• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 16:04
CEST 22:04
KST 05:04
  • 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
[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Siren's Call8[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Summer's End9Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2915Serral wins Maestros of the Game 244ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play3
Community News
New 3v3 BGH Ladder (and more) on ShieldBattery!30Weekly Cups (August 17-23): Zerg dominate the week5Weekly Cups (August 10-16): SHIN doubles2GSTL Returns in 2026!45Weekly Cups (Aug 3-9): Protoss get shut out7
StarCraft 2
General
SC4ALL II: SC2 Player Announcement 6/8 - Maru SC2 best pvp 2026 game hypothesis Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) Weekly Cups (August 17-23): Zerg dominate the week Starcraft2 player guess game is Coming~!
Tourneys
Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament 2026 GSTL Announcement IntoTheTV X SOOP SC2 League : Weekly & Monthly PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August) WORTEX 2026 - Hungarian SC2 Finals Budapest
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
Mutation # 540 Dodge This The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 539 Thunder Dome Mutation # 538 Media Blackout
Brood War
General
New 3v3 BGH Ladder (and more) on ShieldBattery! BW General Discussion [ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Siren's Call Farewell Beloved Starcraft (Youtube Videos) BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/
Tourneys
[ASL22] Ro24 Group F Escore Tournament - Season 3 KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3 [ASL22] Ro24 Group E
Strategy
Game Theory for Starcraft Replay Review Process - What do you do? Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation Fighting Spirit mining rates
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread General RTS Discussion Thread Anyone here play Quakeworld back in the day? EVE Corporation
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish TSM pausing esports and CLG Dead
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Power Rank TL Mafia Community Thread NeO.D_StephenKing vs This Guy From 1 Million Dance
Community
General
Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Canadian Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Dating: How's your luck?
Fan Clubs
MarineLorD Fan Club The Creator Fan Club The ShoWTimE Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023 NBA General Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List Northern Ireland Global Starcraft
Blogs
Violent Games and Crime Rate…
TrAiDoS
LOCKPICKING NOOB
LUCKY_NOOB
Cathedral Of CS And NY pizza a…
FuDDx
Please support my new stand…
Peanutsc
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 9704 users

[PvP] How to defend vs. 2 gate zealot into nexus

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
Post a Reply
Jubinell
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
333 Posts
August 05 2022 19:04 GMT
#1
Hi guys,

I am about 1600-1700 on ladder. I am having trouble defending against 2-gate rush in PvP.

I'd like to go directly into dragoons with core, skipping zealots. Which kinda makes it very susceptible to this build I know, but could you tell me step by step what should my reaction be depending on when I scout it, if I DO go for dragoons + range?

1. If I scout it before my first dragoon is started, I will make a zealot instead. And immediately start the core.
- Here should I remove 1 probe from gas? Should I build a second gateway? How many probes should I cut? When to put the 3rd probe back on gas?

2. I usually try to manner a pylon at his expansion to slow down the nexus and zealot stream. Is this advisable?

3. It usually gets very difficult to block the ramp on time. Usually the first zealot gets in, what is the best strategy to defend here with no zealot, later with 1 zealot or 1 dragoon? In terms of probe micro, should I try to pull each probe after it gets 2 hits? Or should I try to drone drill to kill the zealot? I have noticed drone drilling really hurts the economy when done incorrectly.

4. If the guy goes for a manner pylon with battery, what should the response be?

Any nice VODS or replays I can learn from? Any other considerations? Thanks for your advice.
TMNT
Profile Joined January 2021
3284 Posts
August 05 2022 22:57 GMT
#2
Well first of all, the timing of your 1st dragoon is the same whether you skip zealot or not. The difference is you have 1 more probe if you skip zealot. Consider what you gain and what you could potentially lose for skipping that zealot.

Then, defending 2 gate zealot rush is more about skill than build order. If you're good enough, you can hold the first 3 zealots with only dragoons and lose nothing, but it's really hard. Send the 1st dragoon out and get as many shots as you can on his incoming zealots. You can't block the ramp. Let them in. By the time they're aproaching your mineral line, your 2nd dragoon should be out. By good control of the dragoons and probe drill, you can kill all 3 zealots and take minimal loss.

If he goes manner pylon and battery, chances are it's proxy and all-in. In that case you should build your own battery, another gateway, produce zealots nonstop and prepare for a micro battle.
psd
Profile Joined February 2016
France94 Posts
August 21 2022 22:26 GMT
#3
If you scout it early, you can shield battery + block your ramp. Only cost you 100 mineral and you will take no damage.

