Savage Worlds: Transformers

I know, I know, the Transformers movies are “an abomination”, “the worst thing ever seen on film”, or “noise, noise, noise”.

I’m of the opinion that “pyrotechnics are it pirouettes, cacophony its crescendo, its fat lady a skinny ingenue.”

Was Revenge of the Fallen riddled with plot holes the size of the pyramids? Yes. Has Michael Bay ever looked at a map? No, never.

Now I’ve gone and done it. I’ve taken the Transformers and made them in Savage Worlds. They’re in Explorer’s Edition format, as I don’t have the new Deluxe, but I have them. They’ll be presented over a few posts. I’ll cover Sam Witwicky, the NEST Special Forces Team, Major Lennox, and Master Sergeant Epps. After that, the Transformers themselves. My purpose for creating the humans first was to provide a base so that I knew how much more powerful I would need to make the Transformers. For today, though, I want to present you with rules for creating you own Robots in Disguise.

Creation of a Transformer

To begin, you need a copy of the Super Powers Companion, or the Necessary Evil Campaign Setting. I’ll be talking about powers in the Super Powers Companion, as that’s the one I have on-hand. Most of these powers appear exactly the same in Necessary Evil. If you don’t have either book, you can find the PDF of the Super Powers Companion here, and the Necessary Evil Campaign Setting here.

First of all, most Transformers are going to be Veterans or Heroic, with Optimus Prime, Sentinel Prime and Megatron being Legendary. As I stat out the characters, this may change.

Secondly, you’ll need the rules for the Cybertronian Race:

Cybertronian
Cybertronians are a species of sentient, living robotic beings originating from the distant machine world of Cybertron. The designation “Transformer” stems from the species’ generally-shared ability to transform, to change their bodies at will, rearranging their component parts from a robotic primary mode (usually, but not always, humanoid) into an alternate form; generally vehicles, weapons, machinery and animals.
All Cybertronians (Autobots and Decepticons) automatically have the Construct power. Additionally, they have the Chameleon power, with the Inanimate Object modifier. Cybertronians may take the Power Points Edge every 10 Experience Points, rather than once every Rank.

Now, this is a lot of advantages, yes. Are they going to be more powerful than humans? Most definitely. However, if you pay attention to the movies, humans have to team up a lot in order to take a single transformer down. Even Frenzy, the boom box Decepticon, while standing only as tall as a human, is able to take down many Secret Service officers with ease. He’s probably only going to be a low Seasoned character, but he’s still going to be able to take down most humans with ease.

Now, on to what to do next:

To make a starter Transformer, you’ll create a Veteran (40 XP) character, making sure to choose the Arcane Background (Super Powers) Edge right off the bat, upping their Power Points via the Edge every 10 points. The following are powers that make the most sense to use when creating your character:

Powers

Absorption (Allowing your Transformer to absorb energy.)

Armor (With the addition of Heavy Armor makes the most sense for vehicle Transformers, ignoring all but the most heavy of weapons.)

Attack, Melee (This is for weapons like Optimus, Sideswipe or Mirage have. Additionally, you could add in Knockback, Armor Piercing or Elemental Trick.)

Attack, Ranged (For many different Transformers. This could be discs of metal like Frenzy, or energy like Bumblebee. Take Extra Damage, Rapid Fire or others to increase the punch of it)

Awareness (This can simulate a Transformer who’s able to detect the presence of both Transformers and humans around them.)

Broadcast (Someone like Soundwave would probably be able to use this one, sending out signals.)

Burrowing (Shockwave, anyone? The massive worm/octopus/snake thing he controlled was definitely using this.)

Darkvision (This is a Transformer’s enhanced vision; infrared, ultraviolet, etc.)

Deflection (When the humans were trying to pump Skorpinox full of bullets, and couldn’t get through his shield? Yeah, it was this.)

Flight (Starscream would be taking the maximum rank in this [15] in order to move as fast as a plane.)

Growth (This is essential to almost all Transformers. In addition to spending the points to determine the size of your Transformer, you’ll take the Monsterous modifier, as they can’t change their size.)

Interface (When Frenzy tapped into the computers onboard Air Force One, this is what he used.)

Parry (Any close ranged guys should take this one.)

Shrink (For those Transformers who are small, such as Brains.)

Super Attributes (This is also essential to pump up the sheer power of the Transformers. Make sure you spend the points in this to bring up the attributes beyond human level.)

Super Skills (Naturally. You want your Transformer to be above and beyond normal humans. Crank up the skills.)

Toughness (This too, should be at the top of your list. Transformers are able to survive a lot. Make sure to take this.)

Vehicle (This will represent the vehicle you turn into. The points it costs is surprisingly cheap, but all of the abilities you get will be paying for that vehicle’s actual abilities. The standard rules only go up to 3 points [up to $500,000], but according to my calculations, you should be able to spend up to 4, which gives you [up to $7,500,000].)

And that’s it!

Now, the humans.

New Edge: Decepticon Killer
(Prerequisites: Seasoned, Strength d6)
+1d4 damage to Decepticon-Loyal Cybertronians when Ganging Up with others with the Decepticon Killer Edge.

Sam Witwicky
Ally of the Autobots
Human (Novice)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d8, Knowledge: Transformers d8, Guts d10, Persuasiond8
Hindrance: Alien Bad News Magnet (Enemy: Decepticons) Major
Edge: Lucky To Be Alive (Luck)

–

NEST Special Forces Team Member
Human (Seasoned)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d10, Knowledge: Transformers d6, Survival d4, Guts d10, Notice d6
Hindrances: Decepticon Hunters (Enemy: Decepticons) Minor, Vow: United States Minor, Loyal Major
Edges: Nerves of Steel, Fleet Footed, Decepticon Killer

–

Major William Lennox
Human (Veteran)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d10, Knowledge: Transformers d8, Survival d4, Guts d10, Notice d6
Hindrances: Decepticon Hunter (Enemy: Decepticons) Minor, Vow: United States Minor, Loyal Major
Edges: Nerves of Steel, Fleet Footed, Decepticon Killer, Dead Shot, Command, Hold the Line, Natural Leader

–

Chief Master Sergeant Robert Epps
Human (Veteran)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d10, Knowledge: Transformers d8, Survival d4, Guts d10, Taunt d6
Hindrances: Decepticon Hunter (Enemy: Decepticons) Minor, Vow: United States Minor, Loyal Major
Edges: Nerves of Steel, Fleet Footed, Decepticon Killer, Improved Nerves of Steel, Rock & Roll!, Hard to Kill

And that’s NEST.