The Protoss are the cool futuristic faction in Starcraft. They have cool alien buildings that they just need to warp in and not even build and they use tons of crystals for some reason, they have fully sentient AI and they have cool voices.
The Protoss are super cool and we think that you, even if you aren't the biggest fan of the franchise, should know a little bit more about them. This is why we've put together a list of some cool facts about the Protoss you probably didn't know.
10 Name Origins
The name Protoss comes from the Greek word "πρώτος" which translates to the word first in English. This is in reference to the Protoss' status in the world as one of, if not the most ancient race in the galaxy. The Protoss constantly call themselves the firstborn. The Xel'naga also refer to the Protoss by that name, as they are considered to be the first somewhat successful experiment that they made. They were first so hard that their name makes sure you know it!
9 Elven Influences
The Protoss take a lot of influences from many different sources, ith the first and most prominent probably being obvious to fans of some of Blizzard's other popular titles. The Protoss take a lot of influence from two races from the Warcraft universe, the first being the Draenei having similarities in look and overall character style. They are also influenced by elves, which appear in the Warcraft franchise, but take more from the depiction of Elves in J.R.R. Tolkiens works.
8 Samurai Influences
On top of the more fantasy-Esque influences that the Protoss take, they also have influences from the real world. Multiple Starcraft developers have referred to the Protoss as Space Samurai and Space Paladins. The Protoss take influence from the Samurai through their sense of honor and duty, and also their willingness to sacrifice their lives and individuality.
This parallel can most obviously be seen through the Khalai's use of the Khala.
7 First Successful Experiment
As we mentioned previously, the Protoss ere the first semi-successful attempt at creation that the Xel'naga had. The Protoss were first created millions of years before any other life. The Protoss were born and evolved on Aiur, one of the many worlds that the Xel'naga tampered with under Amon's rule. The Protoss were the first species to ever evolve past a feral beast-like state and the Xel'naga directly intervened in their evolution, unlike with other species.
6 Primal And Powerful
When the designers for Starcraft were first coming up with the idea of what would eventually become the Protoss, it was decided very early on that they would not have a "savage" kind of feel to them, which would later be used somewhat in the Zerg.
The Protoss were given the design philosophy of "Primal and Powerful" and in terms of their appearance were made to look somewhat like the stereotypical grey aliens people see in media, but instead of looking weak, they were supposed to be physically imposing.
5 Earlier Designs
Before the developers were able to solidify the design of the Protoss that we currently know and love, they went through a few different designs. One of the earliest designs that was created for the Protoss was one that had a lot more insect style attributes. This design later shifted over to the Zerg, but some of the ideas were still kept in the final design, mainly their head plates, psychic connection to the Khala, and affinity for blades.
4 First Unit Designed
The Dragoon was one of the first units that was designed for the Protoss and it also served as an initial basis for what the rest of the Protoss' designs would look like. One of the later drafts of the Protoss had them being almost entirely mechanical with robot versions of animals serving as units. The color palette of yellow and orange was also a part of their original designs. This was later changed to the more organic Prtoss we know today but some of the characteristics remain, like the Dragoon.
3 Starcraft II Redesign
Starcraft II made a lot of changes to the world that we knew in the original. The aesthetics of the Protoss underwent a few changes which included more flowing and rounded shapes instead of the hard geometric angles that they had in the first game. The Protoss in Starcraft II also have a lot more organic elements. The Protoss are also bulkier and larger than they were previously, as a result of the developers taking advantage of 3D models instead of using sprites.
2 Population Decline
Something in the lore that isn't really touched on in the games, which makes sense as you are constantly producing new units, as long as you have the required pylons, is that the Protoss race as a whole is in decline. Before the fall of Aiur, the Protoss were already in a deep decline, with many passing away due to reaching the end of their long Protoss life span without reproducing. This was only worsened by all the conflict that ensued.
1 Most Popular Faction
The Tal'darim were an interesting addition in Starcraft II. When we first see them, they are religious zealots that worship and serve the Xel'naga. Later in Starcraft II: Legacy Of The Void, we see that they are in turmoil and one ambitious Tal'darim, Alarak is looking to take control of the edgy Protoss faction. This storyline, and let's just be real, their color scheme, have made the Tal'darim the most popular faction within the Protoss species among fans.