Post by Magma on Feb 10, 2008 17:26:46 GMT -5
Already announced updates to date:
Protoss Units so far:
Zealot, Immortal, Stalker, Phase Prism, Phoenix, Colossus, Warp Ray, Twilight Archon, Dark Templar,
Mothership, Carrier, Observer.
Structures: Gateway/Warpgate, Stargate.
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Protoss Bio.
With their highly advanced technology and potent psionic abilities, the protoss once considered themselves the most powerful species in the galaxy. Their war with the zerg has proved otherwise: even the most individually capable warrior cannot overcome such insurmountable numbers. The lesson has been a hard one for the protoss, for their society is built around core philosophies that have been rigidly adhered to for over a thousand years. However, the zerg invasion of the protoss homeworld of Aiur has brought the race to a crossroads: the protoss must embrace change if they are to survive and prevail. Now new tactics and technologies are being brought to bear in the increasingly desperate battle against the zerg, and ancient, terrible weapons the protoss set aside long ago are being unleashed.
The protoss have never been a prolific people and have traditionally bolstered their numbers with a variety of robotic war machines. Individual protoss warriors are unsurpassed in their skills, greatly enhanced by the combination of technology and formidable psionic strength. Nonetheless, the protoss must rely on mobility and surprise to maximize their advantages without getting drawn into a battle of attrition. One of their greatest strengths lies in their fleet, which boasts a variety of ships powerful enough to pound an enemy to atoms.
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Units
Zealot-
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Psionic Blades
Role: Assault Warrior
For over a thousand years the Templar caste of the protoss have defended their people from threats both internal and external, dedicating their long lives to the pursuit of martial perfection. Zealots are peerless templar warriors who have yet to achieve the uppermost ranks of the Khala. Ever eager for battle, zealots train constantly to attune themselves more closely to the Khala's disciplines and prove themselves worthy of advancement. They exemplify the unbridled ferocity of the protoss at war.
The formidable physique of a zealot is further enhanced by cybernetic implants and their coveted power suit. Yet a zealot is far more than the technology they bear. Each zealot is trained for decades in hand-to-hand combat, tactics, pain tolerance and martial discipline. Zealots are taught to hate their enemies with a white hot passion and to hunt them down without mercy.
All protoss have some psionic power. Zealots focus their powers exclusively on the pursuit of war. Focus crystals in their heavy forearm units enable zealots to channel their strength of will into blades of pure psionic energy - their primary melee weapons. Using a limited form of precognition, zealots can even predict enemy movements, striking with deadly accuracy and dodging attacks by inches.
Some zealots have even developed the ability to turn their body into pure energy for a few microseconds. This allows them to move at lightning-fast speeds and strike suddenly against an enemy that thinks they are out of range.
In recent times the zerg invasion of the protoss homeworld of Aiur forced its evacuation to the distant dark templar world of Shakuras. The Templar caste as a whole, and the zealots in particular, seethe with shame at this dishonor. Many and loud are the voices raised demanding a return to Aiur, cradle of the protoss civilization. The zealots have thrown themselves into an even more rigorous program of training in preparation for the glorious day when their services will be called upon once more.
Immortal- (they named a unit after us! lol)
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Twin Phase Disruptors
Role: Ranged Assault Support
Before the loss of Aiur, veteran protoss warriors who had been crippled in battle could volunteer to continue their service by being transplanted into dragoon exoskeletons. Now the dragoons of the past are all but gone. The sacred shrine that was dedicated to the creation of the dragoons was infested by the zerg and lost along with the protoss homeworld itself.
The remaining dragoons have become the immortals, refitted with twin phase disruptors and hardened energy shields that can shrug off the most powerful weapon strikes - though at the cost of leaving them more vulnerable to the pinprick attacks of lesser foes. The heavily armed and shielded immortals give critical fire support to the ferocious legions of zealots by eliminating enemy artillery and ranged attackers, allowing the zealots to close in and complete their work of destruction.
Protoss Immortals' shields are very effective against Siege TanksBut the loss of every immortal is keenly felt. These ancient warriors are a dying breed pledged to give their all in the end times of their people. They stand on the front lines of the final war, sacrificing themselves to buy their race a few more days or hours. Soon none will remain.
Stalker-
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Chronal Web
Role: High Mobility Scout / Ambusher
The dark templar are a branch of the protoss race that refused to surrender their individuality to the encompassing psionic gestalt of the Khala. In ages past they were exiled from the protoss homeworld of Aiur. They eventually found a new home on the distant planet Shakuras.
Denied the support of the great forges and armories of Aiur, the dark templar were forced to find new ways to defend themselves from a hostile universe. By focusing their inner psionic strength and drawing power from the Void the dark templar learned to mask their presence and strike unseen from the shadows. The defiant exiles perfected techniques to spread terror and confusion among their enemies by assassinating leaders and destroying vital structures. Ultimately the dark templar came to rival even the mighty zealots in combat.
