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| Sated England. November 10 2012 04:53. Posts 3389 | Profile Blog # |
Introduction
The 4 Gate Blink/Obs All-In is a build that attempts to abuse the lack of mobility Marines/Marauders possess before Stim Research is finished by using Blink Stalkers to rapidly move between the opponent's main base and natural expansion. I'm going to be writing this guide based on a build order I've seen  Hellokitty and BabyKnight using on their streams as I think it is the strongest way of playing this all-in versus a Terran opponent.
This build should mostly be used against opponents that you know are going for a  1 Rax FE (vs. Protoss) strategy as its strength lies in incredibly greedy Twilight Council, Blink and Robotics Facility timings. This greediness means that you will only have a single Stalker out on the field for a very prolonged amount of time and this makes you very weak against a Terran opponent who is planning to go for any sort of pressure (eg. Two Rax Shells FE (vs. Protoss)) before your attack commences. However, it should be noted that this build can be quite effective when used against a Factory opening from the Terran, as they usually won't have enough units out to counter Blink Stalker aggression.
I know that this is an all-in has been around for a very long time, but I don't remember ever seeing a guide for it on the forums. I actually tried searching for one but I mostly found threads by Terran players asking for help defending against this build, which I think shows just how strong it can be! Nonetheless, if it turns out that a guide does already exist for this version of the build then the Moderators should feel free to remove this guide.
Build Order
- 9 Pylon (Chrono Boost Probes Three Times Once Complete)
- 13 Gateway
- 15 Assimilator
- 16 Pylon
- @100% Gateway: Cybernetics Core
- 19 Assimilator (2)
- 20 Pylon
- @100% Cybernetics Core: Stalker, Warpgate Research (Chrono Boost Both Once)
- @150 Minerals, 100 Gas: Twilight Council
- @200 Minerals, 100 Gas: Robotics Facility
- @100% Twilight Council: Blink (Chrono Boost Until Finished)
- @450 Minerals: 3x Gateway (2)(3)(4)
- @100% Robotics Facility: Observer
- Start Laying Down Proxy Pylons
Notes
- I Pylon scout when using this build because it pretty much guarantees that I'm going to be able to get into the opponent's base to see their gas timings. If you are confident scouting using a Gateway scout then feel free to do so, as this will enable you to get your first Assimilator slightly earlier and thus slightly speed up all the relevant timings.
- Cut Probes once you have 16 mining minerals, 6 mining gas, and a single Probe out on the map to lay down proxy Pylons. You don't need more Probes than this in order to support this particular all-in.
- If the Terran has an SCV in your base before your Stalker is finished, you're going to have to kill it before throwing down your Twilight Council. Placing your Twilight Council at a proxy location is a possibility, but I wouldn't recommend it.
- Place your proxy Pylons in locations that enable you to reinforce both near the opponent's natural choke and near the location(s) where you're going to be Blinking in-and-out of their main base. This makes it less likely that reinforcements will get cut off by the Terran opponent.
Maps and Execution
Just like in PvP, there are certain maps that are going to be good for this strategy and certain maps that aren't going to be good for this strategy. The maps you're going to want to use this strategy on are the ones that have a large surface area around the main base that you can use to Blink in-and-out of the opponent's base. Of the current ladder maps, I would say that Cloud Kingdom, Antiga Shipyard, Condemned Ridge and Shakuras Plateau are the best maps to use this strategy on.
Here are some images to show what I mean. The green arrows indicate good places to Blink into the opponent's base, the red lines show the path the enemy army has to take to defend both their main base and their natural expansion, and the blue dots indicate good places to throw down proxy Pylons.
+ Show Spoiler [Cloud Kingdom] +
+ Show Spoiler [Antiga Shipyard] +
+ Show Spoiler [Condemned Ridge] +
+ Show Spoiler [Shakuras Plateau] +
In terms of execution, what you want to be doing is making sure that you're dealing damage whilst simultaneously making sure that you're unlikely to take damage to your Stalkers. For example, running right behind the enemy's mineral line in an attempt to kill SCVs is usually a bad idea as your Stalkers will get flanked by units on one side and SCVs on the other. Basically, try to make sure you always have a clear path to a cliff-edge so that you can escape if you need to.
