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IC: Jutori - Metru-Koro Jutori shrugged, then hefted his sledgehammer over his shoulder and started following Atamai, whistling to himself. @~Xemnas~@Harvali@pokemonlover360@Onaku IC: Rose - Outside Sans' Hut Rose grinned at the sight of the vehicle. "Nice ride," she said, climbing aboard and extending a hand to help Skyra on. Her height and armor made her seating a bit...claustrophobic. "I figured we'd be walking." @Snelly@Toru Nui@Keeper of Kraata

My entry for the first round of the "Style it Up!" contest. Rules: create a build using only one colour! I was highly inspired by Acheron by Mihai Marius Mihu, so credits to him for the aesthetics and general mood of the build. The MOC was build in one night (deadlines, ffs), so it kinda rushed and simple, but I hope enjoy it anyway.

as always: "TIME TO ROUGH THAT CHUMP TERRY UP GOOD!!!" had this lying around as a sketch since last year and forgot about it. might as well make it a little nicer. all digital since digital lets me ctrl+z & hue shift and i am one lazy man. used clipstudio paint to make it but you could probably do it in most drawing programs just as easily. here's the sketch in case anyone is interested. take care bioboys n girls until we meet again

Updated Balkan's profile after last night's chat. He now has a deformed left hand which always shows throw his illusions. @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Whisper - Northern Desert "No, no, I give you power, and you fulfill a wish for me."

IC: Skyra - Outside Sans' Hut - With Rose's help, Skyra hopped into the vehicle. "#### yeah! We're going on a road trip!" Skyra looked all over the vehicle, considering her past life as vehicle tester, she knew a thing or two about them. "Can you do donuts in this thing?" Toru Nui@Keeper of Kraata@Tarn IC: Vashni - Metru-Nui - Vashni grabbed her hover bike from near the village entrance, she'd follow the others on her bike at a walking pace. @pokemonlover360 @Tarn @Onaku @~Xemnas~ @Harvali

IC: Irna | Metru-Koro "C'mon," Irna said, leading Keitara out of the hut and over to where Waveahk was waiting for the rest of the party. With her free hand, she reached into one of her pouches, rifling around in it until she pulled two small and crumpled leaves. She popped one into her mouth and offered the other to the woman. "Bula leaves. Chew it. It'll help with the pain." OOC: @TL01 NUVA @Toru Nui @Keeper of Kraata IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann "I rode by them," Parnassus said, "but didn't happen to stop in. They didn't seem particularly...." The Aspect leaned in conspiratorially. "...friendly." OOC: @Burnmad @Unreliable Narrator -Void

IC: Whisper - Northern Desert "You do not," Whisper replied, "What I do, I fear will not work for you." _______________________________________________________________________________ IC: Xane - Irnakk's Tooth "Lead on," Xane nodded.

So here's a crazy thought that just hit me: Krana mind-control beings that have them on their face, right? So could a Toa of Psionics, or even some being with similar powers, resist that mind-control entirely? And, if they can use Kanohi, could they then use that Krana's powers as a Bohrok would, effectively using it as a Kanohi?

Hey @1womanarmy! Just so you know, this topic is strictly for RPG applications and approvals. The only people who should be posting here are RPG applicants and the RPG judges. But we'd love to hear your thoughts on potential RPGs. We just ask that you post them in the Official RPG Planning Topic. Thanks!

IC: Xane - Irnakk's Tooth "It's not a weapon, but similar sort of tech," he replied, vaguely gesturing to the medals and trophies that adorned his jacket. IC: Whisper - Northern Desert "A heart, and a wish."

I'm not an approval overlord, but I have to say that this RPG looks good. I would play it. I think that it needs a second profile form, though, because some people might wish to play as Rahi. And it needs some player objectives: why are we hunting the Rahi, exactly? To free them from Makuta's control like in 2001? I feel that this needs clarified. Perhaps if we manage to complete a quest or hunt a Rahi, we get to a higher level. Also, what are the Guild's objectives? If they aren't to be revealed immediately, how do I as a player work toward unraveling the mystery? Why does the Guild exist? What am I doing as a player? These are concerns that I would like to see addressed in a revised draft. Thanks.

God the Mistika and Phantoka were so hideous, although I actually like the bug Mistika. Not necessarily set related, but I HATE the easily cracking pieces of 2007 onward. They are so poorly designed it boggles my mind how Lego could have allowed them to ship. I mean this genuinely, I don't think I have a single uncracked piece in my collection, and I distinctly remember some of them cracking on first time use. Unacceptable.

IC: Xane - Irnakk's Tooth "Something like that," he nodded. IC: Whisper - Northern Desert Whisper's multitude of mismatched eyes blinked in confusion. "I don't know what that is."

Which is why I brought a Toa of Psionics into the mix. If Krana are alive, can't a being with the Psionics element just mind-control it to make it use its powers? This isn't useful for most Krana, since they're either redundant to the Psionics element or Bohrok-specific; but I'm more interested in the "can this be done" aspect of it.