However, the overthrow of Aiur has proven that guile alone cannot defeat a foe as relentless as the zerg. Inspired by the ancient and honored dragoon walkers the dark templar have begun to build war machines of their own. The stalker is a machine controlled by the shadow-essence of a dark templar warrior fused into a metal body to protect his people.
Swift and deadly, stalkers have been credited with many fantastic powers in recent conflicts. Nevertheless the only one that has been witnessed consistently is the ability to instantly teleport or 'blink' from one spot to another. This ability enables stalkers to strike from unexpected quarters, catch a fleeing foe, or escape an unfavorable encounter.
Protoss Stalker's blink ability lets it scale up to elevated positions where line of sight is availableThe deadly particle disruptors mounted on the stalker's carapace are adept at crippling both ground and air targets. Ambushes by groups of stalkers have brought fiery doom upon many attack wings that thought themselves safe from retribution.
Phase Prism-
Builds From: Robotics Facility
Armament: None
Role: Tactical Transport
For thousands of years the protoss have studied the nature of time and space. Through their painstaking studies and experiments protoss researchers have uncovered many of the secrets of the universe. Using psionic manufacturing processes, the protoss have learned how to create a robotic mind whose programming is built into the molecules of an advanced crystal lattice. This "crystal computer" is able to manipulate matter and energy with a precision no ordinary organic mind could comprehend.
The protoss use these "phase prisms" in several ways. The primary function of a phase prism is to transport protoss forces on the battlefield. Living and inorganic subjects are transformed into energy, and their unique signature imprinted into the prism's crystal lattice core. On reaching the desired destination the operation is reversed and the stored energy signatures are reconfigured into matter in proximity to the phase prism.
Phase Prism's power ability in conjunction with Warp Gates allows Protoss to quickly field reinforcementsA secondary but no less vital function of the phase prism is to act as a mobile focus for the protoss psionic matrix. Once the prism is deployed it can power protoss structures around it. In this configuration phase prisms can be used to temporarily replace destroyed pylons in a colony or enable the rapid establishment of a forward base of operations.
Phase Prism can power Protoss buildings in absence of a Pylon
Phoenix-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Twin Ion Cannons
Role: Air Superiority Fighter
The phoenix is a swift and deadly spacecraft that is rapidly replacing the older scouts and corsairs in the role of fighter for the protoss. Phoenix patrols are a common sight on the outer rim of protoss territory, where they sweep deep space for alien threats. The twin ion blaster armament of a phoenix is highly suited to air-to-air combat and can also be used for strafing light ground targets.
Sophisticated and lethal as the phoenix may be, all too often a patrol squadron will find itself heavily outnumbered by zerg or terran enemies. To overcome this weakness, phoenix pilots have developed a dangerous counter-ploy. A phoenix pilot can unleash a short-lived storm of destruction by overloading its warp field through the ship's ion blasters.
Phoenix vs Warp RaysThe area-effect discharge is devastating and can destroy a large number of enemies at once, but it comes at a price: in the aftermath the phoenix is left temporarily powerless and crippled. Wary foes have learned to flee a phoenix overload and return moments later to destroy the helpless craft. In turn phoenix pilots have begun to use staggered discharges to catch their enemies in a web of destruction.
Phoenix vs MutalisksThese desperate tactics are frowned upon by protoss commanders, but have become tacitly accepted as a necessity in the desperate times facing the protoss. Through extraordinary dedication and bravery, these daring pilots have done much to even the odds
Colossus-
Builds From: Robotics Facility
Armament: Twin Thermal Lances
Role: Heavy Support
The towering colossus is a protoss robot design dating back to the bloody conflicts of the Kalath Intercession. It strides across the battlefield on four tall, slender legs which give it an extremely high level of mobility. The great height of the machine allows it to step up and down cliffs and other steep elevations with little difficulty, and gives it a dominating field of fire.
The immense height of a colossus means it is vulnerable to attack from both anti-ground and anti-air units and structuresThe heavily armored hull of the colossus carries two powerful thermal lances: one mounted on each side of its body. Complex focusing and targeting systems are used to pinpoint the continuous damage output of the thermal lances for optimal efficiency. As a target is destroyed, the lances are switched to a new target instantly so that a colossus' beam cuts a fiery swathe of destruction through multiple enemies with each firing cycle.
Taking advantage of higher groundThe colossus is unusual for the fact that it was created purely as a war machine. Most protoss robots are created for industrial or resource-gathering purposes. Even the much-feared reaver is at its core a mobile manufacturing unit re-tasked to the creation of scarab drones for long-range bombardment. The mass slaughter unleashed on the kalathi by roving colossi appalled the protoss.
