Homebrew Matoran Species Details
"We may be doomed to fall, but before we do, we'll give our enemies reason to regret the day they set foot here. Let's show them you don't have to be a Toa to be a hero."
—Greg Farshtey, Island of Doom
The Matoran are a biomechanical race originally built as laborers for the Great Spirit Mata Nui. Short statures, large feet, and cumbersome masks do not prohibit these hardy people from doing what needs to be done. Even outside of the robot they once called home, the Matoran carry on their legacy of hard work and community.
Harmony of Flesh and Machine
Matoran are composed of a blend of mechanical components and living tissue. Their exoskeletons are made of a material called protodermis while their muscles and most of their internal organs are made of flesh. In place of a heart, they have a power source that can be fueled with electricity or by digesting food. Instead of eyes, nose, or ears, they perceive the world with sensors.
Although they are mostly mechanical, Matoran are living humanoids. They still need to eat, breathe, and drink water to survive, although access to electricity can alleviate the need to eat.
A Small World
Matoran originally resided only within the moon-sized robot called Mata Nui. Inside this robot was an entire archipelago in which Matoran were the most prominent species. The Matoran were the unwitting caretakers of Mata Nui for thousands of years while the robot lay dormant. They did not know the truth of their tiny universe until its end, the only memory of their place in the world filtered through religious reverence to the Great Spirit Mata Nui and to their work. They knew from experience that if they ever stopped working, the universe would fall into turmoil.
Since the shutdown of the Mata Nui robot, Matoran have migrated out and intermingled with the other sapient species of the wider world.
Matoran Personality
While the Matoran were built with a single purpose in mind, their sentience in addition to a lack of oversight by the Great Spirits led to a great degree of individuality within the Matoran. However, Matoran are still mostly good-natured and inclined to value the three virtues of Unity, Duty, and Destiny above all else.
Most Matoran were created to have a "male" personality, with most types of Matoran being almost entirely male. Matoran of Water are the opposite, being almost entirely female. Given they are an artificial species though, Matoran are entirely sexless and cannot reproduce. They exhibit no sexual dimorphism.
Wearers of Kanohi
Each Matoran wears a special mask called a Kanohi which attaches to their face magnetically. These masks are essential to their functioning and a Matoran will fall comatose if they are without one for an extended period of time. The creation and maintenance of Kanohi employed a large sector of Matoran, especially while they were living on Metru Nui.
A Matoran's personal Kanohi is a symbol of their individuality. They come in many shapes and colors but most resemble the Great and Noble masks worn by the Toa and Turaga who protect the Matoran. The Kanohi Styles table provides example styles, although the colors will vary depending on your Matoran type.
Kanohi Styles
| D12 | Style |
|---|---|
| 1 | A Kanohi Hau, as worn by Toa Tahu. |
| 2 | A Kanohi Kaukau, as worn by Toa Gali. |
| 3 | A Kanohi Miru, as worn by Toa Lewa |
| 4 | A Kanohi Kakama, as worn by Toa Pohatu. |
| 5 | A Kanohi Pakari, as worn by Toa Onua. |
| 6 | A Kanohi Akaku, as worn by Toa Kopaka. |
| 7 | A Great or Noble Kanohi Huna, both worn by Vakama. |
| 8 | A Great or Noble Kanohi Rau, both worn by Nokama. |
| 9 | A Great or Noble Kanohi Mahiki, both worn by Matau. |
| 10 | A Great or Noble Kanohi Komau, both worn by Onewa. |
| 11 | A Great or Noble Kanohi Ruru, both worn by Whenua. |
| 12 | A Great or Noble Kanohi Matatu, both worn by Nuju. |
Matoran Names
All Matoran are given their name upon creation. This name could change during the course of a Matoran's life if they performed exceptionally good deeds.
As a general rule, Matoran names are plays on a non-English word that corresponds with their element.
Elemental Types
Many subraces of Matoran exist, each corresponding to one of the elemental powers of the BIONICLE universe. Each Matoran has within them a nascent elemental power which only manifest itself in the smallest of ways, such as granting resistance to extreme heat. Only if a Matoran were destined to transform into a Toa would the full extent of their elemental power be known. Importantly though, a Matoran's type determines the color of its armor and Kanohi.
