Mar 19th 2025

Why hello Reader,
​

I remember the first time I tried to build an SC2 bot. I figured, Hey, AI is superhuman—why not just slap down buildings, pump out units, and let it brute-force its way to victory?

So I coded it to max out as fast as possible, thinking raw mechanics would carry the day. Then I threw it against a human player in a max-out challenge. And I got wrecked.

Turns out, speed doesn’t mean much if your bot isn’t building the right things at the right time. While my AI was flailing around, my opponent was crushing me with a simple, well-structured build order. That’s when it hit me:

Even the best AI needs a plan.

A build order is more than just a list of things to build—it’s the backbone of a strong bot. Without one, your AI is just a really fast idiot.

So here’s how you can fix that—even if you’re more comfortable writing code than microing marines.

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1. Where to Get Your Build Orders

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Check out Spawning Tool or reddit (AllThingsZerg, AllThingsTerran, AllThingsProtoss)— they have a huge database of tested and proven builds used. When I asked sharkbot’s creator he mentioned watching the top SC2 creators as a source of inspiration, here are some suggestions:

• Terran: uThermal​
• Zerg: Lambo​
• Protoss: Harstem​
• All races: PiG​

2. Implementing Build Orders: DIY vs. Frameworks

You can manually code the timings and steps of the build order yourself, giving you full control. But if that’s too tedious, frameworks like Ares or Sharpy can help streamline this process, handling details like timing and resource management, so you can focus on the fun stuff.

3. Dynamically Adjusting Your Build Orders

Just coding a static build is the easy part, a prescribed recipe won’t adapt when things go sideways. Incorporating simple conditions (like reacting to scouting info or adjusting based on enemy response) can make your build order smarter and your bot more resilient in real games. This reminds me of my conversation with MindMe, the creator of one of the top-performing bots in the scene. When I interviewed him, he emphasized that a bot’s strength isn’t just in executing a build but in its ability to pivot when faced with unexpected situations.

Also consider, build orders are designed for humans, but AI can push them further. You’ll need to tweak them to account for things like speed mining or coding buffer time—making sure workers start building at just the right moment.

build orders are best for up to the first 5 minutes of the game, after that you’ll need a different solution to handle your macro. But that first 5 minute sets the tone for the rest of the match

Happy Coding!

Drekken​
Founder, VersusAI

📧 Drekken@versusai.net | 💬 Discord: drekken1

May the Bugs Be Ever In your Favour🪲

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