Toa

The Toa Mata, also known as the First Toa.

Toa are powerful beings that have elemental powers and a Kanohi. They are usually Matoran who have transformed for differing reasons. Toa have been seen as heroes by the Matoran, but there are both good and evil Toa.

Abilities and Traits

Toa are the second most populous species on the island of Mata-Nui, following the Matoran.  They stand roughly 1.6 bio in height, with blinking heartlights in the center of their chests.  Biologically speaking, Toa are very similar to most other humanoid races. Toa are capable of reproduction with other Toa or Lesterin.  The color of a Toa is generally dependent upon the element that they control, i.e. red for fire, blue for water, etc.

Like the Matoran, Toa are reliant on their Kanohi. Without them, their physical strength is diminished and their elemental control becomes so weak as to be almost nonexistent. This lack is both in access to the necessary levels of energy, and the inability for finessed control.

All Toa are capable, to varying extents, of controlling their natural element. This requires the use of elemental energy proportional to the extent of the task they are trying to perform. Their degree of control depends in part on natural talent, and in part on the degree of their training. All Toa on the island bar the Maru are at a lower level of control than the Toa Mata, as their creation had to do with quantity rather than quality. Toa also can activate and use their Kanohi, though training is required to use them effectively.  

Toa can come into being in one of three ways. Firstly, they can be born, from Toa parents. Secondly, a Matoran can be transformed into a Toa through the use of a Toa Stone, if it is their destiny to do so. A Toa Stone must be created by an existing Toa giving up their Toa Energy, and infusing it into the Stone. In the process, they become a Turaga. The third possibiity is a slight variation on the second, and is much rarer; a Matoran can transform through the use of an Essence Stone. An Essence Stone is often fatal to the Toa used to create it, as it takes the entirety of their Toa Energy, as well as significant portions of their very being. A Matoran transformed through use of an Essence Stone will be influenced by the mind and characteristics of the Toa used to create it.

Variations

Kehuri, a Toa of Earth.

• Fire: Reds, yellows, and orange.  Toa of Fire have an incredible resistance to heat.
• Water: Blues, teals, and silvers.  Toa of Water are natural swimmers and may hold their breath for great periods of time. 
• Earth: Black and purple.  Toa of Earth possess heightened strength, excellent night vision, and vibration sensitivity.
• Air: Greens and teals.  Toa of Air are extremely athletic and nimble.
• Ice: Silver and white in all its shades.  Toa of Ice are resistant to cold.
• Stone:  Any shade of brown or tan.  Toa of Stone have heightened strength.
• Iron: Metallic color pallete.  These Toa possess more physical endurance than any other.
• Sound: Purple and silver.  Toa of Sound have extremely sensitive hearing.
• Gravity: Purple, yellow, and black.  Gravity gives these Toa resistance to high pressures.
• Plantlife: Greens and blues. Toa of Plant Life, or the Green, have an innate knowledge of plant attributes such as poison.
• Crystal: The shimmering spectacle of light fragmentation.
• Electricity: Blues, silver, and yellows.  Toa of Electricity are more resistant to electric shocks.
• Magnetism: Blue, orange, and silver.  Toa of Magnetism have a heightened sense of direction and an "internal compass."
• Plasma: Orange, White, Black, and yellow.  Toa of Plasma have a greater resistance to heat than even Toa of Fire.

Culture

Toa do not have a set culture. The Toa Code is not enforced, nor could it be, and the vast majority of Toa do not follow it. The codes of ethics and personalities among Toa are as myriad as any other race, and relatively few conform to the mold of hero that the First Toa embodied. 

Notable individuals

The Toa Maru

Good

• Toa Mata (Deceased)
• Toa Maru
  • Stannis, Toa of Stone
  • Leah, Toa of Water
  • Oreius, Toa of Fire
  • Korero, Toa of Air
  • Sulov, Toa of Earth
  • Reordin, Toa of Ice
• Joske Nimil, Toa of Fire

Evil

• Ronkshou, Dark Toa 
• Heuani, Toa of Shadow
• Reka, Toa of Shadow
• Echelon, Toa of Magnetism
• Agrona, Toa of Plantlife
• Eisen, Dark Toa

Trivia

• Toa have the largest number of playing characters in the RPG.  
• As with all other races in the BZPRPG, Toa conform, for the purposes of fair play, to human anatomy. This is mixed, to degrees varying from player to player, with the canon biomechanical ratio.
• Toa occasionally band together into Toa Teams.
• They can change into Turaga upon giving up their Toa Energy, often to create Toa Stones.
• The elemental traits of Toa, particularly those which were only decided upon after the canon Bionicle storyline ended, are often customized or replaced entirely to fit each character. Few of the passive benefits found above are universally used in the BZPRPG.