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[G] Naniwa's (?) PvP 3stalker/zealot robo expand

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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1 2 Next All
JayPower
Profile Joined March 2011
Netherlands171 Posts
June 17 2012 16:10 GMT
#1
Introduction

During the Code S Ro32 of 2012 GSL Season 3 Naniwa showcased this game against Creator. This build is a very aggressive expand build with a robotics facility behind it. Keep in mind that this game was played on Entombed Valley where you have a ramp to your natural. Creator went for a blink/expand build with sentries. But by the time naniwa’s 3 stalker/zealot pressure was over, he already had sentries and an immortal out to defend any counter aggression.

Please note that everything in this build assumes your opponent is going for a regular blink/robo/gateway units style of play, with or without expand. With the 3 stalker/zealot pressure and the quick observer behind it you should use your own logic to decide how to adapt.

Build overview

Naniwa opens with an interesting 3 stalker rush but with a zealot before the 3 stalkers. This increases the offensive potential greatly since you can use the zealot to get high ground vision and shoot from the low-ground with the stalkers. This can be very effective against sentry defenses.

Right as warpgate research finishes, you put down your expansion.

While you’re doing the pressure, you warp-in sentries at home and start making immortals (after an observer). Make sure you don’t make more than 3 sentries. After you have done your pressure, you should make sure you stay defensively. You have the robo, sentries and 2 gateway’s to defend. But you also have the observer heading towards his base which you should use to scout and react to what your opponent is doing.

The build

9 Pylon / 13 gateway / 14 gas

You’ll only put 2 probes on this gas

15 supply: Pylon
18 supply: Cybercore
19 supply: 2nd gas
19 supply: zealot
21 supply: 2nd gate then probe scout

Please note that in high level PvP it’s very common to scout this late. You can choose to scout earlier, this will delay your build slightly though. I recommend scouting after cybercore, on most maps you’re guaranteed to get in before your opponent’s stalker gets out.

After you make your 2nd gate, your cybercore will finish, start a stalker from your 1st gate right away.

25 supply: 3rd pylon (after 1st stalker)
26 supply: 2nd gate finishes, make double stalker (chronoboost both of them)
31 supply: 4th pylon (this could be a forward pylon that you can use later on)

At this point your 3rd and 4th stalker should be done and you can begin the pressure. You can bring a probe to fake a delayed 4-gate. Make sure you make a sentry directly after your last stalkers pops out and rally it to your ramp. Don’t forget to put an additional probe on your first gas.

You cut probes at 25 and add the robo as soon as you can afford it. While you’re doing the pressure, you can decide whether you should get an immortal first or the nexus. I think you should always get the observer before that though.

You will use your first warp-in for sentries to bring your sentry count to 2. With the 3 sentries, 3 stalkers and an immortal you will be in a good position to defend your natural.

Reference

http://www.gomtv.net/2012gsls3/vod/67553/?set=2&lang=

Replays

http://drop.sc/199330

Note how I overextend with my pressure and get behind. My quick nexus and immortal defense got me back into the game though.

http://drop.sc/199393

http://drop.sc/199397

http://drop.sc/199399

http://drop.sc/199401

http://drop.sc/199402
Jaypowersc2.com for Guides, Videos, Replays and Coaching
The_DarkAngelz
Profile Joined April 2010
Brazil221 Posts
June 17 2012 16:23 GMT
#2
I have been doing this for a while...quite good pvp.
=P
Daimai
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Sweden762 Posts
June 22 2012 05:33 GMT
#3
This looks cool! Is it a standard build or only to be used when you scout certain things?
To pray is to accept defeat.
Xaldarian
Profile Joined February 2012
Netherlands65 Posts
June 22 2012 06:20 GMT
#4
How is this not getting more replies?

