The Protoss possess powerful psionic abilities, and in combat they use these powers
to form weapons and shields composed of pure energy. They also use highly advanced
robotic drones to make up for their lack of numbers.
In stark contrast to the adaptive Terrans and feral Zerg are
the stolid, conservative Protoss. With their highly advanced
technology and potent psionic abilities, the Protoss have
long considered themselves the most powerful species in
the known galaxy. Although they are not a prolific people,
they have learned to bolster the ranks of their military with
robotic war machines and to combine their intrinsic psionic
ability with technology, thus producing some of the most
effective warriors ever known. If the Protoss have a
weakness, though, it is their refusal to accept change. The
tenets of their major religion, known as the Khala, form a
rigid path and the Protoss are loathe to deviate from it for
fear of once again falling into civil strife.
Although the Protoss were originally divided into several
warring tribes, they were united by a single
scholar/philosopher known as Khas, or "he who brings
order". Having studied the archaic, forbidden teachings of
his ancestors, this mystic unearthed ancient, monolithic
artifacts known as the Khaydarin Crystals. The power
contained within these crystals -- along with his teachings --
are apparently responsible for the strengthening of the
primordial, psychic link that all Protoss share. Khas also
developed a strict religious, philosophical, and social
structure christened the Khala. Under the Khala -- which
translates roughly to Path of Ascension -- the Protoss have
abandoned the crude tribal factions that led them into
generations of vicious blood feuds and have instead
created three castes: The Khalai (artisans and inventors),
The Templar, (warriors and explorers) and The Judicator
(administrators and leaders).
Terran dealings with the Protoss have been limited,
restricting our knowledge of their language, abilities and
equipment. What we do know is that they possess
extremely advanced technology, including warp-gate
manipulation, energy shield generation and the ability to
power their buildings and units with a Psionic Matrix. It is
only recently that significant progress has been made in
learning more of their secretive society and science, and
this has come at the cost of hundreds of Terran lives.