1 Gate Reaver

1 Gate Reaver

Matchups:	PvT
Type:	Opening
Creator:	Intotherain
Popularized By:	Rainbow

The one Gateway Reaver build is the most traditional form of Protoss harassment. Like Mutalisk harassment, the Reavers are used to keep the Terran player from leaving their base. The key difference is that one Reaver scarab can easily change the game by taking out a lot of SCVs.

Build Order

Basic Build

• 8 Pylon
• 10 Gate
• 11 Gas
• 13 Cybernetics Core
• 15 Pylon
• 18 Dragoon (build continually from now on until you have 4-5)
• 20 Dragoon Range Upgrade
• 21 Pylon
• 26 Robotics Facility (when 200 gas)
• 29 Pylon
• 34 Observatory; build Observer when it finishes
• 37 Nexus at Natural

• Continue pumping Dragoons / Probes + Adding Pylons
• Your Robo will finish about when Dragoon Range is done at 33 / 34 supply. At that point you should have about 3-4 Dragoons and can pressure or contain the Terran.
• What you build when your Robotics Facility finishes depends on your playstyle. Variations include getting Shuttle + Support Bay right away or even skipping Goon Range in favor of a very fast Reaverpush.

Countered By

Hard Counters

• Wraiths

Soft Counters

• 2 Fact JoyO Rush
• Siege Expand

Counter To

Soft Counters

• FD Terran
• 2 Fact Gundam Rush
• 2 Fact Vulture

Notable Maps

Strong

• Medusa
• Katrina

Mentality

The mentality of all reaver builds is to have the reaver do more damage than it costs. The cost includes not only the 200 mineral shuttle and the 200/100 reaver, but the difference in time between the 37 nexus here and the much earlier nexus from 1 Gate Range Obs Nex, or even 1 Gate Range Nex. This build can (and should) be modified to include one or two zealots to include with the reaver in the initial shuttle, and the first target for the reaver is always the mineral line. However, if the shuttle remains alive while getting the reaver into the base, as it should when employed properly, tanks become a high-priority target as well. If you manage to kill 3 or 4 tanks for 2 zealots and a reaver, then you may very well be able to finish off or shut down the terran's natural with your dragoon force waiting outside. Think about cost and benefit; reaver and dark templar builds (and, in fact, most builds) always boil down to cost/benefit.

Cost/benefit can not however always be quantified in purely monetary terms, forcing the terran to over commit in defense, delaying their pushing out [or aiding against the push] and pressuring you in turn, etc., are all ways to make the Reaver earn its keep.