[CagnacciKid]

Hey everyone,

Recently my gameplay has improved dramatically (about 8 wins in 10 games!), no doubt due to the feedback on my other thread. As my skills improve though, I'm noticing more and more flaws in my build order.

Right now I'm using a very general opener which doesn't vary much between race match-ups:

9 Pylon (Scout with Probe)
13 Gate
14 Gas
16 Pylon
18 Core

This is all assuming no cheese/rushes, which are all too prevalent in my current league (Bronze).

What should I tech up to after executing my opener? Should I make additional gateways and go for a warp gate push, or tech straight to robo/stargate? Should I fine-tune my initial build order at all?

Cheers.

[Mukade]

initial build order is perfect, can transition into a number of 4 gates, 3 gate robo, 3 gate expo, 1 gate stargate, pretty much anything except for cheesey all ins Mechanics and execution might help some though, sending your probe out so it can build the gateway on exactly 150 mins, and such.

[SkyBreaker]

That opening build order is pretty much the standard for Protoss opting for a "standard" game (i.e. non-cheese, all-in type play). Personally I drop my second pylon on 15, but that's just me. What you do from then on all depends on the match-up and the information you gathered from scouting. If you scout early aggression, proxy barracks/gateways for example; you have to adjust accordingly.

Your best bet is to have a goal in mind for the match-up; i.e. "I plan to go 3gate robo, and push with 2 immortals while expanding and teching into colossi" or something along the lines of "I just scouted a Terran who didn't wall in, I'm going to go for a 4gate push at the 6-7 mark". At your level of play you should focus on improving your macro, which is; constantly be building probes, constantly have warp-gate(s) on cool-down, producing out of all unit producing structures and not getting supply blocked - macro alone should be enough to carry you out of the bronze league.

Teching

Furthermore, just a rule of thumb; a Protoss base can support four unit producing structures. So keep that in mind when you create your "plan" for the match-up.

[dennistoo]

I think the key thing is scouting. You have to keep scouting and feed yourself with what the opp is doing. i just watched the BSG#03 and noticed the winner's opp don't do any scouting and basically massing for push. Generally, sticking with default built order will be good for bronze player for now.

For protoss, good forcefield play is required.

[PapaBigBelly]

Agreed, its forcefields that Make or Break a battle.

Get sentries especially against Zerg because:

1. Its harder for Zerg to surround you
2. Traps units that you can inahilate one by one
3. Prevents zergling run bys

[divinesage]

Have a general game plan of the game, eg. teching to colossus and rolling over the guy later in the game, or going for a VR + Gateway timing attack much earlier on. But beyond that, keep scouting. Does the enemy have 3 rax? Perhaps 4 gate? Maybe he hasn't expanded yet after 12 minutes. You have to learn to spot patterns such as these. 1 gate certainly isn't going to hold off 3 rax, so you'll have to put off your game plan and start putting down more gates to prevent that early push.

That being said, have you remembered to:

1. Constantly build probes
2. Remember to warp in units regularly

If you do and you're still floating on minerals, you:

1. Should expand
2. Do not have enough gateways/robos/etc. (assuming you have sufficient production structures and/or haven't expanded.)

[Xed]

You're initial build order is pretty much the standard protoss build order. It's good as it is. I'm a Protoss player myself and I know how you feel. What I do is I just have a standard strategy per match-up and stick to that strategy whenever I'm faced with that match-up. Sticking to a strategy per match-up will allow you to practice your fundamentals more and will give you a better sense of the game.

P.S. I always wall off against zerg, just in case. HAHAHA.