• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 09:05
CET 14:05
KST 22:05
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Team Liquid Map Contest #22 - Presented by Monster Energy5ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT30Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book19Clem wins HomeStory Cup 289HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview13
Community News
Blizzard Classic Cup @ BlizzCon 2026 - $100k prize pool31Weekly Cups (March 9-15): herO, Clem, ByuN win42026 KungFu Cup Announcement6BGE Stara Zagora 2026 cancelled12Blizzard Classic Cup - Tastosis announced as captains18
StarCraft 2
General
Blizzard Classic Cup @ BlizzCon 2026 - $100k prize pool Potential Updates Coming to the SC2 CN Server Weekly Cups (March 2-8): ByuN overcomes PvT block Weekly Cups (August 25-31): Clem's Last Straw? Weekly Cups (March 9-15): herO, Clem, ByuN win
Tourneys
World University TeamLeague (500$+) | Signups Open RSL Season 4 announced for March-April Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament WardiTV Team League Season 10 KSL Week 87
Strategy
Custom Maps
Publishing has been re-enabled! [Feb 24th 2026]
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 517 Distant Threat Mutation # 516 Specter of Death Mutation # 515 Together Forever
Brood War
General
ASL21 General Discussion BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Gypsy to Korea JaeDong's form before ASL BSL Season 22
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL22] Open Qualifiers & Ladder Tours Small VOD Thread 2.0 IPSL Spring 2026 is here!
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2 Fighting Spirit mining rates
Other Games
General Games
General RTS Discussion Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile Dawn of War IV
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion The Story of Wings Gaming
League of Legends
G2 just beat GenG in First stand
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Five o'clock TL Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Vanilla Mini Mafia TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Canadian Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Mexico's Drug War
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Cricket [SPORT] Formula 1 Discussion Tokyo Olympics 2021 Thread General nutrition recommendations
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Laptop capable of using Photoshop Lightroom?
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Funny Nicknames
LUCKY_NOOB
Money Laundering In Video Ga…
TrAiDoS
Iranian anarchists: organize…
XenOsky
FS++
Kraekkling
Shocked by a laser…
Spydermine0240
Unintentional protectionism…
Uldridge
ASL S21 English Commentary…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 2357 users

Why is gold league PvP so horrible?

Blogs > KatatoniK
Post a Reply
Normal
KatatoniK
Profile Blog Joined October 2013
United Kingdom978 Posts
June 12 2014 13:24 GMT
#1
This is a question I find myself asking more and more often as of late. PvP used to be my favourite of the 3 match-ups I played and ever since I got promoted into gold my love of the mirror has taken a massive nosedive just because of the state of the matchup in here.

I'm no mathematician so I'm not going to figure out any solid stats but it feels like 9 times out of 10 times in PvP I'm going to get cheesed or murdered by a 1 base build, it's frustrating and about as fun as being hit over the head with a sledgehammer for a week straight. It's like every Protoss in gold league has magically forgotten their N key exists and that it builds this wonderful yellow structure we call a Nexus.

I mean what is there not to love about a Nexus, it has the letter x in it, it makes probes, you can make it shoot lasers and piss Terrans off! It contains a frantic dude (if StarCrafts is to be believed) telling you don't have enough minerals or that your need more pylons.

I just don't get why PvP has deteriorated into 1 base shit lasting less than 10 minutes, why are people so reluctant to go past 10 minutes in this match-up? If someone could just enlighten me please do because I can't figure it out myself.

***
Flying on the Jin Air hype plane. Lets go Maru, Rogue, sOs and the handsome CJ herO
virpi
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Germany3599 Posts
June 12 2014 13:30 GMT
#2
Well...1 base builds work. People hate losing. Going for a 1 base build makes the games short and tense, and especially for players with bad macro, 1 basing is a good way to get wins. But PvP has always been about 1 base builds, even though HOTS has made FE builds more viable. Just watch some pro PvP, 1 basing is a very useful talent toi have.
first we make expand, then we defense it.
FFW_Rude
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
France10201 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-06-12 13:33:20
June 12 2014 13:32 GMT
#3
Trust me it's not just on PvP i see Terran 1basing a lot too when i was still playing. And trust me you never played ZvZ 'cauz 1base/2base is a thing i see all the way to Platinum/Diamond :p
#1 KT Rolster fanboy. KT BEST KT ! Hail to KT playoffs Zergs ! Unofficial french translator for SlayerS_`Boxer` biography "Crazy as me".
WGT-Baal
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
France3459 Posts
June 12 2014 13:36 GMT
#4
PvP has a lot of cheese/ 1 base builds in every single league. I guess they re just better executed now for you than when you were silver.