IC: Whisper - Northern Deserts "I am an Aspect. We are native to this land, and take many forms," Whisper susurrated, "We grant power.... for a price." IC: Xane - Irnakk's Tooth "That won't be necessary," he grinned a classic skakdi grin, and began to levitate himself with gravity, carrying himself over the stream of searing heat safely to the other side. Once he made it across, he reached out with his powers and attempted to do the same for Enra.

IC: Skorm (Metru-Koro) "Your chariot, maybe," Skorm said, jerking his thumb back at where he had parked the Muaka. "I have my own ride." Sleeping under a roof for the first time in a week (and for the first time in this new world) had been a change that Skorm was still getting used to, but it looked like he couldn't get too comfortable with it. OOC: @Toru Nui @Snelly @Tarn

yeh that's cool with me. x3

IC: Mahryo - Northern Deserts "If you don't mind my asking, what are you?" Mahryo asked the creature hanging outside. "I have never seen anything like you before. Well, in truth, I don't remember seeing much of anything these days! But I have the strangest feeling, as though I truly have not see something like you until now." @Nato the Traveler

IC: Reliable Narrator | North of Metru-Koro, Road Trip With Providence and Vent The two youngsters traveled due North, or as close as they could imagine was due North, while skirting the border of the toxic lake slowly pouring out of Mata-Nui’s skull. Time passed peacefully for them. Small rahi darted from their path. One particularly excited mahi calf tried racing Vent, then settled for hopping alongside Providence as the devil-child sprinted without tiring in his recently upgraded armor. As afternoon turned to early evening, the two found themselves at the base of a blasted out mountain range. The mountains were all angled like a fang, with the concave depression in their now low summits and sides facing the direction of the fractured and bleeding skull of the old world. Vent realized the force of his world coming down onto this alien landscape did more than end his past: it ended everyone’s past, regardless of home. The arrival of his world marked a new epoch in the Time Between Time, not that the speed demon could possibly know the metaphysical landscape of where he now lived. Early evening gave way to late evening, twilight, and then twinkling stars above as night set in fully before the two found anything odder than the lake and the skull. They saw small tunnels dug out of the mountains, big enough for them to squeeze into but small enough to feel claustrophobic trying, and the soft rush of a wind from deep beneath the earth poured out like in a droning whistle. Upon investigating further they would realize the tunnels looked like tools made them rather than dug by hand, and the fresh earth piled up around them had been packed into semi-circular stairs around the base of each. OOC: @Dane, @Burnmad IC: Reliable Narrator | Irnakk’s Tooth The pair of skakdi, one new one native, made their way around the North Eastern side of the base of Irnakk’s Tooth. Any time they looked up the steep mountainside of the volcano they could see the telltale plume of dark smoke softly drifting from its broken summit. The afternoon turned to late evening, and then nightfall by the time they arrived at the fields and wide rivers of cooling lava marking the border between the Northern Wastes and the Dead Forest. In the rising moonlight and the red glow of the cooling lava Xane and Enra saw the petrified trees covering the visible distance across a wide lake of lava. Enra remembered hearing of pilgrims visiting the Nightmare Pits summiting a violent path up the mountain on the far side of the wide river of lava before them that started at an obsidian boulder deep in the Dead Forest. Dark glowing boulders floated downstream to the coast over a day’s journey to the East in the process of melting in the fiery stream. They could wander for a bridge, attempt to carve a new path up the side of the volcano following the lava to its source, or find a creative way to cross the distance. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Toru Nui

Commission received, route planned, activating cloaking sequence.

Snare triggered, Administrator notified, awaiting instructions.

IC Kanohi - Po-Koro Kanohi winced, “I … do not exactly have money either. I … I hate to bother. I am okay with walking if we need to though.” Though given how long it would take to walk, if Voka had been still alive, by the time they walked to her, she probably would not be. But he couldn’t just take resources from the Matoran here. Even the ones in this rescue group. OOC: @Toru Nui @Biological Chronicler … IC Collector - Metru-Koro Collector eyed this Kilo. It was clearly a machine, and it’s responses were fairly simplistic, but … the way the Toa spoke to them, they were almost casual. And Kilo did not seem confused by their answers, despite how irregular and personal they were. Most Vahki would struggle to understand these words, but Kilo seemed to follow the emotional speech of the Toa well enough. Of course, Collector themself was no expert of reading g Toa, let alone machines. But it still struck them as … odd. OOC: @Onaku @Tarn @Snelly @~Xemnas~ @pokemonlover360

IC: Mahryo - Northern Deserts Luigi nods, though he can't recall them ever having done anything heroic. He puts his hands on his hips and turns back to Whisper and NU, satisfied to let them carry on their conversation. OOC: @Edelgard @Toru Nui @Nato the Traveler @xccj @ZippyWharrgarbl

