EPT![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/H9koIDN.png)
Sometimes it's better to throw the opponent off with something inefficient than play to their expectations...
Introduction
This guide shows off two different 2 Gate openings that can be used to harass a Zerg opponent faster than they're used to. Both openings transition into a secondary pressure that aims to deal further damage to the Zerg before finishing off with a large timing-attack based around Twilight Council research. The idea behind these builds is to try to force mistakes out of an opponent who won't be used to playing against this type of opening. An opponent who makes too many mistakes against the first two pressures won't be able to hold against the eventual timing-attack because they simply won't have the economy required to do so.
Video Guides
Build Orders
Opening
- 14 Pylon (Chronoboost Probes Once When Complete)
- 16 Gateway
- 17 Assimilator
- 18 Pylon
- Cut Probes at 20 Supply!
- 20 Gateway
- 20 Cybernetics Core
- 20 Zealot
- Resume Probe Production
- 23 Assimilator
- Cut Probes at Full Saturation
- @100% Cybernetics Core: 2x Adept (Chronoboost Both), Shield Battery, Warpgate Research
- Resume Probe Production
- @150 Minerals 150 Gas: Stargate
- Cut Probes When 20 Mining Minerals
- @400 Minerals: Nexus
- Resume Probe Production
- @100% Stargate: Void Ray (Chronoboost)
- @100% Void Ray: Void Ray (Chronoboost)
- @150 Minerals 100 Gas: Twilight Council
- @100% Void Ray: Void Ray
- @100% Twilight Council: Charge
- @150 Minerals 100 Gas: Robotics Facility
- @600 Minerals: 4x Gateway
- @100% Robotics Facility: Warp Prism (Chronoboost)
- @100% Gateways: Warp-In Zealots and Attack!
- @100% Cybernetics Core: 2x Stalker (Chronoboost Both), Shield Battery, Warpgate Research
- Resume Probe Production
- @150 Minerals 100 Gas: Twilight Council
- @150 Minerals 100 Gas: Robotics Facility
- Cut Probes When 20 Mining Minerals
- @100% Twilight Council: Dark Shrine
- @400 Minerals: Nexus
- Resume Probe Production
- @100% Robotics Facility: Warp Prism (Chronoboost)
- @100% Warp Prism: Blink
- @100% Nexus: Assimilator
- @100% Dark Shrine: 2x Dark Templar
- @250 Minerals 250 Gas: 2x Dark Templar
- @600 Minerals: 4x Gateway
- @100% Gateways: Warp-In Stalkers and Attack!
- With both builds, stop making workers when your natural expansion is saturated. With the Adept opening, this is when the natural minerals are saturated. With the Stalker opening, this is when the natural minerals and one natural Assimilator are saturated.
- With the Adept opening, you want to threaten to move into the main and kill Drones, but you're mostly going to be looking to deny Creep spread and delay the third base. This makes it easier for your Void Rays to harass later on.
- With the Stalker opening, you want to snipe Overlords that are in the middle of the map and then come home. You might be able to get the first Overlord if the Zerg is careless, but you should almost always be able to get the second Overlord if you study Zerg Overlord pathing.
- With the Adept opening, your Void Rays should always be actively harassing. Look to snipe the third base if possible, to kill Queens that are left isolated, to kill Overlords that aren't in a safe location, and even to snipe Assimilators if they're left unattended. Any damage is good damage, just don't lose any Void Rays for it!
- With the Stalker opening, the Dark Templar's main target is to snipe the third base. If this isn't possible, pull back and wait for the second Dark Templar warp-in so that you can do Archon harassment whilst waiting for Blink and your additional Gateways to finish. If the Zerg doesn't have a third base, pull back with the Dark Templar, skip the second set of Dark Templar, and get your additional Gateways sooner.
These builds are far from standard in a lot of senses, but that's kind of the trick behind them. By presenting the Zerg opponent with a build that they're unlikely to have a lot of experience against, you're forcing them to make decisions on-the-fly rather than following the build they wanted to follow, and this gives you an experience advantage. These builds attempt to leverage that experience advantage into a timing-attack victory!
