Do we know how strong Protoss are, physically?

[Pandonetho]

I was just thinking, we know psi blades can cut through many materials like warm butter. But do we know the actual strength of Protoss warriors?
Now, with something like a psi blade I doubt you need very much physical strength to use. Zealots are agile and quick, and good fighters to boot, sure. However, I see nothing to suggest that they're actually strong. Their physique is thin, lanky, no muscles. Now, we could just speculate that they are strong by channeling their psi or whatever else we can imagine, but logically speaking we've no evidence thus far to suggest that they actually need to be physically strong. They're tall though so they may have mass to support themselves but really, we see Zeratul jumping around all sorts of places when he fights so I figure he can't really be too heavy.

I'm willing to bet a marine in his CMC armour could (if given the chance without being cut to shreds) overpower a Zealot and crush him in a bear hug. Similarly, I'm willing to bet Ghosts are stronger than Zealots physically (in their 'muscle-fiber' suits - which require psi channeling to use, which just further suggests that you can't directly enhance your own strength using psi alone, it has to be channeled through a medium).

Just some speculation that I thought was interesting. Any thoughts?

[Gradius]

Protoss are strong. They are almost 10 ft. tall if the 3 meter figure is to be believed, and even if they're lanky they're still more muscular than a human. Protoss were also physically stronger than all of the races that the Xel'Naga encountered. That's alot. And there's no proof that their power suits don't further augment their strength. Tassadar and Zeratul can fight faster than the eye can keep up with, according to Queen of Blades. Tassadar punched Zeratul, and Raynor felt the wind from it all the way up a cliff. With this kind of power I'd bet they could overtake a Marine suit.

They can also take some damage. In SC: Revelations a Zealot was hit so hard that he flew across the room and punched a hole through a paristeel wall. He got up later.

I'm willing to bet Ghosts are stronger than Zealots physically (in their 'muscle-fiber' suits - which require psi channeling to use, which just further suggests that you can't directly enhance your own strength using psi alone, it has to be channeled through a medium).

Where does it say that the ghost suit has to be channeled in to?

[Pandonetho]

Where does it say that the ghost suit has to be channeled in to?

The wiki.

Ghosts channeled their psionic energies through their hostile environment suit, a specialized skinsuit laced with psi-sensitive artificial muscle fiber, to augment their physical capabilities.[8]

Also, being physically tall isn't a guarantee of strength. Neither is 'feeling the wind from a punch.' In fact, that's more of an indication of speed than it is of strength. Also, fighting faster than the eye can keep up with is another indication of speed. Big people like Tychus Findlay tend to be slow, and low of stamina (but thanks to the CMC that's a moot point). This is actually a fact of real life, and if anything it just proves that the Protoss are less muscular/bulky with how fast they can move. You can see the same is true for Ghosts, they're slim and their armour is streamlined but it gives them strength because of the muscle fibers.

Regarding the same with Protoss armour, I highly doubt it. We have no evidence to suggest it does (as you similarly asked me evidence to suggest that psi is channeled into the Ghost suit) and it's not a full body covering attire. How then, does it boost strength? Simply wearing a bracelet doesn't boost your strength does it? We see that the CMC boosts strengths because it's practically a suit, functional by the servos and Ghosts also use a full body suit. Zealots on the other hand wear pieces of armour similar to how a knight in the medieval age would put his armour on. In pieces, we can even see this when Khastiana is fitted in her battle gear by other Protoss.

Now, as to the Zealot who was hit so hard that he flew across the room and punches a hole through a paristeel wall (by the way there is a HUGE contradiction in the lore, if a Thor couldn't bust through a paristeel wall in the Jacobs installation, how the hell did a Zealot fly through one?) I'm betting that's more of the armour's job than it is his actual physique. Ever heard of the bear armour? I believe it was in an off topic thread somewhere.

[Rake]

Protoss muscles don't have to be like our muscles. For instance, if they didn't bunch up much then large muscles wouldn't show in the same way that humans do. Also, their muscle tissue could just be stronger volume for volume.

