Glitches

Terran

CC slide

Allows you to slide a Command Center to unbuildable locations, e.g. right next to resources. You can produce SCVs while the CC is moving and also build right on top of it after performing this glitch. To perform, lift off the CC and order it to land on a valid location, then hold shift and press S followed by a right-click on the location you want it to slide to. The CC stops sliding if colliding with any solid material. Works on version 1.04 and lower.

Produce units while lifting a building

Press L then immediately the hotkey for the unit/upgrade you want to produce. The building will begin production already while lifting off. If you float or slide the building after performing this glitch, units will still spawn where the building first lifted off. Works for any unit/upgrade, but annoyingly hard to pull off. Used together with the CC slide to get the first SCV out earlier. Works on version 1.05 and lower.

Build anywhere

By trapping an SCV near a cliff, you can force it to build basically anywhere on the map. The only exceptions are unexplored areas as well as areas unreachable by land (unless you have had units in that area already). Once trapped, be sure there is a little breathing space for the SCV and then order it to move diagonally, then simply place the building on a valid location. The construction of the building will start immediately and the SCV will fly to the set location. Works on version 1.07 and lower.

Zerg

Invincible Drone

Simply mutate a Drone into a building while its HP is one, then cancel the mutation. The Drone will stay invincible until mutated into another building. Does not work with Extractors. Works on version 1.03 and lower.

Teleporting Drone

Similar to the Terran build anywhere glitch, except you have to follow the standard building rules for Zerg. Unlike the SCV, the Drone can be trapped anywhere and will instantly mutate into the selected building. Works on version 1.07 and lower.

Floating Drone #1

Order a Drone to mutate into an Extractor, then shift-right-click where you want the Drone to float. When the Drone is about to mutate, use up minerals so that you do not have the required 50 for the Extractor. The Drone will float over any obstacles until the destination is reached or it is given another order. Works on version 1.09 and lower.

Floating Drone #2

Order a Drone to mutate into an Extractor, then shift-click the geyser a few times and shift-right-click where you want the Drone to float. When the Drone is about to mutate, spam the stop command as fast as you can until you see the Drone's shadow disappear. The Drone will float over any obstacles until the destination is reached or it is given another order. Hard to perform, recommended to lower the game speed two steps when ordering the stop command. Works on any version other than 1.10.

Stacking units

Burrow any unit and assign it to a control group (ctrl-1). Select the units you want stacked, then quickly press U, ctrl-1, 1, U. Order the units around, and if the glitch was successful, the units should now be able to stack with each other. Burrowing turns them normal again. Also, lowering the game speed helps out a lot, since the key combination needs to be done before they have finished burrowing. Works on version 1.14 and lower.

Mobile Nydus Canal exit

When the exit of a Nydus Canal is mutating, morph an Overlord and assign it to a control group (ctr-1). Select the exit then quickly press ctrl-1, 1 and esc. Lowering the game speed helps. If done correctly, a Drone will pop out of the canceled exit which now acts as a mobile exit, even while burrowed or when inside an Overlord. Works on version 1.14 and lower.

Tips

Balance changes

Balance changes were made in patch 1.02, 1.04, 1.05 and 1.08. Thus the game version makes a huge difference when attempting to speedrun a mission, especially for the Protoss campaign since it is not relying on any glitches.

Visible in-game timer

Chaoslauncher is a third-party program that comes with a plugin called APMAlert, which features a visible in-game timer. Unfortunately it is only compatible with version 1.16.1.

Unit orientations

Units will take up to one second to respond to a movement order when idle depending on their orientation relative to the movement position. If facing the movement position, units will respond immediately. This is important in the beginning of some missions as the orientations of units are randomly chosen.

Manipulating spawns

For Terran and Protoss, you can manipulate units to spawn at a location different to the default one. Simply block the spawn location with a unit or building and the produced units will spawn at the next free location counterclockwise to the spawn location.

Incorrect elapsed time

Pre-1.03, a bug exists that incorrectly displays the elapsed time after finishing a mission. The time will be about two seconds slower on short missions (< 2 minutes), although the effect for longer missions is currently unknown.

AI behavior

The AI behavior was improved in patch 1.04. The changes are not completely known, although it has been noted that the enemy units have a larger awareness radius post-1.03 and will chase down attacking units from a greater distance.

Brood War

The minimum version Brood War runs on is 1.04, thus many of the glitches in the base game are not available.

Pause glitch

The in-game timer is paused while the game is in the menu. This can be abused during transmissions, which usually need to finish before the game can continue. There are three types of transmissions which require different pausing techniques:

Game goes on like normal

Just bring up the menu during the transmission. Go back to the game when the transmission is over.

Game pauses

Click the menu button and keep holding left-click until the transmission starts. Go back to the game before the transmission is over, or the in-game timer will have proceeded like normal.

Screen centers on a position followed by a pause

Press F10 right before the transmission starts. This is tricky as the timing window is just a few frames. Go back to the game before the transmission is over.

Note: Pausing the game does actually increase the in-game time by a certain amount each time (amount varies, but at least half a second). This can easily be seen when running the visible in-game timer and comparing it to the actual completion time. This means that, while it does make hitting the timing window of the third transmission type easier, excessive pausing should be avoided.

Super mutas

Be sure to have Lurker Aspect researched and at least 50/100 minerals/gas. Assign a Hydralisk to a control group (ctrl-1). Select any unit or building except another Hydralisk, then quickly press ctrl-1, 1, L. Lowering the game speed helps. The unit will turn into a cocoon which will hatch a Lurker. However, if you cancel the morphing of the cocoon, the unit will instead turn into a Mutalisk. The resources spent are returned, and the supply count will increase by 1. The Mutalisk will also gain certain upgrades that the unit had before being transformed. Thus this glitch is best performed on Zerglings; the Mutalisk will receive both the speed and attack rate upgrade once researched, at a cost of only 50 minerals and 3 supply for two Mutalisks. Works on version 1.04.