Secondly, you shouldn't use Blink micro within the enemy's base, you should instead kite your enemy's units back to the cliff-edge and use Blink micro to get weakened Stalkers out of the base. Once all your Stalkers are down the cliff, immediately attack the natural expansion and target fire any Bunkers that might be there, and when the enemy shows up to defend their natural Blink back into their main base.
Another important thing is not to move your Observer(s) too close to the enemy's cliff-edge. They only need to be close enough to give you vision. If they get sniped by the opponent then your attack is going to be significantly weakened until another Observer arrives, and that could give the opponent enough time to set-up adequate defences at both their main and natural.
Last of all, there is one important target that you should always be looking for when using this build, and that's the Tech-Lab researching Stim. If you can snipe Stim Research then it's going to be very hard for the Terran to deal with your harassment as you shouldn't really lose many Stalkers to Marines and Marauders without Stim.
Replays
I don't feel like this build needs a tonne of replays demonstrating its execution because it's a very simple build order. If people really want then I can add more later:
http://drop.sc/273680
http://drop.sc/273681
http://drop.sc/278493
http://drop.sc/278492
http://drop.sc/278494
http://drop.sc/297281
http://drop.sc/297280
http://drop.sc/297279
As a bonus, here are some replays from HotS where I've found this all-in to be even stronger. This is because you can skip the Robotics Facility entirely as you can use the Mothership Core for high-ground vision instead. The build order doesn't even change that much since you simply build the Mothership Core at the same time you'd normally build the Robotics Facility (it costs less minerals and exactly the same amount of gas).
http://drop.sc/273684
http://drop.sc/273683
And here is a replay of Grubby using this build against Sting at IEM Singapore. In this game, Sting goes for a Marine/Tank opening, which this build is strong against due to how delayed Stim Research is and how immobile Siege Tanks are relative to Blink Stalkers:
http://www.esl-world.net/masters/season7/singapore/sc2/playoffs/download/26425398/
Conclusion
When used on the right maps, and assuming both good Blink micro and good decision making from the Protoss player, it is really hard for a pre-Stim Terran opponent to properly deal with this build. As such, my opinion is that this makes it an important part of any Protoss player's toolbox.Last edit: 2013-01-30 12:25:29 |
| | EU Masters Protoss Playing For Team SC2Improve ~ www.sc2improve.org ~ "I'd rather play a strategy that is worse but that I feel confident in than play the better strategy not really feeling it and not being 100% behind it" - Grubby | |
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| McTeazy Canada. November 10 2012 05:18. Posts 145 | Profile # |
Thank you! I love this build but I always just winged the build because I hadn't found a proper build. Normally I do constant stalkers off of 1 gate which obviously slows down the timing a LOT.
Thanks! |
| | a person is smart, people are stupid |
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| Teoita Italy. November 10 2012 05:31. Posts 4248 | Profile Blog # |
Might want to add a VOD of MC's doing it while you are at it 
http://www.gomtv.net/2012gsls3/vod/67574/?set=5&lang=
Also, this is actually doable vs a ton of Terran builds, except perhaps reactor 2 rax, and even then you might just chrono out one sentry (you just have to defend a ramp rather than a nexus anyway) or something like that and be fine.
I've seen games vs 111 in which neither side could kill each other so it just kinda went into a macro game too, assuming protoss doesn't get caught out of position by banshees or hellions in his base.Last edit: 2012-11-10 05:33:20 |
| | Protoss all-ins are like a wok. You can throw whatever you want in there and it will turn out alright. |
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| monk United States. November 10 2012 05:35. Posts 6811 | Profile Blog # |
Yea I would also recommend linking to vods. MC has done it 3-4 times on Antiga. Creator did it on Antiga in the TSL.
