Out of all the Nine Titans, the Colossal Titan might be the most recognizable and the most famous. After all, it's the Colossal Titan who kicks a hole into Wall Maria and sets Attack on Titan's plot into motion.
The Colossal Titan is also one of the more mysterious Titans because it seemingly disappears as quickly as it appeared, and it takes quite some time for the military to figure out the Colossal Titan's secrets. But with big size comes equally big dangers, and being a Colossal Titan shifter isn't all fun and games. While the Colossal Titan is undoubtedly a great asset in battle, there are also some downsides to using it.
10 HARSH REALITY: The Colossal Titan Is Too Big To Fit Most Places
At a massive 60 meters tall, the Colossal Titan's size is one of its most important assets and its major claim to fame. Unfortunately, this also means that the Colossal Titan can't fit in most environments and can only be used under certain conditions. Most of the Colossal Titan's screentime in Attack on Titan was limited to very specific circumstances that necessitated the Colossal Titan's size and strength to continue or complete a mission.
9 PERK: The Colossal Titan Is Close To Indestructible
While the Armored Titan likely has the crown for being truly indestructible, the Colossal Titan's size is a notable advantage. Even the sharpest blades will feel like mere papercuts for a creature that's as big as the Colossal Titan. Whenever the Colossal Titan appears in Attack on Titan, the unfortunate soldiers caught in its wake are mostly helpless and unable to significantly damage the Colossal Titan despite their best efforts. Without large and impressive artillery, it's unlikely that the Colossal Titan can be defeated easily.
8 HARSH REALITY: There's A Chance Of Getting Hurt When Shifting Back To Human Form
Since the Colossal Titan is so tall, there's a serious danger of falling a long distance to the ground and getting injured. It's even possible that the long fall could result in the Titan shifter's death. Whenever the Colossal Titan shifted in the series, there was typically someone there to catch the shifter once they changed back into their human form.
It's important for the Colossal Titan to have a clear plan on how they'll break their fall after shifting back to a human.
7 PERK: The Colossal Titan Can Control Super-Hot Steam To Repel Enemies
One of the Colossal Titan's most powerful skills is its ability to control super-hot steam that effectively wards off opponents. Titans in general give off incredible amounts of body heat, potentially due to their size, but the Colossal Titan seems as if it's the only one that weaponizes its own body heat. The most important function of the Colossal Titan's steam is most likely to protect its nape from being attacked by a soldier with ODM gear. Any military personnel who've tried have been effectively repelled by steam.
6 HARSH REALITY: The Colossal Titan Has Very Limited Mobility
The biggest drawback to the Colossal Titan's massive size is surely its limited mobility. With a body so large, the Colossal Titan can't move quickly or agilely like the other Titan forms. Instead, the Colossal Titan's movements are slow and awkward, making it difficult to maneuver in fast-paced situations. Because of its limited mobility, the Colossal Titan is best used in very specific circumstances. As evidenced in the show, the Colossal Titan was useful in surprise attacks.
5 PERK: The Colossal Titan Can Kill Opponents With Very Little Effort
The Colossal Titan's size obviously makes it easy to kill enemies with minimal effort, but it's got an even more impressive attack as a consequence of shifting. When shifting to the Colossal Titan form, it gives off an intense wave of energy that varies in destructive power. On the lower end, waves of heat are emitted from the Colossal Titan's body, but at the higher end, the energy emitted mimics that of a small nuclear bomb. Armin Arlelt effectively destroyed Marleyan warships in the latter half of the series just by shifting to his Colossal Titan form.
4 HARSH REALITY: The Colossal Titan Is An Easy Target & Very Conspicuous
The Colossal Titan's size works both for and against it, as its large size gives it impressive destructive capabilities but also makes it very easy to spot. If the Colossal Titan is to be used during an altercation, it needs to be done with a clear plan of action, since its size will immediately draw attention to it.
Early in the series, Bertholdt Hoover used his Colossal Titan form to execute surprise attacks against Shinganshina and Trost. He quickly shifted back to human form, increasing the mystery of the Colossal Titan.
3 PERK: The Colossal Titan Is Useful For Storming Heavily Guarded Areas
With even a small kick from its massive foot, the Colossal Titan was able to knock huge holes into Walls Maria and Rose that let Pure Titans come in and terrorize the populace. This indicates that the Colossal Titan is a great asset to have for storming heavily guarded areas. With its massive size and hot steam to protect it from enemy attacks, it's a simple matter of knocking down a wall to get past enemy forces. It's best if someone accompanies the Colossal Titan to catch the shifter when they turn back into a human.
2 HARSH REALITY: The Colossal Titan's Abilities Are Too Situational To Be Universally Useful
Although it has some truly impressive capabilities, the truth is that the Colossal Titan's powers are far too situational to be used in every circumstance. Being so large means it can't be used effectively in covert operations, not to mention the fact that it practically announces its presence with the energy release and steam emitted during shifting. Compared to smaller Titans like the Attack Titan and the Jaw Titan, the Colossal Titan's abilities are too situational and aren't used too much in the series.
1 PERK: The Colossal Titan Is So Tall That It's Hard To Reach The Nape
If the steam emission and explosive shifting power aren't already enough to protect it, the Colossal Titan is so large that reaching its nape is a challenge for even the most skilled ODM user. Sixty meters is a long way up, and if the Colossal Titan notices it's being attacked, it can emit steam or swat away any potential dangers. When Eren Yeager managed to pull Bertholdt out of the Colossal Titan, it was only because Bertholdt lost track of Eren during the fight and he was caught by surprise.