On Mata Nui and Metru Nui, Matoran were divided into tribes based on their type. Each tribe occupied a different sector of the island and specialized in different types of skilled labor.
The six primary elemental types are detailed in the Elemental Type feature to choose from, although many more types of Matoran are known to exist.
Matoran Traits
As a Matoran, you have the following traits.Ability Score Increases
One ability score of your choice increases by 2 and another ability score of your choice increases by 1. Alternatively, three different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
Life Span
Matoran are built at full maturity and are known to live for thousands of years. You are immune to magical aging effects.
Size
Matoran stand at an average height of 4 feet 6 inches. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Biomechanical
While you are still a humanoid, your body is mostly mechanical. This manifests in the following ways:
- You have resistance to necrotic damage.
- You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned.
- You regain only half of the HP you would normally gain when you are healed using healing magic or potions. This does not affect the health you regain after a long or short rest, and this does not affect the Medicine skill or Healer's Kit.
Kanohi
As a Matoran, you are dependent upon wearing a special mask called a Kanohi on your face at all times. If you are ever without a Kanohi for eight hours, you fall unconscious and cannot be cured through normal means. Once you have a Kanohi back on, you are immediately awoken and are no longer unconscious.
Although Matoran masks possess no powers, you may wear the Kanohi of other races which wield powered masks (The Great Masks of the Toa, for example.) These masks are rendered powerless while you are wearing them, and provide only the benefits that a powerless Kanohi would.
Other creatures that can reach you and are aware of Matoran physiology may attempt to make an athletics or sleight of hand check, contested by your Strength or Dexterity respectively, to remove the Kanohi mask from your face.
Natural Armor
The exterior of your body is made of a durable material called Protodermis. You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
Unity
During each of your turns, you may take the Help action as a bonus action.
Duty
You gain proficiency in one simple weapon, martial weapon, or tool of your choice.
Destiny
You gain one skill proficiency of your choice.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common.
Elemental Type
There are many types of Matoran, each corresponding to one of the elements of the BIONICLE universe. Your elemental type determines what colors your Matoran's armor and Kanohi can be and gives you a minor trait based on your element. Choose one of the options below.
Ta-Matoran
Ta-Matoran are the Matoran of Fire. They are known for their grasp of tactics, leading them to be the first tribe to establish a firm fighting force, the Ta-Koro Guard, on Mata Nui. On Metru Nui, Ta-Matoran were primarily mask makers and worked in foundries or were Protodermis reclamation workers.
The Ta-Matoran of Ta-Koro value Duty the most out of the Three Virtues, from which they derive their Principle of Courage and the Skill of Strength. All Ta-Matoran have been said to be mathematicians at heart, which makes jobs where exact proportions are needed relatively easy.
Identifiable physical attributes of Ta-Matoran include red, orange, yellow, and black Kanohi and armor. They are also one of the many male Matoran types.
(from the BIONICLEsectior01 article on Ta-Matoran.)
Fire Resistance
Your connection to the element of Fire grants you resistance to fire damage.
Ga-Matoran
Ga-Matoran are the Matoran of Water. The Ga-Matoran on Metru Nui had educational occupations, such as teachers or scientists. On Mata Nui, Ga-Matoran had jobs such as fishing, weaving, or boat-making. On Voya Nui, some Ga-Matoran were trained to be warriors. As a result, these Ga-Matoran were more aggressive than those on other islands.
Metru Nui's Ga-Matoran are largely peaceful and value Unity the most out of the Three Virtues, from which they derive the Principle of Purity and the Skill of Speed.
Identifiable physical attributes of Ga-Matoran include Kanohi and armor in varying shades of blue. They are also one of the female Matoran types.
(from the BIONICLEsector01 article on Ga-Matoran.)
Natural Swimmer
Your connection to the element of Water grants you a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Le-Matoran
Le-Matoran are the Matoran of Air. On Metru Nui, Le-Matoran were the mechanics of the city, inventing vehicles (many of which flew) and methods of transporting Matoran and objects at great speeds. On Mata Nui, many of them were great musicians.
