Within the Runling Run games, several heroes have emerged as the leaders of the band. All Runling Run games since the inception of Starcraft 2 have been exclusively Zerg. Most famous of all are the Zergling and Baneling, but others have emerged as invaluable, if not infamous for their contributions.
Heroes
Each Hero comes stocked with two or three class-exclusive abilities, the number of which depends upon which Runling game you are playing. Most recently, Runling Run 7 has incorporated a third skill for each class. Each Runling also has generally different skill allocation specs. Click the unit name to see each unit's skills, function, and detailed strategy.
The ultimate in speed and aerodynamics. The zergling is ultra fast, lightning quick, and almost always the first to clear a level or die. In the wrong hands, a zergling is a wasted Runling. In the proper hands, a zergling is the most important Runling that exists, and the star of almost any team. Abilities include a speed boost, an invulnerability shield, and passive 'no-push' ability.
The baneling has long been the ultimate ally - he revives from a distance with the Baneling Shot, which is almost required for most groups to complete a Runling Run game. To survive amidst a slow speed, Banelings have Blink, the SC2 Stalker ability which allows them to teleport to another spot instantly. In Runling Run 4, the Baneling can be essential to reaching Diablo; once there, however, he is nigh useless. As such, Banelings have been considered extreme utility.
The favorite Runling of many including Jables. Hydralisk provide the best combination of safety and speed. Take a zergling, reduce its speed by about 10-15 percent, and you have a hydralisk. Now add an AOE drone freeze and multi-second burrow in which the hydralisk is invincible, and you have arguably the best all-around Runling yet created. Most hydralisks favor their AOE freeze ability far too much and as such cause their own teammates insufferable pain. However, the best of Hydralisks understand when to use their freeze, how unique their movement and hitboxes are (almost comparable to a zerglings though more than twice their size), and how well they can support their teammates. This is by far the best beginner's Runling, and possibly the best pro-level Runling as well.
Are they just cute in their Runling Run-shrunken form, or is there actually a utility use to the ultralisk? The ultralisk is the ultimate ground unit in Starcraft 2; in Runling Run, they are more an interesting composition than lethal force. Among the slowest of Runlings, but with massive drone control, the ultralisk can survive like a hydralisk, but instead of running past drones, they focus more on allowing drones to safely pass by before continuing. A lot of value went to waste in Runling Run 4 when ultralisks had nearly no use during the endboss Diablo. However, their mere presence warrants continued contribution to the Runling Run community.
The roach is absolutely nuts. They have a drone freeze that operates in similar fashion to the baneling's revive shot (it travels down a lane instead of an AOE), and can also provide an AOE speed boost to all teammates within range. Their speed is comparative to the hydralisk, but their movement has been infamous for being as quirky as any Runling has ever had. Roaches are not for the faint at heart, nor are they for the newcomers to the Runling scene. However, any who attain a pro-level status as a roach can be considered among the elite of the game. Just watch for inexperienced Emissaries. They rek teammates like no other.
A newcomer to the Runling Run community, the queen has been, since the beginning of Starcraft 2, a completely essential part of the Zerg strategy. Now, with Runling Run 7, the queen brings their creep-spreading, children-zerg-nurturing style to the Runling game, acting as a mother to their teammates. They are among the fastest of Runlings, rivaling a zergling in speed. The difference amongst their speed comes when a zergling runs upon the queen's creep - they will nearly fly. Queens can also spread creep as they run, allowing units behind them to benefit from the bonus creep speed. There is much to learn about the queen, but their future looks as promising as any Runling's can.
Like the queen, the infestor was introduced in Runling Run 7, and has a bright future. Beguilers are basically wizards, capable of buffing teammates with invulnerability, debuffing drone speed, and long distance revival. The Infested Terrans that Beguilers spawn can be thrown, at max level, as far as three lanes ahead! Even the Baneling cannot compete with this kind of utility.