Transformers RPG (No Frills Version)

8/11/2019 Transformers RPG (No Frills Version)

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What's a Roleplaying Game?

This is the obligatory introduction that explains !hat roleplaying games (-Ps) are to the uninitiated. If

you/re already familiar !ith -Ps, feel free to s%ip this page (unless you happen to en'oy dissertations). 0o!eer, if

youre ne! to this gaming thing, its a good idea to read this so the rest of this stuff !ill ma%e sense.

-oleplaying (-P) is pretending. That/s it in a nutshell. 1eyond all the rules and dice, roleplaying is someonepretending to be someone or something else. If you eer ran around as a %id and pretended to be a Transformer, .I

2oe, super hero, co!boy or !hateer, youe roleplayed. In a roleplaying game, the players assume the role of

characters in an imaginary setting. The game master (%no!n as the Controller in this game) deelops this imaginary

!orld and eeryone and eerything in it & except the player characters, !hich players create and control. The

Controller sets the stage, upon !hich players act out the roles of their characters. Together, the player characters tell

stories and create legends.

Why Play This?

The same may be as%ed of any hobby or pastime & !e do it because it/s fun. 3ometimes it/s nice to get a!ay

from the humdrum of eeryday life, and be a hero, a brooding igilante, or (!hat !ere doing here) a Transformer.

-oleplaying lets us do that. 4e transcend mundane limitations and flex our imaginations in !ays that other forms of

entertainment don/t allo!.

5ost forms of entertainment aren/t ery interactie. 4hen !e go to the theater or !atch T6, !e let others

tell us stories and gie us information. 0o!eer, !e cant meaningfully interact !ith the characters on the screen (useof psychoacties aside). 6ideo games aren/t much better 4e can only control the characters in predetermined !ays.

5ost of the time this inoles %illing, and thats about it. In those games !here you can do other things, li%e tal% to

game characters or sole pu$$les, all this is coded into the game7 you can/t enter your o!n dialogue or alter the !ay

the game interacts !ith you. (5ultiplayer games are no exception to this rule & !hen you chat on 4orld of 4arcraft

or use teamspea% on 0alo -each, youre interacting !ith other people and are still confined to acting in the game

through limited rules.) 1oo%s and !ritten stories engage the imagination more than T6 or computer games, but still

they arent dynamic. They proide setting, plot, characters and so on, and !e use our minds to isuali$e them. 1ut

you hae no control oer the story or !hat the characters7 all this is determined by the author. Though good stories

dra! you in and allo! you to experience the setting through the characters, you can/t act through them. +ll these

forms of entertainment arepassive consumption.

1ut !hen you roleplay you/re an activepart of the story. +s an +utobot you can attempt to ma%e peace

!ith the 8ecepticons instead of ma%ing pieces of them, play 3tarscream and successfully !restle leadership a!ay

from 5egatron, play rimloc% as the cunning and brutal !arlord he !as meant to be (and not the annoying dumbass

from the cartoon), een ma%e up your o!n Transformer. The possibilities here are endless. Ie al!ays !anted to beable to tell my o!n stories !ith the Transformers, to %no! !hat its li%e to be a robot, transform into a 'et or explore

Cybertron. This game allo!s me to do that, and I hope it inspires you other fans as !ell.

There are rules to consider !hen playing this game (discussed belo!), but een !ithin these rules you hae

almost limitless freedom. The Controller creates the !orld and allo!s players to deelop and explore this imaginary

unierse through their characters. Together, she and the players create episodes as they interact !ith the game !orld

and play off one another. This hobby, I feel, is more conducie to creatiity and imagination than any other form of

entertainment. 1ut I admit my bias.

+lso, roleplaying game is a social medium. It inoles at least t!o people (a Controller and a player, though

three to fie players is ideal in my experience), and re9uires that the participants interact !ith each other. Other than

roleplaying, the participants tal%, 'o%e, cultiate friendships outside the game, and consume copious 9ualities of 'un%

food. +nything that encourages positie social interaction is, in my mind, + ood Thing.

What's Up With All These Rules and Dice?That/s a fair 9uestion. It all boils do!n to fairness.

-emember !hen you used to play:pretend as a child, either !ith toys or acting out the game yourself;


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arguments. This is !here game rules and dice come into play. -ules put limitations on characters, and define !hat

they can and can/t do & people can/t ma%e up po!ers on the spot and ruin eerything. 8ice are used to determine the

results of actions that hae a probability of failure, and the rolls are based on the capabilities of the character (unli%e

arbitrary methods such as coin tosses or roc%:paper:scissors). Characters hae adantages and disadantages,

depending on their stats The bigger and stronger your character the more punishment he can dish out and shrug off,

!hile smart characters learn faster and sole problems. ame mechanics and dice rolls simulate character aptitudes,

ho! hard a particular tas% is, and ho! much damage a particular !eapon does. They also help players isuali$e their

characters7 so instead of a character being this nebulous being that can potentially do anything or nothing, a one !ithset strengths and !ea%nesses becomes more real and personali$ed.

Though rules are important, it/s more important to understand that rules aren/t the game itself & unli%e

board games, po%er, chess or other such games, in !hich the game is defined by its rules. 5ost of the time you spend

playing Transformersis narration, and character sheets and dice don/t come into play.


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Character CreationPlayers hae build points & build, for short & !ith !hich to buy attributes, forms and assets for their robots.

+ttributes cost A build each & so an Intellect of B costs B build. 3%ills are bought separately !ith s%ill points, e9ual to

Intellect x D. DF build reflects an "aerage# Cybertronian thats been on Earth for a short time, relatiely inexperi:

enced but competent.


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En rg n

+ll Cybertronians hae Energon, proided by internal fusion reactors that regenerate Energon and proide

po!er. Energon points allo! you to actiate certain assets and to heal damage. The bigger you are (i.e., the more

5ass you hae) the more po!er you can hold and the harder it is to affect !ith you E5P attac%s, %noc%do!n attac%s

and the li%e. 1ut big Transformers need more Energon and recoer it slo!ly.

-obots can freely trade Energon bet!een them and can tap friendly Energon batteries, but they cant steal

Energon from one another !ithout the 3iphon asset.Spending nergon:p to D Energon points may be spent per phase7 Energon 3urge allo!s you to exceed

this rate. 3pending Energon is a reflexie action.

nergon Capait. "/0 , #ass&:The maximum number of Energon points you can contain at a time is AF L

5ass. (The -eseres asset can increase this.)

nergon 1eover. "/* - #ass&:


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Skills

3%ills are learned abilities, as opposed to inherent 9ualities or built:in assets. Cybertronians learn ery much

as humans do, through practice and experience. If youre smart (read high Intellect), you learn s%ills more readily.

3cience s%ills are particularly aluable, as they allo! Transformers to research assets and upgrade themseles oer

the course of the game.

Linked ttrib'tes:+ll s%ill tests are either Intellect or 5obility tests, !ith the s%ill in 9uestion added to the

test. 3o learning a ne! language re9uires an Intellect L Jinguistics test. The attribute thats listed !ith a s%ill reflectsthe most common use of that s%ill. 0o!eer, alternatie uses are possible7 examining a !eapon for 9uality !ould fall

under Intellect rather than 5obility, and !ould use an Intellect L Targeting test. Expertly handling a dangerous

concoction might fall under 5obility L Chemistry. +nd threatening someone !ith sheer bul% may call for 5ass L

Persuasion, probably the only time 5ass !ould be used in a test. 1ut the default attribute listed for a s%ill !ill

probably be used for most tests that come up.

Charater Creation:


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2ilot (#obilit.< or speial+:This is your ability to fly and perform aerial maneuers, either !hile flying or

controlling a flying ehicle. Pilot is also used for space trael. +crobatic flying, aoiding structures and other craft and

the similar feats re9uire Pilot tests. For games in which Transformers can shrink and expand as they transform, like in the cartoon and comic books, see the MassShift asset on pg. 20.

!uildin" the #ormssets:+lternate forms normally hae the same attributes as your robot form (5ass and Intellect al!ays

remain constant), they but dont hae its assets. Exceptions are noted for assets that offer partial benefits to other

forms (li%e -einforcement or Temper) or assets that apply to all forms (li%e Efficiency and 3ealed 3ystem).

