Torrasque

"Assimilation of infectious compound provided key to evolution of torrasque strain. Process requires exorbitant energy. Once, provided by Overmind. Now, energy result of tissues being devoured by compound. Upon death, torrasque strain enters cocoon. Uses energy to resuscitate tissues. Extremely resilient."

- Abathur^(src)

A torrasque

The Torrasque (a.k.a. Tarrasque) is a specialist zerg strain based on the ultralisk.

Overview

Extremely resilient, the torrasque is known for its abilities to resurrect itself, though the process requires an exorbitant amount of energy. Once, this energy was provided by the Overmind. Currently, torrasques regenerate through the energy generated by an infectious compound breaking down their tissue. Upon death, the torrasque enters a cocoon, and the energy generated is used to resuscitate them.

Other Information

	The following article or section contains lore from the StarCraft RPG, which is not regarded as canon. Elements may be regarded as 'flavor lore' however.

A torrasque

Only a few torrasques are known to exist. Larger and faster than the more common ultralisk, whole squadrons of infantry and artillery are required to take it down. Without these, the best one can do is flee. Or, better yet, take to the air.

History

"It got back up! Oh, that ain't right!"

- A marine witnessing a torrasque's resurrection^(src)

The Enslaved Torrasque

"I have only heard of these powerful beasts. Many of my brothers have fallen prey to their powerful tusks. The stories say that even if Torrasque appears to be dead, it will be quickly be reincarnated and again be sent against the Swarm's enemies."

- Mojo^(src)

The protoss had encountered Torrasques in the opening stages of the Great War, with many falling to their powerful blades. However, the first terrans known to have encountered the Torrasque were the Schezar's Scavengers mercenary organization. Schezar's psychics used khaydarin crystal technology to control a cerebrate on Aiur and its brood, along with the Torrasque. The Torrasque had already proven deadly against protoss forces sent against Schezar before a renegade former Alpha Squadron detachment led by Wraith pilot Tom Kazansky and science vessel commander Magellan arrived to arrest the Scavengers' leader, Alan Schezar.

Joining forces with Mojo, the renegade terrans assaulted the rogue brood and its keepers. They discovered that the Torrasque regenerated after being "killed". Magellan noted that the Torrasque's genetic signature was similar to the cerebrate's and Mojo theorized that slaying the cerebrate would prevent the resurrection of the Torrasque. The terrans and protoss destroyed the cerebrate, preventing the Torrasque's reincarnation.

The Torrasque on Char

"Sir, we've just had a whole cargo-ship full of whoop-ass dumped on us! We ran into a new strain of Ultralisk and it took a lot o' pepper to bring it down. To top it all off, our recon squad reports that the critter's been reincarnated by a nearby cerebrate and is on its way back for more!"

- A UED marine on Char^(src)

The Torrasque would appear again during the United Earth Directorate's assault on Char. There one of the three cerebrates guarding the Overmind was surrounded by ultralisk caverns that could create the powerful Torrasque. Once again, a cerebrate could resurrect the Torrasque upon its death. The UED's psi disrupter, however, prevented the Overmind from resurrecting its cerebrates. As on Aiur, the death of the controlling cerebrate put an end to the Torrasque.

A Torrasque on Braxis

A Torrasque would find its way to Braxis where it would be placed under Sarah Kerrigan's control by a psi emitter and used to destroy the psi disrupter.

Heart of the Swarm

"Integrating with atrophied evolutionary path. Ultralisk strain: Torrasque. Resuscitates dead tissue. Revives creature."

- Abathur^(src)

The first of the new torrasques

During the Second Great War, the Zerg Swarm under the leadership of Sarah Kerrigan would seek to bolster its strength and recover formerly lost strains of zerg. With the aid of Abathur, Kerrigan could recreate the torrasques. While older torrasques required the power of cerebrates to be revived, new torrasques were genetically modified to use nuclear and radiological components to fuel their regrowth.

Game Unit

StarCraft

For StarCraft gameplay information see: Torrasque (StarCraft).

StarCraft II

For StarCraft gameplay information see: Torrasque (StarCraft II).

StarCraft: The Board Game

The torrasque is available as a hero ultralisk deployable by the Overmind faction in the Brood War expansion to StarCraft: The Board Game.

Heroes of the Storm

	The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm and is not canon to StarCraft continuity

A torrasque may be summoned by Kerrigan's level 20 upgrade to her ultralisk ability in Heroes of the Storm.

Known Torrasques

• Wise Old Torrasque (leader of a mercenary brood)

Trivia

The torrasque may have been inspired by the creature from Dungeons & Dragons called the Tarrasque and/or the Tarasque, from which the former creature was derived.