Protoss Build Order | Strategy Guide | Learners Guide | Starcraft 2 | SC2

[Kreeper]

This is a compilation of all the various Protoss build orders for Starcraft 2 : Wings of Liberty. These are various guides to show you different build orders that can really show you different ways to win versus the different races. I will continually update this to have the latest and greatest builds!


Updated - 5-3-2010



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Basics

Build Orders

Everyone have their own build order they feel comfortable and will change it depending on their opponent's race. Just to help everyone that's not familiar with Protoss, here's a basic build order:

Probes to 8, Pylon, 9, 10, 11 (Scout), Gateway, Gas.

It's a short build order. From there it's either a 2nd Gateway or Cybernetics Core. You should build a second pylon once you start making your first zealot. From there, Robotics Facility would be another solid choice (or CC if went a 2nd GW). Get an observer out early or Immortal if your scout reports a rush is coming.

Chronoboost :

Chronoboost, a ability of the Nexus, can boost up the speed of Drone production, research time and unit production. It uses 25 energy and requires targeting a building (that you want it to speed up). Uses of this include boosting the production of drones at the start of the game or boosting production of zealots for an early rush.

Tips / Strategies


Against Ghosts

Ghosts' EMP can empty the Protoss' shields as well as energy (ie: High Templars) The counter to this is awareness and knowing ahead of time, by using observers. Breaking your army up into different control groups, keeping them spread out. Be aware of ramps and high ground. A good Terran player tend to ambush with an EMP before rush out from the corner with their main group and you'll be caught with all units basically at half health with no energy. (Another tip would be keeping your High Templars off somewhere obscure/hiding, away from the main group, this will make them use the EMP on the fighting units, allowing you to psi-storm with your high templars.


Against Reapers

Sometimes against Terran players, especially on maps where your base is surrounded mostly by lower group/cliffs, they will harass you with reapers. Reapers have fast movement speed, able to fully kite Zealots and have extreme damage output for early game. They are extremely squishy and require a attached tech lab on their barracks. First recommendation against is to scout, to know whether they are going reapers. The next move would be going for stalkers + immortals and place them at the cliff edges where they could jump up from. With the right build order, you will have no problem cranking out more than enough stalkers and immortals to hold off any attacks from reapers and push back once it's over.


Against Marauders, Marines & Medivacs

A good mixture of Zealots, stalkers, Immortals and very important, sentries (1 is enough). Colossus are not out this early in game but you should have a sizeable group of the mentioned units to counter a Terran's 3M group. Sentries' guardian shield work wonders. You must have decent number of ranged units, emphasis on Immortals. Marauders' slowing effect is devastating on zealots, without range support, zealots are just free kills.


Blink (Stalkers)

Blink only works when the target area is visible. It cannot blink to an area where you have no visibility, such as trying to blink up cliffs. It can blink over buildings provided you can see the other side.


High Templars

Do not be afraid to try out and use a high templar. Though they are mid/late game and requires psi storm to be researched, once you are familiar with them, they can turn the tides of battle. They are not meant to be massed, but 1 or 2 with your army is more than enough. Keep them at the back or out of sight, they are expensive to build so extra attention must given to them to keep them alive. Losing High Templars can set you back in the game of resources. It's also great practice for improving your micro skills.


Colossus

If the game reaches the part where you start getting colossus, remember to get the range upgrade. It's a huge factor in battles. Remember to shift it to nearby higher ground in battles, maximizing your advantage. It's also advisable to have your colossus protected either a wall of zealots or stalkers. Remember that colossus can climb up and down cliffs!


Proxy Pylons

On certain maps, there will be areas inside your 'base area' that are covered with gas vents/trees, usually with a destructible rock next to them. To protect your base, it is advisable to place a poxy pylon in these locations so that you can see the enemy coming or trying to break through the rocks. Proxies can also be placed around the map for future warp gate use or just general scout towers.


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I’ll start off by saying that in no way am I a “Pro� at Starcraft 2, but I am going to write this guide quick to help new and intermediate players push themselves to the next level.

Seeing how I am a Protoss player this guide will be for protoss, I'll include my basic start with some tips you may find helpful.

