Important Zerg Units & Buildings

Building: Hatchery

Allows production of: Drone, Queen, Overlord (and all other Zerg units – providing you have the required buildings)
Requires: Drone
Cost: 300 Minerals
Build Time: 100 Seconds
Upgrades to: Lair

*The Hatchery is used to spawn all Zerg units and to receive gathered resources
*The Hatchery periodically spawns 1 Larva every 10 seconds until it has a total of 3 Larva (Larva morph into Zerg units)
* The Hatchery can house up to a total of 19 Larva if you repeatedly use the Queen’s Spawn Larva ability on it
* The Hatchery grows creep which is used to feed nearby Zerg structures (structures will take damage over time if not on creep)
* Creep gives Zerg units a movement speed bonus
* The Hatchery allows the production of Drones
* The Hatchery allows the production of Queens
* The Hatchery allows the production of Overlords

Unit: Drone

Requires: Hatchery
Cost: 50 Minerals
Build Time: 17 Seconds
Supply Cost: 1

*The Drone is a basic worker unit. Used to harvest minerals and vespine gas as well as mutate into structures (Zerg buildings)
*The Drone can attack ground

Unit: Queen

Requires: Hatchery, Spawning Pool
Cost: 150 Minerals
Build Time: 50 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2

*The Queen is a defensive unit that can Spawn Creep Tumors, Spawn Larva and use the Transfusion ability.
*The Queen can attack ground & air
*The Queen is used to help gain control of the map by spreading Creep Tumors (these grow creep & give vision)
*The Queen is used to help increase Zerg productivity by Spawning Larva onto a Hatchery / Lair / Hive
*The Queen is used to heal other Zerg units or buildings for up to 125 health points
*The Queen is strong against harassing units and has a long ranged anti air attack
*The Queen is weak against more than one unit in general (you should not use her in combat unless you have too)

Unit: Overlord

Requires: Hatchery
Cost: 100 Minerals
Build Time: 25 Seconds
Supply Cost: 0
Morphs into: Overseer (Requires Lair)

*The Overlord is a very slow air unit that is unable to attack but raises the maximum number of units available for each one you make
*The Overlord is used for scouting mostly (Especially once you get the Pneumatized Carapace which greatly increases the movement speed of the Overlord)
*The Overlord can also be used to transport units (Requires Ventral Sacs upgrade from the Lair)
*The Overlord can Generate Creep (Requires Lair) which causes Creep to form underneath the Overlord. This ability is best used by spreading your Overlords across the pathways on the map you wish to travel and having them all Generate Creep so your units can move a lot faster across the map. You can also use this ability to build Zerg buildings on, so you can sneak an Overlord to an area on the map that is less likely to be detected by your opponent and build a Spire (for example) so you can get mass air units without him being able to see it coming (unless he detects it of course)

Extractor

Requires: Drone
Cost: 25 Minerals
Build Time: 30 Seconds

*You build the Extractor over a Vespene Geyser in order allow harvesting of the Vespine Gas it contains
*You can get away with avoiding building this early game but if you want to progress onto Mid or Late game you will need the Vespine Gas in order to tech & build better units as well as buildings

Building: Spawning Pool

Allows production of: Zerglings, Queen, Spine Crawlers
Requires: Drone, Hatchery
Cost: 200 Minerals
Build Time: 65 Seconds

*The Spawning Pool can research the upgrade Metabolic Boost (Requires: Hatchery) which Increases the movement speed of Zerglings making them much more efficient at doing their job of harassment & surrounding
*The Spawning Pool can research the upgrade Adrenal Glands (Requires: Lair) which increases the attack speed of Zerglings so they can chew through units & buildings that extra bit faster
*The Spawning Pool allows the production of Zerglings
*The Spawning Pool allows the production of Spine Crawlers

Unit: Zergling (2 Zerglings are created from every Zergling egg that hatches)

Requires: Hatchery, Spawning Pool
Cost: 50 Minerals
Build Time: 24 Seconds
Supply Cost: 1
Morphs into: Baneling (Requires Baneling Nest)

*Zerglings are a speedy melee unit with a very fast attack speed
*Zerglings can attack ground
*Zerglings operate as excellent scouts (very fast and cheap)
*Zerglings are very effective at harassment
*Zerglings can quickly surround enemy units
*Zerglings can morph into Banelings
*Zerglings can be used to prevent your opponent from building if you burrow them underground where they try to build. A great place to burrow a Zergling is at any potential expansion you expect your opponent to take
*Zerglings perform at their best in during the early game but can still prove useful mid game though they tend to start lacking in the late game
*Zerglings are strong against Marauder, Stalker & Hydralisk
*Zerglings are weak against Hellion, Archon & Baneling