+ll forms (!hether pic%ed up during character creation or in play) hae one free asset, appropriate to its

configuration. Choose from the follo!ing list +cceleration , +cceleration A (Off:-oad), -einforcement , Kautics ,

Glight , and Glight A (6TOJ). +dditional assets for that form must be gained ia upgrades or build points.

nless stated other!ise, assets must be bought per form, and an assets benefits only apply to that form.

Gor example, you can buy +cceleration for your car form, but you dont go that fast as a robot unless you purchase

that asset for it as !ell. Exceptions to this rule exist, and are noted under those assets.

2akage !iso'nt: +n asset you hae for one form can be built into an alternate form at half the normal

upgrade success cost (rounded up), up to the original asset rating.

Sideswipe has Acceleration 4 in his car form. Acceleration 2 for robot form would only cost him 5 upgrade

success levels (not 1!" and Acceleration 4 would only cost 1 success.


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?orm 1estritions:3pecial restrictions can be bought for a form to reduce its total build (1) or asset upgrade

() cost, to a minimum of F (basically, a free form). Examples include reduced 5obility (:A1N:B per point reduced,

maximum : penalty or rating of A), no land moement (:A1N:B), immobile (:D1N:AB), and unearthly form (:A1N:B).

Charater Creation:If you hae a rating of at least A in the Transform s%ill, you get one alternate form for

free at character generation (in addition to robot form). Theres a build cost of A for eery additional form pic%ed up

during character creation, but you cant hae more extra forms than your rating in Transform7 see pg. * for more on

the Transform s%ill. These forms get the free asset, as described aboe.

Learning Ne3 ?orms:


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Ass ts

+ssets reflect the special capabilities of Cybertronians. They arent learned li%e s%ills or inherent li%e

attributes7 they reflect hard!are and soft!are specific to the character. Kot eeryone has heay armor plating, or a

po!erful plasma cannon, or internal radar. +ssets offer characters distinct adantages, and means by !hich they can

be distinct. Ironhides tough armor, 3%y!arps teleportation, Optimus Primals biological gorilla form, 1lac%outs

energy attac% at the 3OCCEKT +ir 1ase, een flight and driing speed & all these are assets.

These assets arent the only ones. This list is pretty long, but its not exhaustie, and it doesnt reflect all thepo!ers seen in toy tech specs, cartoons and other media. Geel free to come up !ith your o!n assets, using !hats

here as guidelines7 if it needs to be said, all homebre!ed creations hae to be approed by the Controller.

'amples of assets are offered in this font" using both eisting #ransformers and made$up ones. )haracters

from multiple continuities are used" which can get confusing" as there are multiple versions of many characters

floating around out there. So the following tags denote which continuity from which a given character hails* +1 ,

+eneration -ne /A , the live action movies 0 , 0east ars. obots with the additional tag 30 are homebrews"

meaning they are author creations and dont eist in any continuity.

Charater Creation:8uring character creation you buy assets !ith build points. +n asset costs its rating in

build, or build for closed assets. +t least a third of your build points (AF out of DF for the aerage build) should be

inested in assets. Ko asset can start !ith a rating higher than B. 3ee character creation, pg. ?.

sset ffets:+ssets are listed !ith their game effects. 3ome offer passie effects, re9uiring no tests or

actiation and are continually actie7 examples include Temper (adds to -esistance) and -eseres (increases Energon

capacity). Other assets are actie, !hich means you must a conscious decision to use them7 you may hae to spend

Energon, andNor ma%e tests, to use them. Each asset is !ritten !ith the rules for its use. 4hile youre limited by yourrating, you can al!ays opt to dial do!n your effect If you hae 5unitions D, you can create a land mine thats less

damaging7 but to create a more po!erful one, you need to upgrade 5unitions.

The asset descriptions are brief and coer normal use and conditions. Pages could be deoted to coering

alternate uses for assets, special circumstances and the li%e, and it still not come close to being airtight. 4hat

happens !hen you use an energy !eapon under!ater; (Gire !ould probably be extinguished, !hile electricity could

hae a radius effect.) 4hat %ind of 6TOJ flight can be used in outer space; + Controller !ill hae to ad'udicate asset

effects, een during standard use of those po!ers7 better to %eep asset descriptions open:ended, and not tie hands

!ith lots of special case rules.

1ated and Closed ssets:5ost assets hae ratings (li%e attributes and s%ills), !hich reflects the adantage

they offer E5P +ttac% B is more potent than E5P +ttac% A, for instance.

Caps +ll assets hae caps, and can/t be improed beyond this rating. Ko asset may exceed AF. 3ome assets

hae lo!er caps7 many of such cases are limited by 5ass (since smaller Transformers hae less space for components,

generators and the li%e), !hile other assets 'ust hae flat caps. +ssets !ith special rules for caps !ill list them7 if no

cap is specifically listed, it/s AF. (The AF cap doesn/t apply to Cybertronian craft, bases or certain KPCs.)8istribution 3ome assets hae an asset rating that must be diided bet!een different 9ualities7 youll see

this setup !ith !eapons particularly, but seeral other po!ers as !ell. Gor example, Energy +ttac% creates an attac%

!ith the base effect damage A, range AFF yards7 if you hae Energy +ttac% D, you can hae the follo!ing possible

combinations, depending ho! you choose to diy up your asset rating 8amage ?, range AFF yds7 dam D, FF yds7

dam , DFF yds7 dam A, ?FF yds.


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@pgrades:+ll assets are gained and improed through upgrades, they dont adance on their o!n. The s%ill

tag tells you !hat s%ill is used in !hen upgrading that asset. 3ee upgrades, pg. D?.

1esearh: The Controller decides !hat assets are aailable at character creation, appropriate to the game

she !ants to run. 1ut some assets re9uire adanced technology and scientific adancement, and may not be aailable

until successfully researched7 the Controller decides the success leel needed. Once thats happened, that asset can

be built into you or another Transformer normally. 3ee -esearch, pg. D.

Limitation:


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Asset Descriptions+ brief description of the po!ers Transformers hae.

Cap:The assets maximum rating7 no asset rating may exceed AF, een if the listed cap is higher.

AS Closed asset.

">&S denotes the Energon cost for that asset, !ith M denoting the number.

+ssets in rimsonreduce your Energon recoery by A.

Kumbers in steel gra.is the total success leel needed to successfully research the asset.

Accelerationngineering


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!allistic AttackTaken per 3eapon or attak modeE ngineering

1allistic !eapons include bullets, shells, launched blades, rail guns and other physical pro'ectiles. They hae

the adantage of energy:efficiency and superior range, though many opponents and ob'ects are resistant to %inetic

damage. 1ase effect inetic damage , range DFF yds.


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#ired of not being able to hit anything" but too obstinate to train his firearms skills" #riggerhappy (+1! has

the conniving 0lowpipe as a cyborg symbiote. 0lowpipe transforms into the #argetmasters compressed air cannon

and gives him 0allistic Attack 2 (on top of the upgrades the 7ecepticon has invested in that weapon!.

!io"ratCap *E ;iolog.

Considered bi$arre by Transformers and humans ali%e, 1iograft combines Cybertronian technology !ith

biological life to create a hybrid being= enerally, this asset inoles liing tissue being grafted oer parts of the body

!hile circuitry and internal components remain intact, though bone and other tissues might be used for some parts.


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personality and moties (success F), introduce hidden programs alaThe 5anchurian Candidate (success AB), damage

the data associated !ith programs (deleting points in certain "non:physical# assets) (success AF per point), actiate

the "pain# receptors in your sub'ect (thus allo!ing torture), introduce iral programs (success AF) and the li%e.

0o!eer, you can also use -eprogram to undo others reprogramming (negating their success leels by the ones you

attain), a beneficial use of this abusie po!er7 if your sub'ect cooperates !ith your efforts, your test target is F and

his Intellect isnt added to the target.

Scramble"/&$-e9uires Telecyonics.


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Propellant + flammable li9uid, usually sprayed as its ignited & a flamethro!er, basically. Each flaming dose

does t!o points of energy (fire) damage on the first phase, and half that (rounded up) per phase for three phases

(-educed by -esistance)7 spray and splatter attac%s inflict A 3tructure per dose to all in the area, and A per phase

thereafter. Of course, you can choose not to ignite the propellant and leae the possibility as an open threat...

