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File:Colossus SC2-HotS Game1.jpg|Early [[Tal'darim]] colossus (Heart of the Swarm single-player campaign) |
File:Colossus SC2-HotS Game1.jpg|Early [[Tal'darim]] colossus (Heart of the Swarm single-player campaign) |
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+ | File:Taldarim Colossus SC2 Rend.jpg|[[Tal'darim]] colossus |
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File:Colossus SC2-LotV Game4.jpg|[[Tal'darim|Forged]] colossus skin |
File:Colossus SC2-LotV Game4.jpg|[[Tal'darim|Forged]] colossus skin |
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File:Wrathwalker SC2-LotV Portrait.jpg|[[Tal'darim]] colossus skin portrait |
File:Wrathwalker SC2-LotV Portrait.jpg|[[Tal'darim]] colossus skin portrait |
Revision as of 04:09, 20 August 2019
This article is about the StarCraft II unit. You may be looking for:
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The colossus is a massive protoss robotic walker. It is designed to destroy large numbers of weaker ground targets.
The plural of colossus is colossi.[1]
Overview
The colossus is an antiquated protoss construct dating back to the Kalath Intercession.[2] It is feared for being a war machine, and some protoss believe they cannot be controlled and could turn against them.[3]
Design
From a terran standpoint, the colossus is the ultimate terror weapon. Designed for pacification purposes,[4] the colossus is a towering construct, striding across the battlefield on four[5] all-terrain[4] tall, slender legs which give it an extremely high level of mobility. The great height of the machine allows it to step up and down cliffs and other steep elevations with little difficulty, and gives it a dominating field of fire.[5] The colossus's slender legs were designed to carry its massive weight with ease, while allowing for the traversal of rough terrain and steep elevations. Its towering four leg configuration has multiple gyro-stabilizers to keep the colossus stable while moving and firing, and also denies the enemy the advantage of higher ground.[6] Most of the colossus's mass is located at the top of the construct; if sufficiently damaged, they can topple over quickly.[4]
The Ihan-rii created colossi made of stone components held together by void energies emanated from repurposed xel'naga dynamos.[7]
Armament
- Aldrion(src)
The heavily armored hull of the colossus carries two powerful thermal lances: one mounted on each side of its body. Complex focusing and targeting systems are used to pinpoint the continuous damage output of the thermal lances for optimal efficiency.[5] The targeting system uses an AI, along with gravity-sensitive gyroscopes, to analyze target composition, and predict their movement patterns. This ensures the thermal lances' beams will sear a path of maximum destruction among enemy forces,[6] cutting a fiery swathe of destruction through multiple enemies with each firing cycle.[5] The targeting system is so precise that the colossus can fire its weapons point blank without risk of damaging itself.
The lances themselves fire beams of superheated plasma that quickly incinerate scores of enemy ground targets,[6] able to reduce a group of marines to ashes in an instant.[8] In essence, the colossus is the ultimate infantry killer.[4] However, while powerful, colossi weapons present a design issue, as their range is somewhat limited. Khalai phase-smiths built an extended thermal lance with enhanced airflow that could operate at higher temperatures, increasing beam velocity and effective range without loss in power output.[6]
The Dominion advises marines to find bunkers and call in air support when confronted by colossi. Alternately, it has suggested that soldiers could try rushing the colossus to get underneath its legs in order to evade its firing angles, but has conceded that even in such cases, soldiers may be crushed underneath the walker's legs.[4]
Tal'darim Colossi
Tal'darim have unearthed a number of colossi, and sometimes even dare each other to disable an active colossus and commandeer it, which can result in greater firepower or a dead rival.[7] Changes to their weapon systems resulted in the wrathwalker.[9]
History
The colossus is unique in that it was created purely as a war machine, in contrast to most protoss automatons which were mainly created for industrial and/or resource gathering purposes.[5] This trait made it a candidate for the arsenal of the Purifier program, and colossi developed for the Purifiers were considered the ultimate purification machines.[7] Its full destructive power was demonstrated by the mass slaughter carried out against the kalathi, appalling the protoss. As such, the Conclave outlawed the manufacture of colossi, and existing machines were deactivated before being sealed away. Some were sent to distant asteroids and uninhabited moons.[5] Others were stored on Aiur, some underwater, awaiting a reactivation signal.[10] They weren't reactivated in time for the war on Aiur because it would take too long.[11]
The war against the zerg, however, prompted the return of the colossi to the protoss arsenal.[5] In 2503,[12] the protoss began collecting them using coordinates collected from a preserver, despite misgivings.[3]
Over time, many colossi were found and unearthed by Tal'darim who sought superior firepower. Lower ranking ascendants often dare one another to disable and commandeer an active colossus. If one succeeds, the Tal'darim gain a powerful war machine. If not, a rival ascendant has been eliminated.[7][9]
During the Second Great War, the Tal'darim deployed colossi on worlds such as Xil[13] and Atrias.[14] Several of their colossi were refitted with charged pulse blasters to eliminate priority targets, and renamed as wrathwalkers.[9]
In 2504, Dark Prelate Zeratul traveled to Aiur and reactivated some colossi as part of a mission to study the body of the deceased Overmind.[10] Later that year the Tal'darim used them as well in their defense of a xel'naga temple on Xil.[13]
By 2505, the Terran Dominion was aware of the colossi's use by the Daelaam. Field reports referred to the colossus as "a walking skyscraper of destruction" and "the tower of death."[4] The colossus has since become synonymous with the protoss by the citizens of the Terran Dominion.[15]
In 2506 colossi were deployed in the Reclamation of Aiur to clear out the warp conduits of zerg forces.[16] Later in the End War they were used to aid in deactivating the shield around Cybros.[17] Colossi developed by the Purifier program were later added to the Daelaam arsenal, employing more destructive incendiary weaponry than their Khalai counterparts.[9] Purifiers continued to modify their colossi, streamlining its design while increasing its armaments.
