Click "full story" below to brush up on all those special rules used by the big guys!

First order of business: If you were hoping to find a review of Colossal figures here, prepare to be disappointed. Before we get into reviewing the actual figures we must understand how they work.

With Galactic Guardians releasing this month a wave of new colossal figures will be crashing onto maps. This primer takes a look at the strengths and weaknesses associated with the damage symbol, aiming to give you an edge when using (or fighting) the big guys.

Second order of business: for intent of this article the plural of colossal is colossi.

Colossal figures play by a different set of rules,

rules that don't come up often because there are very few colossi in HeroClix, and even then many of them don't see much use for a number of reasons from weekly event point totals to rarity (for a long time Colossi were mainly convention exclusive pieces).

GSX brought forth a resurgence in the figures, but Galactic Guardians really pushes them into more common use with multiple starting dials and many figures with friendly force build totals in the 100 to 400 point range. To figure out just how to get an edge, we need to read up on the rules and determine...

What Makes a Colossal a Colossal?

The simple answer is, of course the colossal damage symbol: :g-fist:. However, there's more to it than that, as noted on the 2011 PAC:

Obviously, as we dig a little deeper, we learn that the symbol grants two abilities, much in the same way that the flight symbol grants flight and the carry ability. Let's take a look at each ability:

COLOSSAL STAMINA
First line, first part: "this character breaks away automatically" should be self explanatory - no figure can tie up the colossal, though a few (like DC75 Ice) could possibly lock one in place. It's the second part of the fist line that is interesting: this figure can make ranged combat attacks when based. However... This is not the sharpshooter ability as the wording does not allow the colossal to make a ranged combat attack against adjacent opposing characters.

In short, the colossal damage symbol is NOT the sharpshooter ability and characters who have a better defense up close (ie: Combat Reflexes) are possibly better off adjacent to the colossal.

Finally, the last line gives a colossal figure the ability to act continuously even if it has two tokens, at the expense of taking unavoidable damage.

For players familiar with the Masters of Evil team ability this ability will be nothing new. Given that many colossi have some kind of counter-proof defense (ie: PC TA) one unavoidable damage can be a lot, and colossal players will have to weigh the odds of repeatedly acting to injure an opposing team with the trade off of hurting themselves in the process.


The second ability colossi are granted is Great Size and as you can see from the text, it is a little more in-depth than Colossal Stamina.

GREAT SIZE
First line: The character cannot be knocked back. If you don't understand what that means, this might not be the right rules primer for you. Head to the rulebook, then meet us back here.

The second line notes that a colossal can make close combat attacks against characters on higher elevations. Also note that a colossal does not automatically have giant reach, so while they may be able to target characters on other elevations they still need to observe the basic rules of adjacency - namely being that the colossal must be in a square next to the target to make a close combat attack, even if they're on different elevations.

The third line simply notes that nothing stands in a colossal's way when he's walking around town. Nothing OUTSIDE that is. Indoors is another story. More on that later.

The final lines simply note how line of fire works with a colossal. The short of it is this:

1.) No figure blocks LoF to colossi but colossi. You can have standard based, standard ability characters standing behind a wall of giants and they can still see the colossal.

2.) Colossi can choose the least restrictive LoF to draw when targeting on any elevation (greater than or equal to the elevation it occupies). This means that the colossal can target figures on different elevations regardless of their specific location. Likewise, characters don't need to be on the rim of elevated terrain to see the colossal.


Single based colossi.
Most colossi have a 2x2 or 3x6 base. A few figures have or can situationally use the colossal damage symbol including Groot, the Stranger, DC 75 Animal Man and the In-Betweener. Most colossi have bases taking up multiple squares, making them bigger targets or granting them extra adjacency for powers.

Multiattack.
A few colossi have the Multiattack ability, reprinted here for easy reference. Note the bolded part which restricts damage dealt.

