The Hatchery is the heart of any Zerg cluster. It acts not only as a resource return point and processing center, but it produces the Larvae from which all other Zerg are spawned. Larvae are produced at a steady rate and will stay near the Hatchery of their creation. Like all Zerg structures, Hatcheries are living organisms that heal damage over time, making them very difficult to eradicate. The Hatchery is the only structure that can be built without the benefit of existing Creep since it has been genetically designed to automatically produce enough to fuel its own growth. Creep Colonies, however, are required to extend this bio-matter further.

• Burrowing. Excepting the massive Ultralisk, all Zerg creatures that inhabit the ground may gain the ability to bury themselves beneath any surface.

A Hatchery that "matures", or evolves, into a Lair benfits from both increased toughness and extended access to the stored genetic knowledge of the Overmind. This allows Zerg Drones to metamorph into more complex structures, which in turn provide the genetic code needed by Larvae to metamorph into new breeds.

• Ventral Sacs. Overlords can be genetically altered to develop large areas on their underbodies that are capable of carrying other Zerg.

• Antennas. As antennas are capable of vastly increasing the sensory range of an Overlord, many brood leaders are altered in this way.

• Pneumatized Carapace. Biologically modified Vespene gas is stored in the Carapace and grants improved mobility to the Overlord.

The most evolved form of the Hatchery is the Hive. Protected by a dense exoskeleton and granted full access to the Overmind's pool of knowledge, a Hive enables its cluster to produce the most sophisticated breeds and structures to be found within the Swarm.