• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 07:53
CET 13:53
KST 21:53
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Rongyi Cup S3 - RO16 Preview3herO wins SC2 All-Star Invitational10SC2 All-Star Invitational: Tournament Preview5RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview8RSL Season 3 - Playoffs Preview0
Community News
Weekly Cups (Jan 12-18): herO, MaxPax, Solar win0BSL Season 2025 - Full Overview and Conclusion8Weekly Cups (Jan 5-11): Clem wins big offline, Trigger upsets4$21,000 Rongyi Cup Season 3 announced (Jan 22-Feb 7)20Weekly Cups (Dec 29-Jan 4): Protoss rolls, 2v2 returns7
StarCraft 2
General
Oliveira Would Have Returned If EWC Continued StarCraft 2 not at the Esports World Cup 2026 [Short Story] The Last GSL Stellar Fest "01" Jersey Charity Auction PhD study /w SC2 - help with a survey!
Tourneys
$21,000 Rongyi Cup Season 3 announced (Jan 22-Feb 7) OSC Season 13 World Championship $70 Prize Pool Ladder Legends Academy Weekly Open! SC2 All-Star Invitational: Jan 17-18 Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament
Strategy
Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
[A] Starcraft Sound Mod
External Content
Mutation # 509 Doomsday Report Mutation # 508 Violent Night Mutation # 507 Well Trained Mutation # 506 Warp Zone
Brood War
General
Fantasy's Q&A video [ASL21] Potential Map Candidates BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion Gypsy to Korea
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues Azhi's Colosseum - Season 2 Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL21] Non-Korean Championship - Starts Jan 10
Strategy
Current Meta Simple Questions, Simple Answers Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2 Game Theory for Starcraft
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Battle Aces/David Kim RTS Megathread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Beyond All Reason Awesome Games Done Quick 2026!
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas
Community
General
Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread NASA and the Private Sector Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
The herO Fan Club! The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
How Esports Advertising Shap…
TrAiDoS
My 2025 Magic: The Gathering…
DARKING
Life Update and thoughts.
FuDDx
How do archons sleep?
8882
James Bond movies ranking - pa…
Topin
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1845 users

Cycle warpgates when pumping sentries?

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
September 06 2011 08:12 GMT
#1
I just realized that with the change a while back to lower the sentry gateway build time (but not the warpgate cooldown time), I'm pretty sure you can actually do a nice little macro trick to pump out sentries just a little bit faster than normal.

So for example let's say you have one warpgate (to keep it simple) and you want to make 3 sentries. Normally with warpgates you would warp in a sentry, wait 32 seconds (assume no chrono for simplicity again), warp in another sentry, wait 32 seconds, warp in another sentry. That's a total of 64 seconds for 3 sentries (not including the actual time for the unit to become functional as it starts warping in as that doesn't affect the gateway itself and thus doesn't hinder future cycles).

Instead, warp in a sentry, change the warpgate into a gateway (10 seconds), start making a sentry (37 sec build time), change the gateway back to a warpgate (10 seconds), and warp in a third sentry. This is 57 seconds total, a 7 second decrease in building time to get 3 sentries (and the cycle could obviously continue indefinitely assuming you have the resources).

Am I doing the math wrong somehow here or is this actually a useful little trick in certain situations?

Either way it's important to note that since the rest of the warpgate units still have cooldowns 10 secs over their build times, this trick does not work and you end up 2 seconds slower even with all that work.
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
Durn
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Canada360 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-06 08:18:07
September 06 2011 08:17 GMT
#2
I think it's largely due to convenience and pay-off. 5 seconds for 57 seconds of precision clicking, timing, and focus doesn't necessarily seem worth it.

Secondarily, if you factor in chrono boost, your better off leaving it as a warpgate. For instance, you warp in your first sentry and you chrono boost the cooldown and like... 4 marines show up at your doorstep. You then have the choice to instantly have a Stalker, a Zealot, or another Sentry. You can snap decision whatever composition you want. If you had one sentry standing on top of you ramp, and another one like 75% done when those 4 marines show up, you can't be like "SHIT, I actually need a Stalker to kite these bastards around or range them from behind the forcefielded ramp!"

The point I am trying to make here I guess, is that there is more to the Warpgate mechanic than just timing. It is largely about being able to snap decide which units you need now, rather than committing to a 30 second build time.
"Even if I lose 100 games, that's 100 different arrows pointing me in the wrong direction." - Sean Day[9] Plott
unit
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
United States2621 Posts
September 06 2011 08:17 GMT
#3
i believe this was found in beta and blizzard patched it out...if they didn't however i need to start using it, great thing to do with extra apm
.kv
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States2332 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-06 08:18:01
September 06 2011 08:17 GMT
#4
I thought they patched that?