How to Fight Colossi

Step 1 - Take the Fight Indoors.

In a situation where you get to pick a map and you're fighting a colossal, always choose to fight inside a building (conversely, if you're playing a take it outside). Because most colossi have big bases they can get slowed down by simple walls. Walls are great against colossi, eliminating LoF options (and thus attack opportunities) and reducing movement possibilities. Any action burned to destroy a wall is an action that wasn't used to destroy a figure.

When you're indoors blocking terrain always blocks, regardless of a character's height. Outdoors blocking terrain might block, depending on where the character and the blocking terrain are. A character on the same elevation as the blocking terrain will be protected by the blocking terrain. If the blocking is on another elevation, then LoF will not block.

Because blocking terrain is so good indoors, consider using Barrier as a means to thwart attacks from colossi.

Taking the fight indoors is the single biggest advantage you can have against a colossal.


Step 2 - Be Mobile.

Many colossi don't have move and attack. A few have multi-attack, which may allow them to take an action to move and then take another action to attack. Every time you take away an opponents options you force them to react to you, so do this as often as possible.

For instance if you use a HSS hit and run tactic that doesn't leave your figure open to a Line of Fire from the opponent, that opponent is forced to move, or otherwise take another action before attacking you. If that opponent uses Multi-Attack to move, they have just cut the number of attacks available to them in half, and reduced the damage by 1, which is a lot better than getting blasted twice at a weaker level, or once at full power.

HSS isn't the only way to fight. A figure could get TK'd into attack range and then carried or TK'd back out after attacking. An attacker could have Stealth protecting them and force a colossal into base contact if they want to be dealt with. Beware a colossal's range - colossi often have very good range, so out-ranging them may not be an option.


Step 3 - Don't Bring a Knife to a Gunfight.

There are many figures that can act as a silver bullet against colossi by taking advantage of certain colossi attributes. A bigger base, for instance can be a downfall to some SPs while having constant tokens from Colossal Stamina can likewise be an Achilles heel. Imperiex's drills should have an easier time chasing down a 3 x 6 base, while even Galactus can KNEEL BEFORE ZOD.

Because most colossi have some kind of non-counterable defense against damage dealt, it's a great idea to pack penetrating damage. Doomsday from DC75 is a prime example of a figure that can deal a lot of damage to a bigger target. #055 Superman from the self-titled set has a Trait that lets him deal penetrating damage with objects. Keep in mind this SP specifically is not the Exploit Weakness power so Fortitude, or other special abilities that protect against EW aren't a safe counter.

Certain silver bullets (Human Dum Dum Dugan, Elsa Bloodstone, or the Monster Hunter feat) can go a long way towards victory, but what about those players that don't want to build around something they may or may not face?


Step 4 - Take Away Their Options

Fighting Galactus at 600? It might be a good idea to KO that Herald so you can guarantee yourself some points and not worry about revenge tokens. Sure Galactus may be on his way to curb stomp you with his massive damage and Multi-Attack, but it might be better to eliminate ANY extra actions on that force, rather than give an opponent extra actions to beat you down with.

Perplexing down a printed damage value by 2 or 3 can really hurt the big guys (especially if they are using multiattack). Colossi demand to be knocking out one or two figures a turn so this tactic really hurts them.

Think outside the box. Look for anything on your team that can give you an advantage. For instance, Nightshade, of Modok's 11 fame makes an amazing colossi foil by giving them Battle Fury (Ziran the Howler!), thus taking away range. Now, the colossal she affects will just as likely move away to get range back, but in that one action Nightshade has forced an opponent to do something other than attack on their turn.


Step 5 - Object-ify the situation.

Plenty of special objects can mess with a force. Red Kryptonite could seize up their action pool (until they choose to destroy it), while Gold K can eliminate certain damage dealing powers. Playing in Golden Age? A Shield Disruptor, or Meteorite can go a long way in hurting the not-so-friendly giants. Some objects cost nothing to play, others have a small price. This type of insurance doesn't force a player to abandon theme altogether and is relatively inexpensive.


