December 15th, 2015 
Mark The optimization of weapons, armor, and ships is a phase-smith's highest calling, and Karax is one of the most precise engineers in the whole of the Khalai. He rose above his station in the protoss' worker caste to become a crucial asset in Artanis's war against Amon, earning the title of templar and causing Artanis to declare an end to the age of castes.
As the Phase-smith responsible for restoring the Spear of Adun’s systems, Karax is intimately familiar with the Arkship’s suite of destructive weaponry. During his time with Artanis, Karax also recovered some of the Purifier-based weapon systems which you’ll find in his Co-op Mission arsenal.
For the first time, Karax and his array of advanced protoss weaponry are now available for you to utilize in Co-op Missions. In the future, additional commanders will be offered for purchase, but as the first commander being added to Co-op Missions, we’re giving Karax away absolutely free to all Legacy of the Void players. So hop into a game and combine Karax’s engineering prowess with your combat capabilities to seize victory alongside your ally. Now let’s take a look at what Karax the Phase-smith has in his repertoire.
Abilities
Karax has an arsenal of powerful abilities at his command, some of which provide passive benefits throughout your game, and others that can be activated through the Spear of Adun interface at the top of your screen. Below, we've provided descriptions and a preview of each of his six abilities.
Chrono Field (Passive)Increases the production speeds of all friendly structures by 15%.
Units
Karax, like all commanders, has access to his own unique set of units. Take note that each of the units which Karax can create are mechanical, and are therefore healed by his Reconstruction Beam ability!
Upgrades
Orbital Assault – Orbital Strike no longer has a cooldown or a charge count, and now costs 5 energy per shot.
Chrono Field – increases the production speed of all friendly structures by 15%
New Unit: Khaydarin Monolith – Extremely powerful defensive structure. Has superior range and damage, but is very expensive and attacks slowly.
Twilight Council Upgrade Cache – Unlocks the following upgrades at the Twilight Council:
- Energizers can permanently take control of units
- Increases energy rate of Energizers and shield batteries by 200%
Spear of Adun: Chrono Overload – Chrono Wave now increases the production speeds of all friendly structures to 500% for 20 seconds
Forge Upgrade Cache
- Increase the attack speed of Photon Cannons and Khaydarin Monoliths by 25%
- Increase range of Photon Cannons and Khaydarin Monoliths by 2.
- Shield batteries grant structures a damage absorption barrier.
Spear of Adun: Reconstruction Beam – Friendly mechanical units are repaired over time. Up to three targets can be repaired at once.
Solar Forge Upgrade Cache 1 – Unlocks the following upgrades at the Solar Forge:
- Allow Reconstruction Beam to affect an additional target.
- Solar Efficiency Level 3 (increases energy regeneration for Spear of Adun)
Robotics Bay Upgrade – Unlocks the following upgrades at the Robotics Bay:
- Allows Immortals to use Shadow Cannon, which deals 200 damage to an enemy ground or air unit.
- Allows the Colossus’s attacks to set fire to the ground for additional damage over time.
Spear of Adun: Purifier Beam – Fires a beam that deasl 750 (1500 vs Armored) damage over 15 seconds. The beam will auto-acquire targets if not manually controlled.
Khalai Ingenuity – Pylons, Photon Cannons, Khaydarin Monoliths and Shield Batteries can be warped in instantly.
Solar Forge Upgrade 2 – Unlocks the following upgrades at the Solar Forge:
- Orbital Strike now stuns enemies.
- Solar Lance sets fire to the ground for additional damage over time.
Spear of Adun: Purifier Protocol — Purifier Beam moves 200% faster and lasts five seconds longer.
Fleet Beacon Upgrade – Unlocks the following upgrades at the Fleet Beacon:
- Allow Mirages to become temporarily invulnerable after taking damage.
- Allow Carriers to repair nearby mechanical units.
Unity Barrier – All friendly units gain a Barrier that absorbs 10 damage. This barrier is gained only upon the unit’s creation and does not replenish.
We've put together some strategies and tips that should help you as you venture into your first few games with Karax:
- Upgrade your Solar Forge’s Energy Regeneration
Your solar forge provides bonus energy to the spear of Adun, which powers many of your abilities. The first upgrade at the Solar Forge will increase the amount of bonus energy supplied, enabling you to use the powerful abilities which the Spear of Adun provides more often. This should often be one of the first things that you invest in due to the huge difference it can make.
- Coordinate your Chronoboost (and other abilities!)
Chrono Wave is an incredibly powerful ability. Before you use it, consider informing your ally of your intentions. This will allow them to start upgrades, queue units, and generally ensure that both of you receive the massive benefits that this spell is capable of providing. Additionally, try using your Orbital Strike to support your ally if they get into a tough fight! You might save them some heavy losses!
- Commander Synergies
Karax is an extremely versatile commander who has serious orbital firepower at his command while also offering exceptional utility to his team in the form of accelerated production and passive healing for all mechanical units.
Consider Rory Swann for instance, who is an exceptionally powerful partner for a Karax player. Rory has the ability to construct mechanized armies of destruction that will automatically be healed by Karax all game long due to his passive Reconstruction Beam. Furthermore, while his units are strong, they are also slow, making it more difficult for Rory to retreat in battle. Karax can provide much needed support for Rory if things begin to look dire, and if all else fails and both players suffer great losses in battle, Karax can help both players recreate their armies faster than anyone else.
If you wish to pair with a Zerg as Karax, consider the fact that Zagara’s units are already created rather quickly due to her level one ability Relentless Swarmer. You might benefit more from pairing with a Kerrigan, who has units like Mutalisks and Ultralisks that take significant time to create and would benefit greatly from your Mass Chronoboost.
Karax is now available for play in StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void Co-op Missions, and you’re now equipped with everything you need to start up a game and play as the legendary protoss Phase-smith!
Let us know of any cool strategies you discover while playing as Karax, or let us know what you find most exciting about him! You can always leave your thoughts in the comments section below, or on our Facebook or Twitter.
Happy gaming, and we’ll see you in Legacy of the Void.
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