[REVIEW]: 70785 Pohatu Master of Stone

[Aanchir]

Good review but I am very displeased with the new pohatu. He was my favorite in the original and nuva groups. His mask is great. His colors aren't bad. In fact, his overall appearance isn't bad. My complaint? His feet. I miss the one thing that made pohatu awesome, his unique feet. I would be ok with all the change had they made his feet large and unique like the old ones. I realize this isn't the first time this happened, but still. Am I the only person that feels this way? And I still feel like the new mask powers are lazy compared to the old. Other than that, I love the new sets.

On one hand, I loved Pohatu's special feet too. On the other hand, they were always a really weird concept for a weapon, and one that didn't make a whole lot of sense outside the context of that set's kicking function. What's more, Pohatu's current feet are really big and powerful-looking on their own, so an add-on to make them look even bigger and more powerful-looking might be overkill. Perhaps there could have been some kind of solution for them, but it's a problem I've struggled with in my own Toa redesigns/revamps, so I'm not sure if the LEGO Group could have come up with any really sensible solution of their own.

It's worth mentioning that he can attach his boomerangs to his feet, and the animations actually show him wearing this way while he walks, with the "wings" pointed forward. It's different from his classic foot attachments, but it might be an acceptable substitute depending on your personal preference.

[Skaionex]

On one hand, I loved Pohatu's special feet too. On the other hand, they were always a really weird concept for a weapon, and one that didn't make a whole lot of sense outside the context of that set's kicking function. What's more, Pohatu's current feet are really big and powerful-looking on their own, so an add-on to make them look even bigger and more powerful-looking might be overkill. Perhaps there could have been some kind of solution for them, but it's a problem I've struggled with in my own Toa redesigns/revamps, so I'm not sure if the LEGO Group could have come up with any really sensible solution of their own.

It's worth mentioning that he can attach his boomerangs to his feet, and the animations actually show him wearing this way while he walks, with the "wings" pointed forward. It's different from his classic foot attachments, but it might be an acceptable substitute depending on your personal preference.

True, and I see your point but it was my favorite thing about pohatu and really what led me to love him in the first place so I'm sad to see it go. I've seen a great MoC on deviantart of his feet that makes them unique but not awkward. Sadly, my favorite toa from the originals has become my 4th this time around. Only lewa and onua (the later I've never liked) are lower on my list. But at least my other two favorites, gali and kopaka, are spectacular. And tahu surprised me this go around too.

[EVO97]

I picked up Pohatu and the Protector of Stone today. They looked really nice together on my desk. Brown was always one of my favorite classic Bionicle colors, and I'm really glad to see it's return, though I will miss yellow. It would have been nice if the feet could have been dark orange to match the torso armor and mask, but it is still easy to tell what the primary color is. I also like the neon green bones, they work well with the dark orange IRL. Hopefully the summer wave will be this good.

[Crescent Rain]

Nice review. Among the toa Pohatu definitely looks like the best for someone to get into, not that that's a bad thing. I wish they could've done something about his back, but given his namesake's speed motif it makes sense to keep him on the lighter side.

[NKD]

Nice review. Among the toa Pohatu definitely looks like the best for someone to get into, not that that's a bad thing. I wish they could've done something about his back, but given his namesake's speed motif it makes sense to keep him on the lighter side.

I think they just call them the masks of [element type here], and the only ones that retain the powers are Gali, and Lewa, so it's still a little confusing. Also, in the spread that came with the latest Lego magazine, they characterized his powers as breaking/throwing rocks, and strength, so, as sad as it is, i don't think he has speed anymore...

Edited January 3, 2015 by NKD

[LegendaryArticuno]

I'm shocked that the piece count is lower than one of the protectors... Overall not a fan of 2015 Pohatu, an easy skip for me.

[One Very Agile Cat]

I'm shocked that the piece count is lower than one of the protectors... Overall not a fan of 2015 Pohatu, an easy skip for me.

Is piece count even still a thing with non-system sets? I mean, yeah the pice count is lower, but they're bigger pieces in a bigger set. You act like less pieces equals less set.

[LegendaryArticuno]

Is piece count even still a thing with non-system sets? I mean, yeah the pice count is lower, but they're bigger pieces in a bigger set. You act like less pieces equals less set.

You realize Pohatu is missing around 20 pieces... that's pretty significant! Piece count shouldn't be the defining factor of a set, but it definitely matters to an extent.

