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Matchup guide - PvT

Protoss vs Terran: counters and game plan

Every common Terran plan in PvT, the Protoss answer, and one current opening. Open the live tool to tag scouted units and tighten the read mid-game.

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Economy first

Opening: Gasless Nexus into tech scout

Fast Nexus, late gases, Cybernetics Core, Adept/Stalker scout, then tech choice.

Goal: Reach a strong economy without dying to 3-Rax, proxy, or mine drop pressure.

First five minutes

  • Probe scout for proxy Barracks paths.
  • First Adept/Stalker checks natural and unit count.
  • Battery if the Terran skips a natural or shows many Marines early.

Scout for

  • No natural Command Center
  • Early Tech Lab Barracks
  • Fast Starport with missing units

Transition: Blink, Colossus, or Charge/Storm all work; choose based on Terran bio density and drop pressure.

More current PvT builds on Spawning Tool (Harstem 5.0.16 PvT gasless)

Terran plan: Marine, Marauder, Medivac

Bio medivac

Fast stim timing, drops, and mine connections.

Gateway buffer into reliable splash

Core:

ZealotStalkerSentryObserver

Tech switches:

ColossusDisruptorHigh TemplarArchon

Upgrades: Charge, Blink, Ground weapons, Storm

Fight it right

  • Fight with Zealots in front and splash protected behind the Stalkers.
  • Tag army movement with Observers or Revelation before moving out.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not warp into open ground without a force-field or battery anchor.
  • Do not let Medivacs pick up for free after a defended attack.
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Terran plan: Tank, Thor, Hellion

Mech shell

Slow pushes that become impossible when the air and tank count stacks.

Immortal backbone into Tempest and Disruptor

Core:

ZealotStalkerImmortalObserver

Tech switches:

DisruptorTempestHigh TemplarWarp Prism

Upgrades: Charge, Blink, Ground weapons, Extended Thermal Lance

Fight it right

  • Use Prism or Zealot runbys while the mech army is sieged forward.
  • Pick at tanks with Tempests before committing ground units.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not fight with only gateway units after the third tank count.
  • Do not blink into tank range unless you are ending the game.
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Terran plan: Starport tech, BC, Liberator

Battlecruiser or sky

Teleports, range control, and late-game air armor scaling.

Blink defense into Tempest control

Core:

StalkerSentryObserverShield Battery

Tech switches:

TempestHigh TemplarArchonCarrier

Upgrades: Blink, Air weapons, Ground weapons, Storm

Fight it right

  • Blink under isolated air units, then reset before the repair arrives.
  • Tempests should poke from the edge while Storm protects the ground.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not chase Battlecruisers across the map with Stalkers only.
  • Do not skip Batteries at exposed mineral lines.
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Terran plan: Medivac, Mine, Hellbat

Mine, drop, or hellbat

Worker damage that hides a normal third-base follow-up.

Observer coverage with battery-safe tech

Core:

StalkerAdeptObserverShield Battery

Tech switches:

PhoenixHigh TemplarColossusWarp Prism

Upgrades: Blink, Charge, Observer speed

Fight it right

  • Park Observers near drop lanes, not only with the main army.
  • Blink Stalkers target Medivacs first so the same drop cannot repeat.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not move out before detection is covering your main and third.
  • Do not chase Hellions with slow units across open ground.
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Counter any Terran unit

Deep-dive pages for each Terran unit you might scout in PvT.

MarineMarauderReaperHellionHellbatWidow MineCycloneSiege TankThorVikingMedivacLiberatorRavenBansheeBattlecruiserGhost

Other matchups

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