RPG - DD

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 49 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 Ultimate Utility Your body is the ultimate collection of useful implements. At 20th level, you can partially convert pieces of your body to perform an endless number of augmentative tasks. You can, by spending an Energon Point, gain temporary access to a minor piece of equipment or tool useful in the scene. This is a similar benefit you can gain by spending a Story Point (see page 105 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook), but costs an Energon Point instead of a Story Point. Minion Master Minion Master Modemasters are mobile headquarters of Mini-Con minions that benefit from their specialization. Essence Increase: Increase your Social Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Animal Handling, Persuasion, or Streetwise. TABLE 2–19: MINION MASTER FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Mini-Con Affinity 3rd Mini-Con Hub 6th Command & Control 10th Mini-Con Master 17th Reinforced Bond 20th Loyal Minions Mini-Con Affinity You gain two Mini-Con allies that operate as described on page 75 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, with the following exceptions: • These Mini-Con allies and any others you gain must have the same Alt Mode. Choose one of the following Alt Modes (or work with your GM to create a new Alt Mode): firearm enhancement module, mini-cassette, mini-vehicle, or power conduit. • Each Mini-Con ally you link with grants you only 1 Health (instead of 2). SIXSHOT Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

50 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Mini-Con Hub Your docking capabilities for Mini-Cons are enhanced. At 3rd level, you gain another Mini-Con ally of the same Alt Mode as the others. When you spend a Free action, you can deploy or dock up to two Mini-Cons at the same time; Mini-Cons can spend their own Free actions to deploy or dock as usual. Additionally, whenever you choose the Additional Mini-Con General Perk (see page 64), you gain two Mini-Cons instead of one. Command & Control The Mini-Cons in your control benefit from a constant communications connection with you and with each other. At 6th level, you and your MiniCons can Lend Assistance to each other as long as both parties involved are within 100 feet of each other and regardless of whether the one Lending Assistance is trained in the skill being attempted. You or one of your Mini-Cons can gain the benefits of Lend Assistance only once per Skill Test at this distance. Mini-Con Master You are an unquestioned master of your Mini-Cons. You gain another Mini-Con ally of the same Alt Mode as the others. In addition, you gain a benefit depending on your Mini-Cons’ Alt Mode. • Firearm Enhancement Module: For every two Mini-Cons of this type you have docked, you gain a +1 bonus to Toughness. • Mini-Cassette: For every two Mini-Cons of this type you have docked, you gain a +1 bonus to Willpower. • Mini-Vehicle: For every two Mini-Cons of this type you have docked, you gain a +1 bonus to Evasion. • Power Conduit: For every two Mini-Cons of this type you have docked, the maximum number of Energon Points you can store is increased by 1. Reinforced Bond The added bulk of a docked companion protects you. At 17th level, you gain +1 Health and +2 to all Defenses. When you assign a Mini-Con Health when they deploy, you can also assign them +1 or +2 to all their Defenses, which reduces your Defenses an equal amount. Loyal Minions Your Mini-Cons are empowered by your instructions. Upon reaching 20th level, you can spend a Free action to attempt a DIF 10 Intimidation (Command) or Persuasion (Leadership) Skill Test to tell your currently deployed Mini-Cons what to do. On a success, they gain ↑1 to all Skill Tests related to following those orders until the beginning of your next turn. Scientist Delving into the darker applications of technology, Decepticon Scientists do not abide by the laws of physics or the learnings of others. They take the reins of science and force it to do their bidding in ways that no one is ready for. DECEPTICON EXAMPLES The following are examples of Decepticon Scientist characters: • Knock Out • Nova Storm • Shockwave REPLACEMENT PERKS Decepticon Scientists gain the following replacement Perks in place of certain Scientist Perks listed in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Cybertronian Perk Materials at Hand: You know how to make the most out of whatever materials can be found nearby when you are putting your street-level science to the test. When you require materials for Science or Technology Skill Tests, you can find all the parts you need to perform the task if you first succeed at an Alertness or Streetwise Skill Test at a DIF set by the GM. This replaces Intrafilum. Percussive Engineering Some of your applications of scientific or engineering knowledge are slapped-together and have been made to fit the need of the moment. At 5th level, you can spend an Energon Point to modify a failed Science or Technology Skill Test. If the roll was a Fumble, it becomes a standard failure. If it was a failure, you can reroll the Skill Test, but the result can’t be a Critical Success. This replaces Thesis. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 51 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 Tools for Destruction With a few adjustments and tweaks, you can make anything into a weapon. At 12th level, you can spend an Energon Point to make any piece of technological equipment into one of the following options for one attack: Blaster, Concussion Grenade, Cover Grenade, Element Grenade, Frag Grenade, or Directed Element Rifle. If used to make a weapon with the Consumable trait, the piece of equipment is destroyed in the attack. This replaces Applied Science. NEW SCIENTIST FOCUS OPTIONS Choose how your Scientist excels, picking either one of the two focuses presented in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (Medical Officer or Gadgeteer) or one of these two new Scientist Focus options: Cyber Engineer, a Scientist that specializes in making sweeping changes to other Cybertronian chassis; and Elementalist, a Scientist who focuses their efforts on understanding one or more types of energy. Cyber Engineer Cyber Engineer Scientists put their fellow Cybertronians through arduous and painful processes to give them new and potentially powerful tools. Essence Increase: Increase any one Essence score by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in any one skill tied to the Essence Score you increased. TABLE 2–20: CYBER ENGINEER FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Minor Tweak 3rd Weapon Implant 6th Self-Adjustment 10th Major Augments 17th Extensive Enhancements 20th They Called It a Glitch! Minor Tweak You have only begun to make interesting modifications to your patients. With 10 minutes of tinkering on a willing ally and a successful DIF 14 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test, you can grant that ally a temporary Skill Rank in a single Strength or Speed Essence skill. This doesn’t increase their Essence Score or associated Defense, can’t be used to gain a Specialization, and the new die size can’t be used to meet requirements for Perks (but can be used to meet requirements for weapons). The benefit lasts for 1 day. A single ally can’t benefit from more than one Minor Tweak simultaneously, and you can have a number of Minor Tweaks active at a time equal to how many Skill Points you have invested in Technology (including any Specializations). KNOCK OUT Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

52 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Weapon Implant You are adept at moving and adjusting body parts to best create areas of useful space. At 3rd level, once per mission, you can perform 1 hour of cybersurgery on a willing ally to graft a single Standard non-Consumable weapon onto their body, even if weapons have already been installed in their Integrated Hardpoints. This requires a successful DIF 14 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test for a onehanded weapon or a successful DIF 16 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test for a two-handed weapon. The target is considered Qualified in the implanted weapon, so they don’t need to requisition it, but it is obvious in their Alt Mode. The weapon remains benefit lasts for the remainder of the mission or until the team needs to requisition equipment again, whichever comes first. Self-Adjustment It is harder to do, but you know how to make modifications to yourself. Starting at 6th level, you can attempt your Minor Tweak and Weapon Implant adjustments on yourself. Doing so imposes Snag on the associated Skill Test. An ally can assist you in this process, granting you ↑1. Major Augments Secrets of the Cybertronian body, mind, and Spark are yours to toy with. At 10th level, when you use Minor Tweak, you can choose to attempt a DIF 18 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test instead. On a success, the target gains two temporary Skill Ranks that can be spent on any skills. In addition, when you use Weapon Implant, you can choose to attempt a DIF 18 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test instead. On a success, you can implant a Limited non-Consumable weapon (regardless of how many hands it requires to wield). If you have the Self-Adjustment Perk, you can attempt these same alterations on yourself with the same Snag on the Skill Test. Extensive Enhancements Your engineering genius knows no bounds. At 17th level, when you use Minor Tweak, you can choose to attempt a DIF 20 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test instead. On a success, the target gains four temporary Skill Ranks that can be spent on any skills. In addition, when you use Weapon Implant, you can choose to attempt a DIF 20 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test instead. On a success, you can implant a Restricted non-Consumable weapon (regardless of how many hands it requires to wield); the weapon also gains the Accurate (↑1) trait. If you have the Self-Adjustment Perk, you can attempt these same alterations on yourself with the same Snag on the Skill Test. They Called It a Glitch! They thought your ideas were half-full of tarnish and your head-gasket was fully cracked. At 20th level, however, you are capable of nigh-miraculous augmentations. By performing 8 hours of modification work on a willing ally and succeeding at a DIF 20 Technology (Engineering) Skill Test, you reduce the target’s maximum Health by 2 and grant them a General Perk they meet the prerequisites for. This modification is permanent, unless you reverse it with another 8 hours of cybersurgery (this requires no Skill Test). A single ally can benefit from this operation multiple times, though you can’t perform it on them if it would reduce their maximum Health to 1 or lower. NOVA STORM Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 53 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 Botched Surgeries There is always a risk when taking apart and reassembling a living mechanoid. To make things more interesting, you can add the following optional rule to the Cyber Engineer’s Perks. Should a Cyber Engineer’s Technology (Engineering) Skill Test result in a Fumble when using one of their perks, the target receives the below Hang-Up. The Hang-Up lasts for the same duration as would the benefit, and its effects are cumulative for multiple Fumbles. Chassis Instability: You shake and shudder awkwardly when you convert Modes. For each instance of this Hang-Up you possess, it costs an additional Free action to convert Modes. If you do not have the ability to generate enough Free actions to meet this cost, you assume the new Mode at the end of the current round and suffer Snag on all Skill Tests on the following round. (see page XX), Fire, Laser, and Sonic. By spending an Energon Point as a Free action, all your melee or ranged attacks (choose one) inflict your chosen type of damage and gain the related trait (including any special properties) for the remainder of the scene. Self-Preservation You have become accustomed to handling the equipment that produces your chosen energy. At 3rd level, you gain Resistance to the Element chosen for your Energy Affinity. Additionally, if you spend an Energon Point as a Free action, you gain Immunity to that same damage until the beginning of your next turn. Volatile Delivery Concentrating your energy delivery systems into a one-use item, you can effectively fashion elemental grenades! Starting at 6th level, once per scene as a Free action, you can create an element grenade that deals the type of damage chosen for your Energy Affinity. The grenade becomes inert if not used before the end of the scene. Energy Connection Your elemental studies have allowed you to deepen your connection to your element or branch out to similar wavelengths of energy. At 10th level, choose one of the following: • Additional Energy Types: Choose a second Element type to add to your Energy Affinity. You gain Resistance to that type of damage, and when you spend an Energon Point to alter your attacks or gain Immunity, you choose between the two Element types. • Deepen Connection: When you attack with a weapon that deals damage of the Element chosen for your Energy Affinity (including when you spend an Energon Point to alter a weapon) and you have Edge, you can critically hit with the d2. Flux Additives You know how to increase the rapidity of your strikes and shots. Upon reaching 17th level, once per turn, when you attack with a weapon that deals damage of the Element chosen for your Energy Affinity (including when you spend an Energon Point to alter a weapon), you can spend 1 Free action to make an additional attack with the same weapon. Elementalist Elementalist Scientists tune all their studies to one group of energy wavelengths, chemical compositions, or other elemental families to master their use. Essence Increase: Increase your Smarts Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Alertness, Science, or Survival. TABLE 2–21: ELEMENTALIST FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Energy Affinity 3rd Self-Preservation 6th Volatile Delivery 10th Energy Connection 17th Flux Additives 20th Energy Mastery Energy Affinity You’ve focused on one specific wavelength of energy. Choose one Element type from the following list: Acid, Cold, Electric, Electromagnetic, Energy Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

