EPT
http://www.pgr21.com/zboard4/zboard.php?id=daku&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=1236
At the top of the page there are also two replays (unfortunately probably not 1.12, although I'm not sure) demonstrating the build at the top of the page.
Even if you don't like this build, I hope you appreciate the kind of effort this guy put into writing this guide-- I sort of hope TL strategy forum could also go in this direction, with people actually putting in alot of time in explaining their build after they KNOW it works.
Cheers!
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Hello, I’m a protoss user going by the ID IntotheNal_rA. I’m writing this to introduce a build I’ve used almost everyday for the past year—a build that has become something of my own trademark build.
I. How I came to make this build
Normally in a pvz, a protoss using a 1-gate build always sends a probe to scout and almost always sends 1 zealot as harass. The probe scouts the zerg’s position, delays pool or hatchery placement, and harasses drones. And the 1 zealot, once it arrives, does its best to hunt drones, avoid zerglings and must stay alive as long as possible to buy time to tech and to prevent zerglings from immediately countering.
As a protoss user, I did the same thing as above. I usually built a pylon 7-8, gate 9-10, and the 1 zealot from this build would achieve, at best, the results above (but no better.) However, even if I was able to achieve everything above, the zerg would comfortably go 3 hatchery, and the rest of the game would be difficult. Even if I won, the game would always be difficult. 2-gate hardcore zealots were even more difficult, and double nexus was always risky and not safe enough...
For me, the solution was “fastest 1st zealot as possible” and “If the zerg starts out by taking his natural, destroy it or force a cancel with a cheese rush”.
So for awhile I played with a 6pylon/7gate build, but one day I tried a 6 pylon 6 gate build and learned that this was very effective. The first zealot obviously comes out much faster, and even though my probe production was cut, I felt “richer.” So from that point on I’ve been using this build continually.
II. Introducing this build
6 Pylon 6 gate after 150. mins
The probe which built the gate scouts
Probes until 9/17 Gate finishes, 1st zealot
Probes until 13/17 2nd zealot
Probes until 16/17 or 17/17 2nd pylon
This is the basic build, no matter your starting location.
III. The goals of the build?
1) Fast zealot
2) Destroy or force a cancel of risky fast hatchery at natural with a cheese rush
3) Force zergling production
4) Economic stability due to continual probe production after gateway (to be more exact, this is not a hungry build)
This is the summary. Now I will explain the logic behind each of these goals.
1) No explanation necessary…
2) If the starting positions are 2/8 on lost temple for instance, unless the zerg goes 9 hatchery, the zerg must either cancel the hatch or must use his drones and buy time until his zerglings come out. However, even this option of delaying is only a possibility if he went 10 hatchery or so.
12 hatchery is very weak against my build. Even if all the drones come out to buy time, he will be hurt too much, and even if he cancels, there are 2 zealots and a probe to block the ramp when his zerglings come out. In a very short time the 3rd zealot arrives and in the meantime the protoss will have either teched or have gotten a forge for +1 ups… so as zerg 12 hatchery expanding is walking right into a trap.
3) Although the zerg doesn’t always make many zerglings, it is usually how zergs react if they scout the 6 gateway build. Afterwards zergs usually go 2 hatchery at their main, break the zealot hold on their ramp, and go 3 hatchery afterwards.
4) Probe production is constant after the gateway is built. Although this is obviously not a “rich” build, it isn’t particularly “hungry.” If this build works as it should, the result is that the protoss is about as rich as an 8 pylon 10 gate 1-gate build, and the zerg has built zerglings where he would normally have been making drones or going 3 hatchery. If not, they tend to go straight hydra, or even 2 hatch lair in their main.
IV. Variations depending on different starting positions or different responses by the zerg (“Execution”)
I’ll take starting at 12 as an example.
If you start at 12 and the zerg starts at 3, normally you will know by the scouting overlord. The most conservative build is to add a gateway after the initial build order in section 2 above. Because the first zealot comes out fast, any 4-9 pool zergling rush can be stopped very easily. In the case that the zerg goes 12 pool, it is possible to hunt drones with the first zealot. If the zerg goes 2 hatchery in main (9-10-11 drone), it’s safe to say you can catch 1-2 drones unless the zerg has superb micro. Needless to say, 12 twin hatchery is even worse for the zerg.
