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STARCRAFT II GAME UNITS ROACH

Previous Zerg Unit: Overseer Next Zerg Unit: Infestor

UNITS

ROACH
In the years following the Brood
War, Kerrigan became obsessed
with the genetic codes of species
with hyper-regenerative
properties. The most impressive
example was the unassuming
acidic Zantar Slug living in the
humid, mountainous depths of
Garrxax. This tiny slug was
capable of healing itself at rapid rates, and it also
excreted mucus that could eat through neosteel.
Consequently it was quickly assimilated into the Swarm.
Thus the Roach was evolved, a creature that can heal
itself rapidly and deliver deadly ranged acid blasts. In a
one-on-one battle, not much can stand against this
regenerating monstrosity.

UNIT STATISTICS

3D MODEL BASIC INFORMATION PRODUCTION COMBAT

Race: Zerg Producer: Larva Upgrades:

Life: 145 Hotkey: R
Armor: 1 (+4) Requires: Roach Warren
Movement: Normal Cost: 75 25
Weapon:
Cargo Size: 2 Supply: 2
Attributes: Armored - Biological Build time: 27 Ability:

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/roach[3/2/2011 3:23:55 PM]

Roach - Game - StarCraft II

GENERAL STRATEGY

Short-ranged anti-ground unit.

STRONG AGAINST
Can burrow with the Burrow upgrade, and move while burrowed with
the Tunneling Claws upgrade.

Difficult to kill due to regeneration ability.

Regenerates hitpoints faster while burrowed.
Hellion Zergling Zealot
Regeneration is excellent against Damage Over Time (DOT) effects like
Psi Storm.
WEAK AGAINST
Can upgrade their above-ground movement speed with the Glial
Reconstitution upgrade.
Effective at skirmishing and blocking chokepoints due to regeneration.

Marauder Ultralisk Immortal

COUNTERMEASURES

VS Terran

Employ high-damage units such as Siege Tanks and Banshees. Their

damage output will allow them to take the Roaches down quickly.

Use Ravens to help spot burrowed Roaches and prevent them from
sneaking up on Siege Tanks in Siege Mode.
Utilize Marauders since they deal bonus damage against the Roach’s armor

and also significantly outrange them. It’s possible to kite the Roaches using
the Concussive Shells upgrade which slows down targets hit by the
Marauder.

VS Zerg

Include an Overseer in your attack squadrons to help spot burrowed

Roaches.
Utilize Mutalisks to attack Roaches from the air, where they won’t be able

to fire back.
In open areas, upgraded Zerglings beat Roaches.

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/roach[3/2/2011 3:23:55 PM]

Roach - Game - StarCraft II

VS Protoss

Immortals take extremely minimal damage from Roach attacks, and kill
them fairly quickly
High-damage air units such as Void Rays also do well against Roaches.

Observers help spot burrowed Roaches and allow your army to kill them
before they can regenerate their hit points.

TERRAN PROTOSS ZERG

Larva Drone Overlord Zergling Queen Hydralisk Baneling Overseer

Roach Infestor Mutalisk Corruptor Nydus Worm Ultralisk Brood Lord

Comments (215)

ADD A REPLY

pacifist 4 days, 1 hour ago

so when these or hydras do the melee is it the same damage as their ranged. and do misssle attack upgrades also up their melee or do

you need melee upgrades

Devek 1 day, 11 hours ago

@pacifist: Its just the same attack (technically) just with a different animation so no you dont need the melee upgrades

Nvisible 2/17/11 5:19 PM

roaches+stalkers=destruction

Ironspider 2/16/11 6:41 PM

Use these cuties with Void Rays and your team is invincible.

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/roach[3/2/2011 3:23:55 PM]

Roach - Game - StarCraft II

Sirkillsalot 2/12/11 6:53 PM

if hydras have 4,000 muscles than why cant they move underground like roaches?

helloguy 2/8/11 1:06 AM

"In a one-on-one battle, not much can stand against this regenerating monstrosity."

Hmm lets see, any air unit that can attack ground, marauder, thor, siege tank, ultralisk, immortal, colossus, high templar, dark templar,

raven....

TheNightFly 2/7/11 1:35 AM

Roach pack an awful lot of armor, speed, and damage for just 75 minerals, 25 gas, 2 supply, and 27 build time. That's why we see so

many so soon. They should cost 100 minerals, 50 gas, 2 supply, and 37 build time, and they should be slightly larger in side with a

slightly larger footprint. Hydras should cost 75 minerals and 25 gas and have a lightly smaller size and footprint.

kbghost 2/11/11 10:58 PM

@TheNightFly: I kinda agree that roaches need to be a bit more expensive and hydras need to be a whole lot cheaper. Also,

hydras need to be a 1st tier unit. It just takes way too long for zerg to get any anti-air. Zerg is the only race where a

protoss player can rush one void ray and completely decimate a zerg base with ease.

Cavyking 2/14/11 4:23 PM

@kbghost: unless u r a noob then u also have queens. but yes hydras should be moved down

Tyranistorm 1 day, 14 hours ago

@TheNightFly: Roaches are to Zerg as Marauders are to Terran and as Stalkers are to Protoss.

They are a staple unit for Zerg and are fine the way they are.

