The best Zerg upgrades in StarCraft 2

Key recommendations

• Speed ​​is key to any Zerg unit.
• If you use ranged units, focus on upgrades that help you kiting.
• All of these upgrades are in addition to the basic offensive and defensive upgrades that should always be researched.

Zerg have a wide range of upgrades StarCraft 2 which range from increasing the stats of individual units to giving the entire army a unique ability to use in and out of combat. Although almost every Zerg unit is already deadly, these upgrades are crucial to give you the power to defeat your opponent.

While there are basic armor, melee, and ranged upgrades for ground and flying units, they will be left out of the following list, as they should always be considered foundations for later upgrades in this list.

8 Chitinose plating

Make Tanky Ultralisks and more

• 150 minerals and 150 hot gases
• Ultraslicks

While it may not be immediately clear, this armor boost for Ultralisk doubles their current armor. While it's already one of the most stock units in the game, this update makes it even more so and is the perfect damage sponge to protect your weaker bugs while they get to deal damage.

If you use Ultralisks, this upgrade is a must, although it is so low on the list because of how late in the game Ultralisks are used and when this upgrade can be purchased. As soon as an Ultralisk Cave is built, this update should start immediately.

7 Muscle augmentations

Make powerful and faster units

• 100 minerals and 100 hot gases
• Hydraulics

Speed ​​is a key factor for Zerg, and muscle growths give all Hydralisks a boost no matter what. Hydralisks have decent range on their attacks, and this speed boost can help kite enemies better with proper micromanagement.

Hydralisks have a boost range, but this speed boost is your better option early on. Some maps can also get very large, even in one-on-one mode, and getting your units to where you need them faster will help give you another advantage over your opponent.

6 Adrenal glands

Make the fastest units attack even faster

• 200 minerals and 200 hot gases
• Zerglings

Adrenal Glands is an endgame upgrade for Zerglings that helps build off of any other damage buffs you've already gotten for them. Zerglings are the best unit in the Zerg swarm and should be used throughout a game, regardless of length.

This upgrade makes them much more deadly and can help streamline any hit and run tactics. If you make a full swarm with dozens of Zerglings, they will quickly cut through the infantry of any army with this upgrade.

5 Pneumatic shell

Get your masters out of trouble faster

• 100 minerals and 100 hot gases
• Masters and Overseers

Bosses move incredibly slowly in the early game and are the source of your maximum control points. Even a basic marine can take them down easily since they can't dodge, but this upgrade greatly increases their movement speed to help them outmaneuver most basic enemies.

This update also improves the speed of Overseers, which are essential for providing Recon and gathering intelligence in dangerous situations. This upgrade is useful for both offensive and defensive situations, all while protecting your most important element in building an army.

4 Tunnel Claws

Move your undetected bugs

• 100 minerals and 100 hot gases
• bugs

Beetles can be a bit more of a specialized unit that is easy to pass over on your way to a liar to do something more advanced. While you'll need the Burrow upgrade first, Tunneling Claws lets the bugs move underground where they can only be seen or attacked by something with Recon.

Early in a game, Tunneling Claws can easily bring multiple beetles deep into enemy territory and make them appear to attack before jumping back into the ground and repositioning. Beetles that move underground also restore hit points much faster, making this useful when you need to quickly get out of a losing situation.

3 burrow

Hide and heal your unseen army

• 100 minerals and 100 hot gases
• All non-flying units

The Lair can be used by any unit on the ground, letting them jump underground where they can only be seen when noted with Recon. This is great for setting traps on your enemy while also healing units faster than when they are above the ground.

Burrow can also be used to force the enemy to target certain units, protecting the weakest or saving one from death at the last second. Burrowing Banelings can also set up traps for your opponent to walk and suddenly lose entire teams in mere seconds.

2 Centrifugal hooks

Put your explosive units in harm's way

• 100 minerals and 100 hot gases
• Banelings

Banelings are one of the deadliest units in the Zerg Swarm if they get close enough. The main problem with Banelings is their slow speed, but spin hooks help speed them up a lot. While you'll still need to protect your Banelings, this upgrade helps them get to a target faster and quickly destroy your enemy's ranks to make room for other units in your Swarm.

Smart opponents will also wall off their bases to prevent Zergling swarms from getting through, and a few well-placed Banelings can easily destroy bunkers or pillars to let the rest of your swarm in, with this update making it even faster.

Make Zerglings your fastest threat

• 100 minerals and 100 hot gases
• Zerglings

Metabolic Boost is a must to use Zerglings as otherwise they are basically useless. This should be the first upgrade you purchase in every game, as it gives your Zerglings the highest movement speed in the game.

In the beginning, no other unit from either faction will be able to come close to their speed, and you can outrun and destroy any scout. Smart opponents will try to rattle you with ranged attacks, but zerglings with this speed boost can quickly run behind enemies to shut them down while the rest of your swarm charges.