Jubricant This creates pools of oil, or perhaps fast:free$ing ice slic%s. The idea is to ma%e your enemy fall,

slide out of control or other!ise foul up. On each phase he remains !ithin the lubricant, the ictim must ma%e an

+thletics test to remain on his feet or a 8rie test to retain control !hile driing. One dose blasted directly on the

ground creates a small slic% that sets a target of AB for these tests7 each additional dose increases the target by B.

3platter and spray attac%s spread the lubricant thinner and so reduce the target by B (so its easier for those in contact

to maintain control), but they affect a much greater area.

3uppressant This sort of chemical suppresses something, as you might imagine7 usually fire, but electricity

and radiation are other possibilities. The chemical reduces energy damage of the targeted type by ? points per dose,

or points per dose for sprays and splatters7 this is cumulatie. The energy damage or effect must be ongoing to be

targeted for suppressants7 once a plasma cannon blast has ta%en off ones arm, its too late to try and counter it. This

sort of chemical is best used for putting out fires, clearing an area of radiation, and so forth.

DiisionAE ngineeringE reF'ires #ass 4< Intellet *< TransformG


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)iciency2h.sis

Each point inested in this asset reduces your effectie 5ass for purposes of Energon staration, though

this asset can only grant you a minimum effectie 5ass e9ual to half your actual 5ass (round up). Efficiency applies

to all forms.

)MP AttackTaken per 3eapon or attak modeE "/&E 2h.sis

E5P (electromagnetic pulse) attac%s dont inflict 3tructure damage, but temporarily disable Transformers

and other machines. 1ase effect -ange AFF yds, resist target AB. -ating points are split bet!een range (LBF yds. per

point inested) and the resist target for Energon 3aes (LA per point inested). + robot hit by this attac% must ma%e

an Energon 3ae against the resist target + successful sae means theres no effect7 a failed sae means the target is

rendered inactie for the duration of the phase and must ma%e an Energon 3ae each successie phase (same target)

to reactiate. Earth electronics suffer a :B penalty to saes, and shut do!n until manually rebooted or repaired7 some

sensitie items may een be destroyed. Each extra Energon point pumped into an E5P attac% increases the resist

target by A, to a maximum of LB.

E5P attac%s are basic actions unless stated other!ise, and follo! the normal rules for attac%s.

StarscreamEs (+1! null ray is one of an array of attacks in his arsenal" and he often uses it to debilitate

particularly tough enemies before missile and cluster bomb strikes. '% Attack B* range & yds" save target 1@.

)ner"on Re"enerationCap *E 2h.sis

Each point inested increases your daily Energon recoery by A. This asset can be used to offset reduced

Energon recoery imposed by other assets (such as 8iision, Glight and 4arp). Efficiency applies to all forms.

)ner"on $ur"eCap 4E 2h.sis

Transformers can normally only spend D Energon per phase.


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ersistent amage$


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#li"htngineering

&< ngineeringE reF'ires Integrate

estalt technology allo!s seeral Transformers to merge. + popular use of this asset is forming a large and

po!erful robot, though it can as easily allo! t!o or more Cybertronians to combine into a large ehicle, !eapons

platform or a structure, or for a smaller robot to attach to a larger one. The follo!ing rules are complex, and

Controllers may need to fudge or t!ea% them for the sa%e of logic or simplicity. Each member of the gestalt must

hae this asset and the Integrate asset.

5ass doesnt scale linearly, so to determine the gestalts final 5ass, use the 5ass of the largest component

Transformer as a base and add half the 5ass of the other robots. +nything aboe 5ass A defaults to A. +erage the

5obility and Intellect ratings of the component robots (though 5ass may cap 5obility). (+ll these aerages and

diisions are rounded do!n.) The gestalt has access to the s%ills of its component robots, but the only s%ills that come

into play relate directly to its function + giant !arbot !ould hae Close Combat, Easion, Initiatie and Targeting7

mean!hile, a gestalt space shuttle !ould hae Kaigation, Pilot, and possibly Targeting. These are the aerages of the

component robots s%ill ratings (remember to factor in $eros), round do!n. Gor purposes of Energon staration, a

gestalt has current Energon e9ual to the sum of its component parts7 other than this, the great machine has noEnergon stats of its o!n.

+ gestalt is a separate form, one composed of seeral robots, and assets are purchased for it as such. The

simplest !ay to do this is to pool each players upgrade test success leels to!ard building the gestalt (and eeryone

should chip in) and then spend from that pool. Kormally, the only assets aailable are ones someone in the gestalt

group has7 so if no one has E5P +ttac%, then the gestalt cant get it. 0o!eer, Controllers may ma%e exceptions here

& Vua%e is easy to 'ustify for a big robot, for instance, een if no one has that asset. Pac%age discounts apply7 use the

most faorable rating in the group for determining asset costs and caps (the highest -einforcement, best !eapon,

etc.) estalts should hae assets appropriate to their configurations and functions 4ar gestalts typically hae big

!eapons, -einforcement, -adiating 1last and the li%e7 huge ehicles should hae +cceleration and related subassets

and -einforcement7 aircraft !ill possess Glight (possibly supersonic) and li%ely -adar. +ll the players should hae some

input into the giant, !ith helpful oersight from the Controller. Certain assets arent applicable to or appropriate for

gestalts7 these include Efficiency, Energon -egeneration, 1iograft, 8iision and Jo! 3ignature7 any asset that doesnt

fit the concept can be red:lined by the Controller.

estalts are expensie and not deployed !astefully. + number of Energon e9ual to half the total 5ass ofthe gestalt (rounded up) must be spent to form it7 this cost is met by component robots as players choose. This cost

must be paid each t!ele hours the gestalt form is retained. If this cost isnt spent, the gestalt cant be maintained

and 9uic%ly collapses. Kote that component robots do notrecoer Energon !hile part of the gestalt.

+estalts in play*The amalgamated robot doesnt hae a mind or identity of its o!n, but a rudimentary form

of intelligence and collectie memory. The aeraged Intellect and s%ill ratings of its sum parts are used !hen tests are

necessary. The gestalts decision:ma%ing ability is a compromise of the minds that form it & eery choice is made by

committee. +t the beginning of each phase, all players !rite do!n (or text) their "otes# for !hat the gestalt should

do next, and gie them to the Controller. The Controller tallies the otes, and the gestalt acts on the !ishes of the

ma'ority. 3o if most of the group !ants to fire at an enemy, then thats !hat the big guy does. 3ometimes different


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directions can be gien to no bad end (attac%ing !hile bac%ing up is doable), but ties that inole conflicting directies

means the gestalt does nothing or acts at random. +t no point during the time the gestalt is formed should players

discuss battle strategy or confirm otes7 they can only ote and !itness the results, but cant metagame their gestalt

into effectieness. This is the essential !ea%ness of gestalt robots The internal conflicts of its team members can

compromise its effectieness. It !ould sere a group !ell to hae a game plan and learn to !or% intuitiely as a team

before they go a:merging.

+olo"ram2h.sis


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&ockAE ngineering

-e9uires a ranged !eapon. + successful 3can test allo!s you to loc% onto an enemy !ithin sensor range

(including Enhanced 3ensors, Enhanced Optics, -adar and 3onar). Once loc%ed on, you can fire at that enemy !ith no

range penalties, as long as its !ithin maximum !eapon range (xB basic range). Targets !ill be alerted by internal

sensors that you hae a loc% on them, and can choose to brea% the loc% by confounding your sensors7 this re9uires a

8rie or Pilot test (B).

&o, $i"natureCap *E 2h.sis

Jo! 3ignature diffuses your Energon signature, ma%ing it more difficult to detect or read you. Its rating is

added to the targets of Energon signature 3can tests directed at you or that target the area youre in, including

Enhanced 3ensors and -adar. * %ass B" %obility 4" range 2 yards. 3e can control tons of ferrous metal or magnetic

metal parts at a time" with some skill.

Mass $hitAE /E 2h.sis

This asset allo!s you to transform into a smaller or larger form by displacing your 5ass into subspace or

dra!ing from it to become larger.


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4hen you transform into a form !ith 5ass 3hift, you temporarily adopt the 5ass rating of that form.


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%eat Seekers$The missile automatically treats the nearest significant heat source as if you had used Joc%

on that target7 Cybertronians normally dont gie off the sort of heat that attracts these missiles, but they !ill if they

use thrusters, fire energy !eapons or produce a lot of friction.

