Most people complain that Zerg is underpowered, but I've found that with this build order, you can get 4-5 Mutalisks and setup an expansion by 6:00 for harass and transition into mid-game quite easily.




Essentially, this build sacrifices the starting queen for an extra hatchery and the increased gas needed to fund Mutalisk builds. Build can be altered to haul in more gas as necessary, but it is crucial to remember that because there are no queens, you need to save up enough larva to pump out the Mutalisks.

Performing the build correctly can get Mutalisks at about 6:00, often surprising Terran players, who haven't setup adequate anti-air. Remember after 7-9 mutalisks, to get +1 Carapace vs. Terran Bio.

Yeah, just wanted to drop off a strat since I never visit SEN anymore.

Comment, and suggest tweaks. Test it out. Works nicely against any race really, but mostly a response to how "Terrans are so OP, omfg".

This seems like you'd crumble against any sort of early pressure because of no queen, like how would this far against a 5 reaper rax build, and is this only against T, because early zealot pressure might rape you too.

4Gate Zealot push would be lulzy fun against this.

"11 overlord"

What?

I'm just going to assume using extractor trick, but I'm not sure if it even works out well to be honest, you lose mining time on one of the drones, but I still like doing it. Maybe he should refine it even more with a double extractor trick.

You should be able to scout and notice that the Terran player has his gas up earlier than 13, and should expect either a reaper or other gas heavy (raven, banshee) build and adjust accordingly.
You should also be able to scout if the Terran player doesn't have gas after his first barracks is up, he's going for a less gas heavy such as a mass marine build. If it is a mass marine build, picking off marines until you reach critical mass and +1 armour will suffice.

In the event that you detect a Zealot or Zergling rush, the hatchery can be skipped or canceled for two spine crawlers, which you can then switch into a Hydra-Ling or one base Mutalisk build.

4gate can be supplemented by adding a few Zerglings and/or roaches into the mix, or switching to Hydra-Ling or Hydra-Roach builds (and if the spire is already done, Protoss usually reacts to Hydralisks with Colossi, so you can pump out a few Corruptors.

In some cases, I have gotten mutalisks out before a Thor rush, although it may just have been because the other player messed up his build.

Why not 9lord 14extractor & pool? IIRC it's proven to be more effecient.

I haven't tested that, but I'm going to go with the assumption that this is better because you're going to need more minerals to setup your expo and grab the extra gas sooner.

I think this build might be more effective if your opponent decides to fast tech or fast expo and you catch them off-guard, but as Fisty mentioned, 9 lord and 14 pool seems a lot more safe against timing pushes. Given the nerf of reapers, 5 reaper rax isn't as popular but if he proxies it could be quite a problem. Skipping the queen for a fast lair seems like it would screw your creep-spreading and macro mid game though.

The only way this would work is if your opponent wasn't scouting. The 14 gas is a give away that you're going to rush tech (either investors, air, or ultras). If I ever see a player going for a 10+ overlord, I proxy a base (with cannons or bunker). The bunker jumping will shred this tactic.

I've always found getting some lings and banneling first helps (knock out supply depots/pylons, slow their build, and keep the pressure on, and kill all those rines and zealots). It also makes your opponent get colossus, tanks and hellions, thinking you're going a ground build. Pop out 5-9 mutas, rape their mineral line, then micro and pressure.

The weakness of the build is a two player map, but I've found a lot of success on Lost Temple and Metalopolis.
Also, any decent player would be able to scout a bunker or cannon proxy, since it has to be relatively close to the zerg base to have any significant effect.

The aim of the build is to get 4-5 Mutalisks out before any significant anti-air can be established. Often against Terran players, I will use an overlord to proxy the spire in a corner of the base.

Terran players tend to have just enough marines to support their heavier Marauders and Tanks. Sufficient micro allows you to kill off these units, or just simply skip to the mineral line. So far, the only way to defeat a mass marine build is to out run and harass.

Early on, Zerg players will often only have Queens to defend their base. Attacking with mutalisks will often spark them into setting up static defences and/or another queen, which often leads into a creep spreading strategy. In this case, if you can harass effectively enough, adding speedlings into the next attack could very well end the game. Scout well. If you have a feeling the Zerg is going to be massing Speedlings early on, setting up 2-3 WELL PLACED Spine Crawlers can very well save your expansion, and your main, long enough for your mutalisks to get out.

Protoss going standard 4Gate should have enough to counter you. Most other Protoss builds can be beat quite easily.

Remember: The goal of this build is simply harass. You are not trying to end the game unless they have absolutely no anti-air capability whatsoever. By having the player pull workers off his mineral line, he is losing income, and you are able to see the build he is transitioning into, allowing you to have not only an income advantage, but find an easy counter as well.

No. Effective counter is Muta/Baneling combination. It's effective until T adds sufficient numbers of hellions, mechs, and spellcasters. Then you need more stuff, like Ultras, Infestors, etcetc.