An Introduction

Hey guys, my name is Gemini and I'm a Grandmaster Protoss player who has been making guides since 2011 on various sites. The Build of the Week is my most popular series of build order guides that I've been making for about three years now on /r/allthingsprotoss. With the help of TeamLiquid.net and Spawning Tool I'm now bringing my guides over to TL as well!

Each write-up includes build order notes, an explanation/analysis of how the build works, and a VOD section so you can check out the source game and how it should go. I'll also include the Spawning Tool link so that you can practice it in game yourself and download the replay of me doing it. I hope you enjoy and be sure to read the whole write-up before asking any questions as I'm sure some of them will be answered in here!

How to use Spawning Tool
Link to the PvP Spawning Tool Build
Link to the PvP v2 Spawning Tool Build
Link to the PvZ Spawning Tool Build
Link to the PvT Spawning Tool Build
Link to /r/allthingsprotoss Guide.

New Patch, New Builds

With the introduction of Patch 4.0, many Protoss players might feel lost since most of the builds were completely scrapped with the removal of the MSCore. Luckily for all of you, I've put together this special edition of the BotW including one build per matchup to get you all started on the right track!

Before I get started, I need to say a few words on how my build order notes will now be written. Since energy based chronoboost is back, it is much more important to follow chronoboost timings listed in the build. You can’t missclick and then instantly reassign it to where it should be going, so it’s important to pay attention. The increased boost power also means that if you miss certain chronoboosts it could heavily impact a build, since it relies on that quicker progression to function. I will mention the early game chronoboost timings no matter where they are going, however after a certain point I will stop mentioning since at that point it will be less important where they go and it is assumed you will be using them on important upgrades and probes.

At the moment, the European players have been playing for a longer time than any others so I’m trusting their chronoboost timings over the Koreans. The EU players are chronoing immediately at the start of the game, and once more on 18 supply. The Koreans were waiting until later to chrono and in general seemed less optimized. The first chrono is more like at around 1/3 of the way after the first probe starts, that way you have constant probe production until 14. If you do it immediately at the start there will be a super tiny gap in probe production.

[PvP] ShoWTimE's 2 gate expand into robo/twilight

Now originally PvP seemed like it was going to be a bit of a chaotic mess of early game all ins, however with the addition of the shield battery, this shouldn’t be something to worry about. This is an extremely safe and solid style that will get an expansion early and defend it well.

Build Notes

Build Explanation

For this PvP build I offered two versions of it. One is the baseline version that ShoWTimE used vs. another passive opener which gives you a good idea of how the build is meant to go, and the other is an altered version that is a bit safer if you end up scouting any sort of incoming aggression. It also features a different follow up if you would like to try out some different mid game compositions.

This is basically the 4.0 altered 2gate safe expand. It works essentially the same as before, however it’ll need some small tweaks since you no longer need to spend 100/100 on a MSCore for protection. Since there are no overcharges to stop early adept shades, early adepts have become much more powerful. To combat this, some slight changes will need to be made to your early game defense. From now on, you should be walling at the top of your main ramp with your first pylon and two gateways and leaving a probe at the gap after expanding. This allows you to build a building in the gap as the shades attempt to shade in, and then cancel it when they cancel their shades. If you do not do this, the adepts will one shot your probes, thus making shield batteries ineffective. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t build those either. To be extra safe against adepts and oracles or any other pressure, you should build one shield battery in your main mineral line early on (around 2:30 in game time). Oracles four shot probes now with shield battery support, and a single adept basically will never kill a probe by itself with a shield battery if you have units fighting it. They are very strong buildings and should not be underestimated.

Now that we know the new additions to early game PvP, this explains why this opener starts with adepts. If your opponent did NOT take these precautions, then you may very well win the game with your first two adepts. You could gain an incredible early lead that is easily snowballed for a victory later on. They also allow for some early game scouting to check if they have expanded or not, which can help you determine if you need extra shield batteries or not. Following the two adepts are two stalkers, and then two sentries for defense and a follow up hallucinated phoenix scout. After expanding (you will be supply blocked on 31 with this build since ShoWTimE decides to get many units out early) you then get a Robo as well to start your tech progression, and a Twilight Council follows that up shortly as well for blink. A forge and immortal production, along with two extra gates, will complete the general setup of this opening which is basically identical to how people have been opening in PvP for the last few months.

Depending on what you scout with hallucinated phoenixes, you can decide to make even more gateways and take a slightly later expand like ShoWTimE does this game, or you can expand a bit earlier and then get the extra gateways. It’s dependent on what you think is a better option on a game by game basis. After that, you can then tech up to a normal chargelot/immortal/archon composition as has been so popular recently. ShoWTimE goes for adepts in this game, but I believe chargelots would have been a better option to go for.

For the defensive variation of the build, it basically just delays everything to get some faster immortals and more shield batteries out. Socke went for a blink aggression and ShoWTimE defended easily with immortals and shield batteries. He then teched up to blink and disruptors . You could very easily do a disruptor follow up with the baseline build as well, since it doesn’t seem set in stone which are the correct unit compositions to go for in PvP at the moment. Disruptors are still very strong if used properly, colossi seem to also be good vs heavy chargelot compositions, but chargelot/immortal/archon still has a great brute force ability that can break a lot of players before they have the proper composition. So try some different styles out, use this build as a general guideline, and build LOTS of shield batteries if you’re getting all inned.

VODs

Unfortunately, this game was not casted on any of the streams, but if you download the Spawning Tool replay, it features the replay of this build that you can watch.

Spawning Tool link for the baseline build.

Spawning Tool link for the safe variant build.

