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! [Q] PvZ Bigballs?

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next All
naventus
Profile Blog Joined February 2004
United States1337 Posts
October 20 2004 14:54 GMT
#1
You wrote up a REALLY helpful guide to PvT in the other "PvT Openings" thread... I was wondering if you could do something similar, if it won't take too much time/effort to do something maybe of the same length for PvZ? Obviously what made the other post so great was that we got a glimpse at what you thought and the logic behind your strats and decisions (something you can't always see in reps). So a big thanks if you decide to do write a similar post for PvZ!
hmm.
RuGbUg
Profile Joined June 2003
United States2347 Posts
October 20 2004 15:03 GMT
#2
pvz is way too deep for bigballs to write as simple a post. pvt is childs play in comparison
my tip would be to stop choosing pussy strats like sair cannon expo and temp expo.

also, if you're going 3 gate speed zeal or 10/12 speed lot/arch, show your opponent your units.
anguish: its like that time i asked my bestfriend who happened to be black if his dick was bigger than mine anguish: he got angry anguish: and told me i was racist and gay
Mora
Profile Blog Joined October 2002
Canada5235 Posts
October 20 2004 15:15 GMT
#3
PvZ is alot about timing. This is very hard to write a guide about.

I will talk to FA and BigBalls and maybe we can work together for the eager of TL.net !~

(FA is very good at pvz. BigBalls beats me at pvz. And my ZvP is fairly unique, and good, if not top notch)
Happiness only real when shared.
RuGbUg
Profile Joined June 2003
United States2347 Posts
October 20 2004 15:31 GMT
#4
you three pale in comparison to my might
anguish: its like that time i asked my bestfriend who happened to be black if his dick was bigger than mine anguish: he got angry anguish: and told me i was racist and gay
maleorderbride
Profile Joined November 2002
United States2916 Posts
Last Edited: 2004-10-20 15:55:59
October 20 2004 15:55 GMT
#5
I suggest someone use the search function and read the 10,000 pages on PvZ which bigballs has REPLIED ON.

PS
FA is unfairly good at PvZ. I deserve his PvZ skills.
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.
tree
Profile Joined October 2004
United States591 Posts
October 20 2004 17:55 GMT
#6
All threads in the future with the title pvz should just be auto-nuked.
1 month w/o BW = Hell
Liquid`Jinro
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
Sweden33719 Posts
Last Edited: 2004-10-20 18:20:10
October 20 2004 18:19 GMT
#7
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=17349
Is good.

But there's one differance between PvT and PvZ I think, PvZ is much more about 'knowing'. Like, sometimes I'm just dead sure of what zerg is going to do way before he does it. Association memory gogo

Moderatortell the guy that interplanatar interaction is pivotal to terrans variety of optionitudals in the pre-midgame preperatories as well as the protosstinal deterriggation of elite zergling strikes - Stimey n | Formerly FrozenArbiter
pooper-scooper
Profile Joined May 2003
United States3108 Posts
October 20 2004 19:01 GMT
#8
On October 21 2004 02:55 tree wrote:
All threads in the future with the title pvz should just be auto-nuked.


haha, good post, but hey if people need the help it's legit, also if someone made a guide, I'd read it and use it.

FA's posts on other PvZ threads are very helpful.
Good...Bad... Im the guy with the gun
BigBalls
Profile Blog Joined May 2003
United States5354 Posts
October 20 2004 22:56 GMT
#9
Hmm

FA and rugbug pretty much nailed it.

PvZ is all about knowing exactly what to do at the right time. It is so much knowledge/counter based that writing up a guide to it would require so many forks.

I'll write something up some general guidelines and good ideas later though, got class in a few minutes.
if you guys could use google and post direct links to the maphacks here it would be greatly appreciated. - Nazgul
nArAnjO
Profile Joined October 2002
Peru2571 Posts
October 21 2004 01:00 GMT
#10
8D frozenarbiter pvz go? me z =)
Liquid`Jinro
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
Sweden33719 Posts
October 21 2004 01:18 GMT
#11
You play protoss.
No.