54 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Energy Mastery The energies of your element are like clay in your hands. At 20th level, you gain Edge on attack Skill Tests with any weapon that deals damage of any of your chosen Elements and those attacks inflict +1 damage. In addition, you gain Immunity to damage of the type you originally chose for Energy Affinity. Scout Decepticon Scouts are fast and can reliably get ahead of enemy forces to see what is going on, and perhaps arrange a few misfortunes. They frequently play key positions in larger machinations and schemes. DECEPTICON EXAMPLES The following are examples of Decepticon Scout characters: • Laserbeak • Tornado • Weirdwolf REPLACEMENT PERKS Decepticon Scouts gain the following replacement Perks in place of certain Scout Perks listed in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Area Awareness You always take note of ways that you might be surprised by an ambush. Any Deception or Infiltration Skill Test contested by your Alertness to surprise you before a combat suffers Snag. If you are surprised, you gain Edge on the Initiative Skill Test and can take a single action (Standard, Move, or Free) during the first round of combat. This replaces Ally Awareness. NEW SCOUT FOCUS OPTIONS Choose how your Scout excels, picking either one of the two areas presented in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (Outrider or Prowler) or one of these two new Scout Focus options: Demolitionist, a Scout that specializes in deadly tricks and traps; and Tracker, a Scout who can find the proverbial needle in a haystack, even after the haystack has travelled halfway across the continent! Demolitionist Demolitionist Scouts set up hidden snares for enemies to blunder into and deal damage to fortifications. Essence Increase: Increase your Speed Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Acrobatics, Finesse, or Infiltration. TABLE 2–22: DEMOLITIONIST FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Explosives Expert 3rd Always on the Move 6th Set Trigger 10th On My Mark! 17th Easy In, Easy Out 20th Bring It All Down Explosives Expert Making things explode has always been key to a Demolitionist’s utility. Your gain ↑1 to all Skill Tests for creating, setting, defusing, or even throwing explosive devices or weapons. Always on the Move A Demolitionist caught flat-footed is not long for their job. At 3rd level, you have two additional Free actions each turn that can be used on only opening or closing doors or to push yourself to move farther. Set Trigger Traps and deceptions are the primary tools in your kit. By 6th level, you can set Contingency actions to activate in ways that can last long after a scene has ended, as long as it could feasibly be arranged that way (at the GM’s discretion). To set one of these more elaborate Contingency actions, you must first succeed at a DIF 14 Skill Test of a skill that relates to the kind of action occurring in the contingency Action. Some examples include: • “This hidden container of acid will drop on the next Large or larger object to come through this gateway.” (Infiltration or Science) • “If I set my blaster here, with this counterweight, when that door opens, whoever opened it gets a face full of flechettes!” (Science or Targeting) • “If our captive here tries to convert Modes, the frag grenade necklace I’m rigging up will give him a bit of a facelift.” (Finesse or Technology) Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 55 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 On My Mark! You can time triggered events to a nearly supernatural level of precision, especially if you know the potential target. At 10th level, any Contingency action you take (or arrange for) that targets a creature that you most recently designated with Mark Target treats that creature’s Defenses as being 5 lower. Easy In, Easy Out Whenever you are operating unseen, you act far more efficiently. Upon reaching 17th level, any Alertness Skill Test contested by your Infiltration to find you suffers Snag. In addition, when you spend an Energon Point to turn invisible using your Cybertronian Perk, you remain invisible until the beginning of your next turn. Bring It All Down When you have the tools and the time, there isn’t a structure too large that you couldn’t raze to the ground. At 20th level, you know the best places and techniques to use explosive devices to inflict tremendous amounts of devastation. You can apply one of the following effects to your use of any explosive device or weapon: • Gain ↑2 on an Attack Skill Test • Double the blast area of effect radius if used as part of a Contingency action • Add +2 damage to the device’s effect • The device gains the Armor-Piercing trait Tracker Tracker Scouts catch the proverbial scent of their targets and follow them to the ends of the galaxy, if that’s what it takes. Essence Increase: Increase your Smarts Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Alertness, Culture, or Survival TABLE 2–23: TRACKER FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Primary Quarry 3rd Studious Measures 6th Known Accomplices 10th Secondary Quarry 17th Picking Up the Trail 20th All Too Predictable Primary Quarry When you focus your efforts on a single target, it cannot escape your attentions. You may choose a single creature (Grimlock, “that Eurythman scientist,” the mysterious leader of a Junkion biker gang, etc.) to make your Primary Quarry by spending 1 hour studying information about them or researching their travels. You gain ↑1 on Skill Tests to track and find your Primary Quarry, whether or not they are in the scene. The bonus from Mark Target stacks with this bonus if you designate your Primary Quarry at the beginning of a scene as your mark. You can have only one Primary Quarry at a time, and you can change your Primary Quarry by spending 1 hour researching a new target. Studious Measures You know how to study the specific movements, behaviors, and activities of your Primary Quarry. At 3rd level, when you make a creature your Primary Quarry, you learn their maximum Health, any Hang-Ups they possess, and any specific Resistances or Weaknesses the GM can divulge. WEIRDWOLF Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

56 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Known Accomplices One way to a target is through their allies. Upon reaching 6th level, you are skilled at tracking down your Primary Target through the actions and activities of those around them. You can spend an Energon Point to gain ↑1 on Skill Tests to track and find a single known ally of your Primary Quarry for one scene. Secondary Mark You have become skilled enough at tracking that you can divide your attentions without losing focus on any of your prey. At 10th level, you can choose two creatures to be your Primary Quarry with the same hour of research. Both creatures count as your Primary Quarry for your Tracker Focus Perks. Picking up the Trail Sometimes the trail goes cold. At 17th level, if you fail or Fumble a Skill Test to track your Primary Quarry, you know how to find their trail again. Attempt an Alertness or Survival Skill Test contested by your Primary Quarry’s Infiltration Skill Test. On a success, you know the most recent place your Primary Quarry has been in the past 24 hours. All Too Predictable You know your mark so well, studied them so deeply, that you know what they might do seconds before they do. At 20th level, once per turn, you may reroll any single die in a Skill Test involving or targeting your Primary Mark. You must accept the second result. Warrior Decepticon Warriors are rough-and-tumble fighters that hurl themselves into combat and expect to wade back out again, likely dragging the crumpled chassis of their foes behind them. DECEPTICON EXAMPLES The following are examples of Decepticon Warrior characters: • Gnaw • Hun-Gurrr • Rumble REPLACEMENT PERKS Decepticon Scouts gain the following replacement Perks in place of certain Warrior Perks listed in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Cybertronian Perk Give Me That!: Humiliating your foes in close combat is just another way to crush their will to stand up to you. All your melee attacks gain the following alternate effect at ↓2: “Cause a single wielded, worn, or installed weapon on the target to fall to the ground. If the weapon was in an Integrated Hardpoint, the target suffers 1 Sharp damage.” This replaces Hardcore. HUN-GURRR Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 57 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 Push through the Pain Fighting all the time can harden a Cybertronian to the point where they compartmentalize wounds and the pain that comes with them. When you spend an Energon Point to continue to function normally after being reduced to 0 Health, you roll 2d2 instead of the normal 1d2 to determine how many rounds you remain in the fight. This replaces Wisdom Through Experience. Now I’m Angry At 14th level, you learn how to fuel your attacks with the rush of anger and spite that comes along with taking a nasty hit. When you are hit with a Critical Success that deals damage, your attacks inflict 1 additional damage until the end of your next turn. Multiple Critical Success hits in a single round don’t increase the additional damage you deal. This replaces How I Got These Dents. NEW WARRIOR FOCUS OPTIONS Choose how your Warrior excels, picking either one of the two areas presented in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (Sentinel or Wrecker) or one of these two new Warrior Focus options: Brute, a Warrior that fights dirty to end their foes; and Shredder, a Warrior that focuses on unarmed and natural fighting methods that echo of frenzied, primal creatures. Brute Brute Warriors seek only one thing in a conflict: victory. They will do just about anything to achieve it. Essence Increase: Increase your Strength Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Athletics, Intimidation, or Might TABLE 2–24: BRUTE FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Dirty Blows 3rd Never Unarmed 6th Position of Power 10th Crippling Blow 17th Bleed ‘Em Dry 20th Counterstrike Dirty Blows You are an expert at landing attacks on a target’s most sensitive spots. With attacks within your natural (or weapon-augmented) reach, you gain the following alternate effect: “Target is Impaired until end of their next turn.” Never Unarmed In your hands, everything is a potential weapon. At 3rd level, you can spend a Move action to turn any mundane object (or collection of objects) within reach into a makeshift one-handed melee weapon that lasts until an attack roll using it Fumbles or the end of the scene, whichever comes first. The weapon uses Finesse or Might and your natural reach, deals 1 Blunt or Sharp damage, and has the Silent trait. Position of Power Where others see momentary weakness, you see victory. At 6th level, when you successfully make a melee attack against a target currently suffering from a Condition, you deal 1 additional damage. Crippling Blow You are a master at striking weak points, leaving targets open for further punishment. Upon reaching 10th level, if you make a melee attack at ↓1, you can also inflict the Blinded, Deafened, or Prone condition on the target in addition to dealing damage. The condition takes effect after the damage is dealt. Bleed ‘Em Dry Fighting Cybertronians is easier when they do not have Energon in their conduits. At 17th level, when you use Crippling Blow, you cause the target to lose 1d2 Energon Points instead of imposing a condition. If they can’t lose Energon Points (or don’t have enough to lose), they take 1d2 Strength Essence damage instead. Counterstrike Only a fool leaves themselves open to your viciousness. Upon reaching 20th level, once per round when an enemy within your reach targets you with a melee attack and fails by 5 or more, you can make an immediate melee attack against them at ↓1. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

58 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Shredder Shredder Warriors are close-quarters combatants that prefer to feel an enemy’s chassis bend and rip in their claws and teeth whenever possible. Essence Increase: Increase your Speed Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these Skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Acrobatics, Finesse, or Initiative. TABLE 2–25: SHREDDER FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Primal Tools 3rd Get a Grip 6th Rip and Tear 10th Frenzied Attack 17th Make an Opening 20th Brutal Display Primal Tools Whether naturally or through modifications, your body is equipped for lethal combat. Your unarmed combat attack inflicts either Stun 1 or 1 Sharp damage. Additionally, it gains the alternate effect: Multiple (2) Targets (↓1). Get a Grip You know how much more damage you can do when a foe is helpless in your grasp. Starting at 3rd level, when you successful hit a target that is no more than one Size Class larger than you with an unarmed combat attack, you can spend two Free actions to inflict the Grappled condition on the same target. Rip and Tear When something in your clutches gets your full attention, they suffer horribly. Upon reaching 6th level, your unarmed attacks against a target you have Grappled gain Edge and deal 1 additional damage. Frenzied Attack When you open yourself up to the animalistic side of your Spark, you become a whirl of teeth, claws, or other sharp points. At 10th level, you can spend an Energon Point and a Free action once per turn to make an additional unarmed combat attack. If this additional attack inflicts damage on a target, you can spend another Energon Point and a Free action to make another unarmed combat attack. You can continue this pattern until you no longer wish to spend or run out of Energon Points or Free actions or fail to inflict damage on a target. Make an Opening If you can get your claws, talons, or even teeth on a piece of a foe’s armor, you can tear through it. At 17th level, you can make an unarmed combat attack at ↓2 against a target that has an armor upgrade installed. If you succeed, you reduce the bonus provided by that armor by 2 (to a minimum of +0 to a single Defense); this penalty lasts for the remainder of the scene. Brutal Display Your foes are covered in a pattern of rends, cuts, and tears when you are done with them. Upon reaching 20th level, when you Defeat a foe with an unarmed combat attack, you can spend an Energon Point to tear off one of the foe’s limbs in a show of primal rage. You then attempt an Intimidation Skill Test, comparing the result to the Willpower Defense of every one of the foe’s allies within 100 feet who can see you. On a success, the target is Frightened until the end of their next turn; a Critical Success extends the condition to last a full minute. New Role: Raider Fighting a lasting conflict against a significant foe— like the one the Decepticons wage against the face of the Primes’ authority, the Autobots—requires the forcible taking of territory and resources from the enemy. If these spoils can be used to better fight against them, all the better. Soldiers in the war specialized in taking out the enemy’s defenses and stealing their assets to use against them, Raiders focus their training and tactics on smashing everything the enemy has and picking up the pieces for themselves! Decepticon Examples The following Decepticons exemplify being a Raider: • Brawl • Chop Shop • Skywarp Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 59 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 Take What We Are Owed Raiders might be experts in taking what isn’t theirs, but they generally don’t do it for no reason. They aren’t always greedy or looking to make some kind of hoard from their hauls; their winnings are fuel for the greater war machine. For the Decepticons, the use of Raiders is simply another useful tool toward winning the war against the Autobots. To the Victor, Spoils Unless otherwise ordered by their commanders, a Raider is always on the lookout for their next target. From taking caches of stored Energon cubes, new munitions, or ransom-worthy pieces of art by force to staking out strategically important buildings and stretches of territory, Raiders serve many functions. It’s More of a Mindset, But Weaponry Helps Raiders can come from nearly any Origin, as long as their chassis allows for direct confrontation. Being fast enough to get in and out of a conflict helps but packing enough firepower to send the enemy fleeing is almost more important. It is less about having a particular form, but instead having the assault potential to remove the enemy from what needs to be claimed for the cause. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

