Colossus

Colossus 6[credit]

Ice: Sentry - Destroyer
Strength: 4
Influence: 2

You can advance this ice. It gets +1 strength for each hosted advancement counter.

[subroutine] Give the Runner 1 tag. If there are 3 or more hosted advancement counters, instead give the Runner 2 tags.

[subroutine] Trash 1 installed program. If there are 3 or more hosted advancement counters, instead trash 1 installed program and 1 installed resource.

Illustrated by Andreas Zafiratos
Decklists with this card

Terminal Directive Cards (td)

#48 • English
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  • Updated 2020-04-23

    NISEI Uprising Release Notes [NISEI Rules Team]

    This card is a reprint. Has anything changed about how Colossus works?

    Yes. The wording of Colossus's subroutines has been updated to remove the parentheses. Each subroutine now uses a conditional replacement effect, which in most cases achieves the same result. But effects such as Loki that refer to subroutines on Colossus now interact with it differently. If Loki gains a subroutine from Colossus, it will now check the number of advancement tokens on itself (Loki) to determine the effect the subroutine should have. Previously, it was unclear how to interpret the two different instructions in the subroutine without the linked ability explaining the parenthetical text.

Reviews

Expensive ice that really needs 3 tokens to unfold its true strength.

A 6, 4 strength sentry is kinda cost ineffective, though unconditional tagging and program trashing are subs that hurt. But where Mausolus only gains nastier subs from tokens Colossus also gains strength.

With 3 advancement tokens Colossus becomes a powerhouse with strength 7 and two subs that the runner really wants to break. Getting two tags, presumably from a Weyland corp, means at least a rush to clear two tags and at worst (e.g. running last click) getting into BOOM! range. Having a program and a resource trashed, chosen by the corp, also means a big tempo hit.

Strength 7, 2 sub ice is not easy to break. Without a targetted Femme Fatale or a disposable breaker like Faerie (5 to boost, 0 to break) you're looking at 6 with MKUltra and Alias, 7 with Mongoose and Garrote, 8 with Ninja and Lustig.

Of course Colossus requires a major investment by the corp, at least 9 and 4 clicks to install, rez and boost to full potential, unless Anson Rose or the likes are used. On the other hand Weyland are known for not being penny pinchers and they have the tools to make advancable ice work.

It's an interesting card, high cost, high tax and woe to the runner that actually hits the subs.

(Terminal Directive Cards era)
399
It's 9 to break with mkultra when it's at 7 strength. advance it 1 more and it costs 12 —
You're vastly underselling its unboosted potential. Without tokens, it's still 6 to break for MKUltra, 5 to break for Mongoose. With those two probably the most common killers right now that's pretty good value. —
But for some reason everyone who's ever run into my Colossus with an MKUltra has Ice Carver installed. —
For the combo players among us, you could rez this card with Quarantine system in the Jemison ID and Rez the 3 advancement version for 4 credits. You are paying a 2 point agenda for this privilege, but if you can catch the unsuspecting runner off-guard, you could create a window large enough to score more than 2 points worth of agendas. —