Edit: ninja'd
Thermia
Profile Joined August 2010
United States866 Posts
September 06 2011 08:17 GMT
#5
Doesn't it take something like 5 seconds to warp units in, though?
Sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from trolling. IGN: Mierin
SteamySashimi
Profile Joined July 2010
10 Posts
September 06 2011 08:18 GMT
#6
Pretty sure something like this was discussed before and it was found that when the gateway is turned into a warpgate a second time it starts at the beginning of its cooldown cycle. Think this was a fix Blizzard put in to prevent just this sort of thing.
marttorn
Profile Blog Joined May 2011
Norway5211 Posts
September 06 2011 08:18 GMT
#7
I've been wondering, if you warp in a unit, switch to gateway and switch right back, the cooldown doesn't restart does it? Because that would get you the unit like 10 seconds faster if i'm not mistaken, not counting chronoboost

I'm assuming that's not possible to do, because if it was i'm sure a lot of pro's would have figured it out (not to mention blizzard) and abused it/reported it.
memes are a dish best served dank
FeyFey
Profile Joined September 2010
Germany10114 Posts
September 06 2011 08:20 GMT
#8
not sure if that works that way ... but if it works, you should try to change into a normal gate, then back into a warp gate x3, 20 sec cooldown for every unit hihi.
But since the warp gate change time was increased by alot around the beta/early release, i belief they did something to prevent such a thing. (was 3 seconds at that time? which would have allowed to go do this with any unit not just sentrys)
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-06 08:21:46
September 06 2011 08:21 GMT
#9
On September 06 2011 17:18 SteamySashimi wrote:
Pretty sure something like this was discussed before and it was found that when the gateway is turned into a warpgate a second time it starts at the beginning of its cooldown cycle. Think this was a fix Blizzard put in to prevent just this sort of thing.


Oh snap seriously?

Time to get off my lazy arse and actually go test it...

That'd make me really sad if they took something like this out of the game when it could add a lot of skill
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
Montana[TK]
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
1624 Posts
September 06 2011 08:24 GMT
#10
Why would you make such a thread before testing it?
Plexa: "It's not [caster] bashing when its the truth."
Emata
Profile Joined May 2010
United States50 Posts
September 06 2011 08:24 GMT
#11
I just tested it to make sure, when the gateway changes into a warpgate for a second time, it starts in cooldown, so you can't warp in that 3rd sentry.
Vei
Profile Joined March 2010
United States2845 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-06 08:28:56
September 06 2011 08:28 GMT
#12
No trick:
0:00 no sentries
0:05 sentry 1 able to be used
0:42 sentry 2 able to be used
1:17 sentry 3 able to be used
1:49 sentry 4 able to be used


With trick:
0:00 no sentries
0:05 sentry 1 able to be used
0:15 gateway
0:42 sentry 2 able to be used
0:52 warpgate
0:57 sentry 3 able to be used
1:34 sentry 4 able to be used

NET RESULTS
- sentry 3 available 20 in-game seconds faster
- sentry 4 available 15 in-game seconds faster

(assuming this trick works)
((math used: 5 seconds for warpgate build time ; 32 seconds for warpgate cooldown ; 37 seconds for sentry gateway build ; 10 seconds to morph gateway type))
www.justin.tv/veisc2 ~ 720p + commentary
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
September 06 2011 08:28 GMT
#13
Ah yeah looks like they made it so that the cooldown is paused while it's a gateway, so this wouldn't work

Oh well, less macro in the game, I guess less skill is better right blizz? :\
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
Vei
Profile Joined March 2010
United States2845 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-06 08:30:20
September 06 2011 08:29 GMT
#14
On September 06 2011 17:28 -orb- wrote:
Ah yeah looks like they made it so that the cooldown is paused while it's a gateway, so this wouldn't work

Oh well, less macro in the game, I guess less skill is better right blizz? :\

well it also balances warp-gate rushes, so yeahh
www.justin.tv/veisc2 ~ 720p + commentary
marttorn
Profile Blog Joined May 2011
Norway5211 Posts
September 06 2011 08:31 GMT
#15
On September 06 2011 17:28 -orb- wrote:
Ah yeah looks like they made it so that the cooldown is paused while it's a gateway, so this wouldn't work

Oh well, less macro in the game, I guess less skill is better right blizz? :\


Imagine an optimized 4gate with this trick

would be so fucking gosu! Goddamnit blizzard why not!

jk's, would be way too good.
memes are a dish best served dank
branflakes14
Profile Joined July 2010
2082 Posts
September 06 2011 08:34 GMT
#16
On September 06 2011 17:18 SteamySashimi wrote:
Pretty sure something like this was discussed before and it was found that when the gateway is turned into a warpgate a second time it starts at the beginning of its cooldown cycle. Think this was a fix Blizzard put in to prevent just this sort of thing.


