First I want to make something clear - I have the very bad habit of designing and executing a build orders based on feel and instinct. Because of that I dont have in stone bo of when to built what. Also due to lack of practice partners I have only used this build in the ladder (with great success). So rather than throwing some random timings I wound not be even sure about, I will explain the concept and outline the build and give some general guide lines. However I will make effort in the following days to get generate a solid build order and update the post.
The goal: open with stargate, get a quick and "safe" third, own a zerg.
The concept/build overview:
+ Show Spoiler +
1 - The build starts as a normal FFE (the order I do it is pylon, forge, nexus, cannon, gateway, 2 more probes, pylon).
2 - Add dual gas @ 20-21 limit (population)
3 - Add cyber core right after your gate is ready
4 - @ ~5:00 game time if the zerg does not have a third started or ready, do something else, this build wont work (or at least I could not get it to work)
5 - When the cyber core is ready, start warp gate, msc and a stalker to deny scouting (note even if your stargate is scouted it should be perfectly fine).
6 - Start a (as in ONE) stargate the very moment you are able to. It will be around the time you have 16-17 probes on minerals in your main. This same moment start your 3rd gas at your natural. When the 3rd assimilator is ready, start the 4th one.
7 - When the stargate is ready, start a Phoenix. When the phoenix is ready start a void ray. Use the phoenix to scout the zerg. If you suspect mutas, build 2nd stargate right away and own mutas. However you will most probably find clues that the zerg is going ground - roach hydra, or something else and from here on starts my build.
8 - Start +1 ground weapons, while your first voidray is building add 4 more gateways for a total of 5 gateways. The first chance you have. Use the first voidray to hunt overlords around your base.
9 - While maintaining constant VR production, add a twilight council. Warp whatever ground units you can afford, and proceed to take a third. If everything proceeds normally, this should happen at around 9:xx-10:xx game time. Once the pylons around your 3rd nexus are ready, add cannons - the number which will make you be safe, you decide that. Dont forget constant VR production.
10 - Now the magic starts, we need to prepare the defense of our 3rd - once your twilight is done, start a dark shrine. When/if you have the resources, start +1 air weps, charge. Explanation: you have already taken the stargate tech route. The zerg knows that because of your phoenix and/or scout. Ofc he will make hydras, and probably be agressive. If you go robo to defend, you will not have enough units. 2nd stargate wont help with the quick 3rd. Im not a fan of mass gateway units, so that is not a solution too. If you go ht`s there is a chance that the initial zerg push will come before storm, and you are dead. However if you go dt`s, you will most certainly defend your 3rd even if the zerg happens to bring overseers (almost never happens with the INITIAL push).
11 - you will have excess gas, build some sentries, use them for hallucination when the zerg push comes.
12 - You can harass the zerg with your first 2-3 vr`s. If you managed to save your first scouting probe, you can build a pylon ahead of time and snipe the 4th with some zealots, while distracting the zerg with your voidrays ( if the zerg takes a 4th that is). Whatever you do DONT LOSE EVEN A SINGLE VOIDRAY! Also be very careful not to be attacked while your voidrays are away.
13 - When your dark shrine is ready, warp 5 dt`s. Hot-key them on a separate control group from the rest of your small army. They are for defense! Right away start templar archives, when its done storm and at least 3 ht`s this is priority ! Add 2nd stargate - constant VR`S !
14 - The defense of the initial roach hydra push:I am yet to see a zerg who does not push stargating protoss with roach hydra (sometimes even with infestors added). To survive this push we need to setup almost perfectly. We need to know where it comes from, some time before it actually hits - send a probe to the possible paths. Your dt`s should be positioned at a place where they would able to reach easily your natural and your third - the 2 place the push can hit. When you see the push coming start moving your dts in such a way that they will be behind the hydras. You want your dt`s to attack the hydras (or infestors if there are any), not the roaches. Engage in such way that the voidrays will be attacking the roaches, while the dt`s slaughter the hydras.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/SIU18GPl.jpg)
If there is an overseer, you should kill it a quickly as possible, its ok to lose vr`s to do that. Kill as many hydras as possible while the zerg struggles to retreat. While all that is happening, you may want to use your forward pylon to harass a bit with some zelots and a dt or 2, but safety is your first priority.
