Spire

"Not pictured: unending piles of mutalisk crap."

- A Dominion marine^(src)

The spire

The zerg spire is based on the towering spires of the mantis screamers, although altered to be sustained with creep. It holds the genetic code of the mutalisk. The muscle stalks that make up its core section are flexible, and bend in strong winds. It can be considered the zerg equivalent of an aerospace complex. It retains vestigial air sacs, which were used by the mantis screamers as nests.

A feral spire can support up to 60 mutalisks.

Game Unit

StarCraft

Spire
Structure
Race	Zerg
Production
Minerals	200
Gas	150
Build time	120
Evolves from	Drone
Requires	Lair
Protection
Hit points	600
Armor	1
Function
Evolves to	Greater spire
Allows	Mutalisk Scourge
Research	Flyer Attacks Flyer Carapace

The spire produces the genetic code that allows larvae to morph into mutalisks or split into pairs of scourge. It is capable of mutating into a greater spire after a hive has been developed, enabling the hive cluster to produce guardians and devourers.

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

Building Abilities

Mutate into Greater Spire

Transforms a spire into a greater spire.

Usage
Hotkey G Cost 100 150 120 Spire

Acquisition
Required Hive

Development

An alpha version of the spire

During the StarCraft alpha and beta, the spire possessed a different appearance from their final version which had its model borrowed from the scoria, a canceled zerg structure.

StarCraft II

Spire
Structure
Race	Zerg
Properties
Broodlingsproduced	6
Production
Minerals	200
Gas	200
Build time	71 40 (Co-op Missions) Mastery: -0.8 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 16 (Co-op Abathur)
Evolves from	Drone
Requires	Lair
Hotkey	S
Protection
Hit points	850
Armor	1
Type	Biological Structure
Armor type	Armored
Function
Evolves to	Greater spire
Allows	Mutalisk Corruptor
Research	See below

The spire appears in StarCraft II. It functions identically to its predecessor.

The spire can be transformed into a greater spire.

Researched Upgrades

Flyer Attacks

• +1 base damage for mutalisks
• +1 base damage and +1 bonus damage for corruptors
• +2 base damage for 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

Building Abilities

Mutate into Greater Spire

Transforms a spire into a greater spire.

Usage
Hotkey G Cost 100 150 71

Acquisition
Required Hive

v • e

Co-op Missions

The spire is usable by Kerrigan and Abathur in Co-op Missions. Both allow mutalisks to be spawned, and can be upgraded into a greater spire. Both commanders unlock additional upgrades upon reaching level 11.

Stetmann can morph a variant of the spire named the mecha spire.

Kerrigan upgrades

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 10 health per second when not in combat for 5 seconds.

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

Mutate into Greater spire

Transforms a spire into a greater spire.

Usage
Hotkey L

Acquisition
Cost 100 150 30 Required Hive

v • e

Abathur upgrades

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 10 health per second when not in combat for 5 seconds.

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

Mutate into Greater spire

Transforms a spire into a greater spire.

Usage
Hotkey L

Acquisition
Cost 100 150 30 Mastery: -0.6 per Structure Morph and Evolution Rate mastery point. Down to a minimum 12 Required Hive

v • e

Development

An early render of the spire

The spire was a simple update of the original game's sprite artwork. The challenging aspect of creating the spire in 3D was conveying the height of the building. StarCraft II has height limitations for building models, especially for multiplayer artwork due to the altitude flying units move at. Buildings exceeding certain heights either require air pathing blockers so flying units don't clip through them, or height adjustments so they're lowered under the flight elevation. Air pathing blockers are not an option for multiplayer art, so the spire was lowered for the sake of functionality. Another consideration was making this building somewhat humble so the presence of a greater spire would be more significant.

Variants

• Mecha spire (terran replicant)

Images

Project Simulant spire

Cerberus Program spire

SC1 building wireframe

SC Remastered building wireframe

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