Overlords are flying brainlike creatures that extend a Cerebrate's control over a Zerg hive cluster. They allow the Cerebrate to exert control over his minions, and can also serve as lookouts, flying scouts and dropships for Zerg Warriors.
Zerg Overlord
A Cerebrate cannot control an entire hive cluster by itself, as there are other hives that it watches over and guides. Therefore, as a hive's forces grow in number, it will need to spawn more Overlords regularly in order to create more servants. Further adding to their significance, the Overlord can use a special radar-sense organ to detect the life force and energy exhibited from hidden units(like cloaked Ghosts and Wraiths, Dark Templar, units in an Arbiter cloaking field, mines and burrowed Zerg).
Tactics[]
Using Overlords: Until you get a Hatchery to mutate into a Lair/Hive, the Overlord can only raise the unit population limit and detect invisible units. Overlords are initially slow and easily shot down, but later becomes invaluable assets to the hive's warriors, carrying them to battle and sensing hidden enemies.
Fighting Overlords: If you are fighting the Zerg, be on the lookout for Overlords heading to your base later on. Once they have the appropriate upgrades, they'll be using Overlords to ferry strike teams to your front door (usually if your base and the Zerg hive cluster is divided by a body of water). They'll make a beeline for the outskirts of the base and unload Zerglings and Hydralisks, then fleeing away before you can shoot it down. When you see one coming, send in some fighter craft or position some anti-air troops to shoot it down before it can unload. Once you have troops that can cloak, the Overlords will be a bigger threat than the Spore Colonies that, like the former, can also spot cloaked units. If the Spore Colonies are down, an Overlord will move in a few seconds later, and then all Zerg will swarm the cloaked units, unless if they are already occupied by other units shooting at them.
Stats[]
Unit Type: Flyer, Support
Derivative: Gargantis Proximae
Attacks: None
Armor: Light
Upgrades[]
Flyer Carapace: Increases the armor strength of Zerg Flyer units. Researched at Spire.
Ventral Sacs: The Overlord gains built-in compartments for carrying Zerg Warriors. Allow Overlords to transport units. Researched at Lair or Hive.
Antennae: Well-tuned sensory antennae heighten the Overlord's senses. Increases the Overlords' line of sight.
Pneumanized Carapace: Several small pockets of lighter-than-air gas are evolved to allow the Overlord to fly more easily. Also increases Overlord movement speed.
Notes[]
- The Overlord's detection ability was removed in Starcraft 2. It now has to morph into a new creature, the Overseer, to allow detection.
- Despite their ability to extend a Cerebrate's control, Overlords cannot rule a hive cluster on their own. They exist to relay the Cerebrate's commands to the hive.
- While the rest of the swarm is known for their ruthlessness and monstrous nature, the Overlord is more docile and fatherly than the other Zerg breeds, as they take care of the hive cluster and the larvae while the rest of the swarm is on the battlefield. That is, when they aren't dropping Zerg into the enemy base...