^_^
Moderatortell the guy that interplanatar interaction is pivotal to terrans variety of optionitudals in the pre-midgame preperatories as well as the protosstinal deterriggation of elite zergling strikes - Stimey n | Formerly FrozenArbiter
nArAnjO
Profile Joined October 2002
Peru2571 Posts
October 21 2004 01:52 GMT
#12
i play random vs toss ^^ and my zvp has won vs many good tosses though by being lammer =p, cmon jus wanna c how good u are pvz =O
juSblazin
Profile Joined August 2004
United States691 Posts
October 21 2004 03:02 GMT
#13
Post reps if yall play
ChApFoU
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
France2983 Posts
October 21 2004 03:03 GMT
#14
watch Ra and Grrrr replays , 2 different styles but 2 ownage PvZ players ^^
"I honestly think that whoever invented toilet paper in a genius" Kang Min
LetMeBeWithYou
Profile Joined August 2004
Canada4254 Posts
October 21 2004 03:40 GMT
#15
On October 21 2004 10:18 FrozenArbiter wrote:
You play protoss.
No.

^_^


FA Dont even play us noobs =]
All Those beneath an angry star
BigBalls
Profile Blog Joined May 2003
United States5354 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-10-18 18:54:14
October 21 2004 07:02 GMT
#16
Ok.

Since pvz is far too complex to explain everything, i'll just go over some basic guidelines. I'll keep the explanation to LT even though I haven't played a pvz on LT in oh 3 months lol.


So anyways, here is one variation....

8 pylon, scout cross map.
Gate on 9.

You should reach the cross position around 10 psi. If he is cross map, stay with 1 gate and get gas soon after. If he is NOT cross map, make a 2nd gate.



1 gate strat:

8 pylon, 9 gate, 12 assim, pylon, forge after 2 zealots.

Send your first zealot across the map. If his lings will finish at the latest 5 seconds after your zeal will reach his drones, run back. otherwise, stay there and try to get a few drone kills. if you stay, make an extra zeal at home, you will need it to hold your ramp.

keep zealot production up, and get a core after you start your upgrade. Then get citadel/stargate. use the corsair to first scout, then harass the ovies on your cliffs (cause by this point, you really shouldnt be able to do any damage in the main).

Get speed zeal, a temp archives, and a 2nd gate. Here is where more forking begins........

1) Your corsair sees lair tech, spire building.
Make 2 photons in your main, get an archon asap and try to get an expo up (you can build the expo before the cannons if his spire is late enough). Put your corsair on your main nexus after disposing of ledge ovies, then build a few cannons at your natural and maybe an extra one in your main. Make as many archons as possible -- probably 2-3, keep one in your main (strategically placed to stop harassment), and the rest by your natural.

At this point you can go scout his main with the sair again cause your's is well defended. You will either see a switch to lurker, a switch to hydra, hive tech, or mass muta. Deal with each accordingly.

2) You will see lair tech done, hydraden done. Yes, lurkers are coming captain obvious. If I didnt say it before, it is generally a good idea to get a pylon by your natural as soon as possible so you can get cannons up asap in case of lurker. If you cant, then you need to wait for robo before you can expand, which puts you in dire straits.

3) You will see some form of 3-4 hatch hydra. Just mass hardcore off your gates, get storm when possible, continue upgrading, expo when you have enough units to hold it.

4) Your opponent will be mass expanding with some combination of the above. Try to hit it right away, he should be low on tech units and have a greater number of lings/static defense, which you should be able to do a good amount of damage on with your +1 finished.




2 gate strat:

Just build up from 2 gate. Be aware of how early he pooled, when he made his 2nd hatch etc. Make a smart decision about what to do based on that.

1) if he 9 pooled - hold your ramp, your 2nd/3rd zeals should come in time with 9/10 gate, if they dont, hold the ramp with 2, and bring the rest to your minerals and defend.