[Gradius]

Also, being physically tall isn't a guarantee of strength. Neither is 'feeling the wind from a punch.' In fact, that's more of an indication of speed than it is of strength. Also, fighting faster than the eye can keep up with is another indication of speed. Big people like Tychus Findlay tend to be slow, and low of stamina (but thanks to the CMC that's a moot point). This is actually a fact of real life, and if anything it just proves that the Protoss are less muscular/bulky with how fast they can move.

Likewise, pure strength does not mean that you'll be able to hit hard. A punch is a chain of energy that starts from the feet and travels all the way up, and its power depends on many factors like endurance, strength, timing and how many motor units are committed. There comes a point where your strength depends mostly on how fast your muscles can contract and more bulk will weaken your punches. So even if a Marine can crush a Zealot in a bear-hug, the Zealot can punch through the Marine's visor/helmet.

You can see the same is true for Ghosts, they're slim and their armour is streamlined but it gives them strength because of the muscle fibers.

So it gives them speed and strength while Zealots according to you are not allowed to have strength as well? If Ghosts can punch through walls and leap huge distances, which is an obvious indicator of strength, then Protoss should be able to do it even better.

Regarding the same with Protoss armour, I highly doubt it. We have no evidence to suggest it does (as you similarly asked me evidence to suggest that psi is channeled into the Ghost suit) and it's not a full body covering attire.

Yes we do:

The power suits worn by Zealots enhance and channel their already formidable Psionic abilities

Source: http://classic.battle.net/scc/protos....shtml?rhtml=y

Simply wearing a bracelet doesn't boost your strength does it?

In the SC universe it does, since Zealots use the crystal to improve their psionic powers which they can use to increase speed/strength.

Now, as to the Zealot who was hit so hard that he flew across the room and punches a hole through a paristeel wall (by the way there is a HUGE contradiction in the lore, if a Thor couldn't bust through a paristeel wall in the Jacobs installation, how the hell did a Zealot fly through one?) I'm betting that's more of the armour's job than it is his actual physique. Ever heard of the bear armour? I believe it was in an off topic thread somewhere.

Wasn't the wall the Thor was trying to break like a meter thick or something? There's no contradiction. Hydralisks can hit hard as hell, and the Zealot flew across the entire room.

[Visions of Khas]

I can't comment much. The only direct reference to the suits augmenting protoss abilities are with the leg enhancements, which could do a number of different things. Also understand that the Protoss are the strongest of any organisms known by the Xel'Naga, so it's more than likely they'd outperform any average human in any competitive sport.

So long as we're talking about physical limits, let me direct you to this nifty website of human physical limits and endurance. Might make for a good read and provide fodder for discussion.

[Pandonetho]

Okay, well I didn't know that the Toss were the strongest race that the Xel'Naga had found and from that point alone I concede my entire argument.

But really, that could have a wide range of meanings. They were the strongest race that the Xel'Naga found, that were also intelligent probably. Because I'm pretty sure a Bear could easily pound a Zealot to the ground if he didn't have his armour or psi blades.

[Flatus]

Well, we cant know that untill offical Blizzard lore-masters releases "SC facts: non-armored Zealot vs Bear." article/book/video. But speculating, Zealot with his superior figthing skills and intelligence, it wouldn't even be a match... dodge the bear, strike it to the back. Simple. In terms of pure strength, dunno.

But yea, just because they're not muscular doesn't mean there's no strength, as they're completly alien lifeform, their bodies are completly differend from humans.

[GRUNT]

Although I'm into SC's lore, I'm not a huge buff. I do believe that in the Dark Templar saga, they made mention of the Protoss' strength, though. They had a tribal hunter-gatherer society way back in the day, and I'm pretty sure that they're more than capable of ripping a human apart with their bare hands .

[Roland]

If you want to apply excessive logic to it, here goes. Aiur is a huge planet, therefore it has stronger gravitational pull on everything on it. You might have to be several times stronger to lift the same amount object while on it's surface. Any life evolved on it would have to be significantly stronger than life evolved on a planet around the size of Earth, just to achieve the same physical aptitude. When taking into consideration their speed, then the Protoss would have to be very strong to move that fast while under such a strong gravitation pull. Take them off-planet and they're that much stronger and faster inversely proportional to the strength of the new gravity on them.

Obviously in gameplay this doesn't apply, Zergling can run along just as easily on Aiur in practice, but it's a though.