The mutalisk's attack is still able to strike multiple targets, bouncing to strike up to two additional targets as in StarCraft.[1] The attack automatically bounces towards the next closest enemy.[2]
Mutalisks are able to stack quite well[3] but it is difficult for them to remain clumped.[4] Mutalisks spread out when they move or attack.[5] With some micromanagement, mutalisks are able to attack on the move as before.[6][7]
Mutalisks are strong against vikings, brood lords, and void rays, and are weak against thors (except when spread out), liberators, archons, infestors, hydralisks, phoenixes, and corruptors. The mutalisk is also countered by marines (especially those equipped with combat shields and stimpacks) and ghosts, due to their high damage against lightly-armored units.[8]
Overall, mutalisks are more versatile than corruptors, due to their ability to raid, harass and decimate opponents without anti-air capabilities. Alternatively, the corruptor is strictly an anti-air unit.[9]
Game Unit[]
Versus[]
Abilities[]
Tissue Regeneration
Mutalisks regenerate more quickly than other zerg units (1.4 HP/second).
In the campaign of Heart of the Swarm, mutalisks are unlocked upon playing the mission "Waking the Ancient." Mutalisks can mutate into either vipers or brood lords after completing the requisite evolution mission. Their visual appearance changes accordingly. [10]
Upgrades[]
Vicious Glave
Mutalisk's attacks bounce three more times. Attacks bounce further and do increased damage.
Glave wurm symbiote, simple sequences. Ample room for improvement. Can mutate constitution of cartilaginous framework, amplify damage of impact. Will increase number of targets affected by wurm before structure failure, disintegration.
Mutalisk regeneration increases to 10 HP per second when out of combat for at least 5 seconds.
Mutalisk fragile, in need of improved survivability. Requires restructure of sequence down to core. When wounded, cells will activate, remodels tissue to original state. Rapid regeneration. Will require almost entire focus of mutalisk, much exertion. Must devise instinctive aversion to use in combat. Dead mutalisks of minimal use.
Increases mutalisk attack damage +9 against armored targets. Attacks no longer hit multiple targets.
Alternative configuration of glave wurm possible. Similar constitution to baneling strain. Explosive. Will deal significant damage to single enemy. Wurm is destroyed upon detonation. Subsequent collisions impossible.
Pulls units to new locations. Enemies will be stunned for 1 second.
Slows enemy ground units and prevents them from attacking.
Drains life from allied units to restore energy.
Can attack air units.
Viper adapted from essence taken on Zerus. Primal sequences streamlined. Redundant mutations removed. Stronger. Fit for Swarm. Viper strain abducts targets, emits disabling cloud. Manipulates battlefield conditions to Swarm's advantage.
Mutalisks are available to Kerrigan and Abathur in Co-op Missions. Kerrigan is able to evolve her mutalisks into brood lords, while Abathur's evolve into guardians and devourers. Both require a greater spire to evolve their mutalisks.[11][12]
Mutalisks gain +3% hit points, +1% attack speed and +1% Biotic Leech per stack of Biomass. Can stack up to 100 Biomass. Passive: Heal 1% hit points per Biomass.
Essence Hoarder: Mutalisks can collect an additional 25 Biomass (summary 125).
The Limitless: Mutalisks can collect an additional 100 Biomass (summary 200), but gain +1.5% hit points, +0.5% attack speed and +0.5% Biotic Leech per stack.
Usage
Range
4
Notes
The amount of collected biomass vary, based on difficulty and the amount of supply consumed by the killed enemy unit:
Collect 5 biomass per supply (Casual and Normal)
Collect 4 biomass per supply (Hard)
Collect 2.5 biomass per supply (Brutal)
Hit Points: +3.6 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 480 Attack Speed: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 0.76 Biotic Leech: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 100%
With Essence Hoarder
Effect
Hit Points: +3.6 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 570 Attack Speed: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 0.68 Biotic Leech: +1% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 125%
With The Limitless
Effect
Hit Points: +1.8 per Biomass. Up to a maximum 480 Attack Speed: +0.5% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 0.76 Biotic Leech: +0.5% per Biomass. Up to a maximum 100%
Mutalisks lost the ability to morph into anti-ground flyers because the anti-air corruptor became "useless" once the zerg player had "swept the sky." The corruptor needed the morph more.[15]
There was some community concern about the effects of massed mutalisks against protoss. Blizzard considered whether a change was truly necessary in early 2012.[16]
Heart of the Swarm[]
Mutalisks had two upgrades in the campaign that were cut. One, called "Fibrous Core," increased their maximum life by 35. The other, "Interlocking Scales," gave the mutalisk +1 armor.[17]
In Balance Update #8 of the beta, the mutalisk's speed increased from 3.75 to 4. Balance Update #9 added the Mutalisk Regeneration passive, where it was renamed Tissue Regeneration in Balance Update #11 and had its tooltip updated.
↑There has not been extensive testing of this yet, but in terms of Mutalisks, players will be able to stack, but it will be much harder to keep them clumped up. As more info surfaces about this, I will keep you informed. Karune. 2008-08-28. Karune About stacking!!Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-08-28.
↑Also, Mutalisks at first in StarCraft II while slowed down a bit before they attacked, but the code has been fixed to allow it to attack on the move like the original StarCraft. Karune. 2008-08-28. Karune About stacking!!Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-08-28.
↑Thors and Marines (with stimpack and the additional hp upgrade) are quite effective against mass Mutalisks. Additionally as mentioned already in this thread, BCs are also very effective, especially with its new missile barrage ability (but of course this is at a later tech). Groups of stalkers are also lethal against mutalisks. Ghosts are good at taking out mutalisks as well, since they get a bonus to light armor, and have a very long range. Add that to snipe, cloak, or a bunker and it is quite a formidable counter as well. Karune. 2008-11-05. Karune, how is Terran air vs Zerg air?Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-11-05.
