Marvel Strike Force Colossus Guide - Theria Games

Introduction

The Marvel Strike Force Colossus Guide highlights Colossus as a formidable Protector character in Marvel Strike Force, renowned for his ability to shield allies and retaliate against enemies. As a key member of the X-Men faction, he plays an important role in supporting mutant teams. His affiliations include Hero, Global, Mutant, and Uncanny X-Men, making him a versatile character with broad synergy potential.

Colossus excels in protecting his teammates, soaking up damage, and countering enemy attacks, making him a crucial figure in defensive strategies. His abilities revolve around boosting his durability, enhancing the survivability of his allies, and dealing damage back to enemies that target him.

To maximize his effectiveness, it is essential to equip him with the right gear, prioritize his defensive stats, and pair him with other mutants who can complement his protective role. This guide will explore Colossus’s abilities, synergies, and how to optimally use him across various game modes, ensuring you get the most out of this powerful character.

How to Obtain Colossus

Colossus was initially made available through a limited-time event featuring special orbs called Heavy Metal Orbs, which had a 10% chance of dropping Colossus shards. These orbs were a key way to unlock and rank up Colossus during the event. However, these orbs are no longer available, so Colossus shards can no longer be farmed in the traditional way.

Currently, Colossus shards may appear in the Black Store, a shop that offers a rotating selection of characters, gear, and other items available for purchase using a special currency. Players should keep an eye on the Black Store, as Colossus shards can sometimes be purchased there. For those who missed the original event or were unable to acquire enough shards to unlock or rank up Colossus, the Black Store remains the main method of obtaining shards, along with any potential future events that may feature Colossus.

Colossus’ Abilities

Colossus’s abilities are designed to enhance his role as a tank, protect his allies, and retaliate against enemies. His kit is especially potent when paired with other X-Men, particularly Phoenix, which further boosts his effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of his abilities:

Steel Form

Level: 1

Piercing: 50

Ringdinger

Level: 1

Damage: 100

Altruism

Level: 1

Taunt Turns: 1

Enduring Protection

Level: 1

Deathproof: 1

Passive – Steel Form
Upon spawning, Colossus generates one ability energy for himself and clears any existing charges, which is especially useful in modes like Raids and Dark Dimension. If Phoenix is on the team, Colossus gains Defense Up for two turns and applies Defense Up to all X-Men allies. This synergy with Phoenix is key to Colossus’ strength. Additionally, when a negative effect is applied to an X-Men ally, Colossus gains +1 charge, up to a maximum of 5 charges.

If an X-Men ally is affected by multiple debuffs, Colossus still gains only one charge. When Colossus is attacked while charged, he retaliates with a counter-attack, dealing 100% damage, plus an additional 10% damage per charge, up to a maximum of 150%. This counter-attack damage cannot be prevented by evades or dodges. If an X-Men ally drops below 50% max health, Colossus gains +1 turn, up to a maximum of two turns, providing a bit of extra survivability. While Colossus has Defense Up, he also gains 1000% resistance, making him highly resistant to debuffs, especially when paired with Phoenix. Finally, Colossus gains 15% max health, further boosting his tanking capabilities.

Basic – Ringdinger
Colossus attacks a primary target for 340% damage and applies Offense Down for two turns. While the damage is decent, his focus is relatively low, which can make it less reliable. He also has a chance to assist, adding some potential for additional damage output.

Special – Altruism
Colossus applies taunt, deflect, and counter to himself and all X-Men allies. This ability also increases the duration of positive effects on Colossus by +3 turns (up to a maximum of 5), which is particularly beneficial when paired with characters who provide buffs like Defense Up. The ability comes fully charged, making it ready to use as soon as it’s needed.

Ultimate – Enduring Protection
Colossus applies taunt, gains deathproof, and receives two charges. This ability also extends the duration of positive effects on Colossus by +3 turns (up to a maximum of 5). The ability’s effects help further strengthen his role as a tank, providing additional protection for both himself and his allies.

