Theme Guide: Bohrok-Kal

Where there are heroes, there must also be … misunderstood cleanup professionals just trying to get their job back on schedule. Now, the time has come to awaken the Bahrag and unleash the swarms once more!

The Bohrok-Kal

A team of six elite Bohrok, to be activated in the event that the regular operations of the Bohrok swarms face a critical obstacle such as having their commanding queens sealed away.

Far more advanced than their regular brethren in both powers and intelligence, they have been realized as a suite of Rank 4 Xyz Boss monsters for the archetype here. Shared between all of them are two special features: The ability to attach “Krana” monsters from hand/field/GY as additional material, and the fact that their detached materials return to the Deck (which keeps you from re-attaching the same Krana and plays into the general Bohrok resource loop).

Tahnok-Kal

Bohrok Tahnok-Kal

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 4 | FIRE Machine | ATK 2100 / DEF 2200

2 Level 4 “Bohrok” monsters
Place materials detached from this card on the bottom of the Deck, instead of sending them to the GY. Once per turn: You can attach 1 “Krana” monster from your hand, field, or GY to this card as material. (Quick Effect): You can detach 1 material from this card, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; it cannot attack or activate its effects this turn, also you can detach 1 more material from this card, and if you do, destroy all monsters your opponent controls with less than 2000 ATK. You can only use this effect of “Bohrok Tahnok-Kal” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

The lightning powers of Tahnok-Kal manifest at two levels: The “stun” setting that was mostly used in the story so things don’t get too violent for Lego, and the straight-up Raigeki thunderbolt it should theoretically also be capable of. Not quite Raigeki, though – any monsters at 2000 ATK and above, such as all the Toa, will survive this quick effect boardwipe.

Gahlok-Kal

Bohrok Gahlok-Kal

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 4 | WATER Machine | ATK 2200 / DEF 2100

2 Level 4 “Bohrok” monsters
Place materials detached from this card on the bottom of the Deck, instead of sending them to the GY. Once per turn: You can attach 1 “Krana” monster from your hand, field, or GY to this card as material. At the start of the Battle Phase: You can detach 1 material from this card, then target 1 face-up monster on the field; that target cannot attack until the end of your turn, also you can equip 1 monster adjacent to it or in its column to it. You can only use this effect of “Bohrok Gahlok-Kal” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

Gahlok-Kal uses its magnetism to make foes stick to the ground (preventing them from attacking) or to each other (acting as non-targeting removal given sufficient proximity). Since this happens at the start of either Battle Phase, it can be fun to have people (and/or AIs) run into it due to careless zone placement.

Nuhvok-Kal

Bohrok Nuhvok-Kal

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 4 | EARTH Machine | ATK 2000 / DEF 2300

2 Level 4 “Bohrok” monsters
Place materials detached from this card on the bottom of the Deck, instead of sending them to the GY. Once per turn: You can attach 1 “Krana” monster from your hand, field, or GY to this card as material. You can detach 2 or more materials from this card, then choose that many Main Monster Zones and/or Spell & Trap Zones on the field; return as many cards in those zones to the hand as possible, also those unused zones cannot be used until your next Standby Phase. You can only use this effect of “Bohrok Nuhvok-Kal” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

Nuhvok-Kal gets a bit fancy with the mechanics, applying its gravity powers to both “float” cards off the field back to the hand and to “crush” the zones they were in into an unusable state. Since you pick the zones rather than the cards, this is essentially non-targeting mass removal.

Pahrak-Kal

Bohrok Pahrak-Kal

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 4 | EARTH Machine | ATK 2400 / DEF 1900

2 Level 4 “Bohrok” monsters
Place materials detached from this card on the bottom of the Deck, instead of sending them to the GY. Once per turn: You can attach 1 “Krana” monster from your hand, field, or GY to this card as material. At the start of the Damage Step, if this card battles: You can detach 1 material from this card, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; banish all cards they control in its column. Then, if this effect banished exactly 1 card, inflict 1200 damage to your opponent. You can only use this effect of “Bohrok Pahrak-Kal” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

When Pahrak-Kal fires its plasma, it does so in the straight line of a column, obliterating everything in its path and burning the opponent behind it if not met with sufficient resistance. Being an upgrade of the battle-focused Pahrak , this happens in the Damage Step, so response options are limited.

Kohrak-Kal

Bohrok Kohrak-Kal

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 4 | WATER Machine | ATK 2300 / DEF 2000

2 Level 4 “Bohrok” monsters
Place materials detached from this card on the bottom of the Deck, instead of sending them to the GY. Once per turn: You can attach 1 “Krana” monster from your hand, field, or GY to this card as material. During the Main Phase (Quick Effect): You can detach 2 materials from this card; change all other monsters on the field to Defense Position, also negate their effects until the end of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Bohrok Kohrak-Kal” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

What Kohrak-Kal does is stun everything around – friend or foe – with a sudden massive blast of noise, negating their effects and switching them to Defense Position. Which, it just so happens, provides a pretty decent setup for some Zeus action as well.

Lehvak-Kal

Bohrok Lehvak-Kal

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 4 | WIND Machine | ATK 1900 / DEF 2400

2 Level 4 “Bohrok” monsters
Place materials detached from this card on the bottom of the Deck, instead of sending them to the GY. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 other card you control or in either GY; attach it to this card as material. If this card has 5 or more materials: You can detach all of this card’s materials, and if you do, destroy up to that many cards your opponent controls, then you can attach 1 of those destroyed cards to this card as material. You can only use each effect of “Bohrok Lehvak-Kal” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

Lehvak-Kal twists the formula a bit by replacing the standard Krana-attaching effect with a more broad Quick Effect that can also steal stuff from the opponent’s GY. This is the “suck” component of its vacuum powers, with the “blow” coming into play once it has (usually over the course of several turns) gathered enough material to unleash it all in a destructive blast. In short, this one both sucks and blows, which paradoxically makes it pretty good.

And in case even this elite squad isn’t enough, they also possess the ability to combine into Kaita, either the usual way by Bohrok Swarm Fusion or more easily throug a contact fusion procedure (since getting the materials in the first place is already hard enough).

Bohrok-Kal Kaita Za

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 9 | LIGHT Machine | ATK 3000 / DEF 0

“Bohrok Tahnok-Kal” + “Bohrok Nuhvok-Kal” + “Bohrok Pahrak-Kal”
Must first be Fusion Summoned, or Special Summoned by Tributing the above cards you control. You can banish up to 3 “Bohrok” cards from your GY; until the end of this turn, this card gains 1000 ATK for each, also it can make up to that many attacks on monsters during each Battle Phase this turn. If this card is sent to the GY: You can target 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster in your GY; Special Summon it, and if you do, attach this card to it as material. You can only use each effect of “Bohrok-Kal Kaita Za” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

The Kaita Za primarily deals with monsters that would resist our effect-based removal attempts, by simply getting big and hitting over them. It also gains multiple attacks (on monsters) when doing so, granting it board-clearing and game-ending capabilities depending on the situation.

Bohrok-Kal Kaita Ja

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 9 | LIGHT Machine | ATK 2500 / DEF 2900

“Bohrok Gahlok-Kal” + “Bohrok Kohrak-Kal” + “Bohrok Lehvak-Kal”
Must first be Fusion Summoned, or Special Summoned by Tributing the above cards you control. (Quick Effect): You can banish up to 3 “Bohrok” cards from your GY, then target 1 monster in either GY, or if you banished 2 or more, you can target 1 monster on the field instead; equip it to this card. If you banished 3 cards to activate this effect, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response. If this card is sent to the GY: You can target 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster in your GY; Special Summon it, and if you do, attach this card to it as material. You can only use each effect of “Bohrok-Kal Kaita Ja” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

The Kaita Ja, bearing the glorious mantle of “has appeared in the story”, serves as a thing you can theoretically build up to in the face of big negation boards. Since its brand of Quick Effect removal cannot be responded to, it can simply grab a problematic monster without giving it a chance to defend itself, and then do that again every turn as long as you have enough Bohrok to banish. In terms of lore, this usage tracks with its victory over Wairuha Nuva , who is, wouldn’t you know it, a boss monster that negates.

