

Banner art by: Pony Tales (Lip the Pencilboy, Pathy, and shiroiusagi)



Written by monk, Alejandrisha, CecilSunkure, rsvp, and Teoita. With additional support from wo1fwood,

Blazinghand, and others. English Version and Chinese Version Liquipedia Version Last updated: 2013.03.03

top

We, members of the TL and the Starcraft community, present to you the following guide that is yet unmatched in quality and depth. Although the strategy section of Teamliquid contains many great guides, there has never been an attempt to completely cover a single match-up as in-depth as what we have done here. The following is a culmination of nine months of work, nine months of writing, formatting, referencing, editing, and reviewing. The resulting product follows, a reference guide of the PvZ match-up that spans approximately 100 pages. We’ve written this guide with the entire community in mind, as all Starcraft enthusiasts will benefit from either a through reading, a cursory glance, or an occasional reference.



Low level Protoss players can learn basic builds and concepts of the match-up, including how to open, how to transition, scouting, and unit counters. Each of the main builds will have detailed benchmarks so you may compare your results to optimal ones by professional players.





Mid level Protoss players in the diamond to high masters range will benefit the most as they will be able to fill in certain strategical holes in their play.





Professional level players can use this guide as a reference as it contains a small library of vods and replays with regards to every aspect of PvZ.





Zerg players will see a Protoss perspective on the match-up as well as have a clean layout of all the options Protoss have against them.





Casters will learn what to expect in this match-up and be able to make better calls and predictions while casting. I know many casters legitimately want to learn more about the game but don’t have the time necessary to grind out games to learn.





Casual observers of the game will receive insight into players’ actions. After all, it’s always more interesting to watch something when you know what is going on in the players’ minds. In addition to the content of the guide, we have taken extreme care in its organization. Even from a cursory read, a casual observer will be able to get a much better understanding of the structure of PvZ.





For general interest, other notable features of this guide include map analyses and a history of the match-up.

In addition, all topics and assertions will be backed up with in-depth analysis and also evidence in the form of by recent top level replays, vods, or both if available. All vods will be linked while all replays will be provided in a replay pack at the end of the guide (vod links that are accompanied by (PW) in parentheses indicate that the vod is behind a paywall, and subscription access (or equivalent) is needed to view them). The replay pack also contains replays from the vast majority of builds listed in this guide, which are not listed in the description of the build. There are over 350 vods and 150 replays included in this guide. Finally, we have additionally included a PDF version of this guide for your convenience and ease of reference, which can be found via the link above. So what are you waiting for? Have fun reading!



A Short Note on Article Navigation

With the complexity and sheer amount of information in this guide, there are two points with regards to navigation that should be briefly touched upon. To differentiate all links within this guide, internal links appear as standard url links while external ones such as vods or guides have been italicized. Additionally, all of the replay icons that accompany vod or replay urls are themselves links to the replay pack in the Appendix. Finally, in addition to using internal anchors to navigate this guide, using the back (or forward) button in your web browser will return you to your previous position in the article before the anchored link was clicked.

top

top

Protoss versus Zerg is a very dynamic and asymmetrical match-up in which both sides have a myriad of strategies to pick from and their own unique racial advantages. At different points of the game, one race will be driving the direction of the game while the other has to react. A typical modern PvZ has the following major stages:



Protoss opens with an expansion build, usually a FFE while the Zerg opens with a three Hatchery build.





Protoss can either two base all-in or take a third base.





In reaction to a Protoss third, Zerg will either pressure the third, harass, or stay passive, teching to Brood Lords. If the Zerg pressures or harasses, Protoss will respond defensively. If the Zerg techs to Brood Lords, Protoss can either choose to hit a pre-Hive timing or play passively with a Mothership.





Both players will build up their ideal armies, usually involving Infestor/Brood Lord/Corruptor versus Mothership/Carrier/Templar/Archon or Mothership/Colossi/Stalker/Archon/Templar and the game will culminate in one big fight.



Because of the structure of this match-up, we have decided to organize our guide into four main sections:



Early Game: Openings

This section will address the standard openings for Protoss, either Forge fast expand (FFE), Gateway Nexus expands, Gateway Core expands, or other one base builds. It will touch upon the advantages and disadvantages of each opening and how to survive various all-ins against any opening. The opening portion early game PvZ usually lasts from the beginning of the game to around 6 minutes.



This section will address the standard openings for Protoss, either Forge fast expand (FFE), Gateway Nexus expands, Gateway Core expands, or other one base builds. It will touch upon the advantages and disadvantages of each opening and how to survive various all-ins against any opening. The opening portion early game PvZ usually lasts from the beginning of the game to around 6 minutes.

Early Game: Transitions

This section will address the various transitions Protoss has after a FFE, the most common Protoss opening. Both macro and all-in builds will be covered here. The transition portion of early game PvZ usually lasts from around 6 minutes to 10 minutes.



This section will address the various transitions Protoss has after a FFE, the most common Protoss opening. Both macro and all-in builds will be covered here. The transition portion of early game PvZ usually lasts from around 6 minutes to 10 minutes.

Mid Game

This section will address how to play once you’ve chosen a macro route. It will identify the most common Zerg mid-game strategies and discuss how to appropriately respond to each of them. The mid game of PvZ usually starts at 10 minutes, and can end as early as 15 minutes.



This section will address how to play once you’ve chosen a macro route. It will identify the most common Zerg mid-game strategies and discuss how to appropriately respond to each of them. The mid game of PvZ usually starts at 10 minutes, and can end as early as 15 minutes.

Late Game

Finally, this section will address the PvZ endgame, once Zerg has reached Hive tech and chosen either Brood Lords or Ultralisks. Both pre-Hive pushes and macro based play will be considered. Late game begins when Hive tech is reached, at the very earliest, 15 minutes.

In the Protoss vs Zerg match-up, the vast majority of games start off with both sides expanding rapidly.



From the Protoss point of view, as the metagame has evolved, the various one base all-ins and timings available to Protoss have greatly diminished in their effectiveness against Zerg players because of a combination of map changes, better scouting skills, and general increase in the skill level of the players. In modern play, Protoss players open with economical builds focused on defending a fast expansion with either a Forge and cannon(s) or basic Gateway units.



Outside of aggressive early Pool openings, Zerg one base play is also weak and easily scoutable, so standard play has always involved some fast expand or, in some situations, a double expand opening. The trend in modern play is to delay gas mining for as long as possible, allowing Zerg to maximize their mineral income and thus Drone count, but Speedling openings that focus on obtaining map control early on in the game, aggressive Roach/Baneling plays, or fast tech are also viable.



The three major ways in which Protoss can take his natural expansion include with a Forge fast expansion, a Gateway Nexus Opening, or a Gateway Core Opening. Other One-Base Builds are also possible, but generally not seen in today’s metagame.



Timings

Before we get into specific builds, let’s look at some timings useful for early game PvZ no matter what opening you choose. The most important ones are bolded:



1:46 - 6 Pool finishes





1:56 - 7 Pool finishes





2:03 - 8 Pool finishes





2:11 - 9 Pool finishes





2:17 - 10 Pool finishes





2.28 - 11 Pool finishes





2:40 - 11 Overpool finishes





2:05 - 15 Hatch starts





2:35 - Zerg reaches 300 minerals after 13 Pool for 15 Hatch





2:40 - Zerg reaches 300 minerals after 14 Pool for 16 Hatch





3:02 - Zerg reaches 300 minerals after 14 gas, 14 Pool build





3:15 - Amount of time elapsed from when Zerg starts his first extractor to when Ling speed finishes



Here are a few important notes on these timings:



Pool timings allow a Protoss player to differentiate between very similar openings. This is important because on certain maps, the Protoss reaction to two similar openings may be completely different. For example, on Sharkuas Plateau, it’s possible to Forge-Nexus-cannon against an 11 Pool, but not a 10 Pool. Identifying the exact build will allow you to properly react to build





Hatchery timings are listed so you may block Hatcheries for no longer than you need to. For example, if a Zerg player brings a Drone to his natural, prematurely at 2:30 after a 14 Pool, you know he won’t have the money to make a Hatchery until 2:40, so you don’t have to waste valuable Probe shields to block it. However, keep in mind that at high levels, both players know their timings and there can be some intense mind games. DRG, for instance, has been mixing in 13 Pool/15 Hatch, which allows him to plop down a Hatchery at 2:35 if his Protoss opponent sticks too strictly to the 2:40 timing.





Finally, the Zergling speed timing in important, because it gives you a precise timing for you to retreat Gateway units. Without Zergling speed, Stalkers, and to a lesser extent Zealots, are able to kite Zerglings. But as soon as Zergling speed finishes, Zerg gains map control as this is no longer possible. Knowing exactly when Zergling speed finishes allows you to pressure safely for as long as possible.



top

The Forge Fast Expand (FFE from now on) opening has been a staple PvZ opening ever since Starcraft: Brood War. Because Lings are low-damage melee units, it's possible for Protoss to defend an expansion with one or two cannons together with clever building placement to prevent the Zerg's first few Lings from getting into the Protoss base. This allows you to build a very early Nexus, entering the mid-game with an extremely solid two base economy that allows for a variety of follow-ups.



Because FFE in the early game invests so much into static defense, economy, tech or production capabilities, this opening has a hard time playing aggressively until about 7:30 into the game at best, save for cannon rushing. As a result, the most common Zerg reaction is to double expand as fast as possible, going up to three bases and investing heavily in Drones while delaying tech and combat units.

1.1.1 Early Game Notes and Build Orders

The two main options to Forge Fast Expand include Nexus first builds or Forge first builds and there are a few deviations in the order in which players get their Cannon, Gateway, and second Pylon.



In general, it's safe to build a Nexus first before any other building on most modern ladder maps as long as you scout the the Zerg's Spawning Pool being built at 14 supply or later. This means that on 2 player maps or when scouting your opponent on the first try, you can reactively choose to go Nexus first and be completely safe. If you see your opponent rushing Lings to your base off of a 14 Pool or later, you may have to delay the Lings so that your initial cannon may finish. This can be done by blocking the entrance to your base with a Probe or fully walling-off the entrance with a temporary Pylon or Gateway, canceling them as your cannon finishes. While Nexus first provides the best early game economy possible while being safe against standard Pool timings, it’s dangerous to do it blindly. Lastly, it’s impossible to do a 3-Pylon block on a ramp with this build; cannon rushing a Hatch first however is still doable.



The more common option is to get the Forge before the Nexus. This allows for more safety and aggressive potential thanks to cannon rushes, at the price of a bit of economy. There are also key differences in the build order after the Nexus. Getting a Pylon and then a cannon after the Nexus allows for almost continuous Probe production, while also being safe should the initial set(s) of Lings run straight across the map. Conversely, it’s possible to build a Gateway and cannon after the Nexus and before the second Pylon. This speeds up the timings for the Cybernetics Core and tech, but it includes a very long Probe cut the other builds don’t have, which makes the opening the least popular FFE variation in competitive play.



