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"This ship is at your disposal, along with my covert ops crew. You will lead them—all I ask in return is your loyalty."

The Griffin is a stealth starship formerly employed by the Terran Dominion. It was given to Agent Nova Terra by Emperor Valerian Mengsk for use in her Covert Ops Crew, and is their base of operations.

Overview

NovaReigelGriffin SC2-NCO Cine1

The bridge of the Griffin

The Griffin employs both a "travel mode" and a "flight mode." In the latter, its wings fold out.[1] It is capable of operating in both space and atmosphere, and can engage in inter-system travel.[2][3] The Griffin has a functioning personal cloak.[2]

AlliedCommanders SC2-LotV Art1
This article or section contains information derived from Co-op Missions, and should not be considered part of the official StarCraft storyline.

The Griffin is capable of performing airstrikes on terrestrial targets.[4]

History

NovaGriffin SC2-NCO Cine1

Nova is given command of the Griffin

After escaping from the Defenders of Man, Nova Terra met with Emperor Valerian Mengsk, who promised her the Griffin and his covert ops crew in return for her loyalty. She accepted, and after recovering some of her memories set out for Tarsonis.[5]

The Griffin deployed her and her crew outside of a Defenders of Man base, allowing them to garrison structures surrounding the base while Nova Terra infiltrated the facility.[2]

Griffin SC2-NCO Cine1

The Griffin enters the Tyrador system

After discovering the Defenders of Man's plans to stage a feral zerg attack on Tyrador IX, Nova took the Griffin through the zerg forces in orbit and established a base near their hatcheries.[6] After fighting the zerg and Tal'darim, Nova and her covert ops crew escaped the planet. However, the Griffin was boarded by Highlord Alarak of the Tal'darim. Alarak made a bargain with Nova, and lead her and the Griffin to the planet of Jarban Minor. There Nova was to gather terrazine to undo her mind wipe.[7]

AlarakNovaReigel SC2-NCO Cine1.

Alarak confronts Nova and Reigel aboard the Griffin

During the conflict between the infested Umojans and the forces of First Ascendant Ji'nara, Nova used the Griffin to retrieve the canisters of terrazine she mined from the Jarban gliders. She was successful in retrieving a sufficient amount before the extraction devices were destroyed, and left the planet.[8]

With her memories slowly becoming restored, Nova took the Griffin to location of the last mission she remembered doing for the Defenders of Man; the city of New Andasar on Antiga Prime. Nova took the Griffin to the surface, and dropped forces to establish a forward base.[9] After she recovered her memories and discovered the leader of the Defenders of Man, General Carolina Davis, Nova left Antiga, and contacted Emperor Valerian Mengsk aboard the Griffin.[10]

GriffinAntigaPrime SC2-NCO Cine1

The Griffin arrives at Antiga Prime

Later, the Griffin deployed Nova to Vardona, where she was to capture Davis while Valerian gave his speech.[11] The operation was a success,[12] but soon after her capture the Tal'darim attacked the city. Nova's forces from the Griffin rushed to the defend the city, and together with the Dominion military and the low ranking Defenders of Man, were able to push back the Tal'darim and inflicted heavy casualties on their Death Fleet. However, in the chaos General Davis escaped aboard the Medusa, and the Griffin gave chase.[13]

Soon after though the Griffin lost the Medusa, and spent hours looking for leads. Eventually the Covert Ops Crew found it, as the Cerros Shipyards were under attack by a lone Dominion vessel.[14] The Griffin was sent to the shipyards, and deployed Nova's forces to reinforce the shipyard defenders. Nova's crew fought through the Defenders lines, and fought the experimental Xanthos war machine, downing it. However, after the Xanthos's defeat Nova violated direct orders from Valerian, infiltrated the machine's hull, and assassinated Davis.[15]

Griffin SC2-NCO Cine2

The Griffin, prior to entering the asteroid field

Now branded as fugitives for violating Valerian's orders, Nova talked with Reigel in the cargo bay of the Griffin. He told her that the ship's crew were loyal to her alone, and would follow her wherever she ordered. Nova stated that the Dominion would always have enemies, and they would need to defeat them their own way. Now on the run, the Griffin headed into an asteroid belt. Admiral Horner tracked the Griffin, but Valerian ordered him to let them go, for now.[16]

Tartarus

Griffin SC-NatureBeast Comic1

The Griffin in orbit of Tartarus

At some point after the Battle of Adena, the Griffin arrived in orbit of the planet Tartarus, per Nova's intent to investigate the planet.[17]

Game Effect

"Nova's enemies think they're prepared for her assault, but in StarCraft...ship happens."

- A tweet on the Griffin(src)

Co-op Missions

The Griffin serves as a calldown for Nova in Co-op Missions. Its abilities are listed on the top of the screen, and can be cast anywhere on the map. These abilities include transport and calling in airstrikes. Each of these abilities costs minerals to use.[4]

Nova Covert Ops

Griffin SC2-NCO Game1

The Griffin as it appears in-game

The Griffin makes appearances in certain missions in Nova Covert Ops, but is not a controllable unit. It is available as a trophy top for trophies earned in season 3 of automated tournaments.