6 probes at the start put them all on crystal
Waypoint the Nexus to Crystal
Build probes till 9/10
Build a Pylon
Build another Probe to take you to 10/10
Queue 2 probes and chrono boost when the pylon finishes
12/18 build a gateway and 2 more probes (chrono boost)
Build another Pylon
14/18 2 more probes(chrono boost)
As soon as the gateway finishes start producing Zealots.
Build another gate way and a cybernetics core.
2 more probes
Build a Forge, Assimilator and Pylon

Continue to build probes and Zealots and after you get your cybernetics core up teach to warp gates and build another assimilator, another gateway, Twilight Council and/or a Robotics Facility.

Now at this point you have choices to make as to what to build. Normally I go with Zealots Immortals and Colossus but depending on what my scout found that will change.

Vs Roaches Zealots, Stalkers and then get Colossus with some Immortals.

Vs Hydras Zealots and Colossus

Vs Terran Medivac Blob Zealots, High Templar, Stalkers(to take down medivacs) and Colossus.

Vs Air I still take Zealots Immortals and Colossus but I take a bunch of Phoenix and Stalkers as well to deal with the air.


Things that may help you win the game.

Anytime you build 2 probes in a row chrono boost the nexus.
20 probes give you the best income rate on crystal and 3 in your refinery.
Scout early and often, take down early expansions and make sure you know what is other guy is trying to do, so you can counter if needed.

If you are going to make an early game push upgrade to warp gates fast and with your scout build a pylon close to the enemy base so you can reinforce troops fast.

The longer the game runs on the more unit producing buildings you are going to need.
Don’t forget a forge and make sure to upgrade your units.
Do not expand to fast, Immortals are great for breaking a turtle or taking out armor.

Colossus are awesome but can be taken down easily make sure you protect them.


Source : Zhid.


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The goal of this topic is to make a comprehensive list of good Protoss build orders. I mean ones that push out at a certain time. For instance an immortal+zealot push that arrives just as a fast expanding zerg gets a couple roaches, or to make a collosus+warp ray drop as fast as possible (while staying alive). Now there will be alterations to each build that give certain benefits like enough zealots to block the ramp, a sentry (with energy) incase terran makes an early push with MarineMarauder, or a better economy while still getting your tech quickly so add that as details, or possible alterations.

Some of you have an idea of your "build orders" but you havnt done the exact timings for them. If you give a detailed description, then i can figure out an effective build order for that.

I know this is a big job and it won't be easy. I'll be adding my build orders that i use, races i use them against, and benefits of each build.

This is what I have so far, and let me know if there is any improvement I can make that will help.

Description of build: Fast phoenix with constant zealots and constant probes

Vs Race: Zerg or Protoss

Good against: fast expand zerg or immortal+zealot heavy army

Bad against: terran, 2 or 3 gate proxy, 6 lings as pool finishes without expo, roach rush off 1 base

Build order:
9 pylon scout with this probe, chrono nexus as pylon finishes, keep making probes until gateway on 13, chrono 2nd time on nexus right after starting the gateway, chrono 3rd time Nexus as soon as last chrono ends, 15 gas, 16 pylon, gateway finishes at 18 you have ~150 minerals for cyber,2nd gas after cyber, save chrono and constantly make zealots, build starport as cyber finishes, build 1 sentry, 2nd gateway, use saved up chrono on phoenix, some gas buildup can be used on stalkers or sentry,

Details:
-pull 1st probe off minerals at 65 to 75 minerals so he can build the pylon at your ramp right as you get 100 minerals
-at no point do you stop making probes (once you pass saturation try to expand)
-go for 2 early zealots if you suspect 6 zerglings (ill try to figure out an alteration to build for that)
-constant chrono'ed phoenix will take up about 75% of your 2 gas, so you can get some stalkers or sentry
-vs zerg send out 1st phoenix to hunt overlords
-vs protoss don't reveal phoenix until you have 4+ or if he attacks


Room for improvement:
-cyber finishes with 160 min 124 gas when I need 150 min 150 gas for stargate
-2nd gas finishes right as cyber finishes and the only benefit to this is extra gas for units
-possible need for stalker to kill scout in your base
-possible need for sentry to block the ramp instead of zealots when you suspect a roach rush
-zealots and phoenix will lose easily to roaches, so i need to get possible 50% zealots 50% stalkers while constantly making phoenix
-maybe work in a fast expand+forge with this build

Builds I will add in the future:collosus+warp ray harass, early robo immortal+sentry+zealot push, double stargate, and high templar+stalker vs terran


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This build is designed with the ability for the player to have strong scouting skills. Without scouting the beginning you may miss an opportunity to win the game, especially if they grab an early expo (FFE,14CC,12HATCH). But this build is mainly for countering an early pressure of mass Zealots from 3 gates, or from early roaches from 2HATCHQUEEN, as well as marauder/helion push from terran.

