FrogBuildWeekly-#1-Glavedept + FF ramp PvZ (PvZ Timing Attack)

Description

Welcome to the FrogBuildWeekly!

This is an educational series based around fun and unorthodox builds aimed at any level of players. If you want to play unconventional builds but don't feel lile making your own builds I will have a build description and a video of me doing it while briefly explaining it. If you want to base your method of improving in starcraft around fun builds I recommend also reading through the Analysis section.

Do not expect these build to work on the first attempt. But note that this is actually just another way of saying that you will learn by attempting them, and when it does work it will feel even better.

With every build I will include learning goals. This is so that you can choose what to focus on and to make sure that you're learning and not just trying to copy others using skills you already have. However because everyone starts out with different sets of skills I will also give suggestions on how to simplify the build to make it easier, and suggestions how to improve the build to make it more difficult. I highly suggest forcing yourself to train something new, but not too much at the same time, but this means that you will lose a lot at first, accept this and enjoy when you learn to do it better after practicing!

I will genrally not tell you to exactly copy the build because I don't think that is an efficient way to improve, and I also don't think it's crucial in order to win games. Instead I will explain the builds in a way that makes them easier to execute and gives you a general understanding of the macro rather than blindly following something someone else did. Of course Spawning Tool is great for automatically generating the build from the replay so I will keep that list, but I don't encurage you to aim towards following that exactly. If you are interested in very refined builds I will instead sometimes list tips in the improvement section suggesting how you can refine the build yourself (which you can learn a lot from!).

Moving on to the build description

Overview This week the build is focused on the adept + force field on the ramp combo. The background for this is that adepts (like stalkers) can move through force fields, whereas zerg units can not. In order to get the sentries close enough to the zerg heart which is the main base ramp a warp prism is used. This has the added benefit of allowing warpins of adepts (or more sentries) and it also hides the sentries from the opponent that otherwise might make a ravager before the fight starts (which can destroy force fields). In order to make the build simpler we skip the oracle, but if you prefer to open regular stargate before transitioning into this build that works too. However, then you might expect more queens which can cause problems for your prism.

Detailed description The build can be explained as followed: Open gate-expand like usual. Like many Protoss builds this one is easiest explained by its gas usage. As soon as twilight can be afforded it is build. As soon as the twilight is finished resonating glaves is researched and as soon as the next 100 gas is mined a robotics facility is started. At this point gas will start piling up, and instead we focus on building 2 more gateways as soon as posible after the robo so that we can get them approximately when warpgate finishes. After that we simply build a prism when the robo finishes and keep adding gateways until warpgate is done, now all we need to focus on is warping in adepts and and not getting supply blocked. Throughout you want to build 4 adepts in total from the first gateway before warpgate finishes. If you thought all this was too complicated all you really need to remember is:

1. Regular gate expand

2. Twilight - Resonating glaves

3. Robo + 2 gates

4. Prism + gates until warpgate is done

The second phase of the build is the moveout-when the prism finishes it is time to attack with everything except one adept in the wall. Midmap we warp in 2 sentries and instantly put them in the warp prism to hide them. Continuasly we add adepts. The nice thing about this build is that it does not have to hit a specific timing, the longer we wait the more defence the opponent will have, but you will also have more adepts. Attack when it feels right and most of your warpgates just warped in adepts.

The third phase of the build is the attack. Now we warp in the last adepts, build some pylons to avoid supplyblock and having to look away from our units in the battle. The goal is to get close enough with the adepts to the main ramp that they can shade all the way inside. Sometimes this has to be done in steps, shading in as far as you can to draw the opponents army back and when possible walking forward with the adepts preparing for the next shade. The prism should still have the sentries inside of it and go to a safe location where the sentries can reach the main ramp. It does not matter what side of the ramp the sentries are on since they have the prism for support. I explain in the end of the video how the easiest way to perform this micro is, and you also see that if you mess up you often get many more chances. During this phase the only macro you want to do is warp in adepts when possible. If your money gets too high you can expand or build immmortals and gases. Sending a probe to the 3rd when you move out with the prism will allow you to more easily build the 3rd and might also trick the opponent.