Forge at Natural vs Forge in Main

A common adjustment and recent innovation is to have the first Pylon and the Forge in the main. There are many advantages and disadvantages to this adjustment.



Advantages of Forge in Main:



You won’t have to give up your first Pylon or Forge against a 6 pool on any map; normally this is only possible on easily walled naturals like Shakuras Plateau and Ohana.





You can hide the progress of your upgrades, especially your +1, which leaves Zerg more in the dark about what you’re doing.





It’ll be much harder to snipe the Forge if it’s in the back of your main. The usual front Forge, on the other hand, is a common target for Zerg players.



Disadvantages of Forge in Main:



You’re weaker against Pools between but not including 6 Pool and 14 Pool. Against these unusual Pool timings, you won’t be able to secure your natural with a cannon.





Without the Forge at your front, you’ll have a tougher time walling off, allowing for more easy early run-bys from the Zerg. This is less of an issue on maps with smaller chokes.



Also note that the Defending Early Pools section will assume you’ve built your forge at your natural.



FFE Build Orders

Nexus First:

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





17 Nexus





17 Forge





17 Pylon





17 Gateway





18 Cannon (Chronoboost Nexus after placing Cannon and resuming Probe production)





19 and 20 Gas(es)





21 Cyber Core



Forge First, Heavy Econ Alpha:

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





14-17 Forge





17 Nexus





18 Pylon





18 Cannon





18 Gateway





19 Both main Assimilators (Chronoboost Nexi continuously once Gateway is placed and 2nd Pylon is finished)





@100% Gateway Cyber Core



Forge First, Heavy Econ Beta:

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





14-17 Forge





18 Nexus





18 Pylon





18 Cannon





18 Gateway





20 Both main Assimilators (Chronoboost Nexi continuously once Gateway is placed and 2nd Pylon is finished)





@100% Gateway Cyber Core



Forge First, Fast Gateway:

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





14-17 Forge





17 Nexus





17 Gateway





17 Pylon





18 Cannon (Chronoboost Nexus after placing Cannon and resuming Probe production)





19 and 20 Gas(es)





21 Cyber Core

Here are some sample screenshots of commonly used building placement. Pylon, Gateway, Cannon and Forge placements are interchangable:



Antiga Shipyard:



Atlantis Spaceship:



Cloud Kingdom:



Daybreak:



Entombed Valley:



Metropolis:



Ohana:



Shakuras Plateau:



Whirlwind:



1.1.2 Dealing with Early Pools

Generally speaking, you will always be scouting on 9. On 4 player maps, it is recommended that you open Forge first unless you scout your opponent first and see no early Pool. If you do not, send a second Probe (the Probe with which you place your Forge) to scout in the opposite direction. If you scout an extremely early Pool, your first step is to identify what kind of Pool it is, that is, on how many Drones was it placed down. Minute differences in the Pool timing should be responded to with vastly different reactions, and you will end up either behind or dead if you pick the wrong one. The early game timings section of this guide can greatly help in determining what type of Pool it is, but if you cannot see the timing of the Pool when it finishes, then good judgement, game sense and experience will go a long way.



On maps that can’t be walled by 3 buildings like Ohana and Shakuras Plateau you will have to abandon the low ground Forge and Pylon. When you scout the common 6 Pool, place your Forge and immediately place a Pylon in your mineral line such that you can place a cannon that guards every mineral patch as well as one of your geysers. Do your best not to hamper your mining, but placing a single cannon in your mineral line is alright. You will want to keep one Probe on the map to check for your opponent’s expansion and/or gas(es). Consider this build a guideline to transition from here:



9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10 and 12 supply)





14 Forge





15 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 16 supply)





17 Cannon (In mineral line)





18 Gateway (In range of your cannon)





19 Assimilator (Soon after placing this, your opponent will kill the Pylon in your natural expansion)





20 Pylon (Continue Chronoboosting Nexus to further increase your worker count lead)





22 Cyber Core

From here, you can either add more Gates or take retake your expansion depending on what your scouting Probe sees. If your opponent takes gas and does not expand, add at least 1 or 2 more Gates immediately. If your opponent expands, you can safely re-take your expansion with just your one Gateway or with one additional Gateway.



(PW) Genius vs Nestea on Entombed Valley from GSL 2012 Season 1.

(PW) Parting vs Yugioh on Entombed Valley from GSL 2012 Season 3.

Squirtle vs Hyun on Entombed Valley from IPL Fight Club. 3 Gate expand into 5 Gate follow-up.

Rain vs Sen on Entombed Valley from WCS Grand Finals.



Then there are Pools that are only moderately quick, such as 9 Pools, 10 Pools, or 11 Pools. Against these economic early Pools, depending on the map, it may be possible to wall the Zerglings off completely before they reach your base. The map of course, makes a huge difference on which types of Pools you can wall off. First is the rush distance as longer maps can add up to 20 seconds of travel time for Zerglings. The second map factor is how wide the natural choke is. While it can take as little as 4 buildings to wall on Cloud Kingdom, it can take as many was 6 buildings to wall on Antiga Shipyard. If you are able to complete the wall-off and secure both your main and natural, you will wind up ahead. In contrast, if you abandon your natural and attempt the generic 6 Pool response, you can behind against these more economic early Pools.



Other openings include the in-between Pools, such as 7 Pool or 8 Pool. Many times you won’t be able to tell the difference between the 6 Pool and the 7/8 Pool, because you won’t see the Spawning Pool in time. In this case, it is perfectly ok to abandon your Forge in your natural and resort to the 6 Pool response; you’ll wind up even with the Zerg at worst. However, there is another option. Against these intermediate Pools you generally won’t be able to wall off your natural in time, but this does not mean you’ll have to abandon your natural. It is possible in the scenario to pull half your Probes to your natural for a few seconds and block the Lings from entering your main as your cannon is finishing. Then, you can wait until you get the minerals to wall off and expand to your natural normally.



Finally, on maps where the natural can be walled off by only 3 buildings like Shakuras Plateau and Ohana, you don’t have to abandon your natural at all against any early Pool. Instead, immediately cancel and halt the production of additional probes. You should be at 12 or 13 supply. Make 2 additional Gateways to finish your wall before you start your cannon; when your Forge finishes you won't have 150 minerals, but it is important to start the 2nd Gateway to finish the wall before placing the cannon. After you start the cannon, still do not resume building probes, because you might need to make additional Gateways behind your wall to further buy you time if Lings break through the initial wall before your cannon finishes. Then carry on with your fast expansion and play the game normally, carefully scouting with Zealots and probes still on the map for the Zerg’s follow-up.



MC vs Nerchio on Entombed Valley from HSC V. Vs a 9 Pool.

Monchi vs Nerchio on Antiga Shipyard from DreamHack 2012 Group C. Full wall off vs 9 pool, Stargate defense vs Roach all-in follow-up.

HerO vs. Symbol on Antiga Shipyard from Iron Squid Chapter II. Robotics into 6 Gate into Twilight into Expand at 10:55, into Immortal/Stalker push at 14:00 vs. 11 Pool into Roach/Ling/Infestor

eLfi vs. Stephano on Daybreak from DreamHack Winter 2012. 7pool into roach all-in

1.1.3 Other Notes

Cannon Rushing

Having a Forge in early game also allows for the offensive use of hidden cannons to try and destroy a Zerg's extra Hatcheries. A building Hatchery has a very short vision range, so if a Zerg player doesn't use his initial scouting Zerglings wisely or doesn't have Overlords in position close to his building Hatch a cannon rush can deny a Zerg's natural or third expansion for a very long time, making the Zerg’s early game investment of 300 minerals completely wasted. While this does delay a Protoss' player tech it can be a very worthy investment as the opponent will be even more heavily delayed. Even if an Overlord is in position, on most maps there are places to fully wall in a cannon behind the mineral line with 2-3 pylons, which makes the cannon much harder to reach and increases the effectiveness of the rush.



Because a Hatch takes 100 seconds to build and a cannon takes 40, a well timed cannon rush will start the cannons when the Hatch is about 65% complete to make sure it finishes right as the cannons are also finishing. If the cannons were to complete before the Hatch, the Zerg player could just cancel it setting the Protoss player behind. On the other hand, if the Hatch finishes before the cannons, it will turn into completely wasted minerals since the few Lings built in the early game are not enough to defend it.



The best places and building placements on common maps are reported in the following screenshots:



Antiga Shipyard:

On Antiga Shipyard every position except top right has a spot that can be walled off with just 2 pylons. For every spawning position including top right many 3 pylon spots are possible; one is shown for top right.



Cloud Kingdom:

On Cloud Kingdom as well as Daybreak there are no spots for 2 Pylon walls, but many 3\Pylon walls are possible. Additionally it’s possible to wall in a cannon with a single Pylon at the third on Cloud Kingdom.



Entombed Valley:

On Entombed, 2 Pylon walls are possible in every position.



Metropolis:

On Metropolis there are no 2 Pylon spots, and there’s only one possible placement for each natural for a 3 Pylon wall. Even though the top right/2 o’clock spot looks incomplete, it is indeed a full wall.



Ohana:

On Ohana each natural has two possible 2 Pylon walls. Additionally it’s possible to wall off a cannon out of sight next to the natural ramp for a possible cannon contain.



Whirlwind:

On Whirlwind only top left and bottom right on Whirlwind have 2 Pylon block placements. Many 3 Pylon walls are possible for every position.



(PW) Hero vs JookTo on Atlantis Spaceship from GSL 2012 Season 3.

(PW) Hero vs Symbol on Entombed Valley from GSL 2012 Season 4.

(PW) Tear vs Byul on Whirlwind from GSTL 2012 Season 3. Vs Hatch first.

(PW) Younghwa vs Miya on Whirlwind from GSTL 2012 Season 3.

(PW) JYP vs Curious on Daybreak from GSL 2012 Season 4.

(PW) Hero vs Curious on Entombed Valley from GSL 2012 Season 5.

(PW) Oz vs Leenock on Ohana from MLG Fall Championship 2012. Preemptive cannon rush at natural.

elfi vs TLO on Ohana from ASUS ROG The GD Invitational. Cannon Rush

MaNa vs TLO on Cloud Kingdom from ASUS ROG The GD Invitational. Cannon Rush, Stargate into Robo into Third, fast Mothership vs. delayed Hive, pushes out at 20:00 with 2 vortexes

Monchi vs Targa on Cloud Kingdom from DreamHack Winter 2012 Group C. Failed cannon rush vs 3 hatch before pool, Immortal all-in hits at 11:10

Monchi vs Targa on Ohana from DreamHack Winter 2012 Group C. Successful Cannon Rush into Immortal/Sentry all-in.