Colossus’ abilities make him an exceptional tank, especially when teamed with Phoenix and other X-Men. His kit encourages building a team centered around X-Men synergy, taking advantage of his defensive skills, and ensuring that he can withstand and retaliate against enemy attacks.

Colossus’ Stats

Colossus is designed to be a durable tank, and his stats reflect this with high survivability and solid offensive capabilities. As a Protector class character, his primary role is to absorb damage and protect his allies. His health is notably high, making him resilient in battle. At a two-star level 64, his health sits around 49,000, and at two stars with gear tier 10, it rises to 65,000. This value increases further with higher star levels, gear tier, and Iso-8 enhancements.

His armor is also high, improving his ability to withstand physical attacks. While his damage output is decent for a protector, his basic attack deals 340% damage to a primary target, and his charged passive attack can hit up to 150% damage, making him capable of retaliating effectively. His speed stat is on the lower side at 88, which is typical for tank characters as it allows their defensive abilities, like taunt, to have a longer duration.

Colossus has extremely low focus, which means his debuffs are often resisted, but since his kit doesn’t rely heavily on debuffing, this isn’t a major weakness. His resistance is another standout stat, with Colossus gaining a 1000% resistance when he has Defense Up, making him extremely difficult to debuff. With his Global, Hero, Mutant, Protector, and Uncanny X-Men tags, Colossus is versatile and can fit into a variety of team compositions.

In summary, Colossus excels as a highly durable tank, with a significant health pool and strong armor. His low speed and focus are typical of tank characters, and while his damage is solid, his primary strength lies in his ability to absorb damage and provide protection. His high resistance ensures that he can maintain important buffs, especially when paired with allies like Phoenix, making him an invaluable asset in any team, particularly X-Men.

Synergies and Team Compositions

Colossus’s effectiveness is greatly enhanced when paired with the right teammates, particularly those with the X-Men and Uncanny X-Men tags. His synergies make him an even more powerful protector, allowing him to maximize his potential on the battlefield.

Key Synergies:
The best synergy for Colossus is with Phoenix, who significantly enhances his durability. When Phoenix is on the team, Colossus gains Defense Up for two turns at the start of the match and extends this to all X-Men allies. Phoenix also synergizes with Colossus’s ultimate, allowing it to be extended and even triggering a second extension when his health drops below 50%. Additionally, Phoenix’s resurrection ability complements Colossus’s role, making them a nearly unkillable combination.

Colossus also benefits from the synergy with X-Men allies in general, as his passive abilities trigger when negative effects are applied to any X-Men character, allowing him to gain charges and provide a counter-attack when charged. Colossus’s kit is designed to work best with a full X-Men team, as all his abilities benefit from the presence of other X-Men allies. For Mutants, Colossus fits into most mutant-themed teams, benefiting from the general synergies within this faction. Characters who can provide positive buffs like Kingpin, Groot, or Black Widow also pair well with Colossus, as his abilities can extend these buffs, making him an even stronger tank.

Team Compositions:
The ideal team for Colossus in Apex Arena includes Phoenix, Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine. This team takes full advantage of Colossus’s synergies, especially with Phoenix, and performs well in various game modes. Phoenix provides defense, resurrection, and extends buffs. Psylocke can transfer negative effects and add offensive power, while Storm brings AoE damage and crowd control through her ability to slow enemies.

Wolverine adds solid single-target damage to the team. For an X-Men Team, even without Phoenix, Colossus is essential, offering protection and the ability to taunt and counter. In Hybrid X-Men teams, Colossus can pair with Magneto and other Brotherhood characters, where the focus and debuffs from the Brotherhood can work well with his abilities.

