A nexus
The nexus (plural nexi,[1] nexus, or nexuses[2]) is the heart of a protoss base.
Overview[]
- Egon Stetmann(src)
A nexus
The nexus is a mammoth, pyramidal structure that looms over each and every protoss settlement. It serves as a psychic anchor, allowing the protoss to access the psionic matrix from even across the galaxy.[3] Technological advancements made after the Brood War have enabled nexi to manipulate space and time itself.[1] The nexus also manufactures probes[3] and has a processing center for minerals and vespene gas.[4]
A Tal'darim nexus
Khaydarin crystals are located within each nexus. They can be used as a defensive measure when the psionic matrix is supercharged by a mothership core. In turn, each nexus is linked to these cores through its khaydarin crystals, and can serve as a warp beacon to initiate recall.[5] After being refitted by numerous daelaam phase-smiths in the wake of the Brood War,[1] nexii were given the ability to produce a burst of energy that creates a chronal distortion field, briefly accelerating the production of a single structure.[4]
The nexus has windows, which can be penetrated by a C-10 rifle round.[6]
Long ago, the Tal'darim adapted a captured Khalai nexus to maximize its architectural brutality, with a supercharged khaydarin crystal restrained by psionic prongs at its peak. The Ihan-rii meanwhile are very secretive regarding their nexii, though from the outside distant heartbeat sounds and strange undulations can be heard.[1]
Game Structure[]
StarCraft[]
The nexus serves as the hub of any protoss base. Unlike most other protoss buildings it can be warped in without a pylon. It constructs probes and serves as a processing center for minerals and vespene gas.
In StarCraft: Remastered, an "Aiur nexus" skin is available for those who pre-ordered the game.[7]
Upgrades[]
- +1 armor bonus to shields per level for all units and structures.
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Development[]
In the StarCraft beta, the stargate was originally known as the nexus.[8]
StarCraft: Ghost[]
A nexus model in StarCraft: Ghost
|
This article or section contains information about StarCraft: Ghost, which has been declared non-canon. Elements may be taken as 'flavor lore' however.
The content may be significantly out of date. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details. |
The nexus was set to appear in StarCraft: Ghost.[9]
StarCraft II[]
The nexus remains much the same in terms of cost, appearance and function in StarCraft II. The protoss core macromanagement ability has been moved here.[10]
Chrono Boost gives the player the choice of affecting the nexus, gateway, stargate, robotics facility or boosting upgrades at other structures—almost any building in the protoss base can be an option.
In Patch 4.0, the nexus was given the mass recall ability, allowing it to teleport all of the players unit to a target nexus. This ability has a global 130 second cooldown across all nexii. With Patch 4.12, an additional Battery Overcharge ability was added, allowing a shield battery nearby a nexus to increase their shield restoration rate without using energy for 14 seconds, with a 60 second cooldown global to all nexii.
One additional attribute is that it can now warp in the mothership. Before patch 4.0, the nexus could warp in the mothership core, but this was removed with the unit.
Abilities[]
This ability increases the production speed of a structure by 50% for 20 seconds.
It has no effect on allied buildings and cannot be used on incomplete buildings.
| Usage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Recalls all allied units in the target area (2.5 radius) to the Nexus.
The cooldown for this ability is global for all Nexuses. Does not share a cooldown with the mothership Strategic Recall ability.
| Usage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Overcharges a target Shield Battery near a Nexus, increasing its shield restoration rate by 50% and allowing it to restore shields without consuming energy for 14 seconds.
| Usage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Building Upgrades[]
- +1 armor to shields per level.
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
Heart of the Swarm[]
The mothership core is built from the nexus in StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. The mothership is no longer produced from the nexus, instead being built from the mothership core.
In Heart of the Swarm, the mothership core uses this ability on a nexus, which gains a photon cannon-like weapon. The weapon has range 13, targets air and ground and deals 20 damage. The weapon lasts 60 seconds and has its own cooldown of 1.25.
In Legacy of the Void, this ability is cast on pylons, dealing 30 damage[11] with a cooldown of .71 seconds.[12]
| Usage | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Teleports all units in an area 7[13] from a mothership core or mothership to a nexus. The ability is cast through a simple button click on a nexus.
| Usage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Co-op Missions[]
Artanis, Vorazun, Karax, Alarak and Fenix use nexus with primary structure. Unlike multiplayer nexus uses Chrono Boost as in the Legacy of the Void campaign. Zeratul use Ancient nexus.
Artanis Upgrades and Abilities[]
Places target structure in a Chrono Boost, causing it to operate 22.5% faster.
