We have gathered three fan created unit concepts that have been posted on the Battle.net forums. These are interesting concepts, graphically and gameplay-wise, and discussion about their place in the game is warranted (and just plain fun!).
On to the ideas:

First, The Matriarch.

The Matriarch is a medium/heavy melee support unit that can be used in different ways, depending on the owner’s preference. The Matriarch is also a Zerg counter to the Reapers and colossi in that it can scale cliffs. It can also jump small gaps(water, lava, etc.) which is also something the stalkers can do (I’m surprised nobody has brought up that the Terran don’t have a ‘gap-jumping’ unit). The Matriarch can function effectively as a tank with it’s Regeneration ability, it can assault bases with Acid Web or use it to cover their retreat by slowing enemy units. If they are outnumbered, each Matriarch can release a pair of Symbionts to reinforce their numbers. These create a lot of different strategies that the Matriarch is useful for, but abilities like EMP Shockwave and Feedback can be devastating to Matriarchs, and with no air attack and an inability to burrow, they are fairly vulnerable to enemy air units.

An interesting idea for a Zerg unit. The Matriarch is meant to provide valuable support for the Zerg swarm and even function well in ground combat, as long as it’s not facing a greatly superior force - which its natural mobility will allow it to avoid.

A few original ideas for abilities were presented: The Matriarch can create two Zergling-like creatures on the spot, which last a short time on the battlefield before dying off, but only require the Matriarch’s energy to produce. Its “Acid Web” ability functions like a hybrid of plague and ensnare, and can also be set as a trap. The most interesting ability, strategy wise, is “Infest Building“, which allows the Matriarch to infest any large damaged building, and transform it into a sort of field hatchery, which will produce larvae and surround itself in creep.

Is there a place for such a unit in the Zerg arsenal? The Matriarch and the Queen’s roles clearly overlap. However, considering the Queen’s mediocre popularity, this fighter/caster hybrid might be the type of evolution the Zerg need. The Matriarch is more powerful than the Queen, both physically and in the impact its abilities might have on the game.

Next up, a lighter concept.

This wonderfully drawn, yet nameless Zerg unit is intended to provide medium range support for the Zerg’s usually close-range or melee attackers. Its green energy-slime ball attack will damage enemy units in a radius, and will create an “ensnare” effect which will slow them down, allowing other Zerg units to quickly catch up with and surround the affected units. Another post, later in the thread, suggests another ability for this unit: a Baneling launcher! Traditionally, StarCraft has never had an artillery unit, but this idea is very cute and fits well with the Zerg theme.

Perhaps a name can even come out of it? How about “Catalisk“?

This Scropion-like monstrosity is intended to be a slow moving, relatively armored unit which will allow the Zerg to lay siege or create a presence on the battlefield, somewhat similar to the role Brood War Lurker plays. Will it fit the Zerg of StarCraft 2? We think Blizzard are gearing the Zerg to become the ultimate mobile, swarm based race (as opposed to the heavily fortified, siege capable Terrans), with no dedicated ground support or other units meant to take and hold ground. What do you think?

Lastly, The Desalisk.

The Zerg Desalisk is quite a nightmare in it’s own right, capable of delivering devastating results upon the field of battle. It seems almost insanely driven to kill anything in it’s path, leaving the power of the Cerebrets the only thing that keeps these ravenous monstrosities from tearing even other strains of Zerg limb from limb. What really disturbs the enemies of the Swarm is the fact that these beasts harbor two parasitic creatures within their bodies.

When the Desalisk falls, these little horrors, called Setalisks, burst free of the corpse, slowly developing from their parasitic form into nightmares of their own. Worse yet, these parasites can infest other organic targets, flooding their minds with a toxic chemical that strips their short term memory…thus they never remember that a parasitic creature burrowed into their flesh. These infected troops can be unaware of the creature they harbor within for countless days…until they’re compelled by the swarm to burst free of their host and kill all around. Many of outposts have fallen due to the unseen swarm of Setalisks within their very own ranks…waiting for the perfect time to burst from their new found hosts.

The Desalisk and its Setalisk parasites could make an otherwise normal melee unit into something that requires more finesse. The Desalisk itself is designed as a normal Zerg close range attacker (although the author also entertains the option of a ranged-attack upgrade), but the Setalisks that are hosted within it make it more interesting. These parasites, released upon the Desalisk’s death, will burrow into unsuspecting enemies and remain undetected by them. The Setalisks will be able to erupt from their hosts at the place and time of their choosing, and wreak havoc on unsuspecting enemies. At times, after they’ve already been carried to more sensitive locations.

