blade55555 Profile Blog Joined March 2009 United States 17375 Posts Last Edited: 2015-12-28 20:00:02 #1



Hi everybody, here is my second guide for Legacy of the Void! This one will feature an overview of ZvZ and will go over a build order I do and how to react to certain situations. For the most part the build order is the same regardless of what the opponent is doing. This will feature replays of holding 13/12, 14/14 and various other all ins while going Hatch first. I will showcase the build versus another hatch first and a build versus early pools. If you want to know how to do early pools, the replays below will have plenty of them! Build Order versus Hatch First

13 – Overlord



14 – Drone scout



18 – Hatch First



18 – Gas



18 – Spawning pool



20 – 2nd overlord



Spawning pool finishes – Metabolic Boosts + queens



50 gas – Baneling nest



36 – 3rd hatchery



4:10 – Lair



Lair finishes – Spire



10-12 Mutalisks – Hydralisk Den (Roach warren if you prefer)



Hydra den finishes – Morph into Lurker den



Lurker den finishes – Make Lurkers



Get Hydra upgrade and go hydra/ling/lurker







Build Order versus early pool

13 – Overlord



14 – Drone scout



17 – Hatch First



17 – Pool



17 – Gas



18 – overlord, Save larva



Pool finishes – Spine crawler + queen + lings



100 minerals – baneling nest



36 – Lair



Lair finishes – Spire



300 minerals – Take 3rd



10-12 Mutalisks – Hydra Den (roach warren if you prefer)



Hydra den finishes – Morph into Lurker den



Lurker den finishes – Make Lurkers



Get Hydra upgrade and go hydra/ling/lurker









Further Elaboration on the build

The drone scout is based on how you will react once your pool finishes. If your drone scouts a hatchery first, you should make 4 lings, sending 2 to your opponents base. All other larva should be used towards drones (unless opponent is sending over a lot of slow lings). If your drone scouts an early pool you will be making a spine crawler asap in your main mineral line and pump out lings from both hatcheries.

Now the third base timing can change depending on how the game is going. If the opposing Zerg is doing mass ling off of 2 base, you will delay the third base and opt for a faster Lair timing and do a 2 base mutalisk build. Your lair in this case should start around 3:30 or 36 supply around there. Of course you will be making lings to defend with banelings. You would take a 3rd in this case once you feel you can take it.

Now onto the Mutalisks themselves. As long as your opponent is going Muta’s as well, you will just use them for map control. They will be used for map control and to deny map control from your opponent. Make sure to take out any overlords/overseers near your base while killing scouting lings. It’s better if the other Zerg isn’t aware of Lurkers coming out as you can use this to your advantage (hold position lurkers). From here on you will be going hydra/ling/lurker or if you choose roach/ravager/lurker.





The drone scout is based on how you will react once your pool finishes. If your drone scouts a hatchery first, you should make 4 lings, sending 2 to your opponents base. All other larva should be used towards drones (unless opponent is sending over a lot of slow lings). If your drone scouts an early pool you will be making a spine crawler asap in your main mineral line and pump out lings from both hatcheries.Now the third base timing can change depending on how the game is going. If the opposing Zerg is doing mass ling off of 2 base, you will delay the third base and opt for a faster Lair timing and do a 2 base mutalisk build. Your lair in this case should start around 3:30 or 36 supply around there. Of course you will be making lings to defend with banelings. You would take a 3rd in this case once you feel you can take it.Now onto the Mutalisks themselves. As long as your opponent is going Muta’s as well, you will just use them for map control. They will be used for map control and to deny map control from your opponent. Make sure to take out any overlords/overseers near your base while killing scouting lings. It’s better if the other Zerg isn’t aware of Lurkers coming out as you can use this to your advantage (hold position lurkers). From here on you will be going hydra/ling/lurker or if you choose roach/ravager/lurker. Defending Early Pool

When going Hatch first versus any early pool, you will want to use all larva on Lings, 1 queen, 1 Spine and a baneling nest. Make sure to have your first overlord near the natural area so you can see when he takes his hatchery.

Now you can keep the hatchery alive, assuming he isn’t doing the baneling all in version. At first you will want to try and defend the natural (make sure you have the ling numbers first or some drone support). If you see that the opposing Zerg isn’t making a natural base or you see banelings being morphed, sacrifice the natural.