If Phoenix is not available, Cable or Miss Marvel can be effective substitutes. Cable offers control, while Miss Marvel provides brawler synergy and additional taunt. For a Brawler Team, Colossus can add extra survivability and extend any buffs generated by brawler characters. Characters like Kingpin, Groot, or Black Widow, who provide positive buffs, also work well with Colossus, as he can extend these buffs to make the team even stronger.

Characters to Avoid:
Colossus does not pair well with characters who rely on stun or debuffs, as he thrives on the negative effects applied to his X-Men allies. Using characters that prevent debuffs can hinder his ability to generate charges. Additionally, since Colossus has low focus, he is not ideal for teams that rely on debuff application, as his debuffs are less likely to land effectively.

General Team Building Notes:
When building a team with Colossus, focus on including other X-Men characters to maximize his synergies. It’s also important to ensure a balanced team that includes damage, control, and healing, as Colossus provides limited direct damage. Use characters who can apply positive buffs or negative debuffs to enemies to trigger his charge generation and enhance his ultimate ability. His low focus means he should not be relied on for debuffing enemies, so a team with characters who can fulfill this role is recommended.

By carefully selecting teammates that complement his strengths, Colossus’s potential as a tank and protector can be fully realized, especially when paired with Phoenix and other X-Men characters.

How to Use Colossus Effectively

To use Colossus effectively, it’s important to understand his role as a tank and how to maximize his unique abilities. First, prioritize synergies with X-Men characters, especially Phoenix, to make the most of his passive ability. When paired with Phoenix, Colossus gains Defense Up for two turns at the start of the match, and his kit works best when he is surrounded by X-Men allies, as his passive generates charges when X-Men are debuffed. A strong team composition for Colossus includes Phoenix, Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine, which fully utilizes his synergies and makes him a powerhouse.

Next, maximize Colossus’s Passive Ability. His passive allows him to gain a charge whenever an X-Men ally is debuffed, which can be triggered by enemy attacks. Be mindful of this, as his counter-attacks are a key part of his kit. Colossus will counter with 100% base damage, plus additional damage based on the charges he has. To enhance this, prioritize leveling up his passive ability, as it also grants Defense Up to X-Men allies and increases his resilience, particularly through the 1000% resistance he gains when he has Defense Up.

Colossus’s Special Ability, Altruism, is crucial for drawing enemy attacks and protecting allies. This ability applies taunt, deflect, and counter to himself and all X-Men allies, making him an ideal protector for your team. It also extends the duration of positive effects on him, which can be particularly useful when combined with characters that grant buffs. Additionally, use his Ultimate Ability, Enduring Protection, to provide extra defense and deathproof to Colossus, making him even more difficult to take down. This ultimate ability further extends the duration of positive effects, reinforcing his role as a tank.

Utilize counter-attacks strategically, as they can deal significant damage when Colossus has multiple charges. This works best when paired with a team that frequently debuffs enemies, allowing Colossus to retaliate more often. His taunt is essential for protecting weaker allies, so time it carefully to ensure he absorbs the most damage, as his taunt is automatic and doesn’t require any action from the player.

For gear and Iso-8, equip Colossus with a Fortifier ISO-8 class to increase his survivability. This will give him a barrier that further strengthens his ability to tank damage. Fortifier is generally the best choice, though Healer Iso-8 is an alternative if you focus on boosting his stats. Always prioritize increasing his armor and health through gear and Iso-8 upgrades to solidify his role as a tank.

When considering team composition, if you don’t have Phoenix, a standard X-Men team with Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine will still perform well, with Colossus providing the protection and taunt. For teams without a full X-Men roster, look for characters that can grant positive buffs to Colossus, like Kingpin, Groot, or Black Widow. If some X-Men characters are missing, Cable can provide control, and Miss Marvel can add another taunt and brawler synergy.

Colossus is highly effective across various game modes, especially in Alliance War, where he can guard key nodes, and in Raids and Dark Dimension, where his durability shines. He is also a valuable asset in Arena, Blitz, and Cosmic Crucible, thanks to his tanking capabilities and synergies with X-Men characters.