IC: Datrox Karvan - Metru-Koro Gates "Haven't been called 'firespitter' in a while," I replied. Falh seemed on edge, but other than that...he was an ally here, I had nothing to be suspicious of. Did I? "As long as you're fine." I turned to Arkius, trying to simply ask a question and not interrupt the discussion between him and Stannis. "Are we heading off soon?" @Dane@Onaku@Smudge8@Biological Chronicler@EmperorWhenua IC: Rose - Outside Sans' Hut Rose grinned at the suggestion. "Heh, that'd be fun. Poor guy didn't know what he was signin' up for when he got picked to do recon with Rose and Skyra." @Snelly@Toru Nui IC: Jutori - Metru-Koro The Ba-Toa did his best to inform Kilo of their plans. "We're going to do some exploring and check out some temples the scouts reported, look around and see if we find anything interesting. A bit like the disk hunts back in Metru Nui, only...well, there's no disks to find, just...whatever is in those temples. Would that be stealing?" @Snelly@~Xemnas~@Onaku@Harvali@pokemonlover360

IC: Skyra Daring - Metru-Koro - Skyra's head hurt, she had a canteen of water in her hand that she was steadily drinking, hoping that it would help cure her hangover quickly. She'd just have to tough it out for a bit. Much like Rose, Skyra was donning equipment she hadn't bothered with since they arrived on Zakaz. She had her jetpack, along with her two guns and various sharp objects she carried around with her. She looked more ready to start a small scale war than a simple reconnaissance mission, but she never went out unprepared. Especially on an island like this, full of unknown dangerous. Shoot first ask later would always be words to live by! As long as she didn't get spooked by a surprise bunny...she felt really bad for what happened to the last bunny... "He's late...that means we have to haze him."" @Tarn@Toru Nui

IC: Rose - Outside Sans' Hut The next morning, Rose packed some MREs and donned her mechsuit for the first time since they'd made landfall on Zakaz, and Skyra had a hangover. The pair of military lovebirds walked hand-in-hand to Sans' hut, where the larger Ta-Toa proceeded to lean against it with one hand. "Now...where's fishboy?" @Snelly@Toru Nui

IC: Mahryo - Northern Deserts "We are heroes, brother mine!" Mahryo clenched his fist with determination, lifting it to the sky - and bumping it on the roof of the transport. "Adventurers, seeking out villainy to stomp it out! And... also mechanics, of some kind...." He trailed off, scratching the back of his head as he became lost in thought. @Toru Nui@Jakura Nuva@Nato the Traveler@xccj@ZippyWharrgarbl

Name: Exo-Toa Unit D-6793 v2.0. Designation, "Varian" Breed: Exo-Toa/??? Faction: Himself/??? Brief Description: They look exactly like a standard Exo-Toa. Background/Occupation: This Exo-Toa recently reactivated after being dormant for some time on the island of Zakaz. It's purpose is unknown, but it roams the island in search of something. Whatever "Varian" is looking for, it won't stop until it finds it. Flaws: This unit has the standard flaws that any Exo-Toa has, being particularly weak to things that most machines are, such as EMPs and being highly magnetic in general. The fact that it cannot feel pain can also be a detriment if it's sensors do not detect it's being damaged. Despite being a machine, "Varian" seems more than capable of feeling emotion, and is prone to sudden uncontrollable fits of rage if pushed the right way. Powers/Equipment: Like most standard Exo-Toa, Varian has incredible physical endurance and strength, far beyond what most organic beings do. In addition, they have various sensors such as heat sensors, x-ray, etc that let it detect it's surroundings with ease. Varian is equipped with two weapons, a boxing claw that can extend, and an Electro-Rocket in the other hand, which fires missiles of considerable firepower. One unusual ability this particular exo-toa seems to possess is the ability to talk, it can have conversations just as well as most sentient beings, though it speaks with a very robotic voice.

IC: Rose - Love Shack The Ta-Toa shrugged and pulled her mechsuit case out of the closet. "You got drunk, hun. A fishman brought ya home, said we're going with him tomorrow morning to do some scouting. Get some rest." @Snelly

IC: Whisper - Northern Desert "Purely mechanical?" Whisper whispered, "Intriguing." The beings of this new world were clearly far more technological advanced than the skakdi of the wasteland. It seemed unlikely that a kraata would be able to bond with a machine, though, so there was little chance of her being able to perform rites with this being. Still, it was being quite forthcoming with information, so she continued her questioning. "Law and order... curious concepts in a place such as this," she mused, "Whose laws do you intend to uphold?"

