Everything about Protoss totally explained
The
Protoss are a fictional alien race in
Blizzard Entertainment's
real-time strategy computer game series
StarCraft and novel series based on the game. They are depicted as being technologically advanced and using
cybernetics and
psionic abilities in battle. In general, their units are more powerful though more expensive than those of the other two Starcraft races, the Terran and Zerg. Several notable professional players consistently play as the Protoss, including the top-ranked player as of September 2007 in the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA),
Kim Taek-Yong.
Gameplay
Like each of the other two races in
Starcraft, the Protoss technology tree and gameplay style are unique. They are very technologically advanced and possess psionic powers. Generally, Protoss units are much more powerful than those of other races. However, because of this, they're also more expensive and generally less efficient to mass in large numbers. Probes, the basic worker unit, are able to place a "warp gate" for structures; once this warp gate is set, the structure can warp in on its own and the probe can immediately seek more work. They are the only race that may have a single worker unit "construct" multiple structures at once, giving them a distinct advantage in setting up bases.
All Protoss units and structures possess a psionically-generated shield that can recharge over time. Because of the shield, however, the base hit point values of Protoss units and structures are generally lower than that of the other races. However, the shields are generally thought of as "adding on" to the hit points, and therefore make the Protoss units tougher than those of the other races. There are abilities, however, that can negate the shields of a Protoss.
Like the Zerg (but unlike the Terrans), the Protoss have limitations in where they can set up their structures. Most structures (with specific exceptions) must be powered by the psionic matrix of a Pylon (meaning it must be within its psionic "radius"). If the pylon (or pylons) powering the structure is destroyed, the structure ceases to operate. Pylons also provide supply for the Protoss, allowing them to continue warping in units and expanding the unit cap until the maximum of 200.
Physiology
Protoss are about three meters tall and have two glowing eyes,
digitigrade legs, semi-permeable skin covered in scales, four digits on their hands (of which two are thumbs) and toes, broad chests and shoulders, and narrow waists with slim midsections. Protoss have a bony crest extending back from the crown of the head. Beneath it, emerging from the back of the head, are the nerve cords, which allow them to access their racial psionic gestalt. This gestalt is the basis of the
Khala.
The
Xel'Naga considered these beings to have
purity of form as the Protoss are incredibly adaptable to harsh natural conditions and climates, and their strength and speed were unparalleled amongst the other races known to the Xel’Naga. Protoss even have sharp claws, which can be deadly weapons if a Protoss is caught unarmed. The Protoss used to hunt, but they did so to collect the blood and hides of animals for various purposes, not for sustenance.
Protoss don't have of mouths, noses, or visible ears. They are photosynthetic and can go without light for extended periods of time. which is absorbed through their skin. they made to themselves; another possibility is that they're able to use any form of cosmic radiation for their needs.
Protoss hear and smell through their skin, and it's believed that their primary sense is sight. Protoss have a sense of smell sharp enough to identify other Protoss, and can see very well at night. A Protoss' skin color may change when under stress in accordance to his emotions. Protoss sleep and dream in a manner similar to humans. The Xel’Naga liked the Protoss, as they seemed near perfection already, and were especially impressed by their psionic link. This link was a form of instinctive telepathy, enabling them to communicate with one another, so that even large groups could work together efficiently.
Background Lore
The Xel'Naga altered them to some extent with their Khaydarin Crystals, but were content to remain unseen for many generations. The Xel'Naga felt they'd achieved their goal, and gave the new race the name of Protoss, or 'the First Born'. Aiur was eventually covered by civilized Protoss, and so the Xel'Naga descended onto Aiur in order to more closely study the evolution of their charges.
The Xel'Naga were initially revered as gods, as the Protoss looked towards their creators with respect and a lust for knowledge. However, as the understanding and personal awareness of the young Protoss grew, they began to place greater pride in individual achievements rather than the benefit of the community.
The tribes began to fear treachery from their masters, and in seeking to sever themselves from the rest of their race, attempted to lose the psychic link that they shared. This dissolved whatever remnants of brotherhood or unity that the Protoss had shared. Feeling that the greatest attribute of the Protoss was lost, the Xel'Naga began withdrawing from Aiur. However, the suspicious Protoss responded with an attack on the Xel'Naga Worldships, which fended off the hasty attack and left the system. The Protoss Tribes then turned against each other, beginning what is now known as the Aeon of Strife, a devastating civil war that lasted thousands of years; consuming many generations of the long lived Protoss.
The war was finally ended by a Protoss named
Khas, who had rediscovered the teachings and technology of the Xel’Naga. Using his discoveries, which he called the Khala, he was able to restore the psionic link with most of the Protoss. With this done, he divided the Protoss into three castes; the Judicator Caste (Politicians), the Templar Caste (Warriors), and the Khalai Caste (Workers and Artisans).
A few of the Protoss refused to join the Khala. These were exiled from Aiur by the new government, and were later called the Dark Templar.
These Dark Templar traveled the galaxy for hundreds of years with no home world, severing their psionic link with the other Protoss. During their travels, they learned to use cosmic energies to power their psionic powers.
The Rogue Tribes eventually discovered the planet Shakuras during their journeys and remained.
Events in Starcraft I
Burning the Infested Planets, Tassadar and the Dark Templar
Meanwhile, the Aiur Protoss conquered hundreds of worlds within their corner of the galaxy, spreading civilization to many of the less advanced races that they encountered.
The Protoss would then consider themselves the stewards of the conquered races, allowing them to govern themselves without interference.
