The Spore crawler is a mobile zerg anti-air defensive structure. Terran research of this strain inspired the creation of the shrike turret.[3] It replaces the spore colony as the zerg's primary anti-air defense structure.
The spore crawler had been devised by 2501 and its properties well known to terrans at that time.[4]
Game Unit
A spore crawler attacking
Spore crawlers can move, but can only plant themselves on creep. Their mobility is significantly reduced when they are not on creep, however.
Abilities
This unit or structure can detect cloaked, burrowed, duplicated and hallucination enemies.
Crawlers can uproot themselves from the creep and move about, but can only plant themselves back onto the creep. They move much more quickly on the creep than off it.
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Strategies
Players will want to spread creep onto the map to create more space for their crawlers.[5] Their mobility allows players to simply relocate the crawlers depending on the situation, and as such, they could build them in lesser numbers without weakening the defenses. Like the spine crawler, spore crawlers slowly die if rooted in ground not covered with creep. They can, however, survive indefinitely without creep so long as they are uprooted.
Development
The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft II which is no longer valid.
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Early render of the spore crawler
The concept of mobile defenses in StarCraft II began with the phase cannons, but was transferred to spine and spore crawlers when the phase cannon proved to be unbalanced in testing.[6] Prior to this, crawlers were stationary structures. They underwent a visual re-design late in the game's development cycle.[7]
Crawlers used to lose armor and hit points while uprooted.[8]
References
- ↑ Blizzard Entertainment. Heart of the Swarm Balance Update – May 13, 2013. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2013-05-13.
- ↑ 2015-06-18, Legacy of the Void Beta Balance Update -- June 17, 2015. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-06-26
- ↑ Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Zerg research (in English). 2010.
- ↑ Gerrold, David (w), Fernando Heinz Furukawa (p, i). StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 3 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, March 8, 2011. ISBN 978-1427-81614-6.
- ↑ Pardo, Rob and Zetaras Xal'Kurat. 2008-06-29. WorldWide Invitational 2008: Pictures, Presentations, Videos (StarCraft II Panel: Evolving Design) SC2 Blog. Accessed 2008-06-30.
- ↑ 2011, SC2: Protoss Photon Cannon. Deviantart, accessed on 2011-02-20
- ↑ 2010, SC2: Zerg Crawlers. Deviantart, accessed on 2011-07-01
- ↑ StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-07-16. StarCraft: Legacy Internal Q&A. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-07-17.