A rather stable pvp build and an expo build at that is always nice.
Those who lived in darkness have seen a great light
MidgetHumper
Profile Joined January 2011
United Kingdom280 Posts
June 22 2012 07:22 GMT
#5
At current I have been doing the 3 stalker rush (2 chrono on probes, only chrono the first stalker – rest of chrono on WG) 4 gate into a fast nexus if they successfully chain FF there ramp. (Staying below there ramp with a sentry and my inferior gateway army ready to chop there army in half if they try and move down while expanding at home)

Usually followed up by fast single robo colossus and fast +1/2/3 attack.

I'm curious as to weather or not this build allows for a faster, safer nexus or not, will have to give it a try when I get home.
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=284255#1
Tsend
Profile Joined June 2012
France44 Posts
June 22 2012 09:22 GMT
#6
Thank you for the guide and replays you provide. On a first look, seems quite solid. I'm just wondering whether gathering so much gaz is required. Is it for extra sentry warp in emergency?
Connor987
Profile Joined September 2011
United Kingdom103 Posts
June 22 2012 09:54 GMT
#7
ive been doing a version of the dt fe in pvp with huge success where i get 2 early zealots and stalkers to pressure/take apm (maybe force immortal first) then expand very early, with 1 dt followed by blink, a robo and 5 more gates into a +1 blink timing which normally hits just before a third collossi, in collossi rush builds, this seems like it will transition alot better into lategame and hit a stronger blink timing than my opening so ill definately give it a try, however an early double immortal no range collossi push would crush this I feel? as you would have max 2 immortals because of the later robo
Clarity_nl
Profile Joined November 2011
Netherlands6826 Posts
June 22 2012 11:06 GMT
#8
On June 22 2012 18:54 Connor987 wrote:
ive been doing a version of the dt fe in pvp with huge success where i get 2 early zealots and stalkers to pressure/take apm (maybe force immortal first) then expand very early, with 1 dt followed by blink, a robo and 5 more gates into a +1 blink timing which normally hits just before a third collossi, in collossi rush builds, this seems like it will transition alot better into lategame and hit a stronger blink timing than my opening so ill definately give it a try, however an early double immortal no range collossi push would crush this I feel? as you would have max 2 immortals because of the later robo


Grats? Where is the relevance.

Nice guide, I'm really glad PvP is becoming more and more stable (when the maps allow it), thus more watchable.
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT AGAINST STUPIDITY CLARITY, I BELIEVE IN YOU! - Palmar
zelkia
Profile Joined January 2011
United Kingdom13 Posts
June 22 2012 11:43 GMT
#9
excellent guide yo :D
you can't see it at all, unless your flying by.
Macabre
Profile Joined July 2010
United States1262 Posts
June 22 2012 21:44 GMT
#10
Just coming back to the game after about a month break. Very staple/viable pvp build here, thanks for the guide.
Those who know how to think need no teachers. Tasteless - I think I'll take my shirt off and let my muscles do the casting
ZerO_0
Profile Joined October 2011
United States137 Posts
June 23 2012 00:40 GMT
#11
This looks interesting I'll try out tomorrow will be nice to have another build to do. I usually do a 1 gate blink expand into zealot archon with a couple stalkers thrown in there.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle
lpunatic
Profile Joined October 2011
235 Posts
June 23 2012 05:30 GMT
#12
So, in the first game, it looked like he could've just blinked up and sniped your immortal when you only had 1, but you did lose a lot of units with your pressure so that might've made up the difference. Have you played against really aggressive blinks?
Archybaldie
Profile Joined June 2011
United Kingdom818 Posts
June 23 2012 06:19 GMT
#13
So ... this looks like my ladder experience is going to get intresting. For the better part of a year i've been doing a 1 zealot 3 stalker rush into an expand. I have no freeking clue how the heck this is going to look when 2 people do these similar-ish (mines quite different) openings to each other.
I'm in the bubblewrap league ... i just keep getting popped
Aelfric
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Turkey1496 Posts
June 23 2012 06:55 GMT
#14
You didn't write when to put one more probe to the gas after collecting with 2 probes for a while. I guess i need to check reps.
Tomorrow never comes until its too late...
D4V3Z02
Profile Joined April 2011
Germany693 Posts
June 23 2012 07:20 GMT
#15
It's Naniwas, pros copied/learned it from him like Socke for example.
http://www.twitch.tv/d4v3z02 all your base are belong to overlord
iNfeRnaL *
Profile Blog Joined August 2005
Germany1908 Posts
June 23 2012 07:27 GMT
#16
Why do you take such an early 2nd gas with this build if you only put 2 into gas at first?
Also you've missed to mention at which time he pulls the 3rd worker into the gas - before or after 2nd gas?
Such details can be quite important.
Other than that, decent guide.
JayPower
Profile Joined March 2011
Netherlands171 Posts
June 23 2012 10:46 GMT
#17
On June 23 2012 16:27 iNfeRnaL wrote:
Why do you take such an early 2nd gas with this build if you only put 2 into gas at first?
Also you've missed to mention at which time he pulls the 3rd worker into the gas - before or after 2nd gas?
Such details can be quite important.
Other than that, decent guide.