Mode -on&ersion$


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ReseresCap *E 2h.sis

Each point in this asset increases your Energon capacity by 7 this benefit applies to all your forms, not

indiidually to each form.

$ealed $ystemsAE ngineering

&< 2h.sis


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!aes, depending on their density7 the range of the sonic attac% isnt absolute, simply the maximum range of effect.

3o a sonic attac% aimed at nearby buildings !ould shatter !indo!s and maybe een crac% the mortar, but !ont

simply pass through unimpeded to the other side.

3onic damage that gets through +rmor !ill blo! out audio sensors, though these can be restored through

autorepair in a minute or so7 someone a!are the attac% is coming can aoid this effect by shielding their sensors.

3onic +ttac%s can be heard for many miles beyond the area of effect.

3onic +ttac%s are effectie under!ater, but not in a acuum.

Blanket "ffect "%4&$


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*plication$ 'nergon per day (instead of ?!. 3owever" %agnus retains the Structure (5!" close combat damage (4!"

lifting power (%ass @!" 'nergon capacity (1@! and 'nergon save bonus ( for %obility (capped at 5!" 'nergon

starvation (at > 'nergon points!" and 'nergon recovery (B per day!. #he Autobot can never get any lighter than this"

heEs lighter and more efficient and not complaining at all.


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Syst ms

nder most circumstances, your Transformer can do !hat he !ants. 8riing, !al%ing, tal%ing and the li%e

happen !hen you say so. Ko need for game mechanics or die rolls. 5ost of the time spent playing Transformers !ill

inole this sort of actiity, and the systems presented in this chapter !ill ta%e a bac% seat to roleplaying.

0o!eer, !hen youre trying to do something that has a chance of failing, trying to act during a stressful

situation (such as combat), or !hen action is inoled, mechanics are used to resole the situation. -ules and die rolls

help determine !hat you can do and the conse9uences of your actions.!ie:+ll you need to play is a single t!enty:sided die (AdF). 4heneer a test roll is called for, you roll this.

In almost all cases, numeric modifiers are added to tests (more on this later). 3imply add the ad'ustments to

the total rolled on the dice. 3o, a test !ith a L* ad'ustment means your die is rolled and * is added to the result. It/s

al!ays better to roll high. Certain special case rolls may be called for !hich dont follo! this format or aren/t tests7

these exceptions are explained !hen they come up.

1o'nding:nless stated other!ise, fractional alues are rounded do!n If B is haled, it becomes . 1ut

fractions added together may become !hole numbers D.B counts as D, but D.B x S H. 4hen in doubt, the Controller

calls ho! something is rounded.

TestsThe testis the foundation of the system, allo!ing you (the player or Controller) to perform actions and

determine a characters success or failure, and degree thereof. assive actions(most of !hat one does in his day:to:

day existence) dont re9uire tests such things include !al%ing, tal%ing, driing and most other actiities. 0o!eer,

testshae a chance of failure, no matter ho! adept you are these include attac%s, transforming during combat,

putting together a demolished ally, and detecting ambushes. In such circumstances, a test is made to determine

success or failure of an attempt, and (if you succeed) to determine ho! successful you are. Een passie actions may

become tests in certain circumstances7 driing on a road is difficult for anyone to scre! up, but driing along a narro!

ledge !ould re9uire a test to determine if the you fall.

+ test is made by rolling a die (AdF) and applying releant ad'ustments to the result of the dice roll. This

final result is compared to a target number, and if the result e9uals or exceeds the target, you succeed. This basic rule

is further refined belo!, but if you understand this basic concept then you understand the games basics !ell enough

to play.

Ad.ustments+d'ustments modify the result on the die roll. They apply specifically to you and reflect your capabilities7

circumstances that assist or hinder an attempt (li%e rain, distractions or dar%ness) ad'ust the target and not the test.

+ positie ad'ustment (one that adds to a test) is %no!n as a bonus. 1onuses are noted !ith plus ( ,) sign. +negatie one (one that subtracts from a test) is a penalty, and is noted !ith a minus sign ( -). 3o a LB bonus adds B to

the die roll, and a : subtracts from the roll. 4hen both a bonus and a penalty apply to the same test, they cancel

each other !ith the remainder being the final ad'ustment + LB and a : end up as a LD bonus.

5ost tests use an attribute (almost al!ays Intellect or 5obility) plus a s%ill as ad'ustments. Giguring out

some aspect of fleshling society uses Intellect L 0uman Culture, !hile %ic%ing someone is 8exterity L Close Combat.

5ost tests follo! this format. 4hen theres no applicable s%ill, use the attribute alone and adds no s%ill. Its ery

unusual for more than one attribute or s%ill to add to a test7 !hen in doubt about !hich trait applies in a gien roll,

apply the most faorable.

Tar"etsTargets determine ho! hard it is to do something. The higher the target is, the more difficult the attempt is,

and (as you might guess) the lo!er the target the easier.The default target for a test is AB7 !hen a specific target isnt

listed or gien by the Controller, AB is the target. 4hen a specific target applies to a test, it !ill often be listed in

parentheses. Gor instance, "Pilot test (A)# means you test against target A. 3pecified targets include 8efense, andthat target is used unless theres a good reason that !ouldnt be the case.

+ target AB of indicates an attempt of "aerage# difficulty, !ith a reasonable chance of success or failure for

the "aerage# Transformer. + target of A is an easy tas%, !hile (Q) is elementary. (1elo! this, !hy bother testing;)

Target A is a harder than aerage tas%, !hile (A) is difficult7 targets can climb higher than this, !ith those of (DF) or

more indicating truly epic tas%s !orthy of the greatest Cybertronian heroes.

Confliting Targets:3ometimes different targets apply to a roll. In this case, go !ith the highest target. +ny

factors that !ould increase the lo!er target may apply to the higher one, at the Controllers discretion.


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Test Results4hen ma%ing a test, compare the result to the target. + result under the target indicates a failure7 the

attempt doesn/t succeed. If the test e9uals or beats the target, your attempt succeeds.

?ail're:+ failure means the attempt doesn/t succeed The attac% misses, the asset doesnt function, or the

research attempt fails. If an asset:related test fails, any Energon spent to actiate the asset is still lost. Gailure can

entail !hateer is appropriate for the situation. + failed attac% test !ith a firearm means you dont hit but can try

again (assuming youre not 'un%ed), !hile a failed 8rie on a narro! mountain road probably means you fly off the

edge and you get no do:oer. + failed research attempt means progress on that asset or discipline has stalled, but you

can usually do more research later.

+ failure doesn/t hae to be spectacular or disastrous... unless you roll A or you attain a modified test result

of AB or more under the target (for example, a result of D or belo! s. target A). In these cases, a fumbleoccurs.

Gumbles are bad failures, and are li%ely to inconenience or harm you in some !ay


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subse9uent tas% rolls for the pro'ect suffer a :A penalty (cumulatie !ith any penalties for failures), and any further

fumbles ruin the pro'ect altogether, forcing you to start oer from scratch.

Cooperative ffort:3ometimes !or%ing !ith others can accomplish things more easily than you can by

yourself & for instance, information gathering, research and !hen building things. If the Controller decides that more

than one character can !or% on a pro'ect, he may allo! them to ma%e extended rolls and pool their successes, as per

the rules for extended rolls. Of course, !hen too many are !or%ing on a pro'ect, they can get in each others/ !ay and

actually hinder progress & as they say, too many engineers spoil the Energon.

Seret Tests:


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Dramatic SystemsKo! that !e hae grasp of ho! the basic system !or%s, lets see specific !ays its applied in the game. 1oth

players and Controllers should familiari$e themseles !ith this section, as the follo!ing rules coer situations that !ill

probably come up often in Transformersgames.

(alculation

In the "brain# of each Cybertronian robot is a processor far beyond Earths most po!erful supercomputers.


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+ackin"0ac%ing is either a piece of ca%e or difficult, depending on !hat youre trying to hac%. 0uman computers

and databases are easy. +ugmented by your Cybertronian capabilities, youre able to find any information you !ant

instantly, and brea% into pretty much any account or database regardless of encryption and alter or corrupt the data7

a successful Computer test (target :AF) !ill usually get you !hat you !ant. Extremely high:end encryption (li%e .3.

oernment) might slo! you do!n, but your Computer tests !ill neer rise aboe AB and a success leel of B is all

you need.