List of approved races so far. Named: Matoran(Canon): Passive abilties related to their elemental affiliation Toa(Canon):One element, one mask power Turaga(Canon): One diminshed elemental power, one noble mask power Skakdi(Canon):One vision power, one 'other' power. One elemental power, can only be used with a tool in in conjunction with another skakdi Skakdi-Xa(SKR Original):One Vision power, one Level 2 kraata power Vortixx(Canon): Innate technical aptitude, superior strength. Can use kanohi Aspects of Makuta(SKR Original): Elemental Shadow, one kraata power Steltians(Canon): Superior strength. Flight for lower class, one mask power for upper class Vahki(Canon): Stun staffs, disk launchers, flight Fohrok(Canon): Elemental powers Hordika(Canon): One elemental, one rhotouka Titans(Canon): Superior strength, any other powers Tiohaka(BZRPG): Alternative elemental powers Eakai(Fan-made):Void powers Kekamaire(Fan-made): Alternative elemental powers Lesterin(BZRPG): Limited elemental powers, can use kanohi Zyglak(Canon): Elemental resistance Valkyr(BZRPG):Flight, enhanced physical abilites, enchanced senses. Krahka(Canon): Shapeshifting Krahli(Canon): Stasis bubbles Vahki(Canon):Stun Staffs, kanoka powers Unamed species from canon: Takadox's Breed:Hypnosis, can use kanohi Carapar's Breed:Natural armor, superior strength Mantax's Breed: Can use kanohi Shadow One's Breed: Can use kanohi Keetongu's Breed: Can perfectly distinguish between good and evil Let me know if I missed anything! Edit: vahki and krahla added as per @Harvali's suggestion/

IC [Nixie - Astronomer’s hut, Metru-koro] Nixie waved goodbye to Taja as well, before shutting the door behind her and turning around, facing the mess that was her new ‘office’. Stacks of star charts and other papers she’d miraculously managed to save were strewn about, assembled in loose piles, stacked on available free surfaces and generally unsorted. They were lucky to have this much available at all, considering the state Metru Nui had been in. She would eventually have to work through the backlog, but right now the astronomer Matoran had more pressing matters to worry about, such as updating the chart of the current night sky. If there was anything the stars could tell them to help them find their place and way in this new land, they needed to know, so she needed to get on with it. Nixie sighed, rolled her shoulders to loosen up, then returned to her desk next to the freshly setup telescope. It would be immensely useful! She picked up her writing instrument with one hand, while reaching for a mug of tea with the other. It was her primary form of sustenance this past week and half, to keep her going. She meant to savor the gulp she took, but instead immediately spat it out in bitter disgust - all over the chart on her desk. Great. The comforting liquid had gone icy cold in the time Taja and her had set up the telescopes. She’d completely forgotten about the mug. With a sigh, she stood up, fetched a cloth and wiped the chart down as best as possible. Then she took the Mug, poured the rest of the stale tea out of her rear window, before refilling it from the kettle that was being kept warm over the small fireplace. She had made sure that got put in right away, since she often worked late evenings and nights and it got bitter cold during those in this wasteland. It was the other most important feature in her hut - if she was awake, the kettle was going. With her refill in hand and finally ready to get down to business, she sat back down at her desk and got to work with the telescope. She started with the brightest stars and constellations, working her way through the night sky methodically. Soon, she’d lost track of the time, fully engrossed in her task. Then, she frowned. The constellation she was putting to paper was - cut off? That wasn’t right. She leaned back from the telescope, looking up through the opening without its aid - and realized the problem was the giant head that had been her home for so long - now a dark silhouette obscuring part of the night sky from her studious gaze. “First it almost kills us all and now it’s getting in the way of my job - perfect, just perfect.” she muttered, annoyed. She sighed, set down her tool and rubbed at her eyes. Pulled out of her workflow, exhaustion set upon her rapidly. Perhaps it was time to call it a night - it must have been hours and way past midnight. She cast another glance towards the ruins of her old world. She could work around it for now - after all they were on a rotating, orbiting celestial body so in time she would get to see most of the stars, but there was always a risk of missing out on some important detail. No, eventually she would need to get the full picture and for that she’d need a better vantage point, like a mountain, or the top of the fallen head...but that could wait for tonight. With a yawn, Nixie turned down the heat stone powering the fireplace, before promptly crawling into her cot and falling asleep the second her head hit the mattress. OOC: Hey, I can finally write little character moments for any NPC =D

These two stage productions were performed at LEGOLand in 2001 and 2002, respectively. http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/14976-bioicle-as-a-stage-production/ Well, it looks as if the production company that handled these shows, PRP, recently (five days ago) uploaded the full shows to YouTube. I peeked through the first one to see if it was legitimate (April 2 is awfully close to April 1...) and it appears to be so. There's another site I frequent that tries to locate hard-to-find stuff that had a thread about these shows going recently. Is it just a coincidence that these suddenly pop up? I dunno... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjSu3qSb7lM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw3PpZB_Awg Their channel has other LEGOLand stuff too, like Friends and even Jack Stone (known for its "almost minifig" characters). EDIT: Whoops, one more! BIONICLE Tribal Trek 2001: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7iiXXMm9K0

Actually yeah, now that I think about it, the Mistika line was the only line that I was disappointed by when it initially was released (most of the sets I don't like I was fine with as a kid, but even young me was kinda bummed out). The Makuta were great, but the Mistika Toa were a little bland to me-particularly the weapons. I think I actually appreciate them a little more now than I did at first, but as a kid, they all had the same weapons: Tahu=gun and shield. Onua=gun and shield. Gali=just a gun. That being said, I'm fine with the Phantoka Toa. Pohatu's twin propellor drills remain to this day one of my favorite weapons

Perhaps not shows, but films. "Comedy" as a genre doesn't mean "humor and literally no substance," else classic Simpsons wouldn't be comedic at all. It merely entails a high emphasis on humor. The movies I named have actual plots and evoke actual emotions, but they still put a lot of emphasis on the comic component, which makes them comedies. That's not what went wrong with the Ninjago movie--the characters were. Lloyd is the only character who is both coherent and given importance in the film; Garm is super inconsistent, while the supporting cast is mostly just...there. No arcs, no real personalities, no meaningful dialogue...they just exist except for Wu and (to a lesser extent) Lloyd's mom.

