HotS Build Order Zerg

HotS Build Order Zerg

You asked for it. I’m here to give it to you. Your new, Heart of the Swarm build orders for playing as zerg. Now before we go any further, I have to tell you something, and you’re not going to like it. Brace yourself. Are you ready? HotS build orders for zerg are identical to WoL build orders. There, I said it. Sad, but true, not much has changed in the way of zerg openings. That being said, many players feel just like you. They want to build the new units. They want to win a game with swarm hosts. They want to tech straight to the new stuff.

Let’s exploit that. Because, from what I’ve seen on the ladder, a lot of people are playing this way. In other words, if you want to win, we’re in the age of rushing.

How good am I? Well I just got promoted into platinum league. Last I checked, my win rate is around 85% with zerg. So if you’re Diamond or better, maybe you could teach me something. But for everyone else, I’ll explain how to get as far as I have.

15 hatch - This is always the best for zerg, assuming he isn’t being cheesed
15 pool - Feel free to pool first against a Hero Probe toss player. But the timings work nicer hatch first
14 extractor - three on gas when finished
@ 100% pool and hatch, 2x queens, one set of scouting lings
@ 100 gas, speed upgrade
@ 100% queens, inject larva
@ 50 gas, baneling nest
drone to 28, then make ~4 OL

At this point, what you saw with your scouting lings make all the difference. Either way, you’ll start morphing in banelings as if determine what to do next.

vs. Terran Bust him if he has walled off with Depots of bunkers. Stream in zerglings ftw. If he has a perfect wall off of Barracks, call off the bust and macro a 3rd. If he has 2-3 additional bunkers in his mineral line, call off the bust and macro a 3rd.

vs. protoss. Bust his Zealot or Pylon wall off. Stream in ling bling ftw. Call off the attack if he has a perfect wall off of gateways, forge or core. Call off the attack if he has plenty of sentries, and good FFs.

vs zerg. Have your lings follow ur banes into his mineral lines. Always lead with a single ling. If he has banelings, call off the attack, unless you feel confident you can out micro him.

Even if you call off the attack you’ll have perfect map control, while he’ll be stuck on one base. This build is great because it dictates the pace of the game. It’s great because it demands a very specific and well executed defense of your opponent.

In a ZvZ game, against a player who drones instead, your bust hits right when his economy starts to kick in, but with a far superior army. Seriously, only my grandmother would have a hard time winning such a lopsided battle.

What’s great about this build is that it counters literally every rush from any race. That includes cannon rush, since the natural expansion can easily be cancelled and replaced anywhere.
What about your HotS build order? Well, if you want, you could easily research burrough, and go roaches. I’ve fooled around with it, but never had as much success as good old ling bling. Probably because 2x banelings equals the chance to flat out win a game. While two roaches simply don’t have that kind of potential.