"We Few Still Fear the Fog"
x7-Chobo's NEWBIE's PROTOSS GUIDE
First off, I would like to say build orders should not always be followed exactly! Usually build orders will only go so far until it requires your own skill and judgment.
Here are a few tips I'll give you before I get started on matchups:
Never stop making probes, usually I will keep about 4 on each mineral patch. You're probably asking.... why 4? Usually, the most you want on each mineral patch is 2, when you expand you can easily transfer your probes to your just completed expansion instead of waiting for more probes to build.
When using reavers for drops, I tend to make only 2 scarabs. Why? reavers build scarabs fast, usually you won't need more than 2 scarabs if they defend their base very well. Even if you only get 2 shots off at his probes, it's worth it. Do the math!
Should I take the islands on lost temple? Usually I don't go for islands because it's very hard to defend them while watching your bases. Keeping your main and ground expansions might be hard enough so why trouble yourself more by getting an island too?
When should I expand? Usually, I would expand after I lay an attack or while I surprise him with a drop. Why during or after an attack? Most players won't attack with a small force because if they travel across the map, you will quickly have another larger army.
When should I scout? Wrong question. The better you get at multi-tasking the more often and constant will your scouting be. Never let 2 minutes go by without scouting the enemy bases and his possible expos.
Upgrades:
When dealing with zerg players I usually upgrade in this order: attack +1, psi storm, zealot speed, dragoon range
When dealing with terran going infantry: Armor +1, dragoon range, zealot speed, shuttle speed
When dealing with a terran heavy metal: Zealot speed +1, attack upgrade +1, dragoon range, disruption web
When dealing with protoss players: dragoon range, armor upgrade +1, shuttle speed or psi-storm, zealot speed
Reavers > peons, marines, medics, firebats, lings, zealots
High Templars > everything
Whenever I play, all my build orders usually start off one of 3 ways:
8 pylon
10 gateway
12 gateway
zealot
16 assimilator
or
8 pylon
10 gateway
11 assimilator
16 gateway
or
8 pylon
10 gateway
11 assimilator
18 core
27 gateway
Remember: Don't complain when you lose, it doesn't get you anywhere. Give up mucho money maps. The only way to get better is to play with better players. Build probes nonstop! Make basic zealots or dragoons nonstop unless you need to skip one to build an important unit, structure, or upgrade.
Also when choosing early game whether you should build a probe or a zealot, choose the zealot because if you get rushed, that 1 zealot may be what keeps you alive.
Never turtle up!! When expanding always use 2 - 4 cannons and 1 high templars for support until your units can come to save it. Always keep the majority of your units outside your opponent's base while you take map control. Remember to use high templars!!
High templars are our friends! Say it with me!
Never resort to any sort of hack!
Manners > Skill
Remember to congratulate your opponent or say "gg" at the end of each game whether you win or lose!
PvZ
Most zerg players will go for a fast expansions using zerglings and 1 or 2 sunkens as defense. This leaves them open for air attacks such as corsairs/dark templars. Usually after they get their expansion down they tend to start going mass drones because hardly any protoss players ever rush.
When rushing a zerg player I would usually send 4 probes and 1 zealot. I also ONLY attack if we're at 12 and 3 o clock positions. Instead of attacking the hatchery at the expansion right away with your zealot. Block up his ramp with 1 zealot and 1 or 2 probes and then take his hatchery out with your remaining probes and zealots that are building.
When playing against a zerg player, I would usually tech quickly to high templars and psi- storm and go with mostly zealots instead of goons so I can get more high templars. Also remember to attack with at least 1 archon. When upgrading I usually get attack +1 first before anything else.
Here are some possible counters:
Fast Expansion Zerg -- 2nd hatchery before pool
This is the most prone to rush build. Most protoss players attack the hatchery but this all depends on your own playing style. 70% of the time I will attack the hatchery and block up their ramp. The other 30% of the time, I will send my probes/zealot into his base and take out as many drones as possible.
Another possibel counter is to stop zealot production and catch up with the zerg player by expanding as well. When your expansion is done, make sure to transfer half of your probes.
Fast Expansion Zerg -- pool before minerals
If you notice your opponent is building a pool before his hatchery, he is either planning on rushing you or he's a safe expander. I would keep building zealots from 2 gateways nonstop then tech up to citadel and forge. Upgrade attack first followed by speed.
Hatch on ramp and early gas
Most likely your opponent is going for fast muta or lurkers. If he's going lurkers you have nothing to really fear because your goons can easily take them out.
If he's going muta, having 1 archon can easily take out 6 - 8 mutas.
Muta/Ling
When playing against muta/lings, zealots and templars are the way to go but mutas can easily micro and get their way out of storm because they move so fast. Some players might say that corsairs/zealots/dt are the way to go but I prefer to stick to storm.