Bischu vs Targa on Cloud Kingdom from DreamHack Winter 2012 Group C. Forge in main, successful cannon rush into Gateway/Core expand into Gateway all-in.



Scouting

Because of the lack of units early on in the game, when Forge Fast Expanding, it's mandatory to scout well; an unscouted Zerg all-in build will kill you easily if you don't take the proper precautions.



There are two signs of a potential all-in coming your way; the Zerg takes a fast gas or the Zerg does not take his third base at a standard timing. Note that neither of these is conclusive enough to know exactly what the Zerg build will be, but you should play more carefully and defensively if you scout these than against a standard 3 Hatch no gas build.



A third that goes up between 4:15 and 5:15 off a 14 Pool or 15 Hatch opening is considered normal, and if you can also confirm the lack of an early gas (before 4 minutes) it means the Zerg is playing a standard style. Scouting the gas in particular is extremely important, as there are many busts that look absolutely identical in terms of simple Hatch timings.



A common trick Zergs use when busting a Protoss is to make a natural and/or third Hatchery at a standard timing while hiding the fact they took an earlier gas, then cancelling it as your Probe leaves, while making a round of Roaches or Lings. If unscouted it will outright kill a FFE with only one cannon for defense, so being active with your scouting Probes in the early game is key.



Other than sacrificing Probes, the other technique used for scouting is using your first Zealot or Zealot/Stalker to poke around the map, taking the Xel'Naga towers and, if possible, going as far as the Zerg's third or natural. If you are unsure on the Zerg's intentions, sacrifice the Zealot to scout his main. This poke should tell you whether he is teching or going for a bust; it can spot any eventual Zerg units moving towards your base, and allows you to prepare accordingly against whatever your opponent is up to.



The other kind of build you should account for when not scouting a third is Zerg two base macro play, either with fast Infestors, Mutalisks, Nydus Worms for a delayed all-in, or even a fast Ling/Baneling drop. If you scout poorly, assuming you are going to be all-ined in the early game, and overinvest in cannons or Sentries, your tech and further scouting ability with Observers or Stargate units will be even more delayed, putting you in a tough position. In general, 3 Sentries and 2-3 cannons should be enough; only make more if you are defending an attack.



Denying Scouting

The map can determine a lot about your strategy and building placements. The first thing you should be aware of when analyzing a map is whether a Zerg can safely position Overlords over your natural gas, and how many of your gas he can see with an idle Overlord. The ability to observe the timing of your natural gases is the most important piece of early game scouting information a Zerg can obtain, and greatly contributes to the uncertainly. For example, Gateway pressures never take your natural gas early while double Stargate openers require fast 4 gas. If a map allows you deny this piece of scouting information, your opponent is more likely to be caught off-guard.



The second thing to be wary about is the direction from which Overlords can come from to scout your base. Try to be wary of which paths Overlords can take to get to your main and natural. With the Overlord speed buff, about three Overlords can reasonably safely get to your base and scout you. Keep track of where there three Overlords are and deny scouting and place buildings accordingly. On some maps, including Cloud Kingdom and Ohana, there are spots where it’s possible to deny all Overlord scouting with a Stalker; these spots are perfect places to hide a Stargate or perhaps some Gateways.



A third detail, relevant on a handful of maps, is whether a Zerg can easily spot your Cyber Core with an Overlord. Based on the number of chronoboosts on your Core, a Zerg can tell if any Gateway based aggression is coming his way or not, and to react accordingly.

1.1.4 Defending All-ins

Mass cannon behind your wall - it's fine to get a few additional cannons behind your wall, but you can't rely on only cannons. Without a protective wall or Zealot support, cannons die very easily to Zerglings (even more so Banelings) accompanied with the Spine push.

Fast tech. Not only is this rush designed to hit and kill you before you can get out things like Void Rays or Immortals, even if you do stall for long enough and get out a Void Ray or 2, it won't be enough to kill everything before your base is run over. Many Spine Crawler rushes also bring along Queens for transfuse and additional firepower, and those will also be able to counter your Void Ray.

from GSL 2012 Season 3. Hatchery cancel with Queen.

Nine Minute DRG-style Roach/Ling Aggression

MC vs DRG on Daybreak, from Auction OSL, Game 1.

vod unavailable.

MC vs DRG on Daybreak, from Auction OSL, Game 5.

vod unavailable.

from MLG Fall Championship 2012. Rain defends after scouting it and retreating his Warp Prism.

from GSL 2012 Season 5. Stargate into 4 Gate into Robotics defense.

1.1.5 Follow-ups to FFE

For Follow-ups to the common FFE, see Section 2.1.





top

In the early game, there’s an unorthodox opening that focuses around getting an early Gateway in place of a Forge. A Forge in the early game as seen in traditional FFE openings locks the Protoss into the specific tech path of cannons. This means that the Protoss must use defensive cannons in order to secure their natural expansion, and has no mobile presence at all (except for a Probe for perhaps cannon rushing Hatcheries). The Gateway Nexus opening aims to provide a more flexible early game by allowing for many more options along with all the benefits of a Forge first build.



An early Gateway provides Zealots which can fill the role of the stationary cannon, however Zealots can also do more; they walk around. It sounds like some so simple that everyone would simply overlook this fact, Zealots can walk in the early game. This alone provides the ability to attack the opponent in a way that cannons just cannot. For example, you can chronoboost out a few Zealots in reaction to the absence of scouting Lings or Pool, and then harass a mineral line shortly thereafter. You can also simply take a Zealot and place it into a position that would be uncomfortable for a Zerg opponent; for example, you may denying a scouting tower thus disrupting a Zerg’s habitual scouting for proxy Pylons and Probes in the early game (as most Zergs would leave a single Ling on the tower, while three others scout outskirts of the map).



Lastly, an early Gateway provides the option to tech to Cyber Core at times that aren’t really plausible with a Forge first option. The Cyber Core opens up early Warpgate timings, Stalker timings, and provides Sentries as well. All of these tools are accessible in ways a FFE cannot provide allowing for great diversity in potential early game choices.

In the Auction OSL semifinals between DRG and MC, DRG introduced a new slow Roach/Speedling timing designed to hit Protoss as their gateways are powering up, a bit before 9 minutes. As your opponent will have Speedlings by this point, the best way to scout this aggression is with an air unit, a Void Ray, Phoenix, Observer, Warp Prism, or Hallucination. However, the best way to defend this type of aggression is having a build that gets appropriately early Gateways, and one that doesn’t use early Gateway units in aggression. Builds that don’t fair so well include Stargate builds with only Phoenix or builds that get their Gateways late. For example, Stargate into Four Gate builds that get a Void Ray do well. But Stargate into Robotics into Four Gate builds that only get Phoenix fair poorly.Once you scout the aggression, start building cannons and warping in sentries. Divert all resources into defending the push. That is, retreat all your Stargate units and Warp Prisms filled with units back to your base. Then, hope for the best as it will defend mostly on the build you choose and how early you scouted the aggression.

1.2.1 Early Game Notes and Build Orders

Gateway/Nexus builds are very flexible, and there’s many possible variations of them. In general, they are quite similar to FFE when it comes to Nexus timings, but they delay the Forge (and therefore Cannons and to a lesser extent upgrades) in exchange for a higher unit count and faster Warpgate tech. Generally, it’s safe to delay the Forge as long as the Zerg player isn’t taking his gas (for example if he is doing the standard 3 Hatch no gas opening as if you are FFE’ing).



Two possible build orders, utilized by MC and Naniwa in GSL respectively, are:



Skipping the Forge :

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





13 Gateway





16 Pylon*





17 Nexus





19 Zealot**





21 Assimilator





22 Cyber Core





22 Pylon





23 Zealot





28 Stalker





Progress through the game as if you had done a standard FFE



With the Forge:

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





13 Gateway





16 Pylon*





17 Nexus





19 Zealot**





21 Assimilator





22 Cyber Core





22 Zealot





24 Pylon





25 Forge





28 Stalker





32 Cannon





Progress through the game as if you had done a standard FFE

The first build skips the early Forge and Cannon in order to get the fastest possible Cyber Core and Warpgate off this opening, making it quite greedy but ideal for fast Gateway pressure. It is safe against modern openings such as 15 pool 16 hatch into 3 hatch no gas.



The second build is safer thanks to the Forge and Cannon, which you can build reactively upon scouting a fast gas from the Zerg, which is the standard reaction to your fast gateway. Your Cyber Core and Warpgate will still be faster than they would be with FFE, but you can still take map control, scout and pressure with the two fast Zealots.



For effective defensive building placement, take example from the screenshots in the FFE Build Order section. Note that the placing of the individual buildings will be different, but the overall simcity should be similar.



*If you are unsure of whether or not there’s an early Pool, place this Pylon directly next to the first Pylon. This will make it twice as hard to unpower your Gateway with Lings.

**If you are unsure of whether or not there’s an early Pool, build a Zealot before the Nexus is placed.

1.2.2 Dealing with Early Pools

First things first, if you place your Gateway on the low ground you must place a second Pylon directly next to the first. This is to prevent early Pools from being able to de-power your single Gateway. If in the event that you do lose power to your Gateway because you placed only one Pylon on low-ground, you will lose.



Six Pool

To defend a six Pool with Gateway first (13 Gateway) you must pull all Probes except for about 6-8 that are left mining. These Probes are only going to be buying time for your Zealot to finish constructing (which should be being chronoboosted). The Probes need to engage the Lings as the Lings attempt to engage your Pylons. Once the Lings engage your Probes, pull them away before you lose any. You’re buying time for this Zealot to finish, and once finished you can freely engage the Lings as long as Ling reinforcements are not on the way and you keep a buffer of Probes around the Zealot so it cannot be surrounded. If the Zerg continues Ling production, you simply continue chronoboosting your Gateway and making additional Pylons as necessary. Eventually you’ll have more and more Zealots, and can place some of your combat Probes back onto your mineral line; this is essentially ensuring victory, as the opponent will not be able to Drone and make many Lings at the same time.



Once you feel like your Zealot count is high enough, press the Lings away and do whatever you like. Take a Nexus, Four Gate, anything will work.



If the Lings run into your main (instead of engaging Pylons) you should be able to easily micro and surround them, without losing a single Probe. If you cannot do this, read the next paragraph; if you can do this then skip it.



Lings in the Minerals

Whenever Lings enter your mineral line in the early game, it can be quite easy to handle. Select all Probes (don’t leave them at your natural defending Pylons if there’s no Lings down there) and right click on a mineral patch to mineral-walk through the Lings. This is to surround them. If the opponent lets you do this, then you’ve won the game! As Probes lose shields, select them and mineral walk them out to the edge of your Probe ball. Doing this will ensure you take no Probe losses during the engagement. Often times, a Probe surround won’t be realistic when facing a strong opponent, though engaging may still be necessary. Simply engage with a good amount of Probes, but don’t chase! When a the front line of Probes lose their shields, mineral walk them back like they are Blink Stalkers. Never leave the area between the minerals and Nexus! Chasing Lings around will lose mining time, you only need to engage if the Lings engage you.