Nova Equipment

Aboard the Griffin, the player is able to change Nova's personal equipment between missions.

Army Equipment

The Griffin allows the player to outfit their army with special upgrades. Each upgrade can only be equipped on one unit at a time, and each unit can only be equipped with one upgrade. While the same upgrade may be available for different units, it will not always function the same way.

Marine
LaserTargetSystem SC2-NCO Icon1
Laser Targeting System

Increases unit's vision by 2 and attack range by 1.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike."
ve
SuperStimpack SC2-NCO Icon1
Super Stimpack

Increases unit's attack and movement speeds by 50% for 15 seconds and heals unit for 30 HP. Can be set to autocast.

Usage
Hotkey T
Duration 15 seconds
Cooldown 18 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Save north-western outpost in "Sudden Strike."
ve
MagrailMunitions Cov Ops Icon
Magrail Munitions

Equips unit with a secondary attack that deals 20 damage every 30 seconds.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy the Eradicators in "Night Terrors."
ve
OptimizedLogistics SC2NCO1
Optimized Logistics

Significantly reduces the time required to train the unit.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
Reaper
LaserTargetSystem SC2-NCO Icon1
Laser Targeting System

Increases unit's vision by 2 and attack range by 1.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike."
ve
SuperStimpack SC2-NCO Icon1
Super Stimpack

Increases unit's attack and movement speeds by 50% for 15 seconds and heals unit for 30 HP. Can be set to autocast.

Usage
Hotkey T
Duration 15 seconds
Cooldown 18 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Save north-western outpost in "Sudden Strike."
ve
SpiderMinesReaper SC2-NCO Icon1
Deploy Spider Mine

The reaper can deploy a spider mine at target location. Reapers can carry up to three mines.

Usage
Hotkey E
Range 2
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "The Escape"
ve
SC2BansheeCloak
Advanced Cloaking Field

Permanently cloaks reapers

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Enemy Intelligence"
ve
SpecialOrdiance SC2NCO1
Special Ordnance

Equips reapers with D8 charges, increasing the damage they deal when attacking structures.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
Marauder
LaserTargetSystem SC2-NCO Icon1
Laser Targeting System

Increases unit's vision by 2 and attack range by 1.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike."
ve
SuperStimpack SC2-NCO Icon1
Super Stimpack

Increases unit's attack and movement speeds by 50% for 15 seconds and heals unit for 60 HP. Can be set to autocast.

Usage
Hotkey T
Duration 15 seconds
Cooldown 18 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Save north-western outpost in "Sudden Strike."
ve
InternalTech SC2-NCO Icon1
Internal Tech Module

Unit no longer needs an attached tech lab to be built by production facilities.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve
MagrailMunitions Cov Ops Icon
Magrail Munitions

Equips unit with a secondary attack that deals 20 damage every 30 seconds.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy the Eradicators in "Night Terrors."
ve
Siege Tank
InternalTech SC2-NCO Icon1
Internal Tech Module

Unit no longer needs an attached tech lab to be built by production facilities.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve
SpiderMinesSiegeTank SC2-NCO Icon1
Deploy Spider Mine

The siege tank can deploy a trio of spider mine at target location in a spread pattern.

Usage
Hotkey R
Range 5.5
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve
JumpJet SC2-NCO Icon1
Jump Jets

The siege tank can deploy jump jets to relocate. Can be used to move up and down cliffs. Can be used in siege mode or in tank mode.

Usage
Hotkey R
Range 4
Cooldown 20 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve
TransformationServos SC2-HotS Icon
Smart Servos

Greatly reduces transformation time for equipped unit when switching combat modes.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Trouble in Paradise"
ve

Equipped mechanical unit regenerates 10 HP a second when out of combat.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy all zerg hatcheries in "Trouble in Paradise."
ve
Hellbat
JumpJet SC2-NCO Icon1
Jump Jet Charge

The hellbat leaps towards enemy units when attacking.

Usage
Passive
Cooldown 4 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike."
ve
SuperStimpack SC2-NCO Icon1
Super Stimpack

Increases unit's attack and movement speeds by 50% for 15 seconds and heals unit for 60 HP. Can be set to autocast.

Usage
Hotkey T
Duration 15 seconds
Cooldown 18 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Save north-western outpost in "Sudden Strike."
ve
TransformationServos SC2-HotS Icon
Smart Servos

Greatly deduces transformation time when transforming. Also allows hellion to attack while moving.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Trouble in Paradise"
ve
OptimizedLogistics SC2NCO1
Optimized Logistics

Significantly reduces the time required to train the unit.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
SpecialOrdiance SC2NCO1
Special Ordnance

Equips hellbats and hellions with infernal pre-igniters, increasing the damage they deal to light units.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
Goliath
LaserTargetSystem SC2-NCO Icon1
Laser Targeting System

Increases range of goliath's air attack by 3 and ground attack by 1.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Enemy Intelligence."
ve
JumpJet SC2-NCO Icon1
Jump Jet

The goliath can move up and down cliffs.