ArmadA[NaS]
Profile Joined January 2014
United States347 Posts
August 22 2022 14:26 GMT
#4
Open zealot core zealot with pylon and shield battery near ramp. Gas steal with your scouting probe. If they kill the gas just go contain and if they expand just proxy reaver (same opening as you would vs 12 nex).
XenOsky
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Chile2358 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-08-25 00:15:14
August 25 2022 00:07 GMT
#5
Battery as soon as 2 gate confirmed (gate scout if 4 player)
(core scout if 3/2 player)
-1 probe in gas
21 gate
23 pylon

By the time 3 zealots come if u dont lose 1st zealot u have 2 gon 1zea, and adjust...

6 goon contain is good to force Cannons, threat bust and expand...

Try to not cut probes
Try not to lose any probes vs initial 3 zealot


Nexus robo 4 gate and adap to wtf hes doin, at 1600-1800 most will Try to all in 2 base 8 gate no ob or some stupid shit like that...
ἡ τῆς Νεμέσεως τάξις
Jubinell
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
333 Posts
August 25 2022 15:17 GMT
#6
On August 25 2022 09:07 XenOsky wrote:
Battery as soon as 2 gate confirmed (gate scout if 4 player)
(core scout if 3/2 player)
-1 probe in gas
21 gate
23 pylon

By the time 3 zealots come if u dont lose 1st zealot u have 2 gon 1zea, and adjust...

6 goon contain is good to force Cannons, threat bust and expand...

Try to not cut probes
Try not to lose any probes vs initial 3 zealot


Nexus robo 4 gate and adap to wtf hes doin, at 1600-1800 most will Try to all in 2 base 8 gate no ob or some stupid shit like that...



- OK cool when do I put probes back on gas and how many?
- Any tips to micro probes against zealot attack?
- What if he goes manner pylon + battery or additional gate inside base? Make forge? 2nd gate? More batteries?
IvaNioX_twitch
Profile Joined August 2022
30 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-08-30 03:27:44
August 29 2022 14:46 GMT
#7
well,

8/9 pylon and 9/9 gateway (this is important) near ramp [pylon range can add battery]

when first zealot is 30% block ramp with 1 probe (if you do properly he cant join into ur base with probe), then 1stzealot is completed and block ramp with zealot+probe, if no enemy probe appear, in 5 seconds, you can scout MIDDLE MAP just for discard proxy 2 gate.

Another zealot is ready, and your probe is scouting map.

If 1 enemy zealot appear, send 1 probe between 2 zealots.

If total 3 zealot sent by enemy, send 2 probes (your third zealot should be almost finished or already finished), its no problem to stop.

If your probe scouted no gas, just add 1 battery for defense vs 5 zealot, your advantage is gas, you have to block enemy nexus (pylon his expansion) if you success then you have gas and technology advantage (maybe you can exp, or reaver or whatever you want, you have both advantages). if he gas you still have more gas than the oponent feel free to try 3 gate obs, or robotic exp (observer reaver exp shuttle reaver + go)
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 3h 56m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
EnDerr 53
JuggernautJason9
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 18380
Calm 3164
Mini 454
ggaemo 149
Dewaltoss 120
White-Ra 71
Sexy 29
910 28
Dota 2
BananaSlamJamma257
Pyrionflax127
League of Legends
Doublelift227
Counter-Strike
fl0m4667
shoxiejesuss1142
Heroes of the Storm
Liquid`Hasu415
Other Games
Grubby2664
Liquid`RaSZi1370
FrodaN485
ToD183
RotterdaM96
Hui .95
ArmadaUGS60
Mew2King52
Organizations
StarCraft 2
angryscii 19
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• Pr0nogo 2
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV312
Other Games
• imaqtpie883
• Shiphtur503
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
3h 56m
Escore
13h 56m
IntoTheTV X SOOP
14h 56m
RotterdaM Event
20h 26m
Korean StarCraft League
1d 5h
GSL
1d 14h
Replay Cast
2 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
2 days
WardiTV Weekly
2 days
Afreeca Starleague
3 days
[ Show More ]
GSL
4 days
PiGosaur Cup
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
The PondCast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

CSL Season 22: Qualifier 1
PiG Sty Festival 8.0
META DYMY #4

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
K-JUNGMAN
ASL Season 22
Super Anchor Qualifying S3
CSL Season 22: Qualifier 2
RSL Revival: Season 6
Light Tournament 2026
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
Esports World Cup 2026: LCQ
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026

Upcoming

BSL 2026 LAN: Kraków
CSL 2026 AUTUMN (S22)
Acropolis #5
Acropolis #5 - TRS
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Acropolis #5 - GSA
Acropolis #5 - GSB
HSC XXX
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
Calamity Invitational
Big Dog Cup 2026 Div 1
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
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.