Can be used on allied structures.
| Usage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
| Usage |
|---|
|
Passive
|
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Vorazun Upgrades and Abilities[]
Places target structure in a Chrono Boost, causing it to operate 22.5% faster.
Can be used on allied structures.
| Usage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
| Usage |
|---|
|
Passive
|
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Karax Upgrades and Abilities[]
Places target structure in a Chrono Boost, causing it to operate 22.5% faster.
Can be used on allied structures.
Architect of War: Chrono Boost can be used on defensive structures, increasing their attack speed.
Solarite Celestial: Chrono Boosts are unavailable.
| Usage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
| Usage |
|---|
|
Passive
|
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
Alarak Upgrades and Abilities[]
Places target structure in a Chrono Boost, causing it to operate 22.5% faster.
Can be used on allied structures.
| Usage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
| Usage |
|---|
|
Passive
|
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
Fenix Upgrades and Abilities[]
Places target structure in a Chrono Boost, causing it to operate 22.5% faster.
Can be used on allied structures.
| Usage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
| Usage |
|---|
|
Passive
|
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
Achievements[]
 Carnage Hall
| |
| Points |
10 |
| Criteria |
Destroy 4 Command Centers, Hatcheries, or Nexuses in a single Unranked or Ranked game. |
| Notes | |
|
Destroyed incomplete buildings are counted. | |
| Edit | |
 Denied
| |
| Points |
10 |
| Criteria |
Destroy an enemy Command Center, Hatchery, or Nexus while it is under construction in an Unranked or Ranked game. |
| Edit | |
Development[]
The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft II which is no longer valid.
|
Early nexus render
The nexus went through many small changes. As a primary structure, the scale was adjusted often, specifically the pyramid shape in the middle. The only significant overhaul was done with the intention of increasing the polycount on the curved surfaces around the structure.[15]
The chrono boost ability was briefly removed during the beta of Legacy of the Void.[11]
The nexus will undergo a redesign in an upcoming patch to account for the removal of the mothership core. Its chrono boost ability will be redesigned, it will gain the mass recall ability, and gain a shield boost ability. It will start with 50 energy as opposed to the current 0.[16]
Trivia[]
Ruins of a nexus
- A "nexus" is a term that refers to "a central or focal point," or "a connection or series of connections linking two or more things." This fits the nexus given its central role in the protoss tech tree.
- The Nexus is the name of the primary setting of Heroes of the Storm. Its shared name with the protoss nexus is brought up by Jim Raynor in the game's original tutorial, though this has since been removed.
- A nexus features in the Blizzard World map in Overwatch. The ride itself is called "The Nexus Experience."
Images[]
References[]
- ā 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. Collections Tab: Skins. October 17, 2016.
- ā Wiktionary. The plural form of the noun in Latin is nexÅ«s, so in English the plural can be either "nexuses" or left unchanged as "nexus."
- ā 3.0 3.1 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
- ā 4.0 4.1 Barba, Rick. StarCraft Field Manual (hardcover). Insight Editions, November 17, 2015.
- ā 2014-11-20, Mothership Core Science. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2014-11-26.
- ā Robert Brooks (w), Carlos RodrĆguez (i) and Andrew Dalhouse (c). (October 10, 2019). StarCraft II: This Sacred Land: Part 3. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: This Sacred Land: Part 3 Accessed 2019-10-10.
- ā 2017-06-29, StarCraft: Remastered Arrives August 14. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2017-07-01.
- ā Klear, StarCraft 1 beta. StarCraft Wire. Accessed on 2009-07-13.
- ā 2014-18-12, StarCraft: Ghost Demo Build. Dropbox.com, accessed on 2020-02-16.
- ā CoTweet. 2010-02-08. The #StarCraft2 protoss core macro ability has moved to the nexus. #SCUpdate. Twitter (StarCraft). Accessed 2010-02-08.
- ā 11.0 11.1 11.2 2015-09-03, Legacy of the Void Beta Balance Update -- September 3, 2015. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-09-06
- ā 12.0 12.1 12.2 2016-01-29, Legacy of the Void Balance Update -- January 29, 2016. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2016-01-30
- ā 13.0 13.1 Aldrexus. 2012-09-28. Balance Update #4 (9/28/2012). Heart of the Swarm Beta Discussion. Accessed 2012-09-30.
- ā 2015-05-14, Legacy of the Void Beta Balance Update -- May 14, 2015. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-05-20
- ā 2011, SC2: Protoss Nexus. Deviantart, accessed on 2011-02-19.
- ā 2017-08-17, StarCraft II Multiplayer - Major Design Changes. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2017-08-20.