At the time, the Conclave outlawed the manufacture of colossi, and existing machines were deactivated before being sealed away in distant asteroids and uninhabited moons. Centuries later the war against the zerg has brought forth these engines of destruction to do battle once more.
Warpray-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Prismatic Beam
Role: Long-range Bombardment
The reunification of the Aiur protoss and the dark templar has been a time of great trials for both peoples. Overcoming the centuries of fear and mistrust that built up after the exile of the dark templar is no easy task. Nonetheless, the melding of technologies that developed along separate paths for so long has heralded spectacular new developments for the protoss. One such creation is the warp ray, a new capital vessel that many believe will eventually replace the venerable protoss carrier as flagship of the protoss fleet.
A warp ray is a ship virtually built around a single gigantic power source: the prismatic core. This device seethes with energy drawn from two realms: the Void, which is truly understood only by the dark templar, and the psionic matrix, which underpins the technologies of the Aiur protoss. In combination these two energies form a self-sustaining reaction of terrifying potential.
Warp rays assault a terran barracksNormally the prismatic core is held in check by an arrangement of flux field projectors. When a warp ray locks on to a target, the projector arms smoothly part like the petals of a flower. A complex array of warp lenses and phase-crystals works to focus the energies of the prismatic core into a ravening beam of destruction.
Protoss warp rays and phoenix engage terran battlecruisersAs the prismatic beam is held on the target, more of the focusing array becomes aligned, and up to three individual power streams combine together. Over a few seconds the beam's intensity and power grow exponentially. Few enemies can withstand the awful power of the prismatic beam for long: even large and heavily armored targets like buildings or battlecruisers are incinerated in moments
Twilight Archon-
Builds From: Merging Templar
Armament: Psionic Shockwave
Role: Heavy Assault
Every protoss has a level of psionic capability that is extremely rare among terrans. The protoss of the Templar caste devote their long lives to honing their powerful abilities for war. Of these dedicated individuals, only the most adept and disciplined in the ways of the Khala can hope to eventually rise to the honored rank of high templar. The terrifying power of the high templar is rightly feared by the enemies of the protoss. A mere handful of these potent individuals can lay waste to entire armies of foes.
Twilight archons spearhead an assault on the terransThe dark templar hail from very different roots, but the powers at their command are no less awe-inspiring. While the high templar unleash fire and lightning, the dark templar stalk the shadows, swathed in darkness. However, both branches of the templar tradition share the ability to merge their souls to form a deadly archon.
ConceptThese swirling, burning effigies of the protoss spirit radiate incalculable power. Their devastating psionic storms can be unleashed against cowering enemy forces both in the air and on the ground. With the halves of the protoss race reunited, an archon can now be brought into being by the merge of two high templar, or two dark templar, or even the unification of a dark templar and a high templar. Although the protoss are loath to sacrifice valuable templar, those who do achieve this final level of commitment are forever honored in the memories of their people.
Dark Templar-
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Modified Warp Blade
Role: Stealth Infiltrator
The dark templar are powerful psionic warriors whose forebears were exiled from the protoss homeworld of Aiur over a thousand years ago. The protoss who would eventually become the dark templar were banished for their refusal to join the emerging Khala, the communal mind link shared by all protoss, and the accompanying caste system enforced by the ruling Conclave of the protoss.
Some protoss rejected this movement, believing that their individual identities would be erased to further the suffocating rule of the Conclave. They even went so far as to sever the long nerve tendrils that characterize the protoss. This act symbolically and literally cut them off from the primal chord of their race. The Conclave saw these rogues as a threat to the new order and charged the Templar caste with hunting and destroying them.
The templar, led by the idealistic warrior Adun, could not bring themselves to slay fellow protoss and thus hid them. The Conclave's fears appeared justified when Aiur was lashed by a wave of violent psionic storms unleashed by the undisciplined minds of the rebels. The Conclave was not willing to punish the templar openly for their disobedience because doing so would reveal the existence of the rebels. Instead, the dissident protoss were loaded aboard an ancient but functional xel'naga vessel and launched into space.
Dark templar ambush a terran baseThe exiled protoss wandered far before eventually making a new home on the twilight world of Shakuras. They developed a solitary and independent culture, with individuals often widely scattered across space in their own ships, exploring and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. Over time these dark templar have learned to wield a very different kind of psionic strength than that of the Khala: the energies of the Void, the dark spaces between worlds.
The dark templar are most renowned for their ability to bend light around their bodies to become invisible at will, and a true master of the Void can achieve much greater feats than this. Armed with their potent warp blades, the dark templar are deadly and relentless foes, capable of crippling conventional forces with their devastating strikes.
Dark templar can be quickly deployed using warp gate technologyThough severed from their homeworld and feared by their own brethren for many centuries, the dark templar never abandoned their love of Aiur. In recent times they were reunited with the protoss of their homeworld when the heroes Tassadar and Zeratul joined forces to fight the zerg Overmind. The Overmind was defeated, but the planet Aiur was ravaged in the process and so badly overrun by zerg that the survivors retreated to Shakuras. Now the protoss who were once exiled find themselves playing host to refugees from their old home.
