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Matchup guide - TvP

Terran vs Protoss: counters and game plan

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

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Safe pressure

Opening: Reaper expand into mine/Raven pressure

Reaper expand, Factory tech, Starport, then Mine drop or Raven with Marine/Marauder.

Goal: Confirm Protoss tech, stay alive vs. blink or Oracle, and build toward a strong stim timing.

First five minutes

  • Reaper checks second Nexus and tech path.
  • Widow Mine or Raven buys space against gateway pressure.
  • Start Stim before the Protoss third becomes fully saturated.

Scout for

  • Twilight before third
  • No Robo after Stargate
  • Proxy pylon or missing second gas

Transition: Medivacs, Marauders, Ghosts, and Liberators scale well once splash or Shield Battery lines appear.

More current TvP builds on Spawning Tool (SpeCial and HeroMarine-style TvP openings)

Protoss plan: Adept, Stalker, Zealot

Gateway pressure

Early tempo, warp-in reinforcement, and fast third denial.

Marauder tank with mine insurance

Core:

MarineMarauderMedivacSiege Tank

Tech switches:

Widow MineGhostLiberatorRaven

Upgrades: Stimpack, Concussive Shells, Combat Shield

Fight it right

  • Use Marauders to slow Zealots and keep Marines shooting.
  • Siege Tanks where they cover the third and main ramp at once.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not kite into a corner against Charge.
  • Do not skip bunkers if the second gas is missing from Protoss.
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Protoss plan: Colossus, Disruptor, Immortal

Robo splash

High-value splash that wins if you clump or attack late.

Ghost Viking bio with active splits

Core:

MarineMarauderMedivacGhost

Tech switches:

VikingLiberatorRavenWidow Mine

Upgrades: Stimpack, Infantry armor, Ship weapons

Fight it right

  • Vikings force Colossus back; Ghosts remove shields from the ground army.
  • Pre-split before Disruptor shots, then re-stim once shots are gone.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not A-move through Disruptor zones.
  • Do not make Vikings forever after Colossus production stops.
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Protoss plan: Carrier, Void Ray, Tempest

Skytoss

Air armor scaling, static defense, Storm, and late-game range.

Viking Ghost with Thor or Liberator support

Core:

MarineVikingGhostMissile Turret

Tech switches:

ThorLiberatorRavenBattlecruiser

Upgrades: Ship weapons, Infantry weapons, Vehicle weapons

Fight it right

  • EMP before the air fight so Archons, Templar, and shields collapse.
  • Target Carriers only when Interceptors are thinned or Vikings are safe.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not fight Carrier Storm in one tight clump.
  • Do not stay passive while Protoss takes every base behind batteries.
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Protoss plan: Oracle, DT, hidden tech

Oracle or DT tech

Invisible or flying worker damage into a normal Protoss economy.

Detection first, then a real two-base punish

Core:

MarineCycloneMissile TurretScan

Tech switches:

RavenWidow MineMedivacGhost

Upgrades: Stimpack, Combat Shield, Infantry weapons

Fight it right

  • Turrets cover mineral lines; scans cover the army path.
  • Cyclones and Marines punish Oracles before they stack energy.

Do not drift into this

  • Do not burn every scan on scouting when DTs are possible.
  • Do not chase Oracles with the whole bio army.
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Counter any Protoss unit

Deep-dive pages for each Protoss unit you might scout in TvP.

ZealotAdeptStalkerSentryImmortalObserverWarp PrismColossusDisruptorHigh TemplarArchonDark TemplarPhoenixOracleVoid RayTempestCarrierMothership

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