EPT![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/T0cRf.jpg)
Prior to the fall of Aiur, the zealot was the core of the Protoss army. Devoted to the Khala above everything else, these fearless warriors flung themselves wrecklessly into battle, knowing full well the weight of their actions.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/Xuyzm.jpg)
Zealots absorbing the awesome power of the Arclite siege tank, giving their dragoon brethren the chance to get close.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/KWQIk.jpg)
Zealots helping hold off an attempted zergling flank, while their dragoon brethren deal with an expansion
Sometime after the fall of Aiur, things changed. Instead of the the grunts of zealots hacking away at their enemies while in glorious battle a new cry was heard... "WE CANNOT HOLD!" Wait... what?
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/bZJn7.jpg)
A brand new beast.
Perhaps it was the fall of Aiur that caused the zealot to lose his confidence. Or maybe it's the fact that his power suit is getting old and the shields don't work quite as well as they used, and the enhanced legs only work at a suboptimal level except once every 15 seconds or so. Or maybe it's how Protoss executors are utilizing them these days.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/1G2iZ.jpg)
The zealot's new primary role in the Protoss army.
Or maybe the competition has just gotten better, while the zealot has stayed pretty much the same. The hydralisk has been working on throwing his spines, as they're now three times as effective give or take. The Terrans got sick of zealots slamming into spider mines and taking down their entire army in the process, so the marauder was born, and the spider mine was shelved. The Zerg have even evolved a new strain, the roach, that effectively makes the zealot almost completely unable to deal with anything Zerg except the zergling!
It's no wonder the zealot is busy screaming "WE CANNOT HOLD!" at every opportunity.
Now I ask my fellow executors- does anyone else feel like the zealot is a unit looking for a purpose? Sure, they have their uses here and there... against mass lings, against a heavy immortal army, and cutting up a Terran bio army once they get charge. But on the whole, it seems like every unit that the zealot used to excel at killing has gotten substantially stronger (except the zergling). Not to mention the fact stalkers are much faster and they synergize with force field a lot better. I usually loathe building zealots unless I have to, or it is very late game and I have a ton of minerals I can dump.
Poll: Has the zealot lost its luster?
Not as good as in the past, but it has its uses. (17)
52%
Yes. (12)
36%
No. (4)
12%
33 total votes
Yes. (12)
No. (4)
33 total votes
Your vote: Has the zealot lost its luster?
(Vote): Yes.
(Vote): No.
(Vote): Not as good as in the past, but it has its uses.