15 - by now your templar archives should be done, start storm and chrono it like your life depends on it (BECAUSE IT DOES!) and warp 3-4 ht`s. Add some more gateways. The next zerg push will be coming very soon, and it will be alot harder to hold. Use your phoenix to scout and be sure if the zerg will be attacking. Use storms to hold the push and decimate the zerg army. If you manage to do that, you can take your 4th base for free, if not, you yourself should decide when and how to take it depending on the situation. But with timewarp from msc and storm you should be able to crush this push if it comes.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/uHLnGtEl.jpg)
16 - as you take your 4th you can add fleet beacon , 2nd cyber core for air upgrades and more stargates. Some of those you can do even before that. Again I have not optimized the build and dont have an order set in stone.
17 - At this point you can start carrier production. And play the way you like.
2 - Add dual gas @ 20-21 limit (population)
3 - Add cyber core right after your gate is ready
4 - @ ~5:00 game time if the zerg does not have a third started or ready, do something else, this build wont work (or at least I could not get it to work)
5 - When the cyber core is ready, start warp gate, msc and a stalker to deny scouting (note even if your stargate is scouted it should be perfectly fine).
6 - Start a (as in ONE) stargate the very moment you are able to. It will be around the time you have 16-17 probes on minerals in your main. This same moment start your 3rd gas at your natural. When the 3rd assimilator is ready, start the 4th one.
7 - When the stargate is ready, start a Phoenix. When the phoenix is ready start a void ray. Use the phoenix to scout the zerg. If you suspect mutas, build 2nd stargate right away and own mutas. However you will most probably find clues that the zerg is going ground - roach hydra, or something else and from here on starts my build.
8 - Start +1 ground weapons, while your first voidray is building add 4 more gateways for a total of 5 gateways. The first chance you have. Use the first voidray to hunt overlords around your base.
9 - While maintaining constant VR production, add a twilight council. Warp whatever ground units you can afford, and proceed to take a third. If everything proceeds normally, this should happen at around 9:xx-10:xx game time. Once the pylons around your 3rd nexus are ready, add cannons - the number which will make you be safe, you decide that. Dont forget constant VR production.
10 - Now the magic starts, we need to prepare the defense of our 3rd - once your twilight is done, start a dark shrine. When/if you have the resources, start +1 air weps, charge. Explanation: you have already taken the stargate tech route. The zerg knows that because of your phoenix and/or scout. Ofc he will make hydras, and probably be agressive. If you go robo to defend, you will not have enough units. 2nd stargate wont help with the quick 3rd. Im not a fan of mass gateway units, so that is not a solution too. If you go ht`s there is a chance that the initial zerg push will come before storm, and you are dead. However if you go dt`s, you will most certainly defend your 3rd even if the zerg happens to bring overseers (almost never happens with the INITIAL push).
11 - you will have excess gas, build some sentries, use them for hallucination when the zerg push comes.
12 - You can harass the zerg with your first 2-3 vr`s. If you managed to save your first scouting probe, you can build a pylon ahead of time and snipe the 4th with some zealots, while distracting the zerg with your voidrays ( if the zerg takes a 4th that is). Whatever you do DONT LOSE EVEN A SINGLE VOIDRAY! Also be very careful not to be attacked while your voidrays are away.
13 - When your dark shrine is ready, warp 5 dt`s. Hot-key them on a separate control group from the rest of your small army. They are for defense! Right away start templar archives, when its done storm and at least 3 ht`s this is priority ! Add 2nd stargate - constant VR`S !