Bah, it's just like what Blizzard said about Diablo 3. If a player finds a creative way to gain an advantage, they'll patch it.
Swwww
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Switzerland812 Posts
September 06 2011 08:42 GMT
#17
On September 06 2011 17:34 branflakes14 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 06 2011 17:18 SteamySashimi wrote:
Pretty sure something like this was discussed before and it was found that when the gateway is turned into a warpgate a second time it starts at the beginning of its cooldown cycle. Think this was a fix Blizzard put in to prevent just this sort of thing.


Bah, it's just like what Blizzard said about Diablo 3. If a player finds a creative way to gain an advantage, they'll patch it.


So you would rather that some players had a competitive advantage over others based on some gimmicky trick? Excellent
"What is this TeamSupportGroup?" - mahnini.
-orb-
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States5770 Posts
September 06 2011 08:49 GMT
#18
On September 06 2011 17:31 marttorn wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 06 2011 17:28 -orb- wrote:
Ah yeah looks like they made it so that the cooldown is paused while it's a gateway, so this wouldn't work

Oh well, less macro in the game, I guess less skill is better right blizz? :\


Imagine an optimized 4gate with this trick

would be so fucking gosu! Goddamnit blizzard why not!

jk's, would be way too good.


Well the units would spawn all the way back at the gateway so offensively for stuff like 4gate it would be useless... the rush distance is going to be longer than 7 seconds. It's only useful in a defensive postiion where you need those units immediately at your base.
'life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery'
how sad that sc2 has no shield battery :(
sleepingdog
Profile Joined August 2008
Austria6145 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-06 08:52:20
September 06 2011 08:52 GMT
#19
The problem is, the 2nd sentry (that you've built from gateway) won't have energy built up, since it can only start with it, once produced. Even though it's overall slower, you'll have more energy available if you stick with warps.
"You see....YOU SEE..." © 2010 Sen
zturchan
Profile Joined January 2011
Canada156 Posts
September 06 2011 08:52 GMT
#20
How on earth do you define "gimmicky trick"?
1 2 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
RongYI Cup
11:00
Group C
SHIN vs Percival
Creator vs Classic
RotterdaM1105
ComeBackTV 1090
IndyStarCraft 315
BRAT_OK 156
Rex123
3DClanTV 66
CosmosSc2 60
EnkiAlexander 39
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RotterdaM 1105
IndyStarCraft 315
BRAT_OK 156
Rex 123
CosmosSc2 60
StarCraft: Brood War
Rain 7760
Sea 4052
Horang2 681
Jaedong 519
Larva 453
Hyuk 438
Shuttle 400
Mini 359
BeSt 229
Last 220
[ Show more ]
EffOrt 214
ZerO 199
Zeus 185
Soulkey 179
Sexy 167
Hyun 132
hero 128
sorry 125
Hm[arnc] 120
Backho 84
JYJ 78
Mind 48
ggaemo 45
Sharp 42
Free 24
Shinee 23
scan(afreeca) 23
Noble 18
Bale 17
yabsab 16
ZergMaN 14
Shine 13
Icarus 4
Dota 2
qojqva421
XcaliburYe254
canceldota63
Counter-Strike
zeus1304
byalli468
edward144
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King59
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor206
Other Games
singsing1870
B2W.Neo1623
XaKoH 170
Sick148
Hui .118
ZerO(Twitch)27
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Laughngamez YouTube
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• blackmanpl 19
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos2194
• Stunt556
Upcoming Events
OSC
7m
BSL 21
2h 7m
QiaoGege vs Sziky
Dewalt vs Bonyth
Mihu vs TBD
RongYI Cup
22h 7m
Maru vs Cyan
Solar vs Krystianer
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
23h 7m
BSL 21
1d 2h
Wardi Open
2 days
Monday Night Weeklies
2 days
OSC
2 days
WardiTV Invitational
3 days
WardiTV Invitational
4 days
[ Show More ]
The PondCast
4 days
Korean StarCraft League
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Escore Tournament S1: W5
OSC Championship Season 13
NA Kuram Kup

Ongoing

C-Race Season 1
BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
CSL 2025 WINTER (S19)
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
Rongyi Cup S3
Underdog Cup #3
Tektek Cup #1
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
eXTREMESLAND 2025
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025

Upcoming

Acropolis #4 - TS4
Escore Tournament S1: W6
Escore Tournament S1: W7
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
HSC XXVIII
Nations Cup 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League Season 23
ESL Pro League Season 23
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.