EPTHello all,
I’m RemarK, top masters Protoss on the NA server, this is my first guide – I’ll be teaching you guys a relatively simple PvZ build, the 7-gate, +1/+1 immortal all-in! For lack of a better name, I’ll just refer to it as the Immortal 7-gate.
This build is a 2-base PvZ all-in (very strong timing attack) that I saw Choya do in the GSTL. It’s a neat build – the goal is to build a miniature death ball and attack before the Zerg’s unit production has 100% kicked in. It’s especially strong vs Zergs who try to go straight into mutas on 3 hatches, if you execute properly, you will kill them most of the time!
Infrastructure:
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Before we talk about the build in greater depth, I want to talk about the infrastructure of this build, as well as a few notes about saturation.
The basic infrastructure of the build is you start +1 attack while your cyber core is still warping in, and then a sentry + robo shortly after it has finished. After starting the sentry and robo, you take the extra gases at your natural expansion, keep chrono-boosting probes until you hit 44 (16 probes / mineral field x 2 mineral fields + 3 probes / assimilator x 4 assimilators).
Saturations are very important – when you’re doing a build such as this, it’s crucial to be on top of your saturation game. I don’t transfer any probes to my natural when it finishes, and instead have each nexus rallied to their respective mineral line until I get 16 probes on minerals in my main and 6 on gas (16 probes = box all the mineral workers in your main and it should be exactly 2 rows of probes) – then I rally my main Nexus to the natural mineral field and just add workers until we get the required amount down there as well (3 on each gas, 16 on minerals).
It might seem like I’m making a big deal out of this, but I cannot overstate its importance. You’re attacking a Zerg who probably will have ~60 drones (sometimes even more!) and therefore you need to be squeezing every last drop of efficiency out of what you have. If you’re executing correctly and use your knowledge of saturations to your advantage, then you will actually be attacking at a time when your resource collection rate is better (and has been most of the game) than the Zerg’s, even though he is 20 workers ahead of you (they haven’t fully kicked in yet).
Ok, phew, boring technical stuff out of the way, onto the build!
The basic infrastructure of the build is you start +1 attack while your cyber core is still warping in, and then a sentry + robo shortly after it has finished. After starting the sentry and robo, you take the extra gases at your natural expansion, keep chrono-boosting probes until you hit 44 (16 probes / mineral field x 2 mineral fields + 3 probes / assimilator x 4 assimilators).
Saturations are very important – when you’re doing a build such as this, it’s crucial to be on top of your saturation game. I don’t transfer any probes to my natural when it finishes, and instead have each nexus rallied to their respective mineral line until I get 16 probes on minerals in my main and 6 on gas (16 probes = box all the mineral workers in your main and it should be exactly 2 rows of probes) – then I rally my main Nexus to the natural mineral field and just add workers until we get the required amount down there as well (3 on each gas, 16 on minerals).
It might seem like I’m making a big deal out of this, but I cannot overstate its importance. You’re attacking a Zerg who probably will have ~60 drones (sometimes even more!) and therefore you need to be squeezing every last drop of efficiency out of what you have. If you’re executing correctly and use your knowledge of saturations to your advantage, then you will actually be attacking at a time when your resource collection rate is better (and has been most of the game) than the Zerg’s, even though he is 20 workers ahead of you (they haven’t fully kicked in yet).
Ok, phew, boring technical stuff out of the way, onto the build!
The Build:
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Like most PvZ builds, we start off with a standard forge fast expansion (FFE). There’s a few stylistic differences in how people FFE, so don’t feel like you have to use my version of the build – it’s just the version I’m most comfortable with / think is best right now.
9 pylon (@ low-ground) – Scout with the probe that builds this pylon.
13/14 forge (chronoboost probes twice, then build forge) – If it’s a 4-player map AND your first scout hasn’t figured out where the Zerg lives, you need to scout with this probe also in case he’s 6 or 7 pooling.