What both of those have in common is the second effect, which tries to offset the big material investment by floating into a regular Bohrok-Kal and kindly attaching itself as material. By doing that, it’s also in a position to go to the GY and trigger again next turn, so if you get to the point where you can make these Fusions, they actually have a stealth benefit of infinite revival baked in.

And another thing of note is that, due to requiring specifically named materials, the Kal Kaita are in fact still compatible with the material replacement effect of Premature Bohrok Beacon … if you’re not making them by Contact Fusion, that is. One good reason to actually run the Fusion Spell even with these.

The Krana-Kal

To walk back the earlier staement about the intelligence of the Bohrok-Kal a bit, technically that part belongs to the Krana-Kal who pilot those mechanical shells. Their 8 variations are just enough to make one round trip of all the Link Arrows, so they’re implemented as a bunch of Link-1 monsters with two effects each: One for utility, based on the direction of the arrow (Down: Xyz Summon with a single Bohrok / Up: Battle debuff for opponent’s monsters / Side: tag out into a Bohrok from hand or GY), and one granted to a Bohrok-Kal that attaches it, representing the unique special power of that Krana-Kal.

Xa-Kal

Krana Xa-Kal, Liberator

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [▼] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. Once per turn: You can target 1 Level 4 “Bohrok” monster this card points to; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster using that target as material. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon.) A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can place up to 2 of your banished “Bahrag” Pendulum Monsters in your Pendulum Zone(s), then you can add 1 “As It Was in the Before-Time” from your Deck or GY to your hand.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

The Xa-Kal carries the crucial task of awakening the Bahrag once contact is made, thus fulfilling the mission. In game terms, “making contact” here means dealing damage, and “awakening the Bahrag” means getting them out of their banished state (where they were put by, say, a Toa Seal ) back into the Pendulum Zone so that the swarms can proceed to make Mata Nui clean, As It Was In The Before-Time .

Za-Kal

Krana Za-Kal, Overseer

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [↗] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. If an opponent’s monster this card points to battles a “Bohrok” monster, that opponent’s monster’s ATK/DEF become 0 during the Damage Step only. A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●Once per turn, when a card or effect is activated that would destroy a “Bohrok” card(s) you control (Quick Effect): You can detach 1 material from this card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

The Za-Kal handles telepathic communication and coordination, protecting the group by reading the minds of potential threats and countering them with a negate once they attempt to strike.

Vu-Kal

Krana Vu-Kal, Transporter

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [↘] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. Once per turn: You can target 1 Level 4 “Bohrok” monster this card points to; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster using that target as material. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon.) A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can banish this card until the End Phase, and if you do, you can add 1 “Bohrok” card from your GY to your hand.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

The Vu-Kal holds speed and flight powers, mainly used to let its holder dodge away from the field. Doing so comes with the side benefit of recovering a Bohrok card from the GY, befitting its role as a “Transporter”.

Ca-Kal

Krana Ca-Kal, Seeker

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [↙] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. Once per turn: You can target 1 Level 4 “Bohrok” monster this card points to; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster using that target as material. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon.) A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains these effects depending on the number of your “Bahrag” Monster Cards with different names that are banished or on the field.
●1+: Cannot be destroyed by battle.
●2+: Once per turn: You can draw 1 card, then discard 1 card.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

Where the Xa-Kal awakens the Bahrag, the telepathic link of the Ca-Kal is the key ingredient to finding them in the first place. This has been translated to benefits granted from the mere existence of banished Bahrag: Being in contact with just one already makes your Seeker Bohrok-Kal not fall in battle, and with two, you get to draw deeper into your deck to accelerate the quest.

Yo-Kal

Krana Yo-Kal, Excavator

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [↖] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. If an opponent’s monster this card points to battles a “Bohrok” monster, that opponent’s monster’s ATK/DEF become 0 during the Damage Step only. A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●This card can attack directly, also if it attacks, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

The Yo-Kal grants the ability to tunnel through the earth and sense underground movement, making it excellent for suprise attacks. Specifically, it lets a Bohrok-Kal attack directly while simultaneously limiting responses during the Damage Step further, which has some obvious synergy with the pictured Pahrak-Kal.

Ja-Kal

Krana Ja-Kal, Tracker

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [◀] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 Level 4 “Bohrok” monster from your hand or GY in face-up or face-down Defense Position, but shuffle it into the Deck if it leaves the field. A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●Once per turn: You can declare 1 card name; until the end of your opponent’s turn, “Bohrok” cards and Set cards you control are unaffected by the effects of cards with that original name.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

The Ja-Kal’s job is to detect and track distant obstacles, so what it allows you to do is “sniff out” what your opponent may try to use against you in the future and render it ineffective in advance.

Su-Kal

Krana Su-Kal, Demolisher

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [▲] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. If an opponent’s monster this card points to battles a “Bohrok” monster, that opponent’s monster’s ATK/DEF become 0 during the Damage Step only. A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●This card gains 800 ATK/DEF and cannot be destroyed by card effects.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

The Su-Kal is simply a boost to power and thoughness, so it gives bonus stats and effect protection.

TBo-Kal

Krana Bo-Kal, Visionary

Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [▶] | DARK Zombie | ATK 0

1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” monster
Cannot be used as Link Material. You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 Level 4 “Bohrok” monster from your hand or GY in face-up or face-down Defense Position, but shuffle it into the Deck if it leaves the field. A “Bohrok” Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●Once per turn: You can look at all Set cards your opponent controls, also look at as many random cards in their hand as possible, up to the number of “Bohrok” monsters you control.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

The Bo-Kal grants all kinds of vision through darkness and walls, and the private information of Set cards and hand is no exception. In order to not make looking at the hand too easy, it’s tied to how many Bohrok you have managed to put on the field, for which I engineered a novel “as many random cards as possible, up to” phrasing so you don’t have to go through an ingame dropdown where you’d always select the maximum anyway.

The Plan

We have the mecha-brawn and we have the bio-brains, so how do we proceed from here? First of all, we must set the scene. Gahdok and Cahdok have been sealed away, there is cleanup still to be done, and so the Bohrok-Kal arise to the sonorous sounds of Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Enter Bohrok Kalifornication.

Bohrok Kalifornication

Continuous Trap

If your opponent controls a face-up card, you can activate this card the turn it was Set, by banishing 2 “Bahrag” monsters with different names from your Extra Deck. During the Main Phase: You can send 1 “Bohrok” or “Krana” card from your hand or face-up field to the GY, then target up to 2 “Bohrok” monsters in your GY; Special Summon 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck, and if you do, attach the targeted monster(s) to it as material, but return it to the Extra Deck during your opponent’s End Phase. You can only use this effect of “Bohrok Kalifornication” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.5.6)

This is possibly my favorite card name I’ve ever made, and it works just as described above: When facing a populated field, just set and activate it, banish the Bahrag to provide the conditions for Xa-Kal and Ca-Kal to work, and start trading your Bahrag cards in hand or field for a (somewhat temporary) Bohrok-Kal every turn. One neat trick you can actually do is attaching a Vu-Kal to a monster Summoned this way and banishing it before it would leave, thereby making it forget its expiry date and stay around permanently once it returns.

(As a side note, at the very end of development I noticed it would be better to have the Bahrag banish as an alternative effect activation cost rather than part of the accelerated card activation condition, so you can more reliably set up that board state. Didn’t want to change it at this point, but might happen in a legacy update eventually.)

Of course, simply arriving is not enough to accomplish the great task ahead. After all, the Toa Nuva and their mighty elemental powers are sure to stand in our way. Now watch and learn, here’s the deal: The Nuva Symbols we shall steal!