Early Pools that are not a Six Pool

Other early Pools, such as 10 Pool, are handled in the same way, except you have to pull your Probes at a later time. Against a 10 Pool you’ll have to buy less time, and your first Zealot will come out much more quicklu. Simply follow the instructions of the 6 Pool section, but be more mindful of returning Probes to your mineral line as necessary; a 10 Pool is much stronger economically, and needs to be treated as such.



Grubby vs sLivko on Whirlwind from IEM Season VII - Singapore. Gateway Nexus vs Early Pool into Four Gate pressure into Blink Stalker/Sentry/Immortal push vs. 8 Pool into Roach/Ling/Infestor

1.2.3 Other Notes

The entire point of Gateway Nexus Forge opening is flexibility. This section is an attempt to lift the lid on what sort of options there are out there starting with the earliest point in the game, Zealots.



Zealots off of a single Gateway can walk, as mentioned in the introduction to this opening. This provides the ability to attack the Zerg’s mineral line, if the opportunity arises. With a single Zealot a Protoss can actually punish a Zerg player for only making two Lings in the early game. The Zealot can walk into the opponent’s natural and attack Drones. The Drones will be forced to either engage or run away, both of which disrupt the Zerg’s income. Note: this should happen before two Queens are present, and if there is a single Queen it’ll likely be just finishing in the main.



The Gateway also allows for small squads of Zealots to be built in the early game, perhaps 2-4, and can disrupt a Zerg’s early game greatly given poor scouting by the Zerg opponent. For example, the Protoss can go Gateway, Nexus, Forge, followed by Zealots. The Zealots can act as an escort for a Probe in which to cannon the Zerg’s third base. The Gateway allows for this opportunity to exist in ways that a traditional FFE cannot. Additionally, a small Zealot squad can attack the Zerg while a Sentry is being constructed back at the natural, thus providing a defense against potential Ling counters.



Similarly, two Zealots and a Stalker are wildly efficient at escorting a Probe to place down proxy Pylons, thus allowing fast 3-4 Warpgate attacks to hit at odd times. Two Zealots and a Stalker are also great at killing off a Queen and a couple Lings and as such will force a few more Lings onto the field, whereas the Protoss will not be cutting a single Probe -- this is not possible with a traditional FFE.



A Protoss can also get a Forge after the Nexus, and the end-result will be the exact same as a traditional FFE, except the ordering of the cannons/Forge/Gateway are all slightly different. This allows for cannons to be on the field at any time a FFE would allow, in terms of defending against Roach-Ling all-ins and other cheeses. However, the ability to discern a Roach/Ling all-in is required for a Protoss to actually take advantage of such flexibility.



Due to these wide range of possibilities, it suddenly becomes much more difficult for a Zerg player to accurately predict what will happen once the first Stalker is in the Protoss base to shoo away Overlords. This means that a Zerg player will suddenly be required to start mining gas before taking a third base, in order to be able to fend off a Four Gate timing. A Zerg player will likely have to cut small amounts of mineral income in the early game when faced with a Gateway Nexus opening, than compared to a situation that arises from a FFE opening.

1.2.4 Dealing with All-ins

Dealing with all-ins is similar to FFE, and your reaction to them with Gateway/Nexus openings should be identical. See the FFE section for more information on specific all-ins and cheeses. Drop a reactionary Forge if you see the Zerg taking a fast gas and proceed as an FFE opening would.



An important thing to note is that the Zealots allow for much better map control early on compared to FFE, which means that you will have an easier time scouting the map for hints of what your opponent will do.

1.2.5 Follow-ups to Gateway Nexus

Fast Warpgate Pressure

The biggest advantage of a Gateway-Nexus build over a traditional FFE is the ability to hit a faster Four Gate pressure timing. While a traditional Four Gate +1 attack off of a FFE hits around the 8:00 mark, a Four Gate +1 attack off of the Gateway Nexus build can hit as early as 6:50. This either requires a Zerg to build a Roach Warren and take his gas a full minute earlier, be extra diligent about denying Pylons, or stay on two base much longer than he would like. Because of these factors this Four Gate pressure is the most common follow-up coming off of a Gateway Nexus opening.



If you can absolutely confirm that the Zerg isn’t making many extra Lings and/or you are playing on a big map like Whirlwind, it’s also possible to skip the Forge and cannon altogether allowing for a stronger timing attack.



Naniwa vs. DongRaeGu on Whilwind from GSL 2012 Seasn 3.

(PW) Naniwa vs Sniper on Antiga Shipyard from GSL 2012 Season 4. Naniwa loses, but he shows a good opening.

(PW) MC vs Jaedong on Whirlwind from GSL 2012 Season 4. Skipping the Forge to maximize the unit count when pressuring.

Oz vs DRG on Daybreak, from Auction OSL. vod unavailable.



All Other Follow-ups: Standard Play as if Progressing from FFE

Because the economy, gas timings and Cyber Core timings are very comparable to those of FFE, Gateway/Nexus can go into every followup FFE can, with the only differences being the timings on +1 weapons and on Warpgate tech. See the midgame section for both macro play and all-ins.





top

Back in 2010 Gateway Core expands were the standard openings in PvZ, but now they tend to sit in more of the back corner of the metagame. Today the only players who still use this build include Nony and Seed, who regularly employ this build, as well as Squirtle, Oz, and Naniwa, who dabble with it once in a while. Still, Gateway Core expands are considered extremely non-standard. But before we go in-depth about this build, let’s discuss what exactly a Gateway Core expand is.



Gateway Core expands, in contrast to Gateway Nexus builds, involve getting a gas and Gateway units before planting down a Nexus. While 3 Gate expands were once the standard of PvZ it has since become completely obsolete. Contributing factors for this include the scarcity of gas first builds from Zergs, the bigger maps used today and especially a Warpgate nerf/Sentry build time buff in patch 1.3.3. Because of these changes to the game 3 Gate expands are now seen as overly safe and not at all economical.



Instead, 1 Gate expand and its variations are the only types of Gateway Core expands commonly used in today’s metagame. At one time, 1 Gate 2 gas FE builds were commonly used as a directly reaction to Roach Ling all-ins. But now, 1 Gate 1 gas builds are more common in order to apply additional pressure with Stalkers and because gas first builds are now uncommon from Zergs. There are other variations of Gateway Core expansion builds, such as 2 Gate Forge, but these are not standard and will not be covered here.



Most players opt for the Gateway Core expands because they feel the FFE is too rigid and doesn’t apply enough pressure on the Zerg. They note that most Zergs have much experience against FFE builds and have extremely well-mapped out reactions. In contrast, Gateway Core expand builds are able to apply more pressure and can turn into more volatile games which can potentially lead to Zergs over or under-droning in certain situations.



The biggest criticism of Gateway Core expansion builds is that are not nearly as economical as FFE builds. Keep in mind though that the Zerg will also have to alter his build to react appropriately; he cannot simply take his third without any gas. Not only does he have to deal with potential pressure from a single Gateway, he must prepare against a potential all-in off of one base. Another criticism of Gateway Core expands on modern maps is that it can be much harder to safely pressure with Gateway units on modern maps which tend to larger and more open than the maps that were used when gateway core expands were common.

1.3.1 Early Game Notes and Build Orders

Modern Gateway/Core expand openings such as those utilized by IM Protoss players generally employ just one Gateway to gain map control with a single fast Stalker. While this requires careful play from the Protoss against fast Gas openings, you should always know the time for when Ling Speed could finish based on when your opponent makes his first Extractor and play more defensively accordingly. With correct exeuction, 1 Gate FE can hold every all-in a Zerg can use. A sample build order is:



1 Gate FE Opening Order:

9 Pylon (Chronoboost Nexus on 10, 12, and 15 supply)





13 Gateway





15 Assimilator





16 Pylon





18 Cyber Core





21 Zealot





23/26, @100% Core: Stalker (Chrono'd); Warpgate Research (Chrono twice); Pylon on bottom of ramp (2)





27/34: Sentry (constantly produce Sentries from Gateway until WG research finishes)





29/34 @400 Minerals: Nexus





Stop Probe Production





29/34: 2 Gateways at Natural Expansion (2)(3)





Resume Probe and Pylon Production





31/34: Assimilator

1.3.2 Dealing with Early Pools

In order to optimally defend an early Pool with any expansion build you must figure out when the opponent’s Pool is laid. Again, the early game timings section can be useful for this. Against a 6 Pool, the optimal solution is to fully wall-off on top of your ramp with a Pylon, Gateway, and second Gateway. Chronoboost out your first Zealot and have it attack your own Pylon (Lings are on the other side of your wall at this time). Time it so the Pylon falls just as the second Zealot (should also be chrono’d) finishes. At the same time, pull a few Probes and mineral-walk them to your natural so that they walk through the Zerglings and surround them. You should easily fend off the Lings with 2 Zealots and these Probes.



MC vs. Idra on Xel’Naga Caverns from Dreamhack Stockholm 2011 Invitational. Shows perfect execution of the aforementioned defense.



Against later Pools, a drastic measure as destroying your own Pylon should be avoided if possible. Walling with a Pylon and destroying the Pylon shortly after with Pools as late as on 10 supply can be useful, simply because scouting info was limited the ability to chrono a Zealot may not be available. However with any Pool after 7 supply you should be able to simply chronoboost units out of your single Gateway and fend off the aggression perfectly fine.



Scarlett vs Parting on Ohana from WCS Grand Finals vs 10pool, transitions into a 2base Gateway all-in

1.3.3 Other Notes

Sim Cities on the Low Ground

There are two sim-cities used to help defend your expansion from Ling run-bys, Roach attacks and Baneling busts. You need to wall off either in front of your natural, or next to the Nexus using it as part of the wall. Examples follow:







These two sim-cities will prevent or limit Lings from running into your natural’s mineral line! Remember that if you use the Nexus as part of the wall you need to keep a Sentry to be completely safe.



This sort of Gateway placement allows your Sentries early game to be in range of your ramp in the event of an attempted Ling run-by, but more importantly protects your units from a Ling surround while being in range of the ramp and Probes. Leaving a one-hex gap between your buildings allows you to move out safely as you can leave one Zealot on hold position to block counterattacks. If you are ever attacked or counterattacked by Lings this Zealot will be covering the entrance, and a low-level player a-moving their Lings at your natural will be frustrated as all their Lings dance in front of the two Gateways. A single well-placed forcefield will also do the trick in stopping all Ling movements around the Nexus through the mineral fields. These Gateway placements are also extremely useful to constrict the movement of other Zerg units such as Roaches or Banelings, allowing you to defend all-ins much more easily.



