• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 05:19
CET 10:19
KST 18:19
  • 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
[ASL21] Ro24 Preview Pt1: New Chaos0Team Liquid Map Contest #22 - Presented by Monster Energy7ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT30Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book20Clem wins HomeStory Cup 289
Community News
Weekly Cups (March 16-22): herO doubles, Cure surprises3Blizzard Classic Cup @ BlizzCon 2026 - $100k prize pool48Weekly Cups (March 9-15): herO, Clem, ByuN win42026 KungFu Cup Announcement6BGE Stara Zagora 2026 cancelled12
StarCraft 2
General
https://www.facebook.com/Silen.Sense.Calm.Ears.Ire What mix of new & old maps do you want in the next ladder pool? (SC2) Potential Updates Coming to the SC2 CN Server Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book herO wins SC2 All-Star Invitational
Tourneys
RSL Season 4 announced for March-April StarCraft Evolution League (SC Evo Biweekly) WardiTV Mondays Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament World University TeamLeague (500$+) | Signups Open
Strategy
Custom Maps
[M] (2) Frigid Storage Publishing has been re-enabled! [Feb 24th 2026]
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 518 Radiation Zone Mutation # 517 Distant Threat Mutation # 516 Specter of Death
Brood War
General
KK Platform will provide 1 million CNY Recent recommended BW games ASL21 General Discussion Gypsy to Korea RepMastered™: replay sharing and analyzer site
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues 2026 Changsha Offline Cup [ASL21] Ro24 Group B [ASL21] Ro24 Group A
Strategy
What's the deal with APM & what's its true value Fighting Spirit mining rates Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Darkest Dungeon General RTS Discussion Thread Path of Exile
Dota 2
The Story of Wings Gaming Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
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
TL Mafia Community Thread Five o'clock TL Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread The Games Industry And ATVI European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Which is better SEO or PPC? [Manga] One Piece [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books Movie Discussion!
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Cricket [SPORT] Formula 1 Discussion Tokyo Olympics 2021 Thread General nutrition recommendations
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
[G] How to Block Livestream Ads
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
ASL S21 English Commentary…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 5293 users

[G] TvP Pure Air - Page 5

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 21 22 23 Next All
tomatriedes
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
New Zealand5356 Posts
November 10 2011 02:00 GMT
#81
So what's the best way for protoss to counter something like this?
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-10 03:51:38
November 10 2011 02:05 GMT
#82
On November 10 2011 11:00 tomatriedes wrote:
So what's the best way for protoss to counter something like this?


Not sure if it's the best way nor a real counter, but a good way of dealing with this style seems to be taking a lot of expansions early just like Terran and make lots of well placed Photon Cannons to slow down Banshee Harass and burn some energy for PDDs while making Phoenixes. Tech to HTs and, when appropriate, add Void Rays and Carriers and a few support Stalkers to start harassing or killing Terran bases. I mentioned something about this in the "vs lots of base and air" section

vs Lots of Nexus and Cannons, then Air + Stalker/HT support

So far, this seems to be the proper way to play vs this style of Air Terran, but most players will not recognize or know that you will be massing air units and playing completely unstandard. Not necessarily a counter, but you won't be able to stay on pure air much longer, just like how you can't mass Marines lategame TvZ unless you're Automaton 2000 and you can't rely on just Tank Hellion TvP since without Ghosts, Immortals will rape you. You'll have to get Marines and/or Marauders and/or Hellions to kill HTs and maybe even Stalkers if they have some of them. With your minerals, you can make turrets to fortify or stop air pathways; Turrets are REALLY strong even against Void Rays. Just make sure you're not wasting minerals on Turrets instead of bases, you do not want to be behind Protoss in bases. Remember, you don't have more than 1 MULE!


There was a replay of someone really owning me by playing air style, I'll find it sometime!

You can also just 3 Gate Stargate to kill him...

For more standard play, you can watch the first and third "Top Masters" replay. Against Stalker/HT and then Air vs Air, check out the second "Top Masters" replay.


On November 10 2011 04:17 coL.rsvp wrote:
This is one of the best guides I've seen. Good job, and thanks! I've definitely lost to this before and it'll kill any protoss who doesn't expect it and/or tries to play standard.


Thanks a lot! It's good to hear that it works even in GM+ level still . I was thinking maybe at higher levels vs terran air, "standard" (aka mainly ground units) could deal with terran air, but I guess not? If it's air vs air is it about equal or is Protoss significantly advantaged? Cus I was thinking if you're both pumping Phoenixes and Vikings for air superiority, if you make PFs like I suggest then that means you won't have MULEs and Protoss, with chronoboost, should be able to out-econ you easily. But perhaps if the "proper" response is air vs air, then there wouldn't be a need to get PFs instead of OCs.
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
UglyBastard
Profile Joined November 2011
Germany53 Posts
November 10 2011 05:15 GMT
#83
Just tried it two times in a row against the same masters protoss (2nd time he knew it comes).

Double win. And had quite a good time while doing it! Thanks for the guide, really nice strat!
ggofthejungle
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
Romania392 Posts
November 10 2011 05:47 GMT
#84
I'm assuming this won't work in HOTS because of that new protoss unit that deals splash damage?
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
November 10 2011 06:16 GMT
#85
On November 10 2011 14:47 ggofthejungle wrote:
I'm assuming this won't work in HOTS because of that new protoss unit that deals splash damage?


I'm hoping not. But what Dustin and David Kim said about Tempest is contradictory. One of the said something like "it basically mass counters all air units" and "so you can gain air superiority" i think that was Dustin. But David Kim seemed to talk about it more like it was just to counter Mass Mutas, aka lots of light flying units. From what it looks like David Kim is more right. Anyways, I can't imagine it being too hard to deal with Mass Tempest since Vikings have 9 Range and you can Yamato them too. Just split up your forces, I guess. Vikings have 9 range so that won't be too hard and BCs are pretty big so magic boxing them will be great. Tempests aren't that fast though so you can still harass him in multiple locations. I wonder if you can even PDD the Tempest xD (probably not)
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
HTX
Profile Joined February 2010
Germany265 Posts
November 10 2011 07:00 GMT
#86
You probably mentioned it somewhere but to read through it will take day.

thje combination of cloacked banshee and viking (2-3) can be painfully strong in the early to midgame if P doesnt have enough observer.

Scan... Viking will shoot observer....do damage with banshee.

Anyway, good guide.

The internet: a horrible collective liar
treekiller
Profile Joined July 2010
United States236 Posts
November 10 2011 07:13 GMT
#87
No need to worry about people copying your build. Its not gonna change the metagame. Its a nice cheese though, grats.
All good things must come to an end. Therefore, SC2 will last forever
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-10 07:30:51
November 10 2011 07:25 GMT
#88
On November 10 2011 16:00 HTX wrote:
You probably mentioned it somewhere but to read through it will take day.

thje combination of cloacked banshee and viking (2-3) can be painfully strong in the early to midgame if P doesnt have enough observer.

Scan... Viking will shoot observer....do damage with banshee.

Anyway, good guide.



I've actually been thinking about making more OCs for Scans so that you can save gas for banshees instead of Ravens (up to 2 more bashees per raven). Except for lategame where the banshees will take too much food (6 food per 2 food), it might be better to have more banshees than to have PDD/Seeker Missile (which needs to be upgraded anyways). Do you have any input on this?

On November 10 2011 16:13 treekiller wrote:
No need to worry about people copying your build. Its not gonna change the metagame. Its a nice cheese though, grats.


Please read again, I was worried people would figure out this build and know how to play against it. To say something won't change the metagame is false. Every single little piece of information that even one player receives will change the metagame. That's what the metagame is; all the different outside aspects affecting any game of Starcraft.

Also, it's not a cheese, so I can't take your congratulations. You don't automatically lose if this build is scouted, and there's nothing to hide either.

I've seen you post before, why are you so cynical?
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
IGotPlayguuu
Profile Joined June 2011
Italy660 Posts
November 10 2011 11:16 GMT
#89
Siiiiick guide! GJ!
BW |JaeDong|Bisu|FBH|BeSt| SC2 |MC|DRG|MMA|TLO|HuK|July|ClouD| ||| Boxer best player ever! ||| "HuK never use penix" ||| I <3 SeleCT ||| GO Space! ||| Nerf Roach! |||
tuestresfat
Profile Joined December 2010
2555 Posts
November 10 2011 12:10 GMT
#90
ugh god, I'm pretty sure you raped me on ladder the other day. It's people like you that keep ladder interesting though sick post
Kamikiri
Profile Joined October 2010
United States1319 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-10 13:14:44
November 10 2011 13:12 GMT
#91
Its times like these I think playing terran would be fun(to try this build). Or playing Protoss(Seeing a new build and being surprised). Really creative and very detailed guide.
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-10 16:08:08
November 10 2011 16:07 GMT
#92
On November 10 2011 21:10 tuestresfat wrote:
ugh god, I'm pretty sure you raped me on ladder the other day. It's people like you that keep ladder interesting though sick post


Heheh what is your username? I don't recognize "tuestresfat". If I played you recently (within a few days) our replay should be there xD And thanks
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
spbelky
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United States623 Posts
November 10 2011 16:41 GMT
#93
I wonder if we'll ever get to see something like this live in a pro tournament. It's been a while since I've seen anything OTHER than a 1-1-1 or bio... Mech is rare enough as it is, Air is even rarer...

We can only hope.

Good guide, very detailed.
scruffeh
Profile Joined November 2010
England196 Posts
November 10 2011 16:51 GMT
#94
Wow. I really commend you on producing such a detailed guide.
Sated
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
England4983 Posts
November 10 2011 17:07 GMT
#95
--- Nuked ---
OlDan
Profile Joined April 2011
Austria36 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-10 19:12:39
November 10 2011 19:12 GMT
#96
Hey, just tried this out, but got owned by the guy simply running over my main. He placed cannons in exp, and altho i managed to kill his third, he just rolled me. My macro was relatively poor, but i dont think another 5-6 banshees would've helped me. I was floating a lot of minerals, but not that much gas. The exp was quite protected, but went down because of lack of an army. Maybe i misclicked repair on the PF natural as well, who knows

It was fun while it lasted, on mid-diamond EU ladder.
Honeybadger
Profile Joined August 2010
United States821 Posts
November 10 2011 19:28 GMT
#97
I love this idea. Making your natural a PF just so you can use banshees like mutalisks makes me smile.

I doubt it'll catch on with the pros, since it does seem vulnerable to huge counterattacks (blinking up into your main, mothership mass recall scenarios, etc.)

I'd get neosteel frames for my bunkers too, just to be ultra-safe.
"I like to tape my thumbs to my hands to see what it would be like to be a dinosaur."
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
November 10 2011 20:22 GMT
#98
On November 11 2011 04:12 OlDan wrote:
Hey, just tried this out, but got owned by the guy simply running over my main. He placed cannons in exp, and altho i managed to kill his third, he just rolled me. My macro was relatively poor, but i dont think another 5-6 banshees would've helped me. I was floating a lot of minerals, but not that much gas. The exp was quite protected, but went down because of lack of an army. Maybe i misclicked repair on the PF natural as well, who knows

It was fun while it lasted, on mid-diamond EU ladder.


If you'd like you can upload the replay so I can comment on it


On November 11 2011 04:28 Honeybadger wrote:
I love this idea. Making your natural a PF just so you can use banshees like mutalisks makes me smile.

I doubt it'll catch on with the pros, since it does seem vulnerable to huge counterattacks (blinking up into your main, mothership mass recall scenarios, etc.)

I'd get neosteel frames for my bunkers too, just to be ultra-safe.


It probably won't be standard or anything of course, but it might be seen sometime in the future as a surprise strategy/build. Since it's ideal to use builds like 1 rax expand or 1 gate expand which focus on economy without being unsafe, therefore providing flexibility and easy transition into the midgame, there's no reason to use this build or some kind of air tech strategy since it leaves you open to builds like 3 Gate Stargate or other 1 bases rushes.

It is vulnerable to counterattacks, but the point is that by the time he reaches one of your bases, you will have already killed one of his with your air units that are camping. By the time he kills one of your bases, you will have killed another already. So it's 1 base trade vs 2. If it keeps going on, it'll be 2 vs 3, 3 vs 4, etc. But the thing is, you should have more bases if you play well, meaning that it's really disadvantageous to Protoss. Basically he needs to play an air style vs your own air style or else he'll lose.
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
Blazinghand *
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States25558 Posts
November 10 2011 20:25 GMT
#99
On November 11 2011 05:22 Yoshi Kirishima wrote:

It is vulnerable to counterattacks, but the point is that by the time he reaches one of your bases, you will have already killed one of his with your air units that are camping. By the time he kills one of your bases, you will have killed another already. So it's 1 base trade vs 2. If it keeps going on, it'll be 2 vs 3, 3 vs 4, etc. But the thing is, you should have more bases if you play well, meaning that it's really disadvantageous to Protoss. Basically he needs to play an air style vs your own air style or else he'll lose.


This is essentially correct. Banshees trade favorably with gateway units, and any investment into robotics units is just more money that can't shoot up. The fast-moving, fast-producing phoenixes are a better answer. Also, the mobility of banshees gives them an advantage in base trade situations, and they have other benefits such as cloak and repair that only add to the strength of terran air play.
When you stare into the iCCup, the iCCup stares back.
TL+ Member
Brotatolol
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States1742 Posts
November 10 2011 20:30 GMT
#100
Great guide, if I ever start playing T again I'll have to try it out.
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 21 22 23 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 41m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
mouzStarbuck 53
StarCraft: Brood War
Sea 3838
PianO 1248
Killer 577
Hyun 359
Soma 243
Dewaltoss 191
actioN 142
sSak 82
Leta 81
EffOrt 80
[ Show more ]
sorry 57
scan(afreeca) 38
Stork 31
Sharp 23
Movie 16
Hm[arnc] 14
Dota 2
XaKoH 782
canceldota68
febbydoto19
League of Legends
JimRising 506
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K1338
Other Games
B2W.Neo352
crisheroes244
Livibee85
RotterdaM40
Organizations
Other Games
BasetradeTV95
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 46
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH279
• LUISG 24
• Light_VIP 16
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• HappyZerGling122
Upcoming Events
RSL Revival
41m
Cure vs Zoun
herO vs Rogue
Platinum Heroes Events
5h 41m
BSL
10h 41m
RSL Revival
1d
ByuN vs Maru
MaxPax vs TriGGeR
WardiTV Team League
1d 2h
BSL
1d 9h
Replay Cast
1d 14h
Replay Cast
1d 23h
Afreeca Starleague
2 days
Light vs Calm
Royal vs Mind
Wardi Open
2 days
[ Show More ]
Monday Night Weeklies
2 days
OSC
2 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
Afreeca Starleague
3 days
Rush vs PianO
Flash vs Speed
Replay Cast
3 days
Afreeca Starleague
4 days
BeSt vs Leta
Queen vs Jaedong
Replay Cast
4 days
The PondCast
5 days
Replay Cast
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
WardiTV Winter 2026
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

BSL Season 22
CSL Elite League 2026
CSL Season 20: Qualifier 1
ASL Season 21
Acropolis #4 - TS6
2026 Changsha Offline CUP
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

CSL Season 20: Qualifier 2
CSL 2026 SPRING (S20)
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
CSLAN 4
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
IEM Atlanta 2026
Asian Champions League 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.