SC2 | Zerg Infestor Guide | How to use effectively

[Messi]

This is a guide to the practical uses of the Starcraft 2 INFESTOR

last updated: 7/22/10

The Infestor is the zerg's only useful offensive spellcaster unit, unlike the terran and protoss which have at least 2 useful offensive casters each (raven, ghost, sentry, high templar, mothership). It almost seems as if the zerg got gypped out of a useful caster (queen). Queen are nice and all, very beneficial to your economy, but are incredibly slow off creep and useless in battle for the most part.

Its because of this fact that it is imperative that you learn how to use the zerg's only "useful" spellcaster to its fullest extent. That is why I am writing this guide right now.


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The Zerg Infestor:



Production:
Minerals: 100
Vespene: 150
Supply: 2
Build Time: 50
Mutater: Larva
Requires: Infestation Pit
Hotkey: F

Statistics:
Hit Points: 90
Energy: 200
Armor: 0 (+1)
Movement: Normal
Modifiers: Armored - Biological - Psionic

Abilities

Neural Parasite (R)

Temporarily takes control of an enemy units mind. The Infestor must channel the ability and can not target air units.
Type: Channeled
Energy: 100
Range: 9

Fungal Growth (F)

Ensnares all enemies in a radius and completely immobilizes it, while dealing small damage.
Stats: 36 damage (over 8 seconds)
Energy: 75
Duration: 6 sec

Infested Terrans (T)

Spawn an Infested Terran at the target area. Infested Terrans last 20 seconds.
Energy: 25
Cast Time: 4 sec
Duration: 20 sec
Range: 6

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Versus Protoss:

Often in a ZvP the zerg player will go with a roach/hydra army mix since it is very strong against all Protoss Tier 1 units. Once a Protoss player decides to add more variability to their army, i.e. getting higher tier units, your zerg may need to adapt to the change. If the Protoss doesn't get high templar or archons, they'd probably get Collosus and/or Immortals, which are also very good against clumps of roach/hydra.
The logical counter to Collosus is corruptors since they do extra vs massive (collosus count as massive) and the Collosus can't fight back. However, a separate counter would be the infestor's neural parasite.
With this ability, the infestor takes over the collosus just long enough for your forces to wipe out the enemy's army. And with your remaining forces, kill the collosus. Neural Parasite also works wonders against Immortals. ANY expensive unit should be neural parasited, to try and hurt your protoss' forces as greatly as possible.

In most other situations the infestor doesn't really help against a protoss, unless conceivably having 3-4 infestors with full energy pop 32 infested terran to help take care of a problematic protoss push.

Versus Terran :

This is where the Infestor really shines. Against Marine & Marauder balls.
Its good to have 2-4 infestors in this matchup.
A typical ZvT will progress to marine, marauder and tanks vs zerg/roach, mutalisk, and now adding in the infestor!
The Infestor's Fungal growth ability is VERY effective against marine marauder. This is because the 36 damage done by the fungal growth is slightly less than the marine's default health (45). If you were able to hit them again with anything, they'd probably die. And once the marines are taken out of the picture with either this fungal growth or in conjunction with banelings (whatever really you decide to use), the Terrain won't have any anti-air. That's when your mutalisks become their most effective. And if you're able, neural parasite the tanks to help you clean things up.

Sometimes the Terran gets thor to deal with your mutalisks. This is all the more reason to get infestors. Their neural parasite ability lets you take control of them so that you can take them out of battle.

My favorite new tactic to use against Terran now is use burrowed infestors to snipe off siege tanks with the Infested Terran ability. Since it can be casted while burrowed, this sneak attack is VERY effective against stationary units.


Versus Zerg :

The infestor in this matchup is a bit less effective than the other two, but can still be used to change the sway of battle.
Note that the zerglings only have 35 health and the banelings, even less. 1 Fungal growth on these guys actually kills them. So, if you see a swarm of banelings or zerglings running into your base or army, simply hit them with a good fungal growth to finish them off.

Fungal growth is also fairly effective against mutalisks. One Fungal growth does over a quarter of the mutalisk's base health.You can also hit them with a fungal growth to keep them from running away and take them out with your own forces right there on the spot. Even spawn some infested terrans to help with the anti-air.

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There is definitely much more testing i have to do with the infestor to really get a good feel for it and use its skills instinctively.

Statistics and images taken from Starcraft 2 Armory - Zerg Infestor

[BSOS]

the newest patches made it so infestors are intended to be burrowed most of the time as in: they now have the speed upgrade for burrowed movement at spawn, and they can now spawn infested terran while burrowed (a very useful tactic).