Finally, be mindful of characters who can dispel positive effects, like Jessica Jones or Hand Archer, as they can remove Colossus’s buffs, particularly his Defense Up and Taunt. Characters like Doctor Strange, who can flip or remove buffs, should also be watched, as they can make Colossus more vulnerable.

By following these strategies, you can make Colossus a cornerstone of your team. He excels when paired with X-Men allies or characters that provide positive buffs and thrives in roles where he can absorb damage, protect his teammates, and retaliate through powerful counter-attacks.

Iso-8 Recommendations

Colossus benefits greatly from the right Iso-8 class, as it amplifies his role as a durable tank. The Fortifier class is the primary recommendation for Colossus, as it provides a barrier at the start of his turn, significantly boosting his survivability and making him even harder to take down. As a Protector, this class aligns perfectly with Colossus’s role on the team, reinforcing his defenses and allowing him to absorb more damage. Additionally, the Fortifier class increases his Max Health, further enhancing his ability to stay in the fight and protect his teammates.

While the Skirmisher class is an alternative option, it is less optimal than Fortifier for Colossus. The Skirmisher class can increase Colossus’s damage output, which may be useful when focusing on counterattacks, but it doesn’t align as well with his primary role as a tank. Skirmisher is more beneficial if you want Colossus to deal more damage while still retaining some of his tanking abilities.

The Healer class may seem like a viable choice, especially considering that Beast is the only other main healer on the X-Men team, but it is generally not the best fit for Colossus. While Healer provides health regeneration, the Fortifier class offers better overall survivability, and the stat gains from Healer do not align as effectively with Colossus’s defensive role.

When choosing an Iso-8 class for Colossus, focus on enhancing his Armor and Health. These stats are crucial for making him a reliable tank who can absorb damage and protect his allies. Colossus also applies Deflect, Deathproof, and Counter buffs, which make him more challenging for enemies to deal with. Prioritizing Armor and Health will further solidify his role as a frontline protector.

In summary, the Fortifier class is the best Iso-8 option for Colossus, as it provides the barrier and health increase that suit his tanking role. If you prefer to increase his damage, the Skirmisher class is an alternative. Focus on improving his Armor and Health stats through Iso-8 upgrades to maximize his effectiveness as a durable protector. By following these Iso-8 recommendations, you can make Colossus an even more resilient and formidable force on the battlefield.

T4 Ability Priorities

When upgrading Colossus’s abilities with Tier 4 ability materials (T4s), it’s important to prioritize the abilities that will maximize his role as a tank and enhance his synergy with the X-Men team. Here’s a breakdown of the recommended T4 priorities:

Passive Ability – Steel Form: (Highest Priority)
This should be your top priority for T4 upgrades. The passive ability grants Defense Up for two turns to all Uncanny X-Men allies at the start of battle, which is crucial for Colossus’s tanking role. It also provides 100% piercing damage against attackers when charged. When Colossus has five charges, if his health drops below 50%, he heals for 20% of his max health, though he loses all charges. Upgrading this ability is essential for maximizing his effectiveness as a tank and increasing his synergy with X-Men characters. It’s a critical upgrade for making Colossus a top-tier tank, especially for Uncanny X-Men teams.

Ultimate Ability – Enduring Protection: (High Priority)
The next priority should be the Ultimate ability, as it significantly boosts Colossus’s survivability. It increases the duration of positive effects on Colossus by +3 turns, up to a maximum of +5. This ability also grants two Deathproof buffs and two charges, with a maximum of five. Upgrading this ability enhances Colossus’s tanking capabilities, making him even harder to take down. It’s particularly potent when paired with Phoenix, as Colossus can gain an additional turn and extend his taunt when his health falls below 50%.

