StarCraft II – Protoss Strategy: PvZ Dark Templar Expand [Guide]

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• Overview
• Build Order
• Strategy

With the release of Heart of the Swarm, most Zerg players thought that Protoss has gained so much advantage with their new units that ZvP is no longer winnable. Then they discovered that the now-faster Mutalisk and the new Swarm Host are such great tools against Protoss that they’ve taken it all back and started winning more. Meanwhile, the Protoss are in need of some solutions, and this old build must prove itself still viable for the task.

Overview

This build exploits the Zerg’s usual lack of detection and focus on making lots of drones to build up economy early in the game. If you can get a couple of Dark Templars in to kill as many drones as you can while your opponent is macro-ing up, then you can gain a sizable advantage in the mid-game.

It can be described as cheese since Protoss ends up in a very disadvantageous position if ever the Dark Templars fail. It may be possible to transition into an Archon-centric composition afterwards, but that’s more expensive than just going for High Templars, which can also use Psi Storms against Mutalisks and mass ground armies.

This is like a less economic version of a 3-Gate Sentry Expand, which is already one of the most low-economy builds in the Protoss arsenal. The good thing though is that the Dark Shrine is much cheaper now in Heart of the Swarm, and Dark Templar play has become more viable as a standard strategy as a result.

Build Order

9 Pylon
13 Gateway
14 Assimilator
16 Pylon
17 Assimilator (2)

@100% Gateway: Cybernetics Core, Zealot

22 Pylon

@100% Cybernetics Core: Sentry, Warpgate Research
@100% Sentry: Sentry (2)

ASAP: Twilight Council

28 2x Gateway (2)(3)

@100% Twilight Council: Dark Shrine

31 Sentry
34 Nexus

@100% Dark Shrine: 2x Dark Templar
Send DTs to enemy mineral line and kill drones

Note: This version of the build was made during Wings of Liberty, so adjust to accommodate a Mothership Core and perhaps an earlier Dark Shrine since it’s now cheaper.

Strategy

The key is being able to keep the Zerg from scouting the Dark Shrine, which is a challenge due to Overlords. The trick is to put down the Twilight Council and Dark Shrine at the back, as far away from prying eyes as possible. If ever the early Twilight Council or even just the early double gas gets scouted, then there’s a high probability that the Zerg will either put down a Spore Crawler quickly or get to Lair tech quickly and morph Overseers. You then place Stalkers and/or Sentries along common Overlord scouting paths to intercept them before they get to your Twilight Council and Dark Shrine.

If you scout an early Spawning Pool (6-pool or 10-pool), then a Zergling rush is coming and you have to wall up and defend against it. If you’re able to keep the Zerg from doing significant damage, then you should be slightly ahead and you can continue with the build. If your Dark Templars can do damage after a failed Zergling rush, then you should put your Zerg opponent in a situation that virtually can’t be salvaged.

This should go well if the Zerg expands at the usual times. But if he doesn’t, then various possibilities like Speedling Expand, Baneling Bust, 7-Roach Rush, or some other one-base all-in timings that may come in just as when you’re about to send your Dark Templars out to his base. If you have not prepared for this eventuality, then you’ll end up getting killed by that all-in without a sizable enough army to defend your base. That’s why Sentries are part of this build in order to have Force Fields. You can also warp in Dark Templars for defense, which may be a good idea since the Zerg will most likely not have an Overseer yet to detect cloaked units.

This build works for maps with large main bases, wherein you can hide the Twilight Council and Dark Shrine at the very back quite easily. Something like Neo Planet S could work, while it may not work so well for something like Akilon Wastes. It could also work for large maps like Whirlwind since Overlords won’t be able to reach fast enough to see anything before you get your Dark Templars warped in.