Generally, the Toa will have similar piece counts used to construct the gearbox and skeleton, so any extra pieces are allocated to adding more details, building a unique frame, or at least get thrown into making a more interesting weapon. Main reason why I don't like Pohatu as much as the others are mainly the colours and design don't appeal to me at all. Without the added value of getting a high piece count, there's no real incentive for me to pick up this set.

[MakutaDreadscythe]

I feel a way to improve the look is to lengthen the lower legs by one module (using a larger silver shell) and replace the trans-bones with black. Though this does arguably remove a colour from the colour scheme it matches his animation model much closer.

[TheDesuComplex]

I feel a way to improve the look is to lengthen the lower legs by one module (using a larger silver shell) and replace the trans-bones with black. Though this does arguably remove a colour from the colour scheme it matches his animation model much closer.

That's what I did with mine, although I used dark grey bones. I think those bones work far better with brighter colors (like Dark Orange, White, etc.).

[Blast]

I think this set could have been a lot better.

He still looks very good and is among my favorites along the new Toa designs but he really needs more Brown Shells and Gold would have been a better secondary colour scheme.

Also I wish they kept the Kicking Leg mechanism as a Throwback to the original Pohatu.

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

I think this set could have been a lot better.

He still looks very good and is among my favorites along the new Toa designs but he really needs more Brown Shells and Gold would have been a better secondary colour scheme.

Also I wish they kept the Kicking Leg mechanism as a Throwback to the original Pohatu.

I've made an attempt at a kicking Pohatu: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127192117@N04/16247326196/in/photostream/

Unfortunately, even by making a completely custom torso, his body still looks odd to say the least, so I can see why LEGO shied away from implementing his original gimmick.

[Leewan]

Gold would have been a better secondary colour scheme.

I think silver works better with tr. neon green than gold...

I've made an attempt at a kicking Pohatu: https://www.flickr.c...in/photostream/

Not bad. x)

I bought him today (finally my first G2 set, hooray !), I like him, more than expected. The only thing I didn't like is the position of the piston add-ons, so I attached them on the lower legs like on this mod.

[Soaring Strawberry]

Nice review! I have to say I haven't forgotten about Lego's fascination with silver; seeing it return such that a character has mostly silver isn't as appealing as it was back in 2002. I'm thinking when I get pohatu + PoS I might try swapping out some of the silver on his legs for brown to see if I like it better (and if I do I might get a second PoS! but that's after I get the other toa of course)

[Shakar]

Got Pohatu today, I can't say how the completed set is because I immediately built him following my planned mods (which are fairly heavy), but I can comment on some of the set's individual elements. I already posted my thoughts on the set in this topic a while ago anyway.

-I really like the dark orange and tr. neon green pieces (on their own and as a colour combination). Very vibrant and powerful, I don't miss classic brown (which I never liked much anyway) or orange.

-Like with Tahu and Gali, the chest printing is gorgeous. As much as I'd like to see another chest armour piece in 2016, I can't help but want more of these designs, they're just amazing.

-The boomerangs are a bit bigger than I thought and they look odd, but they are still fun, well designed and unique.

-The new Kakama is awesome, I wish wish it had bigger eye holes. The eye glow is nearly impossible to notice. The Hau has the same problem- of the 3 Toa I own, only Gali with her mask got it right.

[Logan McOwen]

I wish wish it had bigger eye holes. The eye glow is nearly impossible to notice.

See, this is a problem I've notice across the board with the Toa's masks. It's really strange.

[Shakar]

Yeah.. it really annoys me. I guess that the green eyes are a bit more visible since that colour is one of those fluorescent (I think that's the correct term?) ones, while tr. light blue is not (tr. medium blue, 01 Kopaka's eye colour, is).

But, still, the eye holes just aren't big enough, which is a pity since 1. I adore every single one of the new masks and 2. The eyeglow was really really visible in the -gasp- HF sets. Aside from the Kaukau (and believe the Pakari, but I don't own Onua yet), the masks have tiny eyeholes.

[Logan McOwen]

I can confirm that Onua's eyeholes are tiny, mainly because his mask is. However, because it is so small, there's a lot more room at the back of the head to hit the brainstalk and illuminate the eyes. All the rest, par the Mask Of Ice, largely cover the back of the brainstalk, channelling less light to the eyes. With the HF Heroes, the whole of the back of the head was translucent, which allowed more area for light to hit. Now we've only got piddly lil brainstalks, eyeglow is harder to achieve when the top of the head is largely covered.

Edited February 18, 2015 by LewiMOC