodling Changeling Infested terran Locust (HotS) Basic buildings Hatchery Creep tumor Extractor Evolution chamber Spawning pool Baneling nest Roach warren Automated defenses Spine crawler Spore crawler Advanced buildings Lair Hive Infestation pit Spire Greater spire Hydralisk den Lurker den Nydus network Nydus worm Ultralisk cavern Transition units Baneling cocoon Broodmother cocoon Brood lord cocoon Egg Impaler cocoon Infested swarm egg Lurker cocoon Overseer cocoon Ravager cocoon Ultralisk chrysalis Others Creep Campaign and Co-op Missions units and structures Terrestrial units Aberration Blightbringer Brutalisk Defiler Impaler cocoon Infested colonist Infested diamondback Infested marine Infested trooper Infested medic Infested SCV Infested siege tank Omegalisk Pygalisk Pygalisk cocoon Swarmling Volatile infested Aeropsace units Guardian Leviathan Sac Scourge Swarm guardian Infested banshee Infested liberator Buildings Impaler den Infested terran buildings Infested command center Toxic nest Virophage Automated defenses Bile launcher Impaler colony Scourge cannon Spore cannon Sunken colony Infested bunker Infested missile turret Variant units Zergling Strains Raptor Swarmling Baneling Strains Hunter Splitter Baneling spawn Roach Strains Corpser Vile Queen Strains Aiur queen Broodmother Swarm queen Hydralisk Strains Hunter Killer Impaler Lurker Ultralisk Strains Noxious Stank Torrasque Swarm host Strains Carrion Creeper Locust Strains Flying locust Mutalisk Strains Brood lord Viper Guardian Strains Swarm guardian Canceled Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft II