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Active: 1739 users

[G] Stardust's fast blink opener for PvT

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
JayPower
Profile Joined March 2011
Netherlands171 Posts
September 30 2013 13:09 GMT
#1
Introduction

This guide is about Stardust's PvT opener. With this quick blink style you will be able to vend off drops more easily and get your 3rd safely compared to rain's PvT which focusses more on early upgrades. Make sure you check out Stardust's games vs Kas in WCS EU as well.

Video guide



Build order

Open with a normal 1gate FE
23 Pylon
23 Gas
24 Stalker (4:10)
24 Warpgate
30 Robo (5:00)
30 Stalker (5:15)
36 Forge (5:45)
37 Pylon (5:55)
38 Stalker (6:00)
41 Observer (6:10)
43 Gas (2x) (6:20)
45 +1 armor (6:35)

47 Twilight council (6:50)
48 Pylon (7:00)
51 Robo bay (7:20)
53 Pylon (7:30)
53 Sentry / Blink (7:45)

63 Gateway (3x) (8:30)
63 Colossus
63 Gateway (2x)

PFVODs

youtube.com/watch?v=orO8zrD5wKg

youtube.com/watch?v=J8bp01ZA-fw

Replays

http://drop.sc/360937?pass=157cddf5-bc12-4a3a-a2ef-ecc4e031413a
vs normal bio play.

http://drop.sc/360938?pass=a07b6bbf-22fd-47cd-ab50-d732cee59284
vs normal bio play with a 2 base scv pull.

http://drop.sc/360939?pass=45439ac4-ee13-44a3-a002-9e43f1d9ecc9
vs widowmine drop into normal bio play. Did a storm timing before ghosts.

http://drop.sc/360940?pass=34e7f0aa-43e1-4e87-bb49-cfb13705f9020
vs normal bio play.

http://drop.sc/360943?pass=1e19252b-e2f1-4c22-8033-aa242e93ef66
vs normal bio play into scv pull.

http://drop.sc/360944?pass=a7256132-5330-47f1-8b4a-577b98a4acdc
long macro game vs bio.

http://drop.sc/360945?pass=7daaed51-130e-495f-b908-b049dd8cd3d0
vs gas first hellion runby into tank push.

http://drop.sc/360946?pass=880f2488-e919-40ed-b255-c59e4975c855
long macro game vs bio.

http://drop.sc/360947?pass=30b96e18-0945-4527-8b70-986a9aa31e71
vs 3 CC into scv pull (bad micro caus hotkeys messed up).
Jaypowersc2.com for Guides, Videos, Replays and Coaching
TXRaunchy
Profile Joined June 2013
United States131 Posts
September 30 2013 14:10 GMT
#2
I would love to do this and tried but my micro sucks balls.
JayPower
Profile Joined March 2011
Netherlands171 Posts
September 30 2013 14:35 GMT
#3
On September 30 2013 23:10 TXRaunchy wrote:
I would love to do this and tried but my micro sucks balls.


The way I have my control groups laid out makes it a bit easier. I have my whole army on 1 (blink stalkers included) and my stalkers seperate on 2. I recommend trying it, I think it's very manageable until you've teched up to storm, then I use my whole army on 1 (High templar excluded) and High templar on 2. It would be great if you can select your stalkers and shift click the vikings, but just blinking them once so they're in range of the vikings help a lot too.
Jaypowersc2.com for Guides, Videos, Replays and Coaching
McHawk
Profile Joined March 2013
6 Posts
September 30 2013 15:08 GMT
#4
Mmm i don't see the MCR, and nowadays MCR is the best scout unit in pvt in early game..
JayPower
Profile Joined March 2011
Netherlands171 Posts
September 30 2013 15:29 GMT
#5
On October 01 2013 00:08 McHawk wrote:
Mmm i don't see the MCR, and nowadays MCR is the best scout unit in pvt in early game..


Sorry, what is a MCR?
Jaypowersc2.com for Guides, Videos, Replays and Coaching
McHawk
Profile Joined March 2013
6 Posts
September 30 2013 15:58 GMT
#6
sorry , my mystake. i mean MSC, the mothership core.
Kommatiazo
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United States579 Posts
September 30 2013 15:58 GMT
#7
Mothership core recall?

I've been doing a more aggressive 3-gate blink expand that allows me to try and do damage to the Terran really early on. If you can snipe stim it's basically an auto win from there. But I like this more Econ focused style. I'll definitely start mixing this in a bit more.
"You must enemy don't know, and very good micro" - Bosstoss #Wet4Ret
Darthsanta13
Profile Joined July 2011
United States564 Posts
September 30 2013 17:45 GMT
#8
On October 01 2013 00:58 McHawk wrote:
sorry , my mystake. i mean MSC, the mothership core.

I think the MsC is built during the standard 1 gate FE, which goes roughly

9 Pylon
13 Gate
14 Gas
16 Pylon
18 Core
~21 Zealot (cancel if there's no ebay block)
21 Nexus
21 MsC

I mightve gotten some of the numbers slightly off but that's the gist of it.
ARze
Profile Joined September 2010
Australia45 Posts
October 01 2013 01:58 GMT
#9
Nice guide, approximate where does this deviate from the Rain build, I'm asuming swapping twilight with robo build times?
SweKenZo
Profile Joined December 2011
Sweden82 Posts
October 01 2013 10:56 GMT
#10
On September 30 2013 23:35 JayPower wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 30 2013 23:10 TXRaunchy wrote:
I would love to do this and tried but my micro sucks balls.


The way I have my control groups laid out makes it a bit easier. I have my whole army on 1 (blink stalkers included) and my stalkers seperate on 2. I recommend trying it, I think it's very manageable until you've teched up to storm, then I use my whole army on 1 (High templar excluded) and High templar on 2. It would be great if you can select your stalkers and shift click the vikings, but just blinking them once so they're in range of the vikings help a lot too.


How about whole army on [1], stalkers on [2] and HTs on [3]?
Bronze->Silver->Gold->Platinum->Diamond-> ?
Apoptotic
Profile Blog Joined May 2013
United States137 Posts
October 01 2013 11:43 GMT
#11
On October 01 2013 19:56 SweKenZo wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 30 2013 23:35 JayPower wrote:
On September 30 2013 23:10 TXRaunchy wrote:
I would love to do this and tried but my micro sucks balls.


The way I have my control groups laid out makes it a bit easier. I have my whole army on 1 (blink stalkers included) and my stalkers seperate on 2. I recommend trying it, I think it's very manageable until you've teched up to storm, then I use my whole army on 1 (High templar excluded) and High templar on 2. It would be great if you can select your stalkers and shift click the vikings, but just blinking them once so they're in range of the vikings help a lot too.


How about whole army on [1], stalkers on [2] and HTs on [3]?


Any hotkey set up that works for you works best, just note that it's probably best to have them all on separate keys.

I have blink stalkers on Q, for example. Rebind them to whatever works for you and whatever your fingers can press and you'll be fine.
SC2: Apoptotic.156 || LoL NA: DeathCapForCutíe PI: apoptotic || "There's something in my brain here that's telling me he needs to 2base all-in." "That's called a lesion."
JayPower
Profile Joined March 2011
Netherlands171 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-02 15:55:34
October 02 2013 13:30 GMT
#12
On October 01 2013 19:56 SweKenZo wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 30 2013 23:35 JayPower wrote:
On September 30 2013 23:10 TXRaunchy wrote:
I would love to do this and tried but my micro sucks balls.


The way I have my control groups laid out makes it a bit easier. I have my whole army on 1 (blink stalkers included) and my stalkers seperate on 2. I recommend trying it, I think it's very manageable until you've teched up to storm, then I use my whole army on 1 (High templar excluded) and High templar on 2. It would be great if you can select your stalkers and shift click the vikings, but just blinking them once so they're in range of the vikings help a lot too.


How about whole army on [1], stalkers on [2] and HTs on [3]?


Possible as well, probably the ideal setup for most players. However I find it a bit difficult to control in the late-game cause I only keep 3-4 high templar on my 3rd hotkey even though I may have 10 or more to prevent them clumping up. So I have to move a bunch around manually when I move my army around. When you're playing that positional war vs the terran, I prefer having my stalkers on 1 as well so I can move the core part of my army more easily.

But Apoptotic Is right, you should find the setup that works best for you and try as many setups as possible. You'll find what suits you best eventually.

On October 01 2013 10:58 ARze wrote:
Nice guide, approximate where does this deviate from the Rain build, I'm asuming swapping twilight with robo build times?


Thanks. I would say this variation is a bit more greedy considering you don't get 2 aditional gateways right after the robo but rather stay on 1 gate until 9 minutes. Also If I remember correctly, rain gets 2 sentries before adding his twilight. By cutting that, you can get the twilight for blink as well as colossus at the same time. I think protosses getting better at dealing with mine drop and terran agresion before stim has allowed stardust to cut so many corner is the early game.

I would recommend anyone to take a look at the mYi replay pack. Specifically stardust's game vs lucifron on akilon wastes. He didn't do this opener, but his defense against lucifron marine / medvac / widowmine agression with only 1 warpgate was near flawless.

http://www.myinsanity.eu/monthly-recap-september/
Jaypowersc2.com for Guides, Videos, Replays and Coaching
aldochillbro
Profile Joined July 2012
187 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-13 20:49:17
October 13 2013 20:34 GMT
#13
nice guide. this is now my standard because I feel like if you are active with your stalkers you can theoretically stop any agression. fun playstyle, especially when you win because you pick off so many medivacs with blink so early.

edit: I gate scout sometimes and skip the forge/early upgrades for more blink stalkers early on if i see no gas
igay
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
Australia1178 Posts
October 13 2013 23:51 GMT
#14
Great build keen to try it out
MVP <3 MKP <3 DRG <3
Lobotomist
Profile Joined May 2010
United States1541 Posts
October 14 2013 00:58 GMT
#15
Wow, great guide. The observer placement section is something that I never learned, as a player who off-races as toss.
Teching to hive too quickly isn't just a risk: it's an ultrarisk
ShoCkSC2
Profile Blog Joined June 2012
Germany340 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-17 12:29:58
October 17 2013 12:18 GMT
#16
Well, to be honest, NaNiwa did this before Stardust.

-Forge can be dropped down at 5.30 already
-The way I have seen this being played is with a 7.00 cannon in the main (unless scouted non-drop-play 100%
-first Observer gets chronoed ( -> scouts along attackpath for marine-pressures and eventually for dropplay)
-You can also utilize the first Stalker until around ~6.00 to check the Watchtower, see if any marinepressure is coming your way or maybe even Hellions, very helpful, because whenever you see marines you can move out with the 3 stalker setup and kite them to death. - depends on the map if this is an option, Belshir f.e. is good for doing this.

Also, its important to mention that its really helpful to place your first couple of pylons behind the mineralline (to drop down cannons asap, as you get a 2nd one vs dropplay on natural). Next couple of pylons (7.00ish because of dropplay) then normally go to the edges of the base (to scout incoming dropships) - This can be quite crucial so that Overcharge goes off before the Medivac unloads units.

Another thing to mention is you basically tech up (w/ twilight or Robobay) at the point you scout the Terran-base, hence the chrono on the Obs is so crucial, its the point of deviation. There can be some plays like ~9.00 stim timings w/out factory, so whenever scouting such things with the Obs, you need to get the 2nd Sentry before the Twilight, other than that, you can add tech before gates and the additional sentry. What I do for example is, whenever I see an agressive moveout and lack of factorytech, instead of teching at ~7.30-.40 and adding my gates at ~8.00 i get my Gates earlier (~7.30), the 2nd sentry and then the tech. Otherwise its almost impossible to hold - overcharge will eventually clean it up, yes, but you will have to pull probes and lose the game right there.

The reason you need to get the 2nd sentry before tech against stim-timings (w/out medivacs) is your sentry WILL be too late and you wont have 3 FF to hold the ramp. Then again, if your gates are delayed even more than those additional 15 seconds you will still lose, because the reason you get the 2nd sentry at that point is basically to stall time until your first 3-unit warpin, which should be able to hold any push w/ overcharge at that point in time. :> But yea, its finetuning ;D

Very good build btw.
Hope this helps

gg
NaNiwa l facebook/shocksc2 l @shocksc2 l twitch.tv/shocksc2 l Grandmaster Protoss Player
weikor
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Austria580 Posts
October 18 2013 10:13 GMT
#17
a gas in the main most likely means reapers not fast hellions.
Olli
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
Austria24422 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-18 11:24:33
October 18 2013 11:23 GMT
#18
Actually Oz and HerO started doing this in Proleague.

A little twist I like to put in is getting +1 attack first since you don't want your stalkers to be taking damage anyway, same goes for your colossi. The attack upgrade helps with picking off units when they cross the map, etc. You usually research +1 armor first because of how tanky it makes zealots under a guardian shield but with this build you won't be relying much on them initially. Besides you'll have 1/1 in time to combat any terran pushout either way, the attack upgrade just strengthens the blink opener.
Administrator"Declaring anything a disaster because aLive popped up out of nowhere is just downright silly."
ShoCkSC2
Profile Blog Joined June 2012
Germany340 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-20 18:48:51
October 20 2013 18:47 GMT
#19
@DarklordOlli: You might be right with the proleague thingy :>.
Thats actually a good point as you will get +1/+1 anyways when you get charge as well, so that you can bridge the time you rely on Stalkers/Collosi more heavily with +1 attack.

@weikor: Well, you cant really say "a gas in main means xyz". Theres a big difference between gas-timings:
f.e. gas first, 12 gas, 13 gas, 15 gas.

-Gas first normally means Factory tech on 1 base
-12 Gas is basically Reaper opening
-15 Gas is expansion into factory-tech [f.e. Widowmine drops]
NaNiwa l facebook/shocksc2 l @shocksc2 l twitch.tv/shocksc2 l Grandmaster Protoss Player
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