Zealot

Overview

Zealots are low ranked Templars who have yet to reach the higher ranks of the Khala. Unlike their higher rank brethren that focus their training on enhancing their psionic abilities, Zealots use their limited psionic powers to enhance their hand-to-hand combat skills. Zealots are taught to hate their enemies and will use their rage to enhance their combat. Augmented with cybernetic implants and trained in tactics and pain tolerance, Zealots will stop at nothing to ensure victory for the Protoss. Armed with power suits and psionic blades, Zealots are fearsome melee warriors. When severely injured in battle, Zealots (or other templar) move their bodies into Dragoons or (in StarCraft II) Immortals.

StarCraft

In Starcraft: Brood War, the Zealot is often not used until the late game due to their slow speed without their Leg Enhancements. Players can opt to build Zealots to counter Zerglings but for the most part, the Dragoon is favored in the early game due to their range. Against Zerg, Protoss players will often get the +1 Ground Weapons Upgrade quickly as this allows the Zealot to kill a Zergling in two hits as opposed to three. Once Zealots are upgraded with their Leg Enhancements however, Protoss armies tend to switch from a Dragoon based army to a Zealot, Archon, High Templar composition. Against a Terran player without much anti-air, a common tactic employed is Zealot Bombing. Zealots are loaded into a Shuttle which flies over Terran Siege Tank positions. The Zealots are dropped on top of the Siege Tanks, triggering nearby Siege Tanks to attack the Zealot. Because Siege Tanks deal splash damage, the Zealot and any nearby tanks are destroyed. Terran commanders must spread their Siege Tanks or employ more anti-air to counter this tactic. Zealots with Leg Enhancements can be extremely potent to Siege Tanks lines supported by Spider Mines as the Zealot can "drag" the Spider Mine to clusters of tanks.

StarCraft II

In the light of Aiur under occupation by the Zerg, Zealots have honed their training to higher levels in the Dark Templar home world of Shakuras. With the drive to retake their home world, Zealots have become more powerful and have honed their psionic abilities.

Zealots more powerful than their Brood War counterparts thanks to the their new ability, Charge. Like Brood War, Zealots are out of favor in the early game and usually serve as shields for the more frail Stalkers. Their slow speed means they often die before reaching their targets. Once they have their Charge ability however, the Zealot can turn into a major damage dealer since they deal twice as much damage as the Stalkers and able to quickly surround a target. The tried and true High Templars and Archons make great support units for the Zealot and the new Sentry unit augments the Zealots capabilities immensely thanks to Force Field. Zealots are even more effective against Zerglings in StarCraft II with one Zealot able to engage three or more at once.

Matchups/Counters