Bohrok-Kal Strategy

Continuous Spell

When this card is activated: You can Special Summon 1 “Bohrok” monster from your hand. If a “Bohrok” monster(s) is Special Summoned to your field (except during the Damage Step): You can activate 1 of these effects, or, if the Summon is an Xyz Summon, you can activate both, in sequence;
●Target 1 other Spell/Trap on the field; destroy it.
●Add 1 “Bohrok” Spell/Trap from your Deck to your hand, except “Bohrok-Kal Strategy”.
You can only use this effect of “Bohrok-Kal Strategy” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

If Kalifornication is one of my favorite names, then Bohrok-Kal Strategy is more generally one of my favorite designs in this set. A Continuous Spell that triggers every time you Special Summon a Bohrok (face-up, is the tricky part) and gives you the first trigger as a freebie with a Special Summon from hand. Either you get to destroy another Spell/Trap, which is great against floodgates and of course represents the lore aspect of stealing the Nuva Symbols, or you search another Bohrok Spell/Trap to help with your setup. If you properly Xyz Summon (note that Kalifornication does not do this!), you even get to activate both together for some insane value.

Well then, everything’s ready for our Counterattack. Oh look, a “Counter” Counter Trap, someone call Battlin’ Boxers.

Bohrok Counterattack

Counter Trap

When your opponent activates a Spell/Trap Card, or monster effect, while you control a “Bohrok” monster or only face-down monsters (min. 1): Send 1 “Krana” monster from your Deck or Extra Deck to the GY; negate the activation, and if you do, you can attach that card to 1 “Bohrok” Xyz Monster you control as material.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.3.3)

It’s just a standard archetypal negation backrow, worded so it also works with the usual plain Bohrok setups but actually gets rid of the negated card if the Bohrok-Kal are in play. Getting a Krana into the GY does also come in handy.

And finally, when victory is at hand, the Krana-Kal unleash their last secret: The Silver Shield protecting the Bohrok-Kal from all interference as they cross the finish line.

Bohrok Silver Shield

Quick-Play Spell

Target 1 “Krana” monster you control or in your GY; return it to the hand or attach it to a “Bohrok” Xyz Monster you control as material. At the start of the Battle Phase: You can banish this card from your GY; until the end of this turn, “Bohrok” Xyz Monsters you control with a “Krana” Link Monster as material are unaffected by card effects, except their own. Neither player can activate cards or effects in response to this effect’s activation. You can only use each effect of “Bohrok Silver Shield” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

The activation effect is just basic utility to recycle or attach a Krana – doing this without activating a monster effect is actually a pretty good trick to have up your sleeve. But the main point lies in the GY effect, which triggers at the start of the Battle Phase to turn the Krana-Kal attached to your Bohrok-Kal into some of the most potent protection the game has to offer, ensuring your attack to trigger the Xa-Kal will go through uninterrupted. About the only thing that could stop you at that point is a form of negation that makes the Bohrok-Kal fall to its own power, but surely nothing like that exists .

Sterling Silver? Link-8? Match Winner? Whatever are you talking about? I fear you may have had too many expired Vuata Maca Fruits, friend.

Sample Decks

Unlike the Toa Nuva, where a variety of decks came from the question of what to mix them with, Bohrok kind of just don’t mix with anything. The Kal all require archetypal materials only, cards like Strategy or Kalifornication need you to draw other Bohrok stuff to do anything, and so on. As a result, the different builds included in the expansion are more a consequence of limited Extra Deck space – with 8 Krana-Kal, 6 Bohrok-Kal, 2 Bahrag, and 2 Kaita, the numbers just don’t work out for a deck that does everything. However, since the differences are pretty minimal, I won’t bother going over them all and instead leave it at a quick rundown of the lore-accurate “awaken the Bahrag” build.

Its core is a Bohrok package of Gahlok , Nuhvok , and Pahrak , the three breeds that can use their effects and still remain on the field to serve as material. But in some cases you may value more potent removal over maximum efficiency, so the side deck also has a Lehvak to swap in. All of these come with their respective Bohrok Va for additional field presence and utility. Partnered with them are Bohrok Spells/Traps both new and old, as well as a Therion Regulus that Rank 4 lines can search by way of Merrymaker into Sargas.

The Extra Deck features the Bahrag we seek to awaken as well as the Xa-Kal and Ca-Kal to enable that, plus an useful (but necessarily incomplete) selection of other Krana-Kal and Bohrok-Kal. Of course Zeus is here too, it’s an Xyz deck.

Best of Test

Best of Test: Bohrok-Kal

Some assorted duel footage that shows not only the above build in action, but also those “minimally different” others that focus either on more general Bohrok-Kal spam or on making the Kaita.

Conclusion

The Bohrok-Kal, but perhaps more so the associated Krana-Kal and the various new Spell and Trap cards, take the slowly ramping Flip Monster strategy of the old Bohrok and augment it with such useful abilities as “building a board going first” or “breaking a board going second”. While their general reliance on archetypal cards makes it hard to put together anything other than a pure deck, the wide variety of Extra Deck monsters added with this support introduces some significant choices to be made in that process. Meanwhile, the Main Deck still contains all the flippy goodness of the Bohrok swarms, which can serve as a surpisingly powerful fallback strategy once the big bombs have been exhausted.

Theme Guide: Toa Nuva

At long last, the appointed time of eventually™ is upon us. The BPEV archetypes are (for now) complete and ready to get their guides. Where else to start than the heroes of the story?

And that’s a thing now too I guess, in case you want the key points in one nicely portable image. For more detail on every single card involved here, simply proceed right on.

Energized Protodermis

Energized Protodermis Chamber

Effect MonsterLevel 2 | LIGHT Aqua | ATK 0 / DEF 0

If only your opponent controls a monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). If this card is Normal or Special Summoned (except during the Damage Step): You can Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck using this card and 1 monster in your hand as material. If this card is used as material for a Fusion Summon, except by its own effect: Target 1 Special Summoned monster on the field; send it to the GY. You can only use this effect of “Energized Protodermis Chamber” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.1.3)

Just mentioned here for the sake of completeness and for reference; the stuff that fuses with the Toa Mata to turn them into the Toa Nuva. They have their own Theme Guide, so no need to say much more than that here.

The Toa Nuva

In essence, they are upgraded forms of the Toa Mata, made by fusing each of the six with an Energized Protodermis monster. This grants them +400 on both ATK and DEF, as well as replacing the thematic trigger effects representing their elemental powers with more freely available (and somewhat adjusted) Quick Effects.

Tahu

Toa Nuva Tahu

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 8 | FIRE Warrior | ATK 2900 / DEF 1900

“Toa Mata Tahu” + 1 “Energized Protodermis” monster
If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, then discard 1 card. If your opponent controls a monster (Quick Effect): You can target 1 other face-up Attack Position monster on the field; its ATK becomes 0, and if it does, this card gains ATK equal to that monster’s original ATK, until the end of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Toa Nuva Tahu” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.4.4)

Tahu retains his role as a battle-focused source of big damage by burning away another monster’s ATK to boost his own. Notably, this can also target your own monsters for added utility against e.g. untargetable bosses, but won’t work if your opponent’s field is empty to keep the potential damage output in check. Look, what can I say, this was designed way before Tenpai was a thing.

Gali

Toa Nuva Gali

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 8 | WATER Warrior | ATK 2700 / DEF 2200

“Toa Mata Gali” + 1 “Energized Protodermis” monster
If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, then discard 1 card. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 other face-up monster on the field; negate its effects until the end of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Toa Nuva Gali” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.4.4)

Gali’s targeted monster negate has been vastly increased in usefulness by not needing to chain to specific other effects, making her one of the Toa Nuva most suitable for a traditional endboard setup.

