StarCraft/High Templar

Introduction

A High Templar is a powerful Protoss psychic in the StarCraft universe. High Templar can be warped in by a Gateway. High Templar initially cannot cast any spells, but are able to use the Archon Meld skill. Summoning High Templar requires the structure Templar Archives, where they can be upgraded to become able to cast Psionic Storm and Hallucination. The High Templar provide major targets for the Dark Archon Mind Control and Feedback abilities.

• The two High Templar skills are ranged and thus are most effectively used when placed behind ranged/support units such as the Dragoon.
• Using multiple High Templar requires considerable micromanagement, not only for the special abilities, but also for keeping them alive.
• Players must be wary of decoy attacks in other areas while an opponent's main attack force quickly tears the High Templar to shreds.
• Place High Templar behind doodads, on high ground, and in pairs.
• High Templar are useful against massed enemies (Psionic Storm).
• High Templar are useful for initiating a scouting, decoying, and invading expedition (Hallucination).
• When out of energy, High Templar can be "recycled" using Archon Meld.
• High Templar are too slow for scouting, too weak for combat, and too costly for lone use. High Templar are useful only for their three spells: Psionic Storm, Hallucination, and Archon Meld.
• High Templar make excellent targets for faster units such Vultures and Zerglings.
• High Templar are tempting targets for spells such as Mind Control, Spawn Broodling, and Feedback.

Psionic Storm

Psionic Storm (hotkey T) causes significant area and duration damage.

• All units under a Psionic Storm take the same damage regardless of how many units are affected, making Psionic Storm a good spell to use on clusters of troops.
• The attack affects a chosen area and does 112 damage over the course of four seconds. There are 8 iterations of damage, each iteration being affected by the victim's armor.
• Once Psionic Storm begins, low-life units such as gatherers, infantry, and Zerglings have a minimal chance of escape.
• Psionic Storm affects cloaked, burrowed, hallucinated, Dark Swarm, and Disruption Web affected units.
• Psionic Storm is effective against particularly slow units.
• One strategy, leading the enemy, involves predicting where enemy forces will be when the Psionic Storm's damage begins and not when it is cast, since the spell involves a delay.
• Psionic Storm can also be used on melee enemies, but will possibly damage any of your own units in the area.
• Psionic Storm is also effective against enemy mining operations, facilitated by a shuttle drop.

File:2xstorms.jpg

Two Storms at Once

• Additional casts of Psionic Storm at the same location do not stack. It is possible to cast multiple stomrs that spread over an area by selecting multiple High Templar and storming an area of which all the Templar are in range.
• Units that move out of the storm before it is finished (or move into it as it is in effect) take only some of the damage.
• Later in the game, players must beware of using their Psionic Storm too early on enemy forces that appear too small, as the enemy may have reserve troops for when the High Templar run out of energy.
• Psionic Storm does not work against structures.

Hallucination

Hallucination (hotkey L) creates two duplicates of the target unit which do no damage.

• Hallucination works on both allied and enemy units; in either case, the hallucinations are marked as the caster's allies.
• Hallucinated Arbiters are particularly cost-effective if grouped with a real one.
• Hallucinated Arbiters can be defeated with a well-placed Stasis Field.
• Enemies may waste costly spells on Hallucinations.
• Hallucinations are instantly destroyed by any spell except Hallucination.
• Hallucinations lose HP/Shields twice as fast as normal units and have neither weaponry nor armor.
• Hallucinations appear to attack and attract enemy units.
• Hallucination forces an enemy to divert focused fire either upon fake units or spreading out the firepower.
• Fresh duplicates can be created from other hallucinations.
• Hallucinations also serve as decoys, drawing the enemy's attention either to a distant place on the map or forcing the enemy to make poor decisions.
• The superior numbers that this skill may grant can intimidate an opponent.
• Hallucinations also serve well as scouts and cannon fodder, in which case their effects may be doubled by separating the two dittoes.
• Hallucinations do not produce anything and do not cast spells, which make hallucinated Reavers, Carriers, and spellcasters very poor and easily identifiable imitations.
• Beware accidentally using this spell on an Interceptor instead of the Carrier.
• New ones appear out of nowhere, and players may be able to keep track of them.
• Some enemy spells, such as Ensnare, can vaporize multiple hallucinations in one cast.

Archon Meld

Archon Meld is the only way of obtaining an Archon. It requires selecting two High Templar.

• When the High Templar have used their spells and have run out of energy for another cast, this energy-free spell recycles the High Templar.
• Players cannot move or control the Archon Meld while it is in progress.
• Archon Meld is not reversible.

Tassadar (High Templar Hero)

The Protoss Hero Tassadar is a stronger version of the standard High Templar Unit. He has double the HP as the normal unit and has a impressive 300 shield point bonus. and automaticaly has all the abilties readly available. In addition to the Abilities listed above Tassadar has a Ranged Attack called Psi Assault which does 20dmg. Do note that with this attack you need to get Tassadar in pretty close where he might come under fire. Note on Campaign Missions if he dies you do lose the mission. Also he does not have the ability to meld into an Archon.