Mothership-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Disruptor Pulse
Role: Capital Ship
Protoss motherships are mighty vessels that were constructed centuries ago during the golden age of protoss expansion. They were intended to act as primary command ships to lead vast armadas of protoss explorers into the darkness of deep space and bring them safely home again. Those days are long gone, and the surviving motherships later became holy shrines to the protoss, representing an honored way of life and a part of the proud history of the protoss race.
At the heart of each mothership is a huge khaydarin crystal infused with an incredible amount of psionic energy. By tapping into this energy, a mothership can warp or crack the very fabric of space and time itself. The devastating power of a mothership can wipe out squadrons of enemy ships in the blink of an eye or lay waste to entire planets. As the golden age reached its apogee, the motherships were left in place as titanic monuments at the farthest reaches of protoss exploration. It was believed that their like would not be needed again.
After the loss of Aiur, however, the motherships were called back into service from the far corners of the galaxy. Now they are crewed not with mystics and historians, but with warriors. The oldest and most powerful weapons of the protoss have been awakened and are prepared to burn the galaxy to avenge the loss of the protoss homeworld.
Carrier-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Interceptors
Role: Capital Ship
The massive carriers serve as operations centers for leaders of the protoss fleets. Heavily armored and shielded, carriers can punch their way through enemy blockades by unleashing flights of robotic interceptors at vital enemy targets. These maneuverable, computer-guided craft tear through enemy flight formations and relentlessly strafe slower ground targets with potent plasma charges.
Interceptors are automatically manufactured and serviced inside the carriers’ bays, and a number of prepped interceptors can be launched in rapid succession. In battle, carriers appear to be virtual hornets’ nests of activity as their agile offspring dart out to launch their attacks and retreat just as rapidly to repair any damage they sustain. Terran scientists have long yearned for an opportunity to study just how the smoothly orchestrated operations of a carrier are achieved in detail.
Most carriers have no weapon batteries of any kind, but their deployment of interceptor flights makes them devastating in a ship-to-ship battle. However, a handful of heavily armed "super carriers" exist, most famously the Gantrithor. This was the flagship of Executor Tassadar when he led a protoss expeditionary force in its attempts to eradicate the zerg in terran space. The Gantrithor was powerful enough that it single-handedly defeated an entire terran battlecruiser squadron under the command of General Edmund Duke. Tassadar later sacrificed himself and his ship to destroy the zerg Overmind when it manifested on Aiur
Observer-
Builds From: Robotics Facility
Armament: None
Role: Scout
These small drones are employed to survey vast wasteland areas or observe and record battles for study within the protoss archives. Their complex sensor array leaves little energy for defenses, but they can detect cloaked or concealed enemies with ease. This ability makes observers invaluable auxiliary units on the battlefield.
Observers that are used for deep-space exploration are often deployed without any defensive systems. However, those destined for use in a combat zone are equipped with a micro-cloaking field to hide them from the enemy. The small sensor signature of an observer means that the drone does not have to drain its energy in order to maintain the field over long periods.
---------Protoss Structures---------
Gateway-
Builds: Zealot, Immortal, Stalker, Dark Templar, ...
The protoss' ability to manipulate time and space far surpasses the limited understanding of other races. A gateway is a structure capable of opening a spatial rift via which protoss forces can be warped directly from their home territories to the battlefield. A phenomenal amount of energy is required for this operation so, as with all protoss structures, a gateway can only function if it is powered by the psionic matrix formed by a network of pylons or phase prisms.
Once a gateway has been established, it can be reconfigured to an even more remarkable device: a warp gate. The technology used in a warp gate is barely understood even by the advanced sciences of the protoss, having been reverse engineered from ancient Xel’Naga devices found on Aiur and Shakuras. It is a measure of the desperation of the protoss that they are now willing to attempt to build such devices themselves.
Functionally a warp gate is similar to a gateway in that both devices open a spatial rift. However, protoss forces moving through a gateway must emerge in close proximity to the structure, whereas those summoned via a warp gate can be projected to any part of the battlefield that lies within the psionic matrix.
When used in combination with the mobile phase prisms, warp gates allow the protoss unprecedented flexibility in their force deployment. Warp gates can transport protoss warriors directly to the front lines, send defenders to a beleaguered outpost, or build up attack groups in unexpected sectors. Enemy commanders must be constantly on the lookout for phase prisms or they can quickly find an entire protoss army deployed on their doorstep.
Stargate-
Builds: Phoenix, Warp Ray, Mothership, ...
The warships of the protoss fleet require a much stronger warp link in order to materialize than a standard gateway can provide. The immense stargate is capable of calling ships from high orbit or across immense distances to appear on a planet surface.