I actually did mention when to add the 3rd worker into the 2nd gas. I think it is when you move out with your 3 stalker/zealot. I've looked at the vod over a dozen times and it was hard to tell.

On June 18 2012 01:10 JayPower wrote:
At this point your 3rd and 4th stalker should be done and you can begin the pressure. You can bring a probe to fake a delayed 4-gate. Make sure you make a sentry directly after your last stalkers pops out and rally it to your ramp. Don’t forget to put an additional probe on your first gas.


Also you'll need the 2nd gas because your follow-up is going to be gas heavy. When you do the pressure you'll be making a sentry, a robo and your first warp-in off your 2 gateways are going to be 2 sentries. When your robo is done you're going to chronoboots out an observer (or immortal first if your opponent is going for counter agression) and then an immortal. Thats 575 gas. You also might need to make stalker off your 2 gateway's.

I havent tried doing this build with a later gas, but if you scout after cybercore like naniwa did, the build lines up perfectly. If anyone has a different gas timing I would love to look into that and change the guide accordingly.
Jaypowersc2.com for Guides, Videos, Replays and Coaching
Ambidexter
Profile Joined May 2010
United States23 Posts
June 27 2012 17:50 GMT
#18
I'm a huge fan of flexible builds that can defend an all-in but also allow me to expand if the other player gives me the chance, and this build is perfect (for me)! I like that it has some aggression possibilities, or at least to fake the aggression, and the sentries and fast immortal have kept me alive 1 base blink, 4 gate, and immortal all-ins. Plus it leaves me well placed to go into colossus, double forge, or zealot archon depending on how I feel that day.

On the platinum ladder I usually find the agression to be rebuffed easily (sentries are so common as folks still 4 gate a lot) but at worst I lose my zealot running up the ramp and I still get vision of her unit comp. Plus I've seen a lot of my opponents turtle hard after that expecting it to turn into heavy aggression and I'm able to expand safely.

Thanks JayPower (and Naniwa)! Between work and my family I don't get a lot of SC time and thus need a go-to opening for each matchup....and I love this PvP!
Starcraft is frustration mixed with self-doubt, a game populated by the most masochistic bunch of gamers who all collectively wallow in a feeling of self-disgust at how horrible they are, even if they are decent.
Daimai
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Sweden762 Posts
August 25 2012 20:09 GMT
#19
How do you hold a 4gate with this? I feel he can get pylons up even when I have 3 stalkers 1 zealot, and I just die.
To pray is to accept defeat.
Abusion
Profile Joined March 2011
United Kingdom184 Posts
August 25 2012 20:37 GMT
#20
On August 26 2012 05:09 Daimai wrote:
How do you hold a 4gate with this? I feel he can get pylons up even when I have 3 stalkers 1 zealot, and I just die.


Snipe the probe first.
Pylons + Probes
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