It was my favourite match up in BW, but now in SC2 this single MU is the reason I switched to Z.
Horang2 fan
KatatoniK
Profile Blog Joined October 2013
United Kingdom978 Posts
June 12 2014 13:38 GMT
#5
On June 12 2014 22:32 FFW_Rude wrote:
Trust me it's not just on PvP i see Terran 1basing a lot too when i was still playing. And trust me you never played ZvZ 'cauz 1base/2base is a thing i see all the way to Platinum/Diamond :p


As I just saw when I queued and got proxy 2 rax'd by a Terran, I'm a magnet for cheese ;-;

I dunno 1/2 base ZvZ sounds alright, might be more fun to watch than standard ZvZ or SH vs SH
Flying on the Jin Air hype plane. Lets go Maru, Rogue, sOs and the handsome CJ herO
WGT-Baal
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
France3459 Posts
June 12 2014 13:53 GMT
#6
On June 12 2014 22:38 KatatoniK wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 12 2014 22:32 FFW_Rude wrote:
Trust me it's not just on PvP i see Terran 1basing a lot too when i was still playing. And trust me you never played ZvZ 'cauz 1base/2base is a thing i see all the way to Platinum/Diamond :p


As I just saw when I queued and got proxy 2 rax'd by a Terran, I'm a magnet for cheese ;-;

I dunno 1/2 base ZvZ sounds alright, might be more fun to watch than standard ZvZ or SH vs SH


for sure! I refuse to play SH in ZvZ, even though it hands me several losses. It s just plain boring
Horang2 fan
rpddropshot
Profile Joined March 2011
United States82 Posts
June 12 2014 15:23 GMT
#7
The gold leagues in general are cheese leagues imo. I spent about 2 years there and once I got to plat the cheese is a lot more rare. Personally I love playing against cheese, its a fast game and unique challenge. Its no fun to play against a turtle who plays super defensive until 200/200. Plus as others have said there are several good 1 base PvP builds even at the top level.
Baconator. Buck Double. Rodeo Cheeseburger. Beef Bacon 'n Cheddar.
The_Templar
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
your Country52797 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-06-12 16:10:42
June 12 2014 16:10 GMT
#8
On June 12 2014 22:32 FFW_Rude wrote:
Trust me it's not just on PvP i see Terran 1basing a lot too when i was still playing. And trust me you never played ZvZ 'cauz 1base/2base is a thing i see all the way to Platinum/Diamond :p

What? I see players going heavy macro in silver. o.O
PvP in gold for me is a mixed bag, I've seen some really bad cheese and some pretty bad macro.
Moderatorshe/her
TL+ Member
BisuDagger
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Bisutopia19316 Posts
June 12 2014 19:05 GMT
#9
I macro every game even if I get cheesesd. This applies to BW and sc2.
ModeratorFormer Afreeca Starleague Caster: http://afreeca.tv/ASL2ENG2
QuanticHawk
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States32130 Posts
June 12 2014 19:21 GMT
#10
scout and adapt instead of stumbling forward with your build no matter what you see and you might have a better go of things.
PROFESSIONAL GAMER - SEND ME OFFERS TO JOIN YOUR TEAM - USA USA USA
neptunusfisk
Profile Blog Joined July 2012
2286 Posts
June 13 2014 00:00 GMT
#11
PvP in gold is very easy when you get the hang of it. Always go robo and always scout very liberally with probes, zealots and observers.

When I was playing protoss a few seasons ago I had one build where I 3stalker rushed and poked while going robo and expanding. Sometimes I had to run home and get a lot of sentries, sometimes it was sensible to cancel the nexus, and sometimes I just killed them with micro, but most of the time it was time to build more stuff and go colossus.