Protoss Units so far:
Zealot, Immortal, Stalker, Phase Prism, Phoenix, Colossus, Warp Ray, Twilight Archon, Dark Templar,
Mothership, Carrier, Observer.
Structures: Gateway/Warpgate, Stargate.
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Protoss Bio.
With their highly advanced technology and potent psionic abilities, the protoss once considered themselves the most powerful species in the galaxy. Their war with the zerg has proved otherwise: even the most individually capable warrior cannot overcome such insurmountable numbers. The lesson has been a hard one for the protoss, for their society is built around core philosophies that have been rigidly adhered to for over a thousand years. However, the zerg invasion of the protoss homeworld of Aiur has brought the race to a crossroads: the protoss must embrace change if they are to survive and prevail. Now new tactics and technologies are being brought to bear in the increasingly desperate battle against the zerg, and ancient, terrible weapons the protoss set aside long ago are being unleashed.
The protoss have never been a prolific people and have traditionally bolstered their numbers with a variety of robotic war machines. Individual protoss warriors are unsurpassed in their skills, greatly enhanced by the combination of technology and formidable psionic strength. Nonetheless, the protoss must rely on mobility and surprise to maximize their advantages without getting drawn into a battle of attrition. One of their greatest strengths lies in their fleet, which boasts a variety of ships powerful enough to pound an enemy to atoms.
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Units
Zealot-
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Psionic Blades
Role: Assault Warrior
For over a thousand years the Templar caste of the protoss have defended their people from threats both internal and external, dedicating their long lives to the pursuit of martial perfection. Zealots are peerless templar warriors who have yet to achieve the uppermost ranks of the Khala. Ever eager for battle, zealots train constantly to attune themselves more closely to the Khala's disciplines and prove themselves worthy of advancement. They exemplify the unbridled ferocity of the protoss at war.
The formidable physique of a zealot is further enhanced by cybernetic implants and their coveted power suit. Yet a zealot is far more than the technology they bear. Each zealot is trained for decades in hand-to-hand combat, tactics, pain tolerance and martial discipline. Zealots are taught to hate their enemies with a white hot passion and to hunt them down without mercy.
All protoss have some psionic power. Zealots focus their powers exclusively on the pursuit of war. Focus crystals in their heavy forearm units enable zealots to channel their strength of will into blades of pure psionic energy - their primary melee weapons. Using a limited form of precognition, zealots can even predict enemy movements, striking with deadly accuracy and dodging attacks by inches.
Some zealots have even developed the ability to turn their body into pure energy for a few microseconds. This allows them to move at lightning-fast speeds and strike suddenly against an enemy that thinks they are out of range.
In recent times the zerg invasion of the protoss homeworld of Aiur forced its evacuation to the distant dark templar world of Shakuras. The Templar caste as a whole, and the zealots in particular, seethe with shame at this dishonor. Many and loud are the voices raised demanding a return to Aiur, cradle of the protoss civilization. The zealots have thrown themselves into an even more rigorous program of training in preparation for the glorious day when their services will be called upon once more.
Immortal- (they named a unit after us! lol)
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Twin Phase Disruptors
Role: Ranged Assault Support
Before the loss of Aiur, veteran protoss warriors who had been crippled in battle could volunteer to continue their service by being transplanted into dragoon exoskeletons. Now the dragoons of the past are all but gone. The sacred shrine that was dedicated to the creation of the dragoons was infested by the zerg and lost along with the protoss homeworld itself.
The remaining dragoons have become the immortals, refitted with twin phase disruptors and hardened energy shields that can shrug off the most powerful weapon strikes - though at the cost of leaving them more vulnerable to the pinprick attacks of lesser foes. The heavily armed and shielded immortals give critical fire support to the ferocious legions of zealots by eliminating enemy artillery and ranged attackers, allowing the zealots to close in and complete their work of destruction.
Protoss Immortals' shields are very effective against Siege TanksBut the loss of every immortal is keenly felt. These ancient warriors are a dying breed pledged to give their all in the end times of their people. They stand on the front lines of the final war, sacrificing themselves to buy their race a few more days or hours. Soon none will remain.
Stalker-
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Chronal Web
Role: High Mobility Scout / Ambusher
The dark templar are a branch of the protoss race that refused to surrender their individuality to the encompassing psionic gestalt of the Khala. In ages past they were exiled from the protoss homeworld of Aiur. They eventually found a new home on the distant planet Shakuras.
Denied the support of the great forges and armories of Aiur, the dark templar were forced to find new ways to defend themselves from a hostile universe. By focusing their inner psionic strength and drawing power from the Void the dark templar learned to mask their presence and strike unseen from the shadows. The defiant exiles perfected techniques to spread terror and confusion among their enemies by assassinating leaders and destroying vital structures. Ultimately the dark templar came to rival even the mighty zealots in combat.
