GameSpot's Guide to Starcraft

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The Zerg Swarm - Units and Structures

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STARCRAFT
  Race Overview
    Terran
    Zerg Units
    Zerg Structures
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  Contents

Go to GameSpot's Guide to Broodwar

Extractor

This particularly frightful-looking structure must be built atop a Vespene Gas geyser. Unlike most Zerg structures, the Extractor needn't be placed upon a layer of Creep, as the Vespene Gas geyser itself provides the Extractor with the necessary nutrients to carry out its function. The Zerg demand Vespene Gas to produce all but the most rudimentary military forces and structures, and the Extractor is the means by which they can gather the valuable element. Only a single Drone may gather Vespene Gas within an Extractor at any time, so only a handful of Drones ordered to mine from the Extractor will prove sufficient in generating a continuous stream of revenue.

Hit Points 750
Time to Build 40
Cost 50m 0g
Requires N/A

Select the Extractor to see how much gas remains inside. Once the geyser is depleted, your Drones will return with only two units of gas at a time instead of eight. Prevent the curtailing of this precious resource by locating additional Vespene Gas geysers before your first is depleted. While you need Vespene Gas to build the all-important Hydralisk Den, you mustn't rush to build an Extractor. See to defending your base with a good number of Zerglings before investing a Drone into the Extractor metamorphosis.