Cybertronian technology is considerably more difficult to crac%, be it a database or a confiscated missile

launchers targeting soft!are. The target is usually around F (and is rarely less), as anything encrypted is designed to

%eep snoops li%e you out.


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hae excellent agility, though must moe slo!ly to gain the adantage. Those !ithout 6TOJ flight ability must spend

an entire phase to ma%e a AF:degree turn7 this is a full action, though a basic action can be spent turning if the turn

is done in t!o phases. Turning !hile traeling at supersonic speeds is een more difficult, and it ta%es seeral phases

to turn around.

Land #ovement:This isnt a strategic !argame or dungeon cra!l !here emphasis is placed on positioning,

troop moement and the li%e, so exactly ho! far you can moe on foot in a phase is usually unimportant. -ule of

thumb 8uring an encounter or situation, eeryone should be !hereer its dramatically conenient. This is inexact

but has the adantage of being 9uic% and play:friendly. Gor players and Controllers that !ant to trac% moementmore precisely, assume your Transformer !al%s a number of feet per phase e9ual to 5ass L +thletics x AF and can

run fie times that speed. -unning can be maintained indefinitely, but ehicle forms are a much better !ay to trael.

If you !ant to moe more than a fe! steps during combat, treat this as a basic action & meaning you must

perform multiple actions if you !ant to perform another basic action (!ith a limit of one other action).

S3imming:3!imming follo!s the rules for flight, except that its under!ater. nless you hae some sort of

roc%et propulsion or youre in a buoyant form (li%e a boat), you must ma%e a 5obility L +thletics test (AB) to stay

afloat. Its a good idea to hae sealed systems, as prolonged exposure can cause assets to short out (and force a

dysfunction sae).

Research-esearch is important, as it allo!s Transformers to ma%e technological progress. Eolution doesnt happen

naturally for them, they must eole themseles and build their innoations into their bodies and circuitry. -esearch

is deoted to a specific discipline, usually scientific, to!ard a specific adancement Gor example, researching the

4arp asset, or increasing solar energy to Energon conersion efficiency. Theres no "general# research that produces

useful results.

-esearch inoles an extended s%ill test7 other characters !ith that s%ill can participate in the research (per

cooperatie test rules on pg. Q). Once you attain the needed success leel, the desired adancement is successfully

researched 4arp becomes aailable for building into yourself or others, solar energy produces more Energon than

before, and so on. enerally, each roll represents a !ee% of research (cooperatie efforts are trac%ed simultaneously7

t!o Transformers each rolling once represents one !ee%, not t!o)7 Controllers are free to alter units of time.

The s%ills that support research, and the sort of things they can offer, follo! belo!. Jisted in parentheses is

the recommended success leel needed to "unloc%# the adancement7 Controllers are free to ad'ust this number up

or do!n, or to use that as a benchmar% for similar innoations. Kote that subassets al!ays use the success

re9uirement of the core asset, and the core asset must be learned first7 +danced 8iision !ould ta%e AB to unloc%,

'ust li%e 8iision did !hen you researched it before.

;iolog.:-esources 1io:energy (F). Though an unpopular discipline !ith Cybertronians, 1iology has some

remar%ably useful applications. It doetails nicely !ith Chemistry and 5aterial 3cience in creating ne! chemical

compounds and organic materials, and Engineering for cybernetic organisms. Its also possible, but difficult, to dra!

Energon from biological processes.

Chemistr.:esources*fossil fuels (AF), natural gas (AF). Chemistry is popular for Transformers that !ant to

conert oil, gasoline and other petrochemical into usable Energon. Its also the means by !hich they create acids,

bases, chemistry reagents and the li%e.

Comp'ter:Computer research can be used to chec% databases, create programming languages, re!rite

code and improe +I.

ngineering:The science most !idely practiced by Transformers, Engineering has medical and automotie

purposes beyond the obious tech angle. Constant research is being done in to refine and adance themseles, but

progress is rare7 Transformers long ago reached a technological plateau of sorts, not halting adancement but slo!ing

it considerably. Perhaps innoations uncoered on Earth can 'ump:start Cybertronian eolutionU

=no3ledge:8ont underestimate ho! useful %no!ing stuff can be. 3ure, its unli%ely ne! technologies or

assets !ill come from deling into academic disciplines, but by no means does that mean its a !aste of time. Gor

example, certain Transformers (I !ont name names here) dont bother learning about humans at all & their cultures,political diisions, motiations or anything else & and are ultimately giing the adantage to those that do. 8edicated

students of Cybertronian history and !arfare become great generals and leader, !hile those that dont bother end up

as grunts. Politics, ecology, een human religion can yield useful information and any may hold the %ey to scoring a

decisie adantage on Terra and beyond.

#aterial Siene: -esearch in this area creates innoatie metals and alloys, !ith superconductiity,

magnetism and other properties. 0o!eer, een more promising is the array of synthetic materials Transformers

hae found on Earth Ceramics, polymers, plastics and other substances unaailable on Cybertron, offering 9ualities

the robots alue at a fraction of the !eight.


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2h.sis:esources*electricity (AF), fission (AF), solar po!er (AF). + dierse school of study, physics research

coers eerything from plasma energy and solar energy to nuclear theory and Energon, een the alteration of spaceN

time. 3ubspace communication !as built on the foundation of this science, along !ith recent brea%throughs such as

short:range teleports.

Resource (onersionPetroleum products and other energy resources cant be processed by Transformers, but can be conerted

to Energon if research is deoted to the tas%. The conersion ratio of resources to Energon is ery inefficient at first,

and the process must be further researched to attain a better conersion ratio.

Each potential source of energy is rated in -esource points. It ta%es a certain number of -esource points to

e9ual one point of Energon7 the base -esource alue of the resource (!hen conersion is first researched) aries, and

depends on the resource. Each successie one:point improement of this ratio (H -esource points to A Energon, * to

A, etc.) re9uires a benchmar% research. The ideal ratio is a A:for:A conersion, but the ratio can neer be improed

past this.

0o! much of a gien resource (in gallons, !eight, olts, etc.) e9uals a point of resource is completely open:

ended, and is decided by the Controller.

The research s%ills, and the resources they apply to, follo! belo!. 3ee the -esearch rules, directly aboe.

;iolog.:bio:energy (AFNA).

Chemistr.:petroleum and other fossil fuels (HNA), natural gas and propane (HNA), hydrogen (?NA).

2h.sis:nuclear fission (BNA), electricity (*NA), solar energy (HNA)

$ensory Po,ersTransformers are physically ery po!erful, but some of their most potent adantages come from their

sensory capabilities, !hich are in almost all cases superior to those of human beings and allo!s them to perceie

things no person can. 4hat follo!s is a description of the sensory abilities most Cybertronians hae, though some

hae senses beyond these (see Enhanced 3ensors). +ll Transformers hae the option to reduce their sensitiity at !ill,

preenting light blindness, feeling pain at amputations, or damage from loud noises.

Energon:related senses are coered under Energon 3ignatures, pg. DF.

'dio:


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0o!eer, special rules apply for 3tructure as it applies to characters (li%e you).

1epairing !amage:


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other Transformers. 0o!eer, robots that freeload excessiely arent regarded !ell, especially in slim times & and

among 8ecepticons this can be dangerous. There !ill usually be policies in place restricting ho! much Energon one

can ta%e from faction reseres in a certain time period.

Improving ttrib'tes:+ttributes are expensie and difficult to improe


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character that loses all his 3tructure can no longer act. If a Transformer suffers more damage than B L 5ass or half

his current 3tructure, or is hit !ith a particularly successful E5P attac%, a dysfunction sae must be made.

D. Once all characters hae ta%en their actions in a phase, a ne! phase begins, !ith characters acting in order of

initiatie.

InitiatieInitiatie tests determine !hat order in !hich you act during combat or dramatic situations. +ll those

inoled in a fight ma%e Initiatie tests (using the Initiatie s%ill) at the beginning of combat. Ko target applies to

Initiatie tests7 instead the total result of the test is used as the alue. The Transformer !ith the highest result goes

first in the phase, performing his action(s). Then the one !ith the next highest Initiatie result goes next, and so on,

!ith characters acting in descending order of current pools until the one !ith the lo!est Initiatie test has gone.

Initiatie tests are made at the beginning of combat, not at the beginning of each phase7 on subse9uent phases of the

fight combatants %eep their original Initiatie results.