Onua

Toa Nuva Onua

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 8 | EARTH Warrior | ATK 2500 / DEF 2500

“Toa Mata Onua” + 1 “Energized Protodermis” monster
If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, then discard 1 card. During the Main Phase (Quick Effect): You can target 1 card in either GY; place it on the top or bottom of the Deck, then gain 1000 LP. You can only use this effect of “Toa Nuva Onua” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.4.4)

Onua is still the guy you need to control the GY, but now he can do it every turn without waiting for stuff to get sent there, and offers a stable LP gain instead of needing to aim for low-ATK monsters specifically. From disruption to recycling to locking the opponent’s draws in very simplified game states, the Toa of Earth can do a whole lot despite not interacting with the field at all.

Pohatu

Toa Nuva Pohatu

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 8 | EARTH Warrior | ATK 2800 / DEF 2100

“Toa Mata Pohatu” + 1 “Energized Protodermis” monster
If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, then discard 1 card. (Quick Effect): You can destroy Spells/Traps your opponent controls, up to the number of Rock monsters you control +1. You can only use this effect of “Toa Nuva Pohatu” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.4.4)

Pohatu benefits a lot from losing the trigger condition that tied him to Extra Deck monsters, because now he’s also reliable backrow removal against the likes of stun decks. Instead of a non-targeting bonus pop for controlling a Rock, this effect now scales for every single Rock you control … which doesn’t make much of a difference in regular Nuva builds, but could come up in some esoteric brew I guess.

Kopaka

Toa Nuva Kopaka

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 8 | WATER Warrior | ATK 2400 / DEF 2900

“Toa Mata Kopaka” + 1 “Energized Protodermis” monster
If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, then discard 1 card. Once per turn, during the Main Phase, if you control no other monsters (Quick Effect): You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; banish it. While this card is in face-up Defense Position, your opponent’s monsters cannot target other monsters for attacks, also your opponent cannot target other cards you control with card effects.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.4.4)

Kopaka continues to dual-wield effects, with an offensive banish and a defensive continuous protection that covers your whole field. The former, as usual, has been upgraded to a full Quick Effect, but needed to be balanced to only working when he’s alone, as he prefers. The latter now also protects all of your other cards from targeting by effects – can be somewhat funny paired with floodgates if you’re evil.

Lewa

Toa Nuva Lewa

Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 8 | WIND Warrior | ATK 2600 / DEF 2300

“Toa Mata Lewa” + 1 “Energized Protodermis” monster
If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, then discard 1 card. During the Main Phase (Quick Effect): You can target 1 monster on the field; return it to the hand, then, if it was a monster you controlled, you can return 1 additional monster on the field to the hand. You can only use this effect of “Toa Nuva Lewa” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.4.4)

Lewa is another very traditionally viable form of Quick Effect interaction, a targeting bounce that can be upgraded to be non-targeting in much the same way you could for his Mata form.

All of them also share an additional effect to search a “Nuva” Spell/Trap when Fusion Summoned, ensuring you have the ability to make full use of their various other powers listed below.

Nuva Symbols

As the Toa ascended to their new forms, the elemental powers they each wield also manifested physically into the six Nuva Symbols. Both a source of power and a critical weakness, these Continuous Spell Cards operate on a clear-cut pattern of three effects: A consistency helper that trades the Symbol for the matching Toa Mata, or a Energized Protodermis card if you already have that; a benefit that enhances the capabilities of the Toa Nuva in some way; and a mandatory punish that robs them of their power and deals the player harmful backlash should the Symbol ever be removed from the field.

Burning Courage

Nuva Symbol of Burning Courage

Continuous Spell

You can shuffle this card you control into the Deck; add 1 “Toa Mata Tahu” from your Deck to your hand, or reveal it in your hand and add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card instead. You can only use this effect of “Nuva Symbol of Burning Courage” once per turn. If your “Toa Nuva” monster battles, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step. If this card leaves the field: Target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control; negate its effects, and if you do, skip the Battle Phase of your next turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

A simple effect to ensure your Toa Nuva cannot be stopped in battle, but if lost, you will find yourself unable to battle at all. Probably one of the more low-risk, low-reward Nuva Symbols.

Flowing Harmony

Nuva Symbol of Flowing Harmony

Continuous Spell

You can shuffle this card you control into the Deck; add 1 “Toa Mata Gali” from your Deck to your hand, or reveal it in your hand and add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card instead. When a card or effect activated by your opponent in response to your “Toa Nuva” monster’s effect activation resolves, you can negate that effect, and if you do, destroy that card. You can only use each of the preceding effects of “Nuva Symbol of Flowing Harmony” once per turn. If this card leaves the field: Target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control; negate its effects. You cannot activate monster effects in response to this effect’s activation.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Counters any responses your opponent may have to your Toa Nuva’s effects, but also limits your responses to its own punish (mainly so you can’t activate the targeted Toa’s Quick Effect one last time before it’s lost). Because this negates continuously, as Spell Cards are wont to do, it even shuts down Counter Trap Cards.

Deep Wisdom

Nuva Symbol of Deep Wisdom

Continuous Spell

You can shuffle this card you control into the Deck; add 1 “Toa Mata Onua” from your Deck to your hand, or reveal it in your hand and add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card instead. If a “Toa Nuva” monster you control activates its effect: You can pay 1000 LP; draw 1 card. You can only use each of the preceding effects of “Nuva Symbol of Deep Wisdom” once per turn. If this card leaves the field: Target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control; negate its effects, and if you do, banish 1 card from your hand face-down.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Replenishes your hand whenever you use a Toa Nuva’s effect (at the small cost of your LP), but rips something out of it if removed. Combines especially well with Onua Nuva, who not only gives you the LP to spend on this, but can also stack any card from your GY to be the draw you get.

Granite Tenacity

Nuva Symbol of Granite Tenacity

Continuous Spell

You can shuffle this card you control into the Deck; add 1 “Toa Mata Pohatu” from your Deck to your hand, or reveal it in your hand and add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card instead. If a monster(s) is Special Summoned, and you control a “Toa Nuva” monster (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your hand or GY. You can only use each of the preceding effects of “Nuva Symbol of Granite Tenacity” once per turn. If this card leaves the field: Target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control; negate its effects, then Tribute 1 other monster.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Lets you call forth all kinds of allies to aid your Toa Nuva, but forces you to sacrifice one of them if removed. One neat trick with this, for example, would be bringing back Energized Protodermis Chamber to make an additional Toa Nuva.

Frigid Serenity

Nuva Symbol of Frigid Serenity

Continuous Spell

You can shuffle this card you control into the Deck; add 1 “Toa Mata Kopaka” from your Deck to your hand, or reveal it in your hand and add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card instead. If a “Toa Nuva” monster you control leaves the field because of an opponent’s card: You can banish 1 card from your opponent’s hand (at random) or their field. You can only use each of the preceding effects of “Nuva Symbol of Frigid Serenity” once per turn. If this card leaves the field: Target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control; negate its effects, and if you do, your opponent can add 1 of their banished cards to their hand.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Strikes back at the opponent’s field or even their hand if they take out your Toa Nuva (such as a Kopaka protecting everything else), but also gives them an opportunity to recover lost resources if removed.

Soaring Vitality

Nuva Symbol of Soaring Vitality

Continuous Spell

You can shuffle this card you control into the Deck; add 1 “Toa Mata Lewa” from your Deck to your hand, or reveal it in your hand and add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card instead. If a face-up “Toa Nuva” monster you control leaves the field by card effect (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 Level 8 or lower monster in your GY; Special Summon it. You can only use each of the preceding effects of “Nuva Symbol of Soaring Vitality” once per turn. If this card leaves the field: Target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control; negate its effects, and if you do, you cannot Special Summon for the rest of this turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Recovers your own field presence if a Toa Nuva leaves – including by your own effects, e.g. Lewa Nuva – but locks you out of Special Summons if removed. In addition to bringing back a lost Toa Nuva itself, you’re also free to get the Toa Mata that was material, the Chamber that can make you another Fusion, or anything generic so long as it’s Level 8 or lower.

