Starcraft 2 Advanced Protoss Structures

Starcraft 2 Protoss Units and Structures --> Advanced Protoss Structures (you are here)

After building a Cybernetics Core, Protoss players get access to the first advanced buildings. Advanced Protoss buildings all require Vespene gas.

These buildings allow for the production of high tech units and also contain a variety of upgrades for different units.

As mentioned in the Starcraft 2 Protoss Units and Structures overview, many of the high-end Protoss buildings are not worth it due to their high cost.

The only reason for using these buildings is if you are executing a specific strategy or countering an opponent's troops.

Twilight Council

Cost: 150 minerals and 150 vespene gas
Requires: Cybernetics Core

This building has two very good technologies: Charge and Blink.

Zealots are useless against ranged units without Charge as Zealots are easily kited. Charge fixes this by allowing your Zealots to sprint to enemy units. Charge also increases Zealot passive movement speed significantly. It is a must-have ability if you are planning on using Zealots beyond an initial rush.

Blink allows Stalkers to jump up cliffs and escape danger very rapidly, making this a powerful upgrade. It also increases the Stalker's effectiveness versus air units significantly.

The Twilight Council allows for the building of the Templar Archives and the Dark Shrine.

Templar Archives

Cost: 150 minerals, 200 vespene gas
Requires: Templar Council
Researches: Psionic Storm, Khaydarin Amulet

The Templar Archives allows for the production of High Templar at the Gateway.

You can research Psionic Storm here. This ability deals damage to units in its area of effect. You can also research the Khaydarin Amulet, which increases High Templar starting energy by 25.

The major downside here is the high resource cost of the building and researching Psionic Storm. The combined cost for the two of these abilities is 350 minerals and 400 vespene gas, and then each High Templar is 50 minerals and 150 vespene gas.

Do not get this building unless you are sure you are going up against units weak to Psionic Storm (i.e. not versus other Protoss players!).

Dark Shrine

Cost: 100 minerals, 250 vespene gas
Requires: Templar Council

The Dark Shrine allows for the production of Dark Templar at the Gateway. The major downside is the slow building time and high Vespene cost.

Stargate

Cost: 150 minerals, 150 vespene gas
Requires: Cybernetics Core
Produces: Phoenix, Void Ray, Carrier

The Stargate is the site of air unit production for the Protoss. The Stargate allows players to build a Fleet Beacon.

Fleet Beacon

Cost: 300 minerals, 200 vespene gas
Requires: Stargate

The Fleet Beacon has a few functions. First off, it has two technologies: Flux Vanes and Graviton Catapult.

Flux Vanes significantly increases the Void Ray's speed and acceleration. This is VERY noticeable in game and makes the Void Ray an even more effective air unit.

Flux Vanes can be a great technology but it is not worth it unless you already have a lot of Void Rays. The Fleet Beacon costs a lot of minerals so it is not something to be built on a whim.

You could build 2 more Void Rays for the same cost of the Fleet Beacon and Flux Vanes, so be careful before committing the money.

Graviton Catapult makes Carriers Interceptors "launch" faster; in other words with this ability it won't take Carriers a long period of time to start attacking. You shouldn't have Carriers anyway (they are much worse than Void Rays) so this is technology is worthless.

It also allows for the production of Carriers at the Starport and the Mothership at the Nexus.

Robotics Facility

Cost: 200 minerals, 100 vespene gas
Requires: Cybernetics Core
Produces: Warp Prism, Observer, Immortal, Colossus

The Robotics Facility can produce 4 Protoss units: the Immortal, the Warp Prism, the Observer, and the Colossus. Players may want to get several of these late in the game.

It also allows players to build a Robotics Bay.

Robotics Bay

Cost: 200 minerals, 200 vespene gas
Requires: Robotics Facility
Researches: Gravitic Drive, Gravitic Booster, Extended Thermal Lances

The Robotics Bay allows for the production of Colossi at the Robotics Facility.

This building also has three technologies. Extended Thermal Lance (200 minerals, 200 vespene gas) increases the range of the Colossus so that it becomes a Siege Unit. This is worthwhile if the enemy is massing light units or has barricaded himself in with automated defense.

Gravitic Booster (increases Observer speed) is situational at best. It is only worth it if the enemy is making heavy use of cloaked units. Personally, I would much rather have a second Observer on the field for even less resource cost.

Gravitic Drive (increases Warp Prism movement speed) is also very situational. It is only worth it if you are using Warp Prisms as part of your strategy (harassing the enemy or using intense micro). Let's just say this one is for advanced players only. If you are unsure, do not get this!