!ela.: Structure to

him after Armor" and so wont force a dysfunction save. 0ut an 1B damage attack could cause a dysfunction" since it

does 12 damage after Armor which eceeds his N%ass


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1esistane:This alue functions li%e armor, except that it is subtracted from energy damage instead of

%inetic damage. Energy damage includes fire, lasers, electricity, plasma and een extreme cold. -esistance doesnt

reduce %inetic damage, and doesnt protect against E5P attac%s (!hich assault circuitry and dont affect 3tructure).

!.sf'ntion:Transformers are sturdier than Terran machinery, but not inulnerable. Ji%e any mechanism, if

you ta%e enough abuse youll brea% do!n or perform poorly. 4hen you suffer your 5ass L B in 3tructure damage or

lose half or more of your current 3tructure in a single attac% (ad'usted damage), you must ma%e a 8ysfunction sae

This is an Intellect test (AB), and the 3urge Protection asset adds its rating to the sae7 no s%ill applies to this roll. +

successful sae indicates you continue functioning normally, !hile a failed sae means something goes !rong.8ysfunction can ta%e many forms, and the Controller is free to ad'udicate the specifics based on circumstance and

!hats dramatically appropriate. If hed rather determine randomly, he can roll AdF on the table belo!

/-% -endered inoperable for seeral phases7 has a BX chance (AB or better on dF roll) to reactiate.

4-5 +ll Transform tests suffer a :B penalty for duration of combat7 any Transform test result under B indicates

character is form:loc%ed and cant transform at all.

*-6 +n internal short circuit inflicts one point of 3tructure damage each phase7 spending a point of Energon !ill

repair the short and arrest the damage, but other!ise short damage is ta%en for duration of combat.

7-8 -eactor suffers a hiccup, and the Transformer cant access his Energon for duration of combat. This means

certain assets become inaccessible, and repairing damage is impossible.

9-/0 -eactor lea% A Energon is lost per phase for duration of combat, to a minimum of A.

//-/% Partial reactor explosion 0alf current Energon (rounded do!n) is lost immediately, !ith the Cybertronian

and all !ithin B of him ta%ing the expelled Energon in damage=

/4-/5 + type of sensors (i.e., sight, hearing, touch, energy sensitiity) is offline for duration of fight.

/*-/6 Communications are do!n for duration of combat.

/7-/8 + !eapon or other asset actiates and deactiates at random for the rest of the combat7 the asset has a BF:

BF chance of actiating or not, and the character (or player) has no control oer this.

/9-%0 Jeg, axle or e9uilibrium damage7 5obility is haled (round up) for duration of combat.

uman Characters0umans can (and should) play important roles in Transformersgames, but are inade9uately represented by

the rules presented. The problem is one of scale. +ttributes are meant to measure Cybertronian capabilities, as this

game features such characters. The 5ass differences bet!een a !eight lifter and an elderly !oman, for example, are

moot to a ten:ton robot. +ny system that !ould allo! realistic 9uantification of human abilities re9uires a far finer

statistical scale, little of !hich !ould be used in most Transformers games.

This doesn/t mean humans can/t be portrayed. In fact, people ineitably appear as allies and antagonists in

most series. +ll humans default to 5ass A, and their 3tructure is haled (round up, !hich comes out to D), !hileunarmed damage has a base damage of F Glesh and bone are !ea% against metal. 0umans hae no assets or Energon

traits. Obiously, there/s no realistic !ay for fleshlings to trade blo!s !ith big robots and not get smeared7 !hile not

necessarily helpless, people should probably stay out of the !ay !hen the serious fights start. 0uman Intellect and

5obility aerage around D:?, but can go as high as AF, and generally function for humans li%e they do for robots.

0umans hae s%ills too, though they apply differently. 3omeone !ith 8rie ? can drie a car !ell, but unli%e

a robot !ith that s%ill, she re9uires a ehicle to drie. Gleshlings arent familiar !ith Cybertronian technology (unless

theres a verygood 'ustification for them to be), and cant apply their s%ills in that regard +n engineer can apply her

Engineering s%ill to Earth machines, but !ouldnt ma%e heads or tails of an Energon processor. 3can permits only

basic perception, li%e sight and smell. Controllers should use common sense to determine !hat people can and cant

do, using real:life capabilities as a guideline.

Charater Creation:A points to spread bet!een human characters Intellect and 5obility, and s%ill points

e9ual to Intellect x to distribute among appropriate s%ills. 5ass, of course, is stuc% at A.

Improvement:0umans cant upgrade themseles or be upgraded (unless cybernetics are brought into play,

!hich is a !hole other ball of !ax). 0o!eer, they can learn and train. They gain one third Intellect (round do!n) ins%ill points per episode, li%e Cybertronians. They can use these points to increase s%ill and Intellect, but (unli%e robots)

can also improe 5obility !ith s%ill points.

Kehiles:4hen controlling a ehicle or craft of some sort, a human retains her Intellect and s%ills, but uses

the machines 5obility, 5ass and assets. (This is also true of robots piloting craft.) 5achines leel the playing field

some!hat a souped:up car, ne!s copter, military ehicle or other machine offers players the possibility of playing

humans in Transformersgames, alathat 4it!ic%y %id.

F'ipment:0umans can gain benefits from tools. One !ielding a big melee !eapon, li%e a sledgehammer,

could do up to a base D damage !ith it. 0uman firearms are rarely up to the tas% of ta%ing on Transformers, but J+4


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roc%ets and grenades sting a good bit more. 0eay:duty body armor (li%e full 34+T gear !ith riot shield or military

grade protection) proides a single point of +rmor and -esistance, but thats it.

C.borg Charaters

+ cyborg is a human or other humanoid augmented by Cybertronian components fully integrated into her

body. Cyborgs conform to the rules for humans (including character creation) except as follo!s. + cybernetically

augmented organism is more durable than normal fleshlings 3tructure and close damage aren/t haled, and are e9ual

to that of a 5ass A robot. 1asic cyborgs can hae up to t!o points of assets, appropriate for !hat they are. They dont

process Energon, so cant hae assets that relate to Energon (li%e Efficiency or -eseres), cost Energon points (li%e

E5P +ttac% or Vua%e) or reduce Energon recoery (li%e Glight or 5agnetism). They cant transform or ma%e radical

alterations to their bodies (so estalt or 4eight -eduction are out). +nd finally, some things 'ust dont ma%e sense for

Cyborgs to hae 1iograft is 'ust redundant, for example. The Controller is free to nay:say anything that doesnt fit,

since in all li%elihood hell be the one creating and playing the cyborg (though they hae potential as PCs).

;inar. S.mbiotes

1inary symbiotes are cyborgs are binary:bound to a Transformer partner7 see the 1inary 3ymbiote asset, pg.

A. The cyborg is a separate character from the host robot, created and played by the Controller, !hich conforms to

the rules for cyborgs except as follo!s. +ll symbiotes hae the Integrate asset, as !ell as t!o points of assets.

0o!eer, the range of assets the cyborg can possess is greatly expanded, as her assets are "donated# to the host

robot rather than used on her behalf. The particular !ay the binary symbiote integrates !ith her Transformer partner

usually offers clues to the assets she offers One that becomes or combines !ith a !eapon !ill li%ely offer 1allistic

+ttac%, Energy +ttac% or the li%e7 !hile a symbiote that hoo%s into the engine might offer Efficiency, Energon 3urge or

+ugment7 the classic "0eadmaster# style cyborg might offer Enhanced 3ensors, +lacrity or Joc%. 3ome donated assets

dont ma%e sense for symbiotes, li%e -einforcement or 4eight -eduction7 as al!ays, the Controller is free to accept

input but has the final say on !hat a symbiote can offer.

Its important to remember that binary symbiotes are indiiduals !ith their o!n motiations, feelings and

desires. They dont exist as mere extensions of the Cybertronian. +ttempts to get around "the problem of free !ill#

!ith brain!ashing, frontal lobotomies and death threats lead to far less effectie symbiotes. Interaction bet!een the

cyborg and her host Transformer can actually ma%e gameplay more interesting & especially if the partners influence

one anothers personalities and perspecties. The Transformer character should al!ays be the dominant partner7 the

controller shouldnt use cyborgs to compete !ith players for control oer their characters. 1ut simply dismissing the

symbiote altogether does the game an e9ual disserice.