2) if he 11 pooled then hatched, try to pressure him hardcore. keep producing zealots out of 2 gates nonstop and rally them to his choke. if you keep the pressure on him for a while he cant tech at all, but is forced instead to make nonstop lings and stay with a very low drone count. gas when you are able and be sure to stop rallying once he gets 3 hatches fully working (unless you can finish him off).

3) he hatched first, then pool. You should try to do some damage to his drones with the first zeal, if you cant, try to prevent him from building a sunken at his natural (assuming he expanded). Gas after about 4 zeals cause he will usually start getting a lot of lings after the initial set back.


Then just do a normal build up to temp tech. Get speed zeal, some photons, an archon, expand, etc.



Midgame tips:
1) If you cant see his tech, robo after 2 gates. You need an air unit to protect your ledge along with some cannons. Also be sure to protect from muta, lurker, lurker drops, and hydra. yeah, it sucks, but hey, if you dont know, you have to play it safe.


2) If he contains you with lurker/scourge, get 3-4 obs before approaching his containment. Try to have 6-8 goons with range done (BE SURE TO NOT MAKE TOO MANY!!!). A common error i see is for a toss to forget to make temps mid game. It is great to have archons, but storm is the backbone of pvz!

3) Try to be constantly upgrading. I usually keep 1 forge until i have 2/0/0 done, then I add a 2nd forge.

4) when you bust out of a contain is the critical point of a game. You need to do the following things. a) expo to your 2nd natural, b) attack any of his stray expansions, c) force pressure on him hardcore if you can take him down, d) DONT FORGET TO MACRO.

When you are in battles pvz, always always always macro and try really hard to bring all new units to battle. if not, you are not utilizing your maximum potential and will probably die to endless waves of reinforcements.

5) dt scouts are great. You cant let him expo to a natural where he can mass sunken and grab 3 bases easily.

6) if he doesnt have a spire, STORM DROP!!! if he does, forget it.

7) try to take an island. The best way to kill island expos is to take one yourself and never let him have it.

8) arbiters rule against ultras. If you havent seen my game against midian, watch it. stasis/cloak really really mess up his ultra/ling army.



This is kind of half assed, mainly because i cant explain a lot about every aspect of pvz. hope it helps though
if you guys could use google and post direct links to the maphacks here it would be greatly appreciated. - Nazgul
naventus
Profile Blog Joined February 2004
United States1337 Posts
October 21 2004 07:08 GMT
#17
Thanks so much! I've also read some of the older posts that people have linked... the reason I asked you (BigBalls) to post was because I couldn't find you in the previous PvZ topics... (maybe I didn't do something right?). But at any rate, I'll be reading through and thinking about your post! Thanks! I'll post again w/ any questions... and play some too... =)
hmm.
mmm.beer
Profile Joined March 2003
Canada412 Posts
October 21 2004 07:31 GMT
#18
Good point made that breaking the contain is a critical point in the game.

As a zerg this is the scariest point in time as the toss has usually massed alot of units and can do some serious damage if you've overextended yourself with expansions.

On the other hand if they blindly throw all their units at your sunken/spore/lurker wall while not expanding its auto gg once the ultras arrive.
ahk-gosu
Profile Joined July 2004
Korea (South)2099 Posts
October 21 2004 07:50 GMT
#19
try to keep scouting probe alive and see how many lings hes making

usually i can tell if hes getting spire or den

some people sometimes cancel to try you. but when in doubt get sairs and harass or get early templar with storm. 3 cannons + 1archon/templar can keep most muta harass away.

if hes going lurk get obs and a lot of goons and archons.
Micro.Macro.Scouting.Harassment.
ahk-gosu
Profile Joined July 2004
Korea (South)2099 Posts
October 21 2004 07:52 GMT
#20
wow a lot of interest in protoss these days
you guys have seem the power of the protoss :D
Micro.Macro.Scouting.Harassment.
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