Bionicle Wargame
The bionicle wargame is a turned based table top game that can be used to play the skirmishes in
some of the wars of the bionicle world.
Scores
Every bionicle has 7 scores: strength, agility, skill, toughness, will, speed and life. Generally each of
these skills range from 0-20, although they can be raised above and below that level.
Strength is a measure of the bionicle’s raw strength and affects how much damage they do in melee,
as well as their ability to hold or throw other bionicles.
Agility represents how quickly a bionicle can act. It is used to determine how quickly he often he can
strike in combat.
Skill shows the combat skill of the bionicle. It is used when attacking, both in melee and at ranged.
Toughness represents the bionicle’s toughness and his ability to defend himself. It is used to protect
him from damage.
Will is how fearless the bionicle is and how focused he is. It is used to check the bionicle’s chance of
fleeing and when using his powers.
Speed is a measurement of how fast a bionicle moves, it also represents his ability to dodge
projectiles.
Life represents how many hits a bionicle can take before becoming unable to fight (due to death/
unconsciousness).
The turn
The bionicle wargame is divided into turns. A player moves and attacks with all his units in his turn,
then the next player does the same in their turn. In their turns, a player’s bionicles can each do two
things: move and attack. A bionicle does not have to move and attack in a specific order. He can
move then attack or attack then move. Some powers and abilities replace attack with a different
action, but otherwise, these work the same.
Movement
A bionicle can move a distance in their turn, equal to 2.5 times their speed, in centimetres. A
bionicles movement may be hindered by effects such as terrain or mask powers. A bionicle cannot
move through other bionicles, it must move around them.
Attacking
When one bionicle makes contact with an enemy it can attack in melee. The defender rolls 1d20 and
adds his skill score. The attacker does the same, but rolls a number of times equal to his agility/2. If
the attacker has a roll that beats the defenders roll, the defender rolls 1d20+his toughness score. For
each roll the attacker made which beat the defenders roll, the attacker rolls 1d20+ his strength
score. For each strength score that beats the defenders toughness score, the defender loses the
difference from his life score.
A bionicle with a ranged weapon can also make a ranged attack. Designate another bionicle.
Designate another bionicle and check that he is within the attack’s range. This bionicle rolls 1d20 and
adds his speed. The firing bionicle then rolls a number of d20s equal to his agility and adds his skill. If
the attacker has a roll that beats the defenders roll, the defender rolls 1d20+his toughness score. For
each roll the attacker made which beat the defenders roll, the attacker rolls 1d20+ the
weapon/attack’s strength score. For each strength score that beats the defenders toughness score,
the defender loses the difference from his life score.
There are a number of other things a bionicle can do instead of attack. These include throw and hold
actions, making use of their mask ability or using powers.
A sufficiently strong bionicle can throw their opponent. A throw works similarly to a melee attack. A
bionicle must be in contact with their target. They then both roll 1d20 and add their skill score. If the
attacker wins, both bionicles roll 1d20 and add their strength score. If the attackers score is at least
double the defenders score, the defender is thrown. The defender is forced to move in a direction of
the attacker’s choice a distance equal to how much the attacker’s roll beat double the defenders by.
The defender also loses life equal to the distance he was thrown.
A grab is similar to a throw. The attacking bionicle and the defender both 1d20 and add their skill
score. If the attacker’s roll beats the defenders, both roll 1d20 and add their strength score. If the
attacker’s roll beats the defender’s roll, the defender cannot move in their turn, unless they break
the grab. The defender may attempt to break a grab once in their turn; they must roll 1d20 and add
their strength score. If the roll is high than the attackers original roll, the defender can move
normally. The attacker may not move if they have a grabbed target. They may break the grab at any
point in their turn with no roll necessary.
Powers
Powers are special attacks and abilities that the bionicle possess. Powers come in two types:
elemental and non-elemental. Only one power can be used per turn.
Most powers require the bionicle using the power to roll to check if they have the required focus to
use it. This is a D20+ the bionicle’s will score. If the roll beats the required score, the bionicle can use
the power. If the roll does not the power cannot be used.
Powers have action types. A power with the passive action type is active unless a different power is
used, although a bionicle may have multiple passive powers, only one of each can be active at a
time. Passive powers do not require a will roll. A power with the minor action type needs a will roll
to activate but does not otherwise affect a bionicle’s amount of actions (although they still can’t use
another power). A power with the full action type means that an attack cannot be used in the same
turn.
Elemental powers
A bionicle with access to element powers can make use of them in place of attacking. Each element
has a variety of powers, and although a bionicle may have access to that element, he may not know
all of the powers within that element, they are usually brought separately. Each power can be
thought of as a way in which the bionicle has learnt to make use of that element.
Rock Powers
Fire Powers
Power name:
Cost:
Effect:
Willpower roll:
Action type
Fire Blast
8 Widgets
A ranged attack of range 200cm at strength 12, dealing fire damage.
15
Full
Power name:
Cost:
Effect:
Ablaze
14 Widgets
Until the users next turn, any bionicle that attempts to attack the user in
melee loses takes a hit at strength 8 (no skill roll required, though the
toughness roll is still made), dealing fire damage.
18
Minor
Willpower roll:
Action type
Weapons and Tools
Weapons and tools are equipment a bionicle can use to augment their current abilities. Some
provide powers and some have other abilities or bonuses.
Tools and weapons also have types, which restrict who they can be used by.
Name:
Effect:
Cost:
Type:
Combat staff
The user has +3 strength when making melee attacks.
2
Toa
Weapon and tool upgrades
Some weapons and tools have upgrades. These upgrades can be applied to a single weapon. You
may buy the same upgrade multiple times and apply it to multiple weapons and tools and you may
buy multiple upgrades and apply them to the same weapon or tool, but you may not apply the same
upgrade to the same tool multiple times.
Masks
Masks have a variety of effects, some do not (mechanically) have any, others have powers which
require will rolls to activate and are used in place of attacks. Some even require the continued
concentration of the user, unable them to do anything else for several turns whilst the mask is in
use.
Masks come in 3 types: powerless, noble and great. Powerless masks are not listed here; they have
no power or effect in game but appear identical to their great or noble counterparts. Some mask
lack noble versions.
Noble and great masks, like powers, require a willpower roll to activate. Like powers, masks have
action types, which work in the same way.
Name:
Great mask cost:
Great mask effect:
Action type:
KauKau
0
Water breathing (nothing mechanically)
Passive
Building an Army
Currently, there are no real armies (though the defenders of Metru Nui and the Dark Hunters are
intended). Usually battles will have a set widget limit and these widgets can be used to purchase
units and upgrades, powers and tools for the..
Units
Toa Cost: 75 Widgets
Base Ability Scores:
Strength
Agility
Skill
Toughness
Will
Speed
Life
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Each score can be increased at the cost of five Widgets per point of score increase, to a max of 16 for
all scores.
Each Toa must choose an element, the Toa gains +6 toughness against attacks that deal damage of
this type and can buy elemental powers of that type. Toa can also buy elemental powers from that
element. The available elements to Toa are:
Fire
Water
Rock
Air
Ice
Earth
Gravity
Sonics
Psionics
Lightning
Magnetism
Iron
Plasma
Plantlife
It should be noted that toa of Water, Lightning and Psionics are female.
Toa must also purchase a single great mask at the cost listed in the masks section. The Toa may also
buy as many other noble and great masks as they wish.
The Toa may buy up to two weapons or tools of the Matoran or the Toa type at the costs listed in
the weapons and tools section.