• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 16:27
CEST 22:27
KST 05:27
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2915Serral wins Maestros of the Game 243ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play3Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12
Community News
GSTL Returns in 2026!23Weekly Cups (Aug 3-9): Protoss get shut out7RSL goes to London! 2026 Offline Finals Nov 21-2212Weekly Cups (July 27-Aug 2): SHIN's big week0SC4ALL II: Brood War - $2500 - Dec 5-611
StarCraft 2
General
GSTL Returns in 2026! SC4ALL: II Talent Announcement! Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) Protoss AoE skill expression Weekly Cups (Aug 3-9): Protoss get shut out
Tourneys
PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August) Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) 2026 KungFu Cup Announcement Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament RSL goes to London! 2026 Offline Finals Nov 21-22
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
Mutation # 538 Media Blackout The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 537 Hostile Territory Mutation # 536 Railroad Switch
Brood War
General
BW General Discussion ASL22 General Discussion BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Best Games Kespa era StarCraft 64 is coming to Philly at SC4ALL II
Tourneys
Escore Tournament - Season 3 Small VOD Thread 2.0 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues SC4ALL II: Brood War - $2500 - Dec 5-6
Strategy
Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation Fighting Spirit mining rates Any training maps people recommend? Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Anyone here play Quakeworld back in the day? Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread EVE Corporation General RTS Discussion Thread
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish TSM pausing esports and CLG Dead
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Power Rank TL Mafia Community Thread NeO.D_StephenKing vs This Guy From 1 Million Dance
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Artificial Intelligence Thread The Letting Off Steam Thread
Fan Clubs
MarineLorD Fan Club The ShoWTimE Fan Club The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread Series you have seen recently... [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NBA General Discussion Formula 1 Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Simple Questions Simple Answers FPS when play League Of Legend on laptop
TL Community
The Automated Ban List Northern Ireland Global Starcraft
Blogs
LOCKPICKING NOOB
LUCKY_NOOB
Chinese Gen Z: Between Dream…
TrAiDoS
Cathedral Of CS And NY pizza a…
FuDDx
Please support my new stand…
Peanutsc
Hello guys!
LIN1s
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 3125 users

Why dark archons are not used much?

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
Post a Reply
SiarX
Profile Joined December 2021
133 Posts
Last Edited: 2024-08-22 18:18:38
August 22 2024 13:53 GMT
#1
I only see them built rarely to counter mutalisks, but they can do much more. Prevent storm dodging with maelstorm, hard counter defilers with feedback or even mind control them (plague is so devastating vs zerg units). Are they not used simply because of extra micro required?

Or counter HTs with long ranged feedback, which are quite popular in PvP.
prosatan
Profile Joined September 2009
Romania9042 Posts
August 22 2024 18:12 GMT
#2
They are used a bit more in PvP on fastest map.
Brain (and other protoss players) leave a dark archon next to minerals to feedback enemy high templars !
Lee JaeDong Fighting! The only church that illuminates is the one that burns.
Xeofreestyler
Profile Blog Joined June 2005
Belgium6777 Posts
August 23 2024 09:55 GMT
#3
On August 23 2024 03:12 prosatan wrote:
They are used a bit more in PvP on fastest map.
Brain (and other protoss players) leave a dark archon next to minerals to feedback enemy high templars !


That's clever but ... why not just mc the shuttle?
Graphics
prosatan
Profile Joined September 2009
Romania9042 Posts
August 23 2024 11:35 GMT
#4
On August 23 2024 18:55 Xeofreestyler wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 23 2024 03:12 prosatan wrote:
They are used a bit more in PvP on fastest map.
Brain (and other protoss players) leave a dark archon next to minerals to feedback enemy high templars !


That's clever but ... why not just mc the shuttle?

This is very good too !!
Lee JaeDong Fighting! The only church that illuminates is the one that burns.
Rainalcar
Profile Joined April 2010
Croatia484 Posts
August 23 2024 19:50 GMT
#5
I have never seen a mind controlled defiler casting plague on Z units in a pro game.
j.r.r.
Biff The Understudy
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
France8166 Posts
August 27 2024 13:06 GMT
#6
I suspect there is still untapped potential in some underused units that are still just too micro intensive to be worth making even at the highest level.

I think that ghosts in tvp and medic’s heal spell in tvz are other examples of units and spells that could be really strong in the future. I am old enough though to remember a time some very, very good players argued that emp didn’t make sense in tvp.

Dark archon may become standard sometimes in the future. Time will tell. I remember Violet used to like them.
The fellow who is out to burn things up is the counterpart of the fool who thinks he can save the world. The world needs neither to be burned up nor to be saved. The world is, we are. Transients, if we buck it; here to stay if we accept it. ~H.Miller
FlaShFTW
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States10540 Posts
August 27 2024 21:48 GMT
#7
They're definitely underused in PvP as a full energy DA can kill 4-5 templar which more than pays for itself. Plus, MC a shuttle full of reavers is also an interesting tactic too.

They've started to come up more in PvZ which is great, since feedbacking defilers is really nice and maelstrom on unburrowed lurkers when they try to engage your army is massive. But as people have said, adding more and more spellcasters to your army taxes you more and more, and it makes it really hard to effectively use them.
Writer#1 KT and FlaSh Fanboy || Woo Jung Ho Never Forget || Teamliquid Political Decision Desk
TL+ Member
TMNT
Profile Joined January 2021
3265 Posts
August 28 2024 20:24 GMT
#8
On August 28 2024 06:48 FlaShFTW wrote:
They're definitely underused in PvP as a full energy DA can kill 4-5 templar which more than pays for itself. Plus, MC a shuttle full of reavers is also an interesting tactic too.

I can only say this for pro level, the reason is at that level PvP games don't often go to the late game state when you have 4-5 Templars.

