Protoss build and unit mix for beginner?

I'm trying to get better with Protoss. I tried searching for sample build orders to review but all I found were terran and zerg orders. Anyone got a fairly simple protoss build to get me started?

Also, do Protoss have "simple" unit mix that I can focus on? Such as MMM for terrans or lings/mutas for zerg? (I guess?) I haven't fully learned what the unit counters are yet. I'm good at scouting and expanding, but that usually leads to me sitting on lots of resources with no idea what to build.

So...Zealots and Sentries? I'm just looking for a simple unit mix that I can crank out with hotkeys while trying to micro the fights and learn more advanced counters.

 

Check this if you haven't already. But I can't image it being hard to find Protoss builds and tutorials

 

Depending on your opponent you will want to try different build orders.

Agaist Zerg a 3GateRobo build is extremely effective and flexible. Make sure to Chrono Boost an Observer out asap to see what the Zerg is up to and then start pumping units out to counter (ie if they have a ton of roaches focus more on Immortals) and then pressure their natural expansion (bring along a probe to make a pylon right outside to keep warping units in).

The standard PvT build is to get a quick robotics bay and CB an observer out as well. Depending on what you see you will want to react differently. Generally if you see Marauders they are going to try a timing attack so pump out some Immortals and get a nice defense up. If you see a Starport, you will want some Stalkers preferably with Blink and a Stargate for Phoenix's. Otherwise start getting some Colossi for the standard MMM. Dark Templars can also be extremely effective against Terran if used correctly and generally forces them to waste scans or build a lot of missle turrets.

PvP is pretty boring stuff lol. Just try to match your opponent in warpgates and you can pretty much tech however you want. That is, if you even get to. A lot of PvP games come down to a constant clashing of warpgate units. Scout and counter!

 

I think robo in PvP is essential. 3 warp gate / robo system. Obs first to see what they are doing...most likely a zealot/sentry/immortal army, with some stalkers later on for support. If they are going more zealots than stalkers then you can get collossus but make sure you get range on it before engaging in battle, and do a dual immortal harass with a warp prism while you're producing it.

 

Thank you all for the feedback. Here's the build and general 1v1 strategy I've been using, suggested by you guys, various replays, and my friends that play.

Rough outline of build, since I'm not good enough yet to do it exact every game...
9 Pylon
10 Gateway
11 Gas
Pylon
Cycore asap
Gateway
Gas
Pylon
Robotics
...


I scout with probe that builds first gateway to check for incoming rushes and also to get a rough idea of how opponent is going. I scout again after second gas is built, but I'm not sure if I should be sending a probe or zealot for this - probably a probe?

I chron the nexus as much as possible until I get 6 probes on gas then start chroning the gateways and Robotics. I keep building probes for minerals until I have about 2 on each patch, then a few more. I've never been starved for resources yet with this approach, but maybe that's because I'm not building fast enough.

My current problems is that I start to get focussed on the opponent and either countering their initial attack, or staging an attack/harassment of my own and I forget about base production. I often forget to build a 3rd gateway, a forge, and a twilight council until it's too late.

Since Stalkers seem to be damn good against almost everything, I've been massing them and having decent success with it. I hardly use zealots at all.

General strategy in 1v1...

vs Protoss: I just try to out macro them and build more Stalkers and Immortals. I build two Observers for scouting and set them on patrol routes to cover all the expansion areas. I often don't build a Forge vs Protoss. If there's any down time, I plan on harassing their base with blinking stalkers, but honestly this "down time" hasn't happened for me yet since I'm still frantically trying to manage scouting, building, upgrading, expanding, countering attacks and/or initiating probing attacks of my own.

vs Terran: Mass stalkers and I try to get an idea of what they are going for. Against Marauders or tanks, I build immortals. Against marines, I build sentries. I always attach an observer to my attack force in case of banshees. I usually cannon up my base a little bit if they harass early with marauders. I find scouting against terran to be tricky because all the terran players I've faced seem to like missle turrets and knock out my errant observers since I don't micro them. Most terrans I've faced mix their armies well, with siege and MMM forces. So I typically mix as well with Stalkers, a few Sentries, and Immortals. I find that most Terran players wall in so I end up locking them out of expansions easier.

vs Zerg: having most trouble with them, even though my friends believe Protoss is generally favored against zerg. I always build 2 zealots early and try to choke the ramp to stop ling harassment. I always build forge and throw a few cannons in base because inevitably a couple lings get passed and wasting time to chase them down with zealots or probes is not worth the time or money lost, to me. After the first 2-3 zealots, I switch to Stalkers. Here is where early scouting is extremely important, becuase if they roach rush and I don't chron boost some immortals to deal with it, I'm screwed. I've read that voids are a good counter to roaches too, but also read that the zerg player will respond with mixing hydras into his roach packs, and then the voids are screwed. So I stick with immortals. My problem currently is if they combine ling harassment early followed by a strong roach rush, I die. Because I don't have the time or focus to scout out the impending roach rush. If I just assumed roaches and built immortals, and they built...well, pretty much anything other than roaches, then I'm screwed too. And since they are in my base harassing, they can see what I'm building and build the counter, whereas I don't have that luxury.


Feel free to rip me apart on any of this, as long as the criticism is constructive I'm trying to get better. Thanks!

 

That's a pretty solid opening build order.

Make sure to scout early. If you are massing Stalkers and he something like a +1 Infantry Weapons push with Marauders you're going to be in serious trouble. If you're not actively scouting or unsure what he has I suggest having a variety of units. But scouting is what is really important! I don't think Cannons will help you with Marauder harass. If you're talking about Reapers, I would still advise not to get cannons but to just keep a few units at your mineral line.

300 Minerals for 2 cannons (ignoring the pylon and forge) just to deal with a few zerglings is not a good investment. It might be less stressful but I would highly recommend getting used to microing your units to deal with any zerglings that get near your mineral line. Placing pylons in between mineral gaps can help a ton. Have your friend constantly harass you with zerglings every game until you're comfortable enough to defend without cannons.


Hope this helps!

 

You should scout with a probe after your first pylon. If the enemy is zerg and they are going 6-pool or something crazy, scouting after gate will not see it in time and you will probably lose.

Later you should scout with a zealot. Sure they cost more, but the chances of them getting into the enemy base is much better because of their high HP.

vs Protoss: always get a forge. upgrades are extremely important in mirror matches, if your stalkers are more powerful than the enemy stalkers then you have a huge advantage. Not to mention it allows you get get cannons in case the opponent gets DT's.

vs Terran: if the enemy is getting tons of m&m, you should counter with colossi. Other than that your strategy seems solid, although you will need void rays if the game draws on longer and they get BC's.

vs Zerg: you are losing because this is worst race to use mass stalkers against. Roaches actually beat stalkers because the zerg player can get two roaches for each stalker you get, and the stalker's bonus to armored is far too low. I highly recommend getting zealot + sentry at the start, which actually fares much, much better against roaches if you block behind them so you zealots can close the distance and slice them up. This at least will allow you to survive until you get an immortal, and also has the benefit of not being hideously weak against zerglings like stalker + immortal is. Then you can get an expo and tech from there, either getting phoenixes, templar, or colossi.

 

This helped me a lot for an opener. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah69S-TsQa8