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This article concerns StarCraft/StarCraft: Brood War gameplay. You may be looking for:

The ultralisk is a heavy zerg ground unit in StarCraft.

Overview[]

The ultralisk's attack is hardly impressive for its cost and high tier. Its main advantage is durability, staying power and fear. The ultralisk may lead an attack and draw the first volleys of defensive fire allowing more of the lesser zerg units to survive and close to attack. The ultralisk's relatively slow speed requires some planning to get it to the front rank before the attack. Its large footprint may hinder it and its allies at choke points in addition to making it difficult to re-position once caught in a melee.

Ultralisks become available to the player in the campaign with the mission "Eye for an Eye" in Episode II and "The Kel-Morian Combine" in Episode VI.

Counters

Ultralisks, while having strong armor, are not very effective against groups of units that deal explosive damage or large amounts of it; this includes siege tanks in siege mode, mass dragoons, reavers, dark templars and occasionally, groups of zealots. Spider mines are also effective against ultralisks. Other counters also include archons with support and the battlecruiser's Yamato cannon which can take down more than half an ultralisk's hit points. Psionic storms and irradiate are also capable of damaging an ultralisk severely though not directly killing it.

Zerg counters to ultralisks is with the queens spawn broodlings and guardians.

Upgrades[]

  • +1 bonus per attack per level for broodlings and zerglings.
  • +3 bonus per attack per level for ultralisks.
Acquisition
Purchased from Evolution chamber
Hotkey M
Level 1
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Vespene gas 267seconds
Required Hatchery
Level 2
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 300seconds
Required Lair
Level 3
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 333seconds
Required Hive
Acquisition
Purchased from Evolution chamber
Hotkey C
Level 1
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 267seconds
Level 2
Cost 225 Minerals 225 Vespene gas 300seconds
Required Lair
Level 3
Cost 300 Minerals 300 Vespene gas 333seconds
Required Hive

Brood War[]

ChitPlating Icon SC1
Chitinous Plating
  • +2 bonus to ultralisk armor.
Acquisition
Purchased from Ultralisk cavern
Hotkey C
Cost 150 Minerals 150 Vespene gas 133seconds
AnabolicSynthesis SC1 Upgrd1
Anabolic Synthesis
  • Increases the speed of ultralisks.
Acquisition
Purchased from Ultralisk cavern
Hotkey A
Cost 200 Minerals 200 Vespene gas 133seconds

Quotations[]

Quotes
Trained
Selected Confirming order
Repeatedly selected
Other lines


Development[]

During development, the ultralisk had a "roar" ability. This apparently functioned similarly to the bloodlust ability from Warcraft.[1]

The ultralisk, along with every other unit, was visually upgraded in StarCraft: Remastered. Carrying over its kaiser blades was difficult, as it was difficult to gauge how sharp they were meant to be based on the original sprite.[2]

Notes[]

  • A StarCraft II "Classic" skin modeled after the StarCraft ultralisk is available for purchasing a BlizzCon 2019 physical or virtual ticket, and will be available for purchase at a later date.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Hidden Pics, Angelfire. Accessed on 2018-06-06
  2. 2017-04-21, Remastering StarCraft's Art. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2017-04-21
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