StarCraft/Buildings

Terran

Terran Tech Tree

Command Center

The command center is the Terrans' primary building. It produces the worker SCVs, and is where gathered resources are dropped off. It can sport two fancy extensions, the Comsat station, and the Nuclear silo. Also, the CC (Command Center) can lift off and be moved to a new location. This is useful in that you can build an CC for a nearby expansion somewhere safe in your main base, and then fly it to its new location (however you'll leave any extensions you've built behind). A CC costs 400 minerals.

Comsat Station

The comsat center is an upgrade for the CC, it costs 50 minerals, 50 gas to construct. It can only be constructed once the Academy has been built. When energy allows, you can use the comsat station's scanner sweep to reveal any portion of the map and all units (Including cloaked and burrowed ones) for a short time (~15 seconds). The perfect recon tool. Comsats can be "hot keyed" so a cloaked unit can be revealed in the heat of battle and killed before causing too much trouble.

Addon to: Command Center
Prerequisites: Academy

Nuclear Silo

The nuclear silo is the other upgrade for the CC, you can only have one upgrade, however it is possible to swap back and forth between them by lifting off and settling down next to the other one. A nuclear silo costs 100 minerals, 100 vespene, but to build a nuke for it will cost another 200 each. To actually make use of the nuke you'll need a Ghost to target where the Nuke should land. Nukes are of only limited use: if the ghost that's targeting the nuke dies before the nuke has found its target, then you don't get an earth shattering boom.

Addon to: Command Center
Prerequisites: Science Facility with attached Covert Ops

Supply Depot

Supply depots generate the nessesary supplies to feed and maintain your troops. Don't worry though, you don't have to set supply lines or anything like that; all you need to do is have enough supply depots to support your troops (otherwise you can't build new troops). A decrease in Supply will not cause a decrease in your troops' abilities or numbers, but must be rectified before new units can be ordered. A supply depot generates 8 "supply", which is slightly more than the cost of the largest units (Battlecruiser and Nuke @ 6).

Refinery

The refinery can only be built on a vespene geyser. It costs 100 minerals, but is a near absolute necessity for anything more than marines and SCVs. All air units require vespene. Once built, SCVs can enter the refinery and bring back the valuable vespene gas.

Barracks

The barracks is the first structure you can build that produces attack units. It costs 150 minerals. It can produce Marines, Firebats and Ghosts. If you're running the expansion pack "Brood War" it can also produce medics. The barracks can lift off and be moved.

Prerequisites: Command Center

Bunker

The bunker is a defensive structure that can be loaded with infantry (and SCVs). Units in the bunker cannot be damaged until the bunker is destroyed, however they can still fire out.

Prerequisites: Barracks

Academy

The academy is a research structure: it offers Stim Packs and Enhanced Marine range upgrades. In broodwar it also offers a variety of medic upgrades. The academy must be built for medics and firebats to be produced. It cost 150 minerals.

Prerequisites: Barracks

Engineering Bay

The engineering bay is a research structure that provides infantry weapon and armour upgrades. It costs 125 minerals, and can lift off. It is also required to build Missile Turrets.

Prerequisites: Command Center

Missile Turret

The missile turret is a ground to air defense structure. They cost 75 minerals apiece. They are worth having sprinkled around your base because they are "detectors". And they discourage opponents from dropping their units off in your base. It's much easier to kill an overlord and having the two Ultralisks its carrying plummet to their deaths than to permit the dropoff and kill the Ultralisks. Besides that, they just look cool spinning endlessly... More seriously, a endless line of turrets occupying a strategic bluff or pass (Hopefully backed up with ground support units) can have a psycological effect on a human opponent.

Prerequisites: Engineering Bay

Factory

One of the Terrans' most important structures, the Factory produces the Siege Tank, as well as Vultures and Goliaths. The Factory costs 200 minerals and 100 vespene, and can get the Machine Shop add-on. The Factory can lift off, but it will leave the Machine Shop behind; it can also connect to idle Machine Shops.

Prerequisites: Barracks

Machine Shop

The machine shop add-on provides upgrades to units produced in the factory. It's built by the factory for 50 minerals and 50 vespene. You'll want this to get those Siege Tanks. Also the Siege upgrade is available here, as well as Spider Mines, and you can also buy a Goliath upgrade that extends the range of their anti-air missiles.

Addon to: Factory

Armory

The armoury provides weapon and armour upgrades for vehicles produced by the Factory and Starport. It allows for the production of Goliaths from the Factory and Valkyries form the Starport.