When I saw the title, I thought this would be an Avohkii Hordika.

As soon as the announcements hit, I packed as much up from my apartment as I could and moved back home. While I don't like having to be alone, I'd much rather be alone out here than in the city. It's much safer, and I think it's better for my mental health too. At school, I felt lonely unless I got out and socialized every day. Here, I feel less lonely overall even though I'm actually all alone most of the time. That said, I do miss seeing people on campus every day in person, and I've lost contact with most of the acquaintances I wasn't all that close with. And I much prefer in person classes to online.

This time actually using her whip. Idk I love her too much.

Every time a topic like this comes up, I'm always tempted to quote the last line from "Hotel California," but I always FORGET, dangit.

Oh man there was this one comedy that just ... blew up. It was at the top of the hot topics list for weeks, if not months. All I remember is the premise that various characters were working at a McDonald's. Can't for the life of me remember the name of it, other than that it got shut down very suddenly one day.

Wow, I'm a big fan of this! The pose and the style really lend a tangible sense of energy and movement. It almost looks like it could be the cover for an old Bionicle comic. ...and that is one thicc neck, if I may say so. Well done!

(tl;dr - BranSan wrote 3 rules for worldbuilding a magic system which boil down to: have structure, have limitations, and don't bite off more than you can chew. then the rules try Bionicle on for size. ) I found these rules and distinctions and comparison helpful for conceptualizing the multitude of powers and abilities in the Bioni-verse, and hopefully others can as well. So, I recently was able to read Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn First Era trilogy for the first time. It's been a while since I've read something new, since I usually prefer read old books that I know I'll enjoy, rather than take a gamble with a new author/world/characters, etc. (Incidentally, I'm the same way with movies and trying new ice cream flavors. I prefer to exercise risk taking in other aspects of my life). The main takeaway: I was completely floored by the scope and consistency and plausibility of his worldbuilding. A huge part of that was the magic system he created, which I paid particular attention to (one, because it's so well executed) because I'd previously read Sanderson's articles about his Three Laws of Magic Systems. And so, like any person with a favorite fandom, I started thinking how this applies to the Matoran Universe. This actually started out as a blog post where I could hammer out how some of these principles can be seen (or can't be seen) in the Bionicle universe. After some wishy-washy self-talk, and seeing how long the post became, we now have this topic. I did a bit of digging to (hopefully) make sure I'm not making a dupe, and I think I'm in the clear. Still, quotes/links/references to parts of other relevant discussions are great. Disclaimer 1 - I speak strictly from G1 knowledge, as I haven't delved into any of G2, as of yet. (I also didn't get totally into the Bara Magna storyline, so my knowledge on universe mechanics and stuff outside the MU is pretty patchy). Disclaimer 2 - I understand that Bionicle is a children's toy line, and the books are always found in the Young Readers section next to the Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones books at my local Barnes & Noble (or, they would be, if they were still on the market), and my aim is not to draw unfair worldbuilding comparisons. Just looking to apply some worldbuilding theories and share on a platform with people who can appreciate. While I can't find links to the actual articles for some reason, I'll be quoting from this page on his universe's Wiki site. Rule 1 From this first rule, we get the spectrum of "soft magic systems" to "hard magic systems". To try and paraphrase, "soft magic systems" refers to a magic system that's more mysterious, and has no explicitly or clearly defined rules. This can help foster a sense of mysticism or otherworldliness. That's not to say the magic should not follow a consistent set of rules. I think that would fall more into the category of weak writing. I like to think of it as, if the reader was transported into a story with a soft magic system, they wouldn't know how to go about using that magic. Other examples Sanderson cites as good examples of "soft" systems are what Tolkien uses in Lord of the Rings and GRRM uses in Game of Thrones. Harry Potter's magic system would be middle-of-the-road, according to Sanderson. Then, on the end of "hard magic systems", rules are more or less explicitly described, and the reader can clearly see how the characters use the system to their advantage, like a tool. He cites some examples of authors who write this way, (L.E Modesitt Jr, and Melanie Rawn), but I personally haven't read any of their works, so cannot adequately comment further. I vaguely remember superheroes and their superpowers being categorized here. Now. There are an abundance of different types of powers in the MU (and on Spherus Magna, but I'll leave that to someone else to flesh out). The 'powers' page on BS01. There are so. many. I almost quit writing this post. I know there are a plethora of topic in S&T and Bionicle Discussion, and probably elsewhere discussing similar topics, and in more detail (which is why I didn't make this post into a topic). I really wish I remembered where I saw this, and who said it in the discussion, but they made the point that even though Bionicle G1 might appear to be SciFi on the surface, it really is more like the fantasy genre. I know some members, bonesiii comes immediately to mind, delve into the science of different elemental abilities, and other powers, with respect to the fact that Bionicle clearly doesn’t follow ‘real world’ physics, nor should we expect it to, or be disappointed when it doesn’t. Also, a distinction that I wanted to point out, simply because it confused me as well for a bit: How much the characters understand the magic system is not necessarily the same as how much the reader (or author) understands. With the huge variety of powers and abilities we have to work with, I thought it was easiest to put them on an arbitrary but convenient 1-10 scale, one being soft magic, 10 being hard magic. Elemental Powers - 6. Although this varies between the element. Psionics seems a lot softer than stone (kind of pun intented) or