17 Nexus (you should’ve scouted the Zerg, if he’s early pooling [anything before an 11 pool] you might need to either drop a pylon + cannon in your main mineral line or rush to complete the wall before building the nexus, thus abandoning this build)
17 Cannon
17 Gateway
17 Pylon (Note: the cannon + gateway + pylon should either complete your sim city and leave you with a 1-hex hole that can be plugged by a probe or zealot, or on maps with wide-ramps like Antiga set you up to complete your sim city when you add the cyber core)
*Build a probe*
18 2x Assimilator (I like to build these with the probe that made the 17 pylon, and then use my scouting probe to plug the wall when he gets home)
*Pylon finishes*
Chronoboost probes, put workers on gas when the assimilators finishes, etc
*Nexus finishes, Gateway finishes*
Build your cyber core
@100 gas – Start +1 ground attack upgrade at forge
Around this time, you should be approaching saturation at your main – when you have 16 probes on minerals, make sure to rally both Nexus to your natural expansion
Build a pylon (choose the pylon location carefully, you’re going to build your robo here and you want it to be in a safe and slightly hidden spot – I usually just put it on top of my ramp at my main)
*Cyber core finishes*
Start warp tech, start sentry (optional chronoboost on sentry if you haven’t confirmed a 3rd base)
@200 minerals / 100 gas, drop your robo
Keep chronoboosting probes! We’re not saturated at the nat yet
@100 gas, start second sentry
@100 gas, start +1 armor upgrade
Drop pylons as needed, you want to stay 4-6 supply ahead of the limit right now
@16 probes on minerals at your natural, take both gasses at your natural, keep making probes (you need 6 more at that point, 3 from each nexus)
*Warp tech finishes*
Morph gateway, warp in sentry
*Robotics facility finishes*
Build immortal
Note – at this point, we should be very close to stopping probe production, from here we are going to focus our chronoboost on the +1 armor upgrade (to finish it in time for the push) and on the robo units (to get them out as fast as possible). Additionally, keep warping in sentries off of our single warp gate
As the first immortal is building, add 2 gates.
*First immortal finishes*
Build another immortal, and add 4-gates (the goal of this timing is to be deceptive, Zergs usually sack an overlord to scout and if we don’t add all our gates at once there’s a higher chance of him not seeing all those gates – I also recommend not building all the gates in the same place, although that’s optional and a little bit map dependent)
*Second immortal finishes, morph first 2 gates into warp gates and get more sentries!*
Build warp prism
Note – +1 armor should be almost done, and so should all your gates. Morph them into warp gates, make sure you have 6-8 sentries , and from then on warp in stalkers. You’re going to build pylons 2-3 at a time to keep up with your supply off of 7 gates production.
*Warp prism finishes*
Load up both immortals into the warp prism, and send the warp prism somewhere outside the Zergs 3rd (whatever angle you want to attack from)
Note – as you’re moving out, ideally the Zerg is just going to see gateway units and a warp prism. This makes it slightly harder to get a full read on what build you’re doing, and he might make more roaches than he would have wanted to had he known about the immortals.
Move out with your gateway force
@Full warp cycle – morph warp prism into phase mode, then warp in 7 stalkers (sometimes this will be your second full warp-in
Attack! And good luck.
9 pylon (@ low-ground) – Scout with the probe that builds this pylon.
13/14 forge (chronoboost probes twice, then build forge) – If it’s a 4-player map AND your first scout hasn’t figured out where the Zerg lives, you need to scout with this probe also in case he’s 6 or 7 pooling.