In fact, the better the players are, the less chance you'll see HTs in PvP. I don't think I have ever seen a game between Mini and Snow (the two best PvP players out there) in which they used storm. They will fight with Dragoons and Reavers to death and their supplies rarely go past 100. The reason being at their level they smell blood so fast and if one knows he can finish the other off, he will.
mtcn77
Profile Joined September 2013
Turkey729 Posts
September 11 2024 15:07 GMT
#9
It is a bullying unit. You also see it when zergs infest terran CC. That is the same for protoss DA's, you never do it until you want to humiliate your opponent into gg because it is too far outside normal play. Though, I don't know why that is the case when Terrans irradiate with SV's no problem. It is just out of meta. People even argue it is against the rules for zerg players to infest CC's. It gives that much advantage same for Protoss DA's.
Turrican
Volka
Profile Joined December 2010
Argentina412 Posts
September 15 2024 01:57 GMT
#10
On September 12 2024 00:07 mtcn77 wrote:
It is a bullying unit. You also see it when zergs infest terran CC. That is the same for protoss DA's, you never do it until you want to humiliate your opponent into gg because it is too far outside normal play. Though, I don't know why that is the case when Terrans irradiate with SV's no problem. It is just out of meta. People even argue it is against the rules for zerg players to infest CC's. It gives that much advantage same for Protoss DA's.


I thought the Scout filled that role. Honestly DA spells are great and they do have their specific uses. It's just storms are more impactful over most situations and thus pros focus on those.
http://www.starsite.com.ar
FlaShFTW
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States10540 Posts
September 16 2024 14:23 GMT
#11
On September 12 2024 00:07 mtcn77 wrote:
It is a bullying unit. You also see it when zergs infest terran CC. That is the same for protoss DA's, you never do it until you want to humiliate your opponent into gg because it is too far outside normal play. Though, I don't know why that is the case when Terrans irradiate with SV's no problem. It is just out of meta. People even argue it is against the rules for zerg players to infest CC's. It gives that much advantage same for Protoss DA's.

Those things are not even remotely close to being the same lol. Eraser trick on vessels are legitimate tactics when Zerg doesn't have sufficient anti-air, and DAs have seen legitimate play in pro play in late game PvZ applications with feedback on defilers and maelstrom on clumps of hydra/ling.
Writer#1 KT and FlaSh Fanboy || Woo Jung Ho Never Forget || Teamliquid Political Decision Desk
TL+ Member
Biff The Understudy
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
France8166 Posts
September 16 2024 16:29 GMT
#12
On September 12 2024 00:07 mtcn77 wrote:
It is a bullying unit. You also see it when zergs infest terran CC. That is the same for protoss DA's, you never do it until you want to humiliate your opponent into gg because it is too far outside normal play. Though, I don't know why that is the case when Terrans irradiate with SV's no problem. It is just out of meta. People even argue it is against the rules for zerg players to infest CC's. It gives that much advantage same for Protoss DA's.

Yeah i really disagrees. DA are not a manner unit. They are actually very good.

Infest CC is actually also situationally useful, if terran is playing mech zerg had queens, it can reduce the killing time of a cc significantly.

I would say they only real manner units in the game are scouts, that have no place in the metagame under any circumstances and are unequivocally terrible, and maybe infested terrans.
The fellow who is out to burn things up is the counterpart of the fool who thinks he can save the world. The world needs neither to be burned up nor to be saved. The world is, we are. Transients, if we buck it; here to stay if we accept it. ~H.Miller
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 13h 33m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
ZombieGrub176
UpATreeSC 107
SpeCial 88
ProTech84
EmSc Tv 19
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 14539
Rush 188
Dewaltoss 88
Mong 68
Dota 2
XaKoH 460
League of Legends
Doublelift304
Counter-Strike
fl0m2514
summit1g116
Super Smash Bros
C9.Mang0124
Heroes of the Storm
Liquid`Hasu283
Other Games
Grubby2193
shahzam476
B2W.Neo344
Liquid`VortiX223
ArmadaUGS96
KnowMe94
Mew2King47
Trikslyr44
Organizations
StarCraft 2
EmSc2Tv 19
EmSc Tv 19
Other Games
BasetradeTV16
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• StrangeGG 54
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• Pr0nogo 2
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• TFBlade973
Other Games
• imaqtpie1900
Upcoming Events
CranKy Ducklings
13h 33m
PiG Sty Festival
15h 33m
herO vs Krystianer
Solar vs Cure
IPSL
19h 33m
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 13h
PiG Sty Festival
1d 15h
Maru vs Shameless
Reynor vs TriGGeR
IPSL
1d 19h
OSC
2 days
Afreeca Starleague
2 days
Rush vs Hm
Bisu vs Shuttle
WardiTV Weekly
2 days
The Patches Monday
2 days
[ Show More ]
Afreeca Starleague
3 days
Sharp vs Shinee
Action vs Shine
PiGosaur Cup
4 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Afreeca Starleague
4 days
BeSt vs Paralyze
Jaedong vs Speed
Kung Fu Cup
4 days
The PondCast
5 days
KCM Race Survival
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
PiG Sty Festival
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-08-13
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
Eternal Conflict S2 Finale

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
K-JUNGMAN
Acropolis #5
Escore Tournament S3: W7
RSL Revival: Season 6
PiG Sty Festival 8.0
Esports World Cup 2026
Esports World Cup 2026: LCQ
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026

Upcoming

CSLAN 4
ASL Season 22
Escore Tournament S3: W8
Acropolis #5 - TRS
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Acropolis #5 - GSA
Acropolis #5 - GSB
HSC XXX
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
Big Dog Cup 2026 Div 1
META DYMY #4
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #5
BLAST Open Fall 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.