Building: Spine Crawler

Requires: Drone, Spawning Pool
Cost: 100 Minerals
Build Time: 50 Seconds
Supply Cost: 0

*Static Defence that attacks ground only
*Can uproot from the ground and move to another position (can only root on creep)
*The Spine Crawler is effective against Hellion harass & small sized armies that lack units which can do bonus damage vs armoured
*The Spine Crawler can be strong at all times of the game due to the flexibility of being able to move them anywhere on the map providing you place creep there
*You can use Spine Crawlers in an offensive manner by sending them close to an enemy base and rooting them nearby with creep

Building: Baneling Nest

Allows production of: Baneling (Ability to Morph a Zergling into a Baneling)
Requires: Drone, Hatchery, Spawning Pool
Cost: 100 Minerals, 50 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 60 Seconds

*The Baneling Nest allows Zerglings the ability to morph into Banelings
*The Baneling Nest is worth getting if you are fighting against many ‘light’ armored units with low health points
*The Baneling Nest can research the upgrade Centrifugal Hooks which increases the movement speed of Banelings giving them a much greater chance of being able to reach their target and blow it up before being

Unit: Baneling

Requires: Zergling (to morph into a Baneling), Hatchery, Baneling Nest
Cost: 25 Minerals, 25 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 20 Seconds
Supply Cost: 0

*The Baneling is a Suicide unit that does damage over a small area
*The Baneling can attack ground
*The Baneling is very effective against tightly packed ‘light’ armoured units with low health points
*The Baneling can be useful at almost any time period of the game
*You can set up traps with your Banelings by burrowing them at certain choke points or places where your enemy is likely to step over them then press X to explode them!
*Great places to set up these traps can be at your Natural Expansion choke point, or a ramp or even along a potential enemy mineral line where he is likely to expand, so when he has sent enough workers to gather minerals there you blow up your Banelings!
*Banelings are strong against Marine, Zealot & Zergling
*Banelings are weak against Thor, Stalker & Roach

Building: Roach Warren

Allows production of: Roach
Requires: Drone, Hatchery, Spawning Pool
Cost: 150 Minerals
Build Time: 55 Seconds

*The Roach Waren can research the upgrade Glial Reconstitution (Requires Lair) which increases the movement speed of Roaches. This is very useful if you are using Roaches to assault the enemy or to defend your base.
*The Roach Warren can research the upgrade Tunneling Claws (Requires Lair) which enables Roaches to move while burrowed. You will need to research the ability Burrow from Lair in order to use this upgrade with Roaches but if you do it can be a fantastic way to sneak up and surprise your enemy as your Roaches become “invisible” when burrowing and can only be seen by detection.
The Roach Warren can research the upgrade Organic Carapace (Requires Hive) which increases the life regeneration rate of burrowed Roaches so once you have researched the ability Burrow you can quickly heal your Roaches whenever you burrow them.

Unit: Roach

Requires: Hatchery, Roach Warren
Cost: 75 Minerals, 25 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 27 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2

*Roaches fulfil a cheap and effective tank role in Starcraft 2
*Roaches can attack ground
*Roaches can take a lot of damage (in comparison to other Zerg units) helping your other units to stay alive that much longer whilst they deal the damage
*Should you need to delay an inevitable attack whilst you tech to stronger units you can help slow your opponent down by blocking tight choke points with Roaches (like the Ramps)
*Roaches also provide a cheap & somewhat effective deterrent against harass units like Hellions or Reapers
*Roaches perform best at mid game, though they can be useful early game if you have enough supply to support them
*Roaches are strong against Hellion, Zealot & Zergling
*Roaches are weak against Marauder, Immortal & Ultralisk

Building: Evolution Chamber

Requires: Drone, Hatchery
Cost: 75 Minerals
Build Time: 35 Seconds

*The Evolution Chamber contains upgrades for Zerg ground units (Increased damage to melee, Increased damage to range & armour upgrades) so obviously if you are focusing on getting a lot of Zerg ground units then you will want to research these upgrades
*The Evolution Chamber is mostly used for Mid to Late game where you will need to increase the damage and armour of your Zerg units if you want them to have more survivability (which they will definitely need from Mid game onwards)
*However, sometimes an early Evolution Chamber can be the difference between you winning or losing. For example, if you are playing Zerg vs Zerg and you both have Zerglings & Banelings BUT you have 1 armor upgrade from the Evolution Chamber then instead of your Zerglings dying to 1 Baneling, they will survive with 1 health point. This can make an incredible difference as your opponent may end up having to use double the amount of banelings per Zergling you have to kill them.