17 Nexus (you should’ve scouted the Zerg, if he’s early pooling [anything before an 11 pool] you might need to either drop a pylon + cannon in your main mineral line or rush to complete the wall before building the nexus, thus abandoning this build)
17 Cannon
17 Gateway
17 Pylon (Note: the cannon + gateway + pylon should either complete your sim city and leave you with a 1-hex hole that can be plugged by a probe or zealot, or on maps with wide-ramps like Antiga set you up to complete your sim city when you add the cyber core)
*Build a probe*
18 2x Assimilator (I like to build these with the probe that made the 17 pylon, and then use my scouting probe to plug the wall when he gets home)
*Pylon finishes*
Chronoboost probes, put workers on gas when the assimilators finishes, etc
*Nexus finishes, Gateway finishes*
Build your cyber core
@100 gas – Start +1 ground attack upgrade at forge
Around this time, you should be approaching saturation at your main – when you have 16 probes on minerals, make sure to rally both Nexus to your natural expansion
Build a pylon (choose the pylon location carefully, you’re going to build your robo here and you want it to be in a safe and slightly hidden spot – I usually just put it on top of my ramp at my main)
*Cyber core finishes*
Start warp tech, start sentry (optional chronoboost on sentry if you haven’t confirmed a 3rd base)
@200 minerals / 100 gas, drop your robo
Keep chronoboosting probes! We’re not saturated at the nat yet
@100 gas, start second sentry
@100 gas, start +1 armor upgrade
Drop pylons as needed, you want to stay 4-6 supply ahead of the limit right now
@16 probes on minerals at your natural, take both gasses at your natural, keep making probes (you need 6 more at that point, 3 from each nexus)
*Warp tech finishes*
Morph gateway, warp in sentry
*Robotics facility finishes*
Build immortal
Note – at this point, we should be very close to stopping probe production, from here we are going to focus our chronoboost on the +1 armor upgrade (to finish it in time for the push) and on the robo units (to get them out as fast as possible). Additionally, keep warping in sentries off of our single warp gate
As the first immortal is building, add 2 gates.
*First immortal finishes*
Build another immortal, and add 4-gates (the goal of this timing is to be deceptive, Zergs usually sack an overlord to scout and if we don’t add all our gates at once there’s a higher chance of him not seeing all those gates – I also recommend not building all the gates in the same place, although that’s optional and a little bit map dependent)
*Second immortal finishes, morph first 2 gates into warp gates and get more sentries!*
Build warp prism
Note – +1 armor should be almost done, and so should all your gates. Morph them into warp gates, make sure you have 6-8 sentries , and from then on warp in stalkers. You’re going to build pylons 2-3 at a time to keep up with your supply off of 7 gates production.
*Warp prism finishes*
Load up both immortals into the warp prism, and send the warp prism somewhere outside the Zergs 3rd (whatever angle you want to attack from)
Note – as you’re moving out, ideally the Zerg is just going to see gateway units and a warp prism. This makes it slightly harder to get a full read on what build you’re doing, and he might make more roaches than he would have wanted to had he known about the immortals.
Move out with your gateway force
@Full warp cycle – morph warp prism into phase mode, then warp in 7 stalkers (sometimes this will be your second full warp-in
Attack! And good luck.
Notes for execution:
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With this army composition, you’re essentially creating a well-upgraded miniature death ball. Immortal stalker sentry is a pretty durable and robust composition, with both high durability and good DPS when balled up. Forcefields are a potential game-changer for you, if you can cut off part of his army and kill it for free then you’re on your way to a win! But if you mis-manage your sentry energy by either using inefficient forcefields or too many guardian shields (ideally 1, AT MOST 2 per engagement) then you’ll run out and get overrun by Zerg reinforcements.
Given your composition, you want to be careful and intelligently choose how to engage. Don’t approach from a wide open area, where you can get flanked, surrounded, etc. DO approach from narrow chokes if possible. If the Zerg is caught off guard and doesn’t have enough units, then you can just go straight up to his 3rd and position yourself next to it, attacking and also using it as part of a choke. Do everything you can to get in a position where you are putting pressure on the Zerg and forcing him into entering an unfavorable engagement. Lastly, if possible, do your best to avoid attacking up a ramp blindly.
The warp prism is absolutely crucial to the success of this build – if you lose it, you lose your instant warp gate reinforcements and will probably get overrun by cheap Zerg units. If he has hydras or lots of queens, make sure your warp prism is far enough back to be safe.
Generally with this attack, the Zerg will be doing 1 of 4 things: some permutation of mass roach / roach+ling, ling + hydra, ling + infestor, or ling + muta. Usually, this build hits before any of the latter 3 tech choices have kicked in fully so you will most often be able to overrun them and kill them. If the Zerg has lots of lings, don’t be afraid to warp in a round of zealots, and then just position them in front of your army for the engagement. Zealots, especially +1/+1 zealots are amazing tanks and with their sturdiness + the DPS of your mini-death-star you should be able to trade with a blinding cost-efficiency!