Zealot/Stalker Poke

As you’re poking with your first Zealot and Stalker, you’ll need to know when to return to your natural expansion and Speedlings are the real danger. A Zerg opponent can have Zergling speed finished, at fastest, 3 minutes and 15 seconds after their first extractor is placed. Knowing this, you can know when your opponent cannot have Ling speed. You need to be back before this time hits! If you lose your first Stalker (the Zealot is probably okay to lose, but you really shouldn't unless you get into their natural), the game can instantly end.



Most of the time you will be facing opponents who will open with a 15 Pool 16 Hatch opening, taking his gas reactively to your opening at around 3 minutes, depending on the map and scouting patterns. If this is the case speed will then be done around 6 minutes 30 seconds, so you can use this as a general guideline if you Probe leaves your opponent’s base without seeing a gas. Of course, you must begin retreating a bit before then. If you are somehow able to spot that your opponent has no extractors at a later time you can choose to chronoboost out more Stalkers from your first Gateway instead of Sentries and keep up the Stalker aggression.

1.3.4 Defending All-ins

Roach/Ling All-in

At one time, Losira showed a deadly Roach/Ling all-in that devastated Alicia’s Gateway Core expansion builds. At this time, there were those who decried the end of Gateway Core expansion, but since then Protoss have learned to adapt and maps have changed drastically. Most modern maps have rather long rush distances, so Roaches will take longer to reach your base, and narrow chokes, so fewer forcefields and buildings in a sim-city need to be used. Anyways, there are three good ways to defend a Roach Ling all-in off of a 1 Gate expand:



Stargate build: 1 Gate expand into Stargate into 3 Gate with a fast Void Ray. One Void Ray will shut this down easily.





Dark Templar build: 1 Gate expand into Twilight into 3 Gates into Dark Shrine: Even one Dark Templar will be able to shut this type of push down, but you probably won't survive the earliest, most all-in versions. However, as long as you survive long enough, you should be able to do a ton of damage to your opponent, because he won't have an Evolution Chamber or Lair for detection.





Constant production of Stalker and Sentries off of a fast 3-5 Gateways. In addition, the following tips will be especially helpful:



Helpful tips against Roach/Ling all-in:



Sim city: Use your buildings are previously described to protect so that you have as few paths to your army as possible.





Do not overly rely on cannons. Cannons are good, but the problem is timing. Roach/Ling attacks can hit anywhere between 7:00 and 7:50, depending on the version. But even if hits at 7:50, the latest time possible, your cannon might not finish in time.





Focus on planting forcefields: Don’t overlap forcefields and don’t waste precious forcefields. The more forcefields you save, the more you’ll be able to use for the next wave.





Constant unit production. Do not skimp on units. Keep pumping Stalker/Sentry as much as you can. This is probably the biggest problem with the Roach Ling attack. Before it became popular, you could transition to Stargate or get a quick Robo safely. While you still somewhat can, it leaves you very open to Roach Ling all-ins.





Reinforce with Stalkers. Once you see the attack coming, making nothing but Stalkers. Sentries don't do enough dps and they come with only one forcefield. Zealots are also a poor choice; they might be great versus Lings but you want to rely on sim-city and forcefields versus Lings instead of Zealots. Of course, if you have only few minerals and tons of gas, a Sentry or 2 doesn't hurt in the mix.





Do not cut Probes if you don't have to. That is, you want to focus on making units, but with extra minerals keep pumping Probes. You can judge exactly how all-in an Roach/Ling attack is by the timing. The later attacks are simply pressure while the early attacks are more all-in. Even if you defend a 7:50 Roach Ling attack, you can still fall behind, because you’ve cut so many Probes during the attack.





Chornoboost Gateways during your defense.

Ling/Baneling All-in

In contrast to defending Roach/Ling, Ling/Baneling attacks are a piece of cake. You simply need a good number of cannons, Zealots and Sentries along with a proper sim-city and good forcefield usage, with emphasis on the forcefield usage. Strong forcefields will secure your victory. It is most dangerous to play against a 2 base Ling/Baneling all-in if you opt for very fast tech as Stargate or Robotics tech help very little in the event of many cheap Lings and Banelings.

1.3.5 Follow-ups to Gateway Core Expand

top

Four Gate

One-base Four Gate all-ins are outdated against Zerg players; while it is possible to catch a greedy Zerg off-guard it's considered a very gimmicky and unreliable build.



In general, there are two kinds of Four Gate all-ins that can be used: the standard 20 Probe, 1-gas Zealot/Stalker 4Gate, and a 2 gas, 4-5 Gate Zealot/Sentry all-in. The first build resembles the one base version of of a 7 Gate Zealot/Stalker all-in and was extremely popular when the game was first released. However, due to bigger maps, maps with wider chokes, and the Warpgate nerf, this build has all but disappeared.



Genius vs hyvaa on Whirlwind from GSL 2012 Season 5.



The second version with 2-gas depends on having a high number of forcefields available to trap Zerglings and potential Roaches, making Zealots as cost effective as possible. To increase the chance of your 2-gas Four Gate succeeding you may throw down a Nexus at your natural expansion, then cancel it and go all-in with your first few rounds of Gateway units, hoping that Zerg will not scout you fully and assume you are doing a Gateway Core expand opening, and proceed to mass Drones. This was most famously executed by MC in a GSL finals against JulyZerg.



Three Gate Stalker Aggression

Three Gate Stalker aggression can be seen as the modern Four Gate. This particular build abuses the fact that some Zergs blindly assume a FFE or a passive Gateway Core expand and thus delay speed for as long as possible. As Stalkers can easily kite slow Roaches and slow Zerglings, the only two viable ways to defend this push are a fast Zergling speed upgrade and a Spine Crawler wall in a choke. The single mistake of delaying speed for too long can cause the Zerg to instantly lose the game. Because a large Spine Crawler wall can also impede the progress of this attack, this build is most effective on maps with wide naturals such as Antiga Shipyard or Dual Sight where Spine Crawlers are not as effective because they cannot fully cover the full extent of the natural.



Unlike a Four Gate whose attack is front loaded and aims to kill an opponent quickly with Four Gateways that cannot be fully supported, the three Gate Stalker build aims to gradually kill an opponent. Three Gates is just enough to support constant Stalker production, and although you might not kill your opponent instantly, with good kiting and keeping your Stalkers alive you will eventually overrun your opponent with your Stalker count, sometimes even with a flawless victory.



(PW) MC vs Nestea on Dual Sight from GSL 2012 Season 2.

MC vs Stephano on Antiga Shipyard from IPL Challenge.



One Base Robo All-in

Robotics play is far the least used tech tree off one base in the match-up. There are very rare builds that focus on harassing with a Warp Prism before hitting a one-base Immortal timing attack (See [G]1 Base Robo PvZ by Lobber), but they are very unexplored and similar builds have never been widely used in competitive play. Hasuobs however has notably used this build to defeat some prominent Koreans.



Two Gate Stargate Expand

When one base openings were common this was one of the safest and most popular options. A Stargate expand aims to defend your natural Nexus from early Roach/Ling all-ins thanks to a fast Void Ray and it has great map control and harassment potential thanks to a combination of Void Rays and Phoenixes.



Blink Stalker All-in

This all-in, similar to a PvP all-in, used to be extremely popular when the game was first released. It was mostly notably used by Liquid’Nazgul to defeat Idra at one of the first MLGs and was especially powerful on maps with abuse-able terrain such as Xel'Naga Caverns. But as time went on, Zerg players have learned how to deal with it much more efficiently. While well-microed Blink Stalkers can be extremely strong against Roach/Ling armies, this all-in hits quite slowly. A good Blink Stalker all-in can hit as fast as 7 minutes, and since many Gateway Core expands take their natural before the 6 minute mark it's very hard to fool the Zerg long enough for him to over-Drone and remain exposed to your attack. This combined with evolutions in competitive maps make this all-in extremely unreliable in modern play.



Dark Templar Expand

Like many other non-standard one base builds, rushing for Dark Templar while expanding relies on catching the Zerg completely off-guard, thinking you are going for a more conventional Gateway Core expand. Because you are investing a ton of gas in early game tech you will have a lower Sentry count than normal (one or two maximum), a Zerg player should know something is up just by poking at your natural expansion with his early Lings. In the example game, the Dark Templar strategy only works because Bbongbbong responds incorrectly.



(PW) Parting vs Bbongbbong on Crossfire from GSTL 2012 Season 1 Finals.

top

Protoss should begin to transition into their desired tech between 6 minutes and 10 minutes. During this time period, it is Protoss who controls the pace of the game with his tech choice as well his decision to all-in or play a macro game. For newer players, we recommend the following passive builds that are able to both scout and adapt to any style a Zerg may choose. Each of these builds has their individual advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed in their individual sections.



Stargate Robotics Gateway Expand





Robotics Gateway Expand, also known as an Immortal Expand





Gateway Twilight Robo Expand



For all-in options, the most common, easy to execute, and successful all-ins a Protoss player has include:



Zealot/Stalker Gateway All-in





Immortal/Sentry All-in





Blink Stalker All-in

2.1.1 Stargate and its Follow-ups

2.1.2 Robotics Bay and its Follow-ups

2.1.3 Gateway Twilight Robo Expand

2.1.4 Fast Third Base and its Follow-ups

2.1.5 +1 Four Gate Pressure and its Follow-ups

top

2.2.1 Zealot/Stalker Gateway All-in

Warpgate-based all-ins have always been extremely popular and common in the PvZ match-up. The more modern versions of these timing attacks focus on speed as opposed to strength, sacrificing Sentries and sometimes even the +1 weapons upgrade to hit at the 8:30 mark at the latest.



Because the goal of this timing is to attack as fast as possible with overwhelming production capability of basic units, this build cuts Sentries out entirely. The fact that Sentries wouldn’t have the time to accumulate high amounts of energy makes them a very weak choice for your army. Instead, the army composition will be made entirely of Zealots, which provide fodder and is your unit of choice against Zerglings, and Stalkers, which with good kiting micro and focus firing are effective against slow Roaches and Lings (the only units Zerg can have at the time of your attack) extremely effectively.



When executing the build, you should focus on securing proxy Pylons close to the Zerg’s bases with your early units, protecting your Probe as well as you can while also trying to kill the scouting Lings. It’s important to be aware of the most convenient proxy Pylon spots on the map you are playing on, as the speed with which you reinforce your units compared to the Zerg can tilt the scales in your favor.



One common variation of the Stalker/Zealot all-in is to skip the second gas and +1 upgrade entirely. By doing this you will mine more minerals, which speeds up the timing of your Gateways considerably and allows you to hit as fast as Four Gate pressure, while having a more Zealot-heavy composition. The obvious downside of this adjustment is that without +1 your Zealots will not 2shot Lings anymore. Also, a higher Zealot count is more countered by mass Roach production.