This kind of unit will justify the Zerg’s old name - “Nightmarish Invaders”, and allow them to terrorize their enemies effectively (as if giant worms that travel underground, carrying Zerglings, weren’t enough).

This is one of the most detailed unit concepts ever submitted by a fan, and it’s worth checking out. The author even included some fiction, related through the eyes of a Terran marine engaging this unit in battle.

12 Comments to “StarCraft 2 Fan Concept Art and Unit Ideas”

1. Starfeeder — September 18, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
   

   Cool post

   I love the Catalisk idea… baneling launcher lol! Plus that definitely adds to the uniqueness of each race. Blizzard did that with the scarabs and interceptors of the Protoss, but if the Zerg actually had to depend on shoot its own units lol

2. Battlarmd — September 18, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
   

   I like the baneling launcher too.
   give it a decent range and it will make zerg player play baneling toss outside your post.

   I find it cool.

3. Ken — September 18, 2007 @ 9:10 pm
   

   Wow, I’m really amazed! These people really took their time to come up with these unit concepts! I like the matriarch unit, it seems to be very useful. And desalisk drawing is also very nice, kinda reminds me of Diablo 2 creatures! hehe =D hope they release the Zerg Demo soon!!

4. Kane — September 19, 2007 @ 5:28 am
   

   Catalisk, eh? Cool stuff. Should have less-than-siege range, though. There’s no place for longer range attacks in Starcraft.

5. Starfeeder — September 19, 2007 @ 10:17 am
   

   Like the defiler ate other Zerg, the Catalisk could do the same… or maybe just on Zerglings. Well rather swallow then eat, turn them into banebombs and fire.

6. AlotOfBlogs — September 19, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
   

   This was spammy comment about blogs and links, and it was moderated by the staff.

   Cheers

7. Gobs — September 20, 2007 @ 7:09 pm
   

   Now -that- would be a killer idea, if the ‘catalisk’ actually walked around the field and perhaps give it it’s own ‘meh’ attack, however when it is grouped with a squad of zerglings, it could actually EAT one and force a mutation turning it into a baneling-like creature and launch it into the field where it explodes on contact. I mean, that would be a cool animation to see, fit into the idea that zergs are not all about the brothers by blood, defend your brethern like the other races and more of a what ever gets the job done for the hive type deal. In anycase, out of all three of them I liked the ‘catalisk’ creature the most

8. Mike — September 24, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
   

   ^^ Add to that it could have an “consume” zergling autocast ability, utilizing it as a deadly “baneling” projectile, adding 40+ damage to its normal damage of maybe say in the 15-20 damage range with slow cooldwon

9. Starcraft 2 — September 24, 2007 @ 11:26 pm
   

   Definately some interesting art pieces, i’m not sure if these hopes and dreams will come true…

10. Anonymous — September 30, 2007 @ 2:01 am
    

    senseless comment.
    Moderated.

11. Tilgen_II — October 1, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
    

    If anyone would like to comment on these unit concepts to their respective creators, here are the links to the original threads:
    The Matriarch (my own concept)
    http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=27220&p=1&#post27220
    Unnamed unit (”Catalisk”) from Bugball:
    http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=27714&tmp=1#post27714
    And his air unit concept (also unnamed as of yet):
    http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=29116&p=1&#post29116
    Tenebrae’s Desalisk:
    http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=247&p=1&#post247
    And Tenebrae’s newer concept, The Nexinferolisk (name changes may occur):
    http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=sc2-general&t=31641&p=1&#post31641
    Thanks for the support, and I’m sure we’d all appreciate feedback if you got the chance. I haven’t posted here before, so I’m hoping the links actually work.

12. Adamfazai — October 4, 2007 @ 12:31 am
    

    I have a idea about the way that units are diyng!
    As we can see in the demos when we have many amount of a single type of the unit (e.g 10 marines) all of them do their operatins simmilarly! like SHOOTING, or DYING. I think its better that they Design different tyoes of dying or other actions to have better visual and impressions.

    Also for Collossus when they shoot the lightnings of their pistols are same o each other.