However, the overthrow of Aiur has proven that guile alone cannot defeat a foe as relentless as the zerg. Inspired by the ancient and honored dragoon walkers the dark templar have begun to build war machines of their own. The stalker is a machine controlled by the shadow-essence of a dark templar warrior fused into a metal body to protect his people.
Swift and deadly, stalkers have been credited with many fantastic powers in recent conflicts. Nevertheless the only one that has been witnessed consistently is the ability to instantly teleport or 'blink' from one spot to another. This ability enables stalkers to strike from unexpected quarters, catch a fleeing foe, or escape an unfavorable encounter.
Protoss Stalker's blink ability lets it scale up to elevated positions where line of sight is availableThe deadly particle disruptors mounted on the stalker's carapace are adept at crippling both ground and air targets. Ambushes by groups of stalkers have brought fiery doom upon many attack wings that thought themselves safe from retribution.
Phase Prism-
Builds From: Robotics Facility
Armament: None
Role: Tactical Transport
For thousands of years the protoss have studied the nature of time and space. Through their painstaking studies and experiments protoss researchers have uncovered many of the secrets of the universe. Using psionic manufacturing processes, the protoss have learned how to create a robotic mind whose programming is built into the molecules of an advanced crystal lattice. This "crystal computer" is able to manipulate matter and energy with a precision no ordinary organic mind could comprehend.
The protoss use these "phase prisms" in several ways. The primary function of a phase prism is to transport protoss forces on the battlefield. Living and inorganic subjects are transformed into energy, and their unique signature imprinted into the prism's crystal lattice core. On reaching the desired destination the operation is reversed and the stored energy signatures are reconfigured into matter in proximity to the phase prism.
Phase Prism's power ability in conjunction with Warp Gates allows Protoss to quickly field reinforcementsA secondary but no less vital function of the phase prism is to act as a mobile focus for the protoss psionic matrix. Once the prism is deployed it can power protoss structures around it. In this configuration phase prisms can be used to temporarily replace destroyed pylons in a colony or enable the rapid establishment of a forward base of operations.
Phase Prism can power Protoss buildings in absence of a Pylon
Phoenix-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Twin Ion Cannons
Role: Air Superiority Fighter
The phoenix is a swift and deadly spacecraft that is rapidly replacing the older scouts and corsairs in the role of fighter for the protoss. Phoenix patrols are a common sight on the outer rim of protoss territory, where they sweep deep space for alien threats. The twin ion blaster armament of a phoenix is highly suited to air-to-air combat and can also be used for strafing light ground targets.
Sophisticated and lethal as the phoenix may be, all too often a patrol squadron will find itself heavily outnumbered by zerg or terran enemies. To overcome this weakness, phoenix pilots have developed a dangerous counter-ploy. A phoenix pilot can unleash a short-lived storm of destruction by overloading its warp field through the ship's ion blasters.
Phoenix vs Warp RaysThe area-effect discharge is devastating and can destroy a large number of enemies at once, but it comes at a price: in the aftermath the phoenix is left temporarily powerless and crippled. Wary foes have learned to flee a phoenix overload and return moments later to destroy the helpless craft. In turn phoenix pilots have begun to use staggered discharges to catch their enemies in a web of destruction.
Phoenix vs MutalisksThese desperate tactics are frowned upon by protoss commanders, but have become tacitly accepted as a necessity in the desperate times facing the protoss. Through extraordinary dedication and bravery, these daring pilots have done much to even the odds
Colossus-
Builds From: Robotics Facility
Armament: Twin Thermal Lances
Role: Heavy Support
The towering colossus is a protoss robot design dating back to the bloody conflicts of the Kalath Intercession. It strides across the battlefield on four tall, slender legs which give it an extremely high level of mobility. The great height of the machine allows it to step up and down cliffs and other steep elevations with little difficulty, and gives it a dominating field of fire.
The immense height of a colossus means it is vulnerable to attack from both anti-ground and anti-air units and structuresThe heavily armored hull of the colossus carries two powerful thermal lances: one mounted on each side of its body. Complex focusing and targeting systems are used to pinpoint the continuous damage output of the thermal lances for optimal efficiency. As a target is destroyed, the lances are switched to a new target instantly so that a colossus' beam cuts a fiery swathe of destruction through multiple enemies with each firing cycle.
Taking advantage of higher groundThe colossus is unusual for the fact that it was created purely as a war machine. Most protoss robots are created for industrial or resource-gathering purposes. Even the much-feared reaver is at its core a mobile manufacturing unit re-tasked to the creation of scarab drones for long-range bombardment. The mass slaughter unleashed on the kalathi by roving colossi appalled the protoss.
At the time, the Conclave outlawed the manufacture of colossi, and existing machines were deactivated before being sealed away in distant asteroids and uninhabited moons. Centuries later the war against the zerg has brought forth these engines of destruction to do battle once more.