Omni 2/6/11 9:42 AM

Is it just me or is the roach kind of a boring looking unit.

blupengu 2/5/11 5:53 AM

their mouths look like lobster mouths or something XD

Ainokea 1/30/11 1:40 AM

Maybe there's something I'm missing, but I think they should do less damage to Armoreds. In the early game, I don't want my Stalkers

to have to kite to survive.

(Checks Stalker DB entry)

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/roach[3/2/2011 3:23:55 PM]

Roach - Game - StarCraft II

Yeah, Stalkers are a ripoff compared to this, Roaches are designed to fight zealots, and they out-damage cannons, costwise. Am I right or

am I a noob?

joel 1/30/11 1:40 PM

@Ainokea: as a zerg player i reject having a nerf on roaches, but rather i prefer a buff on stalkers. currently 1 marauder

can kill 2 stalkers, mabe stalkers nid +1 attack to armored?

BuildAnArmy 2/7/11 7:38 AM

@Ainokea: Idk Stalkers can shoot up and become Blinkers :(

THEnoob 1/24/11 11:43 PM

I find bronze players that use only roaches, i just go over with 3-5 void rays and own queens, overlords, etc. Its really pathetic,

especially when they send all their roaches to attack me, while i have 50+ stalkers and an = # of zealots.

Doncroft 1/17/11 3:50 AM

A Zealot beats a Roach 1v1. I was shocked to see it, but it's true. Don't run a single Zealot away from a single Roach. Take that watch

tower!

JibsRial 1/19/11 2:13 AM

@Doncroft: In groups roaches finish zealots nicely though.

Slayalisk 1/9/11 5:41 PM

Wouldn't it be able to gorge people with that pickaxe thing sticking out of it's back?

Senichi 1/17/11 3:37 AM

@Masada: They do, try getting really close to a structure and attack it, they use a melee attack

Destructor 1/8/11 8:36 PM

They should be able to shoot little spikes up through the ground while burrowed. Oh wait.

Wesley 1/26/11 1:13 AM

@Destructor: I can tell you miss lurks

Merrimack 1/7/11 5:03 PM

I had an idea about the Roach. How about an upgrade where the Roach gets an organic cannon on his back that shoots acid at air units

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/roach[3/2/2011 3:23:55 PM]

Roach - Game - StarCraft II

but it does good againts armored. This upgrade will be tier 1 so Zerg can fend off early air rushes.

SKTroop 1/12/11 11:16 PM

@Merrimack: Yeah, the roach has fast healing, burrowing, burrowed movement,and a speed upgrade. We should also let it

attack air units, right?

joel 1/16/11 11:45 AM

@SKTroop: mabe after minusing their hp by 5 and dmg by 2 and turning their normal atk so that it can atk air will make

zerg tier 1 stop fast aerial units

JibsRial 1/19/11 2:17 AM

@joel: HAHA! photon on back of roach. HAHA.

THEnoob 1/24/11 11:41 PM

@Merrimack: Your kinda thinking about hydralisks, maybe a bit more tier, but air units are tier 3 and hydras build faster.

Froopermoop 1/29/11 6:10 AM

@THEnoob: Yeah hydras! Take that, roaches! My hydras impale your faces! I was actually surprised when I found they were

a viable counter to roaches. Tired of my quick 'lings getting melted :'(

joel 1/30/11 1:42 PM

@THEnoob: actually against a protoss which masses phoenixes, hydralisks are also not that hard of a counter becuz

phoenixes can graviton beam hydralisks and deal extra damage to them

Wolfe 1/6/11 4:43 AM

I say the roach needs an evaloution, like something that can move while burrowed then when it goes under a unit or near one, you

unburrow it and it shoots it tongue out and latches on to any light unit then after a short delay (in which you can burrow it) the roach

thing swallows the unit. pwnage roach evalution

Doncroft 1/6/11 7:01 AM

@Wolfe: This isn't Alien vs Predator.

Ainokea 1/21/11 5:15 AM

@Wolfe: Bowser's Inside Story?

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/unit/roach[3/2/2011 3:23:55 PM]

Roach - Game - StarCraft II

Tony 1/2/11 2:46 AM

they are annoying but fun to use

ODX 1/2/11 2:37 AM

That's a lie, they aren't good against Zealots at all. Whenever I see Roaches I always get some more Zealots (making sure to have

Charge); they completely destroy the Roaches.

Doncroft 1/2/11 7:30 AM

@ODX: That's totally conditional. Roaches usually beat Zealots. Zealots only have a chance if they get in between the

Roaches for a surround. Even then it's tough, because the Roach armor takes 2 away from every Zealot attack.

Narcosis 1/1/11 8:21 PM

Does anyone else find it strange that infestors can move faster underground than roaches can?

BloodNinja 1/1/11 7:54 PM

THE TAnks of the swarm

Chirz 12/30/10 9:07 AM

roaches are awsome

Zman 12/26/10 3:51 PM

Roaches are op against toss they need a health nerf. Ever since the range upgrade they can own stalkers especially in the late game

because THEY ARE FASTER THAN STALKERS OFF CREEP WITH THE SPEED UPGRADE!!!!

TeaSpoon 1/13/11 6:07 AM

@Zman: blink

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Roach - Game - StarCraft II

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