Prerequisites: Factory

Starport

The Starport produces your flying units. Wraiths, Dropships, BattleCruisers, and Science Vessels (and Valkyries in the BroodWar Expansion). It costs 150 minerals, 100 vespene. It can lift off but in doing so loses any Control Tower expansions it has built.

Prerequisites: Factory

Control Tower

The Control Tower is required to build most of the Starport's units (only the Wraith or valkyrie in brood war can be built without it). It allows you to research Wraith Cloaking and an energy upgrade for the Wraith's engines which gives longer cloaking time.

Prerequisites: Starport

Science Facility

The science Facility is the last research structure the Terrans can build. It costs 100 minerals and 150 vespene. It can lift off, but by doing so it will leave behind whichever expansion it has. It researches a number of abilities that the Science Vessel can use. It also allows advanced weapons and armour upgrades for both infantry and mechanical units.

Prerequisites: Starport

Physics Lab

The physics laboratory is an add-on for the Science Facility. It is required to build the Terran Battlecruiser, and also houses the Yamato gun(260 damage for 150 energy from a distance of 10 squares)and the colossus reactor, which adds 50 extra energy capacity to the Battlecruiser.

Addon to: Science Facility

Covert Ops

The covert ops station allows you to build Ghosts and Nuclear Silos. It also provides a number of options for Ghost research. Cloaking is a good idea if you plan to nuke anyone. Lock down is a wonderful tool for disabling enemy mechanical units. Watch the Protoss player cry when you lock down his 12 Carriers, and then blow them up with anything on hand. Also included are occular implants, which increase the Ghost's sight range to maximize scouting abilities, and the Mobius reactor, which allows the Ghost an extra 50 energy capacity.

Addon to: Science Facility

Protoss

Nexus

The Nexus is the Protoss' primary building. It produces workers, and is where gathered resources are dropped off. A Nexus costs 400 minerals.

Assimilator

The Assimilator must be built on a Vespene Geyser before the Protoss workers can collect gas. It costs 100 minerals.

Pylon

The Pylon is the power source for all Protoss buildings (except for the Nexus and Assimilator). Protoss buildings require at least one Pylon built nearby in order to function properly. If a Pylon powering a building is destroyed, the building will stop working. A Pylon costs 100 minerals.

Gateway

The Gateway is where Protoss ground units (Zealot, Dragoon, High Templar, and Dark Templar) come out. It costs 150 minerals.

Prerequisites: Nexus

Forge

The Forge is used for upgrading Ground Attack, Ground Armor, and Shield Armor. It costs 150 minerals.

Prerequisites: Nexus

Shield Battery

The Shield Battery can be used by all Protoss units to recharge their shields. It costs 100 minerals.

Prerequisites: Gateway

Cybernetics Core

The Cybernetics Core is used for upgrading Air Attack, Air Armor, and increased attack range for Protoss Dragoons. It costs 200 minerals.

Prerequisites: Gateway

Photon Cannon

The Photon Cannon is a defensive structure for the Protoss. Its ranged attack can hit both ground and air units. It can also detect cloaked units. It costs 150 minerals.

Prerequisites: Forge

Robotics Facility

The Robotics Facility is the construction center for Shuttles, Reavers, and Observers. Only Shuttles are available by default.

Prerequisites: Cybernetics Core

Robotics Support Bay

Allows Reavers to be built at the Robotics Facility

Prerequisites: Robotics Facility

Observatory

Allows Observers to be built at the Robotics Facility

Prerequisites: Robotics Facility

Citadel of Adun

Allows the Templar Archives to be warped in

Prerequisites: Cybernetics Core

Templar Archives

Allows both High and Dark Templar to be built at the Gateway

Prerequisites: Citadel of Adun

Stargate

The Stargate is where air units are warped in.

Prerequisites: Cybernetics Core

Fleet Beacon

The Fleet Beacon allows Carriers to be constructed, and allows Scouts, Carriers, and Corsairs to be upgraded.

Prerequisites: Stargate

Arbiter Tribunal

The Arbiter Tribunal allows Arbiters to be constructed and upgraded.

Prerequisites: Stargate and Templar Archives

Zerg

Hatchery / Lair / Hive

The Hatchery is the Zerg's primary building. It is where gathered resources are dropped off. Unlike the other teams, the hatchery is where all zerg units are built. The Hatchery also allows evolution to the next 'age', giving new possibilities for buildings/units. The first evolution changes it to a Lair, the 2nd to a "Hive". At the Hatchery, Burrow is researched, and at the Lair, Overlord Transport, Speed, and Sight are upgraded.