Warpray-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Prismatic Beam
Role: Long-range Bombardment
The reunification of the Aiur protoss and the dark templar has been a time of great trials for both peoples. Overcoming the centuries of fear and mistrust that built up after the exile of the dark templar is no easy task. Nonetheless, the melding of technologies that developed along separate paths for so long has heralded spectacular new developments for the protoss. One such creation is the warp ray, a new capital vessel that many believe will eventually replace the venerable protoss carrier as flagship of the protoss fleet.
A warp ray is a ship virtually built around a single gigantic power source: the prismatic core. This device seethes with energy drawn from two realms: the Void, which is truly understood only by the dark templar, and the psionic matrix, which underpins the technologies of the Aiur protoss. In combination these two energies form a self-sustaining reaction of terrifying potential.
Warp rays assault a terran barracksNormally the prismatic core is held in check by an arrangement of flux field projectors. When a warp ray locks on to a target, the projector arms smoothly part like the petals of a flower. A complex array of warp lenses and phase-crystals works to focus the energies of the prismatic core into a ravening beam of destruction.
Protoss warp rays and phoenix engage terran battlecruisersAs the prismatic beam is held on the target, more of the focusing array becomes aligned, and up to three individual power streams combine together. Over a few seconds the beam's intensity and power grow exponentially. Few enemies can withstand the awful power of the prismatic beam for long: even large and heavily armored targets like buildings or battlecruisers are incinerated in moments
Twilight Archon-
Builds From: Merging Templar
Armament: Psionic Shockwave
Role: Heavy Assault
Every protoss has a level of psionic capability that is extremely rare among terrans. The protoss of the Templar caste devote their long lives to honing their powerful abilities for war. Of these dedicated individuals, only the most adept and disciplined in the ways of the Khala can hope to eventually rise to the honored rank of high templar. The terrifying power of the high templar is rightly feared by the enemies of the protoss. A mere handful of these potent individuals can lay waste to entire armies of foes.
Twilight archons spearhead an assault on the terransThe dark templar hail from very different roots, but the powers at their command are no less awe-inspiring. While the high templar unleash fire and lightning, the dark templar stalk the shadows, swathed in darkness. However, both branches of the templar tradition share the ability to merge their souls to form a deadly archon.
ConceptThese swirling, burning effigies of the protoss spirit radiate incalculable power. Their devastating psionic storms can be unleashed against cowering enemy forces both in the air and on the ground. With the halves of the protoss race reunited, an archon can now be brought into being by the merge of two high templar, or two dark templar, or even the unification of a dark templar and a high templar. Although the protoss are loath to sacrifice valuable templar, those who do achieve this final level of commitment are forever honored in the memories of their people.
Dark Templar-
Builds From: Gateway
Armament: Modified Warp Blade
Role: Stealth Infiltrator
The dark templar are powerful psionic warriors whose forebears were exiled from the protoss homeworld of Aiur over a thousand years ago. The protoss who would eventually become the dark templar were banished for their refusal to join the emerging Khala, the communal mind link shared by all protoss, and the accompanying caste system enforced by the ruling Conclave of the protoss.
Some protoss rejected this movement, believing that their individual identities would be erased to further the suffocating rule of the Conclave. They even went so far as to sever the long nerve tendrils that characterize the protoss. This act symbolically and literally cut them off from the primal chord of their race. The Conclave saw these rogues as a threat to the new order and charged the Templar caste with hunting and destroying them.
The templar, led by the idealistic warrior Adun, could not bring themselves to slay fellow protoss and thus hid them. The Conclave's fears appeared justified when Aiur was lashed by a wave of violent psionic storms unleashed by the undisciplined minds of the rebels. The Conclave was not willing to punish the templar openly for their disobedience because doing so would reveal the existence of the rebels. Instead, the dissident protoss were loaded aboard an ancient but functional xel'naga vessel and launched into space.
Dark templar ambush a terran baseThe exiled protoss wandered far before eventually making a new home on the twilight world of Shakuras. They developed a solitary and independent culture, with individuals often widely scattered across space in their own ships, exploring and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. Over time these dark templar have learned to wield a very different kind of psionic strength than that of the Khala: the energies of the Void, the dark spaces between worlds.
The dark templar are most renowned for their ability to bend light around their bodies to become invisible at will, and a true master of the Void can achieve much greater feats than this. Armed with their potent warp blades, the dark templar are deadly and relentless foes, capable of crippling conventional forces with their devastating strikes.
Dark templar can be quickly deployed using warp gate technologyThough severed from their homeworld and feared by their own brethren for many centuries, the dark templar never abandoned their love of Aiur. In recent times they were reunited with the protoss of their homeworld when the heroes Tassadar and Zeratul joined forces to fight the zerg Overmind. The Overmind was defeated, but the planet Aiur was ravaged in the process and so badly overrun by zerg that the survivors retreated to Shakuras. Now the protoss who were once exiled find themselves playing host to refugees from their old home.