In the aftermath of the End War, selected colossi that served in the conflict were redesigned in a more traditionalist style to better resemble ancient protoss war machines as a sign of veneration.[7]
Game Unit
Colossi are siege units relatively weak for their cost; necessitating the protection of front line ground and air support.[18] They are designed for an anti-light armor role,[19] strong against marines, zealots, hydralisks and zerglings; weak against thors, immortals, ultralisks; and extremely vulnerable to anti-air viking, phoenix, and corruptor.
Height and Climbing
The colossus appears to step over ledges due to StarCraft II's inverse kinematics (IK) system.[20] It can climb ledges only one level at a time and is blocked by taller cliffs.[21] It can also step over smaller friendly units, but not other colossi or obstacles. Like other massive units, the colossus can collapse a Force Field simply by being ordered to move through it.
A colossus is tall enough to see the tops of cliffs, enabling it to climb them[21][22] and fire upon the high ground without a spotter.
The colossus' height enables anti-air attacks, such as those of the missile turret, to strike it (even though it is a ground unit).[23] Blizzard has confirmed that this is because the colossus is so tall that it counts as both a ground and air unit for the purpose of what attacks are able to hit it.[24] If an attacking enemy unit (such as the thor) which can attack both ground and air units attacks a colossus, it will use whichever attack is stronger against the colossus.[25]
Attacks
The colossus attacks only ground units.[26]
The attack animation is a sweeping beam, with the animation taking about a second to complete. All targets continue to take damage simultaneously.[27][28] The attack always strikes a linear area perpendicular to the direction the colossus is facing. This allows for a fine degree of control.[29][30][31]
The attack does linear splash damage which is very effective against groups of units such as marines and zealots.[32] It is safer to use colossi against terrans rather than psionic storms, since ghosts counter high templar. Against zerg, colossi are very effective against hydralisks which have become more dangerous with roach support.[31]
The beams do not have a "blind spot" and can strike enemies right next to the colossus.[33]
Versus
Upgrades and Abilities
Increases the range of the colossus' attack from 7 to 9.
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- +1 damage for zealots,sentrys and high templars
- +1 base damage and +1 bonus damage for stalkers,colossus and adepts
- +2 base damage and +3 bonus damage for immortals
- +3 base damage and +1 bonus damage for archons
- +5 damage for dark templars
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Increases the armor of protoss ground units.
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- +1 armor to shields per level.
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Wings of Liberty
Colossi are usable in the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty protoss mini-campaign, available after the "Echoes of the Future" mission, Zeratul finding some on Aiur.[10]
Legacy of the Void
In the single-player campaign of Legacy of the Void, the colossus is avaiable after the mission "Unsealing the Past," and is one of three robotic siege units the player may use, the others being the reaver and wrathwalker. The colossus has the passive ability Fire Beam, which sets the ground hit by its attacks on fire, dealing 100 damage over 5 seconds to enemies nearby. This makes the colossus more potent than ever against masses of enemies. They deal heavy damage over time with this ability, in contrast to the reaver and wrathwalker having higher base damage but lower attack speed.
Co-op Missions
Karax and Fenix can build colossi in Co-op Missions. Additional upgrades for them are unlocked when Karax reaches Level 9.
- Karax Upgrades and Abilities
Increases the attack range of the colossus by 3.
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Passive
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The colossus attacks set fire to the ground, dealing 150 damage to enemy units that touch the flames over 5 seconds.
Passive: Increases the attack damage from 15 to 20.
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Passive
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Campaign Acquisition | ||
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Increases the attack damage of protoss ground units.
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Passive
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Campaign Acquisition | ||
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Increases the armor of protoss ground units.
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Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
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- Fenix Upgrades and Abilities
Increases the attack range of the colossus by 3.
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Passive
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Campaign Acquisition | ||
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Ready Warbringer's A.I. Personality for download into any available Colossus shell.
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Increases the attack damage of protoss ground units.
Usage |
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Passive
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Campaign Acquisition | ||
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Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Increases the armor of protoss ground units.
Usage |
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Passive
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Campaign Acquisition | ||
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Acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Level 1
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Level 3
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Increases the shield armor of all protoss units and structures.
Usage |
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Passive
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Campaign Acquisition | ||
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Development
Known Colossi
Variants
Notes
- When colossi attack from a cliff, they can still be targeted by ranged units below them, unlike other ranged attackers such as the stalker.[34]
- Air units have been noted to fly through colossi, their height being ignored by game mechanics in this sense. Blizzard does not intend to change this, as shrinking the air unit would look bad and shrinking the colossus would make its ability to walk up cliffs less believable.[35]
- A purifier skin for the colossus is available for those who purchase the digital deluxe or collector's edition of Legacy of the Void.[36]
- A Tal'darim skin for the colossus can be unlocked by winning two games in StarCraft II in any of the following modes: Training, Versus A.I., Unranked, Ranked, or Tournaments.[37]
- The Story so Far prelude of Legacy of the Void erroneously shows colossi being active during the Great War.[38]
- A skater dress prominently featuring a colossus is available for purchase on the Battle.net store.[39]
Images
References
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