60 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME TABLE 2–26: RAIDER LEVEL PERK STRENGTH ESSENCE BOOST SPEED ESSENCE BOOST SMARTS ESSENCE BOOST SOCIAL ESSENCE BOOST 1st Eye for Appraisal, Good Instincts, Storage Compartments 1 — 1 — 2nd Profitable Aim — — 1 — 3rd Focus Perk — 1 — — 4th General Perk 1 — — — 5th Cache I — — 1 — 6th Focus Perk — — — 1 7th Maximize Cover — 1 — — 8th General Perk 1 — — — 9th Cache II — — 1 — 10th Focus Perk — — — — 11th General Perk — 1 — — 12th Best Laid Plans — — — 1 13th Cache III 1 — — — 14th Fear My Name — — 1 — 15th General Perk — 1 — — 16th Private Barter 1 — — — 17th Focus Perk — — — 1 18th Utility Loaders — — 1 — 19th General Perk — 1 — — 20th Focus Perk — — 1 — Starting Role Perks HAIL MEGATRON! Decepticons are used to being the toughest and meanest Cybertronians in the room, on the road, or in the skies. Like Autobots, they are living robots that change their forms, but they care little about not standing out or frightening humanity. Every Decepticon character gains the following benefits: • ↑1 to Infiltration Skill Tests when in Alt Mode, or ↑2 if the Alt Mode is appropriate to the environment. • ↑1 to Intimidation Skill Tests when in Bot Mode and targeting Cybertronians of smaller Size class. • Immunity to carbon-based diseases but affected by electromagnetic damage and viruses that affect machines. • One Standard Issue Decepticon Equipment Package (see page 69). • Decepticons, Attack!: If you or your allies are the instigators of a fight, you can choose to gain ↑1 to your Initiative skill test or to your first attack Skill Test during the first round of combat. CYBERTRONIAN PERK Energon Efficiency: When you spend your last Energon Point, roll 1d6. On a 5 or higher, you regain 1 Energon Point. TRAINING Essence Increase: Increase your Strength Essence and your Smarts Essence by 1 each. Role Skills: Gain one rank in two skills from the following: Alertness, Athletics, Culture, and Intimidation. These selections must be of the Essence Scores taken in your Essence increase. EQUIPMENT TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS In addition to your standard issue equipment, personal gear, and mission critical items, your Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 61 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 Role grants you a certain amount of access to equipment. You can requisition any armor upgrades and weapons you are trained in, as well as all gear. You can access any equipment you are Qualified in without requisitioning it. Armor Upgrades: You are trained in Limited armor upgrades. Weapons: You are trained in explosive weapons and weapons that have the Ballistic or Laser traits. FOCUS Choose one of the two areas in which your Raider excels. Acquisitions Expert, who can forcibly gain resources and items of use, especially when they belong to someone else; or Siegemaster, who can claim territory by force, crush all obstacles in the way, or at least make the area an undesirable ruin. Your Focus increases your Essence Scores and unlocks additional benefits or improves existing Raider benefits. Your Focus grants you Focus Perks at 1st level, and again at 3rd, 6th, 10th, 17th, and 20th levels. EYE FOR APPRAISAL Whether spotting the most strategically sound forward advancement or seeing the value of an Energon stockpile at a glance, you have an eye for knowing what something is worth to your team or mission. As a Free action, once per scene, you can attempt a DIF 12 Alertness Skill Test to gain one of two benefits: • Know the three most valuable items in the scene (whether important to the mission or just highest valued, at the GM’s discretion). • Know which 20ft × 20ft area in the scene has the best strategic advantage in relation to a named target. This grants ↑1 to the next 2d2 ranged attacks you make at the target from that area. GOOD INSTINCTS You must be able to always think on your feet (or on your treads or on the wing). Once per scene you may reroll any single skill die result of a 1. STORAGE COMPARTMENTS You never know when you will need to stash something quick or have it in hand in the blink of your optical receptors. You have a number of small compartments built into your Bot Mode equal to your maximum Health; each compartment can hold a single one-handed (or smaller) object. You can insert or remove an item from a compartment as a Free action. Anyone searching you for an object hidden in a compartment suffers Snag on their Skill Test. Perks Beyond First Level PROFITABLE AIM Blindly blasting away at a target could result in the destruction of something or someone useful or valuable to you, your commanders, or the mission at hand. At 2nd level, you know how to aim bursts and shape explosives. You can exclude one 5ft × 5ft square from your attacks that deal damage in an area of effect (such as a blast or a cone). GENERAL PERK When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you choose one General Perk from available Transformers Roleplaying Game resources. You must meet all prerequisites for the Perk. CACHE I Raiders hang on to useful or valuable things, sometimes by accident. By the time you have reached 5th level, you have all manner of objects stashed in or on your chassis. Once per game session, you can gain temporary access to a minor piece of equipment or tool useful in the scene or automatically acquire a Limited weapon or armor upgrade. This is similar to one benefit from spending a Story Point (see page 105 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook), but you don’t have to spend a Story Point. MAXIMIZE COVER Taking advantage of your surroundings is a key part of your combat strategies. At 7th level, you are instinctively good at putting terrain and advantageous objects between yourself and danger. When you have cover, enemies suffer ↓3 on ranged attacks against you (instead of ↓2). CACHE II You keep more contents in your hidden compartments. Starting at 9th level, you can use your Cache I Role Perk twice per session. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

62 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME BEST-LAID PLANS Raids are rarely spontaneous; the most successful ones are those that are meticulously planned. Upon reaching 12th level, your skills at laying out an attack plan are highly advanced. Before beginning a scene, if you have the opportunity to meet with your allies and discuss the upcoming situation for at least 1 hour, you can attempt a DIF 10 Alertness or Culture Skill Test. On a success, you or your allies can reroll one d20 result during the scene in question. For every 5 by which your result exceeds the DIF, you and your allies can reroll one additional d20 during the scene. CACHE III You can find just about anything on you. At 13th level, you can use your Cache I Role Perk three times per session. Additionally, the availability of a weapon or armor upgrade you can acquire increases to Restricted. FEAR MY NAME Your reputation officially precedes you, as tales of your skill and aptitude for profitable violence gives pause to many who see you coming. Starting at 14th level, you have Edge on Intimidation and Persuasion Skill Tests that target anyone who has previously been targeted by your faction’s actions. PRIVATE BARTER In your career of violence and spoils, there are a select number of items that you save for special occasions, either for trade, barter, or a unique circumstance. Upon reaching 16th level, when you use your Cache I Role Perk, you can acquire any item, weapon, or piece of equipment to use for a single scene. However, you can do so only once per session. UTILITY LOADERS Having different kinds of munitions for different circumstances is important for a Raider, and you come prepared. At 18th level, you can quickly switch between different power cells, ammo feeds, and so forth. As a Free action, you can change the damage type of a single ranged attack weapon you wield to Blunt, Sharp, or any Element; add the AntiTank, Armor Piercing, or Wrecker trait; or cause the weapon to deal an amount of Stun equal to its normal damage. This adjustment lasts until you change it again, or until you roll a Fumble while using the weapon in question, at which point it resets to its standard configuration. Raider Focus Options The two Raider Focus Options are detailed below: • Acquisitions Expert, filling up the war coffers with a variety of useful resources • Siegemaster, laying waste to all obstacles between you and owning some territory ACQUISITIONS EXPERT Acquisitions Expert Raiders are fast-moving, stickyfingered attackers who rely on hit-and-run tactics to inflict damage and fill their proverbial pockets. Essence Increase: Increase your Speed Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Acrobatics, Infiltration, or Initiative. BRAWL Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 63 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 TABLE 2–27: ACQUISITIONS EXPERT FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Mine! 3rd Fast Draw 6th Snap to Cover 10th Weapon Conversion 17th Disarming Shot 20th Hobble Mine! You never know when something important might be within arm’s reach in the middle of a firefight, but you are ready to grab it. As a Free action, you can grab an unattended one-handed (or smaller) item within your natural reach and place it within an empty storage compartment (if you have one). If you are trying to do this without someone noticing, attempt an Infiltration Skill Test contested by any onlookers’ Alertness. Fast Draw Being able to draw a weapon and get off a shot quickly could be the difference between a profitable score and an enemy getting away. At 3rd level, you can access a one-handed weapon in one of your storage compartments and attack with it as a Standard action. This occurs so quickly that your target may not use their Evasion Defense against this attack. Snap to Cover You are adept at moving from cover to cover as you gain ground. Starting at 6th level, if you end a Move action within your natural reach of a piece of terrain or obstacle item that would grant you cover, you can extend your Movement to take cover behind that piece of terrain or item. Weapon Conversion Smaller weapons are easier for you to hide, access, and wield than heavier ones. At 10th level, you can convert a two-handed ranged weapon to operate as a one-handed weapon in a process that takes 10 minutes. The new one-handed weapon gains the Inaccurate (↓1) trait and halves its previous range values. Disarming Shot Sometimes your enemy is carrying the item you want, and you have learned how to make them drop it at range. At 17th level, when you successful hit a target with a ranged attack that inflicts at least 1 damage, you can spend a Free action to cause the target to drop one hand’s worth of held equipment (such as a one-handed weapon) or two Free actions to cause the target to drop two hands’ worth of held equipment (such as a two-handed weapon). The item lands in a space adjacent to the target. Hobble It is easier to take things away from a target that cannot flee from your advance. Upon reaching 20th level, you may take ↓2 on a ranged attack against a single target. If you hit, in addition to dealing damage, you inflict one of the following Conditions on the target until the end of their next turn: Immobilized, Prone, or Restrained. SIEGEMASTER Siegemaster Raiders dig in their heels (or treads) and deliver powerful long-distance blows that can grind walls and other fortifications to dust. Essence Increase: Increase your Strength Essence by 1 at 1st level, and again at 10th level. Focus Skills: Train or specialize in one of these skills when your Focus gives you an Essence increase: Athletics, Intimidation, or Might. TABLE 2–28: SIEGEMASTER FOCUS LEVEL PERK 1st Penetrating Aim 3rd Size Matters 6th Vantage Point 10th Dig In 17th Airburst 20th Raze and Ruin Penetrating Aim Punching through enemy defenses is exactly what you trained for. When you spend a Free action to Aim a ranged weapon, you can forgo the ↑1 to ignore 1 point of Defense bonus from armor your target is wearing. You can ignore up to 2 points in this manner with separate Free actions. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

64 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Size Matters Bringing down fortifications and tactically important buildings is something you excel at. At 3rd level, when you make a ranged attack against an object that is larger than you, you can forgo any number of upshifts to deal additional damage. For each ↑1 you trade in, you deal 1 additional damage. This Perk also functions against larger creatures, but you must trade in ↑2 for 1 additional damage. Vantage Point A proper siege requires making attacks from the right position. Upon reaching 6th level, your ability to maximize strategic firing positions has evolved. Your ranged attacks made from an elevation of 30 feet or more above your target or from within an area defined by the Eye For Appraisal Role Perk gain Edge. Dig In You do not budge when you are set to defend yourself, making sure that your foes cannot uproot you and your position of attack. Starting at 10th level, as a Move action, you can fortify your stance. While you are dug in, attacks that attempt to maneuver you (through grappling, shoving, and tripping) suffer Snag. You also cannot suffer from the Prone condition. This benefit lasts until you choose to move or are forcibly moved by another. Airburst Triggering your payloads to detonate early as they arc over enemy heads can have a significant impact on large areas of foes. When you reach 17th level, you can spend an Energon Point when you make a ranged attack with a burst area of effect. The radius of the burst increases by 10 feet. Any creature within the radius that takes damage from the attack is knocked Prone, and any creature within the radius that doesn’t take damage gains the Impaired condition until the end of their next turn. Raze and Ruin Your aptitude for knocking anything that stands in your way to dust is legendary. At 20th level, your ranged attacks that hit Huge or larger objects (such as buildings and fortifications) deal triple damage (including any additional damage from Size Matters). Also, your ranged attacks that hit Huge or larger creatures suffering from the Immobilized condition deal double damage (including any additional damage from Size Matters). General Perks Every Cybertronian has an individual base of talents and aptitudes. You might be a skilled martial artist, a master of using raw Energon, or have a Spark attuned to lead others. Although your Role sets the basic parameters of your abilities, General Perks represent specific ways you are unique. New General Perks The following new General Perks are available to Decepticon and Autobot characters. ADDITIONAL MINI-CON You have another basic Mini-Con (see page 75 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook for details) that attaches or docks with you when not in use. ANALYTICAL Prerequisite: Science or Technology d6 You are more computer than Cybertronian. Whenever you attempt a Science or Technology BONECRUSHER Skill Test, you do so as if Specialized. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 65 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 BATTLE-HARDENED Prerequisite: 12th Level When you spend a Story Point, roll a d4. On a 4, your team regains the spent Story Point. BOOTLICKER You quickly endear yourself to your superiors through a combination of shamelessness and groveling. Gain ↑1 on Skill Tests when interacting with superior officers. CRUEL Prerequisite: 6th Level You have a dark and nasty streak to you, and whenever you can inflict harm, you do so. Anytime you are attacking a target suffering from one or more Conditions, you gain Edge on the attack. If the target is Immobilized or Restrained, you inflict 1 additional damage as well. CYBERTROID CATALYST You have been augmented with energy-transfer catalysts made from the rare alloy used to maximize starship drive outputs. The maximum number of Energon Points you can store is equal to your second lowest Essence Score (instead of the lowest). Additionally, whenever you gain Energon Points for any reason, you gain 1 additional Energon Point. DOGFIGHTER You are especially skilled at dealing with flying targets. If you use Aerial Movement this turn, you gain Edge on attacks against a target that used Aerial Movement in their last turn. ENERGON MANIPULATOR Prerequisite: 10th level You regenerate wounds by devouring targets with Energon inside of them. By destroying an object containing Energon or by Defeating any Cybertronian, you immediately regain 1d2 Health. EXTERMINATOR Nothing gets under your grill faster than tiny little annoyances, be they alien or Mini-Con, and you enjoy giving them a good smashing. When attacking a target of Common or Small size, you gain ↑1 and may reroll any Skill Die results of 1, as long as the target is smaller than you. FORGEBOT LAYERING Whether you were a smelter, a fueler, someone who worked with the raw alloys, you were afforded thin patches of metal made of nigh-impervious Chaar ore to protect your sensitive parts from the heat. You have Resistance to attacks that deal Fire damage and a natural +1 bonus to your Toughness Defense. GRINDER Prerequisite: Brawn d8 One of your favorite sounds is the bending and rending of metal in your hands, claws, or jaws. While you are Grappling a target, as a Standard attack action, you can attempt a Brawn Skill Test against that target’s Toughness. This attack has the Anti-Tank trait and deals 2 Blunt damage on a success. On a Critical Success, the target is also Impaired for the remainder of the scene. STARSCREAM Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

