[Stallion]

ok protoss players(preferably grandmaster level as im a top masters protoss) i have a question for you all what is the best number of probes to have. Assuming you want 3 bases saturated and they are all normal mineral patch size of 8 would that mean 16+6 (for gas) = 22x3= 66 as a minimum of probes needed up to 24+6(maximum saturation) = 30x3 = 90 so the range is 66-90 of the amount of probes we should have what in here is the optimal numer?

This is probably a picky question but i want to be as good as i can and this is something i dnt really have an answer to.

my thought is if u go for 2.5 lines of saturation it be 26 per base x3 which is 78. meaning you have decent saturation and a good army as generally you are stuck on 3 bases and the first base loses patches before you take a 4th.

[Dox]

22 per base is suitable for all 3 races.

[Stallion]

wouldnt 66 be weak income wise though? also you then have no buffer for losing any to drops etc this is why im thinking the 2.5 per line you have a slight buffer while leaving the majority of your supply for attacking units

[ProAnnn]

Personally i'll get 70-80 probes before stopping probe production. Some times i over probe to 100+ which you would have to sac 10-20 of them. Yes, 66 is too little while 90 is a little overkill. 25 probes per base would be ideal IMO. Especially in PvZ since you need to have a stronger maxed army while its ok to have high amount of probes in PvT as u trade army with a billion gateways to remaxed. PvP is understanding when to cut probes to get a slightly bigger army to kill him

[EveVendetta]

I ALWAYS go on 70+ probes while on 3 bases. Don't really keep track on the exact number.

If you wanna pay that much attention to it, I guess it depends on how offensive/defensive you're playing style is. E.g. Against Terran If you're going warp prism/dt/blink stalker harasses it's okay to get high 70s or 80s since you're not engaging him head on yet.

But if u get that many probes, do remember to get one more robo or more gates so that you can replenish fast.

If you see yourself engaging him head on almost all the time it'd be good to stay on 70+ probes max so you dont have much of an army disadvantage.

[Next_rim]

I noticed most top macro players (HasuObs , Gatored) go for 70-72 in PvZ and 76-80 in PvT. I assume moar probes in PvT has to do with losses to drops and harass.

I myself am diamond, in PvT and PvP I do 18 on minerals (6 gas, and 4 on that stupid far-away gas on Antiga on Natural). It has nothing to do with supply or income efficiency, but rather the fact that I constantly have 1-2 probes doing something in base, like building pylons and production, or just chilling because I misclick on rally.

In PvZ, I heavily overproduce probes in the beginning (like do 24 per mineral line), because my build allows me to. I play triple stargate, am floating minerals before I have 8 gases, and am slow to build up supply. Why not pump probes?

When 3rd nexus is up, I have 10-14 probes ready to transfer right away, leaving full (16-18) mineral saturation on 2 bases behind. Then I overproduce because I'm gearing for fast 8 gases, and usually go for 4th nexus (for gas only) right after first zerg push (around 13 mins, when they try to take out my 3rd). So i transfer 6 probes from 3rd right away. I usually float 80+ probes at this point, and am able to support 7x stargates for constant production.

[Stallion]

@Proann ty i generally get too many which is why im asking :P
also pvp is throwing me off a bit as pvz and pvt i just keep making them but im trying to find every advantage i can to be better and thought id re look at what id consider my basics ty for the replys and next rim O.o 7 stargates!?!? thats crazy hahaha

[Cyanide]

I've always stuck to 72-73, seems like a nice number, gives you a good army size too. When it reaches that late late game stage. Every bit in your army counts.

[Next_rim]

and next rim O.o 7 stargates!?!? thats crazy hahaha

Here is my latest PvZ (against masters o_O) from earlier this morning. Ended up with 68 probes on 5 bases, I lost some to a ling invasion and never rebuilt it. And yes, 7x stargates, and oh so epic 200/200 carriers a-moving zerg army into abyss. I thought I'd lose this one, but he made a mistake and made lots of broodlords for w/e reason. He ended up with low corruptor count, and I went for the kill. And he had 150 drones produced O_o

http://www.sc2sea.com/downloads.php?...335c115509ad2c

[Tom]

Yeah in a perfect world you would have 78 (3x 26). But thats 58 unnecessary probes for a 4gate!

Quick Comments

xGKingdelete:

[NvPinder]

As a suuuuuuper general rule for pvt/pvz provided I'm aiming for a defensive long macro game, i non-stop probes till 66, (replacing when lost), and go up to 72 when i take my third (as you take the 16 off minerals from your main, but your gasses are still going so you have 6 at your main still, + 22 at each other base).

The most common question is "how the **** do you count all your probes total to know you have EXACTLY 66?", you really don't... you just drag select individual mineral lines (not gasses, just minerals), and transfer appropriately until you have 2 full rows on the grid selection down the bottom on each.

Reason why I feel like this is the best number is because the 66/72 number maxes efficiency for your workers, and is fine for very quick maxing in all 3 matchups, and simply leaves you with more food for your army... That and I've never found myself wishing i had more minerals in a late game scenario (as compared to gas), since in all 3 match-ups, especially late-game, gas is 99% the thing holding you back from getting the best composition.

EDIT: the alternative is to gay RAY-ZI style and get 120.

Quick Comments

	Stallion:	thank you this is the tpe of answer i was after
	Nemo:	Very usefull, thanks

[ToRSpartaz]

Ive noticed just by replays alone, from the majority of my games that my macro is relatively decent maybe if im on 3 bases my probe count won't go above 70 at the max. I just find that if I over do it on the probes, it severely cuts into my army.... I lost to mass roach when I over did it on the workers and went greedy -.-

[xGKingdelete]

one of my weaknesses is that i never build enough probes. take a look at your own games, and see how many probes you end up getting. if you're like me, most of the time it will be too low.

so i suggest to just keep building probes. it doesn't matter if you end up with say, 85 probes. that's 15 too many, but probes are only 50 minerals. that's only 750 minerals "wasted" to ensure that you have enough probes, and besides, they pay for themselves by mining. also, if you aren't maxed out, there isn't really any reason not to make probes. you have 200 supply so you might as well use it and just sacrifice some workers if you want the few extra units in your maxed out army.