fire, but I suspect that’s because we have ‘real world’ references for what fire and stone can do. This also takes into account manifestations of elemental powers within Matoran, which seem pretty consistent. (again, Psionics is a bit of an outlier) Kanohi - 4. But again, with variation between Kanohi. Part of what contributes to a 4 rating is the ambiguity on who can and can’t use Kanohi. Not just species-wise, but how it takes time for someone to unlock the pre-existing ability to access the power, how Matoran go comatose without a Kanohi, but other species do not, and so on. Non-Kanohi Collectibles (Krana, Kraata, Kanoka, Rhotuka, Zamor, etc.) - 8. These seem pretty straightforward, and have a pretty static set of powers or what they can and cannot do in the universe. The only one I’m iffy about is Zamor spheres, because what the heck even is Antidermis and what does it do and stuff. Innate powers - 3. example, Toa power, Skakdi laser vision, Johmak/Zaktan’s shattering ability, Kaita fusions, various Rahi powers, etc. Part of the rating may be a category error on my part, but there are just so many abilities that we see, and that work within the story without causing too much skepticism in the reader Environmental - 2. Red Star shenanigans, mutagen, antidermis, energized protodermis, maybe Hordika venom, how Matoran transform, etc. I’m sure I’m missing some things, but this seemed like a good starting point. Overall, I’d say the MU has a soft magic system, which I appreciate, because there’s more for the imagination to do. Rule 2 These seem pretty self-explanatory, and are good distinctions to be aware of. Good limitations, according to Sanderson, give the character, reader, and author a good challenge to overcome. The trick is to not hamstring yourself or write yourself into a block. Limitations and weaknesses initially were confusing to me, and I don't think they're always mutually exclusive. I think a limitation can be related to a character themselves, although not always, and a weakness is usually something to do more with the power itself. (again, all of this is open for debate) Costs to power seem pretty cut and dry, and there seems to be no limit to what a cost could be, whether it be to a character's wellbeing or to their access or level of power, etc. Ex: Toa Power Weakness - A Toa’s element may be inherently weaker against another element. A Toa of Water would have greater difficulty defeating a Toa of Lightning than she would a Toa of Fire, assuming they were all of similar skill and experience levels. Limitation - A Toa’s elemental control is limited by their experience and skill level. Cost - Use of elemental power drains the Toa’s elemental energy, resulting in weaker output. It would cost a Toa time and effort to train to reduce limitations to elemental power. Ex: Vakama This is a less concrete example, would love some arguments for/against. (Also, I know self-doubt is not a power, but it is something that affects his powers. Although, perhaps it could be a mask or kraata power.) Weakness - self doubt Limitation - self doubt causes inability to use mask power and be an effective leader until he gets over it Cost - got over his self doubt too much and became overconfident and allied with Roodaka One caveat that I really liked was the cost of reviving the Matoran after the Great Cataclysm - giving up Toa Power and becoming a Turaga. Last point on this one, more of a personal gripe - Makuta are way too OP, with almost no checks or balances. Their only exploitable weakness (besides hubris) that I can think of, off the cuff, is their antidermis evolution thing, but they’re so powerful that they can negate those negative effects with little to no effort. (Axonn and Brutaka are up there on the OP list). This happens to segue nicely into Rule 3. Rule 3 So, the bad example is the Makuta. A counterexample, I think would be Krahka. Arguably, she has access to just as many powers than a Makuta, if not more. Correct me if I'm wrong - Both Krahka and Makuta can shapeshift, but we've only seen Krahka be able to keep the abilities and skills of those she's changed into after she's changed back, and seems to be able to switch between those accumulated abilities with more ease. But she definitely has better limitations and weaknesses, and higher cost to using her powers, as seen in Adventures #3. I guess this boils down to the 'less is more' principle. I've seen this as well, around the forums, about how Teridax was a more compelling villain when he was The Makuta, the one and only, with or without a slew of powers. But then, when there are suddenly a small army of Makuta, dysfunctional as they may be, that really changed the dynamic of the storyline. One of my favorite examples of expanding on powers is how the Toa Metru developed their Elemental Powers. (screenshots courtesy of the ever-awesome Biological Chronicle project) These are all from (storyline-wise), roughly the same time, and the Toa Metru are relatively new Toa, searching either for their Matoran who know where the Great Disks are, or searching for the Great Disks themselves. (Mystery of Metru Nui and/or Trial by Fire), so these are all powers developed before adding Mask powers. Nokama I think this is a great example because I think it shows both limitation and cost of using power, as well as the weakness of being a baby Toa, and shows how use of the 'magic' plays out in the character's world. Matau showing gradual reduction of limitations, also works well with potential character development of becoming more disciplined. Nuju This is an insane amount of control over new power to me. I think it's plausible because I would expect nothing less from one of Ko-Metru's top scholars. But still. The type of on-the-fly calculations one would have to do to pull this off seems crazy. We also see Nuju later using his precise control over his element to create mirrors and redirect lasers. There was a thread earlier about "who's the smartest Bionicle character", and my answer would definitely be Nuju, if we're going by book-smarts. Most Important Rule Don't forget this one! (not kidding, this is the last rule listed on the article) Perhaps this is nostalgia speaking, but I recently re-read the Bionicle Adventures series, and I still think it's pretty awesome. Anyways, thanks for reading through! I don't have an overarching question or any specific things to ask, but I would love to see some discussion, pushback, etc. It's all fascinating and I love fitting stuff I already know into larger frameworks and systems. Hope it was worth your time! Thanks!!