66 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME I STILL FUNCTION! Prerequisite: Conditioning +3 or higher You can withstand a substantial level of punishment before your Spark would ever flutter out. Once per scene, when you are Defeated, you can spend a Story Point and roll 1d6. If the result is equal to or lower than your levels in the Conditioning skill, you immediately regain the result in Health and are no longer Defeated. METALLIKATO Prerequisite: Finesse or Might d6 and Specialization in blades You are trained in one of the esteemed Cybertronian martial arts, with a particular focus on bladed combat. When in Bot Mode, you may spend one or more Free actions to gain any of the following benefits (one Free action per benefit gained) to melee attacks you make in the same turn. • Ignore up to your Smarts Essence in armor bonuses to Defense • Reroll all Skill Die results of 1 • Shove or trip the target on a Critical Success • Gain Multiple (2) Targets (↓1) MIGHT MAKES RIGHT You rely on your physical prowess to win many arguments. Persuasion is a Strength Essence skill for you in addition to a Social Essence skill. Additionally, when you get a Critical Success with a Persuasion Skill Test, you can impose the Frightened condition on the target or targets for 1 minute. MONSTROUS ATTACK You were either created with a touch of the ancient Cybertronian beasts in your chassis or you’ve modified your form in same way, giving you a natural attack, such as a claw, a tail, or your Alt Mode jaws, that can inflict vicious wounds. You have an additional Unarmed Combat attack that doubles your reach and deals 2 Blunt or Sharp damage. You can choose this General Perk multiple times, gaining a new kind of Unarmed Combat attack with each instance. PARTNERED You have a deep connection with a single creature, chosen when you take this Perk. You can always Lend Assistance using a Free Action to that creature as long as they are within your line of sight. PERIMETER DEFENDER Prerequisite: Alertness d8 Your discipline and attention to detail make you an ideal guard. You’re Specialized in all Alertness Skill Tests and can critically succeed with a d2 on Alertness Skill Tests. RECKLESS DRIVING With talent commonly found amongst racers and Stunticons, you are particularly adept at bumping, trading paint, and slamming into targets when you are roaring along the ground at top speeds. You gain ↑1 on Ram attacks. Additionally, if you spend a Standard action before taking your Move action, you can make any number of Ram attacks at different targets during your movement at the cost of 10 feet of Ground Movement per Ram attack made. REVENGEFUL There is nothing sweeter than blasting or bashing someone that just got a piece of you. Whenever you suffer damage from an attack, Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 67 DECEPTICON CHARACTERS 2 any attacks you make until the end of your next turn that target the source of that damage gain ↑1. If one of these attacks Defeat that target, your team gains a Story Point (and you should probably say something snide and braggadocious). SHINY FINISH You polish your chassis with a special kind of ultra-gloss finish that protects you against certain attacks. You have Resistance to attacks that deal Laser damage. SPOT WELD You can throw a quick weld or patch onto a wound, even in the middle of combat. Once per scene, you can spend an Energon Point and attempt a DIF 12 Technology (Repair) Skill Test to repair 1 Health to a target within reach. If use this ability on yourself, you suffer Snag. If you have at least +d6 in Technology, you can instead attempt a DIF 17 Technology (Repair) Skill Test to repair 2 Health. WORD OF UNICRON You are a follower of Unicron, the Lord of Chaos and the Planet Eater. Your faith in his inscrutable ways has changed you at some core level. As well as having access to the Rites of the All-Consuming (see page 111), all attempts to convince, dissuade, fool, or misdirect you from your goals that aren’t made by a fellow Follower of Unicron suffer ↓2. Additionally, Dark Energon addiction “attacks” (see page 80) against you suffer Snag. New Mini-Con Perks Mini-Cons have a lot in common with their larger fellows, but their small stature and unusual Alt Modes give them access to their own suite of options. The following new Mini-Con Perks are available to Decepticon and Autobot characters with Mini-Con allies. ENERGETIC ASSISTANT Likely designed or crafted with an Elementalist’s studies in mind, this Mini-Con gains Resistance to one type of Element damage. Their primary weapon also changes its damage type to the same Element. GANG-UP This Mini-Con is trained to jump in and help make it easier for their allies to land blows. In combat, any enemy within 5 feet of this Mini-Con suffers a –1 penalty to all their Defenses from the distraction. PROWL This Mini-Con can attempt an Infiltration Skill Test to sneak or hide as a Free action. If they move less than half their total Movement in a round, they can attempt an Infiltration Skill Test to hide even if they don’t have cover, though this Skill Test suffers ↓1. STEALTH MODULE Using a similar chassis-modification that Scouts use to refract light away from them, this Mini-Con can vanish. The Mini-Con gains the Disappear Cybertronian Perk (see page 83 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook). TERRORIZE Even though they are small, this Mini-Con is particularly frightening. Whether from a horrifying chassis modification, subsonic voice frequencies, or simply sociopathic behaviors, this Mini-Con has the Terrifying Presence General Perk (see page 112 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook) but can only gain the benefit against targets no larger than two Size Classes larger than them. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

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THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 69 Cybertronian equipment ranges from tools and armor to weapons of unimaginable destruction. Many items that the Autobots use regularly can’t really get the job done in most Decepticons’ minds. Megatron teaches that the ends nearly always justify the means. Decepticon Equipment Protocols Decepticons don’t commonly requisition their equipment for their schemes like Autobots do. They are more inclined to claim what is necessary from a central stockpile or perhaps even from other Decepticons they can command to do so. When Starscream says he needs your blaster, you hand it over, right? In game terms, Decepticon characters default to the same standard issue equipment, but gain access to additional equipment through their personal training and ability to make demands of others. They still have personal gear but can “requisition” better gear. This allows you to replace or upgrade equipment you are trained to use by requisitioning it, if the so-called Requisition Budget permits it. This chapter introduces new equipment, upgrades, and a new category of equipment: Energon strains. Although Decepticons are more likely to use these new options, they are available equally to Autobot characters as well. Claiming and Possession (Assignment and Requisition) Decepticons enjoy stockpiling wealth in the form of shanix, credits, and gathered alien currencies, even if they are just for show most of the time. In the Transformers Roleplaying Game, characters don’t regularly purchase their equipment. Instead, they are assigned equipment for missions and allowed to request access to other items. Ideally, every bot could access anything they feel they need to accomplish their goals, but that is unrealistic; Decepticons tend to hoard their possessions, and each Decepticon must try to get the most use out of everything they can get their clutches on. When assigned to a mission, you receive a combination of standard issue equipment, a selection of mission-critical Items, your Integrated Hardpoint and personal gear, and your Qualified equipment. Additionally, you are issued a Requisition Budget of sorts, though they way you go about acquiring that equipment is more ruthless. Unless otherwise noted, the rules for equipment and load-out limits are the same as presented on pages 115–116 of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. STANDARD DECEPTICON EQUIPMENT Every Decepticon has access to a blaster and close combat blade or bludgeon, and a rifle or laser rifle (see page 71). You also have access to any combination of two frag or hi-ex (see page 71) grenades. Every Decepticon is trained to use these standard-issue weapons. CHAPTER 3 EQUIPMENT Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

70 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME MISSION-CRITICAL ITEMS Your team may receive a limited supply of specialized equipment, without which the mission at hand would be impossible. This can include anything from a specific strain of jellied Energon for baiting wild Sharkticons to epoxy slap-patches for quick first aid on dangerous sorties. When possible, extra mission critical items are provided. These items tend to be rarer or highly specific. Unlike Autobot mission teams, who are happy to share these mission critical pieces of equipment, Decepticons are more inclined to lay claim to equipment. When preparing for the mission, a team of Decepticons should decide who is in possession of the mission-critical items. The team can decide among themselves or the GM, acting as a superior, may hand them out randomly. Being in charge of a mission-critical item doesn’t mean the rest of the team can’t use it; this is more of a narrative possession to help foster the individuality of Decepticons and to know where an item is at any given time during the mission. CLAIMING NEW GEAR For Autobots ready to head out on a mission, their supply stores give them a specific budget to spend on adding items to what they are taking out of storage. Decepticons aren’t quite that structured, but they do take the time to shakedown their subordinates and hoarders to get the same kinds of equipment access. On the missions where a specific requisition budget is listed, Decepticons have the same number of requisition attempts that are listed but use these attempts slightly differently than their Autobot rivals. The rules for Decepticons requisitioning new gear for a mission follow the same structure as the Autobots do, with the following differences: • Requisition attempts aren’t automatically pooled together for the team. Each Decepticon has their own budget, though they can share their attempts if they wish. • A Decepticon can substitute an Intimidation or Persuasion Skill Test to requisition any item, regardless of the normal skill associated with the item, but they suffer ↓1. • If a Decepticon Fumbles on a requisition attempt, they can’t make any more attempts this mission as word gets out of their spectacular failure. Any attempts remaining in their personal budget are lost, and no teammate can share attempts with them. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 71 EQUIPMENT 3 New Equipment Options The equipment lists in the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook are delivered in broad terms and definitions, and they all still apply normally for Decepticon characters. However, Decepticons tend to want to highlight their individuality, so the following equipment options add new ways to customize your character’s gear. New Weapon Traits The following is a new type of element that is available to all Transformers Roleplaying Game characters. Accurate: Weapons that are easy to use have this trait. Users gains the listed bonus when attacking with this weapon. Element (Energy): Energy is a collective term for raw elemental emissions that cannot be classified through one of the other previously detailed elements. Energy weapons grant the user ↑1 on attacks against targets that are being subjected to a form of drastic size/ mass alteration (such as the Modemaster’s Mass Shift, the Object Alt Mode General Perk, and mystically enlarged or reduced objects). Inaccurate: Weapons difficult to aim or that focus on quantity over quality have this trait. Users suffer the listed penalty when attacking with this weapon. New Weapons The following section includes a variety of weapons that should be accessible to Decepticons as well as adventurous Autobots. STANDARD WEAPONS Hi-Ex Grenade A hurled anti-armor explosive device. Availability: Standard Classification: Athletics sidearm explosive Requirements: Nil Range: 10ft/30ft Hands: 1 Effects: 2 Sharp damage Blast (5ft radius) Traits: Anti-Tank, Armor Piercing, Consumable, Wrecker Laser Rifle This standard laser-emitting ranged weapon is a favorite among Seekers and Scouts. Availability: Standard Classification: Targeting medium element Requirements: Nil Range: 100ft/200ft Hands: 2 Effects: 1 Laser damage Traits: Computerized, Laser Stunner This small device packs a significant punch, using supersonic frequencies to disrupt the electromagnetic fields and currents within a target. Availability: Standard Classification: Targeting sidearm element Requirements: Nil Range: 10ft/20ft Hands: 1 Effects: Stun 1 Traits: Computerized LIMITED WEAPONS Chassis-Cracker A gladiatorial weapon, the chassis-cracker is a massive, two-handed amalgam of a miner’s pick, a prybar, and a labrys battle-ax. The edges are said to have been made by Spark-less protometal, giving the weapon as much of a fearsome reputation as its wielder. Availability: Limited Classification: Might heavy melee Requirements: Brawn d4 Range: Reach ×2 Hands: 2 Effects: 2 Sharp damage Alternate Effects: Intimidating, Target is Impaired for 1d4 rounds Traits: Anti-Tank, Inaccurate (↓1) Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

72 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Concussion Pistol A handheld sidearm that hurls a focused blast of sound designed to knock a target off center, disorienting them. Availability: Limited Classification: Targeting sidearm element Requirements: Nil Range: 50ft/100ft Hands: 1 Effects: 1 Sonic damage Alternate Effects: Target knocked Prone (↓1) Traits: Sonic Heavy Laser Pistol An upsized power cell and projection system allows for superheated beams projected from a handheld housing. Availability: Limited Classification: Targeting sidearm element Requirements: Nil Range: 40ft/100ft Hands: 1 Effects: 2 Laser damage Traits: Computerized, Laser, Reload Particle Gun A carbine-like weapon that blasts targets with accelerated packets of energy-soaked particles, tearing through a target’s molecular structure. Availability: Limited Classification: Targeting medium element Requirements: Nil Range: 60ft/150ft Hands: 1 Effects: 1 Energy damage Traits: Computerized, Energy RESTRICTED WEAPONS Antimatter Pistol An advanced handheld generator of energy blasts that tear a target apart at the molecular level. Availability: Restricted Classification: Targeting sidearm element Requirements: Technology d4 Range: 30ft/60ft Hands: 1 Effects: 2 Energy damage Alternate Effects: 1 Strength Essence damage Traits: Anti-Tank, Armor Piercing, Computerized Antimatter Close Combat Weapon This altered version of the energized melee weapons used by many Cybertronians uses semistable antimatter to burn through the molecular structures of targets. Availability: Restricted Classification: Finesse or Might sidearm energy Requirements: Nil Range: Reach Hands: 1 Effects: 1 Energy damage Alternate Effects: Intimidating, Maneuver Traits: Armor Piercing, Computerized, Energy, Reload Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 73 EQUIPMENT 3 Catalytic Cannon A favorite of Siegemasters, this heavy weapon fires chemical payloads at long distances, dissolving physical substances in seconds. Availability: Restricted Classification: Targeting heavy element Requirements: Brawn d4 Range: 150ft/350ft Hands: 2 Effects: 2 Acid damage Burst (10ft radius) Alternate Effects: 2 Strength and Speed Essence damage Traits: Acid, Mounted, Reload, Wrecker Fusion Grenade These internally triggered fusion reactions timed for maximum destruction are frequently put to good use by flying Warriors and Saboteurs. Availability: Restricted Classification: Athletics medium explosive Requirements: Technology d4 Range: 20ft/50ft Hands: 2 Effects: 2 Energy damage Blast (20ft radius) Traits: Anti-Tank, Computerized, Consumable, Wrecker Fusion Gun This hefty, two-handed firearm is built around a powerful energy reactor with a directed port. It can project a significant portion of its internal fusion at a target at surprising ranges. Availability: Restricted Classification: Targeting heavy element Requirements: Brawn d4 Range: 40ft/160ft Hands: 2 Effects: 2 Energy damage Traits: Anti-Tank, Computerized, Energy, Reload, Wrecker Mauler Comprised of superdense teeth arranged around a rapidly revolving spindle, cone, or wheel, the mauler is a vicious close combat weapon that is terrifyingly popular in the Pits. Availability: Restricted Classification: Might medium melee Requirements: Brawn d4 Range: Reach Hands: 1 Effects: 1 Sharp damage Alternate Effects: 1 Strength Essence damage Traits: Armor Piercing FUSION GUN MAULER Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