Animals

+nimals !on/t play a ery big role in most games (except for those based on the 1east 4ars series). If a Controller!ants to stat out critters for his games, though, it/s easy enough to do so. Ji%e hominids, most animals can/t compete

!ith robots & een the meanest dog is no opposition for robots !ielding plasma grenades= 1ut animals li%e elephants,

rhinoceroses, !hales and other massie animals can present a challenge for a lone robot. 3uch creatures hae 5ass

ratings appropriate to the force they can bring to bear7 ho!eer, 3tructure and unarmed damage are haled (though

bull elephant tus%s or rhino horns should inflict full damage). 5obility reflects the animals natural speed and agility,

though this attribute is typically lo! in creatures big enough to threaten Cybertronians. Intellect is neer higher than

A or . Jimited assets are possible (!ith a rating no more than ), li%e +cceleration to represent high running speeds,

or 5elee +ttac% for horns. +nimals !ill rarely hae s%ills beyond +thletics, Close Combat, Easion and 3can (non:

electronic senses only).


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Controller ChapterThis chapter deals !ith information pertinent to Controllers, the person running the game7 !hile the rest of

this netboo% is !ritten for player consumption, !hat follo!s is addressed to the Controller. Kothing here is off limits

to player eyes, but most of its not going to be that useful to you unless you plan to run games of your o!n.

Running Games-unning a game is a special responsibility. +s a Controller, you need a good grasp of the game rules,

imagination, and the ability to coney the characters and setting. Improisation, good memory and acting s%ills are

also aluable 9ualities.


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Part of being a good Controller is managing do!ntime. Too little do!ntime, and nobody has time to rest or

do anything not related to actie play7 this unfairly slo!s do!n their adancement through upgrades. Too much

do!ntime, and characters hae huge stretches in !hich they do nothing or 'ust upgrade themseles until theyre

!al%ing gunships. Keither option is realistic7 characters should be neither harried nor complacent. + do!ntime

balance that permits limited upgrades paced by actie play is ideal. One to t!o !ee%s is a good "aerage# do!ntime

period, !ith shorter or longer periods !hen appropriate.

-on0Player ( aracters 1-P(s2

Players only get to control their characters, but you get all the rest. Eery other Transformer, human and

!hateer else is out there is yours to command. Juc%y you, huh;


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serious opposition to the PCs, but this isnt al!ays the case7 nameless soldiers in a tan% or an attac% 'et drone can be

as dangerous as cast KPCs.

Extras may not be fleshed out, but arent !ithout alue. Ji%e other KPCs, they hae lies, motiations and

feelings, een if those things are neer expressed. 1ra!n might neer %no! the names of all the people that perished

!hen Jaserbea% ble! up that bus, but that doesnt mean their lies are insignificant to him or that een !ont impact

the series in a significant !ay. (Of course, Jaserbea% probably doesnt care.)

+nd extras can be promoted to full cast, if they appear fre9uently and gro! to occupy a place in the game.

+ detectie might report suspicious (possible 8ecepticon) actiity to Pro!l. 3ame !ith the street thug that tries tosteal 1rea%do!n in an episode, not %no!ing he !as an alien robot= If permitted to lie, he might become a contact or

een a friend of the 3tunticon, and the t!o may hang out during "off time.# + Cybertronian re9uisitions officer can

become a aluable ally for either side.

Game $tyles &T emes

Sripted vsG ?reeform:There are t!o styles of games that describe the Controllers and players control of

the plot and narratie 3cripted and freeform. The plot hoo% method is a compromise.

Scripted gamesfollo! a predetermined storyline. Predacons are destabili$ing the Energon fields in 5aximal

territories, and the PCs must respond7 +utobot meddlers are trying to liberate captured po!er stations7 mysterious

Transformers of un%no!n alliance hae landed on another continent, and the the PCs are sent to inestigate. 3cripted

games hae the adantage of structure and a defined resolution, though offer the players less freedom than freeform

games. 1ut scripted games rarely !or% out exactly as predicted, een !hen they go !ell. Its an old gaming maxim

that no game session suries its players intact, since its hard to predict !hat PCs !ill do or ho! the dice !ill fall.


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3o !or%ing off 'ust those, you hae a huge range of possibilities. Purists be!are


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phase counts bleed off by A point each hour (so it ta%es three hours to recoer from three phases spent in robot

mode). Theres no !ay for a player to influence his phase count, or s!ing the oerload test in his faor & other than

being being sparing !ith their use of robot mode.

hase -ne* aspinator sees hino in the =ungle" and in his great wisdom decides to =ump the %aimal. 3e

assumes robot mode and fires at hino" who retains beast mode and runs for cover. hinoEs phase count stays at

6ero" while aspinatorEs phase count is 1. #he )ontroller rolls a 5 on his overload test no overload occurs (as it beats

aspinatorEs phase count!.

hase #wo* aspinator chases hino through the thick foliage" cursing as his shots go wild. hase counts*" 2 overload test 14.

hase #hree* )ornered at a rock wall" hino decides to make his stand. 3e assumes robot mode while

aspinator closes on him. hase counts* 1" & overload test 1>.

hase 8our* hino throws a rock" forcing aspinator to dodge. #he %aimal grins as the insectile robot

mocks him" as hitting him wasnEt hinoEs intent... hase count* 2" 4 overload test &.

hase 8ive* aspinator almost falls to the ground" writhing as the accumulated 'nergon attacks his body

he shifts to wasp mode while hino laughs and fires his chainguns" gra6ing aspinator. hinoEs phase count is &

overload test 11.

hase 8ive* hino briefly considers pursuing the now$fleeing redacon" but doesnEt want to test his luck. 3e

shifts back to rhinoceros mode and heads back to base.

Once Transmetal technology is introduced, Energon oerload is no longer a concern. +t this point you can

pretty much do !hat you !ant as far as beast forms go and not hae to !orry about limited robot form durations.

(+nd it/s certainly not out of line to house:rule that little deelopment out, if you !ant to retain the flaor of >classic>

1east 4ars.)

4hile the 5ass chart might be sufficient for 1east 4ars games, it doesnt offer much range7 5aximals and

Predacons are animal:si$ed (5ass F to ?), considerably smaller than "classic# Transformers. Controllers can use the

5ass scale belo! instead of the default one on the table on pg. ?. -ules for 5ass dont change & a 5ass of B is still

has the appropriate 5obility caps and Energon traits. 1ut the scale is changed to fit 1east 4ars games, allo!ing for a

greater range of 5ass ratings for characters.

#ass

F

A

D

Sample nimal

rat, insect

house cat, cobra

badger, bobcat, 'ac%rabbit

human, !olf, blac% bear, 'aguar

#ass

?

B

*

H

Sample nimal

lion, stag, tiger, gri$$ly bear

buffalo, crocodile, rhinoceros

elephant, T:-ex, orca

!hale shar%

Beast MachinesThis series follo!s 1east 4ars, !ith the 5aximals haing returned to Cybertron. The 5aximals are techno:

organic, effectiely mechanical but yet someho! not7 5aximal transformations are tied to discipline and meditatie

focus. The 6ehicons are ehicles (obiously), mostly non:sentient drones and led by 5egatron, !ho attempts to

destroy anything organic on Cybertron. 5egatron spends most of his time hoo%ed into a control center ia a cocoon

of cables, except !hen he loses control and transforms into a techno:organic dragonU this, despite the fact he !ants

to destroy eerything organicU

+ny!ay. The series pretty much lost me after the first seeral episodes, though I tried to follo! it, and I

admit my memory of it is rusty. 5y instinct is to say pretty much anything goes as far as forms and assets go, but I

cant really say !hats appropriate or not. If you l i%e the series, you can pu$$le out !hat fits better than I can.

Trans"ormers# Arma$a% Energon% Cybertron ! Animate$These series are li%e Transformers (some!hat), !ith a dash of 5ighty 5orphin Po!er -angers and a lot of

Po%emon. There are these %ids that run around !ith the +utobots and ride inside Yem and are in constant need of

rescue and are part of Team +utobot. In one or more of these series theres also something called 5ini:Cons, tinyrobotic po!er sources. +pparently you gotta catch Yem all, or something.

I sa! a fe! episodes of +rmada, and I confess I didnt een try to follo! it. 5aybe the follo!:up series !ere

better than +rmada, but by that point I gae up. Im certain you can adapt these rules to play games from these series

if you !ant, and I hope you can. Im trying hard not to rip on your sho!s, especially since youre being nice enough to

read and maybe play my game. I really am.