Beyond the six symbols, there is something that gathers it. An artifact of such might and significance that … it’s completely forgotten by the lore and never mentioned after its introduction even in the scene where the act it was meant to be used for happens. Hello, Nuva Cube.

Nuva Cube

Continuous Trap

While you control a “Nuva” Continuous Spell, your opponent cannot target this card with card effects. Once per turn: You can target up to 6 “Nuva” Continuous Spells with different names on your field and/or in any GY(s); shuffle them into the Deck, then you can apply any of these effect(s), in sequence, based on the number shuffled.
●1+: Place 1 “Nuva” Continuous Spell from your Deck face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone.
●3+: Negate the effects of 1 other face-up Spell/Trap on the field until the end of this turn.
●6: Special Summon up to 2 of your banished monsters.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.2.5)

Odd as its existence may be, this thing’s connection to the Symbols and role in the 2003 storyline are clear enough to construct some fitting effects. Basically, it uses the different Nuva Continuous Spells – the Symbols – as fodder (in such a way that you can dodge removal, and thus, punishes) to achieve a stacking lineup of benefits. Shuffle back 1, and you get to replace it. Shuffle back 3, and it’s also a Spell/Trap negate (none of the Toa do this!). Shuffle back all 6 … and “awaken the Bahrag”. That last one is purely for flavour, you’re not expected to ever do this. Also it has targeting protection in the presence of Nuva Symbols, because you can’t get to it if those are covering it, right?

Kanohi Nuva

With new forms came new masks, holding more or less the same powers as before. Except now, those powers can be shared with others, and gameplay-wise that ability ended up being tied into a series of effects that aid the overall Nuva ecosystem.

Hau

Great Kanohi Hau Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” monster, it cannot be destroyed by battle, also you take no battle damage from battles involving it. If this card is sent to the GY, and you have not activated any “Kanohi” Equip Spell effects in the GY this turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; place 1 “Nuva” Continuous Spell from your Deck face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone, also if you control a “Toa Nuva” Monster, the face-up monsters you currently control cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)
Kaukau

Great Kanohi Kaukau Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” monster, it is unaffected by your opponent’s card effects, unless they target it. If this card is sent to the GY, and you have not activated any “Kanohi” Equip Spell effects in the GY this turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; place 1 “Nuva” Continuous Spell from your Deck face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone, also if you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, the face-up monsters you currently control cannot be destroyed by card effects this turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)
Pakari

Great Kanohi Pakari Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” monster, it gains 1000 ATK, also if it attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage. If this card is sent to the GY, and you have not activated any “Kanohi” Equip Spell effects in the GY this turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; place 1 “Nuva” Continuous Spell from your Deck face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone, also if you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, all monsters you currently control gain 600 ATK until the end of your opponent’s turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)
Kakama

Great Kanohi Kakama Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” monster, it can attack all monsters your opponent controls, once each. it. If this card is sent to the GY, and you have not activated any “Kanohi” Equip Spell effects in the GY this turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; Set 1 “Nuva” Trap directly from your Deck, also if you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, the monsters you currently control can attack directly this turn, but if they do so using this effect, their ATK is halved during damage calculation only.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

The “sharing” effect on this one is notably different from the one it grants while equipped, because the Kakama Nuva includes an additional power that needed to be represented: The ability to phase through solid objects while moving at high speed. This manifests as direct attacks, though with reduced ATK because your monsters aren’t quite touching the opponent either.

Akaku

Great Kanohi Akaku Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. While equipped to a “Toa Nuva” monster you control, your opponent must keep their hand revealed. If this card is sent to the GY, and you have not activated any “Kanohi” Equip Spell effects in the GY this turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; Set 1 “Nuva” Trap directly from your Deck, also if you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, look at your opponent’s hand.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

The hand-sniping effect from the base form was dropped here, simply for space reasons. But just taking a look is good on its own anyway, so maybe that was never truly needed.

Miru

Great Kanohi Miru Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” monster, negate any effect activated by your opponent that targeted it. If this card is sent to the GY, and you have not activated any “Kanohi” Equip Spell effects in the GY this turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; Set 1 “Nuva” Trap directly from your Deck, also if you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, your opponent cannot target the monsters you currently control with card effects this turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

If sent to the GY, half of these get you a free Continuous Spell and the other half prepare a Trap, all while applying a communal version of their respective abilities to your field at the time – provided you have a Toa Nuva around to access that power. Optimally, you’re adding these with a Toa Nuva and then discarding them to essentially get a different Spell/Trap for free, but they can also serve as setup tools. Be aware of the strange activation condition, however – it essentially means all of the Kanohi Nuva share a single hard once per turn, and you have to activate them before any other Kanohi you may be using!

So, other than the Nuva Symbols and the Cube they go on, anything else we can get out of these? Oh yes.

Other Nuva Spells/Traps

Tales of the Nuva

Continuous Spell

When this card is activated: You can add 1 “Energized Protodermis” card from your Deck to your hand. If a “Nuva” Spell/Trap(s) is sent from the hand and/or Deck to your GY: You can target 1 of them; Set it to your field. If your opponent activates a monster effect: You can send this card to the GY, then target 1 “Toa Nuva” monster you control or in your GY; shuffle it into the Deck, and if you do, you can Special Summon 1 “Toa Nuva” Fusion Monster with a different name from your Extra Deck. You can only use each effect of “Tales of the Nuva” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

On the Continuous Spell side, we have a more low-investment option to consider if you don’t want the risk and Toa Mata attachment the proper Symbols bring with them. With Tales of the Nuva, you can basically just play some Energized Protodermis stuff – which it searches if properly activated – and make the Fusions using something like a King of the Swamp. Its other abilities include an additional way to offset the discard from the Nuva searches and a one-time swap from one Toa Nuva into another, letting you branch into different types of interaction as the game unfolds. While this is a card tuned to be more practical than the lore-focused Nuva Symbols, the benefits it offers are somewhat more subtle and its search effect, notably, is not available if placed with a Kanohi Nuva, so there are legitimate reasons to be playing the proper Symbols instead of, or more likely alongside, it.

Nuva Emergence

Trap

Fusion Summon 1 “Toa Nuva” Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, by shuffling the Fusion Materials listed on it into the Deck, from among your hand, GY and/or face-up banished cards. If your opponent controls a monster, you can also banish 1 monster from your Deck as Fusion Material. During the Main Phase, except the turn this card was sent to the GY: You can banish this card from your GY; add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand, except “Nuva Emergence”, then discard 1 card. You can only use each effect of “Nuva Emergence” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

When it comes to Traps, one that’s crucial is the Normal Trap Nuva Emergence, granting you the ability to Fusion Summon on your opponent’s turn and thus make the most of your strictly limited efficient Kanohi Nuva searches. Furthermore, if your opponent has already put a monster on the field, this doesn’t just shuffle back materials, but also banishes one straight out of the Deck, which lets it act as an additional disruption or as removal by triggering the mandatory “drawback” of Energized Protodermis Chamber. In the GY, it does the Toa Nuva’s on-summon search, but without needing to go into a Fusion first, so that’s good to have when you need to rebuild from a position of low resources.

Nuva Overcharge

Counter Trap

If your opponent activates a monster effect on the field while you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, and there is a “Nuva” Continuous Spell/Trap on your field or in your GY: That effect becomes “banish this card”. During the End Phase, if this card is in your GY and you control a “Toa Nuva” monster: You can Set this card, but banish it when it leaves the field. You can only use each effect of “Nuva Overcharge” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

And somewhat more optional, there’s also the Counter Trap Nuva Overcharge. Depicted on it is the final move the Toa Nuva used to stop the Bohrok-Kal at the last second: Channeling their elemental energies through the stolen Nuva Symbols, overcharging the Kal who were holding them and causing their own powers to destroy them. Hence the gimmick of rewriting a monster effect into self-removal (thus bypassing even the “unaffected by other cards” kind of protection!), on the condition that both Toa Nuva and Nuva Symbol (or Tales, let’s call that artistic license) are in place. And to approximate the fact that this move took out all the Kal rather than a single one, it resets itself in the End Phase to be used again next turn – which also means you can discard it with a Nuva search going first and still get it.

