Zerg Basics

Overview of the Zerg Race

Zerg is StarCraft II's swarm-based race, built around speed, numbers, and adaptability. Unlike Terran and Protoss, Zerg produces all units from a single structure — the Hatchery — using a resource called Larva. Mastering Zerg means keeping a constant flow of Drones and units while reacting quickly to your opponent.

The Hatchery, Larva, and Drones

The Hatchery is the heart of your base. It naturally produces up to 3 Larva at a time. Larva can morph into any basic Zerg unit — Drones, Zerglings, Roaches, Overlords, and more.

Drones are your workers. They cost 50 minerals, take 12 seconds to produce, and use 1 supply. Every Drone working a mineral patch earns income — producing Drones consistently in the early game is one of the most important habits to build. The optimal number of Drones per mineral patch is 3 (triple saturation), and 3 Drones per Extractor. A Drone consumes itself to begin constructing a building, so building too many structures too early hurts your economy.

Queens

The Queen is your most important support unit early on. She has three key abilities:

• Inject Larva (25 energy): Injects a Hatchery to produce 4 extra Larva after a 40-second timer. Missing injections is one of the biggest mistakes a beginner Zerg player can make.
• Creep Tumor (25 energy): Places a Creep Tumor that slowly spreads Creep outward. Zerg ground units move 30% faster on Creep.
• Transfuse: Heals a friendly unit or building for 125 HP. Useful for keeping Queens or key units alive under pressure.

Produce at least one Queen per Hatchery. Queens require a Spawning Pool.

Supply: Overlords

Overlords provide supply for the Zerg army — 8 supply per Overlord. Your starting Hatchery gives you 6 supply; your first Overlord brings that to 14. As your army grows you must morph additional Overlords to avoid supply blocks. Overlords also provide default vision and can be flown toward the opponent's base early for scouting.

Core Structures

The tech progression for Zerg is: Hatchery → Lair → Hive. The Lair unlocks mid-game upgrades and units; the Hive unlocks end-game tech.

Units, Economy, and Map Control

Core Zerg Units

Zergling

• Cost: 50 minerals (produces 2 per Larva)
• Supply: 0.5 each
• Requires: Spawning Pool
• Role: Fast, cheap attacker. Excellent for early scouting, economic harassment, and overwhelming lightly defended positions.
• Key upgrade: Metabolic Boost — increases movement speed significantly. Almost always researched in the early game.

Baneling

• Morphs from: Zergling (costs an additional 25 minerals + 25 gas)
• Requires: Baneling Nest must be built before Zerglings can morph
• Role: Suicide unit that explodes on impact. Devastating against Terran bio clumps (Marine/Marauder groups), structures, and worker lines.

Roach

• Cost: 75 minerals, 25 gas — Supply: 2
• Requires: Roach Warren
• Role: Durable, efficient frontline unit. With the Tunneling Claws upgrade, Roaches regenerate health rapidly while burrowed.

Hydralisk

• Cost: 100 minerals, 50 gas — Supply: 2
• Requires: Hydralisk Den (which requires a Lair)
• Role: Versatile ranged unit effective against both ground and air. Strong in large numbers.

Mutalisk

• Cost: 100 minerals, 100 gas — Supply: 2
• Requires: Spire
• Role: Fast flying harasser. Its attack bounces to hit up to 3 targets. Excellent for denying expansions and forcing opponents to react to multiple threats.

Queen (again, as a combat unit)

While the Queen is primarily used for Inject and Creep, she is also a powerful defensive unit. Queens can attack both ground and air. In the early game they are the backbone of Zerg anti-air defence at home.

Economy: Expanding and Drone Production

Expanding means building a new Hatchery at an unoccupied base location. The closest unoccupied base to your main is called the "natural" expansion. Expanding early gives you more mineral income and more Larva, letting you scale your army much faster.

Key economy rules:

• Never float more than 400–500 minerals without spending them
• Keep Drone production continuous until you have roughly 16 Drones per base (2 Drones per mineral patch is "saturated enough" for early stages)
• Inject every Hatchery whenever your Queen has 25+ energy — this is the single highest-impact mechanic for Zerg early-game performance

Creep and Map Control

Creep is a purple biomass that spreads from Hatcheries and Creep Tumors. All Zerg ground units move 30% faster on Creep, giving a massive defensive and offensive advantage on your side of the map.

Key facts about Creep:

• Creep recedes when the Hatchery or Creep Tumor that generated it is destroyed
• Queens place the initial Creep Tumors (costs 25 energy); existing Tumors can plant additional Tumors, creating a spreading chain toward the opponent's base
• Spreading Creep toward the middle of the map gives you vision of incoming attacks and increases your army's effective speed in counter-attacks

Scouting

Knowing what your opponent is doing is critical. Common Zerg scouting tools:

• Drone scout: Sends a Drone to the opponent's base to see their opening build. Sacrifice it once you have the information you need.
• Overlord positioning: Flying Overlords around the map reveals army movement and base layout. Opponent anti-air can kill them, so don't fly into defended areas carelessly.
• Zergling run-by: Sending Zerglings around the perimeter of the opponent's base reveals expansion timing, army size, and base layout.
• Creep spread: Creep Tumors near key map areas give vision of attack paths and incoming threats.

Basic Build Order: 12 Pool

A reliable beginner build to learn core fundamentals:

1. Produce Drones to 12 supply
2. Build Spawning Pool
3. Build Overlord at 13 supply
4. When Pool finishes: build Queen, train Zerglings
5. Take natural expansion Hatchery
6. Continue Drone and unit production

This build balances economic growth with early defence. Once you're comfortable with it, start focusing on not missing Hatchery injections and keeping your mineral count low through continuous spending.