Once you see the ling/bane coming into the base, spread your workers and lings out as best you can. Have the spine + queen focus fire on the banelings. Once the banelings are gone, take out the opponent lings with your queen + lings (and banelings if you still have them). Retake natural once you can and proceed with mutalisks.



When going Hatch first versus any early pool, you will want to use all larva on Lings, 1 queen, 1 Spine and a baneling nest. Make sure to have your first overlord near the natural area so you can see when he takes his hatchery.Now you can keep the hatchery alive, assuming he isn’t doing the baneling all in version. At first you will want to try and defend the natural (make sure you have the ling numbers first or some drone support). If you see that the opposing Zerg isn’t making a natural base or you see banelings being morphed, sacrifice the natural.Once you see the ling/bane coming into the base, spread your workers and lings out as best you can. Have the spine + queen focus fire on the banelings. Once the banelings are gone, take out the opponent lings with your queen + lings (and banelings if you still have them). Retake natural once you can and proceed with mutalisks. Defending Roach/Queen Nydus

With the new Nydus buff this is a very popular build, especially if the opponent suspects Mutalisks. This is actually not very hard to prevent until you can get lurkers (or roach/ravager if that’s your preference). Make sure to have good overlord spread, in any areas where you don’t have vision, send a ling if you can’t get an overlord in time.

If a Nydus is going up in your base or near it, send your ling/bane over there. As soon as it pops, detonate 3 banelings and the Nydus will die before any units can come out. Make sure to be very aware of another Nydus somewhere close. Once you have Lurkers out, feel free to let his nydus finish while putting out hold position lurkers until his army goes right on top of them.





With the new Nydus buff this is a very popular build, especially if the opponent suspects Mutalisks. This is actually not very hard to prevent until you can get lurkers (or roach/ravager if that’s your preference). Make sure to have good overlord spread, in any areas where you don’t have vision, send a ling if you can’t get an overlord in time.If a Nydus is going up in your base or near it, send your ling/bane over there. As soon as it pops, detonate 3 banelings and the Nydus will die before any units can come out. Make sure to be very aware of another Nydus somewhere close. Once you have Lurkers out, feel free to let his nydus finish while putting out hold position lurkers until his army goes right on top of them. Roach/ling/bane Push

This can be a game ending push regardless if Mutalisks get out if not properly scouted. You should always be sending zerglings to the opponent’s base to check his unit count. If you see a lot of roaches with lings, making spines immediately. Once the push gets there try to use your own banelings to take out his banelings. Try to engage with your lings at the very last second as they are crucial to stopping the roaches from walking straight up to your main and destroying your economy while Muta are on the way. If defended properly you should be able to take your third (assuming he kills it) and be ahead.





This can be a game ending push regardless if Mutalisks get out if not properly scouted. You should always be sending zerglings to the opponent’s base to check his unit count. If you see a lot of roaches with lings, making spines immediately. Once the push gets there try to use your own banelings to take out his banelings. Try to engage with your lings at the very last second as they are crucial to stopping the roaches from walking straight up to your main and destroying your economy while Muta are on the way. If defended properly you should be able to take your third (assuming he kills it) and be ahead. Defending Ling/bane aggression

This one is very common in Legacy of the Void. The best way to defend is to always have at least 2 banelings at your natural and 1 spine crawler. Always sending speedlings across the map is very important because the sooner you scout a ton of lings, the sooner you can adjust by making more banelings while teching. This really comes down to micro and map awareness, if your speedlings don’t see anything the overlord in the middle of the map should. If the Zerg is being that aggressive and doesn’t seem to be teching, feel free to throw down an extra Spine. Eventually you will get Mutalisks and have the game in the bag.



This one is very common in Legacy of the Void. The best way to defend is to always have at least 2 banelings at your natural and 1 spine crawler. Always sending speedlings across the map is very important because the sooner you scout a ton of lings, the sooner you can adjust by making more banelings while teching. This really comes down to micro and map awareness, if your speedlings don’t see anything the overlord in the middle of the map should. If the Zerg is being that aggressive and doesn’t seem to be teching, feel free to throw down an extra Spine. Eventually you will get Mutalisks and have the game in the bag. Opponent scouts Lurker Den morphing

I added this piece as this is very important if your opponent scouts this. From my ladder experience, a common response is to bank minerals/gas and go mutalisks themselves. You do not want to be caught off guard and all of a sudden 30 mutalisks are coming out. With your mutalisks, scout every inch of his base. Look for any spire, watch his unit composition (is he making hydra’s or are you only seeing drones/lings and queens being made?). This can giveaway what your opponent is doing.

