The Infestor temporarily takes control of target unit. This ability will be cancelled if the player manually cancels, if the controlling Infestor is killed, or if the unit being controlled is moved outside of the Neural Parasite's range. While this spell is activated, the casting Infestor cannot be ordered to move. The affected unit is not considered a threat to the opponent's army and will not be automatically targeted. Any weapon or armor upgrades will still will be retained by the affected unit, and it will adopt the controlling player's color while under the influence of Neural Parasite.

Use [ edit ]

Currently, in competitive play, Neural Parasite is difficult to use for prolonged periods of time in large battles because the casting Infestor often dies quickly after casting the spell. This is less of an issue if the targeted unit is a spell caster because the player can quickly select the spell caster after using Neural Parasite and cast important spells before the enemy kills the Infestor. A good use of Neural Parasite is to take control of harassing units, allowing the player to kill them or to use them defensively.

In a Protoss army, High Templar make good targets for Neural Parasite. After using Neural Parasite the player can quickly cast Psi Storm on the opponent's army, dealing good damage. Alternatively, the High Templar can be abused to cast Feedback on e.g. other High Templars. If an Infestor can manage to sneak behind the opponent's army and flank it, it is possible to get a good Neural Parasite off on a Colossus while the player engages the opponent's army with the rest of his forces. In this instance the opponent will have to run a fair distance to kill the Infestor, which proves difficult. Should the opponent have chosen a Stalker-heavy army composition, then a hijacked Sentry can reduce the ranged damage with its Guardian Shield.

Typically it's better to save Infestor energy for Fungal Growth in this match-up. The spell is still useful in dealing with harassment. Enemy nukes may be used if ghosts are captured and nukes are available which is a fun and surprising thing to do. In addition, it's possible to Neural Parasite an enemy Ghost, and cast EMP on the enemy's other Ghosts or other spell casters[1], draining their energy. In the rare case that a Terran player masses Battlecruisers, a Zerg player can quickly change the tide of the game with a few Infestors.

Rarely used in ZvZ because the Zerg army focus on quantity rather than quality. At the same time, the unit that is the best target for this spell, the Ultralisk is immune to the effects due to its passive ability Frenzied. Neural Parasite can be effective to use on enemy infestors since it allows the user to use up the enemy's energy. Also, it can in rare cases turn a game from win to loss if it is used on an enemy Baneling in the middle of a Zergling army, as this will instantly kill all zerglings (Fungal Growth deals less damage than a baneling and has a radius of 2, while the baneling attack has a radius of 2,2).

In Combination with Other Spells [ edit ]

The Infestor's own Fungal Growth can keep (a part of) the hostile army down for more Infestors to get into range and to cast Neural Parasite more easily.

more easily. The Infestor is one of the few units to be able to move while being Burrowed. Unlike the Roach, it can do so natively and does not require an extra upgrade. However, Neural Parasite is the only spells available in that state.

You can't Fungal Growth a Neural Parasited unit but you can Neural Parasite Fungal Growthed units. The latter won't cure the Fungal Growth.

Neural Parasite on a Phoenix breaks the Graviton Beam.

You can not Neural Parasite a Mothership - it is considered a Heroic unit and Neural Parasite can no longer target Heroic units.

Hallucinations can be Neural Parasited - it won't dispel them.

Using/having Guardian Shield with a Neural Parasited Sentry will give +2 armor to your own units.

Other [ edit ]

It cannot be cast on a player's own units or allies.

Workers can be ordered to construct buildings of that respective race, which belong to the casting player upon completion (you will need multiple Infestors to complete this considering the 15 second duration of control). Protoss Probes only have to start the warp in order for the building to belong to the casting player.

Affected units are subject to the player's upgrades.

Casting Neural Parasite on a hostile Zerg's hatching Eggs kills them instantly.

Casting Neural Parasite on a hostile Zerg's Larvae allows you to build units from their tech tree. This will cost you resources, and when the Neural Parasite runs out, the unit will belong to your opponent.

tech tree. This will cost you resources, and when the Neural Parasite runs out, the unit will belong to your opponent. You cannot cast Neural Parasite on a Transport with units, you can however Neural Parasite an empty Transport.

You cannot Load Neural Parasited units into a Transport (Overlord/Warp Prism/Medivac), nor pick them up with a Transport, even if both the unit to be Loaded and the Transport are Neural Parasited.

You can Neural Parasite a Corruptor or Overlord and instruct it to Morph (Broodlord/Overseer), this will cost you resources and the resulting unit will belong to the opponent. If he decides to cancel the Cocoon, the resources will be lost.

You are able to Neural Parasite a Broodlord/Overseer Cocoon. Cancelling the Cocoon won't return funds to either player.

Casting Neural Parasite on a Baneling egg will cancel the morph (giving you an NPed Zergling).

You cannot instruct two Neural Parasited Templars to Morph to an Archon.

If you Neural Parasite an Overseer, Sentry, Infestor or Raven, all the Changelings, Infested Terrans, Hallucinations, Point Defense Drones and Auto-Turrets you create will remain yours after the NP.

You cannot put Neural Parasited (Zerg) units in a Nydus Worm.

Neural Parasite breaks a chained command.

You can Neural Parasite other Infestors and use them to Neural Parasite other units (if the controlled Infestor knows Neural Parasite). The last unit Parasited will remain yours to control even after the original Infestor loses control. Useful way to drain your enemies energy only using one of your own.





Patch Changes [ edit ]

Patch 9 (version 0.11.0.15097) Neural Parasite range increased from 7 to 9.

Patch 11 (version 0.13.0.15250) Neural Parasite is now an upgrade at the Infestation Pit.

Neural Parasite research costs 150/150 and 110 seconds.

Neural Parasite can now target Air units.

Neural Parasite energy cost increased from 50 to 100.

Patch 1.4.0 Neural Parasite range decreased from 9 to 7.

Fixed bug where non-Zerg upgrades would be inactive.

Patch 4.11.0 Neural Parasite range decreased from 9 to 8.

Neural Parasite can no longer target Heroic units.