Cost: 300/0
Hotkey: H
Upgrades:
Burrow: 100/100
Ventral Sacs (Transportation): 200/200-needs Lair
Pneumatized Carapace (Speed): 150/150-needs Lair
Evolve Antennae (Sight Range): 150/150-needs Lair

Extractor

This building allows Drones to collect Vespene Gas, which is necessary for almost every unit.

Cost: 50/0
Hotkey: E

Spawning Pool

It allows the player to create Zerglings and has two upgrade options for Zerglings, speed and attack speed. The second upgrade, attack speed, cannot be completed until the Hatchery has been evolved into a Hive.

Cost: 200/0 (originally 150/0. Changed in Update 1.08)
Hotkey: S
Metabolic Boost(Speed): 100/100
Adrenal Glands(Attack speed): 200/200-needs Hive

Hydralisk Den

The Hydralisk Den as its name suggests allows the production and support of Hydralisks. Dedicated like most zerg buildings to one unit or unit type it allows two upgrades in StarCraft and a third with the Brood Wars expansion. The basic two upgrades that it allows are an increase in speed and an increase in range. Both quite useful as the Hydralisk is Considered by most to be the backbone unit of the Zerg forces. The Expansion upgrade is the Lurker upgrade which allows the Hydralisk to go back into its egg and reemerge as a lurker.

Cost: 100/50
Hotkey: D
Leg Enhancement(Speed): 150/150
Grooved Spines(Greater Attack Range): 150/150
Lurker Aspect: 200/200-requires Lair-Brood War only

Evolution Chamber

This building is where the Zerg ground unit upgrades can be found, which are carapace, melee attacks, and ranged attacks. The second level can only be researched with a Lair, and the third level can only be researched with a Hive.

Cost: 75/0
Hotkey: V
Melee Attacks: 100/100, 175/175, 250/250
Missle Attacks: 100/100, 175/175, 250/250
Carapace: 150/150, 225/225, 300/300

Creep Colony

This building extends the creep so there is more building room. Can be mutated into Sunken or Spore colony for defense.

Cost: 75/0
Hotkey: C

Sunken Colony

Mutated from Creep Colony. It is the strongest ground defense of any species, dealing 40 explosive damage.

Cost: 50/0
Prerequisite: Creep Colony, Spawning Pool
Hotkey: U

Spore Colony

Mutated from Creep Colony. It is the sturdiest air defense of any species, with 400 hit points.

Cost: 50/0
Prerequisite: Creep Colony, Evolution Chamber
Hotkey: S

Queens Nest

Allows for production of Queen. Also allows Ensnare, Spawn Broodling, and greater energy capacity to be evolved. Prerequisite for Hive.

Cost: 150/100
Hotkey: Q
Prerequisite: Lair
Ensnare: 100/100
Spawn Broodling: 100/100
Gamite Synthesis: 150/150

Spire

One of the more important Zerg structures. Allows spawning of basic air units at the hatchery. Also air unit weapons and armor can be upgraded here. Can be upgraded into a Greater Spire, and the third level upgrade requires the Greater Spire.

Cost: 200/150
Hotkey: S
Prerequisite: Lair
Flyer Attacks: 100/100, 175/175, 250/250
Flyer Carapace: 150/150, 225/225, 300/300

Greater Spire

Allows the mutation of mutalisks into Guardians and Devourers, and the final air upgrades to be researched.

Cost: 100/150
Hotkey: G
Prerequisite: Spire and Hive.

Defiler Mound

Allows for production of Defiler. Also allows Consume, Plague, and greater energy capacity to be evolved.

Cost: 100/100
Hotkey: D
Prerequisite: Hive
Consume: 100/100
Plague: 150/150
Metasynaptic Node: 150/150

Ultralisk Cavern

Allows for production of Ultralisk. Allows evolution of Armor and Speed.

Cost: 150/200
Hotkey: U
Prerequisite: Hive
Anabolic Synthesis(Speed):150/150
Chitnous Plating(thicker carapace):150/150

Nydus Canal

Allows units to move from one place to another quickly. Once built, an exit node can be placed, but exit node must be on creep.

Cost: 150/0
Hotkey: N
Prerequisite: Hive