I did it every game and had very high PvP winrate. But do whatever you find comfortable. When in colossus v colossus macro games, remember to check whether the enemy gets tempest or not. Try to zealot drop their mains when you see them pushing out etc..
maru G5L pls
hp.Shell
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2527 Posts
June 13 2014 00:20 GMT
#12
Even in BW, PvP was mostly 1 base play, slowly in modern times it has evolved into 2 base play, but if it gets to that point usually someone made a big mistake in timing. Sometimes the players were too far apart and so close in their executions that the defenders advantage would make attacking impossible for a few minutes, but most of the games I watched were 1v1 base.
Please PM me with any songs you like that you think I haven't heard before!
Cyro
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United Kingdom20326 Posts
June 13 2014 02:05 GMT
#13
I just don't get why PvP has deteriorated into 1 base shit lasting less than 10 minutes


Deteriorated? It's been like this for almost everyone since like 2010 :D

Back in WOL it was pretty famously "first person to build a nexus dies" even after 4gate era. Have fun, have the sharper openings, smartest reactions and greatest micro, and if you want to extend the game, stay back unless you can kill him. Being up a ramp will let you take engagements like killing 8 stalkers using 7 of your own, but of course keep in mind that while killing 8 stalkers using 7 is good, it's better to just have 15 stalkers through better macro-mechanics and things like probe and chrono boost timings, as well as gateway/warpgate usage etc.
"oh my god my overclock... I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes" -Belial88
Xinzoe
Profile Joined January 2014
Korea (South)2373 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-06-13 02:27:02
June 13 2014 02:23 GMT
#14
PvP is the most volatile matchup after ZvZ so it is understandable that you will get cheesed. It's so volatile that 1 more/less stalker will almost instantly decide the game if you don't have nexus cannon ready. Also like others said PvP cheese is in any league, I'm master and it happens everygame, in some cases on maps like Frost people actually build msc sentry and then a nexus at 4:10

On June 13 2014 00:23 rpddropshot wrote:
The gold leagues in general are cheese leagues imo. I spent about 2 years there and once I got to plat the cheese is a lot more rare. Personally I love playing against cheese, its a fast game and unique challenge. Its no fun to play against a turtle who plays super defensive until 200/200. Plus as others have said there are several good 1 base PvP builds even at the top level.


I think the reason is that plat is the league where you start learning build orders, timing and have a good sense of what counters what, what is good early and what is good later. I remembered when I was plat, some players know how to max out on roaches by 13:20 (good for plat league)
FFW_Rude
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
France10201 Posts
June 13 2014 08:38 GMT
#15
On June 13 2014 01:10 The_Templar wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 12 2014 22:32 FFW_Rude wrote:
Trust me it's not just on PvP i see Terran 1basing a lot too when i was still playing. And trust me you never played ZvZ 'cauz 1base/2base is a thing i see all the way to Platinum/Diamond :p

What? I see players going heavy macro in silver. o.O
PvP in gold for me is a mixed bag, I've seen some really bad cheese and some pretty bad macro.


Really ? Well i didn't play this season so maybe it has changed but i got a lot of that. But last season was kind of weird playing Diamond player all the time while i was still in gold. (and never got to plat). Maybe i just remember the frustration
#1 KT Rolster fanboy. KT BEST KT ! Hail to KT playoffs Zergs ! Unofficial french translator for SlayerS_`Boxer` biography "Crazy as me".
Boonbag
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
France3318 Posts
June 13 2014 09:13 GMT
#16
On June 13 2014 04:05 BisuDagger wrote:
I macro every game even if I get cheesesd. This applies to BW and sc2.


so u play sc2 and expect a girl to marry you
that doesn't really compute
FFW_Rude
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
France10201 Posts
June 13 2014 09:25 GMT
#17
On June 13 2014 18:13 Boonbag wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 13 2014 04:05 BisuDagger wrote:
I macro every game even if I get cheesesd. This applies to BW and sc2.


so u play sc2 and expect a girl to marry you
that doesn't really compute


Wait what ? Bisu isn't a girl !
#1 KT Rolster fanboy. KT BEST KT ! Hail to KT playoffs Zergs ! Unofficial french translator for SlayerS_`Boxer` biography "Crazy as me".
Boonbag
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
France3318 Posts
June 13 2014 10:26 GMT
#18
oh im sorry to break your fantasies
SatedSC2
Profile Blog Joined March 2014
England3012 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-06-13 10:44:48
June 13 2014 10:44 GMT
#19
--- Nuked ---
KingAlphard
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
Italy1705 Posts
June 13 2014 17:40 GMT
#20
Maybe you should explain better what kind of cheese you're talking about. Cannon rush? Proxy gates? 4 gate? Blink? Proxy stargate?
aZealot
Profile Blog Joined May 2011
New Zealand5447 Posts
June 13 2014 19:54 GMT
#21
On June 12 2014 22:24 KatatoniK wrote:
This is a question I find myself asking more and more often as of late. PvP used to be my favourite of the 3 match-ups I played and ever since I got promoted into gold my love of the mirror has taken a massive nosedive just because of the state of the matchup in here.