[PvZ] Harstem's 2 Oracle into 8 gate stalker/sentry all in

Unfortunately for us, PvZ is the one match up that seems like it will cause a bit of difficulties. Late game Zerg has some incredible strength with the new infestors, so to combat this it seems most reliable to end the game early before this happens. So, to get you all started on the right foot, this build by Harstem is a very fun and fresh type of aggressive opening to keep Zergs from getting to their end game.

Build Notes

Build Explanation

Since most optimized PvZ builds pre-patch cut out the MSCore early to afford faster tech anyway, the general order for these builds doesn’t really change too much. So this build starts with a pretty normal 19 Nexus into Stargate opening for two fast Oracles to harass and scout the Zerg. Harstem chronoboosts out a Stalker first to deny overlord scouts, but if you feel safer going for an adept first to scout then that’s totally fine. The new overlord speed buff makes it tough to deny scouting so that’s why he is getting the stalker first. After the Stargate, you then get two more gateways and slightly later a Robo to set yourself up for a 3rd expansion. This looks very normal to a scouting Zerg player and seems to be very macro oriented. However, as you’re expanding to the 3rd, you’re also throwing down five extra gateways and getting a warp prism out of your robo. You’ll be warping in nonstop sentry/stalker production and hitting around 6:10 with a good amount of units that the Zerg shouldn’t be well prepared for after they see you trying to take a 3rd base. This is a very simple and clear build that should hopefully make your PvZs a little less chaotic, however the early game might still be a bit troublesome for some of you so I’ll talk a little bit about early game defense as well.

Early Game Defense With No MSCore

Three things have been added to help with early game Protoss defense of Zerg cheeses. First is the adept shade vision being buffed to four up from two. Second is the increased damage of Stalkers. And finally, is the shield battery. Do not underestimate how strong these additions are. The added vision range will help count drones and see what units are on the map while being out of harm’s way. Shield batteries heal extremely quickly, and putting just one per mineral line can easily help vs modest ling drop openers. Probes can stay alive longer while drilling vs lings, an adept will basically be untouchable. Ravager all ins hitting your front door? Stalkers kill them much quicker now, and since shield batteries cost only 75 minerals, you can easily make enough so that they cannot all be corrosive biled out of existence. Opening with a fast stargate also gives you protection from the air to help clean up anything that is left over from the attack.

I’m not saying it will be easy or that you won’t still face some all ins that require more intense reactions, but the tools to defend are there and it’ll just take some time to get used to using them and adapting to the new changes.

VODs

Also just like the other builds, the Spawning Tool replay has the original replay for this game.

[PvT] Zest's Blink/robo into double forge

Zest is best, and so is blink/robo. Zest has effectively brought back his old blink/robo style that he used nonstop for the longest time and it’s insanely good. Mass blink stalker chargelot with double forge upgrades into templar is extremely strong on the patch at the moment and is an incredibly solid way to play. Unlike all those oracle cheeses that are going on, this is less likely to be effected in any upcoming balance changes, so come be an honorable protoss with our friend Zest.

Build Notes

Build Explanation

The nice thing about PvT builds is that the early game didn’t really change very much in terms of build orders, at least for this style. Blink/robo pre-patch worked essentially the same as it does post-patch, except you don’t have to build an MSCore anymore and instead you chrono out some early stalkers to pressure
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So that’s what this build starts with, a normal 19 Nexus opener with some chrono'd stalkers to deal with the potential reaper and to scout around and poke at the front of the Terran’s base. Afterwards, you get a robo and a twilight and then two extra gates while you chrono probes and one observer to get across the map. Zest even goes for a four minute 3rd base in his games since he’s an absolute god and isn’t afraid of any pressure. He doesn’t even get shield batteries until super late either because he’s so confident in his reactionary stalker movement and map vision. If you guys want though you can delay the Nexus slightly and get a shield battery per base to be safe.

After you setup your 3rd you’ll want to go into double forge and keep the chrono going constantly. With the new 100% boost power on chrono your upgrades finish unbelievably quickly if you constantly dump chrono into them, so you can hit some gnarly 2/2 and 3/3 timings. You’ll pair this up with a large gateway explosion around at around 5:20 so that you can power hard in the mid game with a massive amount of chargelot/blink stalker. To then compliment the army if the game goes later, you can tech into High Templar for storm. You should also get some immortals into the mix to buff your army a bit once it goes later, and a warp prism to either harass the opponent or to carry your Templar in to keep them safe and to suicide storm right in the middle of the terran army. From there you can continue with that composition or add in colossi eventually as well or tempest if they decide to turtle with ranged liberators.

Defending Drops and Map Vision

It’s important to remember when opening Robo vs terran, to set your observers up in a way to cover the areas you want. This old BotW featuring Stats’ robo opener goes into detail on observer placement and how to play around that vision. I would suggest taking another look at this if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about or need a refresher.

Secondly, shield batteries should be paired with a cannon or two on the edges of bases to help defense. They’re very cheap and keep your cannons and units alive so much longer, so they really should not be underestimated, as I have mentioned many times already in this guide. Get two or three in each spot of contention to stay safe.

Finally, remember that you have a new recall ability! You can recall to any Nexus that has 50 energy available on a 130 second cooldown. Once the recall is finished channeling your units are free to move and attack immediately, unlike before where you had to wait a few seconds and were vulnerable. This increases your ability to punish doom drops extremely hard if the terran is not paying well enough attention to them. Just be sure that there aren’t any other attacks coming on the other side of the map before you recall your entire army to one place, since it does have a 130 second global cool down.

VODs

This VOD is also unavailable, but the Spawning Tool link has the replay of this game.