Sometimes, you will get the Zerg’s 3rd base but not be able to kill him if his natural is well-defended / his hydra numbers hit a critical mass / he has lots of spines. As long as you’ve killed his 3rd and 10~ drones and he’s not going muta, you’re in a goodspot! All you need to do to win is back-off, go double robo colossus, and then you can push out with 4x Colossus and thermal lance (you can take a 3rd behind this push if you’d like as well). He should die here.
Given your composition, you want to be careful and intelligently choose how to engage. Don’t approach from a wide open area, where you can get flanked, surrounded, etc. DO approach from narrow chokes if possible. If the Zerg is caught off guard and doesn’t have enough units, then you can just go straight up to his 3rd and position yourself next to it, attacking and also using it as part of a choke. Do everything you can to get in a position where you are putting pressure on the Zerg and forcing him into entering an unfavorable engagement. Lastly, if possible, do your best to avoid attacking up a ramp blindly.
The warp prism is absolutely crucial to the success of this build – if you lose it, you lose your instant warp gate reinforcements and will probably get overrun by cheap Zerg units. If he has hydras or lots of queens, make sure your warp prism is far enough back to be safe.
Generally with this attack, the Zerg will be doing 1 of 4 things: some permutation of mass roach / roach+ling, ling + hydra, ling + infestor, or ling + muta. Usually, this build hits before any of the latter 3 tech choices have kicked in fully so you will most often be able to overrun them and kill them. If the Zerg has lots of lings, don’t be afraid to warp in a round of zealots, and then just position them in front of your army for the engagement. Zealots, especially +1/+1 zealots are amazing tanks and with their sturdiness + the DPS of your mini-death-star you should be able to trade with a blinding cost-efficiency!
Sometimes, you will get the Zerg’s 3rd base but not be able to kill him if his natural is well-defended / his hydra numbers hit a critical mass / he has lots of spines. As long as you’ve killed his 3rd and 10~ drones and he’s not going muta, you’re in a goodspot! All you need to do to win is back-off, go double robo colossus, and then you can push out with 4x Colossus and thermal lance (you can take a 3rd behind this push if you’d like as well). He should die here.
Replays:
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Here’s a few of my replays from ladder games with this build, I wrote this guide based on the most recent game I played using it.
vs coLRyze – http://drop.sc/148257 (this is how the attack plays out vs a Zerg going mutas usually, and is probably the best example of the build)
vs TSLRevival – http://drop.sc/148360 (I lost this game, but I’m including it to show both how Z users can play against it and what sort of mistakes P users should avoid making when executing this build)
vs RoK – http://drop.sc/148359 (This is an example where I kill the 3rd + some drones, but didn’t want to press the attack further and went for the 2x robo colossus follow-up push)
Note – I actually have a lot less replays of this build saved then I thought - if you guys want more replays, just let me know and I’ll do this build vs my next few ladder Zergs and update this guide. I figured that since this attack is just a build order for the first 8 to 9 minutes of the game, that would be the most important part to show!
vs coLRyze – http://drop.sc/148257 (this is how the attack plays out vs a Zerg going mutas usually, and is probably the best example of the build)
vs TSLRevival – http://drop.sc/148360 (I lost this game, but I’m including it to show both how Z users can play against it and what sort of mistakes P users should avoid making when executing this build)
vs RoK – http://drop.sc/148359 (This is an example where I kill the 3rd + some drones, but didn’t want to press the attack further and went for the 2x robo colossus follow-up push)
Note – I actually have a lot less replays of this build saved then I thought - if you guys want more replays, just let me know and I’ll do this build vs my next few ladder Zergs and update this guide. I figured that since this attack is just a build order for the first 8 to 9 minutes of the game, that would be the most important part to show!
About Me:
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I’m RemarK.406 on the NA server, a top masters Protoss who comes from a FPS background (Halo specifically) with no RTS experience. Feel free to message me on TL (soLremarK), reddit (mmkramer), or battle.net with any feedback or thoughts about my guides. I also stream tournament and ladder games at http://www.twitch.tv/tsremark , often with commentary as well. Thank you for reading and I hope this guide was helpful!
Thanks for taking the time to write this up! Have you considered attacking a minute later with blink and +2? I feel the combination of those two is much more effective than a slightly earlier attack and +1 armor.
