2 Gate

The safest and most standard PvP opening. Two gateways producing zealots and dragoons give you early map control and the ability to react to anything your opponent does. This build does not commit to a specific tech path early, instead relying on superior unit count and scouting to dictate the flow of the game.

Produce zealots first for early map presence, then transition into dragoons once the cybernetics core finishes. Use your units to scout what the opponent is building — robotics facility, templar archives, or more gateways. Your tech choice follows from what you see: robo for reaver or observer if they go DT, archives for storm if the game looks like it will go long.

2 Gate works on every PvP map and is the recommended opening for players who prefer solid fundamentals over gambles. It is strong against aggressive cheese builds because of the early unit count. Weak against fast expand builds that gain an economic lead if you fail to punish them, and requires good scouting to avoid being surprised by hidden tech.