Also, I would recommend adding replays against a variety of strategies. 1-1-1, 1 rax fe, hellion drop, 2 rax, etc... |
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| Salient United States. November 10 2012 05:54. Posts 335 | Profile # |
| It's funny how this is similar to standard play in PvP, but is considered an all in or cheese in PvT. Why is that? |
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| Teoita Italy. November 10 2012 05:57. Posts 4248 | Profile Blog # |
| Because it IS a one base all-in in PvT: Terran has mules, an expansion that will be several minutes faster than anything doable off this build, and it's harder to transition into a standard macro game than it is in PvP; generally, if you haven't dealt critical damage by the time stim is done you are most likely dead. Last edit: 2012-11-10 05:57:56 |
| | Protoss all-ins are like a wok. You can throw whatever you want in there and it will turn out alright. |
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| TripleOSeven United States. November 10 2012 05:58. Posts 98 | Profile Blog # |
On November 10 2012 05:54 Salient wrote:
It's funny how this is similar to standard play in PvP, but is considered an all in or cheese in PvT. Why is that?
Because it's a one base build that usually if it fails, Protoss is too behind and loses. |
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| Surili United Kingdom. November 10 2012 06:00. Posts 1077 | Profile Blog # |
I stole this build off of babyknight as well, and i usually pull it out in tournaments against GM players if i want to win, pretty sure i have a winning record against players much better than me with it 
Gonna work on getting these numbers down properly, although i usually get a zealot first so as not to be completely fucking dead against a marauder opening, and it is good to tank the bunker while i pressure at the front waiting for my obs sometimes. |
| | "It is not a mistake to have strong views, it is a mistake to have nothing else." - Andrew Weston * * * Masters Protoss on EU. | |
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| Salient United States. November 10 2012 06:02. Posts 335 | Profile # |
| So blink obs is not cheesey in PvP because 1 base builds are very strong and guaranteed to do some damage? |
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| ian952 Canada. November 10 2012 06:09. Posts 119 | Profile # |
| How do you hold a hellion drop with blink stalker all in? I feel that if the terran player is good, the medivac can always be a threat and I have to leave 2 stalkers at my base. |
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| city42 November 10 2012 06:10. Posts 973 | Profile # |
| I don't understand why you get a fourth gateway. With 16 probes on minerals you can barely support 3 gate stalkers + pylons, and that's before considering chronoboost. The 4 gate variations of this all-in involve more probes (Genius gets 29 I believe). |
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| Chandra United States. November 10 2012 06:25. Posts 123 | Profile # |
On November 10 2012 06:10 city42 wrote:
I don't understand why you get a fourth gateway. With 16 probes on minerals you can barely support 3 gate stalkers + pylons, and that's before considering chronoboost. The 4 gate variations of this all-in involve more probes (Genius gets 29 I believe).
Yeah, I think with this build some extra probes are required to optimally support 4 gates. I copied MC's version of this build a while ago and he usually goes up to 27 probes. Even if you're late on warp cycles and your minerals pile up a bit the extra probes are helpful anyway if you want to expand and transition into a macro game. |
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| Teoita Italy. November 10 2012 06:36. Posts 4248 | Profile Blog # |
On November 10 2012 06:02 Salient wrote:
So blink obs is not cheesey in PvP because 1 base builds are very strong and guaranteed to do some damage?
It is not cheesy in PvP because 1) if played perfectly it can beat any build and 2) it doesn't fall behind economically nearly as much as it does in PvT.
Also i agree on the probe count, i'd get like 20ish on minerals.Last edit: 2012-11-10 06:36:54 |
| | Protoss all-ins are like a wok. You can throw whatever you want in there and it will turn out alright. |
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| ishyishy United States. November 10 2012 06:59. Posts 795 | Profile # |
This is a good build, but I find it to be a little too difficult to execute properly (as good builds usually are). However, I used to do a 4 gate robo with a warp prism build that hits around 6:30ish or so, a little bit slower than a traditional 4 gate, and it only requires 1 gas, and you warp in their main.
You make 3 units, proxy the robo, make 3 more gates, make a warp prism, load the 3 units into warp prism, drop in their main and warp in.