Toa Nuva Kaita

And to go even further beyond, the mighty Toa Nuva retain the Mata’s ability to combine into even more powerful forms. Now, when the base components are already Extra Deck boss monsters that are meant to be the payoff of the strategy, it’s kind of though to add another level of upgrades that contribute anything meaningful. So to some extent, these are just entirely optional fluff. But I believe I’ve also managed to devise a way for them to be reasonably useful anyway, if you build your deck a certain way.

Akamai

Akamai, Toa Nuva Kaita of Valor

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 8 | FIRE Warrior | ATK 3400 / DEF 2400

3 Level 8 monsters
After this card was Xyz Summoned during your turn using a “Toa” monster as material, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects for the rest of that turn, except during the Main Phase 2 and End Phase. You can detach 1 material from this card; add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand. You can only use this effect of “Akamai, Toa Nuva Kaita of Valor” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Great Kanohi Aki Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” Xyz Monster, it cannot be destroyed by battle, gains 1000 ATK, and can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each, also if it attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage. While this card is equipped to a monster: You can reveal 1 “Toa” monster in your Deck or Extra Deck, then target 1 monster you control with a Level; its Level and name become the same as the revealed monster (until the end of this turn), then destroy this card.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)
Wairuha

Wairuha, Toa Nuva Kaita of Wisdom

Xyz Effect MonsterRank 8 | WIND Warrior | ATK 3000 / DEF 3000

3 Level 8 monsters
When your opponent activates a card or effect while this card has a “Toa” monster as material (Quick Effect): You can detach 1 material from this card; negate the activation, and if you do, you can banish both that card and the top card of either player’s Deck. Then, if you banished 2 different card types (Monster, Spell, Trap), draw 1 card. You can detach 1 material from this card; add 1 “Nuva” Spell/Trap from your Deck or GY to your hand. You can only use 1 “Wairuha, Toa Nuva Kaita of Wisdom” effect per turn, and only once that turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

Great Kanohi Rua Nuva

Equip Spell

If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. If the equipped monster is a “Toa Nuva” Xyz Monster, it is unaffected by your opponent’s card effects, also your opponent must keep their hand revealed. While this card is equipped to a monster: You can add 1 “Nuva” Normal or Quick-Play Spell from your Deck to your hand, then destroy this card. You can only use this effect of “Great Kanohi Rua Nuva” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

The core abilities of the Kaita and their Kanohi are basically carried over from their Mata counterparts, but with slight adjustments. Akamai is still the unga bunga guy who just unstoppably charges into battle to clear the field with his massive buffs from the Aki Nuva, but now he also locks your opponent down before you even enter the Battle Phase. This is largely the result of me getting obsessed with doing a version of Azathot “without the really broken parts” – decide for yourself if I was successful with that. Anyway, Wairuha is also still a negate that is protected from all effects (and looks at the hand) thanks to the Rua Nuva, but the little “wisdom game” where you have to match up card types has been rolled into the negation effect itself (mainly to save space) and given a more consistent payoff.

Now, careful readers may notice that those effects are generally reliant on having a “Toa” monster as material, but the monsters themselves can be made generically. This is the little trick that actually makes them playable as more than winmore superbosses, because using some generic R8 engine like Horus to go into these actually lets them start Toa Nuva plays, by adding any of the Spells or Traps to your hand – without the usual discard! Okay, “start” may be a strong word since this doesn’t search any one-card starters, but it can get you a missing piece at least; also ensures you have access to the Aki Nuva/Rua Nuva if you make the Kaita in their full superbossly glory.

Speaking of which, those two Kanohi have some bonus effects tacked on, because it’d would be hard to justify playing them if all they offered were boosts for Kaita exclusively. The Aki Nuva lets you adjust names and Levels to enable Xyz and Fusion Summons (also for the Mata Xyz), while the Rua Nuva searches some types of “Nuva” Spells not covered by the other Kanohi Nuva.

Wait, what Spells would those be? Exactly the following one: Our very own Nuva Rank-Up Magic Protodermic Evolution.

Nuva Rank-Up-Magic Protodermic Evolution

Quick-Play Spell

During the Main Phase: Target 1 Warrior monster you control with “Toa” in its original name; Special Summon, from your Extra Deck, 1 Warrior Xyz Monster whose Rank is 2 higher than that target’s Rank or 2 lower than that target’s Level, by using it as material, and if you do, you can attach 1 other card from your hand or face-up field to the Summoned monster as material, except this card. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon. Transfer its materials to the Summoned monster.)

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.6.5)

The gimmick on this one is that you get to swap one of your Toa into a Warrior Xyz along one of the following routes:

  • Level 6 Toa (= Toa Mata) -> Rank 4 Xyz
  • Rank 6 Toa ( = Mata Xyz) -> Rank 8 Xyz ( = Nuva Kaita)
  • Level 8 Toa (= Toa Nuva) -> Rank 6 Xyz ( = Mata Xyz)
  • Rank 8 Toa (= Nuva Kaita) -> Rank 10 Xyz (?)

Feel free to consult the database to find out what generic Warrior options this actually enables, but before you get too excited let it be known that I already did that and there weren’t any super broken ones. Standouts include Dempsey for the Battlin’ Boxer pivot, Photon Strike Bounzer for a negate, or Giantrainer for lots of draws. In a deck that’s already playing Toa in some capacity, the in-archetype options are probably the best thing you can be doing – but feel very, very invited to prove me wrong on that!

Sample Decks

Over the 2-and-some years of development and testing, I ran a few different deck types centered on the Toa Nuva, evolving along with both custom and official card releases and ban list movements. Due to that, some decks here are no longer playable, but historically interesting nonetheless – scroll down a bit more if you’re only interested in up-to-date builds.

Above is the last version of the standard Toa Nuva deck empowered by both Isolde and Spright Elf. The combo line here was basically making Isolde with either Neo Space Connector or the C.C. Matoran , adding a Toa Mata of your choice, and sending some number of Kanohi Nuva to get another Warrior to the field. With those sent Kanohi Nuva, you could then get the Nuva Symbol matching the Toa Mata in your hand and trade that out for Energized Protodermis Destiny . Next step would be linking Isolde and your random Warrior into Spright Elf, using it to revive a C.C. Matoran, and then targeting that monster with Destiny to trade for Energized Protodermis Chamber and finally make a Toa Nuva. Because Chamber is itself Level 2, Elf could further bring it back during the opponent’s Main Phase to make another Toa Nuva … and repeat that every single turn as long as it survives and you keep getting Toa Mata into your hand. Was pretty neat, but of course Elf getting banned in the TCG took away that essential piece.

To cope with that, I tried out a few different alternatives, with probably the most normal of them being one that just locked in on the 4 Toa Nuva grouped in the WATER and EARTH Attributes while supplementing the lost Elf capabilities with the then-newly introduced Nuva Emergence.

This was obviously quite a bit weaker, but still worked, and then Isolde got banned. I did not try to salvage it after that, instead opting to consider some completely new approaches.


One question I asked myself was if there wasn’t a way to use the Toa Nuva without the Toa Mata as Main Deck bricks, perhaps by leveraging a substitute material like King of the Swamp. As it so happens, that card has also seen play in the banlist-ravaged remains of Tearlament decks, so I picked that as a shell and got to work. Ideally, this build tries to do the standard Kashtira -> Dracossack -> Cherubini line to get the King into rotation, most of the time bringing out Rulkallos since you can usually also go into Spright Sprind and send Merrli to finish setting that up. But many combinations of cards will also let you make a Toa Nuva, and once that engine is running, Emergence and Tales pretty reliably ensure continued access to various end board pieces that really add to the solid Tearlament base. Since this was probably the most straightforward and functional version as of the latest release, it also got Nuva Overcharge added in there as a Counter Trap option that conveniently Sets itself from the GY once you get to a Toa Nuva.