Le-Matoran tend to be very energetic and chatter constantly to one another. They spend as little time as possible on the ground, preferring to be in the air. Brushes with the dangers of the universe have sobered the Le-Matoran somewhat, but they still maintain a general carefree and fun-loving attitude.
The Le-Matoran of Metru Nui speak in a slang dialect they invented, called Chutespeak on Metru Nui and Treespeak on the island of Mata Nui. The Le-Matoran of Le-Koro and now Le-Metru value Duty and Unity the most out of the Three Virtues, from which they derive their Principle of Faith, and the skill of Accuracy.
Identifiable physical attributes of Le-Matoran include green, lime green, and turquoise Kanohi and armor. The Le-Matoran are one of the many male Matoran types.
(from the BIONICLEsector01 article on Le-Matoran.)
Natural Agility
You have a connection to the element of Air which makes you light on your feet. Opportunity attacks made against you have disadvantage.
Po-Matoran
The Po-Matoran on the city of Metru Nui and Mata Nui were often craftsmen and carvers. In addition, the Po-Matoran of Mata Nui tend to be athletic and often play the Matoran game of kolhii. On the island of Voya Nui and Mahri Nui, the Po-Matoran share the many occupations there.
Po-Matoran are the most involved in sports of the Matoran, and are highly competitive. However, few of them can swim, and they seem to all share an instinctive fear of water. On Mata Nui and later Metru Nui, they valued Unity and Destiny the most out of the Three Virtues, from which they derive their Principle of Creation and the skill of Strategy.
Identifiable physical attributes of Po-Matoran include different shades of brown, yellow, orange, tan, and black Kanohi and armor. Like many Matoran types, their armor colors vary by region. They are also one of the several male Matoran types.
(from the BIONICLEsector01 article on Po-Matoran.)
Sure-Footed
You have a connection to the element of Stone, allowing you to move across difficult terrain without expending extra movement if you are using your walking speed on the ground or a floor.
Onu-Matoran
Onu-Matoran are the Matoran of Earth. They prefer to look to history for the answers to their questions; on Metru Nui, this placed them in direct conflict with the future-oriented Ko-Matoran. On Mata Nui, the Onu-Matoran used the term "surfacers" to refer to anyone from outside their village.
Onu-Matoran normally prefer to stay underground; they are uniquely adept at seeing in darkness, but averse to sunlight, which can easily blind them.
They are also among the strongest types of Matoran, and tend to spend much of their time mining. The Onu-Matoran living in Mata Nui and Metru Nui value Duty and Destiny most out of the Three Virtues, from which they derive their Principle of Prosperity, and the Skill of Stamina.
Identifiable physical attributes of Onu-Matoran include primarily black armor, with dark gray, purple, tan, or orange Kanohi and accents, as well as deep green eyes. Onu-Matoran are one of many male Matoran types.
(from the BIONICLEsector01 article on Onu-Matoran.)
Limited Night Vision
You have a connection to the element of Earth, granting you superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Ko-Matoran
Ko-Matoran are the Matoran of Ice. In Metru Nui, Ko-Matoran were philosophers, watching the stars from the Knowledge Towers of Ko-Metru and trying to unravel their prophecies. They studied technology and created Kanoka and Knowledge Towers. They also studied substances such as Energized Protodermis in the Towers of Thought, and were occasionally aided by Scholars from the district of Ga-Metru in their studies.
On Mata Nui, Ko-Matoran lived in the village of Ko-Koro and were expert trackers and hunters, aiding other villages with their skills during the Great War and the invasion of the Bohrok swarms. The Ko-Matoran of Mata Nui, and later Metru Nui, value Destiny the most out of the Three Virtues, from which they derive their Principle of Peace, and the Skill of Willpower.
Ko-Matoran are generally cold and uninviting, and are usually fixated on the future. This attitude led them to clash with the Onu-Matoran on Metru Nui, who were more interested in studying the past.
Identifiable physical attributes of Ko-Matoran include white, shades of blue and grey, silver, and black Kanohi and armor, as well as light blue eyes. They are also one of several male Matoran types.
(from the BIONICLEsector01 article on Ko-Matoran.)
Cold Resistance
Your connection to the element of Ice grants you resistance to cold damage.
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