I'm no mathematician so I'm not going to figure out any solid stats but it feels like 9 times out of 10 times in PvP I'm going to get cheesed or murdered by a 1 base build, it's frustrating and about as fun as being hit over the head with a sledgehammer for a week straight. It's like every Protoss in gold league has magically forgotten their N key exists and that it builds this wonderful yellow structure we call a Nexus.

I mean what is there not to love about a Nexus, it has the letter x in it, it makes probes, you can make it shoot lasers and piss Terrans off! It contains a frantic dude (if StarCrafts is to be believed) telling you don't have enough minerals or that your need more pylons.

I just don't get why PvP has deteriorated into 1 base shit lasting less than 10 minutes, why are people so reluctant to go past 10 minutes in this match-up? If someone could just enlighten me please do because I can't figure it out myself.


1 base Protoss play can be a lot of fun. Tight builds and good micro for the win. Macro PvP can often be boring especially as you look for the right engagement. That said, if you like macro play, go for it. Just start with a safe build, hold and be ahead.
KT best KT ~ 2014
Normal
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 2h 55m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Rex 83
DivinesiaTV 1
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 45685
Sea 14520
Calm 8674
Hyuk 2019
Horang2 1983
EffOrt 1349
Jaedong 1243
Flash 601
BeSt 544
firebathero 362
[ Show more ]
actioN 359
Larva 315
Mini 253
Light 225
Soma 215
Last 212
Shine 150
Mind 122
Rush 107
Aegong 79
Pusan 73
hero 64
Hm[arnc] 64
Barracks 63
ToSsGirL 52
Sea.KH 44
GoRush 31
zelot 24
Nal_rA 22
sorry 21
IntoTheRainbow 20
Noble 19
910 19
Free 19
Terrorterran 11
ivOry 11
SilentControl 10
Icarus 7
eros_byul 1
Dota 2
Gorgc5041
BananaSlamJamma119
League of Legends
JimRising 75
Counter-Strike
fl0m3052
Fnx 2656
x6flipin427
edward108
oskar54
Heroes of the Storm
MindelVK15
Other Games
singsing2548
B2W.Neo854
XaKoH 437
DeMusliM415
Liquid`RaSZi397
Fuzer 189
Hui .174
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream65
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH273
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos2928
Upcoming Events
LAN Event
2h 55m
BSL
6h 55m
Replay Cast
19h 55m
Afreeca Starleague
20h 55m
Sharp vs Scan
Rain vs Mong
Wardi Open
22h 55m
Monday Night Weeklies
1d 3h
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 20h
Afreeca Starleague
1d 20h
Soulkey vs Ample
JyJ vs sSak
Replay Cast
2 days
Afreeca Starleague
2 days
hero vs YSC
Larva vs Shine
[ Show More ]
Kung Fu Cup
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
KCM Race Survival
3 days
The PondCast
3 days
WardiTV Team League
3 days
Replay Cast
4 days
WardiTV Team League
4 days
RSL Revival
5 days
Cure vs Zoun
herO vs Rogue
WardiTV Team League
5 days
Platinum Heroes Events
6 days
BSL
6 days
RSL Revival
6 days
ByuN vs Maru
MaxPax vs TriGGeR
WardiTV Team League
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Jeongseon Sooper Cup
WardiTV Winter 2026
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
BSL Season 22
CSL Elite League 2026
RSL Revival: Season 4
Nations Cup 2026
NationLESS Cup
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual

Upcoming

ASL Season 21
Acropolis #4 - TS6
2026 Changsha Offline CUP
CSL 2026 SPRING (S20)
CSL Season 20: Qualifier 1
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
CCT Season 3 Global Finals
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.