Next, a build that was created in conjunction with the Toa Nuva Kaita, taking advantage of the fact that their existence provides a Rank 8 route into Nuva plays. Horus monsters are probably the easiest way to get the 3 materials for that together, which lines up decently with both Tales and the Kanohi Nuva being able to exploit mills and discards. One particular thing I appreciate about this list is that it does also find room for the Toa Mata and Nuva Symbols, so we can use our Rank-Up or the modulation effect of the Aki Nuva to access the OG Akamai and Wairuha , or Mata Combination Storm for some fun.


And finally, the most recent cute combo I cooked up to Fusion Summon Toa Nuva, by using Power Tool Braver Dragon to trigger multiple Kanohi. Of course, what’s pictured above is a somewhat more deranged pile which also uses that move to smoothly acquire a Kanohi Vahi , has a novel way to get a “Toa” on the field by activating Naming Day on Gen or Ken for Prisma, and tops it all off by including the Exo-Toa engine enabled by Exo Autonomy . Simply put, it plays as many of the new things from the final batch of BPEV cards as possible, making it very efficient for testing. Sometimes it even works.

Best of Test

Best of Test: Toa Nuva

Featuring some representative and/or interesting duels out of the many, many that were had over two years of gradual development and testing.

Conclusion

As upgraded forms of the Toa Mata, the Nuva retain the general outline of effects found in the original team, but with several significant upgrades: They live in the Extra Deck, they can do their disruption as true Quick Effects, and they also give you access to an array of “Nuva” Spell/Trap Cards. Those include the Nuva Symbols for risky bonus effects, Traps to fuse on the opponent’s turn or counter their effects, and the Kanohi Nuva that give buffs and put the other cards directly on the field.

While one approach is to add Toa Nuva to an existing deck of the Toa Mata and their support cards, it is just as possible to leave out the Mata entirely and instead have the Nuva lend their services to other powerful Fusion strategies by means of substitute materials. The Toa Nuva Kaita open up yet another avenue of using Rank 8 engines to establish Nuva access, and so on. When it comes to possibilities in deckbuilding, it seems clear that the Toa are now truly “more than they were”.

Release: Time of Troubles

The last few cards of BPEV are here!

Install via EDOPro Configuration

Sample Decks

Through troubles and time, this final batch of lore from the first half of 2003 brings us to the end of the Time of Troubles. Surely the island of Mata Nui will be safe and nothing bad will ever happen again from here on, right?

… right?

New Cards (and one update)

Deprived of their elemental powers and repeatedly outmaneuvered by the Bohrok-Kal, the Toa Nuva follow the trail of their adversaries deep beneath the ground, heading to a final confrontation where the sealed Bahrag yet slumber. But before reaching that far, they bear witness to the sight of … Exo-Toa moving on their own!?

Exo Autonomy

Spell

Special Summon 1 “Exo-Toa” from your hand or Deck, but it cannot activate its effects, also destroy it during the End Phase. During your End Phase: You can banish this card from your GY and shuffle 1 “Exo-Toa” from your GY or banishment into the Deck; add 1 “Toa” monster from your Deck to your hand, then you can Set 1 “Exo Armaments” from your Deck, GY, or banishment. You can only activate 1 “Exo Autonomy” per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

It’s a small scene, but the one comic page where these underutilized Aliens references move as autonomous battlebots to stop the intruding Bohrok-Kal grants me an opportunity to inject new life into the always kinda janky and at this point also outdated design of my Union Monster take on them. The basic idea of Exo Autonomy is to act as an independent (autonomous, you may say) engine starter that gives you all the pieces for powerful Exo-Toa plays.

Through a main effect that just puts a body on the field (2k ATK and Level 6 does have some utility by itself) and an End Phase effect that follows it up with some specific searches, we end up in a situation where a Toa is in hand, an Exo-Toa is in the Deck, and Exo Armaments – the complementary Trap that requires just these conditions – is Set and ready to go next turn. But because that alone didn’t yet work as envisioned, the Trap itself also gets a bit of a touch-up in this release.

Exo Armaments

Trap

Special Summon 1 “Toa” monster from your hand, then equip 1 “Exo-Toa” from your Deck or GY to it, but that Equip Card cannot activate its effects this turn. If you control “Exo-Toa”: You can banish this card from your GY, then activate 1 of these effects;
●This turn, if an “Exo-Toa” you control battles, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step.
●This turn, “Exo-Toa” you control cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects, also your opponent cannot target them with card effects.
●Target 1 “Exo-Toa” you control; destroy 1 other card in the same column as that target.
You can only use this effect of “Exo Armaments” once per turn.

Bionicle: Beware the Swarm (v4.8.3)

Specifically, the clause that banned all Special Summoning for the rest of the whole turn now just locks that specific Exo-Toa you put on the field from activating its standard Union effect to unequip. This preserves the original intent while not making the card a huge liability, though if I’m being honest it probably wouldn’t be a problem to drop this restriction entirely- it’s a Trap that summons from hand, putting two monsters on the field isn’t exactly crazy in that context. The other upgrade is that its GY effect, the actual “Armaments”, can now be activated the same turn it went to the GY, to suit the current speed of the game.

So, if all goes through, the final payoff from an activation of Exo Autonomy consists of whatever you used the Special Summoned Exo-Toa for, as well as a 4k+ vanilla sitting on the field with a Quick Effect in the GY to either pop a card in its column (or that of the Equip Card), protect it from effects, or isolate it while it battles. That’s decent enough to finally justify the inclusion of an Exo-Toa at least in decks that already use the Toa Mata – it might even be somewhat splashable in combation with last release’s Shadow Toa .

Anyway, after passing through that whole situation, the Toa Nuva finally catch up to the Bohrok-Kal, but the attempt to stop them in the final moments of their task is once again thwarted – by the sudden appearance of a Silver Shield.

Bohrok Silver Shield

Quick-Play Spell

Target 1 “Krana” monster you control or in your GY; return it to the hand or attach it to a “Bohrok” Xyz Monster you control as material. At the start of the Battle Phase: You can banish this card from your GY; until the end of this turn, “Bohrok” Xyz Monsters you control with a “Krana” Link Monster as material are unaffected by card effects, except their own. Neither player can activate cards or effects in response to this effect’s activation. You can only use each effect of “Bohrok Silver Shield” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

The Krana-Kal have turned to silver to promote a blind pack collectible gimmick project an impenetrable shield and prevent any outside interference! That’s precisely what this card does if if’s in the GY at the start of the Battle Phase, granting you free reign to resolve the effect granted to your Bohrok-Kal by a Krana Xa-Kal and thus awaken the Bahrag. But before that point, it acts as a way to recycle your Krana or attach them to the Kal without using a monster effect, which can come in handy for example if you’re staring down a monster negate and have a Krana Za-Kal at your disposal.

Out of options, Tahu resorts to one last trick up his sleeve to quite literally buy some time: He dons the Kanohi Vahi.

