Two Units Every Protoss Player Should Use

So today I figured I’d talk about a couple of Protoss units that are underused in lower levels of play: the Sentry and the Phoenix; and in the case of the Phoenix, underused in higher levels of play. I might do something like this for Terran and Zerg also, but I’m primarily a Protoss player, so no promises.

First I think I should mention a unit that is considered massively important among good players, but I never see at lower levels of play: The Sentry. This unit can make or break an early rush if used correctly, and continues to be valuable for the rest of the game. Now you might not want to spend that 100 gas on a Sentry, and that’s understandable. But it’s worth the cost. It can cut off an enemy attack in its track, or, if you prefer and have enough skill, it can cut off the first few attackers from the rest of your opponents army, leaving them open for you to pick off.

If you don’t think your micro skills are up to par for using force field, Sentries are still worth getting. The guardian shield has saved me from slaughter several times, and Sentries are actually effective fighting units against other Protoss, believe it or not. All in all, this is a must have unit for any Protoss player.


The second unit is, as I said at the beginning of the article, the Phoenix. This is a unit that I rarely see used. No one seems to realize that guy actually has an awesome ability. Sure, he may be an AA unit, but with his ability he’s able to lift any non-massive unit into the air, unable to attack or move. Combine this with good damage against light units plus the ability to attack while moving and you have what I consider the best harass unit in the game. While it isn’t always cost effective, this unit can take down anything except massive units with its abilities. Hydras, Marines, and Overlords are all just sitting ducks before a few Phoenixes, at least in small numbers. Of course, it’s also worth mentioning that these units are excellent at picking off harvesters and Queens.

I’ve also found that these units can be extremely useful as a side force in a large battle. Even if they do absolutely no damage, their ability to keep a few key enemy units out of the battle is massively effective. Each Phoenix can lift four units, so with just three Phoenixes, you could lift off twelve siege tanks, or whatever, while your Colossi take care of your opponent’s front lines. That’s enough to turn a narrow defeat into a clear victory.

When the game comes back up, my article may immediately be obsolete. They may turn the graviton beam into an upgrade, or remove the Sentry’s force field. But, as it stands, I think these are the two most underused units in the game right now for Protoss players. Hopefully this article will change that.