Special Ability – Altruism: (Medium Priority)
The Special ability should be the third priority for T4 upgrades. It grants Colossus taunt, counter, and deflect buffs for two turns, and applies deflect to all X-Men allies. This ability is key to making Colossus a more difficult target, especially when paired with an X-Men team. When paired with Phoenix, Colossus’s taunt can be extended, making him a formidable front-line defender. While valuable, this ability is not as essential to upgrade as his passive or ultimate abilities.

Basic Ability – Ringdinger: (Low Priority)
The Basic ability should be the last priority for T4 upgrades. While it does 340% damage and applies Offense Down for two turns, the basic attack is not a primary source of Colossus’s utility. The offense down is not very reliable because many characters can resist it, especially those with high focus. Upgrading the basic ability isn’t essential, as its impact is minimal compared to the other abilities.

Summary of T4 Priorities:

Passive Ability – Steel Form: (Highest Priority) – This is the most important upgrade to enhance Colossus’s tanking abilities and synergy with X-Men allies.

Ultimate Ability – Enduring Protection: (High Priority) – Upgrading this ability makes Colossus an exceptional tank and improves his resilience, especially with Phoenix.

Special Ability – Altruism: (Medium Priority) – Valuable for providing Colossus and his allies with buffs, but not as crucial as the passive and ultimate abilities.

Basic Ability – Ringdinger: (Low Priority) – This ability is the least important to upgrade, as it has limited impact due to Colossus’s low focus and the nature of the offense down debuff.

By prioritizing these T4 upgrades, you can greatly enhance Colossus’s performance and make him a powerful asset on your team. Focus on his passive and ultimate abilities to maximize his tanking and team synergy, ensuring he excels in protecting his allies and retaliating against enemies.

Conclusion

Colossus is a powerful and versatile tank who can significantly enhance the performance of any team, particularly an X-Men team. His unique abilities, when properly maximized, make him a formidable presence in any game mode. Colossus excels in protecting his teammates, drawing enemy attacks, and retaliating with powerful counterattacks, making him an invaluable asset in both offense and defense.

His true potential is unlocked when paired with the Uncanny X-Men, especially Phoenix, as his passive ability provides a significant boost to X-Men allies, increasing their durability and effectiveness. The passive ability (Steel Form) and ultimate ability (Enduring Protection) should be prioritized for T4 upgrades, as they enhance his tanking capabilities and make him extremely resilient, particularly when paired with Phoenix’s synergies. His special ability (Altruism) allows Colossus to taunt and apply deflect and counter to himself and his X-Men allies, which is essential for protecting his team while maintaining high survivability.

Colossus’s counter-attacks are another key aspect of his kit. His counterattack does 100% damage, plus an additional 10% for each charge he has, up to a maximum of 150%. This makes him not only a great tank but also a reliable damage dealer, especially when paired with teammates who can trigger negative effects on enemies. The Fortifier Iso-8 class is the best choice for Colossus, as it provides a barrier at the start of his turn, further enhancing his ability to absorb damage.

While Colossus shines in an X-Men composition, he is also highly flexible in team building. If you don’t have a full X-Men roster, you can pair him with characters that provide positive buffs, such as Kingpin, Groot, or Black Widow. Cable is a strong substitute for an X-Men controller, and Miss Marvel adds taunt synergies to complement Colossus’s role.

Colossus excels in all major game modes, including Alliance War, Arena, Blitz, Raids, Dark Dimension, and Cosmic Crucible, where his tanking and counter-attacking abilities shine. However, be cautious of characters who can dispel or flip buffs, such as Jessica Jones, Hand Archer, or Doctor Strange, as they can neutralize Colossus’s defensive abilities.

Ultimately, Colossus is one of the top-tier tanks in Marvel Strike Force, making him a strong investment for players, especially those focused on X-Men teams. His ability to protect allies, taunt enemies, and dish out powerful counter-attacks makes him a game-changing character. By understanding his abilities, prioritizing the right upgrades, and building a solid team around him, you can unlock Colossus’s full potential and dominate in battle.