The final phase as always is the transition, I will in these guides try to always give at least 2 suggestions, one all in and one macro focused transition, but really you can do whatever you want. The key part of learning through these builds is learning the techniques involved, so I will not put much emphazis on explaining the ultimate transitions. Suggested all in version: take gases 3-4 when you can afford them and warp in sentries at home, chrono boost immortals preparing for an adept + sentry + immortal all in, on 2 or 3 bases, with or without +1. Suggested macro transition: Take a 3rd and start upgrades and transition into colossus, build some sentries. Use adepts to harass throughout the midgame and keep the prism with adepts as a dangerous counter attack option.

VOD

Replay - FrogBuildWeekly-1-AdeptFFramp

Build Order

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Analysis

I think the original purpose of the "Analysis" section was to give detailed strategic analysis on why this build is good etc, but since this is not a pro level build that is irrelevant, anything with a good purpose that is well executed is strong all the way to GM. For this build it is simple, we can hit a timing and split the opponents army out in 2 locations and then even choose which location to put our army in while force fielding between the locations. This is the essance of force fields, fight the opponents army one small segment at a time. Additionally adepts kill drones very quickly so that is an added bonus option.

Having finished the strategical analysis I will instead focus on how to actually learn it and how we can make adjustments to this build.

Learning how to do it

The two main learning outcomes of this build are adept and prism+sentry micro. The way I suggest you learn things is as follows: (if you are already good at something skip that step)

1. Go into unit tester and shade the adepts around and try the sentry + prism drop with force fields. Try to load up sentries into the prism after the force field has been made. Think about how you want to control group your units, practice this until you can perform the action of shading + dropping sentry + forcefielding + load sentry in prism + cancel adept shade(?) against no opponent. Skip the loading into prism again if its too hard for you and watch end of video to see how to do the force field in an easy way.

2. Executing the build decently against AI. If you struggle with spending money simply add more gateways before moving out and build pylons earlier if you get supply blocked. Don't worry about the micro.

3. Again play against the AI and try to do the micro as well, with only adepts, in other words keep the sentries in the prism all game if you feel like it, just focus on managing your adept control. Split against banes, avoid fighting too many roaches at once, shade when cooldown is done, send 2 to focus down drones etc. There is much that can be done. Where you feel happy with your progress move to the next step.

4. Now add the sentry drop into the process.

5. Try it against a human opponent, either instantly with sentries or without if you feel overwhelmed. When you can add the sentries you have successfully learnt a lot about adept micro and the prism + sentry combo.

Build simplifications

• As mentioned if the build is too difficult the first thing to do is to simply add more gates. If you struggle with surviving until the attack actually hits you can instead try a one-base version where the twilight and robo will be timed in the same way but you might stop at a lower gateway count.

• if you expect to lose the warp prism make a 2nd one as you attack and rally it across the map.

• if the force field tactic with the adept shade is too difficult you could instead add the robo before the twilight and make 3 prisms non-stop. The goal is instead to drop 12 units in the main, force field the ramp and then warp in more units. Similarly to the adepts you have the option to go either above or below the ramp.

• if you are afraid of baneling busts or ling floods you can make a fullwall at the front with gateways and lift the adepts out when you move out. Adding one immortal if you are afraid of roaches also does not hurt, this can go together with the sentries in the prism (Just remember to load the sentries into the prism first so that they will unload before the immortal allowing you to force field faster).

• scouting with the first adept is optional, this makes it much safer but also much harder to execute. Taking risks for the sake of learning new techniques is no problem even if you lose ladder games in the process!

Improving the build/additional difficult techniques

• Perhaps glaves finished a bit too soon with this build, maybe starting with the robo and going into one immortal together with this would be better. Ideally glaves finishes for when the adepts move in to gain enough space to push back the opponent so that they can shade in far, or just before that.

• shade 2 adepts to separate locations and target fire drones while hitting the main attack like usual. Even if 5 roaches are in possition this is pretty cost efficient. Ideally steal them to a separate control group.

• attack with first 2 adepts sometimes which requires additional micro, can keep a probe in wall prepared to build a pylon if lings counter attack.

• put sentries in same group as prism, this will allow you to quickly after sentries are dropped select this group and then force fielding, this will also allow cursor to sit and wait at the ramp. This is good practice for storm dropping.

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Details

• Created by: FightingFrog 
• Published on: Nov 07, 2018
• Modified on: Dec 09, 2018
• Patch: 4.0.0

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