Step 6 - Hit them Hard and Hit them Fast

This was always the dumbest advice I ever heard from Wolverine or Cyclops, or whatever X-leader was shouting when leading teenage mutants into battle, but to an extent it is true. You'll want to try and deal a good amount of damage early to mitigate the amount of damage the colossal is dealing in later rounds with Colossal Stamina.

Being prepared to deal with colossi can make all the difference and knowing the rules inside and out may just give you a little more of an edge when one or two world eaters come to town. Feel free to share your collosal battle tips, or let me know if I made a colossal mistake in this article by posting below. Good luck out there!


Other articles useful for fighting colossi:

Normal Distribution

Colossal Stamina Final Word

I look forward to your review of Mr. Nebula the Cosmic Designer.

nice article, very thorough

Thank you, this is a surprise and well worth the read.

His "Testing Dial" will be called the "swatch dial", which also works with corresponding colors.

Your articles are always excellent, sir; well-written, thought out, engaging, and entertaining, but this one (like several other of your 'rules primers' in the past) is simply INVALUABLE. Required reading, absolutely. I don't get the time or opportunity to play anymore (other than some crazy home games with my four year old, but we have a WHOLE different set of rules ), and articles like this serve not only as a wonderful reminder of how some of the 'trickier' or 'more uncommon' rules work, but as a strategy primer in how to deal with them. Timely, too!
Thanks for taking the time and putting in the effort to expand (or reinforce) all of our knowledge bases!
-jason

This- every bit of this!. I am starting to print these articles as handouts. While I am typing, I am printing the primer for our sealed tournament today and plan on using this one for the coming weeks.

You 'da m0use!

My standby for taking down colossals in golden age is multiple compels. As long as you have a tk and somebody with high av and damage that can pull enough swing to get off the first shot, you can chain a few attacks together and do somewhere in the area of 20 damage after reducers in a single turn. Ultimates Thor is probably my go to for this, he's easily mind controlled and hits hard from a long enough range. Bringing down old-school galactus on your first turn is far from unheard of with that build.

One point that was not made, that I would like to know for clarification is this; I would take it that other Colossi bypass most of these rules, with regards to them canceling out the others' effects in the regards of their size. (Such as using Galactus against Spectre etc.) Please elaborate.

One other thing that bothers me about the above information; I do not see why Colossal figures do not automatically have the Giant reach ability (or better reach for that matter) - it seems to me like a no-brainer on that issue, but perhaps there is some reasoning that escapes pure logic as to why this is not the case?

Great article, thanks! Going to save it as separate rules clarification document about colossals.

Questions about hindering terrain and colossals.

If there is hindering terrain between LOF of fig A and colossal, both figs gets +1 for defence against ranged attacks?

What if the colossal base is touching hindering terrain (one of the squares it occupies is covering hindering terrain. Does it now grant +1 defence automatically against all ranged attacks, or only when the fig A's only free LOF is drawn to the colossal square covering also hindering terrain?

I am usually pretty decent when it comes to rules, BUT I am wondering, how does this affect the original Galactus? I know this article is designed to prepare us for playing with the new figs, BUT the original Galactus, says he can go EVERY turn with no ill effects.

Also, how does this affect his Cosmic Multi-Attack?

Other than my questions, great article.

One thing that I did not see that worked well for me in a fight with the mighty Doctor M, PULSE WAVE. Even in the figures that seem to be immune to everything else(i.e. Psychic blast, exploit weakness, perplex, etc.) they still fall the the mighty wave. I was fortunate enough to have Imperax in that battle and the drills with the pulse wave lead me to a nice victory!

Original Galactus goes by his rulebook, not these updated rules. The Cosmic multi-attack will not be affected in the least.

Thanks, that's what I thought, but sometimes you can never tell.