Mothership-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Disruptor Pulse
Role: Capital Ship
Protoss motherships are mighty vessels that were constructed centuries ago during the golden age of protoss expansion. They were intended to act as primary command ships to lead vast armadas of protoss explorers into the darkness of deep space and bring them safely home again. Those days are long gone, and the surviving motherships later became holy shrines to the protoss, representing an honored way of life and a part of the proud history of the protoss race.
At the heart of each mothership is a huge khaydarin crystal infused with an incredible amount of psionic energy. By tapping into this energy, a mothership can warp or crack the very fabric of space and time itself. The devastating power of a mothership can wipe out squadrons of enemy ships in the blink of an eye or lay waste to entire planets. As the golden age reached its apogee, the motherships were left in place as titanic monuments at the farthest reaches of protoss exploration. It was believed that their like would not be needed again.
After the loss of Aiur, however, the motherships were called back into service from the far corners of the galaxy. Now they are crewed not with mystics and historians, but with warriors. The oldest and most powerful weapons of the protoss have been awakened and are prepared to burn the galaxy to avenge the loss of the protoss homeworld.
Carrier-
Builds From: Stargate
Armament: Interceptors
Role: Capital Ship
The massive carriers serve as operations centers for leaders of the protoss fleets. Heavily armored and shielded, carriers can punch their way through enemy blockades by unleashing flights of robotic interceptors at vital enemy targets. These maneuverable, computer-guided craft tear through enemy flight formations and relentlessly strafe slower ground targets with potent plasma charges.
Interceptors are automatically manufactured and serviced inside the carriers’ bays, and a number of prepped interceptors can be launched in rapid succession. In battle, carriers appear to be virtual hornets’ nests of activity as their agile offspring dart out to launch their attacks and retreat just as rapidly to repair any damage they sustain. Terran scientists have long yearned for an opportunity to study just how the smoothly orchestrated operations of a carrier are achieved in detail.
Most carriers have no weapon batteries of any kind, but their deployment of interceptor flights makes them devastating in a ship-to-ship battle. However, a handful of heavily armed "super carriers" exist, most famously the Gantrithor. This was the flagship of Executor Tassadar when he led a protoss expeditionary force in its attempts to eradicate the zerg in terran space. The Gantrithor was powerful enough that it single-handedly defeated an entire terran battlecruiser squadron under the command of General Edmund Duke. Tassadar later sacrificed himself and his ship to destroy the zerg Overmind when it manifested on Aiur
Observer-
Builds From: Robotics Facility
Armament: None
Role: Scout
These small drones are employed to survey vast wasteland areas or observe and record battles for study within the protoss archives. Their complex sensor array leaves little energy for defenses, but they can detect cloaked or concealed enemies with ease. This ability makes observers invaluable auxiliary units on the battlefield.
Observers that are used for deep-space exploration are often deployed without any defensive systems. However, those destined for use in a combat zone are equipped with a micro-cloaking field to hide them from the enemy. The small sensor signature of an observer means that the drone does not have to drain its energy in order to maintain the field over long periods.
---------Protoss Structures---------
Gateway-
Builds: Zealot, Immortal, Stalker, Dark Templar, ...
The protoss' ability to manipulate time and space far surpasses the limited understanding of other races. A gateway is a structure capable of opening a spatial rift via which protoss forces can be warped directly from their home territories to the battlefield. A phenomenal amount of energy is required for this operation so, as with all protoss structures, a gateway can only function if it is powered by the psionic matrix formed by a network of pylons or phase prisms.
Once a gateway has been established, it can be reconfigured to an even more remarkable device: a warp gate. The technology used in a warp gate is barely understood even by the advanced sciences of the protoss, having been reverse engineered from ancient Xel’Naga devices found on Aiur and Shakuras. It is a measure of the desperation of the protoss that they are now willing to attempt to build such devices themselves.
Functionally a warp gate is similar to a gateway in that both devices open a spatial rift. However, protoss forces moving through a gateway must emerge in close proximity to the structure, whereas those summoned via a warp gate can be projected to any part of the battlefield that lies within the psionic matrix.
When used in combination with the mobile phase prisms, warp gates allow the protoss unprecedented flexibility in their force deployment. Warp gates can transport protoss warriors directly to the front lines, send defenders to a beleaguered outpost, or build up attack groups in unexpected sectors. Enemy commanders must be constantly on the lookout for phase prisms or they can quickly find an entire protoss army deployed on their doorstep.
Stargate-
Builds: Phoenix, Warp Ray, Mothership, ...
The warships of the protoss fleet require a much stronger warp link in order to materialize than a standard gateway can provide. The immense stargate is capable of calling ships from high orbit or across immense distances to appear on a planet surface.
