Arbor Colossus MTG Card
2013-09-27 - Number 150
2015-11-13 - Number 174
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Giant |
| Abilities | Monstrosity,Reach |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 6 |
Key Takeaways
- Arbor Colossus presents formidable board control with its reach and monstrosity, deterring aerial threats efficiently.
- Encourages resource acceleration, fitting well into decks focused on generating substantial mana quickly.
- Instant speed monstrosity provides surprise defensive strength, turning the tides in combat scenarios.
Text of card
Reach : Monstrosity 3. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.) When Arbor Colossus becomes monstrous, destroy target creature with flying an opponent controls.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Arbor Colossus provides an edge by offering a hefty body that can dominate the board, deterring opponents from attacking. Additionally, its monstrosity ability can draw out an opponent’s removal spells, effectively turning it into a two-for-one deal where you maintain a threat and deplete the opponent’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: Since Arbor Colossus requires a substantial amount of mana to deploy and activate its abilities, it encourages inclusion in decks that focus on ramping up mana quickly. This can lead to an acceleration in resources, allowing faster casting of high-impact spells and therefore outpacing the adversary.
Instant Speed: One of Arbor Colossus’s strengths is its ability to become monstrous at instant speed. This can be leveraged during the end step of an opponent’s turn, allowing you to keep mana available for other plays and creating a sudden threat that can disrupt combat or remove problematic flying creatures on a full board.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Arbor Colossus doesn’t directly require a discard, but its high mana cost could compel players to discard other cards if they are using mechanics or spells to accelerate their mana base, which can be inefficient or detrimental in tight game scenarios.
Specific Mana Cost: Arbor Colossus demands a significant amount of specific mana, requiring three green sources. This makes it less flexible and may be challenging to cast in multi-color decks, especially under mana constraints or when color fixing is an issue.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Arbor Colossus comes with a heavy mana investment of five, including three green. In fast-paced games, this may be too slow, as there are creatures with lower mana costs that can be just as effective without such a steep investment, allowing for a more diverse and responsive game play.
Reasons to Include Arbor Colossus in Your Collection
Versatility: Arbor Colossus is a powerhouse in green decks capable of asserting dominance on the battlefield with its formidable stature. Its ability to reach and deal with flying threats makes it a flexible addition, fitting well into both aggressive and defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: With Monstrosity, this towering giant not only grows in size but also serves as a natural deterrent to flying creatures. This ability combines well with cards that manipulate +1/+1 counters or benefit from creatures becoming monstrous, effectively enabling synergistic combos.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta populated by decks leveraging aerial advantage, Arbor Colossus stands tall. Its place in your deck can significantly shape your matches, providing a reliable way to counter popular flying strategies and maintain board control.
How to Beat Arbor Colossus
Arbor Colossus is a formidable green creature card in MTG, known for its towering presence and reach ability, which allows it to excel in defending against flying creatures. At five mana to cast, including three green, its Monstrosity ability further bolsters its strength, giving it the capability to destroy an opposing flyer when it becomes monstrous.
To effectively counter Arbor Colossus, players should consider removal spells that bypass its reach and monstrosity. Black spells like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat can eliminate the Colossus before it becomes monstrous. If you’re in red, a card like Roast deals five damage to a target creature that isn’t flying, circumventing its reach entirely. Enchantment-based removal such as Pacifism can also neutralize it without having to destroy it, preventing the monstrosity trigger from becoming a concern.
Another strategy is to outpace the Arbor Colossus by focusing on aggressive early plays, reducing the window where the Colossus can have a significant impact on the game. In essence, efficient removal, watchful pace, and smart use of the stack are your keys to neutralizing the colossal threat of Arbor Colossus in your MTG matches.
Cards like Arbor Colossus
Arbor Colossus is an imposing creature in Magic: The Gathering, towering in green decks that favor massive creatures with impactful board presence. Similar to Arbor Colossus, there are other creatures like Carnage Tyrant that also provide a significant amount of power and toughness for their mana cost. Carnage Tyrant brings the added benefits of being uncounterable and having trample and hexproof, making it resilient against control strategies.
Greenwarden of Murasa shares the theme of formidable green creatures, and while it doesn’t boast the same stats as Arbor Colossus, it compensates with its ability to return any card from your graveyard to your hand. We also have the Primeval Titan, which, although not as defensively oriented with the reach ability, massively ramps up your land resources, significantly impacting the game.
Considering these comparisons, Arbor Colossus holds a unique place within the constellation of substantial green creatures. It provides strong defensive utility against flying threats, along with a monstrosity ability for additional growth and power, ensuring it remains a competitive choice for players looking to dominate the battlefield with towering giants.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Arbor Colossus MTG card by a specific set like Theros and Commander 2015, 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 Arbor Colossus and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Arbor Colossus Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-09-27 and 2015-11-13. Illustrated by Jaime Jones.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013-09-27 | Theros | THS | 150 | 2003 | normal | black | Jaime Jones | |
| 2 | 2015-11-13 | Commander 2015 | C15 | 174 | 2015 | normal | black | Jaime Jones |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Arbor Colossus has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Arbor Colossus card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-09-15 | An ability that triggers when a creature becomes monstrous won't trigger if that creature isn't on the battlefield when its monstrosity ability resolves. |
| 2013-09-15 | Monstrous isn't an ability that a creature has. It's just something true about that creature. If the creature stops being a creature or loses its abilities, it will continue to be monstrous. |
| 2013-09-15 | Once a creature becomes monstrous, it can't become monstrous again. If the creature is already monstrous when the monstrosity ability resolves, nothing happens. |
