- Sean Plott(src)
The Mobile Utility Lunar Excavator[1] (MULE) is an experimental terran mining robot.
Overview
The MULE is still in the prototype stage and has a limited battery life.[2] The Dominion Fleet deploys these machines via drop pod. Once deployed, a MULE will collect resources three times faster than an SCV—a fact that some SCV pilots don't take kindly to hearing.[3] This was possible because they can haul loads of such weight that would bring an SCV to a standstill. When MULEs ran out of power, two SCVs could provide more to them to get them started once again.
Because the powerhouse excavators had no brains or instinct, the very best SceeVees knew that to get the most efficient work out of MULEs, it was best to work in concert with them. The SCV pilot could then actively correct their unimaginative telemetry and guide the MULEs to where they were needed most.[4]
Game Unit
StarCraft II
MULEs are summoned by the orbital command's Calldown: MULE ability. Each drop pod contains one MULE. A MULE takes about twice as long to finish mining a load than an SCV, but retrieves 25 minerals per trip, meaning that it collects minerals at approximately 2.5 times the rate (SCVs retrieve 5 minerals per load). MULEs, however, mine the same amount as SCVs from rich mineral patches. A MULE and an SCV may mine from the same mineral patch simultaneously, though multiple MULEs cannot harvest from the same patch. MULEs last 64 seconds before shutting down, and can be called down anywhere on the map with player vision. As it takes slightly under 64 seconds for orbital commands to recharge 50 energy, one orbital command can call down a new MULE as the previous one expires.
In addition to mining resources, MULEs can also be used to repair units. While this is an inefficient way to use them in comparison to using them to mine, they can be used in emergencies to keep mechanical units alive during battles. Another use of MULEs is to drop them near enemy units that inflict friendly splash damage, such as siege tanks, causing disruption and friendly fire.
Production
An orbital command summons one MULE via drop pod. If the ability is targeted on a mineral patch the MULE will begin mining automatically, extracting 45 minerals per trip. The ability may be used only on areas uncovered by the fog of war.
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Abilities
Restores the hit points of a mechanical unit or building, terran or protoss. Repairing costs resources.
The ability can be autocast.
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Upgrades
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Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Wings of Liberty
Damaged mechanical units recover hit points when out of combat, at a rate of 0.6015 each second.[5]
Our ship and vehicle hulls are now made from a material called Regenerative Bio-Steel. This material uses internal nanobots to slowly repair any damage the hull sustains. While this regeneration process is much slower than conventional SCV repairs, it can be the difference between life and death if no SCVs are available.
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Armor upgrades increase health of affected units by 5% per level.[6]
We have created a new lightweight alloy called vanadium. Vanadium diffuses weapon impacts much more efficiently than traditional armor plating, and it better preserves the life of our units. Now each of the armor upgrades in the armory and engineering bay increases unit life by 5% in addition to increasing armor.
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Co-op Missions
MULEs are exclusive to Jim Raynor in Co-op Missions, and can be spawned from the orbital command. Unlike Versus MULEs, Raynor's MULEs collect 30 minerals per trip rather than 25.
MULEs are a possible gift players can gain during the "Gift Exchange" mutator. Each player gains two MULEs with Christmas hats.[7]
Restores the hit points of a mechanical unit or building. Repairing costs resources. The ability can be set to autocast.
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Increases the armor of terran infantry.
Vanadium Plating: Increases the life of terran infantry by 10% per level.
Backwater Marshall: The increase of life for terran infantry go up, from 10% per level to 20% per level.
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Passive
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Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Development
The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft II which is no longer valid.
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The MULE's attack[8] was removed by April 2009.[9] Its repair ability was also removed by April 2009[9] but later reinstated.
In May 2009, MULEs were stated to carry three times more minerals than SCVs.[10]
In March 2010, a MULE summoned directly onto a mineral patch would harvest 270 minerals before running out of energy.[11]
Prior to Patch 1.4.3, MULEs harvested 42 minerals per trip from rich mineral patches.[12]
MULEs were temporarily removed from Legacy of the Void in Patch 2.5.5.[13] They were returned in the subsequent Balance Update patch, albeit with the calldown now set to autocast, having a cooldown instead of an energy cost, and having a casting range of 30.[14] They were returned to how they functioned in Heart of the Swarm in Balance Update #2.[15] Balance Update #3 increased their return rate multiplier to 2.05 from 3.85, while Balance Update #4 reverted this and decreased the amount of minerals they harvest from 30.
Prior to Legacy of the Void, deploying many MULEs at once could result in several of them simultaneously harvesting from one field.
In a Legacy of the Void design update, MULEs were planned to be able to mine vespene gas, but would lose efficiency if more than one MULE was assigned to a refinery. They would have harvested 10 gas per trip. To offset this, their ability to harvest minerals was to be reduced to 20 per trip. This change was reverted before it could be implemented in-game.[16]
As of the Patch 4.11 Balance Update, MULEs now always attempt to spawn on the side of minerals closest to a town hall.
Achievements
 Mule X'ing
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10 |
| Criteria |
Call down 30 MULEs in a single Unranked or Ranked game. |
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Heroes of the Storm
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The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm and is not canon to StarCraft continuity
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MULEs appear in Heroes of the Storm as a talent upgrade for support and specialist heroes, and can be called down to repair structures.[17]
Trivia
- The MULE's portrait bears similarity to HAL 9000.
References
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