i've got nothing else to do.

Mostly to sucker people into playing the games I host on Discord, when possible.

The real reason we're still on BZP is the friends we made along the way

We have several reviews currently in the works. Some of them are for very large sets though, and that makes things take additional time. In general, reviews are very time-intensive to do in a manner that meets our quality bar. I can't speak for everyone on the staff, but I know I stopped doing reviews and focused more on streams because it provides a lot more engagement, takes less time to prep and wrap up, and is a lot more enjoyable. While they still require a good bit of behind-the-scenes work, I'd estimate a stream adds 60-90 minutes to the time it takes to build the set. A review can add anywhere from 5-10 hours when you factor in researching new parts, taking pictures, editing pictures, importing and editing video, not to mention all of the writing and proofreading. With all that effort, we were getting very little feedback and seeing very little benefit for the reviews we were doing. Lots of sites do reviews, and there are plenty who do them as good as or better than BZPower does. I appreciate the feedback and hope some of the other reviewers see this as well. I'm sorry we've been keeping you waiting!

Welcome to the Island of Terra-Dra Home of adventure and danger. Amongst the peaceful grasslands, calm beaches, dense jungles and tall mountains matoran live side by side with giant, dangerous Rahi. Their survival depends on YOU the hunters. Grab your weapon, put on your mask, and get out there to defend civilization and blaze new trails into the wilds of Terra-Dra. Happy hunting! The Island Terra-Dra is a rough and harsh landscape with five areas. Planes-Dra, Beach-Dra, Jungle-Dra, Mountain-Dra, and Sand-Dra. The Hunters Guild monitors the environments of each area closely, and travel into each area requires the Guild’s permission. Planes-Dra(Easy) These peaceful grasslands are dotted with large rocky outcroppings and Matoran Villages. This is the most setled of the regions because the soft rolling hills allow scouts to easily spot incoming threats. This is the perfect place for new hunters to test out their skills before moving onto more dangerous areas. This Region is also the location of the only city, Jagater, the location of Hunters Guild Headquarters. Jagater is a small city, but it drastically outsizes any other village in Terra-Dra. It has many shops, restaurants, and hotels, but most important it features the Hunters Guild Headquarters. The guild headquarters is a large spire with multiple floors. The first (ground floor) is home to the reception area. It features a large waiting room with desks for Hunter Licensing, Environmental reports, and so on. Dominating the center of the room is the Request board. On this board are requests for hunters assistance of all types. Anyone can post on the board if they are seeking assistance from a Hunter, and any Hunter can respond to a quest on the board. THis is the only floor open to the public. The second floor is the social area only open for licensed hunters, featuring a cafeteria with discounted food, a gym area with various training equipment and dummies, and several reservable meeting rooms. The third floor is a free Dormitory, open to all guild members. The fourth floor is the grand hall, where the Guild holds meetings for all members. The fifth floor is the private offices of the Guild masters. Only the Guild masters, and those on official Guild business are permitted on this floor. Beach-Dra (Easy/Medium) Where the grasslands meet the sea is Beach-Dra. Thisl area Is covered in rivers, lakes, and tidepools, with large patches of green palm trees and shrubbery. It is the perfect environment for amphibious Rahi, who come here from the ocean. Small fishing villages dot this area, and hunters are frequently called on to stem the wild rahi. Jungle-Dra(Medium) The South west side of Terra-Dra is covered in dense jungle, home to a great variety of Rahi, in incredible numbers! The ground is swampy and covered in all kinds of vegetation, while the trees are so huge that some Rahi Never have to touch the ground while moving from branch to branch. While expeditions frequently enter this area to gather various herbs, Jungle-Dra remains largely uninhabited. Mountain-Dra (Hard) Those who manage to make it through the forests of Jungle-Dra will find themselves blocked by the region of Mountain-Dra. This massive mountain range separates the Matoran from the northern portion of the island. No one has successfully crossed this region and lived to tell the tail. The rugged conditions of the mountains mean that only the fiercest Rahi live there. One of the most prominent land features of this area is God’s Roost. This massive mountain stretches up to the heavens, high above the surrounding range, It’s edges are so steep so as to be nearly vertical. No one has ever reached its summit. Sand-Dra (Hard) Rumores abound of a vast desert, located just beyond the mountains. There are also rumors that the Hunters Guild may be arranging an expedition to go there. The Hunters Guild In a land filled with danger the Hunters Guild serves as a form of government. Their stated mission is to “Protect, Preserve, and Study.” They dispatch trained hunters to protect