Build order is as follows:

8pylon probe to scout
10 gateway then assimilator
Chronoboost 3 probes,transfer to gas ASAP
Build zealot when gate comes in to block ramp
14Cybernetics Core thenAssimilator then pylon
Chronoboost 3 probes for second gas
2nd zealot should be out to help with ramp
Cybernetics core is up build 2 sentry's w/ Chronoboost
Place Stargate at 21
Zealot for 22
22 gateway pylon
Chronoboost Void Ray for 23,24

This build requires decent Sentry micro, especially for the 15 second Shield spell. This spell has the capability of dividing an enemies units, which is what you need the most, as an overwhelming zealot army is capable to crush you at this point. If you need to tweek this do so. Situations where you need more Zealots, or a zealot dies, or something like that then build a zealot.

I think the food count may be wrong because I don't know if Sentry's take 2 food.

Follow up to this build is to scout to see where they are teching to. If they are going for charge and blink, then get stalkers as well as zealots. Keep your sentry count at at least 2, so you have shields to divide up their units nicely, also you may want to have one in the middle of your force using the damage reduction shield as well. That might be a game turner.

For your scouting probe, I find it smart to scout for this. If you see them going a rush build of some sort, then pull your probe back to your base once they get their zealot out. Then once you secure that probes life, place at the watchtower to scout for the push. Once they push, go in their base to scout for their next Tech up. If they are going for anti air units like pheonix, build a robo and get a few immortals. It might also be a good idea to scout with a colossus. With the colossus, if you haven't scouted successfully with your probe get the scout in first before harassing his mineral line.

Source : http://www.starcraftmethod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145

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I'm platinum league Protoss so I'll try and help you out

You don't want to straight tech to Stalkers, you'll want 3-4 zealots out first before you start pumping them just in case of early rush.

Anyways, always chrono boost your hall until your gateway is out

8/10 supply, make pylon
10/18 supply, send a scout
12/18 or 13/18 supply, make gateway
14/18 or 15/18 supply, make 2nd pylon + assimilator
Make first zealot, put three drones on gas

Now your next priorities are:

Keep pumping probes as resources allow
Make 2-3 more zealots
Make Cybernetcs core
Make 2nd Assimilator
Make 2nd Gateway
Make 3rd pylon
Upgrade Warp Gate at the cybernitcs core

When you have 2 gateways up, start pumping a couple of stalkers, as soon as warp gate upgrade is complete, morph them, and just pump those stalkers.

Eventually, you'll want to put up a Twilight Council to research blink, I usually do that at around 4-6 stalkers. Assuming you can micro well, Blink can turn the tide of battles.

Source : Darkness.calls


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For Stalkers I usually go:

8 probes
Pylon
Gateway
Pylon
Assimilator
Gateway
Cybernetics Core
Assimilator

By this point you should have already done some scouting and gotten a good idea of what you're up against, at which point I build a Forge and either a Robotics Facility, Starport, or 3rd Gateway depending on what I want to use as a counter. Stalker heavy builds will probably want a Twilight Council also.

Learning to use Warp Gates effectively makes the 50m 50g research well worth it also. Shaves ~10 seconds off of the build time per Stalker.

Source : Lore.lore


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I scout , with a probe. If i see my enemy is going to be rushing (which.. honestly, is only half of the games in silver) I'll do the following,

Probe to 9, build pylon
Probe to 10, build gateway
Wait for another 150 gold (lol gold, too much wc3, i mean minerals)
Build another gateway

then just keep spamming probes until the gateways are finished, and rush with 4 zealots, using chrono boost while building them.

this wins for me 9/10 games

while you doing this (Make sure the rallypoint for both gateways is on your zealots current **!##* their base) keep making new zealots whenever possible, and continue with a build order that'll get you void rays. Keep harassing with the zealots if they also have an army, prevent them from teching while you !@!! their main with void rays 5 minutes later

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Build Order

1. Probes > 9/9 - ***NOTE: Chrono boost nexus everytime 25 energy is up until first gateway
(25 energy usually comes up on 8th probe)

2. Pylon > 9/9
- Send probe to scout

3. Probes > 10-11/18

4. Gateway > 10-11/18
- ***NOTE: Chrono Boost on Gateways starts Now | Build Zealots in 1-1 Order with Probes (1 Zealot, 1 Probe, 1 Zealot, 1 Probe)