If you scout a spire, do not make lurkers and focus back on Mutalisks or switch into Hydralisk/lurker. This is dependent on how you want to proceed, I personally would go into mutalisk play and make sure I have an upgrade going. Make sure to keep scouting in case the other Zerg cancels the spire.





I added this piece as this is very important if your opponent scouts this. From my ladder experience, a common response is to bank minerals/gas and go mutalisks themselves. You do not want to be caught off guard and all of a sudden 30 mutalisks are coming out. With your mutalisks, scout every inch of his base. Look for any spire, watch his unit composition (is he making hydra’s or are you only seeing drones/lings and queens being made?). This can giveaway what your opponent is doing.If you scout a spire, do not make lurkers and focus back on Mutalisks or switch into Hydralisk/lurker. This is dependent on how you want to proceed, I personally would go into mutalisk play and make sure I have an upgrade going. Make sure to keep scouting in case the other Zerg cancels the spire. The Mid-Game

All right, assuming there has been no game ending damage, you have hydra/ling/lurker and the opposing Zerg doesn’t seem to be aggressive. Once the Hydralisk upgrade is done, start moving out slowly with hydra/ling/lurker. Send a ling forward to see his army composition, make sure to have an overseer in front of your army so you don’t lose to potential hold position lurkers.

Once the fighting beings, try to engage with Lurker support, if the Zerg keeps backing off, leap frog a few lurkers at a time. So let’s say you have 8 Lurkers, grab 4, unburrow, move forward, burrow and repeat until you are sieging a base or the engagement starts. If your opponent has Lurkers then everything is going to be very positional based. Since you will have Hydra and left over Mutalisks, snipe his overseer if possible. Make sure to keep your overseer forward so you can see where the opponent’s lurkers are.

I would recommend keeping 1 Lurker at a base so that a Ling run by can’t really do damage or a small roach counter. This isn’t a must, but I highly recommend it. On this, use your own lings to do counter attacks or deny bases from your opponent when attacking.





All right, assuming there has been no game ending damage, you have hydra/ling/lurker and the opposing Zerg doesn’t seem to be aggressive. Once the Hydralisk upgrade is done, start moving out slowly with hydra/ling/lurker. Send a ling forward to see his army composition, make sure to have an overseer in front of your army so you don’t lose to potential hold position lurkers.Once the fighting beings, try to engage with Lurker support, if the Zerg keeps backing off, leap frog a few lurkers at a time. So let’s say you have 8 Lurkers, grab 4, unburrow, move forward, burrow and repeat until you are sieging a base or the engagement starts. If your opponent has Lurkers then everything is going to be very positional based. Since you will have Hydra and left over Mutalisks, snipe his overseer if possible. Make sure to keep your overseer forward so you can see where the opponent’s lurkers are.I would recommend keeping 1 Lurker at a base so that a Ling run by can’t really do damage or a small roach counter. This isn’t a must, but I highly recommend it. On this, use your own lings to do counter attacks or deny bases from your opponent when attacking. Replays

All right here are a bunch of zvz replays facing various styles. From facing early pools to roach/queen/nydus to roach/ravager/lurker vs hydra/lurker, etc. If you want to see how to properly do an early pool these replays will have them.



ZvZ Replays



ZvZ Holding Early Pools



Thanks for Switch for looking over this.



If you want to see how I come up with my builds or test feel free to check out my stream twitch.tv/blade55555



I don't know when I will work on the ZvP guide as I am still messing with builds in that match up. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions let me know!

All right here are a bunch of zvz replays facing various styles. From facing early pools to roach/queen/nydus to roach/ravager/lurker vs hydra/lurker, etc. If you want to see how to properly do an early pool these replays will have them.Thanks for Switch for looking over this.If you want to see how I come up with my builds or test feel free to check out my stream twitch.tv/blade55555I don't know when I will work on the ZvP guide as I am still messing with builds in that match up. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions let me know! When I think of something else, something will go here