Terrans have been doing gas builds instead of 1 rax expands, so I dont really do this build anymore, but it worked really well when every single terran was taking greedy expansions.
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| Rickyvalle21 United States. November 10 2012 07:02. Posts 92 | Profile # |
| Deezer did this alot on maps that were doable for them and had like a 80% win rate. Maybe thats how his pvt maintained in gm when he couldnt streamsnipe. |
| | people say practice is perfect but if nothing is perfect whats the point in practicing? |
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| Teoita Italy. November 10 2012 07:03. Posts 4248 | Profile Blog # |
| I'm fairly sure Deezer also map hacked. |
| | Protoss all-ins are like a wok. You can throw whatever you want in there and it will turn out alright. |
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| alpenrahm Germany. November 10 2012 07:58. Posts 186 | Profile # |
I stole this build off of babyknight as well, and i usually pull it out in tournaments against GM players if i want to win, pretty sure i have a winning record against players much better than me with it
Gonna work on getting these numbers down properly, although i usually get a zealot first so as not to be completely fucking dead against a marauder opening, and it is good to tank the bunker while i pressure at the front waiting for my obs sometimes
dude i played you, and this build, in some playhem on antiga. this stupid blink allin is a bitch to deal with if you get your scouting scv denied. as an interesting side note; you can almost completely shut down this build if you open up with an early shell opener into expo and manage to snipe the first stalker / force the scout in via concussive agression. the only problem being that you will not be able to win 1rine2mara vs 2stalker+zeal where as you will have free reign over your opponents natural if he skips the first zealot and goes for double stalker immediatly. in any case it comes down to when you realize the all in is hitting. if you know its coming one or 2 minutes before it hits you can easily get enought bunkers up and add some rax production to just camp it out until your stim finishes but if you dont get the early intel that will mostlikey mean gg right there. |
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| iAmJeffReY United States. November 10 2012 08:30. Posts 3387 | Profile # |
I don't seem to have as much trouble identifying this build, as on those few maps (ohana, shakuras, cloud, antiga) if I don't see a 1 gate FE I expect this and tuck my barracks back further into my base. Losing stim is losing the game, in my experience.
I actually on these maps I expect this opening, do a 15 gas opening, to get stim earlier than expected than 1 rax FE would get it.
Still, a bitch of a build even when you know it's coming, and bunker your main, and expo, and protoss still do damage. |
| | iAmJeffReY.267 /// http://www.twitch.tv/iamjeffrey_ |
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| ian952 Canada. November 10 2012 08:42. Posts 119 | Profile # |
On November 10 2012 08:30 iAmJeffReY wrote:
I don't seem to have as much trouble identifying this build, as on those few maps (ohana, shakuras, cloud, antiga) if I don't see a 1 gate FE I expect this and tuck my barracks back further into my base. Losing stim is losing the game, in my experience.
I actually on these maps I expect this opening, do a 15 gas opening, to get stim earlier than expected than 1 rax FE would get it.
Still, a bitch of a build even when you know it's coming, and bunker your main, and expo, and protoss still do damage.
This build is really strong, no matter how hard you prepare for it, you can still lose. |
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| iAmJeffReY United States. November 10 2012 09:36. Posts 3387 | Profile # |
On November 10 2012 08:42 ian952 wrote:
Show nested quote +On November 10 2012 08:30 iAmJeffReY wrote:
I don't seem to have as much trouble identifying this build, as on those few maps (ohana, shakuras, cloud, antiga) if I don't see a 1 gate FE I expect this and tuck my barracks back further into my base. Losing stim is losing the game, in my experience.
I actually on these maps I expect this opening, do a 15 gas opening, to get stim earlier than expected than 1 rax FE would get it.
Still, a bitch of a build even when you know it's coming, and bunker your main, and expo, and protoss still do damage.
This build is really strong, no matter how hard you prepare for it, you can still lose.
Thank you for reiterating what I already said in the last line. Excellent input. I'd like to think that at the decent level I play at, that I would know that. I lose to about everything I know is coming. |
| | iAmJeffReY.267 /// http://www.twitch.tv/iamjeffrey_ |
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