-last edited on May 16, 2017 1:58:38 GMT by Emarcee
Post by Keplers on Mar 26, 2017 20:15:00 GMT
Welcome to the BIONICLE Roleplay Help Topic! This topic serves to answer FAQs and teach basics about roleplay and BIONICLE. Without any further ado, let's begin.
What is roleplay?
Roleplay (or RP for short) is an immersive experience designed to allow users to not only express their creativity, but to have their creativity collide with that of others in order to create a massive, overarching story. It is almost quite literally history in the making. Unlike regular fan fiction, roleplay evolves organically, and the story is the end product of all users involved. It essentially works like this:
Users will have a roleplay character, or RPC for short. That RPC will typically have traits, personality, and possibly a backstory that defines who that RPC is. This RPC will then interact with other RPCs. This interaction between different RPCs with different personalities, backstories, and traits, will in turn cause an overarching story to form, involving all the RPCs. Quite literally anything can happen in a roleplay -- within what the rules permit, of course. To post your RPC, we have a profiles topic. Click here for the profiles topic Which species are playable?
Within the BIONICLE RP, playable races include all inhabitants of the Matoran Universe (AKA the Great Spirit Robot, AKA Mata Nui (character)) so long as the user stays within the confines of what is generally accepted of a race's capability. This includes almost all unnamed species (e.g. Axonn's species). However, since there is only one individual to go by when it comes to roleplaying most unnamed species, it is important to thoroughly research that character and determine what another member of the species apart from that individual may be capable of. BioSector01 is heavily recommended for this sort of thing.
Since there is a huge assortment of unnamed species in the MU, this help section will only stick to a few named species. Continued in next post.
✠✙ What once was old doth fade away/But Former Glory stays the same ✙✠ •••Unity•••Duty•••DESTINY••• ***EST. 2006*** • 9/11/01 • BCC: 2010-2014 • EX-TER-MIN-ATE! –Dalek
These three species make up most of the population of the Matoran Universe (hence its name). Matoran are the most plentiful of these three. Some Matoran have the potential to become Toa, a trait that is determined largely by destiny and pre-programming by the Great Beings who created them. To transform a Matoran into a Toa requires that their destiny to become a Toa be triggered by an outside source. The most common way to do this is through Toa Stones. Great Beings can create and grant Toa Power outright, and Toa are able to manipulate their own Toa Power, losing some in the process, and risking turning themselves into Turaga if they complete their destiny.
Further information on Toa Power and the mechanics for turning Matoran into Toa:
The Makuta are a race of beings composed of a gaseous substance called Antidermis. To survive they inhabit suits of armor typically made of Protosteel (the toughest metal normally available in the BIONICLE universe), and thus can take on any appearance that they choose. They are all telepathic, and wear and use Kanohi, and possess 42 different powers that are unique to their species. A Makuta's powers depend on whether the Makuta chose to be a Makuta of Light or a Makuta of Shadow. Makuta are naturally created as beings of Shadow, however they contain a measure of moral light which they can choose to either meditate upon (strengthening the light and diminishing the shadow), or purge completely (destroying what little light they had and becoming fully shadow). However, the former is extremely unlikely for a number of reasons. An important fact about Makuta to consider is that their Antidermis must remain within an airtight suit of armor at all times, or else it will leak out and be vulnerable to dissipation, freezing, or even incineration. Because of this, Makuta are required to wear a Kanohi.
Makuta are able to fragment their own Antidermis to create Kraata, which are worm-like beings of Antidermis that possess just one Kraata power of their creator's choosing. These Kraata are created at Stage 1, and gradually mature up to their maximum power level of Stage 6. When an actual Makuta uses a Kraata power, it will operate at a minimum of Stage 6, with the maximum based on an individual Makuta's concentration and willpower.
Kraata Variations is a helpful list of all 42 Kraata types and powers. Remember that for Makuta all powers are Stage 6 at minimum.
✠✙ What once was old doth fade away/But Former Glory stays the same ✙✠ •••Unity•••Duty•••DESTINY••• ***EST. 2006*** • 9/11/01 • BCC: 2010-2014 • EX-TER-MIN-ATE! –Dalek
-last edited on Mar 27, 2017 7:21:28 GMT by Keplers
Post by Keplers on Mar 26, 2017 21:12:29 GMT
What are elements?