They did the same when
Terran colonies began to appear on the edge of Protoss space. They didn't initially reveal themselves to the Terran. However, when the Zerg were discovered and began infesting border Terran worlds without the Terrans' knowledge, the Protoss were forced to intervene. The Executor
Tassadar was ordered to burn any Terran worlds on which the Zerg had embedded themselves. After destroying the outlying colony of Chau Sara, leaving the Terran scattered and confused, he disobeyed orders and refused to burn any more worlds until the Terran had completely evacuated the planet. Eventually Tassadar disappeared and began seeking out the Dark Templar, who he believed had the ability to help them fight the Zerg.
War on Aiur, Fall of the Overmind
Eventually the Zerg were able to discover the location of the Protoss homeworld of Aiur and invaded it, sending the Protoss fleeing and implanting the Overmind within its crust. After the seeming betrayal of Tassadar, the Conclave (the government of the Protoss) appointed a new Executor (the player) to seek out Tassadar, finding him in contact with a band of Terrans (including Jim Raynor) and the Dark Templar. The new Executor decided to align himself with Tassadar. The Conclave branded him as a traitor as well, and upon his return to Aiur aggressively pursued him and Tassadar, sparking conflict that barely avoided becoming a civil war when Tassadar, unwilling to continue the slaughter, turned himself in.
Soon after, the Executor and Raynor rescued him, but sought no more conflict, instead hatching a plan to use the power of the Dark Templar to slay the Cerebrates, or leaders of the Zerg broods, without the Overmind instantly reincarnating them, which had been the main stumbling block in disabling the command chain of the Zerg Swarm. After the success of this plan, the Conclave recognized the valor of Tassadar, the Executor, Raynor, and the Dark Templar, and made peace with them just as their forces converged on the Overmind.
Unfortunately, it was already too late for the Conclave to send any backup forces, and the tide of the battle against the Overmind soon turned against the heroes. In a desperate bid to achieve victory, Tassadar summoned his Templar powers and combined them with the powers of the Dark Templar that had been taught to him; channeling these powers through his ship, the Ganthritor, he guided the craft into the Overmind, destroying it and losing his own life in the process. The conflict continued however, for while the Zerg where leaderless and their main Hive Cluster was destroyed, the rest of Aiur was almost completely infested and armies of rampant Zerg still ran amok across its fields and the ruins of its cities.
Events in Starcraft I Brood War
Survival, The Dark Templar Homeworld
With the Zerg running loose across Aiur and the Conclave having collapsed, Zeratul convinced the remaining Protoss to flee to the Dark Templar homeworld of Shakuras. There they met the Zerg Queen of Blades,
Kerrigan, who stated that she was no longer under control of the Overmind. She helped the Protoss find two crystals of High and Dark Templar power (the Uraj and Khalis) that would wipe Shakuras of all of the Zerg that had followed them there if they agreed to help her destroy the new Overmind that was growing on the Zerg world of Char. The Matriarch of the Dark Templar agreed to help Kerrigan, and after the Overmind had been crippled and the crystals recovered, Aldaris, the leader of the remnants of the Conclave, once again betrayed the other Protoss. Kerrigan used this to her advantage and betrayed the Protoss, killing Aldaris and revealing her treachery. She had simply used them so that she could eliminate her competition and eventually take control of the Zerg broods for herself. A short time later, the Protoss combined the powers of the crystals at an ancient Xel'Naga temple and thus scoured the Zerg from Shakuras.
Kerrigans Treachery, Raszagal's Secret
When Kerrigan and the Zerg later returned to Shakuras, they captured the Dark Templar Matriarch. Zeratul realized that the Matriarch Raszagal had already had her mind taken over by Kerrigan, an event which had happened before the Zerg had even arrived on Shakuras, and was forced to kill her. Kerrigan then let Zeratul go, saying he could never forgive himself for killing his own Matriarch. Through unknown means, Aldaris had known this and that's why he'd again betrayed the other Protoss and also why Kerrigan had intervened and killed him.
The Final Battle
At the end of the events of, the Protoss forces led by the young Artanis joined with the Terran forces of the United Earth Directorate and of the Dominion in a desperate attempt to defeat Kerrigan. Kerrigan and her forces were able to destroy all three of the forces, forcing the Protoss to retreat back to Shakuras and begin rebuilding their civilization.
Dark Origin
After Zeratul had fled Shakuras, he was drawn to power signatures on an unknown moon. He soon discovered the mysterious character of
Samir Duran attempting to create a Protoss/Zerg hybrid. Zeratul, horrified, says he'll destroy the hybrid. Duran reveals that even if this one cell is destroyed, he's many others like it all across the galaxy, and also that he works for "a far greater power". He also calls Zeratul "a young prodigal."
Events in Starcraft II
Zeratul's Path
During the following years Zeratul searched the stars for clues to Duran's intentions. In a campaign demonstration for
StarCraft II, Zeratul makes an appearance to Jim Raynor and reveals that the "Xel'Naga have returned." (The Zerg/Protoss hybrid isn't explitcitly shown being destroyed, but it's presumed that Zeratul destroys it off-screen.)
Reconstruction, Split in Half
Artanis, meanwhile, is on Shakuras, trying to unite the Protoss forces in the means to reconstruct what had been lost to them. The two factions however, the high and dark templar, still harbor consumed hatreds for the other half. The two sides begin to separate again into new tribes, stalling Artanis' plans for reconstruction and causing large tensions to erupt again in the Protoss ranks.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Protoss'.
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