civilians from monster attacks. They monitor the actions of all guild members actions and set rules and restrictions to prevent the Matorn from upsetting the delicate balance of nature. They also do extensive study into the flora and fauna of Terra-Dra in order to better understand the ecosystems and advance the Matoran’s standard of living. To enter the guild a Hunter merely has to pay a small fee, then take an interview to measure the applicant’s combat skills and values. It is recommended, but not necessary, to join the guild to be a hunter. The guild leaders are Najora, Guld captain, Paju, chief hunter, and Kumawa, chief ecologist. Character Creation The Matoran of Terra-Dra are different from those elsewhere. Living in such a dangerous environment has led them to adapt and gain new powers, making them more like Turaga than regular Matoran. Terra-Dra Matoran are slightly stronger and more durable than their regular counterparts. They have also gained two special abilities.They have developed the mental power to use knoble masks and have learned to tap into their elemental powers in a limited extent. To create a profile you must determine the following characteristics for your characters. Name: Gender: Element: Affiliation: Mask: Elemental weapon: Other equipment: Appearance: Personality/Biography: Name: Some hunters go by their given names, but others choose to use codenames. Gender: The Matoran of Terra-Dra are not gender locked into their elements, so your character can be whatever gender you wish. Element: The Matoran of Terra-Dra come in a wide variety of elements. All cannon Matoran elements, except for light and shadow are fair game. Affiliation: Hunters have been known to form groups both big and small to help each other. The largest of these is the Hunters Guild. If your character is part of the Hunters Guild say so here. You may also list other player made groups/teams your character is affiliated with. (All members of the hunters guild must be approved by the GM, if you want your character to begin as part of the guild mark them as so here and I will approve/deny). Mask: Matoran of Terra-Dra have developed the mental capacity to use knoble masks, however, they are somewhat hard to come by and not everyone has one. Hunters may begin with only one knoble mask. Remember that Knoble masks are weaker versions of Great masks so Role Play accordingly. (When reviewing profiles the GM may ask for clarification on what you expect your knoble masks limitations to be. It might be good to clarify that here. Only cannon masks are allowed.). Elemental Weapon: Through clever weaponsmithing the Matoran of Terra-Dra have developed a way to channel their elemental powers. An elemental weapon is a traditional weapon (sword, spear, battle axe) that matoran can channel their elemental power through in a specific manner. Each tool is designed to react with one element and produce one result. For example, a Ta-Matoran may have a sword that he can cover in fire, when on fire the sword leaves a trail of flame through the air. The sword cannot, however, be used to launch fire at a target (i.e. Flamethrower/fireball). (Please be as specific as you can, see GM NPC profiles for examples.) Other Equipment: A hunter with just a weapon often finds themselves underprepared. List any other Equipment/Items your character carries on his/her person. If you can’t think of anything you don’t have to put anything here. Appearance: A hunter's appearance can be very important, some wear protective armor, some use elaborate outfits to intimidate monsters, and some merely choose to follow the policy that less is more. Personality/Biography: What makes your character who they are? Where did they come from? Why are they a hunter? What is their favorite color? Fill this area with whatever information you desire to give your character background and depth. Rules NO GODMODDING-Basically this means doing stuff that you shouldn’t be able to do, fighting for hours without getting a scratch, summoning massive amounts of elemental energy, knowing information your character was never told, etc. NO CONTROLLING OTHER PEOPLE'S CHARACTERS-this is only allowed if you have that person’s permission TAKE THE GAME SERIOUSLY-This is a Fantasy/Sci-Fi world, but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. Be realistic with what your characters do. HAVE FUN-Don’t take the game TOO seriously. Have fun, or else! If I find that you are breaking any of these rules I will warn you. If inappropriate behavior persists after you have been warned several times you may be punished in game(i.e. Having an animal bite your character’s leg off) or by having use of offending characters denied. !!!URGENT QUEST!!! Location: Planes-Dra The insectoid rahi known as Zeltar have recently been swarming in huge numbers. These hungry beasts normally inhabit the jungle. Recently they have moved to Planes-Dra and have been devouring farmers crops. We face a severe food shortage if they are not stopped. Mission: The guild wants all members to search for their nest and find out what has caused the Zeltar’s recent migration. Seeing as this is a state of emergency, authorization has been given to slay any Rahi that may be connected with this problem. Questions/comments are greatly apreciated!

im gonna complain about g3 for a bit and disappear again