Usage
Passive
Cooldown 4 seconds
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Enemy Intelligence"
ve

Equipped mechanical unit regenerates 10 HP a second when out of combat.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy all zerg hatcheries in "Trouble in Paradise."
ve
OptimizedLogistics SC2NCO1
Optimized Logistics

Significantly reduces the time required to train the unit.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
Banshee
SC2BansheeCloak
Advanced Cloaking

The banshee no longer needs energy to maintain cloaking.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Enemy Intelligence"
ve
InternalTech SC2-NCO Icon1
Internal Tech Module

Unit no longer needs an attached tech lab to be built by production facilities.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve

Equipped mechanical unit regenerates 10 HP a second when out of combat.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy all zerg hatcheries in "Trouble in Paradise."
ve
SpecialOrdiance SC2NCO1
Special Ordnance

Equips banshees with shockwave missile batteries, upgrading their attacks to damage multiple units in a straight line.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
Liberator
SC2BansheeCloak
Cloak

The liberator gains an energy bar and is able to cloak.

Usage
Hotkey C (cloak), D (decloak)
Cost 25 (+0.9 per second) Energy
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Trouble in Paradise"
ve

Equipped mechanical unit regenerates 10 HP a second when out of combat.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy all zerg hatcheries in "Trouble in Paradise."
ve
TransformationServos SC2-HotS Icon
Smart Servos

Greatly reduces transformation time for equipped unit when switching combat modes.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Trouble in Paradise"
ve
OptimizedLogistics SC2NCO1
Optimized Logistics

Significantly reduces the time required to train the unit.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve
Raven
SpiderMinesSiegeTank SC2-NCO Icon1
Spider Mines

Creates three spider mines at designated point.

Usage
Hotkey E
Cost 50 Energy
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Trouble in Paradise"
ve
MagrailMunitions Cov Ops Icon
Magrail Munitions

Upgrades raven's auto-turrets to railgun turrets. Railgun turrets deal 30 area-of-effect damage in a line at a rate of fire of 2.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy the Eradicators in "Night Terrors."
ve
InternalTech SC2-NCO Icon1
Internal Tech Module

Unit no longer needs an attached tech lab to be built by production facilities.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve
SpecialOrdiance SC2NCO1
Special Ordnance

Replaces the seeker missile ability with the hunter-seeker missile weapon that automatically attacks enemy units and does not cost energy.

Pursues the current target and explodes for area damage upon impact.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
Battlecruiser
InternalTech SC2-NCO Icon1
Internal Tech Module

Unit no longer needs an attached tech lab to be built by production facilities.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "Sudden Strike"
ve
SC2BansheeCloak
Advanced Cloaking Field

Allows battlecruisers to cloak.

Usage
Hotkey C
Cost 1.5 per second Energy
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Complete "In the Enemy's Shadow"
ve

Equipped mechanical unit regenerates 10 HP a second when out of combat.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Destroy all zerg hatcheries in "Trouble in Paradise."
ve
SpecialOrdiance SC2NCO1
Special Ordnance

Replaces the battlecruiser's standard weaponry with ATX laser batteries, which can target and attack multiple enemy units at once.

Usage
Passive
Campaign Acquisition
Acquired from Obtain the special weaponry in "In the Enemy's Shadow."
ve

Trivia

Condor SC2-NCO Cncpt1

Concept art

  • The ship was named the "Mk. I Condor" in early promotional material.[1]
  • The griffin is a creature from Greek mythology. It has the head, wings, and forelegs of an eagle and the hindquarters of a lion.
  • The Griffin is commanded by Nova, who is voiced by Grey DeLisle. She is alternatively known as "Grey Griffin" (per the surname of her husband).

Videos

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 2015-11-06, StarCraft II: The Future of StarCraft -- Panel Recap. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-11-10
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Enemy Intelligence (in English). 2016-03-29.
  3. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Heroes (in English). 2016-08-02.
  4. 4.0 4.1 2016-10-13, Patch 3.7 Preview: New Co-op Commander Nova. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2016-10-15
  5. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Lost Memories. (in English). 2016.
  6. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Trouble in Paradise (in English). 2016-08-02.
  7. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: The Highlord's Bargain (in English). 2016-08-02.
  8. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Night Terrors (in English). 2016-08-02.
  9. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Flashpoint (in English). 2016-08-02.
  10. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Liars (in English). 2016-08-02.
  11. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Between Past and Future (in English). 2016-11-22.
  12. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, In the Enemy's Shadow (in English). 2016-11-22.
  13. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Dark Skies (in English). 2016-11-22.
  14. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Broken Alliances (in English). 2016-11-22.
  15. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, End Game (in English). 2016-11-22.
  16. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Resolutions (in English). 2016-11-22.
  17. Brian Alexander (w), Carlos Rodríguez (i) and Sandra Molina (c). (June 11, 2020). StarCraft II: Nature of the Beast: Part 1. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nature of the Beast: Part 1 Accessed 2020-06-11.
  18. 2017-01-23, SCII - Nova Covert Ops - Griffin Ship. Art Station, accessed on 2017-02-07
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