Starcraft 2 Mass Roach Build Order (ZvP)

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If you are a Zerg player with solid macro and are still struggling against Protoss, you will definitely want to check out this mass Roach build order.

This build order involves getting a quick three expansions and making a sudden transition into mass Roach. It hits the Protoss player with a large number of Roaches before the Protoss is able to get out a large high tech army.

While the Protoss is able to get out units that are strong against the Roach (like the Immortal) the sheer number of Roaches provided by this build will allow you to completely overwhelm the enemy.

Mass Roach Build Order

9/10: Overlord
15/18: Spawning Pool
16/18: Hatchery
15/18: Overlord
17/18: Queen
18/18: Zerglings
20/26: Hatchery
21/26: Queen
24/26: Overlord
33/36: Overlord
36/38: Queen
36/38: Overlord
45/46: Zerglings
45/54: Extractor x2
49/54: Overlord
54/54: Overlord
62/70: Lair
62/70: Roach Warren
61/78: Evolution Chamber
61/78: Overlord x2 (sacrifice 1 Overlord for scouting)
63/78: Metabolic Boost
63/78: Extractor x2
63/78: Spore Crawler x3 (1 at each base)
68/86: +1 Missile Attacks
68/86: Macro Hatchery x2 (one in main, one at third or natural)
69/86: Glial Reconstitution (Roach Speed)
69/86: Overlord x3

Once you reach this part of the build, start massing Roaches interspersed with Drones while +1 Missile Attacks and Glial Reconstitution are finishing up. Add on your final two Extractors. Cut Drone production at about Drones. Make sure you make a lot of Overlords since Roaches quickly take up supply.

Try to hide your Roaches the best you can. Keep some at the main, some at the third, some at the natural. Do not let the Protoss opponent see all your Roaches with a Phoenix or Hallucination scout. The Spore Crawler will keep Observers away, so gather over top of the Spore Crawler at each base. Do not bring your Roaches together until you are ready to attack.

Once you are up to about 170 total supplies, you can push out with your Roaches. On the back of this attack, make sure you are using the massive Larva production you have for a wave of reinforcing Zerglings. If you can kill all enemy Colossi and drain Sentry energy with your attack of Roaches, your Zergling follow up will only be up against remaining Immortals and Sentries. Zerglings do very well against Immortals and Sentries when the Sentries have no energy for Force Field.

Planning on Zerglings as your first reinforcement wave will give you plenty of leftover gas to focus on tech and upgrades. As you are positioning your Roaches, start +2 weapons, an additional Evolution Chamber, a Hydralisk Den, and an Infestation Pit. The Infestation Pit will unlock Hive tech (needed for Vipers and +3 upgrades), the Evolution Chamber can be used to start ground Carapace, and the Hydralisk Den is the next natural unit choice to pair with your Roaches to take out higher tech Protoss armies.

Strategies for Using the Build

If you do this right, you can have about 40-50 Roaches by 11:30. A Protoss tech-based army will be so much smaller that the Roaches can simply out-power. Try to focus down enemy Immortals and Colossi as a priority. The Protoss will either not have many Colossi or not have Extended Thermal Lance yet so they will be easier to hit with your Roaches now than they will later in the game. If you can flank your opponent with some of your Roaches, taking out the enemy's Colossi becomes much, much easier.

In order to not have to invest too heavily into units in the early game, you need to use your initial Zerglings to scout the map and take down Probes and proxy Pylons. With no Pylon, Protoss players are unlikely to move out for an attack before the 9:00 mark (right when we start pumping Roaches with this build).

If the Protoss player turtles inside two bases, set up your Roach contain. While the Protoss is waiting to max out before moving out, take a fourth and fifth base and spread the creep as best you can. Add on a Hydralisk Den and continue to upgrade Missile Attacks. Add on a second Evolution Chamber plus a Spire so you can be prepared. With a huge economic advantage, you can deal with anything the Protoss can send at you. Eventually you can overwhelm your opponent through macro.

Main Weakness of the Build

The main weakness of the build is the Void Ray. Void Rays are great versus Roaches. We sacrifice an Overlord in this build and we are particularly looking for the presence of Stargates. A single Stargate is a standard Protoss play and nothing to worry about if no Void Rays are on the map (most Protoss use Phoenix). A couple Phoenix are not going to stop 50 Roaches. Likewise, 1-2 Void Rays will not stop a huge Roach army.

A second Stargate is more worrisome. Two Stargates can quickly put out 4 Void Rays, which could start to put some pressure on the Roaches. If you see multiple Stargates, delay your push and get some Hydralisks out first. Against a single Stargate, just pull a few Queens to serve as anti-air. Queens are great versus Void Rays.