5. Probes > 15/18

6. Pylon > 15/18

7. Gateway > 16-17/18

8. Pylon

9. Asimilator x1

10. Cybernetics Core

11. Asimilator x1

12. Stalkers / Zealots till 16 (Total Amount Combined) or so - Attack Enemy

13. Expand to Natural expansion
- Keep building Stalkers + Zealots
- Send probes to expansions to check for enemy expansion

14. Twighlight Council
- Get Charge

15. Robotics Facility x2

16. Robotics Bay

17. Colosus x2 - Use Chrono Boost on Robotics Facilities when producing

18. Gateway x2

19. Observer
- Pump out colosus's, stalkers, and zealots
- Around 6 Colosus's, 8-10 Stalkers, 18-20 Zealots Attack
- Send observers to check for expansion

20. Expand again.


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Build order as Protoss :

9 pylon

11 gateway
13 gateway
13 pylon
then scout and adjust

I can usually match units per units with this build (assuming non 6 pool or 3 rax) and defend against early rushes.


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Quick Protoss Anti - Air strategy :

Probe
Probe
Probe
Probe
Pylon
Probe
Probe
Gateway
Probe
Probe
Gateway
Assimilator (x2)
Probe
Pylon
Cybernetic's Core
Pylon
Pylon
Stalker = Anti-Air.

Get Blink and you're set.


Source : Nak.Nak


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9 - Pylon,
13 - Gateway and scout
14 - Assimilator
16 - Pylon
Cybernetics Core as soon as Gateway is done, Zealots as soon as Pylons done.
(Assuming you don't scout an early Pool or something)

ChronoBoost workers the entire time.

Quick sentry when Cybernetics Core is done.


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Build Order vs Terran

9 pylon
11 gateway
14 assimilator

Get a cybernetics core before your second pylon if you scout Reapers, if not get the 2nd pylon before your Cybernetics core.


Build order vs Zerg

10 pylon (chronoboost 9th and 10th workers right when you hit 25 energy)
10 gateway

Chronoboost your 11th and 12th workers along with your first zealot, rally it to the zerg's base. Get your assimilator and 2nd pylon at normal timing, Cybernetics core won't go down until 20 or 21 food.


Build order vs Protoss

9 pylon
12 gateway
14 assimilator

Build a zealot if you scout the other 'toss building a zealot and it's a small map, otherwise you can get an early cybernetics core and skip straight to stalkers.


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Descrption of build :

This works very well against fast expand zerg and in pvp, its weakness is fast marauders (early one tho if you can hold off an early maruader push then you should be golden) Also one last thing, in pvp chances are the your enemy will be doing a very similar build at which point you should get a twilight council for either blink or charge as those can be game changing, make sure you proxy pylon to for add manuverability.

8 - Pylon, go scout (i'm a cheesaphobic)
13 - Gate
14 - Pylon
15 - Gas

Keep making probes until gate finishes but save 150 minerals for Cybernetics Core right after it finishes about an 18/19 core build
probes till core finishes, once it finishes throw another gate down and get warp tech

22 - Second gas
24 - Gateway or 2
30 - (Maybe get a robo bay, but you should have a sizeable army by now so push out and decide if you can wait or if you need one now)

So I know its not very accurate but make sure you have atleast 3 gates when warp tech finishes and then shortly after get a 4th warp gate.

[Kreeper]

If you guys have more to add please post and I will edit and add more.

[Kreeper]

Updated with an interesting Theory Craft guide on Protoss

[Kreeper]

Blackened start finding some more decent builds and typing them up so I can add them on this master list.

[Blackened]

Blackened start finding some more decent builds and typing them up so I can add them on this master list.

Will do, I've only been playing about 2 days and have tried almost all the units. The builds on here are pretty good but I learn a lot from watching, so if something catches my eye I'll make sure to post.

[Kreeper]

Added a few more builds, very good.

[NgtvCrp]

Great compilation. Watch WhiteRa replays as well. Big toss player from Ukraine. Also strategies from SC1 on toss is a gd read as well. Tho some units are extinct now, basic tactics still can apply

[Arovien]

I really need to practice against toss but the beta is down...
so i do exactly what you do NgtvCrp, watch whitera play against zergs.

Just watching pros play aint enough to stay in shape though. Analyzing the details of a replay, especially with others, is very helpful. Hop on vent to talk strategy as we go over a replay.