Strengths and Weaknesses of this Style

+ Strength: This timing hits before even Ling speed is usually done, making very deadly when the first 1-2 rounds of warp ins occur.

+ Strength: This is an extremely fast-hitting attack, can easily catch an opponent off-guard if he thinks the attack will only consist of Four Gate pressure and under-reacts.

- Weakness: Not having Sentries and forcefields makes it really hard to engage if the Zerg has the time to build a big enough force.

- Weakness: Not mining from your natural gasses and only using 3-4 Probes in your main makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to transition if you don’t win the game with your first push.



Recommended Build Order with +1

From the first Gateway: Zealot, Stalker, Stalker





+1 Weapons with the first 100 gas.





Move out with Zealot/Stalker/Probe to secure proxy Pylon locations.





Pull 3 Probes off gas after starting +1, a Stalker and Warpgate research.





6:35, 38/44 food: 6 extra Gates .





Add Pylons as necessary up to 76 supply.





Cut Probes at 33. You want one on the map for Pylons, 4 on gas, 28 on minerals





7:40: start warping units in. Engage after 1-2 rounds of units.



Recommended Build Order without +1

FFE opening, take only one Assimilator.





Warpgate with the first 50 gas, Stalker with the next 50 after a Zealot.





Move out with Zealot/Stalker/Probe to secure proxy Pylon locations.





6:35, 38/44 food: 6-7 extra Gates.





@100% Stalker, add a third Gateway unit, either a Stalker or Zealot.





Add Pylons as necessary up to 76 supply.





Cut Probes at 33. You want one on the map for Pylons, 4 on gas, 28 on minerals.





7;40: start warping units in. Engage after 1-2 rounds of units.



Chronoboost Usage for Both Builds

3 on Probes before your Nexus





1 on Nexus after adding your first two gasses





2 on pre-wg Gateway units





3 on Warpgate Research

With +1

(PW) Vines vs Lucky on Antiga Shipyard from GSL 2012 Season 2. Hits at 8:05.

(PW) Puzzle vs Seal on Atlantis Spaceship from GSL 2012 Season 3. Hits at 8:25.

Grubby vs Nerchio on Ohana from WCS Europe, 8 Gate with +1/+1. Hits at 8:50.

Tails vs Ret on Atlantis Spaceship from IPTL Season 1, 8 gate, Hits at 8:00.



Without +1

MC vs Stephano on Ohana from Red Bull Battlegrounds. Hits at 7:50.

MC vs Golden on Atlantis Spaceship from HSC V. Gets slowed down and hits at 8:20.

sLivko vs. Grubby on Ohana from IEM Season VII - Singapore. Hits at 7:50.

sLivko vs. Grubby on Metropolis from IEM Season VII - Singapore. Hits at 7:45.

2.2.2 Zealot/Stalker/Sentry Gateway All-in

An older version of the Warpgate-based all-in, this build focuses on Sentry count for forcefields as opposed to the speed of the attack. Because of this, the strength of this build varies from map to map; it’s stronger on a map like Cloud Kingdom or Daybreak and weaker on Shakuras Plateau and Condemned Ridge.



As usual, there are advantages and disadvantages to this style. While good forcefields are always extremely strong and can be game breaking if used correctly, a slower attack gives time for the Zerg to get key upgrades done. In particular, while the Stalker/Zealot attack hits slightly before Ling speed can complete, this variation hits after it does, and it’s possible for the Zerg to also research Roach speed and burrow while defending; all these upgrades can tip the balance of the battles significantly. The other advantage of this build is that because it uses four gasses, it can be easier to transition out of it if you do damage but can’t immediately finish the game.



The last thing to note is that delaying the push can give you time to also complete the +1 armor upgrade, making Lings in particular less effective against your army.



Strengths and Weaknesses of this Style

+ Strength: Having a high Sentry count allows you to take extremely favourable engagements as long as you have Sentry energy.

+ Strength: Mining from four gasses can be misleading for the Zerg and fool him into thinking you are teching instead of delaying a Gateway push.

- Weakness: Investing in Sentries puts you on a clock. You have to kill the Zerg before your Sentry energy runs out.

- Weakness: The Zerg has time to complete key upgrades like Roach speed, Ling speed and burrow. Burrow especially can spot this type of push cold.

- Weakness: Immortal all-ins or Blink Stalker all-ins are generally thought of as more effective.



Recommended Build Order

From the first Gateway: Zealot, Stalker, Sentry, Sentry.





+1 Weapons with the first 100 gas.





6:40: 3rd gas.





7:45: 4th gas.





7:25, 45/60 food: 6 extra Gates.





Add Pylons as necessary up to 84 supply.





Cut Probes at 45. You want one on the map for Pylons, 6 on gas, 32 on minerals





8:20: Warp in a round of Sentries at, move out as you warp in one of Zealots at 9:00. Attack the Zerg third at 10:00, reinforce with Stalkers.

(PW) Vines vs Lucky on Daybreak from GSL 2012 Season 2. Hits at 10:00. VOD can only be viewed in LQ.

(PW) Classic vs Revival on Entombed Valley from GSTL 2012 Season 3. Fake third into 7 Gate all-in, hits at 9:50.

(PW) Squirtle vs Miya on Daybreak from GSL 2012 Season 5. Hides units, Hits at 9:50.

2.2.3 Blink Stalker All-in

Blink Stalker all-ins are extremely common and strong in PvZ, relying on blink micro to reach a critical mass of Stalkers that is virtually unkillable by Hatchery tech units.



There are many variations to this kind of all-in: with or without a Robo and with our without Sentries. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Similarly to Immortal timing attacks, Blink Stalker all-ins can also look deceivingly similar to expansion builds, particularly the Gateway/Twilight/Robo builds, so making a third Nexus and then cancelling it can fool the Zerg, sometimes making the attack more likely to succeed.



Skipping Sentries gives you a more “brute force” army with an extremely high Stalker count, which can overwhelm Roach heavy forces quite easily. Switching into a high Ling count can give this type of attack a few problems, and adding a few Zealots in this situation is highly advisable. Early Sentries, on the other hand, can be stronger when just a few forcefields are necessary to cut off a high number of units thanks to map layout, for instance on Daybreak and Cloud Kingdom. On the other hand, the overall dps and Stalker count of the your army will be lower.



Skipping the Robo means you will have the maximum possible unit count when you attack, but you will lack detection, which can be heavily punished if the Zerg researches burrow and burrow movement for his Roaches. In such a scenario, you can keep engaging the Zerg while building a Robo for an Observer in your base and sending it straight across the map. However, pay attention not to move your units over burrowed Roaches, and retreat momentarily if you see tunneling claws complete.



Adding a Robo allows you to have an Observer with your army both to counter potential burrow play, and to have good knowledge of where the Zerg army is, giving you the possibility of engaging with stronger positioning. Adding a Warp Prism for faster reinforcements can also be helpful; keep in mind however that the more you invest into other units, the weaker your actual army will be. The Warp Prism can also be used simply for reinforcements and to save Sentries from death, similarly to the execution of an Immortal timing.



Since the goal is to keep microing the hurt Stalkers back while keeping constant damage on the Zerg’s army, a well executed timing will win when it reaches a “point of no return”: there are just too many Blink Stalkers that aren’t killed fast enough. Because of this, good mechanics and multitasking are required to succeed with this all-in. You need to have well placed forcefields and crisp blink micro, while also keeping up macro off your Warpgates to make sure you reach the critical mass of Stalkers needed to close the game out.



As a final note, Blink Stalker all-ins are especially effective in punishing a greedy Mutalisk build that tries to get the Mutas before you take a third, as Blink Stalkers are one of the better units available to fight off Mutalisks in low numbers and you can hit as the Zerg has invested in useless Spire tech.



Strengths and Weaknesses of this Style

+ Strength: This attack can be misread by the Zerg, thinking you are going for a 4Gate/Twilight/Robo build instead.

+ Strength: Very good for punishing Mutalisks transitions.

- Weakness: Quite hard to execute perfectly, as it relies on having good micro while keeping up macro.

- Weakness: Having to wait for +2 weapons makes this one of the slower timing attacks in the matchup, giving your opponent a good amount of time to prepare and complete key upgrades.



Recommended Build Order with Robo and Sentries

From the first Gateway: Zealot, Stalker, Sentry, Sentry





+1 Weapons with your first 100 gas





6:20: 3rd and 4th gas.





7:20: 3 extra Gates and a Twilight Council.





7:50: Robo.





+2 Weapons when +1 completes; Blink after +2 is started. Chronoboost +2 more than Blink to line up their completion.





8:30: 3-4 extra Gates.





Go up to 6-7 Sentries before switching to Stalkers, make an Observer and move out when all your Gates are ready.





10:00: attack the Zerg third when both upgrades complete.



Recommended Build Order without Sentries or Robo

From the first Gateway: Zealot, Stalker, Stalker





Start a Stalker and Warpgate research with your first 100 gas, then +1 Weapons with your next 100.





6:30: 3rd and 4th gas.





7:00: 3 extra Gates and a Twilight Council.





Cut Probes at 44





+2 Weapons when +1 completes; Blink after +2 is started. Chronoboost +2 more than Blink to line up their completion.





8:00: 3-4 extra Gates.





Make extra Stalkers if you can afford to without slowing down your infrastructure set up.





10:00: attack the Zerg third when both upgrades complete.

(PW) Squirtle vs Symbol on Daybreak from GSL 2012 Season 3. Delayed push with Nexus cancel and Sentries. Because of the delay, Squirtle ends up having +3 Weapons for the final push at 12:30.

Oz vs Stephano vs Metropolis from MLG Summer Arena. With Sentries, absues map. Hits at 11:10.

Squirtle vs Symbol on Atlantis Spaceship from IPL TAC. Without Sentries. Hits at 10:00.

CJHero vs Effort on Ohana from WCS Korea. Without Sentries. Starts attacking at 8.30 before Blink is even done, +2 and Blink finish at 9:20 and 9:50 respectively.

(PW) Parting vs Leenock on Daybreak from GSL 2012 Season 4. With 6 Sentries, with Nexus cancel. Nexus goes down at 9:10, all-in hits at 11:30.

(PW) Genius vs DRG on Cloud Kingdom from GSL 2012 Season 1. Without Sentries, Robo or +2, really deceiving build that relies on faking out an opponent. Hits at 10:30

2.2.4 Immortal/Sentry All-in

2.2.5 Stargate into Seven Gate All-in

2.2.6 Stargate into Colossus All-in

A Stargate into Colossus all-in attempts to fake a MC style Stargate into Robotics expand and punishes a Zerg who overdrones in reaction. If the Zerg falls for the trap, he may be caught with up to 80 drones, either without corruptors to kill your colossi or without enough ground units to take down your gateway force. In addition, because you will be forcing a fight at your opponents’ base, any reinforcements from the Zerg will trickle into your main force and instantly die.



