Starcraft II – Protoss Strategy: 7 Gate +2 Timing PvZ [Guide]

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• Overview
• Build Order
• Strategy
• Maps

PvZ has hit certain snags at certain times when Zerg players come up with strategies to counter the Protoss’ mostly mechanical forces. The matchup does tend to lean towards more macro-oriented play, with both sides fast-expanding. The Protoss does have answers that involve aggression and constant pressure, courtesy of this build and its variations.

The 7 Gate +2 Blink Stalker all-in is a mid-game all-in that can be executed in a variety of different ways. This article will focus on a passive variation of the build that aims to hit the Blink Stalker timing faster than more harassment-heavy variations such as the 4 Gate Pressure Into 7 Gate +2 Blink Stalker All-In.

Overview

The goal is to kill the Zerg’s third base, mainly with Blink Stalkers to outmaneuver and overpower the opponent’s defenses with a timing attack that includes +2 attack upgrade. The Protoss player may precede this aggression with 4-gate pressure or wait until he gets all seven gateways for an all-in. Getting the +2 attack lets you kill Zerglings with three shots instead of four from a stalker, which is significant. You may have Zealots to take care of the zerglings while stalkers kill off the roaches and the hatchery.

You can obtain advantage once you’ve killed his third base. From there, you can then either continue the aggression or back off and transition to either a templar-based composition or mass up Colossi to overwhelm him later on.

Build Order

9 Pylon
17 Nexus
17 Forge
18 Pylon
18 Gateway
19 Photon Cannon
20 Assimilator x2
@100% Gateway: Cybernetics Core, Zealot.
31 Pylon[2]
31 Warpgate
31 Stalker[3]
35 +1 Ground Weapons
@70% Twilight Council[4]
@100% Blink
@100% +2 Ground Weapons
6:30 Gateways x3
8:00 Gateways x3

Note: You may also pull your probes off gas and make them mine minerals as you build the other six gateways all at once. This will slow down Blink research a bit, but you’ll be able to build units en masse once they’re up. Just remember to build enough pylons to accommodate the sudden influx of units. By the time you get enough units for an attack, your +2 better be finished, whether you have Blink or not.

Strategy

With 4-gate pressure upon putting down the first three gateways, you go in as soon as you’re able to get units out. You should have proxy pylons near the opponent’s base ready beforehand to reinforce your pressure. By the time you get your last three gateways down, blink research better be done so you can push towards your opponent’s third base, whether you did 4-gate pressure or not.

As you engage, use blink micro to save as many Stalkers from sustaining damage. Warp in zealots and stalkers according to how many zerglings and roaches the opponent has, zealots for the zerglings and stalkers for the roaches. Always keep your zealots in front to tank damage, a good way being to put them in a separate hotkey since they usually move slower than stalkers.

When you’re about to transition to the late game, the usual route is putting a Robotics Facility down as you’ll require Observers and Immortals to scout and brace yourself against roaches. You usually build one as you retreat from your push once the opponent seems like he’s defending well against your attack. You may also start building a Robotics Bay once you have some Immortals to make some Colossus.

You can then take your third base once you have Immortals and Sentries for defense.

Maps

This build works best in maps with hard-to-reach third bases so Zerg can’t defend and reinforce quickly enough. Maps like Ohana and Daybreak are perfect for this build, while it may not be as effective in Calm Before The Storm and Cloud Kingdom, wherein Spine Crawlers can easily defend bases.