Hi all!
Some of you may recall the Kualus I built back in 2018 for the G1 Toa Teams Community MOC Project.
With a rebuild, refinement and an update in order to fit with the new rules, my old, fluffy bird boy is back and better than ever!
This version plays off the fact that the Toa Hagah each had an affinity for a different kind of rahi. Kualus in particular had a love for flying rahi, and I wanted to integrate that into his design.
For the purposes of this contest, my submission is the digital version of this MOC, made in Stud.io.
I’ve included shots of a physical prototype as well, but as that one does not have full colour parity with the digital version it’s just to help with the breakdown shot, height comparison, and to show some poses more realistically.
A full instructions PDF with a parts catalogue is also available below.
For the purposes of permissions:
I give consent for my mask to be altered in the final group art if the artist chooses: YES
Though I would still recommend something similar to this design. I like the downward angles and the cheek guards he has in common with Norik and Iruini. He could definitely do without the second face on the back of his head though…
I give consent for my metallic color choice to be altered in the final group art if the artist chooses: YES but…
Please don’t go silver. I believe he needs that bit of extra contrast with a darker or different metal colour to stand out from other toa of ice.
I give consent for my spear tip to be altered in the final group art if the artist chooses: YES
But it’d be cool if he could still remove it and store it on his person 
Entry Image:
Height Comparison & Breakdown
Staff length equal to Iruini’s but held at a different point.
See below for full digital instructions.
Rahaga Kualus’ staff could send high-pitched signals to flying rahi. I interpreted this as his toa tool having a similar function - he can play it like a flute!
Technically the spear tip doesn’t need removing for this but it does look better this way. It can store on his back.
Stud.io file:
Bricklink vanilla colours:
Gringat's Kualus.io - Google Drive
Colorpack colours:
Digital Instructions (PDF):
Steps 4 and 51 are entirely optional additions more for the purposes of play and posing than being integral to the MOC.
Credits:
SwampKryakwa’s Biopack
SwampKryakwa’s Colorpack (gunmetal would be impossible without it!)
@Vahki6’s model of part 58230, used with his permission, can be found in his Stud.io files for Kualus and Bomonga found here!
Also kudos to him for helping me implement the part. I never knew you could copy custom parts from one Stud.io file to another.
Bionicle Liminal Spaces (provided by Vahkiti), used for entry image.