(PW) Seed vs Curious on Whirlwind from GSL 2012 Season 3. Hits at 11:50 without thermal lance and two Colossi.

Squirtle vs Symbol on Whirlwind from GSL 2012 Season 3. Hits at 11:55 with thermal lance and two Colossi.

2.2.7 Colossus All-in

Colossi all-ins are generally not seen at all in modern PvZ. The reason is that by the time a Protoss can amass two Colossi, Zerg will have been able to max out. Then he will be able to trade his first maxed out army for Sentry energy and half of the Protoss army. With more reinforcements, Zerg will eventually be able to overwhelm the Protoss army and push into his base.



However, there is a potential solution to this standard response from Zerg. See this thread for more information on the 2 base turtle variant of the 2 base Colossi all-in. Unlike a traditional all-in versus Zerg that pushes as soon as possible with optimal saturation, this style is meant to blind counter the Stephano style of maxing Roaches to defend all-ins. Stephano usually beats all-ins by engaging them as they move out, trading his Roaches for army, then crushing the all-in with a re-max at the Zerg base. Usually with a 2 base all-in, you will move out around the 10 minute mark at the latest, maybe a bit later if you're doing a normal delayed Colossi all-in. However, this build vigorously tries to deny Overlord scouting and tries to really turtle and move out much later, only when you can trade extremely efficiently versus a Zerg who's maxed on only Roach Ling. Then, you'll be able to defeat the re-max as well, being that the Zerg only stayed on 65 Drones and 4 gas.



As this build is a blind all-in, your opponent easily beat it by scouting or not going for the Stephano Style Roach defense. Either blind or reactionary mass early Mutalisk or Roach Corruptor can defeat this easily.



Alicia vs Ret on Shakuras Plateau from NASL Season 3 Finals. Warp Prism harass into Colossi all-in, Alicia only wins because he’s able to get himself on top of Ret’s natural ramp.

TT1 vs Stephano on Odyssey from NASL Season 3. Shows how typical Colossi all-ins can fail.





top

The mid-game section of the guide represents the period of time after Protoss has decided on macro play. This stage usually lasts from 10 minutes to whenever Hive is reached. At this time, Protoss is on even bases with the Zerg, either two against two or three against three. Thus, it is the Zerg’s job to dictate the pace of the game and choose a choice of action. It is the Protoss’s job to scout and then react to the Zerg’s choice of strategy and bear any pressure Zerg might put on the Protoss player.



This section will first focus on identifying Zerg strategies as well as learning the Zerg thought processes behind these strategies. Then, we move onto the mentalities Protoss and Zerg players should adopt in the mid-game. Only then can we delve into how we can properly react to all the possible Zerg tactics in the mid-game. A special case, two base play from Zerg, will also be addressed here.

top

3.1.1 Scouting

Sometime during mid-game, you will be able to scout your opponent’s base with either Stargate units, an Observer, a

Hallucination, a poke, or a stray unit. But once you see what he has how do you respond? Let this section be your guide.



There are three distinct ways to play the early-mid game for Zerg from a 3 Hatch opening versus a FFE. They are characterized by the number of gasses they take and the timing at which they take them:



One gas @ 4:30, Most notable user: Nestea

Most different from the other two options

Relies on quick Ling speed instead of Roaches to deny Pylons in order to defend against Gateway timings

Can punish most fast third builds

Usually means fast Lair tech, either for fast Mutalisks or Infestors



Two gas @ 6:00, third gas @7ish, Most notable user: Stephano

Usually faster Ling speed than a three gas style

Usually faster first attack or armor upgrade than three gas style, finishes on time for 10-11 timings

Relies on Roaches to defend against Gateway pressure



Three gas @ 6:45, Most notable user: DRG

More economy focused than the two gas build

Usually rather slow Ling speed, which starts after Lair

Usually faster first attack or armor upgrade than two gas style, does not finish on time for 10-11 timings

Relies on Roaches to defend against Gateway pressure



In the mid game, the most important aspect of the Zerg’s base to scout is the number of gasses he has. Four or fewer gas means heavy Roach aggression while more indicates a tech build. The following is a list of reads you can make based on what you see:



Four gas: Roach aggression





Four gas, but your opponent has not attacked you by 12 minutes: Roach/Ling drop





Four gas + Overlord speed: Roach/Ling drop





Anything + Overlord speed: Potential drops





Six gas: Tech build





Spire: Mutalisks





Infestation Pit + fast fourth base: Fast Brood Lords





Infestation Pit + many Roaches: Possible Roach/Ling/Infestor pressure





Double Evolution Chamber: No initial aggression

3.1.2 Two Base Play from Zerg

After you’ve confirmed two base play from Zerg, you’ll have to aptly prepare for all the possibilities. And after you haven’t been all-ined by the 7 minute mark, you should start to prepare for possible macro play as well as late all-ins. Many two-base plays all-ins are discussed in the all-in defense section of FFE, but the specific ones to worry about include Hydralisk-based play, like Hydralisk Nydus, and Zergling/Baneling drop. This is in addition to the much more common Mutalisk and Infestor-based macro strategies that Zergs have in their arsenal. Against the all-ins, early Gateways are essential as any tech will not have kicked in by this time. This rules out any builds that obtain two tech structures before any Gateways. Against macro builds, you will need some way to deal with both Mutalisks(Blink Stalker or pheonix) and Infestors(the ability to reach Colossi or Templar quickly). Keep in mind that many Zergs build both an Infestation Pit and a Spire upon reaching Lair, only committing to one tech or the other at the last minute, so both threats must be addressed until you can absolutely confirm it’s one of the other. Finally, some form of scouting must be included in your build, as reacting to the correct type of macro build will put you steps ahead of your opponent while being caught off-guard by Mutalisks or an Infested Terran attack can immediately lose you the game. Despite all these restrictions, it is possible to account for all these possibilities with a macro build. The build used by Creator vs Life on Ohana in game 1 of the TSL4 finals shows a very good reaction to two base macro play from the Zerg.



Mutalisk

Like any 2 base Zerg strategy, the most difficult part about playing against it is scouting it and identifying exactly what tech they're going for. In general, you use Probe scouts to identify 2 base play by a lack of a 3rd base, then you use your first few Gateway units (Zealot, Zealot/Stalker, or 2 Zealots) to differentiate 2 base Lair versus 2 base all-in play, and finally you use your Cyber Core tech (Phoenix from Stargate, Observer from Robo, or 7:30-8:00 Zealot warp in from Warpgate tech) to figure our exactly what the Lair tech is. See the earlier section on playing against 2 base play for more info on scouting.



As soon as you confirm that 2 base Mutas are coming, defending against them is no different than defending against 3 base Muta or any other Muta play. Simply get a cannon or 2 in each mineral line and tech to Blink asap. If you opened Stargate then keep getting Phoenix to help shut down the Mutas, but do not try to reactively make Phoenix if you don't already have a Stargate. The majority of 2 base Muta openers are geared towards setting up for a macro game, so expect the Zerg to expand behind it. You should also plan accordingly, and take your own 3rd as early as possible. The later you wait to take your 3rd, the more difficult it will be due to the increasing size of the Muta ball. See the section on playing against Mutas for more info on fighting Mutas as the game goes on.



Seed vs Life on Entombed Valley from IPTL Season 1. Shows excellent defense into a late game transition against two base Mutalisks

Rain vs F91 on Antiga Shipyard from WCS Asia. Shows typical macro play against 2 base Mutalisk

Creator vs Life on Ohana from Iron Squid Chapter II. Robo into Twilight with 4 Gate into Expand, 3 Base Sentry/Stalker push vs 2 Base Mutalisk into Roach/Ling/Infestor.



Infestors

There are two ways this Zerg opener can go - it can either lead to a timing with an Infestor/Ling attack, or it can lead to a 3rd and standard macro play. The best response against Infestor/Ling is to get Colossus asap with mass Zealot support. Keep your Sentry and Stalker counts low since they are not very effective against Infestor/Ling. Upgrades will also help immensely against this composition. Eventually you'll also want Blink Stalkers but don't let your progress towards this tech path delay your Colossus. Keep an eye out on the Zerg - if you see him transitioning towards a standard game by getting a 3rd, you should follow suit as soon as you get Colossi out on the field.



Note that as an alternative to Colossus, Zealot/Archon also works extremely well against Infestor/Ling. The only caution I have against Zealot/Archon is that if the Zerg doesn't attack and instead gets a 3rd, turtles up, and transitions to Roach/Infestor, your Zealot/Archon composition will get countered hard by the Roaches and it's much more difficult for you to switch out of that comp. You can consider going Zealot/Archon and going for a 2 base Zealot/Archon attack if you already have a council by the time you scouted the Infestors (for example if you did a Stargate into Blink opener, or a DT opener), but if you had the choice between Archons or Colossus, Colossus is definitely the safer choice.



Rain vs Toodming on Ohana from WCS Asia. Stargate into 4 Gate into Robotics against 2 base play which turns out to be Infestor play.

CJherO vs Roro on Cloud Kingdom from WCS Asia. Robotics into 4 Gate into Twilight, then Robo Bay once Infestors are scouted.

(PW) Seed vs Suhosin on Daybreak from GSL 2012 Season 4. Shows a safe reaction versus 2 base play, which turns out to be Infestors.

(PW) Rain vs goswser on Cloud Kingdom from MLG Fall Championship 2012. Stargate into Robotics into 4 Gate.

(PW) Creator vs JKS on Abyssal City from GSTL 2012 Season 3. MC style expand.



Delayed Third from Zerg/Other Two Base into Macro Play

Besides Mutas or Infestors, there's really not much else a Zerg can do on 2 bases that transitions well into a macro game. Hydras or just plain Lair-ugpraded Roaches can be done, but there's no reason for a Zerg to do it on 2 bases versus 3 unless they are planning an all-in. Against Hydras, the obvious response is to tech to Colossus while using Stalker/Sentry to hold in the meantime. Against Roaches, use Immortal/Sentry/Stalker, don't try to tech to Colossus too fast, and make sure you have plenty of Observer to help against burrow play.

3.1.3 Taking a Third

One of the most complained about aspects in PvZ is the difficulty with which it takes to take a third base. The build with which you take your third must account for a multitude of builds from Zerg, and to do that, Protoss must do very specific things. Of course, you must prepare for all of the styles mentioned in this guide, but the two most important styles to watch for when taking a third are as follows:



Stephano Style Roaches

This strategy revolves around denying the Protoss third. In much of early 2012, Protoss macro play had to be revolutionized to account for this build. Any build must specifically prepare for this style to have a chance against it. Because of this, many modern macro PvZ builds have begun to include Immortals. See the Stephano style Roach section for more information.