Elemental powers are powers possessed by any species that can pertain to an element. This includes Matoran/Toa/Turaga and the Skakdi. The capacity to manipulate these elements depends on the species. Toa for example can easily manipulate their elemental powers. Matoran can only have extremely minor abilities pertaining to their element (such as slight heat resistance) and Skakdi can only control their elements if they work together, which seldom happens.
Matoran are known to possess the following elements:
These six are known as "Primary Elements." It has no effect on their power, but these six are more common. - Fire - Water - Air - Earth - Stone - Ice
These are known as "Secondary Elements." - Gravity - Plasma - Plantlife - Sonics - Psionics - Magnetism - Lightning - Light (No Toa of Light exist, though Matoran do exist. There are also Matoran of Light who are unaware of their status and believe they belong to another element.) - Shadow*
*Note that Shadow is an element that Matoran can only possess if they were a Matoran who had their light drained. Though it might be theoretically possible to naturally create a Shadow Matoran, it is completely unheard of and any Matoran of that nature would not be plentiful enough to have their own island. Any Matoran type has the potential to become a Shadow Matoran if drained of their light.
✠✙ What once was old doth fade away/But Former Glory stays the same ✙✠ •••Unity•••Duty•••DESTINY••• ***EST. 2006*** • 9/11/01 • BCC: 2010-2014 • EX-TER-MIN-ATE! –Dalek
-last edited on Apr 7, 2017 19:32:12 GMT by Emarcee
Post by Keplers on Mar 26, 2017 21:21:15 GMT
What are Kanohi?
Kanohi are masks that can be worn by many species in the Matoran Universe. Most Kanohi come in 3 forms: powerless, Noble, or Great. A Great Kanohi is typically what a Toa or any other being greater than a Matoran would wear. Noble Kanohi look different from Great Kanohi and are less powerful; they are typically used by Turaga. There are different Kanohi for a myriad of different powers.
Note that not all species that can physically wear Kanohi necessarily have the mental discipline to actually use their powers, if any.
Also note that the Kanohi Ignika, Vahi, Olisi, Avohkii, Kraahkan, and the Mask of Creation are all banned due to the fact that they are extremely powerful and/or extremely unique and only one of them would ever be made, if at all. Also note that any mask that is obtained via the fusion of two or more beings is impossible to obtain unless a fusion of that exact same nature takes place.
Fun fact: the shape of a Kanohi does not determine its actual power! You can use any power you'd like, with whatever shape you'd like! Just don't abuse this fact too much, please. Also note that if you'd like to make up a Kanohi.
The Red Star is not meant for normal roleplay unless it is appropriate and explainable to do so. It is mainly a place for characters with the capacity to revive on the Red Star to go to if their heads are left intact after their demise. This topic is meant for those who wish for their characters to be revived somehow.
If you have a question about the roleplay, the story, what current events are, or anything else that isn't answered here, please refer to the roleplay discussion topic and ask there, thanks!
✠✙ What once was old doth fade away/But Former Glory stays the same ✙✠ •••Unity•••Duty•••DESTINY••• ***EST. 2006*** • 9/11/01 • BCC: 2010-2014 • EX-TER-MIN-ATE! –Dalek
-last edited on Apr 18, 2017 17:04:04 GMT by Emarcee
Post by Keplers on Apr 6, 2017 20:17:56 GMT
Additional rules:
- This section will cover any additional common-sense rules that have to do with combat and other miscellaneous things.
Auto hitting: This is when you make a move, and post the opponent's reaction along with it. What this essentially means is that you are controlling how the opponent's character reacts, and this is not acceptable. Everybody deserves a chance to dodge, deflect, or otherwise defend against an attack, before its effect is stated.
One-post "unaliving": This may seem obvious, but the rule will be listed for clarity's sake. Please do not perform lethal posts within the first post of combat; instead, make it a fair fight, and overpower your opponent with superior tactics and/or power. The only hypothetical exception to this rule is if a player specifically requests for somebody to destroy their character in this manner, and an agreement is reached to do so. But even then, it is almost always better to have a good, honest fight, even when one of the players intentionally wants their character to lose.