Building: Spore Crawler

Requires: Drone, Evolution Chamber
Cost: 75 Minerals
Build Time: 30 Seconds
Supply Cost: 0

*Static Defence that attacks air only
*Can uproot from the ground and move to another position (can only root on creep)
*The Spore Crawler is effective cloaked Banshees & Dark Templar in particular as it can detect invisible units. It can also detect moving burrowed roaches
*The Spore Crawler is a situational building that most the time is rarely needed
*You can use Spore Crawlers in an offensive manner by sending them close to an enemy base and rooting them nearby with creep

Building: Lair

Allows production of: Drone, Queen, Overlord (and all other Zerg units – providing you have the required buildings)
Requires: Hatchery, Spawning Pool
Cost: 150 Minerals, 150 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 80 Seconds
Upgrades to: Hive

*The Lair is an evolved version of the Hatchery (it has all the same abilities of a Hatchery) but allows for additional upgrades and buildings to be produced.
*Allows the production of Overseers (Ability to Morph an Overlord into an Overseer)
*The Lair can research the ability Burrow which can be used by all Zerg ground units, it also works in conjunction with many of the various upgrades you can get for Zerg units (For example, the upgrade where Roaches can move whilst burrowed)
*The Lair can research the ability Pneumatized Carapace which increases the movement speed of Overlords & Overseers. This is a very cheap and quick upgrade too research and is totally worth it due to the greatly extended vision you can now get with being able to send fast Overlords all over the map to gather vital information. The ability also helps Overlords move out of enemy fire easier.
*The Lair can research the ability Ventral Sacs which allows Overlords to transport units. This ability works great with the other upgrade for Overlords that increases their speed as you can now reliably move ground units about in air space. This ability works extremely effectively with Banelings by dropping the transported Banelings onto enemy Workers or armies

Unit: Overseer

Requires: Overlord (to morph into an Overseer), Lair
Cost: 50 Minerals, 100 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 17 Seconds
Supply Cost: 0

*The Overseer is a fast flying caster harass unit (unable to attack) that acts as a detector should you need to scout for invisible units.
*The Overseer can use the ability Spawn Changeling to create a changeling that you send to places your opponent will be to gather vital Intel on their status (the changeling will change into a Zealot, Marine, or Zergling, depending on the enemy race as it approaches your opponent’s forces).
*The Overseer can use the ability Contaminate to covers an enemy structure in slime preventing it from being able to train units or research upgrades for 30 seconds. This is a useful ability if you want to slow down the production rate of some of the stronger units your opponent may make.
*The Overseer can use the ability Infested Terran to spawn an Infested Terran underneath him that will do up to 100 damage for the 20 seconds that it lasts for, this isn’t all that great but could be useful to place at any of your opponent’s newly built expansions that have a few workers.

Building: Hydralisk Den

Allows production of: Hydralisk
Requires: Drone, Lair
Cost: 100 Minerals, 100 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 40 Seconds

*The Hydralisk Den can research the upgrade Grooved Spines which increases the range of your Hydralisks by 1. This is necessary to allow your Hydralisks to outrange Marines & various other units.

Unit: Hydralisk

Requires: Lair, Hydralisk Den
Cost: 100 Minerals, 50 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 33 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2

*The Hydralisk is the backbone of the Zerg army as they deal fantastic damage to both ground and air with their super fast attack speed (they are also one of the few Zerg units that can actually counter air effectively)
*The Hydralisk can attack ground & air
*The Hydralisk is fragile so you’ll want to keep them behind Roaches
*The Hydralisk is very slow off creep, so the more creep you can spread the better it will be for your Hydralisks
*The Hydralisk performs very well Mid Game and they also do well in Late Game
*Hydralisks are strong against Battlecruiser, Void Ray, Mutalisk
*Hydralisks are weak against Marine, Zealot, Zergling

Building: Infestation Pit

Allows production of: Infestors
Requires: Drone, Lair
Cost: 100 Minerals, 100 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 50 Seconds

*The Infestation Pit can research the upgrade Peristalsis which allows Infestors to move faster while burrowed. This ability is mainly to keep your Infestors safe and to allow them to get into range in a battle to use their abilities instead of them being stuck behind units not being able to do anything.
*The Infestation Pit can research the upgrade Neural Parasite which allows Infestors to control enemy units (best use this on threatening tier 2/3 enemy units). It’s a great ability as it can work on air too. It not only reduces the amount of (potentially) devastating damage you may take but it also allows you to take that damage and turn it around onto your opponent’s army instead.
*The Infestation Pit can research the upgrade Pathogen Glands which increases the Infestors starting energy by 25. This is useful for if you are going to be making a lot of Infestors and you need them now! As soon as they come out of the Hatchery they will be able to use their Fungal Growth ability which is why this upgrade can be so useful.