For ramp hatchery, hatchery under the ramp, or hatchery at the natural, it will be difficult to build because of the scouting probe but even if it gets built, you can simply destroy it with a cheese rush (**** it is good to leave at least 4-5 probes at your main when you do this cheese rush*****)
No matter what the zerg’s response is, you can just play normally after your second gateway is built, and the overall result is that you will in the end still have 2 gates, but will be better off than if you went a standard 8 pylon 10 gate 11 gate build.
If the zerg is at 9, pay more attention to your scouting probe, to harass more effectively and to prevent the zerg from expanding fast to his natural. If you delay the hatchery to around 12 drone hatchery timing, let him start the hatchery, since he won’t be able to finish it anyhow. But if he still hasn’t build a hatchery at around that timing, it means he went pool first. If you’ve forced him to go pool first, your position isn’t bad, your start isn’t bad… and as protoss you can say you’ve succeeded in the early game.
In the case that the zerg goes pool first, if the zerg takes his expansion without making zerglings, the protoss is at a disadvantage. So make sure to continue to harass the drone coming out to build the hatchery. If no drone comes out to build at his natural, that means he either is going twin hatchery in main or makes zergling first and then will take his expansion. In this case, it’s a good idea to hide your 1st zealot in a corner in his main. You’re faking as if your second zealot is actually your first zealot.
Finally, your scouting probe goes to 9 and there’s only an overlord… that means he’s at 6. In this case you can’t harass him from taking his natural. Once you arrive it’s already building. As soon as you see him building, leave 4-5 probes at your main and cheese rush. Once the zerg sees this with his overlord or drones, he will cancel the hatchery or bring out 5-6 drones. However…
The first zealot arrives very quickly. Unless the zerg is very skilled it is impossible to stop this cheese rush. If the zerg is thinking “I went 9 hatch to safely expand so I can stop it,” he’s screwed. Either he will lose his hatchery, or will take a lot of damage trying to protect it. However, as protoss you must be very careful. A fast hatchery build like 9 hatchery is difficult to destroy, and in the process you may lose all of your attacking probes. The difference between making sure your probes can return alive and losing them all is huge. You need to judge when you’ve done enough damage.
If your starting point is at 3, there isn’t much difference from if you start at 12. However, if the zerg starts at 9, it’s best that you play more conservatively than when you start at 12 and he is at 6. And if he is at 6, you can play more aggressively than when you start at 12 and he is at 9. And of course there’s a possibility he might be at 12 (the scouting overlord can avoid being seen, unlike when you are at 12 and he is at 3)
V. Playing after the early game
To be honest there’s no one answer. If I had a clear answer I wouldn’t be writing this, I’d probably be practicing in a proteam -_-
However from my experience I will note a few words of caution:
- When you’ve forced a cancel and have blocked ramp with zealots:
Either the zerg will try to break through with zerglings or will fake breaking through by showing you some zerglings. It’s impossible to scout what his build is unless you sacrifice a zealot. So in this case:
1) Be careful of straight hydra. If you tech very fast, you will lose. So in my case even if my tech is late, I usually build a forge first.
2) You have to be careful of very fast muta or lurker, or some other risky strat
3) There is a possibility that a drone got out and is building a hatchery elsewhere on the map
- When you’ve forced a cancel but the zerg takes expansion later.
1) Don’t relax, thinking you have a huge advantage. Your opponent, after all, is zerg and you’re protoss.
2) You have to be very diligent in scouting—lair timing, whether hydra den goes up fast, whether he’s only zergling.
- Pool first or twin hatchery in main
1) Be careful of speedlings.
2) Be happy that you have somewhat of an advantage, and play conservatively.
VI. Conclusion
In Part 3, I summarized the “goals” into 4 parts, but in truth it can be stated in 1 sentence. “Do not allow the zerg to play normally, while using a 1 gate play (instead of a 2 gate play).”
In the first replay included, I am at 12 and the zerg is at 3. It shows, as explained in section 2, that adding a gate means that this build can go into a normal 2 gate build.
In the second replay, I’m at 3 and the zerg is at 9. This zerg player is a very good player. If I play him 10 times I might win once… however, here I don’t think he was aware of my style. He goes 12 hatch at natural but cancels when he sees my cheese rush. And his zerglings start running towards my base as soon as they come out. He runs by my 2 zealots and as a result suffers major losses to his drones. In his words, he said it was the first time he faced this kind of play and got flustered, so made a bad mistake. Probably he was busy microing to kill the probe first and moving that he didn’t see the additional zealot. Normally the two zealots would be killed then he could either go 3 hatchery, go lair in his main, or go straight hydra. Even if he could have done any of this, my build could be said to be a success.
And that was in responce to the above post, not uhjoo's.