74 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Mini-Missile Swarm Often nicknamed the “spaghetti missile system,” this weapon pod blasts a cloud of self-adjusted mini-missiles toward a large area, saturating it with numerous detonations. Availability: Restricted Classification: Targeting heavy explosive Requirements: Technology d2 Range: 80ft/200ft Hands: 2 Effects: 1 Element damage Burst (40ft radius) Alternate Effects: 3 Element damage (↓2) Traits: Computerized, Element, Mounted, Reload, Wrecker Null Ray Combining the direct-fire nature of a laser emitter with a chemical super-coolant, this rifle projects a beam that can freeze plastic and buckle metal. Availability: Restricted Classification: Targeting medium element Requirements: Technology d4 Range: 60ft/180ft Hands: 2 Effects: 2 Cold damage Alternate Effects: Stun 1 Traits: Cold, Computerized Particle Rifle A large rifle that concentrates a stream of energysoaked particles capable of punching through most physical defenses with ease. Availability: Restricted Classification: Targeting long element Requirements: Nil Range: 150ft/600ft (minimum 30ft) Hands: 2 Effects: 1 Energy damage Alternate Effects: 2 Energy damage (↓1), 3 Energy damage (↓3) Traits: Armor Piercing, Computerized, Energy, Reload Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 75 EQUIPMENT 3 New Weapon Upgrades These are useful new upgrades that characters can acquire from the right sources to alter their weapon systems. While these tend to be less honorable options, they are useable by both Autobot and Decepticon characters. Dynamo The weapon’s edge becomes lined with harmful energy. Availability: Limited Prerequisite: Melee weapon without an Element type Benefit: The weapon gains the Energy type Elemental Projector A series of elemental energy conduits that can be laced into the parts of a bot’s chassis to apply that element to physical strikes. Availability: Limited Prerequisite: Unarmed or Alt Mode attack with range measured in Reach Benefit: Changes damage type to a chosen Element type Leech Siphons Energy-draining ports that can drain Energon from a target. Availability: Restricted Prerequisite: Close combat blade Benefit: With a Critical Success hit, target loses 1 Energon Point (or 1 Strength Essence Damage if they have no Energon Points); wielder then gains 1 Energon Point Rust Derivatives A time-controlled chemical derivative that emulates the effects of the terrifying Rust Plague. Availability: Prototypical Prerequisite: Weapon with an area of effect and the Consumable trait Benefit: Weapon deals 1 Acid damage in addition to its normal Damage; target then can’t regain Health until treated with a successful DIF 20 Science or Technology Skill Test in a procedure that takes 10 minutes Vicious Edges Adds hooks, blades, chains, or burning filaments to a close-combat weapon, making it almost more a torture device than a weapon. Availability: Limited Prerequisite: Close combat blade, close combat bludgeon, close combat heavy blade, or close combat heavy bludgeon Benefit: Weapon gains the Intimidating alternate effect and inflicts 1 additional damage against a target currently suffering from any Condition New Armor Upgrades These are new ways to protect a Cybertronian’s chassis and internal components from harm. While they might be seen as drastic or unconventional, they are no less useful than their more mainstream counterparts. Armor Matrix The user is injected with reinforcing liquid armor at weak points in their chassis. Availability: Standard (Light); Limited (Medium); Restricted (Heavy) Prerequisite: Brawn d4 (Heavy only) Benefit: Grants bonus to Toughness; +1 (Light), +2 (Medium), or +3 (Heavy) Special: An armor matrix is installed in one Integrated Hardpoint, and a character can benefit from only one armor matrix Junkplate This heavy, spiked, and somewhat odd-looking armor was made famous by Junkion warriors. Availability: Limited Benefit: Grants +1 plating bonus to Toughness and allows unarmed combat attacks to inflict Sharp damage; enemies that Fumble with unarmed or natural attacks against wearer suffer 1 Sharp damage. Pit Plates These hooked, studded, and bladed sections of metal are chemically welded to the larger sections of a bot’s form. Availability: Restricted Prerequisite: Brawn d4 Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

76 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Benefit: Grants +2 plating bonus to Toughness, ↑1 to Intimidation skill tests, and allows unarmed combat attacks to inflict Sharp damage Plated Carapace Designed to mimic the thick shells of certain animals, this armor suite protects in similar ways. Availability: Restricted Prerequisite: Insecticon or Monstrosity Only Benefit: Grants +2 plating bonus to Toughness, increased to +4 in Alt Mode Titan Frame These hardened belting and protective plates snap into place when the user converts into their Bot Mode. Availability: Restricted Prerequisite: Huge or larger (Bot Mode) Benefit: Grants +4 deflective bonus to Toughness, but imparts –2 penalty to Evasion (Bot Mode only) New Support Equipment Decepticons enjoy using the elements of surprise that some of their Alt Modes offer but care less about the constant need to blend in with their human surroundings. Additional Pair of Limbs Prerequisite: Animal, Creature, or Monstrous Alt Mode • Alt Mode: Adds 10ft to your Ground Movement or Multiple (2) Targets (Reach, ↓1) to your unarmed combat attack. • Bot Mode: Adds self-balancing and stability, allowing you to stand up from being Prone as a Free action that doesn’t require any of your Movement. Fearsome Additions • Alt Mode: Spikes, blades, and flamebelching vents grant ↑1 to your Flyby, Ram, or Slam attack. • Bot Mode: You gain a ↑1 on Intimidation Skill Tests. Ram Cone • Alt Mode: Your Flyby, Ram, or Slam attack gains the Anti-Tank and Armor Piercing traits. • Bot Mode: Your can deal Blunt damage with your unarmed combat attack without suffering ↓1. Stasis Cuffs This pair of reinforced, energized alloy manacles has a rigid block of metal between the individual cuffs, making it impossible to convert forms while being worn. The block can produce an extendable Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 77 EQUIPMENT 3 polarity tether capable of anchoring the wearer to any molecularly stable object until an encrypted passcode or the wavelength key is entered into the cuffs to release them. Prerequisites: d2 Technology to use Benefit: While worn, the bearer cannot convert modes, spend Energon Points for any reason, and is Impaired. It requires a DIF 19 Brawn Skill Test to break free from a pair of stasis cuffs, and the energy tether has a Toughness Defense of 19 and 4 Health, regenerating 1 Health at the start of each round. New Vehicles While it is decidedly rare that Cybertronians feel the need to use additional vehicular support when they can simply recruit a bot of the proper size and utility, there are some instances where commonplace engineering is just as easily called upon. Freight Hauler A massive shipping vehicle, a freight hauler is normally used to move raw materials and stacks of Energon cubes from one place to the next. If two or more freight haulers are linked to one another, the driver of the first controls the entire line of linked vehicles as if they are one enormous vehicle. SIZE: Extended II HEALTH: 5 MOVEMENT: 45ft Aerial STRENGTH: 6 SPEED: 2 SMARTS: — SOCIAL: — TOUGHNESS: 16 EVASION: 12 WILLPOWER: — CLEVERNESS: — SKILLS • Brawn +d8 • Initiative +d2 • Might +d4 • Targeting +d2 PERKS Crew: 1 driver, 1 gunner; up to 10 passengers in freight section Hardpoint Weapons: Static array Firepoints: 1 – Rooftop access port; If freight section is open, passengers can use up to 4 additional Firepoints Traits: Air, Freight Carry, Vehicle Air: The Freight Hauler is an air vehicle. Freight Carry: The Freight Hauler has an enormous storage area behind two folding doors on either side of the vehicle’s main body. It can carry up to five times its normal carrying capacity (based on its Brawn) inside the storage area. Alternatively, it can carry up to the equivalent of four Huge creatures. Vehicle: As a vehicle, the Freight Hauler is a sophisticated piece of equipment that requires at least one driver to operate. Without a driver, it is considered a Threat level 0 object, and all attacks target its Toughness. It has no Willpower or Cleverness. Effects that affect a target’s Willpower or Cleverness only affect it if it has a driver, in which case they target the driver’s Willpower or Cleverness. It is immune to Conditions and effects that exclusively affect the living, like poison, but is susceptible to effects that affect machines, such as Anti-Tank weapons. Damage to a vehicle can be fixed with a Standard Engineering Kit or a Technology Skill Test. FREIGHT HAULER Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

78 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME ATTACKS Ram (Might): +d4 or driver’s Driving, Reach (2 Blunt damage) Alternate Effects: Trip Traits: Drive-By Static Array (Targeting): +d2 or gunner’s Targeting, Range 30ft/80ft (1 Electromagnetic damage— Multiple [3] Targets) Alternate Effects: Stun 1 Traits: Computerized Safe-Escape Landing Pod This automated, armored aerospace pod is designed to take one or two mechanoid life forms from a space vessel to the nearest terrestrial celestial body. These are often followed by Starscream’s Seekers and Cyclonus’s Sweeps after a space raid, leading them to new targets and the leftover spoils of the engagement. SIZE: Gigantic HEALTH: 4 MOVEMENT: 40ft (10ft) Aerial STRENGTH: 4 SPEED: 4 SMARTS: — SOCIAL: — TOUGHNESS: 14 EVASION: 14 WILLPOWER: — CLEVERNESS: — SKILLS • Brawn +d6 • Driving +d4 • Initiative +d4 • Might +d2 PERKS Crew: Automated, up to 2 passengers Firepoints: 0 Traits: Aerospace, Autopilot (Advanced), Landing Pattern, Vehicle Aerospace: The Safe-Escape Landing Pod is an aerospace vehicle, can maneuver in a zero-g environment, and is sealed against the vacuum of space. It must move at least its second listed Aerial Movement value with each Move action. Autopilot (Advanced): If this vehicle has no drivers, it operates like a normal vehicle with at least 1 driver but less than its full complement of drivers. Landing Pattern: The Safe-Escape Landing Pod, unless altered in its purpose by a Driving or Technology Skill Test from inside the pod, will always move toward the nearest suitable celestial body (asteroid, moon, planet, etc.) to land upon. Vehicle: As a vehicle, the Safe-Escape Landing Pod is a sophisticated piece of equipment that requires at least one Driver to operate. Without a driver, it is considered a Threat level 0 object, and all attacks target its Toughness. It has no Willpower or Cleverness. Effects that affect a target’s Willpower or Cleverness only affect it if it has a driver, in which case they target the driver’s Willpower or Cleverness. It is immune to Conditions and effects that exclusively affect the living, like poison, but is susceptible to effects that affect machines, such as Anti-Tank weapons. Damage to a vehicle can be fixed with a Standard Engineering Kit or a Technology Skill Test. ATTACKS Ram (Might): +d2 or driver’s Driving Skill, Reach (1 Blunt damage) Alternate Effects: Trip Traits: Drive-By Energon Strains One of the largest points of contention between the Decepticons and the rest of Cybertron’s inhabitants is how they treat the acquisition, use, and, some would argue, abuse of the most important natural resource to mechanoids across the galaxy: Energon. Megatron and his inner circle have made it clear; Energon is to be sought out, ripped from wherever it is found, and harnessed for use in the climb to Decepticon ascendency. Where the Autobots and their allies treat Energon like the precious material it truly is, Decepticons see it as just another tool to be used and possibly exhausted. If it furthers the mission at hand, they will manipulate Energon or even use rarer strains of the material that are viewed as dangerous and unstable. Decepticons (and some risk-taking Autobost) may find themselves with the opportunity and desire to use any of the following alternate strains of Energon. Standard Energon Forms ENERGON CUBE In the most basic form, Energon is fuel for Cybertronians and their power-hungry tools. The most basic form of liquid Energon is stored in cube form. Availability: Standard Use: One cube holds 2 Energon Points, which can be siphoned at the regular rate of 1 Energon Point per Free action. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 79 EQUIPMENT 3 ENERGON SNACK This small cube or icosahedron of jellied Energon can quickly grant Energon. Availability: Standard Use: One snack holds a single Energon Point, which can be consumed as a Free action. SOLID-STATE ENERGON (NATURAL ENERGON) Centuries of pressure and ambient radiation condenses particulate Energon into larger veins of its crystalline form. The crystals can be harvested and later refined into the much easier-to-use liquid state. This process is normally performed at an Energon refinery, but anyone with a Standard Mineralogy Kit could break down a few crystals at a time for individual use. Availability: Standard Use: Solid-state Energon is a lightweight crystal packed with potential energy. Should it suffer damage of any type aside from Cold, there is a chance the Energon will break down, causing a catastrophic detonation. Roll 1d2 and add the damage the crystals suffer. If the result is equal to or higher than the number of Energon Points stored within the crystal, it explodes, inflicting 1 Energy damage to everyone within a radius equal to 10ft times the number of Energon Points within the crystal. A character who succeeds at a DIF 14 Science (Mineralogy) Skill Test as a Standard action can break down a single solid-state Energon crystal into a useable liquid form for consumption or storage. Alternate Energon Strains When consumed, these alternate strains of Energon grant Energon Points that function a little differently from standard Energon Points. Some also offer long-term benefits for simply having these alternate Energon Points. A character can have as many alternate Energon Points as they wish, even beyond their normal Energon Point maximum. However, Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

