Starcraft 2 Protoss

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Zealot
• Immortal
• Stalker
• Phase Prism
• Phoenix
• Colossus
  
• Warp Ray
• Twightlight Archon
• Dark Templar

Introduction

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 taught them that even the most calable individial cannot overcome the enormous numbers the zerg possessed. The lesson has been a hard one, for their society is built around core philosophies that have been strictly followed 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. New tactics and technologies are being brought to bear in the i battle against the zerg, and ancient, powerful weapons that were once cast away are now being released.

The protoss have never been large in numbers, and have always upped their numbed with a variety of robotic machines. Individual protoss warriors are unrivaled in their individual skills, greatly enhanced by the combination of technology and incredible psionic strength. The protoss must rely on mobility and surprise to maximize their advantages and not get 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.

The Protoss units at their command are: Zealot, Immortal, Stalker,  Phase Prisms, Pheonix, Collousus, Warp Ray, Twilight Archon, Dark Templar, Mothership, Carrier, Observer.

 

Zealot

Zealots are  templar warriors who have not achieved 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.

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. Zealots focus their powers exclusively on the pursuit of war. Focus crystals in their heavy forearm units allow them to channel their will into blades of psionic energy which is their primary melee weapon. Using a limited form of precognition, zealots can even predict enemy movements, striking with deadly accuracy and dodging attacks by mere inches.

The zerg have recently invaded the protoss homeworld of Aiur, which force them to flee to the templar world of Shakuras. This has caused the zealots to seethe in anger and shame, and have engaged in an even more rigorous program to train in anticpation of when their services will be needed once again.

 

Immortal

Before the zerg invasion of Aiur, veteran protoss warriors who had been injured in battle could volunteer to continue their service by being transplanted into dragoon exoskeletons. However, the dragoons are all but gone, thanks to the zergs that infested the sacred shine dedicated to creating the dragoons.

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,although it leaves them 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 Immortal's shield is very effective against siege tanks.

 

Stalker

The dark templar are a branch of the protoss race that refused to surrender their individuality to the encompassing psionic structure of the Khala. Ages ago, they were exiled from Aiur and made their home on the planet of Shakuras.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 from the shadows. Ultimately the dark templar came to rival even the mighty zealots in combat.

 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.
Stalkers have 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 available.The particle disruptors mounted on the stalker's carapace are able to hit both ground and air targets.

 

Phase Prism

 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 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 ther 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 reinforcements

A secondary  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. Phase prisms can be used to temporarily replace destroyed pylons in a colony or enable the rapid establishment of a forward base of operations.

 

Phoenix

The phoenix is a swift and deadly spacecraft that is 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 on a phoenix is highly suited to air-to-air combat and can also hit light ground units

 Oftentimes a patrol squadron will find itself outnumbered by zerg or terran. To overcome this weakness, phoenix pilots have developed a counter. A phoenix pilot can unload a short burst of devastation by overloading its warp field through the ship's ion blasters.


The area-effect discharge comes at a price, as it leaves the phoenix temporarily powerless and vulnerable. Wary opponents have learned to flee a phoenix overload and return aftward to destroy the vulnerable phoenix craft. A counter to that however is to do staggered discarges.

Colossus

The towering colossus is a protoss robot design dating back to the bloody conflicts of the Kalath Intercession. It moves on 4 tall, slender legs that allow it great mobility. The great hieight of the machine enables it to climb up and down cliffs effortlessly, allow the machine advantegous field of fire. However, the height allows it to be easily attacked by both air and ground units.

The 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. 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.

The colossus is unusual for the fact that it was created purely as a war machine . 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. The war against the zerg has brought forth these engines of destruction to do battle once again.

Warp Ray

 The melding of technologies between the protoss and dark templar has created amazing 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 draws its energy from both the void and the psionic matrix. In combination these two energies form a self-sustaining reaction of awesome potential.

Normally 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  beam of wreckage.

As 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.

Twighlight Archon

These swirling, burning effigies of the protoss spirit wield immense power. Their devastating psionic storms can be unleashed against enemy forces both in the air and on the ground. An archon can be made by merging any combination of two high templar, two dark templar, dark templar and high templar.

Dark Templar

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.

The dark templar are known for their ability to bend light around their bodies to become invisible at will. Armed with their potent warp blades, the dark templar are deadly and relentless foes, capable of crippling forces with their devastating strikes.

Though seperated from their homeworld and feared by their own, 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.