Av-Makuta: Sadly, there is not enough knowledge available on the subject of Makuta of Light, and they cannot be allowed. While the idea of such Makuta is utterly fascinating, there simply isn't enough information on their Kraata powers, of which only 7 are confirmed, and the other 35 are unknown at best. As a consolation, however, good Makuta will not be banned -- we just can't have Av-Makuta specifically.
Matoran gender restrictions: This is a delicate topic, but essentially: the different elemental varieties of Matoran are gender locked. The only Matoran elements that are not gender-locked are those of Light and Shadow. The rest of the Matoran elements, however, have been invariably created as unilaterally being male or female, depending on the element. As it stands: Ga-Matoran, Vo-Matoran, and Ce-Matoran are the only breeds of Matoran that come in female. However, it should be noted that in the core universe, Orde, the first Toa of Psionics, was in fact male. From this, we can surmise that the Great Beings are capable of breaking the gender restrictions if they wish to create certain individual Matoran. However -- unless there is a really important reason to breach the gender restrictions, it is generally recommended that you don't, unless you are willing to explain why the breach in this rule is necessary. Unconventional Matoran, Toa, and Turaga will be approved on a case-by-case basis.
✠✙ What once was old doth fade away/But Former Glory stays the same ✙✠ •••Unity•••Duty•••DESTINY••• ***EST. 2006*** • 9/11/01 • BCC: 2010-2014 • EX-TER-MIN-ATE! –Dalek
- This section will cover any additional common-sense rules that have to do with combat and other miscellaneous things.
Auto hitting: This is when you make a move, and post the opponent's reaction along with it. What this essentially means is that you are controlling how the opponent's character reacts, and this is not acceptable. Everybody deserves a chance to dodge, deflect, or otherwise defend against an attack, before its effect is stated.
One-post "unaliving": This may seem obvious, but the rule will be listed for clarity's sake. Please do not perform lethal posts within the first post of combat; instead, make it a fair fight, and overpower your opponent with superior tactics and/or power. The only hypothetical exception to this rule is if a player specifically requests for somebody to destroy their character in this manner, and an agreement is reached to do so. But even then, it is almost always better to have a good, honest fight, even when one of the players intentionally wants their character to lose.
Metagaming: metagaming is a broad term used to describe any unfair action by an RPC that is taken based solely on the user's knowledge, and not on what the RPC could or should actually know. Some examples of metagaming include:
- Reacting to something posted in jammers that weren't addressed to you. - Changing an RPC's profile mid-fight in order to counter the moves of your opponent. - Attempting to disrupt a very important RP event even though your character would have no way of knowing about it.
Metagaming can sometimes be subtle, or very obvious. It is very important to recognize when you're guilty of it, and to not do such things again.
Av-Makuta: Sadly, there is not enough knowledge available on the subject of Makuta of Light, and they cannot be allowed. While the idea of such Makuta is utterly fascinating, there simply isn't enough information on their Kraata powers, of which only 7 are confirmed, and the other 35 are unknown at best. As a consolation, however, good Makuta will not be banned -- we just can't have Av-Makuta specifically.
Matoran gender restrictions: This is a delicate topic, but essentially: the different elemental varieties of Matoran are gender locked. The only Matoran elements that are not gender-locked are those of Light and Shadow. The rest of the Matoran elements, however, have been invariably created as unilaterally being male or female, depending on the element. As it stands: Ga-Matoran, Vo-Matoran, and Ce-Matoran are the only breeds of Matoran that come in female. However, it should be noted that in the core universe, Orde, the first Toa of Psionics, was in fact male. From this, we can surmise that the Great Beings are capable of breaking the gender restrictions if they wish to create certain individual Matoran. However -- unless there is a really important reason to breach the gender restrictions, it is generally recommended that you don't, unless you are willing to explain why the breach in this rule is necessary. Unconventional Matoran, Toa, and Turaga will be approved on a case-by-case basis.