80 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME an alternate Energon Point must be spent within 24 hours of consuming the Energon strain, after which it dissipates. DARK ENERGON As Energon was made by the creator of the Cybertronians, Primus, Dark Energon was created by Unicron the All-Consuming. It glows a deep violet and is said to give most Cybertronians a feeling like “coolant in your pipes” when in contact with it… before imbibing, of course. The many uses of Dark Energon could fill a whole book, and the disciples of Unicron’s Rites of the All-Consuming (see page 111) have a wide variety of actions that may be fueled by Dark Energon and have methods for avoiding the penalties of addiction. Availability: Restricted Use: Dark Energon has many uses but is primarily a powerful bodily stimulant. Having at least one Dark Energon Point grants a user a +1 temporary bonus to Toughness and Evasion Defenses, and ↑1 on all Strength and Speed skills. In addition to the ways traditional Energon Points can be spent, a user can spend 1 Dark Energon Point to gain Edge on a Strength- or Speed-based Skill Test or to reroll as many dice as they choose after they roll a Strengthor Speed-based Skill Test. Dark Energon is highly addictive, making an attack against the Willpower of anyone who uses it, starting with a base skill level of +d6 and gaining ↑1 for each time used until it automatically succeeds. When the attack succeeds, the subject gains the Addicted (Dark Energon) Hang-Up. Addicted (Dark Energon): Those addicted to Dark Energon are driven to consume it at any opportunity and disdain traditional Energon, with those deep in the throes of addiction gaining limited benefits from pure Energon. At the start of each day, the Dark Energon makes an attack against the user’s Willpower (at the same skill level that caused the Hang-Up). If it fails, the user staves off the hunger for the day; on a success, the user needs to consume Dark Energon that day or all standard Energon Point expenditures are doubled in cost. A Dark Energon addict that hasn’t consumed Dark Energon within 24 hours after being successfully attacked by the addiction takes 1 Smarts and 1 Social Essence damage and continues to take the same damage each subsequent 24 hours until they consume Dark Energon (no additional attack needed). This damage can’t be cured until the addiction is cured. When a Dark Energon user is reduced to 1 Smarts or Social Essence, they begin randomly attacking enemies and allies alike in a berserk rage until Defeated by loss of Health or other means. Dark Energon addiction can be treated with a successful DIF 20 Science (Medicine) Skill Test that requires a week of counseling and treatment. PRIMAL ENERGON Primal Energon is a thick and tarlike substance with a kaleidoscopic, oily sheen. It is found only encased in crystalline shells (but never fully solidified) buried deep below a world’s surface or sometimes called up as remnants from manipulation of the spacetime continuum. Primal Energon is a powerfully concentrated substance that fills the user with the raw, bestial instincts of Cybertronian creatures of ancient times. Availability: Restricted Use: The amount of Primal Energon Points gained from a source is double the normal number of standard Energon Points received from a similar source. In addition to the ways traditional Energon Points can be spent, a user can spend 1 Primal Energon Point to awaken their basest nature, gaining a ↑1 to all Strength-based skills, Alertness, Animal Handling, and Survival for one scene. However, while these bonuses are in effect, the user also suffers ↓1 to all other Smarts- and Socialbased skills. RED ENERGON An extremely volatile form of Energon, Red Energon takes a longer time to process but when consumed enhances a Cybertronian’s strength and speed for a limited duration. It is commonly considered a dangerous substance to possess and is sometimes viewed as a controlled substance in Cybertronian communities. Availability: Restricted Use: In addition to the ways traditional Energon Points can be spent, a user can spend 1 Red Energon Point gains ↑1 on all Strength- and Speedbased Skill Tests for a turn or gain Edge on a single Strength- or Speed-based Skill Test. Red Energon is highly unstable and can be used as an explosive in its raw or refined forms. A chunk Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 81 EQUIPMENT 3 or collected container of Red Energon explodes when it suffers any damage, attacking all creatures in a 30-foot radius with a skill level of +d8 and dealing 1 Fire damage and 1 Sharp damage if the attack hits. SYNTH-EN (SYNTHETIC ENERGON) This synthetic Energon replacement compound was made by Autobot scientists to help the overall recovery of a war-torn Cybertron. It comes in two states: a glittering neon green when it is unstable and prone to power surges, and a more muted blue-green when it has been stabilized by a base chemical bonder. In the former state, it is powerful and can be used sparingly like common Energon, while the latter form is weaker. It is for this reason that Synth-En wasn’t the saving grace Optimus Prime and his bots believed it to be, and why the Decepticons are still toying with how to maximize its utility. Availability: Prototypical Use: While in its unstable green form, Synth-En functions exactly like Red Energon. A character who succeeds at a DIF 16 Science (Chemistry or Physics) Skill Test can stabilize Synth-En into its blue-green state. Stable Synth-En Energon Points can be spent in the same way as normal Energon Points. However, when a character does so, roll 1d6. If the result is equal to or higher than the character’s remaining standard Energon Points, the character must spend a standard Energon Point immediately to achieve the effect desired. Weaker to be sure, but stable Synth-En will not explode under any circumstance! TOX-EN (TOXIC ENERGON) This sickly green form of Energon emits toxic vapors. Tox-En is dangerous to all Cybertronian life forms. It can cause paralysis in Cybertronians and can even extinguish a Spark with enough exposure. Availability: Restricted Use: Unlike other alternate Energon strains in this section, Tox-En cannot be used to power Cybertronian life and doesn’t grant Energon Points of any kind. Instead, it acts as a hazard. When a Cybertronian is within 20 feet of exposed Tox-En, the substance makes an attack with a skill level of +d8 against the Cybertronian’s Toughness Defense. This attack gains Edge if the Cybertronian touches the Tox-En. If the attack fails, there is no effect. If the attack is successful, the Cybertronian suffers 1 Strength and 1 Speed Essence damage and is Impaired for 1 minute. This attack repeats every round the exposure is continued, increasing the duration of the Impaired condition by 1 minute with each successful attack. This damage can’t be healed until the Cybertronian is removed from the Tox-En’s area of effect. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

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THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 83 There is more than meets the eye to running a campaign featuring Decepticon player characters than just some morally gray or passion-driven motives. Before the start of any campaign, it’s important for players and the GM to discuss the game they are about to play. In a campaign where the players take on the role of the villains, it is especially important to lay out expectations and guidelines. This chapter presents some topics to discuss with your game group when planning a Decepticon campaign, as well as ways to define the Decepticons in your campaign and an array of locations that might show up in such a campaign. Accessing Your Dark Spark A Decepticon campaign lets players explore more over-the-top character concepts than an Autobot campaign. However, it casts them as the villains of the setting. Chapter 13: Running an Adventure of the Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook briefly discusses the need for a Session 0 to plan character involvements and safety tools, but this is that much more important to discuss what might make players uncomfortable or uneasy in a campaign where they are portraying the villains. Why Be a Decepticon? One of the first questions to discuss with your group is “Why?” Why portray Decepticons? A Decepticon campaign spins the needle on the moral compass, with players taking on ethically questionable, if not outright evil, characters. In a game that lets you settle into the mind and body of a shapechanging robotic alien, why choose to be one of the bad ones? DECEPTICONS ARE MEAN MACHINES! If you want to know why a player might want to play as a Decepticon, just look at the awesome jets, monsters, insects and more they convert into! The massive cannon that dominates Megatron’s arm shows how aggressive and powerful he must be. One of the original Decepticons, Soundwave, introduced the team of cassette Mini-Cons and spoke with the most unique voice in the American cartoon series. There was no Autobot equivalent to either until much later. Even the primary Decepticon forces that viewers saw blasting away at the Autobots were sleek, high-flying jets, led by a cackling warlord who mocked his enemies and laughed in their faces. Starscream and his Seekers moved faster, flew higher, and seemed cooler than a bunch of fleeing cars and trucks. Optimus Prime, Ironhide, and the rest of the firstgeneration Autobots were iconic examples of robots converting into human vehicles. In comparison to roaring jets, a towering gladiator with a cannon for an arm, rampaging insectoids, and even a cassette player filled with a robotic army of animals and earthquake-causing men, there was no contest. Decepticons were stealing the show. Even as the Autobots gained new, comparatively flashy characters like Blaster and the Dinobots to their ranks, more Decepticons with even more interesting shapes and sizes appeared in equal measure. The Decepticons continued to stand out with unique individuals, while also being able to CHAPTER 4 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

84 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME hurl physically similar drones at the heroes again and again. The heroes stood proud and tall as they should, but the Decepticons remained popular with many Transformers fans. THE BAD GUYS ARE WINNING? Unlike quite a few heroic tales, where the villains emerge from the shadows to strike at the status quo, possibly trying to topple the people in charge… the Decepticons have already done a great deal of the work toward their goals! Depending on exactly when your campaign takes place in Transformers history, the civil war might be in full swing, with the Autobots—including putting Optimus Prime and his most influential officers—on the run, fleeing across the galaxy! Some players may want to embody this boastful “victory-is-at-hand” attitude. Sometimes it feels good to blindly believe you are already winning the fight, even if there are heroic forces at work to topple you and your comrades’ success. Even in the eras of the setting where the Decepticons are in about an equal position as their foes, there is a certain feel of superiority that comes with always pushing up against those you feel who are beneath you and your leaders. Though such beliefs can lead to underestimating your foes! THE REWARDS OF AMBITION While the Autobots usually operate within a strong structure of teamwork and consistently put the mission above themselves and their personal goals, Decepticons tend to be far less structured and altruistic. Aside from a few heralded positions within the divisions of Decepticons, there isn’t much of a system of ranks found within its masses. Generally, if a Decepticon can order another around—whether empowered to do so by a more powerful bot that speaks with more authority, or simply possessing a stronger personality in the moment—they take on the role of leader for that segment of the mission. The Decepticon stance of “might makes right” tends to set members against each other in minor power struggles, but it highlights the faction’s leaders as the most powerful examples of what they have to offer. The Decepticon in charge tends to be better at the task at hand, more powerful than their fellows, or perhaps better at planning for what comes their way. The use of Spark-copied drones to fill out the masses of the Decepticon faction automatically creates a kind of pecking order that puts these disposable copies at the very bottom, followed by those drones who have grown into their own individuality, and eventually up into the Alpha bots who are the originals. Some of those Alphas even show themselves useful and strong enough to lord over Decepticons outside of their group Spark-chain. Essentially, the Decepticons reward ambition. Bots that strive to achieve more and gain power over others, especially their rivals within the faction, will excel. Characters willing to reach up and knock the bot above them off the proverbial ladder can try to climb into their place, like how Starscream is always one scheme away from taking Megatron’s throne, or Astrotrain’s secret collection of rail drones is ready to “make the Seekers obsolete.” This cutthroat rise through the ranks generally works much better as a Decepticon story than an Autobot story. Players might want to revel in their growth of power and influence within the faction, but they should always be wary that they have likely stepped into someone else’s crosshairs… Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 85 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 A GOOD OFFENSE IS A GOOD OFFENSE In many heroic stories and roleplaying game campaigns, the characters are always reacting to whatever scheme or plot the villains are about to, or just have, unleashed upon the world. It seems the good guys are always one step behind, fighting against the odds to undo damage done. Being one of the bad guys puts you ahead of all that. You get to instigate the troubles, start a cavalcade of schemes, and generally set the standard for the worlds around you. You get to make the first moves, choose how things are going to proceed, and—barring your ability to escape oversight by your superiors—take on your missions in your own ways. Decepticon characters will almost always be the reason adventures happen, rather than reacting to something the Autobots are up to. DIFFERENT SHADES OF BAD Not all Decepticons are tyrannical overlords or voracious destroyers, many of them were recruited for their stance of freedom or a desire to pull themselves up out of the gutters of Cybertron. Many would never see themselves as villains at all, even as they grew in influence and power. After all, they aren’t megalomaniacs ready to unleash weapons of mass destruction on alien planets. It is up to the players to decide just where on the villain scale their Decepticon characters reside, or how far they will slide toward the darkest aspects of themselves. The various levels of sinister or self-serving personalities within a group can make for excellent roleplaying opportunities between Decepticons on the same team. Just how far is each Decepticon willing to go to complete the faction’s goals? What Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