Hydra Ling
Hydra/Lings are the most common attacks made by a zerg player. Usually I would tech from 2 gateways into templars. Remember to make very few goons so you have enough gas for high templars. Hydras and lings get eaten alive by psi storm very easily. Remember add 3 gateways for every base you have or you won't able to keep up with a zerg player.
PvT
In my opinion, I would have to say this is one of the most hardest matchups for protoss. Terran blocks are very annoying when it comes to scouting or attacking. Most players nowadays prefer going all vultures/tanks when they find out their opponents are protoss. A typical terran build begins with an entrance block consisting of 2 supplies and 1 barracks.
When scouting with your 10th probe, try killing off his scv that's building a barracks so you can slow him down or scout and try leaving your probe inside his base so you can scout with it again later on.
No blockup but fast gas
Usually when I see a terran that doesn't block up. I concentrate on zealots and rush him when I have 5. Most likely he's going for fast medics then adding 1 or 2 firebats to his small marine army. Remember to tech when you have the extra minerals and get dragoons ASAP! Any terran player that wants to win using marines/medics/firebats has to do so by winning the game early on or hurting your economy, it's almost impossible for terran to win with an all infantry army against protoss mid/late game.
Blockup and fast gas
Most likely your opponent is doing the common vulture/tank attack. When dealing with this type of player, you have 2 choices. You either rush him or you take do it the long way. When rushing a terran player, send 1 zealot then 2 zealots nonstop while tech-ing it up to dark templars, skip dragoons. Then I would upgrade zealot speed followed by attack +1.
If they are too far, you will have to expand as soon as possible and get a dropship to protect you ledges from tank drops. Zealots and dark templars are usually the way to go. I find that dragoons are too bulky when running up ramps after you cast disruption web.
Blockup but late gas
Generally when you see this, it means he's going for an all infantry army. This is easy to deal with especially when defending. While defending, you would only need 2 cannons and 1 reaver seriously :[
PvP
When playing in a PvP matchup, it's usually almost as boring as a TvT game because most players usually use mass goons. In this matchup, you will need one of the following to help accompany you dragoons. Either templars, carriers, reavers, or corsairs. Out of all the players I have played, most prefer using reaver/goons as much as I do.
There are many ways to take out a protoss player with reaver/goons. Most players prefer late expanding and going with 3 gates/1 facility. Others prefer 2 gates/3 facility. But again, it all depends on your own playing style.
1 gateway, no gas or 1 forge/1 gateway
When you see this type of build order, it means you opponent is going for a fast expansion. This is pretty easy to stop most of the time because cannons are so slow when warping in. I would try rushing the opponent with 4 - 5 zealots, this makes your opponent play more defensive, they might even cancel their nexus and set up a 2nd and 3rd gateway.
When you see this type of build order, your opponent is also usually going for mass speed zealots/high templars. You can easily counter this by rushing him, going fast goon with range upgrade, or by going goon/reaver on him.
1 gateway, early gas
This build order means he's going either fast dark templars or fast dragoons. I start off the game by rushing him with 2 or 3 zealots non stop then begin sending in dark templars of my own while skipping goons or tech straight to goons/observers or a reaver drop.
Remember to add a forge early on and get at least 1 cannon in you choke and 2 in your main.
2 gateways/early gas
When you happen to scout and see this, it means 99% of the time he's going for fast dragoons. You can easily counter this by going dragoons yourself with fast range and adding a reaver drop to slow him down. Remember to keep your goons on your ledge if he outnumbers you
x7-Chobo CHeez Toss Section:
The DT Rush Lost Temple
(only for PvP or PvT)
3 probes
pylon
probe
gateway
probe
assimilator
probe
cybernetics core
Send the same probe to gas
Move 1 probe to gas
1 zealot at ramp
2 probes, 1 to gas, 1 to minerals
citadel of adun
pylon
zealot at ramp
probe
templar archives
zealot to ramp
3 probes
gateway
1 dark templar. SIMPLE?
Attack with the dark templar. If he's making detection, start using your dark templars as containment and begin a temporary cannon block as you expand and tech to goons/carriers or mass goon/zealots with some templar support. If your opponent has decided to invest minerals into detection, don't worry. Now you can use your high templars as containment as you expand and overpower him with mass units. If he has tanks on his ledges, attack with speed upgraded zealots and templars for psi storm. What if I get rushed before my dark templars are out? Use your zealots as a sort of hit and run technique to distract the opponents units, your templars should be out shortly. If he rushes you and sees your DT or some sort of detection occurs, use your templars as containment and expand twice.
What if I get DT rushed? You have 2 choices, attack him with everything you've got or use your DT as a blockade to keep his out of your base as you build a few cannons. About 90% of the time, opponents never rush unless they're zerg. So there is really no need to worry about it. If you can manage to not get rushed, you already won the game! You can usually pull out the 1st DT within 6 minutes. I usually have it out in 5.