Unit: Infestor

Requires: Lair, Infestation Pit
Cost: 100 Minerals, 150 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 50 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2

*The Infestor is a caster unit that is unable to attack
*The Infestor is a very useful support unit for the majority of Zerg armies
*The Infestor can use the ability Frenzy to render a friendly unit immune to slows, stuns and mind control & will increase the damage it deals by 25%. This is really an ability specifically designed for the use on the Ultralisk, unless you have Ultralisks you’re better off saving the energy
*The Infestor can use the ability Fungal Growth to immobilise enemy units within the target area of effect and cause 36 damage to them over 8 seconds. This ability works wonders against low health point units like Marines & Workers, it works even better when used with Banelings as they will be able to reach the trapped Marines / Workers and blow them all up! This ability also reveals cloaked and burrowed units so use it if you are suspicious and have the spare energy!
*The Infestor can use the ability Neural Parasite to control a unit it dies or the Infestor relinquishes control. Use this ability on the more threatening units that your opponent might have.
*Infestors are strong against Marine, Colossus, Mutalisk
*Infestors are weak against Ghost

Building: Spire

Allows production of: Mutalisks, Corruptor
Requires: Drone, Lair
Cost: 200 Minerals, 200 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 100 Seconds
Upgrades to: Greater Spire

*The Spire contains upgrades for Zerg air units however these upgrades take a long time to research and I advise you only research these upgrades if you have the time & resources (most likely in a Late Game situation).
*The  Spire can mutate into a Greater Spire (Requires Hive) which is where you can build the best Tier 3 unit Zerg currently has.

Unit: Mutalisk

Requires: Lair, Spire
Cost: 100 Minerals, 100 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 33 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2

*The Mutalisk is an air unit that has great speed and harass capabilities as it bounces its attacks to hit multiple targets so when used against groups of units, Mutalisks can deal devastating overall damage.
*Can attack ground & air
*The Mutalisk is best used as a harassment unit and is particularly effective against Workers or groups of low health point units
*The Mutalisk performs very well at Mid Game and can perform adequately Late Game
*Mutalisks are strong against Viking, Void Ray
*Mutalisks are weak against Marine, Phoenix, Corruptor

Unit: Corruptor

Requires: Lair, Spire
Cost: 150 Minerals, 100 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 40 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2
Mutates into: Brood Lord (Requires Hive)

*The Corruptor is an anti-air flying unit that has the ability to corrupt enemy units, causing them to take more damage.
*Can attack only air
*The Corruptor can use the ability Corruption covers the target unit in acidic spores increasing damage taken by 20% for 30 seconds
*The Corruptor is particularly useful against ‘Massive’ armoured units and is increasingly used more and more in Zerg vs Protoss games in order to counter Colossus as they can be hit by air.
*The Corruptor can morph into a Brood Lord (Requires Hive)
*The Corruptor performs at it’s best towards the Late Game only and even then it is quite situational if your Corruptor will be much use so stick to making Corruptor only if you want to counter ‘Massive’ armoured units
*Corruptors are strong against Phoenix, Battlecruiser, Mutalisk
*Corruptors are weak against Viking, Void Ray

Building: Nydus Network

Needed to produce: Nydus Worm
Requires: Drone, Lair
Build Time: 50 Seconds (20 seconds for each Nydus Worm created from the Nydus Network)
Costs: 150 Minerals, 200 Vespine Gas (100 Minerals, 100 Vespine Gas for each Nydus Worm created from the Nydus Network)