86 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME do each of them consider “acceptable collateral damage?” Confronting these questions can add a surprising amount of debate to a game about so-called evil Cybertronians. ALLIES OF CIRCUMSTANCE When the average Decepticon mentality is to do whatever it takes for the mission, such a villain might swallow their pride and act a little less evil to work with some heroes when their goals are parallel. Perhaps a superior or rival Decepticon is making moves that you disagree with. You might seek out an opportunity to knock them down a few pegs or maybe you’re just upset enough to use the Autobots to eliminate your opposition. Whatever the reasoning, Decepticons can often mislead and misdirect their way into a group of Autobots and fight by their side for quite a while; whether it is a real alliance or just more Decepticon shenanigans might change over time. Who knows what those temporary allies might do for you when everyone’s backs are to the wall? HOW ABOUT A REDEMPTION STORY? Throughout various Transformers media, there have been many instances where Decepticons find themselves turning over their insignia and joining up with their former foes. Jetfire betrayed his creator’s design and flipped wing on the Seekers. The turncoat Deadlock became Drift. There was even a tale of Megatron wearing the red for a time. There is something to be said for taking a character down a dark and ugly path, only to have them discover some revelation about their faction, their mission, or even themselves before it is all over. Even if it is just based around the decisions and story arc of a single character going from their Decepticon roots to a more heroic position, having a character become one of the good guys—or at least a better guy—can make for a deep and wonderful roleplaying experience. VILLAINS RARELY THINK THEMSELVES EVIL Some of the best villains in action-adventure media rarely see themselves as unquestionably evil. Only in certain cases do they truly act as the over-the-top moustache twirlers of yore. Most of the time, the villains are the heroes in their own heads. They are doing what they are doing because they think they are unerringly right. Megatron knows the galaxy sees him the way it does, but deep in his Spark he believes what he is doing is best for Cybertron and all other Cybertronians… or at least those willing to serve the new, idyllic empire he is fighting to create. Just because the players know they’re playing villains doesn’t mean their characters can’t think they’re heroes. Roleplaying offers players the opportunity to put themselves in the treads of a bot that sees the galaxy in a different light. Exploring the psychology of others appeals to a certain type of roleplayer, and the internal motivations of villains can be a true test of skill and understanding. Having Fun Without Crossing Lines Once you have determined why you are playing the villains, you still need to be careful how you indulge in the misbehavior usually expected in such a campaign. Discuss these topics with your group during a Session 0 or at some other point in the planning phases to make sure everyone gets what they want from a Decepticon campaign without ruining the experience for anyone. BEHAVIOR Megatron freely calls for the destruction of his enemies, again and again. He turned his fusion cannon on his own people many times just to make a point. Although words like “tyrannical” and “brutal” often describe Decepticon mentalities, the actual, visceral acts of brutal tyrants have no place in a Transformers Roleplaying Game campaign. Similarly, actual warlords and tyrants don’t focus on personal vendettas against the descendants of demigods or covet a semi-mystical device of xenomechanical evolution, either. Discuss with your players what behavior fits into your table’s action-packed villainy, and what might be getting too close to actual tyranny for their comfort. That goes for both PCs and NPCs. The campaign may center around an evil alien faction, but the goal should still be escapism and entertainment. VIOLENCE The Decepticons blast apart small buildings, hurl each other through structures, and sometimes wield nearby vehicles as weapons. This would normally result in tons of collateral damage and injured— or worse—bystanders. Such human casualties Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 87 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 never make it to the screen for a reason, keeping things relative to the story and the action, allowing the giant robots to lean into the excitement and destruction of the scene, not the realistic toll of mortality. The PCs can commit acts of villainy without the GM explicitly detailing the ramifications of their evil acts. Conversely, some players might prefer in depth descriptions to point out the ludicrous levels of destruction to further distance the game from real-world parallels. Torture: An Ugly Tool While some Decepticons might use physical torture on their captives, it should never be something that player characters do. Most groups are fine with using the Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion Skills to bully or win over the minds of their prisoners, but torture should never be glorified or treated as a conclusive way to extract information. REAL-WORLD ISSUES Some of Transformers’ most memorable storylines dealt with issues the audience could relate to. The constant push of good versus evil between Megatron and Optimus Prime, for example, was the perfect balance of exciting action and powerful dialogue. When the Junkions revealed they are always seen as lesser Cybertronians, despite being physically more tenacious and remarkably clever to live on their world, it highlighted the wrongs of judging a people based on where they live, what they look like, and how they speak. There is even something to note about how the Decepticons rarely treat each other with respect, and instead trash-talk and threaten one another, which is a subtle way of reinforcing that heroes don’t treat each other that way! For the most part, however, Transformers media follows “polite dinner conversation” rules of staying away from real-world religion or politics. Discussing who should be in control of Earth’s Energon resources or the upper levels of Cybertron or why the followers of Unicron are dangerous is different than focusing on their parallels in reality. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

88 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME As the setting took on as many different forms as the robots did within it, so did the nature of its primary antagonists, the Decepticons. Beginning as a handful of evil-for-evil’s-sake villains led by a version of Megatron that literally converted into a powerful pistol that other Decepticons would wield against the Autobots, the original Decepticons were bent on chasing down and destroying Optimus Prime and his original team of Autobot refugees fleeing from Cybertron. As the setting grew and evolved, so did the goals and reasoning for the Decepticons to fight the Autobots and anything else that stands in their way. Leaders have risen and fallen, even different versions of infamous members of the Decepticon upper ranks have appeared. Megatron the Conqueror, Megatron the Gladiator, Megatron the Tyrant, Galvatron, King Starscream, Scorponok, Deathsaurus, and more have brought their own brands of leadership and rule to the Decepticons. One story arc revolves around the awakening of the great and all-consuming Unicron, the moonsized deity. The massed ranks of their followers have taken up the faction colors for a variety of different reasons, too. Members have come and gone. NewdDrone types have battled against the Autobots, and no end of new faces have appeared to lead or fight alongside them. Throngs of belligerent Decepticon soldiers rise and fall on the whims of their leaders. When you decide to bring the Decepticons into your game as a playable resource or build a game campaign around them completely, you will need to define the faction. Answer the Five Ws It can be useful to walk through the time-tested five W questions to fully prepare your Decepticon campaign before you begin to populate it with characters and plotlines. WHO ARE YOUR PERSONALITIES? A solid narrative for the Transformers Roleplaying Game will have a number of important non-player characters on all sides of the conflict, many of which will be the sources of game session plotlines and points of interaction. The following are some groupings of character types you may wish to define for your campaign. Roleplaying gives GMs and players the opportunity to explore ideas from outside their perspective. These games let people escape from the real world and have fun with friends. Before introducing potentially triggering elements to your campaign, and before giving your players carte blanche to indulge their evil side, establish everyone’s expectations for a Decepticon campaign. Selfish with the Story Points In Essence20 games like the Transformers Roleplaying Game, the GM awards players Story Points to acknowledge play in line with the table’s style, reward clever behavior, and soothe the sting of a Fumble. Players share a pool of Story Points, with equal opportunities to spend them. Share? Team consensus? That is not at all what Decepticons are about! If the cooperative nature of Story Points doesn’t align with the tone of your campaign, consider rewarding them to individual Decepticon characters, instead of having them be a team resource. In such a variant, Story Points are generated in the same ways. But this doesn’t mean Decepticons can’t share their Story Points with their allies! Perhaps someone has already used their allotment and a useful Perk requires a Story Point expenditure the character can’t afford. This could lead to some unique and interesting roleplaying moments when one Decepticon asks, pleads, or cajoles their fellows for such aid. Dissecting Your Decepticons Since the dawning of their existence in 1984, Transformers blasted, soared, and converted their way into the minds of fans worldwide. What began as a toy line that gave us robots that turned into everyday vehicles, electronics, and weapon evolved into a multi-media extravaganza that covers toys, collectibles, cartoons, movies, video games, and even themed musical experiences! Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 89 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 Leaders The bots in charge of both sides will be an obvious source of many plotlines. Whether they are being ordered around by the likes of Megatron, Starscream, Shockwave, or even Galvatron changes the kinds of missions and level of villainy expected of the player characters. Conversely, the Autobots and their responses to the characters’ activities will vary based on whether they are being instructed by esteemed leaders like Optimus Prime, Sentinel Prime, veteran warriors like Ultra Magnus, or new age fighters like Elita-1 and Rodimus Prime. Important Allies Who the Decepticon characters can count on as allies will be important. Are they members of a specific division or team? Are they surrounded by drones that will likely be tools to be used or are they drones in their own right? Do they answer to Starscream and the veteran Seekers? Are they connected to Soundwave and his mob of Mini-Cons? They might be Insecticons, part of the greater Swarm, going on raids with the likes of Kickback and Bombshell. Or perhaps they are close with a team of Combiners, like the Commandos or the Terrorcons, and work outside the team to do deeds on their behalf. Whoever ends up being on the characters’ sides, you will want them to be noteworthy. Important Foils You should also know who will stand in the way of the characters’ goals. Memorable foils aren’t just enemies to be blasted out of the way. They are those who are aware of what the characters are up to and will go to great lengths to stop them. Are the characters going to be using a lot of technology and science? Maybe Perceptor and Blaster are heading up the efforts to stop them. Is this a story that reaches back to ages gone by? Grimlock and the Dinobots may appear from time-to-time to make things difficult for the Decepticons. It could even be that the characters have created or earned some rivals within the Decepticons and may have to deal with the machinations of plotters like Airachnid and Astrotrain! Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

90 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Notable Warriors There will surely be conflict the characters must contend with. The factions are at war, after all. This means that the Decepticons will meet Threats from the opposition that may appear, like they did in the media sources, again and again. Will the characters see Bumblebee scouting out their missions? Are the Aerialbots bent on being there every time the characters emerge from unspace? Or do they need to contend with Blaster’s Mini-Con forces snapping at their heels? Their foes might not even be Autobots. Maybe a specific officer within the human government or armed forces is always setting assets against them. Whatever the source or reason, there should be recurring adversaries to appear. This allows relationships and roleplaying moments to emerge in the thickest of combat scenes. The Locals Unless each session takes place in the dead of space or the middle of a deserted environment, the characters will have to contend with nearby inhabitants. Unlike Autobots, who do their absolute best to avoid putting the indigenous species in harm’s way, the locals are less of a concern to most Decepticons. Do the characters care about all the humans around their firefight on the Los Angeles River? What about the unaffiliated Junkions caught in the middle of a trade gone wrong? Will the musclebound titans of the Collective, like Garnak and Codder, take up arms against the characters if they trespass? There are a lot of roleplaying opportunities created when interacting with the locals. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 91 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 Those at Risk Even if they have little to nothing to do with the game-to-game events or plotlines aside from simply being part of the background information, characters should be able to take note about all the life forms that could be harmed by the characters’ goals and actions. This includes bystanders, witnesses, fauna, and possibly special flora that might get caught up in the conflicts or fall victim of the Decepticons’ machinations. WHAT IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE CAMPAIGN? Individual missions will have the characters in a campaign performing distinct tasks and goals, many of which could be as different from each other as the characters involved with them. However, these pieces should line up to create a primary goal, a greater reason for the entire campaign. A Testament to Power The Decepticons are using the characters and their missions simply to let the galaxy know who is really in charge of things. A campaign about showing off the Decepticons’ power will likely place the characters in situations where they can grandstand, as well as achieve goals that will be grandiose and very noticeable. Energon! The first reason why Cybertronians do just about anything, Energon is the most contested resource in the galaxy. Discovering and researching places where Energon can be found, and capturing those sources is an important part of being a Decepticon. Acquiring Energon from those who might already have laid claim to it is another common Decepticon goal, as is ripping it unceremoniously from the ground. Just like humans battle over the accessibility of natural resources here on Earth, Energon is a major source of conflict between the Decepticons and the Autobots. Revenge The Decepticons believe heavily in getting revenge on those who have wronged them, one of the oldest motivational reasons in existence. It could be as simple as wanting to strike back at someone who defeated you or your allies in the past, or perhaps it is a deeper connection that stokes the characters’ fires anytime their target is nearby. A campaign could easily find its protagonists born out of the need to see someone suffer for past deeds. Territorial Control Decepticons are fractious and cannot help but lash out at one another, which can leave their collective Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