Mutalisks

Mutas are special, because they warrant a much different response than every other build. Your build must either apply pressure to delay Mutas or have an easily accessible counter to Mutas, such as a fast Twilight or Phoenix already on the field. See the Mutalisk Section for more information.

For reference, the standard third base expansion timing in PvZ is between 9:00 and 10:30. Anything earlier is considered slightly

risky, depending on the build, and anything later is considered late and will fall behind the Zerg.

3.1.4 Colossus versus High Templar

In most macro games, you will eventually have to choose your area-of-effect tech to combat the masses of Zerg. In some builds Here are some pluses and minuses of both options.



Colossus

Does not hit air (Mutalisks), so you either have to combine them with Phoenix, or make sure your opponent isn’t going to go for a Mutalisk transition.





Better initially for defense: one Colossus without thermal lance goes a long way in defending heavy Ling, Roach, or Hydra based pushes, while your first few Templar in addition to the long time it takes to research storm don’t help as much.





Because of the previous fact, you can generally transition to Colossi earlier than you can transition to Templar.





Better for offensive pushes. The range of Colossi allows you to siege Infestor/Spine lines.





Sometimes uses two Robotics facilities, which also allows for double Observer/Warp Prism/Immortal production.





Can be “countered” with Corruptors if your opponent has overwhelming economy, while Templars can only be hard countered with Brood Lords.



Templar

Weak versus Roaches, so you have to combine them with a high number of Immortals if your opponent is indeed going Roaches.





Has more harass potential with Warp Prisms (storm drops, Archon drops).





Generally a safer choice if you’re not sure if Mutalisks are an option.





Uses a higher ratio of gas to minerals, so you have to find additional places to spend your minerals, such as Zealots, cannons, and expansions.

3.1.5 Tempo

An often ignored aspect of PvZ is keeping the tech tempo in your favor. That is, you always want to have the appropriate tech counter or response to your opponents’ tech. Otherwise, your opponent can keep switching tech and you’ll never be able to be aggressive or threaten aggression, because you don’t hold the appropriate counter.



For example, if your opponent is getting a Spire, prepare for potential Mutalisks. Eventually, Mutas will show up at your base, and you’re not close to a counter, you have lost the tempo and will be forced to wait begrudgingly in your base until you reach that counter. Meanwhile, your opponent can get free econ and tech up to something like mass Brood Lords. Again, you will not be able to attack at all until you reach the appropriate counter, the Mothership, which takes forever to build.



For this reason, you should almost never aim for both Templar and Colossi in the mid-game as Protoss. These two units fulfill similar roles in your army as both can deal with low tier Zerg ground units fairly well. However, if you attempt to get both while your opponent goes for Brood Lords, you will not have enough resources to successfully get a Mothership in time. Only when you somehow know your opponent will be sticking to Lair tech should you delay the inevitable Mothership for the other AoE tech.



The key to keeping tempo is scouting and anticipating what your opponent is going to make. As you play more games and gain more experience, you will be able to learn the flow of the game and choose a tech path that accounts for all of your opponents’ tech possibilities.





top

3.2.1 Introduction/Zerg Mentality

All ZvP macro strategies can be classified into three types with three distinct goals:



Efficient Army Trading

The Zerg army, supply for supply, is weaker than yours until Brood Lords come out. Thus, if Zerg chooses this type of strategy, which includes the majority of all Zerg strategies, he will be trying to throw his economy at you, trying to hit you while they are maxed or close to maxed and you are still hovering between 120 and 150 supply. They hope to trade at least somewhat efficiently so that you can never max out with a deathball that can 1a over them. This style wins by either overwhelming you with hordes of units, or doing enough damage so that it’s not viable for you to push out and kill them while they’re investing money into Hive tech, usually Brood Lords.



Examples of this strategy include:



Stephano Style Roaches, or any type of Roach Aggression





Roach/Hydra/Corruptor





Roach/Ling/Infestor





Roach/Baneling





Ling/Baneling

Your goal versus these types of strategies should be to hunker down and take the brunt of their attacks. Do not feel pressured to commit to an attack until you are close to maxed as it is your opponents’ job to trade armies with you, not vice versa.Your priority should be to trade as efficiently as possible versus the Zerg when he inevitably tries to attack. One way to do this is to take defensive positions such as forming a concave in the location your Zerg opponent is poised to attack from. Especially attempt to save your key units(Sentries, Immortals, Colossi, Templar) so that when you rebuild whatever your opponent has killed, your army will be even stronger.



If you indeed get get to a maxed army with a good composition (Sentries, Immortals, Colossi, Templar heavy) and decent upgrades, and your opponent does not high level tech in the form of a large amount of Infestor/Brood Lords, go for the push, and it should be an easy win. This will happen when the Zerg doesn’t manage to do with enough damage with his pushes or if he’s overly passive, trying for a misguided late tech to Brood Lords.



Harass

With this strategy, the Zerg tries to pin you down in your base, threatening base

trades. This is usually done with Muta, but can also be accomplished with multi-prong attack and drops. The Zerg usually tries to out multi-task you and do enough damage to your infrastructure until you give up and are forced to base trade or they delay enough to get higher tech. Your goal should be to turtle while focusing on not taking damage from the harass. As with Terran drops, the most important thing you can do versus this harass is vision. If you know where the harass is most likely coming from, you’ll be able to position your army accordingly to intercept the harass. However, unlike with Terran, spotter Pylons and taking Xel'Naga towers don’t work so well and you’ll most likely have to rely on Observer for most of your spotting purposes.



Fast Infestor Brood Lord

This strategy attempts to get the ultimate Zerg composition asap. Don’t expect much if any pressure early on and prepare for the late game. More on this later.

3.2.2 Roach-Based Pressure Openings

Stephano Style Roach Max

The Stephano Style Roach Max is an extremely specific build. Since early 2012, Stephano's 11-12 minute Roach max has been the central focus of PvZ and every Protoss build has to be built around how to deal with this style. Two of the best Zergs in the world, Stephano and DRG, almost exclusive employed one form or another of this build and it is largely because of this standardized build that they held much more ZvP success than any other Zerg in the world. The build consists of 2 parts:





Have a solid 3 base macro build that can react to and defend any Protoss all-in and come ahead. Every player's macro build is slightly different, but they're all similar and achieve the same infrastructure. This is not "Stephano Style". It is just standard 3 base macro ZvP.

Max on Roach heavy/Ling light between 11 and 12 minutes with 4 Hatches and 4 gas. Proceed to overrun any attempts by the Protoss to take a 3rd. The timing of the max largely depends on pressure, but for reference, a lower level masters player can max by 12:00 without much pressure while Stephano's record is a 10:50 max. This part is the true "Stephano Style Roach Max", not any build that gets 5 or 6 gas or a Spire in the middle of maxing.

from IPL4.

from GSL 2012 Season 2.

Squirtle vs Stephano on Antiga Shipyard from Red Bull Battlegrounds is an excellent example of this style for anyone who's not familiar with it. In it, the Protoss player does a build that is designed to counter the Stephano Style Roach Max, and does pretty much everything correctly, but still manages to lose.As the Stephano Style of Roach Max is the earliest hitting and hardest hitting style of Roach “Pressure”, it is the hardest to defend. Thus, all the tips provided to defend against the Stephano Style can be effectively applied to any other type of Roach pressure. The key problem you will have to deal with against any Roach aggression is securing a third base. The average Protoss third base goes down between 8 and 11 minutes, while the Roach attack can start hitting around 11 minutes. Thus, your third base won’t have kicked in much in time, and you’ll have to rely on essentially a two base economy to withstand the initial blow. The following are some things to focus on against the Stephano Roach style.Refer to the mid game scouting section for more information on this. The faster you can identify that mass Roaches will be coming, the faster you can gear your build towards specifcally dealing with them.When you can put Gateways in sim city, you should; they work just as well, if not better than depots as blockers. In many cases, you can make Gateways just to sim city even if you don't need them for protection as they can be more useful in defense than cannons or Stalkers for the same price. Over the past few months, sim cities have become much more standardized. For example, on Cloud Kingdom, it’s become common to wall off the ramp at your natural. On Daybreak, you’ll generally find walls connecting your third Nexus to the edge near your fourth. It’s recommended that you watch some recent professional games to find some optimal sim cities on certain maps.Here are some screenshots of commonly used sim cities for modern maps:Especially behind sim city, Roaches cannot focus fire cannons well. Cannon and Sentry combos are generally a more efficient use of minerals/gas for defense than pure Stalkers. This, of course, does not mean you can mass cannons. Cannons, after all, cannot bounce back a forth between bases andGood forcefield usage is one of the, if not the most important aspects of Roach defense. This is just something most Protoss have to work on. Sim city also lessens the amount of forcefields you have to use. It’s also generally more efficient to use forcefields to trap and kill Roaches instead of just delaying and blocking Roaches out of your base. One innovation seen mostly in PvT, but also PvZ, is getting faster but fewer Sentries. Because Sentries hardly do damage, getting 6 Sentries early on can equate to the same number of forcefields as 10 Sentries later on.Your opponent has an efficient macro build, that with decent macro, maxes between 11 and 12 minutes; you should have good macro build as well, backed by sufficient macro. A good macro build gets your 3rd as fast as possible so that when the Roaches do hit, you have the economy to back up your defense. It should also end up with the correct types of units with which you can defend a potential Roach attack. Some good builds have been suggested in the previous section. Finally, spending all your money, especially under Roach pressure, is just mechanics.Sentries are the most important units by far. Void Rays can work, especially when backed up by sim city/forcefieds to allow them to charge; modern Protosses who rely on Void Rays to hold off attacks usually get 2. Immortals also obviously work and are the best unit you can make vs Roaches. Blink Stalkers, on the other hand, aren't as helpful if you're relying on primarily sim city/forcefields/cannons to defend. This doesn't mean they're bad, as you usually need them to defend possible Mutalisks if you didn't open Stargate. Colossi are generally a terrible choice, as they cost a lot, their tech costs a lot, and they build very slowly.As you're defending 2 positions, you will need to split your army into 2 parts. There are a few things you can do to more efficiently and correctly place your troops. First is scouting. An Observer/Void Ray/Phoenix/Hallucination in the area outside your base between your natural and third allows you to devote the proper number of units to each of your two vulnerable bases. Your sim-city also allows you to delay the Roaches, allowing you to reposition your army.The first sign that your opponent is backing off is when you see him taking additional gas. As soon as you see your opponent taking additional gas(5th and 6th), his mindset has switched from relentless attacking into teching. You will know the pressure has subsided for now, so you can begin to opt for your next transition, either Templar Archives, Robo Bay, or more Gateways for a big push.One ray of light against this build is that if your opponent commits a lot and you defend it well, you will almost always be able to go for a push shortly after to take the game with a Stalk