*The Nydus Network is a unique building that is used to transport units between Nydus Worms. It costs 100 Minerals & 100 Vespine Gas per Nydus Worm you create using the Nydus Network. You can spawn a Nydus Worm anywhere on placeable terrain on the map providing you have vision of the area first.
*You should build this building if you want to infiltrate an opponent’s main base or expansion. You can even use it to transport a Drone onto a secluded island on the map that contains minerals & vespine gas and make a Hatchery there.
*This building cannot be created early game, it is useful mid game and performs at its best at late game as you will have more resources to afford enough Nydus Worms thus giving your units more mobility across the map
*The strength of the Nydus Network is that, if undetected, can allow you to cause massive amounts of damage to an opponent should he be able to react in time and kill the forces that you spawn forth from the Nydus Worm. The Nydus Network is also useful for harassing enemy expansions that aren’t so protected, this can have an additional bonus effect of forcing the enemy to pull back his forces in order to have to deal with your harassment assault
*The weakness of the Nydus Network is that it is expensive and takes a long time to build, it also makes a screeching warning sound for your opponent once you have finished creating a Nydus Worm from your Nydus Network regardless of where they are on the map so they are immediately made aware of the Nydus Worm. Also be aware that should your Nydus Worm & Nydus Network be killed whilst carrying units, all of the units inside will die.

Building: Hive

Allows production of: Drone, Queen, Overlord (and all other Zerg units – providing you have the required buildings)
Requires: Lair, Infestation Pit
Cost: 200 Minerals, 150 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 100 Seconds
Upgrades to: Hive

*The Hive is the next step of evolution on from Lair (it has all the same abilities of a Lair) but allows for additional upgrades and buildings to be produced.

Building: Ultralisk Cavern

Allows production of: Ultralisk
Requires: Drone, Hive
Cost: 150 Minerals, 200 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 65 Seconds

*The Ultralisk Cavern can research the upgrade Anabolic Synthesis which increases the movement speed of Ultralisks. If you are going to invest this many resources into getting Ultralisks then I heavily suggest you get this upgrade otherwise Ultralisks move far too slowly to be effective.
*The Ultralisk Cavern can research the upgrade Chitinous Plating which gives +2 armour to Ultralisks. Once again I advise you to also get this upgrade due to the amount of upgrades you need to make in order for the Ultralisk to be useful.

Unit: Ultralisk

Requires: Hive, Ultralisk Cavern
Cost: 300 Minerals, 200 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 70 Seconds
Supply Cost: 6

*The Ultralisk is a heavy assault beast with an area damage attack.
*Can attack ground
*The Ultralisk is meant to be the tank of the Zerg unit that charges into battle taking the damage & covering for the more fragile Zerg units that should follow closely behind
*The Ultralisk can be used effectively against ‘Light’ armoured units but suffers greatly against most ‘Armoured’ units as many ‘Armoured’ units deal a lot of bonus damage vs other ‘armoured’ units and it’s because of this Ultralisks die too quickly before they can even get close
*The Ultralisk is not very efficient in terms of damage for cost, even though he is a Tier 3 unit & I suggest you avoid making an Ultralisk unless it seems like he will be the perfect counter to your opponent.
*Ultralisks are strong against Marine, Zealot, Zergling
*Ultralisks are weak against Marauder, Immortal

Building: Greater Spire

Allows production of: Brood Lord
Requires: Hive, Spire (to mutate into a Greater Spire)
Cost: 100 Minerals, 150 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 100 Seconds

*The Greater Spire now allows Corruptors the ability to morph in Brood Lords.

Unit: Brood Lord

Requires: Greater Spire
Cost: 150 Minerals, 150 Vespine Gas
Build Time: 34 Seconds
Supply Cost: 2

*The Brood Lord is an anti-ground (unable to attack air) heavy assault unit that shoots broodlings at its target
*The Brood Lord is incredibly slow and must be positioned over high cliff tops if possible so as to avoid being targeted by ground anti air units
*The Brood Lord acts as the only long range Siege unit that Zerg have and is best used in that way, with a massive 9.5 range you should keep the Brood Lord at the furthest possible attacking range from your enemy at all times
*You need to focus on protecting your Brood Lord at all costs as it is the key to securing Late Game victories
*The Brood Lord does initial damage to its target and on top of this he spawns 2 broodlings each time he attacks
*Broodlings are like slightly weaker Zerglings and last a short limited time however they can be very effective as they are essentially free units so the more your enemy wastes his firepower and units on them the better
*Each Brood Lord can spawn up to 6 Broodlings on a target enemy unit before the first 2 it spawned expire
*The Brood Lord is without doubt the best Tier 3 Zerg unit and is worth the expensive tech in most circumstances as it plays a vital role in Late Game
*Brood Lords are strong against Stalker
*Brood Lords are weak against Viking, Void Ray, Corruptor