14 - The defense of the initial roach hydra push:I am yet to see a zerg who does not push stargating protoss with roach hydra (sometimes even with infestors added). To survive this push we need to setup almost perfectly. We need to know where it comes from, some time before it actually hits - send a probe to the possible paths. Your dt`s should be positioned at a place where they would able to reach easily your natural and your third - the 2 place the push can hit. When you see the push coming start moving your dts in such a way that they will be behind the hydras. You want your dt`s to attack the hydras (or infestors if there are any), not the roaches. Engage in such way that the voidrays will be attacking the roaches, while the dt`s slaughter the hydras.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/SIU18GPl.jpg)
If there is an overseer, you should kill it a quickly as possible, its ok to lose vr`s to do that. Kill as many hydras as possible while the zerg struggles to retreat. While all that is happening, you may want to use your forward pylon to harass a bit with some zelots and a dt or 2, but safety is your first priority.
15 - by now your templar archives should be done, start storm and chrono it like your life depends on it (BECAUSE IT DOES!) and warp 3-4 ht`s. Add some more gateways. The next zerg push will be coming very soon, and it will be alot harder to hold. Use your phoenix to scout and be sure if the zerg will be attacking. Use storms to hold the push and decimate the zerg army. If you manage to do that, you can take your 4th base for free, if not, you yourself should decide when and how to take it depending on the situation. But with timewarp from msc and storm you should be able to crush this push if it comes.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/uHLnGtEl.jpg)
16 - as you take your 4th you can add fleet beacon , 2nd cyber core for air upgrades and more stargates. Some of those you can do even before that. Again I have not optimized the build and dont have an order set in stone.
17 - At this point you can start carrier production. And play the way you like.
General guidelines:
+ Show Spoiler +
Whenever you engage strive to save as much of your fleet as possible. You can lose ht`s and dt`s, your ground army is expendable, but not your fleet.
Maintain good composition, cut carrier production to maintain voidray number. Carrirs will be useless without voidrays to rape corruptors.
Always have at least 4-5 ht`s with your army.
Build a great number of gateways. When you lose air units, you cant instantly remake them, so add gateway units during your pushes.
Once you feel safe, you can make 2 oracles to deny creep spread.
Air upgrades and shields!
Turn your msc to MS. The invisibility is great and it will draw some corruptor fire and by the time it dies, your fleet would have killed some corruptors for free.
Maintain good composition, cut carrier production to maintain voidray number. Carrirs will be useless without voidrays to rape corruptors.
Always have at least 4-5 ht`s with your army.
Build a great number of gateways. When you lose air units, you cant instantly remake them, so add gateway units during your pushes.
Once you feel safe, you can make 2 oracles to deny creep spread.
Air upgrades and shields!
Turn your msc to MS. The invisibility is great and it will draw some corruptor fire and by the time it dies, your fleet would have killed some corruptors for free.
Endgame army (MS sniped)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ZWVbVUZl.jpg)
This is the theory behind my build tbh, it seems pretty solid to me (in theory). I hope that by posting it, more, and more experienced players than me, will get to play around with it and maybe form a really solid build order in PvZ. As you can see there is alot of space for optimization and because of that I think it may actually work well even at high levels. Any advise and/or additions are welcome.
Ofc I need to post some replays to illustrate everything I said. But please keep in mind that I just returned from about 8 months break from SCII and my execution is probably as sloppy as it gets. + Show Spoiler +
also, there may be some bm in the reps T_T
http://sc2rep.com/replays/(Z)IIIIIIIIIIII_vs_(P)ZeroReverse/21616
http://sc2rep.com/replays/(Z)aesop_vs_(P)ZeroReverse/21617
http://sc2rep.com/replays/(Z)Atomic_vs_(P)ZeroReverse/21618
http://sc2rep.com/replays/(P)ZeroReverse_vs_(Z)TFrozt/21619