Legendary Kanohi Vahi, Mask of Time

Equip Spell

You can only control 1 “Vahi” Equip Spell. If another “Kanohi” Equip Spell becomes equipped to the equipped monster, destroy this card. The equipped monster cannot attack or activate its effects, also your opponent cannot target it with card effects. Once per turn, while this card is equipped to a “Toa” or “Makuta” monster you control: You can add 1 “Vahi” card from your Deck or GY to your hand, except an Equip Spell. If this card is destroyed or banished by your opponent’s card effect: Both players skip their next Battle Phase.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

Vahi Freeze

Quick-Play Spell

Activate 1 of these effects;
●Add 1 “Vahi” Equip Spell from your Deck or GY to your hand.
●If you control a “Vahi” Equip Spell: Target 1 face-up card on the field; until the end of this turn, its effects are negated, also it cannot be destroyed, or banished, by card effects.
If this card is sent from the field to the GY: You can draw 1 card, but skip your next Draw Phase. You can only use this effect of “Vahi Freeze” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

Now, Legendary Kanohi are something that will become a much bigger deal way down the line with the Ignika, so I approached this one as a bit of a test run. The idea in my head was that wearing the mask would render a monster incapable of doing anything but access the powers contained within, represented as an archetype of cards the Kanohi lets you search while equipped to a worthy user. Because the sole usage shown in the story by this point was temporarily freezing the Bohrok-Kal in time, there’s also only one search target introduced here: Vahi Freeze, which renders a targeted card equally impotent and immovable.

Attached to this basic idea comes some side utility: The Vahi’s shutdown of other functions isn’t limited like the search is, so it can be used against the opponent’s monsters as well, it also grants targeting protection (they can’t penetrate the timey-wimey stuff I guess), and Vahi Freeze lets you add the Kanohi to your hand so it doesn’t matter in which order you open the pieces.

All of this still didn’t quite feel like enough time fuckery to me, so I engineered another neat little thing onto Freeze: If sent from the field to the GY – primarily after activating it, so it acts as a bonus effect for both of the available options – you get a draw at the cost of “freezing” your next Draw Phase. This helps you access resources before your opponent has a chance to stop you, and actually generates real positive card advantage if you manage to do it on both your own and your opponent’s turn. In a way, it’s a built-in miniature version of Runick Fountain with a drawback that appropriately messes with the flow and timing of gameplay.

The Vahi itself also has a slight drawback in that it skips the next Battle Phases if your opponent destroys or banishes it, to represent the part of the lore where breaking it would also break time within the Matoran Universe. This is set up in a way that hopefully makes it get in the way as little as possible, but I still see some cases where it can be annoying as hell (imagine a Runick banishing this from the Deck). May need some more refinement.

… which can be said for both of these cards in general, honestly. I’m not yet convinced this experiment can be called a successful one. In theory, being able to search a negate turn 1, use it turn 2, and add it back to use again turn 3 while going +1 along the way seems decent enough, but in testing I experienced various situations where the math doesn’t math that well. Like, what happens if you use the Freeze on turn 3 but then you need to keep grinding? You can’t add it back a second time right away, so you’re missing your negate for a turn and also skipping your Draw Phase after that – a perfect opportunity for the game to slip away. Similar issues crop up going second. While these are fairly reasonable weaknesses, they feel somewhat frustrating given that the Kanohi Vahi itself already forces various handicaps onto you; you need to bring out a Toa or Makuta (neither of which is super easy) only to pretty much sacrifice all benefits of having it on the field by locking it under the Vahi, and well-timed backrow removal from your opponent can really screw you over.

A major reason this felt so bad in testing is that the deck I built for super consistent Vahi access just kind of lacked the ability to do much else at all, and particularly couldn’t do much to recover from suboptimal situations. So it may just be a matter of figuring out a better strategy, or maybe the Vahi’s built-in drawbacks need to be toned down a bit. But if an actual redesign is needed, one funny idea I had is that the search could be implemented as something that replaces the equipped monster’s effect (instead of just locking its activation), which would let it be a Quick Effect and thus immediately resolve the math issues. A bit more mechanically weird than I’d usually like to be, but on the other hand it would be a suitably unique thing to establish as the gimmick for Legendary Kanohi.

Well, enough of that, let’s get on with the story. Their little time-out lets the Toa Nuva figure out that they may just be able to take down the Bohrok-Kal by channeling their elemental powers through the Nuva Symbols still held by the creatures, which leads the Kal to lose control of their own powers and self-destruct because they were only protected from outside harm.

Nuva Overcharge

Counter Trap

If your opponent activates a monster effect on the field while you control a “Toa Nuva” monster, and there is a “Nuva” Continuous Spell/Trap on your field or in your GY: That effect becomes “banish this card”. During the End Phase, if this card is in your GY and you control a “Toa Nuva” monster: You can Set this card, but banish it when it leaves the field. You can only use each effect of “Nuva Overcharge” once per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

That’s the idea of Nuva Overcharge, our searchable Counter Trap that functionally negates monster effects with a rewrite into “banish yourself NOW”. Since it’s a Counter Trap, this works even during the Damage Step, and because the banishing is done by the monster’s own effect, it correctly penetrates the Silver Shield we saw above (yes, rewrites work against unaffected monsters, I’ve seen it happen in MD with Gossip Shadow vs Crystal Clear Wing). No Krana-Kal will be resolved to awaken the Bahrag in this card’s presence. To stay in the realm of reasonable balance, this only hits one monster rather than destroying all the Bohrok-Kal at once like in canon, but you can slightly emulate the use against multiple targets by resetting it from the GY once – which also makes it an efficient search target if you get two Toa Nuva effects in a turn or just aren’t playing any Kanohi Nuva.

With the threat vanquished, the Time of Troubles was finally considered over, and the Turaga called together the Matoran to celebrate and avoid legal issues honor great achievements in the grand festival of Naming Day.

Naming Day

Spell

Target 1 Warrior monster you control; Tribute it, and if you do, Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior monster from your hand or Deck, with the same original Attribute, but a different original name and a higher original Level than the Tributed monster. You can banish this card and 1 Warrior monster from your GY, then target 1 face-up monster you control; its name is treated as the banished monster’s, until the end of your opponent’s turn. You can only activate 1 “Naming Day” per turn.

Bionicle: Protodermic Evolution (v4.8.3)

A slightly unusual card for this expansion: It’s generic Warrior support! With a somewhat narrow focus of swapping a low-Level Warrior you control for a slightly higher-Level one of the same Attribute. How truly odd that this doesn’t seem to have any application with the Matoran made so far, those are all Level 2. Oh well, at least we can turn Takua into Gen or Ken. Or Jala into Razen. Or Taipu into Morning Star. Those are all pretty amusing.

Taipu is also a good use case for the GY effect, which is a more literal take on the spirit of the name-changing holiday. Simply do a C.C. Matoran combo into a big boss monster, and then dub it a C.C. Matoran to bypass the attack restriction on Taipu’s Special Summon procedure. Though to be completely clear, this effect was written entirely under the vague idea of “surely you can do something cool with this”, with nothing more specific in mind.

Also, the art for this one was unexpectedly annoying to make, because the close-up of rebuilt Jaller and Takua from the animation wasn’t tall enough to fill a square image frame, and the more zoomed-out shot was completely different in terms of distances between the Turaga and such. AI was able to convincingly add the top half of the sun to the close-up, but also insisted on having the sky fade to an ugly gray, so I had to mask it with the specters of the two Matoran’s diminished forms floating above. Came out well enough in the end, I’d say.

And that’s all for now! See you again for the final BPEV release and a bunch of Theme Guides to come in the near-ish future. Then, finally, we can move on to the next stage – where a hidden mask shall spark a great quest …

New/Changed Sample Decks

Just a quick summary for the sake of documentation, without going in too much detail:

  • The Tearlament build of Mata-less Nuva got Nuva Overcharge added (you can use it if you mill it!)
  • The “Awake” build of Bohrok-Kal got Bohrok Silver Shield added (lore-accurate unstoppable Bahrag awakening plays!)
  • New “Vahi Pile” deck centered on a cute combo that goes from Psi-Reflector via Power Tool Braver Dragon into Onua Nuva with Vahi access; also featuring Exo Autonomy and Naming Day
  • A deck called “Exo Shadow Toa” that’s actually Centur-Ion and Fiendsmith with Exo Autonomy and Shadow Toa splashed in. Makes both high-Level Synchros and Rank 6 Xyz, but of the latter there aren’t many good options (we archetype-locked the Toa Mata ones …)