The Colossus can be upgraded by the Hand of Talos and Shoulder of Talos technologies, each of which increases the Colossus' maximum health by a large amount. It can regenerate by eating trees or gold mines. Hit points regenerated this way is equal to the amount of the resource consumed. This can be a useful strategy provided the Colossus eats a Gold Mine or tree belonging to the enemy.
The Colossus is a powerful myth unit and is very strong against buildings due to its high crush attack. It is also strong against almost anything else, but is the most effective if it is put to use against buildings or regular human soldiers. When fully-upgraded prior to the Extended Edition, it had the highest HP of all non-Titan, trainable Myth Units (tied with that of a Mountain Giant that has been upgraded with Granite Blood, although the Colossus is still more durable due to its higher armor ratings), but this is balanced by the Colossus being the slowest Myth Unit in the game. As with all Myth Units, Heroes will defeat them (Colossi can actually defeat most non-Greek heroes one-on-one, but they will still take much more damage than what they deal and will also usually be outnumbered), though the durability of the Colossi means they'll usually survive until backup arrives.
The Colossus' slow speed tends to make it a target of Medusae, Mummies, Frost Giants, Arguses, and Lampades or Monks loyal to Shennong, all of which can either instantly kill it, put it out of action, or even turn it against its allies, the latter causing it to lose all upgrades in the process. Other myth units like the Azure Dragon, Avenger, and White Tiger can also easily catch up to a Colossus and defeat it due to its lower hack armor in comparison to its pierce and crush armor ratings. The White Tiger even has the advantage of both dealing heavy damage to Colossi and catching up to them quickly with its leaping special attack, which also inflicts major damage.
History[]
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Scientific name -- None (artificial construct) Size -- over 50' high Diet -- doesn't eat
The Great Colossus at Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It stood over 150 ft. high on a 50 ft. white marble base. It was mostly hollow, with a skin of bronze welded to a skeleton frame of stone and metal. Though it was destroyed by an earthquake after standing for only about fifty years, such was its enormity that people came to Rhodes just to see its ruins, just as people today visit the ruins of other Greek monuments, buildings and temples.
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Trivia[]
The Colossus, as referenced by its specific technologies, is based on Talos, a giant, bronze Automaton who patrolled the island of Crete.
The Colossus is named after one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Colossus of Rhodes.
The Colossus originally had the second highest number of HP of any myth unit that can be trained at a Temple. As of the Extended Edition, it only has the third highest HP.
The Colossus originally didn't exist, and its function was instead filled by the Golem.
Hand of Talos: upgrades to Silver Colossus and increases HP by 200.
