Hydralisk
Hydralisk
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Description[edit]
The Hydralisk is an agile ranged unit for the Zerg that can attack both air and ground targets using needle spines. Hydralisks can be morphed from Larvae after building a Hydralisk Den. Hydralisks deal explosive damage, which makes them good against buildings and large units, but poor against small units. They can also morph into Lurkers.
As a combat unit, their key attributes are their ranged attack and their upgradeable speed, which is relatively fast compared to other ranged units. Their explosive damage type can be a hinderance, particularly in ZvZ as it is ineffective against the key units in the matchup. They generally fare best in the Protoss matchup. Hydralisks happen to be very efficient for supply, even performing admirably compared to many extreme late-game compositions.
An important reason to make Hydras is to morph them into Lurkers, which overall tend to better apply damage to ground units. This can be done after researching the Lurker Aspect in the Hydralisk Den. Note the Lurker Aspect first requires a Lair.
When using Hydralisks, it is important to research both the Muscular Augments and Grooved Spines upgrades from the Hydralisk Den as soon as possible for increased speed and range, respectively. These upgrades greatly increase the capacity for Hydralisk micro and effectiveness.
Upgrades[edit]
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Competitive Usage[edit]
Versus Terran[edit]
Against Terran, Hydralisks are usually morphed into Lurkers instead of being used directly, and see varying amounts of usage but tend to be used later in the game overall.
When faced against a bionic Terran army, Hydralisk usage depends on a few factors like the match time and the Terran's allocation of gas. Marines and Medics themselves do quite well against Hydralisks, which is why they are rarely seen until the late game. While Hydras have double the health of a Marine for the same amount of supply, the Hydralisk attack is hindered by its explosive type and still tends not to be too cost-efficient. However, when Terran techs to Vessels while playing Bionic, Zerg often opts for adding a few Hydralisks to their army to snipe plagued Science Vessels and therefore Hydralisks and Lurkers are the ideal late game unit combination to fight the SK Terran strategy, in combination with Defilers. On the other hand, Tanks with high range and damage support the quick firing Marines and any bionic army that incorporates significant numbers of Tanks will generally obliterate Hydralisks, in which case they are only built to morph into Lurkers and other Zerg units are used instead.
However, against a mechanized Terran army consisting of Goliaths, Tanks, and Vultures, Hydralisks are combined with Mutalisks to pick apart the Terran mech ball. Hydralisks are a cost-effective counter to Vultures and Goliaths, while Mutalisks can snipe stray Tanks. Since Hydralisks fall easily against a large enough mechanized Terran force, they are usually used in Drops on the Terran Main late game and are combined with the Defiler’s Plague ability to quickly decimate a Terran mech force. As a ranged unit, Hydralisks are also used to defuse mines more easily.
Against the 2 Port Wraith build, Hydralisks are used to snipe enemy Wraiths and prevent them from doing too much harassment. Since the preferred transition from 2 Port Wraiths is a bionic army, the midgame Zerg army consists of Hydralisks and Lurkers until Zergling upgrades and Defiler tech is finished.
Versus Zerg[edit]
In ZvZ, Hydralisks are not often seen. The Hydralisk's explosive damage is reduced by half against Mutalisks and Zerglings because they are small size units. As they are the two units most commonly seen in this matchup, Hydralisks are weak and must be supplemented in the early game by base defense and massed quickly enough to stack up their numbers before Mutalisk which are also very powerful en masse. While fast compared to other races' units, in ZvZ Hydralisks lack mobility compared to these two Zerg units, making them unwieldly for defending multiple bases. However, there are certain builds that utilize sufficient numbers of Hydralisks to push towards the opponent’s base in mid-game timing-based attacks meant to give the Hydralisk player enough army lead to expand safely.
In the rare event that a ZvZ game ever lasts long enough for Hive-tech, Hydralisks may be coupled with the Defiler's Dark Swarm and Plague to destroy the enemy Mutalisk flock. However, this tactic can backfire if the opponent has Zerglings, Lurkers or Ultralisks to send under the Dark Swarm to attack the Hydralisks.
Versus Protoss[edit]
Hydralisks are used commonly against Protoss, and can be very powerful against Protoss when massed. The Zerg needs to be good at Storm Dodging to avoid getting all their Hydralisks killed instantly. Hydralisks are often used in a combination with Zerglings, Lurkers, or Mutalisks.
In the current Meta game, a 3 Base Spire into 5 Hatch Hydra build is common choice when against a fast expanding Protoss.
If the Protoss decides to use Sair/Reaver, the Zerg often chooses to make Hydralisks to deter the Corsair harassment. Zergs can also research Burrow and burrow a Hydralisk group in a spot where the Zerg player thinks the Protoss air fleet will fly over. When the Zerg player sees it fly over, the Zerg player will unburrow the Hydralisks and can snipe the Shuttle carrying the Reavers. The Zerg can even use an Overlord as bait to lure Corsairs onto the burrowed location.
Hydralisk masses can easily take out buildings, thus they are sometimes used in drops on Protoss Bases to wipe out key buildings such as the Templar Archives or the Nexus. When paired with Lurkers in a Drop, Hydralisks can take out Observers that the Protoss brings in to detect the burrowed Lurkers.
Hydralisks can be used to snipe key tech units such as Observers and High Templar. In the case that the Zerg has Lurkers, sniping Observers has the effect of increasing the potency of Lurkers. The Zerg can also take advantage of armies with low Dragoon counts and snipe High Templar. Hydralisks are also very effective at sniping stray Zealots or Dragoons.
In the Zerg vs. Protoss late game, Hydralisks generally fall out of usage due to the raw attack power of Zerglings with Adrenal Glands, but if the Protoss decides to pump Corsairs, Hydralisks can be added back into the Zerg army to compensate.
If the Protoss has a +1 ground attack upgrade advantage, Zealots and Dragoons can kill Hydralisks in 5 hits instead of 6. Thus the Zerg should attempt to pursue the ground carapace upgrades for Hydralisks.
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