Units

Overseer

Overseers are genetically altered Overlords who that have a mass of additional sockets filled with highly evolved optical receptors with hypersensitive retinas. These “eyes” have been through much iteration, each developmental cycle improving upon the preceding one’s optical evolution. The Zerg are obsessed with detecting subtler motions and more advanced camouflage techniques, and this latest evolution allows the Overseer to detect any hidden enemy units, including those that are burrowed underground or cloaked. Perhaps most disturbing are reports that Overseers can either carry or give birth to Changelings, infiltrator organisms that can convincingly mimic enemy Zerg, Terrans, or Protoss.
Heart of the Swarm Wings of Liberty
Unit Statistics

3D Model

Basic information

Race: Zerg
Life: 200
Energy: 200
Armor: 1 (4)
Movement: Slow
Attributes: Armored - Biological

Production

Producer: Overlord
Hotkey: V
Requires: Lair
Cost: 50 50
Supply: -
Build time: 17

Combat

Upgrades:
Ability:

3D Model

Basic information

Race: Zerg
Life: 200
Energy: 200
Armor: 1 (4)
Movement: Slow
Attributes: Armored - Biological

Production

Producer: Overlord
Hotkey: V
Requires: Lair
Cost: 50 50
Supply: -
Build time: 17

Combat

Upgrades:
Ability:

General Strategy

  • Provides the same supply as the Overlord.
  • Mobile detection unit.
  • Can detect cloaked and burrowed units.
  • Very fast movement speed compared to Overlords; ideal for scouting.
  • Can spawn the ’Changeling’ unit in order to infiltrate enemy bases or troop movements.
  • Can contaminate enemy structures, temporarily preventing them from training new units or researching upgrades.

Evolutions

  • Pneumatized Carapace: Increase speed of the Overlord by 1.4 and the Overseer by 0.875.

Countermeasures

VS Terran
  • Strong anti-air units like Vikings can tear through Overseers extremely quickly.
  • Static air defenses like Missile Turrets (particularly turrets with the Hi-Sec Auto Tracking upgrade) can be an effective deterrent against Overseers.
VS Zerg
  • Queens at your base can take down Overseers, while patrolling groups of Hydralisks deal enough damage to eliminate them before they can learn about your base defenses or production.
  • Because of their speed, Mutalisks can also serve as effective pursuers for groups of Overseers.
VS Protoss
  • Stalkers represent some of your earliest defenses against Overseers. Their Blink ability ensures that they’ll be able to intercept and chase down Overseers quickly.
  • Void Rays do extra damage to Overseers, so if you have them, use them to make short work of Overseers.
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Comments (153)

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McGrubbles #942
McGrubbles
8/12/2010
how come protoss players always ragequit when their dt rush fails because of these guys?
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Oblivion #233
Oblivion
8/15/2010
@Mcgrubbles: the resources spent on them is ridiculous...
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Tassadar #972
Tassadar
8/11/2010
Do Changelings attack?
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Marineman #740
Marineman
8/11/2010
i know this is very weird, but y does overseers poop changeling????
(very weird question)
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Charlie #367
Charlie
8/10/2010
is there a way to get all the units from story mode to play on any other map outside story mode without using the editor
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Crazyape #640
Crazyape
8/8/2010
Can changlings be revealed by using detectors.
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Oblivion #233
Oblivion
8/15/2010
@Crazyape: no... if i remember correctly. The only way to detect them is if you try to control them and can't.
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HazardxX #441
HazardxX
8/25/2010
@Crazyape: actually i believe they can be spotted, same thing goes with cloaked and hallucinations
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InfestedEdoo #549
InfestedEdoo
9/2/2010
@HazardxX: They cant dude. I've used changelings near photon cannons and the only way is by clicking them.
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InfestedEdoo #549
InfestedEdoo
9/2/2010
@HazardxX: They cant dude. I've used changelings near photon cannons and the only way is by clicking them.
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GSDfanX #408
GSDfanX
8/6/2010
spawn a lot of changlings
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leadingzero #872
leadingzero
8/5/2010
Someone had some lowbrow fun designing the Spawn Changeling animaltion/sound. Also, carrying away allied units in a wave of living excretia is good fun, endgame.
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shadowban #484
shadowban
8/5/2010
i wish changelings could attack itd be kind of unfair for everynoe else but much funner for zerg players
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GardenGnome #853
GardenGnome
8/4/2010
I think this page should specify the range of Contaminate and what it does (if anything) to towers.
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GardenGnome #853
GardenGnome
8/19/2010
@MadMac: The Contaminate graphic is cool looking but doesn't appear to do anything to towers. They still shoot, and kill the Overseer in no time. The range might be 3 on Contaminate, definitely less than the range of Photon Canons.

Overseer movement is listed as slow, but it is much faster than the un-upgraded Overlord, which is also listed as slow.
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GreYMisT #168
GreYMisT
8/26/2010
@MadMac: Contaminate stops building from producing units or researching upgrades. It will not stop defensive towers from firing.
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GardenGnome #853
GardenGnome
8/4/2010
Changelings are the most fun unit in the game. There is nothing quite like wandering all through opponents' armies and structures to see the counter-units you need and the best place to attack. This is more fun than the Orbital Command's scan (for which you have to pay energy you could be using for mules) or the Observer, which can be detected and destroyed automatically.
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Viet #757
Viet
8/3/2010
Can Changlings be auto targeted? during the whole spying mode
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GardenGnome #853
GardenGnome
8/4/2010
@Viet: Nope, they have to be manually targeted, and most folks are too busy to notice the low level unit wandering around their base.
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KuJo #804
KuJo
8/1/2010
One of the units that gets lost in the fray for me. I can't effectively micro 6 different types of units with my comps graphic lag.
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WolfDragoon #237
WolfDragoon
7/31/2010
..I'm glad the computer can't use these guys to their fullest ability. I'd get slaughtered while trying to stop my units from shooting eachother..
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Mediocrites #766
Mediocrites
7/28/2010
Overseers are underrated in most games. But in mid-late game it's important to have visibility, and if their energy builds up you can suddenly pop out five Changelings, scout around nicely, or send them in with an attack on an enemy base and screw up their production.

Very sweet unit.
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Alex #4818
Alex
7/30/2010
@Mediocrites: i totally agree. where are the changelings?!?...my friend got massed by changelings. it was kinda funny to watch. "Why the hell are my guys killing each other?!?"
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Rivalnator #643
Rivalnator
8/1/2010
@Mediocrites: changelings can attack? 0_0
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JonnyBigBoss #455
JonnyBigBoss
8/2/2010
@Rivalnator: No, they can't. They're used for scouting.
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Oblivion #233
Oblivion
8/15/2010
@Rivalnator: essentially if you place it near an enemy troop it will attack the changeling before it can transform, sometimes killing it. So it looks like your army is fighting itself.
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Neraxis #183
Neraxis
7/27/2010
Awesome design and some cool abilities.
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Igbarash #516
Igbarash
7/27/2010
phail.
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Design #231
Design
7/29/2010
@Igbarash: you clearly dont know how to use them.
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Nikelbag #845
Nikelbag
7/30/2010
@Design: true
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ConradOrvile #773
ConradOrvile
7/30/2010
@Igbarash: from that comment, your obviously a noob.
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bisubisubisu #828
bisubisubisu
7/27/2010
tbh i want actual game information, spell list, the 'manual' button has disappeared from the in-game options and none of the online content so far is what i actually want -spell lists, exact rule descriptions.
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bisubisubisu #828
bisubisubisu
7/27/2010
@bisubisubisu: hehe just noticed the mouse-over things on the ability icons so nvm.