Part 25

Unlock the full potential of your StarCraft II forces! Dive deep into Protoss and Zerg research options, from Ultra-Capacitors to the Raven, and make the best choices for your army.

Alright, let's talk about research in StarCraft II. This is where you really start to customize your army and give yourself a significant edge. We've got two main tech trees to consider here: Protoss and Zerg. Each has its own set of upgrades that can dramatically change how your units perform. Think of this as choosing your specialization – do you want your units to hit harder, survive longer, or produce faster? Let's break down what's available at each research tier.

Protoss Research

Tier I (Research Level 5)

At this early stage, you're looking at upgrades that boost your core units. You can choose between Ultra-Capacitors, which give all your units a 5% attack speed bonus for each weapon upgrade, stacking up to +15%, or Vanadium Plating, which adds 5% Life per armor upgrade, also capping at +15% Life.

My Suggestion: While Ultra-Capacitors sound great for offense, I lean towards Vanadium Plating for a mid-to-late game advantage. That extra 15% Life on your larger units, like Battlecruisers, can make a huge difference in survivability compared to a slight attack speed boost.

Tier II (Research Level 10)

Here, we're looking at utility and economy. Orbital Depots let you call down Supply Depots from orbit, saving your SCVs time. Alternatively, Micro-Filtering makes your Refineries produce Vespene Gas 25% faster.

My Suggestion: Honestly, I rarely found myself struggling with building Supply Depots. The speed boost from Micro-Filtering is incredibly valuable, especially if you plan on using a lot of Vespene-hungry units later on. You'll rarely be short on gas!

Tier III (Research Level 15)

This tier offers more base-building enhancements. You can choose Automated Refinery, which makes your Vespene Harvesters self-sufficient, or the Command Center Reactor, allowing you to build two SCVs simultaneously, much like a Reactor on your production structures.

My Suggestion: The Automated Refinery is the clear winner here. Combined with Micro-Filtering, your Vespene income will be massive, and you won't need to tie up SCVs. The Command Center Reactor is only really useful if you start a mission with an extreme SCV deficit.

Tier IV (Research Level 20)

This is a big one, unlocking powerful support units. You can get the Raven, which can detect cloaked/burrowed units and has abilities like Seeker Missiles, Auto-Turrets, and Point Defense Drones. Or, you can choose the Science Vessel, which also detects cloaked/burrowed units, can repair mechanical units, and has the Irradiate ability.

My Suggestion: This is largely preference. I personally went with the Raven because I prefer its offensive capabilities. While the Science Vessel's repair is nice, your SCVs can handle that job just fine.

Tier V (Research Level 25)

The final Protoss research choice. You can pick the Tech Reactor, which combines a Tech Lab and a Reactor into a single add-on for your Barracks, Factories, and Starports, allowing you to build two units at once and research upgrades simultaneously. Or, you can choose Orbital Strike, which instantly drops completed Barracks units at the Rally Point.

My Suggestion: The Tech Reactor is a no-brainer by this point. You should be focusing on advanced vehicles and starships from your Factory and Starport, and being able to produce two of each simultaneously is far more valuable than instantly dropping ground troops.

Zerg Research

Tier I (Research Level 5)

For the Zerg, early defenses are key. You can research the Shrike Turret, which adds an automated turret to your Bunkers, or Fortified Bunker, giving all Bunkers an extra 150 Life.

My Suggestion: I'd go with the Shrike Turret. While extra HP is nice, Bunkers often have SCVs repairing them anyway. The extra automated firepower from the Shrike Turret is more likely to help you fend off early rushes before they can even damage the bunker.

Tier II (Research Level 10)

This tier offers base defense and expansion options. You can get the Planetary Fortress, which gives your Command Center an automated cannon and armor but prevents it from lifting off. Alternatively, the Perdition Turret is an automated turret that targets ground units and can cloak when not in use, useful against swarms.

My Suggestion: This is another choice that can depend on your playstyle. I personally chose the Perdition Turret, though I didn't end up using it much because my Command Centers rarely came under direct attack. If you anticipate heavy ground assaults on your bases, the Planetary Fortress might be a better fit for you.