Its 'ustU Po%eformers; Elementary %ids as main characters instead of supporting cast; 8id !e need any of

this, really;


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!eyond (ontinuityThere are many options for Transformersgames that dont fit neatly (or een loosely) into established

cartoon, comics or moie series. 0ere are a fe! ideas that might inspire you.

#i) n #ath:One possibility is to adopt elements from multiple continuities, allo!ing you to create a

setting that mixes the best of !hat you li%e and is familiar enough that you dont hae to start from scratch. 8o you

li%e the lie:action moie, but prefer the 6ol%s!agen:style 1umblebee that can actually spea% and classic 8eastator;

8o it. 2ust ma%e sure the storyline is consistent for your !orld.

?leshling ames:One option is to hae people play human characters, either normal or cybernetically

enhanced. This is a ery challenging type of game, because Transformers are much more po!erful indiidually than

humans. The humans must rely on team!or%, tools li%e !eapons and ehicles, solid strategy and the li%e to succeed

against Cybertronians. They can be military forces fighting any and all Transformers, human allies !or%ing !ith the

+utobots, or mercenaries andNor collaborators !or%ing !ith the 8ecepticons.

ransformers:the Hidden"n alternate ontin'it.&

The Transformers came to Earth and continued their ancient feud7 the 8ecepticons exploited the planets

resources and inhabitants !hile the +utobots tried to stop them. +t first they adopted ehicle and !eapon forms to

blend in, and started upping the ante on the arms race that has defined Cybertronian conflict for millennia... deelop:

ing eer deadlier !eapons and employing po!erful alternate forms. (Kothing ne! to Transformersfans, here.)

1ut in this !orld, a fearful and outraged humanity has declared !ar on both 8ecepticons and the +utobots

that !ould defend them. +nd theyre far from helpless -ecent technological adances from the military:industrial

complex 1lac%roc% +erospace (innoations actually adapted from stolen Cybertronian technology) no! allo! humans

to effectiely detect and deal !ith these alien threats. The plates andNor registration numbers of any suspicious

ehicles or machines can be instantly scanned into an international registry. 8iscrepancies are flagged, and a stri%e

force of specially trained and heaily armed soldiers, augmented ehicles and aircraft can be mobili$ed to deal !ith

confirmed threats 9uic%ly. These 1lac%roc%:sponsored paramilitary teams are referred to as Circuit 1rea%ers, hailed as

heroes by most Terrans. Their arsenal includes Energon detection deices, cyborgs, human:piloted exos%eletal suits

and energy !eapons. Particularly sensitie installations are protected by Energon fields that 9uic%ly short out

Cybertronian technology. Earth has become dangerous for Transformers, and the human pogrom threatened to !ipe

out all Cybertronians7 the constant battles !asted resources, and destroyed heroes and illains ali%e. Een trael

became too much of a ris%. Transformer attac%s steadily tapered off, and sightings became rarer and rarer, until the

giant robots !ere a thing of the past (aside from unreliable sightings here and there). The Circuit 1rea%ers/ ictory

against the aliens !as hailed as a ictory for Earth, and 1lac%roc% +erospace solidified its influence oer the nited

3tates, the , 2apan, China and much of the Girst 4orld.1ut if Transformers are good at anything, it/s adaptation.

1ebirth:8ue to adances theye made in biomechanical engineering, Transformers no! !al% unseen

among us and stal% the !ilderness as beasts. 0iding !ithin bio:engineered shells or haing tissue grafted into their

bodies, the Cybertronian race has eoled and ta%en their battle to Earths shado!s. Ko longer are ictories decided

by greater firepo!er or ra! mightU the hul%ing 'uggernauts of the past hae been replaced by smaller and more

cunning robots. The !ar has become one of stealth, espionage and subtlety, !here success depends on being able to

remain hidden from humanity. +!ay from the eyes of man, the +utobots and 8ecepticons continue their fight7 the

facades of flesh fold bac% as Transformers unleash their true forms and destructie po!er. 1ut after they must again

hide their machine bodies and Energon signatures beneath organic exteriors. 1oth factions struggle in secret to

deelop some adancement or strategy that !ill allo! their side to preail.

+nd of course, so are the humans that intend to !ipe out the Transformers7 1lac%roc% +erospace and the

!orlds goernments %no! theyre still here and hiding, mas9uerading as human beings and other liing creatures.

1ut they/re only able to fight those careless enough to get caught, and Transformers are tough foes They fight bac%

hard and then melt bac% into the shado!s. (+utobots don/t ta%e human lies, ho!eer, !hile 8ecepticons hae little9ualms doing so.) 8espite their attempts at information control, 1lac%roc% +erospace and the !orld/s goernments

aren/t the only ones that %no! about the Transformers. The +utobots hae human allies that help protect and hide

them, such as the 4it!ic%y family. The 8ecepticons dont li%e humans, but hae learned that allying !ith terrorist

groups and other unscrupulous entities is sometimes beneficial.

vol'tion:+s biomechanical adances are made, and Transformer components and organic life become

more integratedU !hat exactly are the +utobots and 8ecepticons becoming; +re they still Transformers, or are they

something else no!; 8o these hybrids represent an entirely ne! step in the eolution of their race & and that of

humanity;


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1'les:+ Transformers the 0idden series !ill obiously ma%e heay use of the 1iograft asset, since the

characters !ill hae to conincingly mas9uerade as people or animals, and liing tissue hides Energon signatures.

Tissue may be incorporated directly into characters bodies to simulate 1east 4ars:style characters. 1iograft can be

combined !ith 8iision to create "Pretender# shells7 treat the secondary component as a human or animal shell, and

apply biological parts to it instead of (or in addition to) the body. Cyborgs are often encountered as antagonists (see

pg. D), but Transformers might !ell employ allied cyborgs, including 1inary 3ymbiotes.

5any military bases, goernment buildings and other sensitie areas house machines that generate !ide

fields that damage exposed Cybertronian technology, though bio:fields interfere !ith this effect7 mechanically, this isthe same the Energon oerload effect as described under 1east 4ars. (This is a double:edged s!ord, ho!eer, as this

effect also interferes !ith the appropriated tech 1lac%roc% employs, limiting Circuit 1rea%er response to Transformer

incursions.)

8epending on ho! gritty you !ant to run a series, you can include 5ass 3hift so robot forms are larger than

the biological facades & a human Pretender shell opens, and out pops a DF:ft. robot. 0o!eer, %eeping the robots

si$e:proportional to the creatures they mimic stretches disbelief less, 'ustifies their being able to stay hidden, and

ma%es !ell:e9uipped humans iable opponents. If using this last option, you may !ant to use the scaled do!n 5ass

chart presented under 1east 4ars.

(haracter ImproementLearning Skills:4hen a character uses a s%ill in a !ay that significantly impacts gameplay, ma%e a note of it7

the test neednt be successful, but it must be an attempt to constructiely use the s%ill during the course of the game.

+t the end of eery game session the player gains half the robots Intellect (round up) in points to spend on improing

one of those s%ills7 each s%ill point spent adds A to its rating. Only those s%ills that you noted can be improed, and a

s%ill can only improe by one rating point at a time. Ji%e upgrades, s%ill points need not be spent !hen gained7 they

can be held in resere until the player !ants to spend them.

B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V W X


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TRANSFORMERSTRANSFORMERS

Name: ?ation: ?'ntion:

D'ote:

e p a r a t o r

Attributes )ner"on MMMMMMMMMM

Intellet: MMMMMMMMMM nergon Capait.: MMMMMMMMMM

#ass: MMMMMMMMMM nergon 1eover.: MMMMMMMMMM

#obilit.: MMMMMMMMMM nergon Save: MMMMMMMMMM

e p a r a t o r

$kills #orms

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM 1obot ?orm MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM


MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM e p a r a t o r

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Assets

















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(ombat !efense rmor Speed (urrent 3alues

1obot ?orm MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM nergon MMMMMMMMMM

MMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Initiative MMMMMMMMMM

MMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Str't're MMMMMMMMMM

!.sf'ntionStat's ffets: MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

e p a r a t o r

Attack4Weapon ?orm Test !amage 1ange Jther Info

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM






e p a r a t o r

Inormation (haracter $ketch

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM












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Transformers RPG (No Frills Version)

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