Starcraft 2 Protoss Mothership Guide

To complete the units section of our Starcraft 2 Protoss multiplayer guide, we take in the might of the Mothership.

As a Starcraft 2 multiplayer match draws to its close, there are few more awe-inspiring sights on the battlefield than the stunningly beautiful and utterly deadly Protoss Mothership. These ancient leviathans, as much religious shrine as military weapon to the Protoss, can absolutely dominate the late-game if employed well. In this last unit guide for the Protoss race, we look at just what makes the Mothership such a fantastic Starcraft 2 unit, and how you can get the most out of it, no matter who your foe.

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Production and Properties:

• Minerals: 400
• Gas: 400
• Supply: 8
• Build Time: 160 secs
• Produced By: Nexus
• Requires: Fleet Beacon
• Hotkey: M
• Max Energy: 200

Movement and Protection:

• Speed: 1.41
• Acceleration: 1.31
• Hit Points: 350
• Shields: 350
• Armor: 4
• Armor Type: Mechanical, Psionic, Massive

Weaponry:

Purifier Beams

• Ground/Air Attack
• Attacks: 6
• Range: 7
• Damage: 6
• Bonuses: 360 degree Arc

Upgrades:

Shields 1-3 (Upgrade for all of the Protoss units)

• Level 1: (Minerals: 200, Gas: 200, Time: 140 secs)

• Level 2: (Minerals: 300, Gas: 300, Time: 170 secs)

• Level 3: (Minerals: 400, Gas: 400, Time: 200 secs)

• Required: Twilight Council

Air Weapons 1-3 (Upgrade for all Protoss air units)

• Level 1: (Minerals: 100, Gas: 100, Time: 140 secs)

• Level 2: (Minerals: 175, Gas: 175, Time: 170 secs)

• Level 3: (Minerals: 250, Gas: 250, Time: 200 secs)

• Required: Fleet Beacon

Air Armor 1-3 (Upgrade for all Protoss air units)

• Level 1: (Minerals: 150, Gas: 150, Time: 140 secs)

• Level 2: (Minerals: 225, Gas: 225, Time: 170 secs)

• Level 3: (Minerals: 300, Gas: 300, Time: 200 secs)

• Required: Fleet Beacon

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Vulnerable To:

• Protoss Void Ray
• Terran Viking
• Zerg Corruptor

Protoss vs Protoss

When its time to unleash your one and only Mothership upon a Protoss opponent, ensure you give it adequate cover and back-up with a decent aerial force of Carriers and Phoenix units to guard it from Void Ray attack.. Strategically applying the Mothership's Cloaking Field and Mass Recall abilities will allow you to exert major control over the battlefield and the flow of the action. A large formation of Stalkers may be able to wear down your defences, though.

Protoss vs Terran

The Vortex is a fantastic ability with which to instantly disable large concentrations of Terran units at the prime moment, and following it up with a Mass Recall can be a great assault tactic against entrenched enemy bases. Vikings have the long range capability to harm a Mothership, and the Ghost's ever useful EMP will drain its energy and cause damage at the same time.

Protoss vs Zerg

Use the Mothership and its Mass Recall to buttress locations under attack from large concentrations of Zerg Units, enabling you to nullify your enemy's advantage in numbers with mobility. Swarm formations of Mutalisks will need to be kept at bay by your accompanying aerial units, while Corruptors are capable of blasting a Mothership out of the sky, if given the opportunity.

The Starcraft 2 Mothership is the culmination of the elegant technological aesthetic of the Protoss race in Blizzard's massive RTS. Like so many of the other Protoss units, getting the best out of it requires forethought and a clear plan, but in the hands of a gifted player it can be a mighty weapon to wield.