Quarry Colossus MTG Card


Quarry Colossus - Journey into Nyx
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Giant
Released2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameJourney into Nyx
Set codeJOU
Power 5
Toughness 6
Number22
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byTodd Lockwood

Key Takeaways

  1. Playing Quarry Colossus can create card advantage by delaying your opponent’s strategy and board development.
  2. It poses a substantial mana cost and is best situated in decks that can readily produce white mana.
  3. This creature’s control elements and size make it a strategic fit within certain MTG deck archetypes.

Text of card

When Quarry Colossus enters the battlefield, put target creature into its owner's library just beneath the top X cards of that library, where X is the number of Plains you control.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Quarry Colossus can put another creature on top of its owner’s library, effectively serving as a pseudo-removal and potentially setting your opponent back by drawing them a card they already played.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a resource accelerator, by resetting an opponent’s board, it often allows you time to build up your own resources unimpeded, acting as a tempo advantage.

Instant Speed: While Quarry Colossus doesn’t operate at instant speed, its strategic use during your main phases can significantly disrupt your opponent’s next turn, which can be just as crucial in maintaining control of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The playability of Quarry Colossus can be hampered in certain situations due to its discard requirement. If your hand is already running low, using this card’s ability might further deplete your valuable resources, placing you at a strategic disadvantage in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Quarry Colossus stipulates a particular mana configuration that could be challenging to muster, especially in multicolor decks. It requires a significant amount of white mana, which might clash with the mana curve or strategy of decks that are not heavily white-centric.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Quarry Colossus offers an impactful presence on the board, its high mana cost is substantial. Competitive games often favor cards with lower mana costs and more immediate effects, making it less optimal in fast-paced play environments or decks focused on efficiency.


Reasons to Include Quarry Colossus in Your Collection

Versatility: Quarry Colossus offers a unique mix of size and utility, able to shift the tide of the game as both a formidable creature and an effective means of managing the battlefield. It slots into deck archetypes that appreciate resetting an opponent’s board development.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies revolving around counters and flicker effects. Its ability to put a target creature into its owner’s library lends itself to multiple uses, especially in control decks that can repeatedly leverage this effect.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where tempo can be key, Quarry Colossus holds its ground. It can be particularly disruptive against decks that rely on specific creatures to execute their strategies, making it a worthy consideration in an ever-shifting meta.


How to Beat

Confronting Quarry Colossus in a game of Magic: The Gathering requires a solid strategy. This powerful creature has the potential to change the battlefield by resetting an opponent’s board progression. Its strength lies in its ability to return target creature an opponent controls to their library, based on the number of Plains you control. Yet, despite its might, it’s not invincible.

To outmaneuver Quarry Colossus, consider utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can deal with it before it has a chance to utilize its enter-the-battlefield effect. Cards like Murderous Cut or Path to Exile come in handy here. Alternatively, countermagic such as Dissolve or Mana Leak can nip the problem in the bud, stopping the creature spell before it hits the table. Additionally, since Quarry Colossus relies on Plains, strategies that alter land types or utilize land destruction can undercut its capabilities, thereby dulling its impact.

Overall, the key to overcoming Quarry Colossus lies in timely interventions and maintaining control over the game’s tempo. Adaptability is crucial, and being ready to counter or remove threats will inevitably turn the tide to your favor while facing this Goliath on the battlefield.


Cards like Quarry Colossus

Quarry Colossus is a unique creature in the realm of Magic the Gathering, reminiscent of colossi such as the Stonecoil Serpent. Both carry the defining trait of being sizeable threats, but Stonecoil Serpent is adaptable thanks to its X cost that dictates both its power and toughness. Quarry Colossus, while fixed in size, has an impactful ability to put a creature from an opponent’s battlefield on top of their library, effectively setting them back.

In comparing to other monolithic creatures, Sentinel of the Eternal Watch stands as a vigilant protector with ongoing board influence. It lacks the one-time disruptive capability of Quarry Colossus but commands constant attention through its control of combat. Similarly, Duskdale Wurm brings its formidable presence to the table. Although this creature lacks any board-affecting ability, the trample keyword can prove decisive in overwhelming opponents.

Evaluating comparable options, Quarry Colossus offers a distinct advantage by combining board presence with control elements. In the landscape of MTG, these dual attributes position it as a strategic selection among its colossal kin for a variety of deck-building scenarios.

Stonecoil Serpent - MTG Card versions
Sentinel of the Eternal Watch - MTG Card versions
Duskdale Wurm - MTG Card versions
Stonecoil Serpent - Resale Promos (PRES)
Sentinel of the Eternal Watch - Magic Origins (ORI)
Duskdale Wurm - Eventide (EVE)

Cards similar to Quarry Colossus by color, type and mana cost

Elder Land Wurm - MTG Card versions
Seraph - MTG Card versions
Archangel - MTG Card versions
Ancestor's Chosen - MTG Card versions
Serra Avatar - MTG Card versions
Drogskol Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Eternal Dragon - MTG Card versions
Soul of Eternity - MTG Card versions
Crowd Favorites - MTG Card versions
Kami of the Honored Dead - MTG Card versions
Luminous Angel - MTG Card versions
Angel of Retribution - MTG Card versions
Ghosts of the Innocent - MTG Card versions
Angel of Glory's Rise - MTG Card versions
Windbrisk Raptor - MTG Card versions
Pale Wayfarer - MTG Card versions
Yoked Plowbeast - MTG Card versions
Vengeful Archon - MTG Card versions
Angelic Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Kemba's Legion - MTG Card versions
Elder Land Wurm - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Seraph - Masters Edition (ME1)
Archangel - Starter 1999 (S99)
Ancestor's Chosen - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Serra Avatar - Commander 2013 (C13)
Drogskol Cavalry - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Eternal Dragon - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Soul of Eternity - Commander Legends (CMR)
Crowd Favorites - Onslaught (ONS)
Kami of the Honored Dead - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Luminous Angel - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Angel of Retribution - Battlebond (BBD)
Ghosts of the Innocent - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Angel of Glory's Rise - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Windbrisk Raptor - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Pale Wayfarer - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Yoked Plowbeast - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Vengeful Archon - Magic 2011 (M11)
Angelic Arbiter - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Kemba's Legion - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Quarry Colossus MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Quarry Colossus and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Quarry Colossus has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Quarry Colossus card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2014-04-26 If there are fewer than X cards in that player's library, put the creature on the bottom of that library.
2014-04-26 Quarry Colossus's ability is mandatory. If you control the only creatures when that ability triggers, you must choose a creature you control (which could be Quarry Colossus itself) as the target.
2014-04-26 The value of X is determined as the ability resolves. If you control no Plains at that time, put the creature on top of that library.

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