92 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME territory at risk of being claimed by the opposition. If a campaign takes place in a contested area or surrounding a specific location that flies one side’s banner, enemy factions could risk taking the territory from the Decepticons, and the characters may be as likely to be defending their borders as they are expanding them! Reputation Solidification When Decepticons first move into a new territory, it is important for the locals—heroes and bystanders alike—to be made aware just who is now in charge of these parts. A team of Decepticon characters may oversee making sure that happens, or maybe they are just there to silence any local naysayers or would-be heroes before they can test the Decepticons. Prophecy Between the Tales of Primus, the Legends of the Primes, all the records of ancient Cybertron, and even the devoted Followers of Unicron, there are a vast number of recorded prophecies and tall tales that the characters could get involved with. Whether it is to stop events from coming true or facilitating them to fruition, a good prophecy can be very motivating. WHEN IS YOUR CAMPAIGN TAKING PLACE? When dealing with a setting that has had as many ups and downs as this one, you should decide what important events come before, or even during, your campaign. Golden Age of Cybertron This is the time on Cybertron when life was somewhat normal. Not rife with conflict yet, Cybertron was firmly governed by the champions of the Primes, and the Decepticons hadn’t truly become much more than a concept whispered about on the dark recesses of the planet’s lowest levels. A campaign taking place in this era would be less about the Decepticons being villains, and more about the birth of the faction itself. The Rise of Megatron The violent and tumultuous beginning of Megatron’s revolution against the Primes is another era based primarily on Cybertron. Word of this political movement spread like wildfire through the lower levels of the planet, which is often seen as the actual birth of the Decepticons. Campaigns taking place in this time will be violent; this was when Megatron was still covered in the Energon and slime from the Pits, leading the charge into the upper levels against the bots holding the newly risen Decepticons down. The Exodus of the Ark After Megatron’s rise and the full expansion of the Decepticons, Optimus Prime and his closest lieutenants and allies boarded the Ark flagship and blasted off to an unknown frontier. The Autobots were going to find someplace to pick up their pieces and come back at the Decepticons, but the Ark was blasted in mid-flight and was forced down into a controlled crash into the American West on Earth. A campaign from this era will be about the Decepticon characters seeking out the Ark, Prime, and his Autobot refugees while taking advantage of this verdant new planet full of ancient Energon stores! Earth Tales Once Optimus Prime and his closest lieutenants were resigned to staying on Earth and protecting it and the humans from the Decepticons, the planet became a backdrop to a wide and varied collection of schemes and plots. The Decepticons tried to destroy their foes, control the planet, and rip all the useful resources from within it all at the same time. While that was taking place on Earth, Cybertron was still an ongoing warzone between the two factions. The lines were not as strictly drawn, with the revolting Decepticons having more control in the lower and middle levels, pushing the Autobots into a guerilla war. The upper-level powerhouses watched in horror as the line of violence pushed closer and closer to their doorsteps. This is the most common era presented in the setting’s media, and campaigns taking place in this era would run much like the cartoons, movies, and comic books widely available. In Unicron’s Wake When the All-Consuming demigod awakened, preying upon the violence and the energies shed by the wars between the factions, there was a split amongst Cybertronians. Even shattering normal faction lines, the fight became more about who served the Word of Unicron and who were afraid to be reborn by the monstrous being. Many Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 93 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 Decepticons found themselves reborn in Unicron’s maw, most notably Megatron, who rose once more as the warlord Galvatron! Campaigns in this time era will surely be focused on the battles against Unicron, his followers, and the potential destruction of anything that gets in their way! Throughout the Continuum While rare in Transformers media, time travel is possible in this setting. This could hurl Decepticons to and from different moments in time, making it viable to enjoy parts of a gaming campaign and narrative in all the time eras listed here and more! Campaigns that revolve around time-hopping have few boundaries to what they can cover, save one: interacting with the past to change the future should always have dire consequences. The Untold Future Who knows where the events of your own narrative events and missions might take your campaign? You could branch away from the existing canon and write your own futures for the Decepticons and their battle for independence and power. WHERE ARE YOUR PRIMARY LOCATIONS? A Decepticon campaign can put the characters through adventures that take place all over creation, but the greater narrative arc is likely to revolve around one or two specific places important to the story. Depending on which places you choose, the types of allies, enemies, and challenges will change. Cybertron Cybertron is a massive metallic planet that goes back eons in history, before anyone can remember. The primary mechanoid home world of the setting can make for an excellent arena for any form of campaign. Depending on the levels of the planet the scenes are taking place in, Decepticons could be local heroes and freedom fighters, revolutionaries, dangerous visitors, or outright terrorists. Energon is a highly controlled and coveted substance here, despite its sizable quantity. Campaigns set on Cybertron focus more on the Decepticon/Autobot civil war than hiding from outsiders or claiming additional resources. Earth The 3rd planet of the Sol System is the primary location that many Transformers Roleplaying Game scenarios are set on. Campaigns in this setting pit the need to hide in plain sight against the need to battle the enemy. Decepticon characters are less likely to care about the humans knowing of their existence but will still need to deal with the pesky Autobots always trying to protect the scrawny little meatbags who get in the way! Colony Ships Several Cybertronian colony ships and warships that have launched from the home world, like the Ark, Leviathan, and the Nemesis. The latter could make for a very interesting base of operations for groups of Decepticons. Campaigns based on a colony ship (or its equivalent) would likely be about exploration, conquest, and the galactic search for resources and territory to be claimed for the Decepticons. Cybertronian Territories Cybertronians have ventured away from their home world for eons, setting up a vast number of important territories and even several thriving colonies. Depending on the colony or territorial stretch, a group of Decepticon characters arriving there could be the first to bring the faction’s ideals and movement to the mechanoids living there. This would, of course, be met with either acceptance or resistance, and dealing with those reactions could make for interesting missions within a campaign. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

94 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Alien Space Earthlings and Cybertronians are not the only beings in the universe. There are countless alien species that thrive and survive on their own worlds throughout the cosmos, from fellow mechanoids like rugged Catharsians and manipulative Quintessons to squid-like organics like Voin and the highly regimented puissant soldiers of the Collective, and everything in between. Campaigns surrounding the various chunks of space belonging to alien species could be entertaining and offer many roleplaying moments, but the Decepticon mentality to take what they are strong enough to can turn quite a few of these interactions into violence. Alternate Dimensions There have been some Transformers stories about alternate dimensions that could be interesting to explore. Exploring a mirror universe where the Decepticons are the good guys or a dark cataclysm has swept across the universe could be a great deal of fun and force players to think extremely outside the box. The Unknown Frontier Taking your characters outside the known parameters of Transformers media is a surefire way to create something unique for your Decepticon campaign. Who knows what is possible beyond the edge of creation? WHY ARE THE CHARACTERS INVOLVED? To answer possibly the most important question about a campaign, think about the actual fabric of the story. Determine why is this group of Decepticons involved in the plots and narrative arcs of the campaign. Just a Cog in a Great Machine Sometimes a Decepticon is set on a path or mission after bending the knee and accepting their orders. Whether they came down from Megatron, or through one of his lieutenants, or even from someone who has power over the characters, a Decepticon could be involved in a campaign because they were simply told to. Alternatively, instead of being ordered by a superior, many members of a drone family or a related Spark-chain of Decepticons may find themselves following the lead of the strongest among them. The instinct to follow suit in that case can be enough to withstand anything the galaxy throws at them; if it is good enough for an Alpha, it is good enough for you! VOIN Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 95 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 Need to Know Some bots just can’t handle a mystery. If a mission or campaign events are remotely about discovering something on the edge of the unknown, that can absolutely be enough for them to join with a team. For some Decepticons, the concept that a mysterious goal could further them personally doesn’t hurt, either. Climbing the Ladder Decepticons are naturally ambitious and desire to rise in social esteem or personal power within the faction. If joining up with a team or signing on to a specific mission or campaign of goals is likely to help them rise a few ranks along the way, that is a great opportunity. If it might also let them kick their rivals down a few at the same time? All the better! A Personal Vendetta Decepticons tend to hold grudges, plain and simple. When at least part of your existence is monitoring and waiting for the right chance to take a chance swing at a rival or a nemesis, you will not hesitate to do so. If that means becoming part of a mission team to get closer to the target, so be it. If the goal of the mission itself is in line with taking out the old enemy, any Decepticon worth their Spark would be ready to go in a flicker of a photoreceptor. The Team Needs Me Not all Decepticons are fully self-centered. There are some who come to care about their frequent teammates, fellow Drones, or others. Sometimes camaraderie is born out of hardship, and some Decepticons do have it pretty hard. These Decepticons are likely to go ahead and stick out the rough missions with their fellows, just to make sure everyone comes back to base in one piece. Can’t Win If You Don’t Play There isn’t always an answer to the big questions for some bots. The thrill of the chase, the rush of the hunt, and the euphoria of success is all it takes for some Decepticons to want to push the limit. For these thrill-seeking crankcases, any job that allows them to bury the needle and feel the rush of excitement is a job worth taking. Their motivations are less about “Why?” and more about “Why not?” Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

96 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Decepticon Locations Like a Transformers campaign that focuses on the Autobots faction, a Decepticons story could take player characters across the globe or to the far reaches of the universe. The following are a handful of interesting locations that could become important to any campaign. Assembly Forge, Titan Hidden away on the largest of Jupiter’s moons, Titan, the Decepticons have built a partially subterranean forge responsible for the crafting, assembly, and pre-Spark dedication of many types of Decepticon drones. Monitored primarily by the Reflector trio or their Photon counterparts, the Assembly Forge is a sprawling foundry split into three primary areas: the processing forge, blank storage, and the ship ports. The processing forge holds numerous smelting pits, drone-operated crane arms that dip body molds into the molten alloys, and lines of bins for sorting and cooling parts. Blank storage is little more than rows upon rows of dozens of empty, Sparkless shells. The ship ports are small recesses in the moon’s surface that allow spacecraft to land and get loaded up with drones being taken away to receive their initial Sparks. While not the only source of Decepticon drones, the Assembly Forge on Titan is the closest massproduction facility to Earth. It maintains a sizable storage lot of spare parts and materials but isn’t considered a priority defense post by Megatron, which makes it an attractive target for stealth missions and sabotage by Autobot agents. RESOURCES Due to the number of spare parts and raw materials stored on Titan, characters that manage to gain access to the main areas of the Assembly Forge can spend time finding all that they need to repair nearly all kinds of damage. Although the process takes three times the normal amount of time, characters can consider all the equipment on Assembly Forge grounds to count as a Restricted Repair Kit for Science and Technology Skill Tests. PLOT SEEDS Here are a few ideas to inspire adventures in this location: • The Photons on Titan are suffering from some kind of “Spark sickness,” and Shockwave is concerned that it could pass somehow to the other drones being crafted there. Someone with some knowledge about Cybertronian physiology and mechanoid diseases could gain major favor, were they to come and help Reflector. • Word around the system is that Titan is going to be infiltrated by a crew of Autobot spies and saboteurs. Reflector has asked for additional security. Anyone willing to spend a few cycles on the lookout in the foundry and storage areas could earn some extra shanix or clout. SCRAPPER Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

THE DECEPTICON DIRECTIVE 97 DECEPTICON CAMPAIGNS 4 Ceti Alpha VII Once the home world of the self-titled Emperor of Destruction, Deathsaurus, this temperate and ancient planet once had only one primary settlement: a sprawling fortress where the unstable monstrosity waited for generations to be found by his Decepticon kin. The planet was rich with solidstate Energon crystals found in shallow caves and easily extracted pockets in its crust. Deeper in the mantle of Ceti Alpha VII there were rarer and more difficult to acquire veins of primal Energon, but it was not the greatest secret the world had hidden. The Decepticons, including a pair of Alpha Insecticons, were drawn to the planet to find the ageless tyrant waiting to be discovered. With Deathsaurus’ help, Dirge and Buzzclaw re-awakened their cloning abilities, and new Insecticon drones joined the swarm. These clones were virulent and destructive, drawing a great deal of attention to the planet, which eventually brought the Autobots. While the cloning facility itself was destroyed to send the trespassers scattering, the planet remained a useful territory for the Decepticons for a long time. Since that time, Ceti Alpha VII has been bored out and mined. Refinery settlements and Insecticon hives network its surface. There is still Energon to be found, but between the general Decepticon desire to acquire Energon and the near-constant presence of ravenous Insecticons, there is no question why natural stores are drawing thinner with each cycle. PLOT SEEDS Here are a few ideas to inspire adventures in this location: • Shockwave and Knock Out have devised a possible new method for condensing primal Energon into a powerful and remarkably stable gel. Ceti Alpha VII is a perfect place to perform these experiments, but the results seem to cause the Insecticons to look at everyone with hungry eyes. • Deathsaurus claims to have a collection of powerful and ancient gladiatorial melee weapons hidden away in his old compound on the planet, but he doesn’t quite remember where. Clever treasure-hunting Decepticons may be able to find them, should they truly exist, within the bowels of that dire construction. Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.

98 TRANSFORMERS ROLEPLAYING GAME Chaar An ashen waste of rock, stone, and barren dust plains, Chaar is a small planet revolving around a high-radiation blue-white star. Cybertronian colonists and terraformers created a large metal pseudo-moon to help protect the planet from harmful radiation, which also stabilized and reinforced the geothermal fluctuations that once pockmarked its surface. While the planet is still an ugly, burned-out mess, Chaar has become an important Decepticon waypoint. Not too distant from Cybertron itself, Chaar became the fallback position for the Decepticons who fled the aftermath of Unicron’s destruction. There are ruins of colonies across the planet’s surface, but most of the local fauna lives in shallow caves and winding tunnel complexes. The energy leeches of Chaar are a constant worry for Cybertronians, but the apex predator, a massive spider-like creature called the chaarantula, has a pair of stomachs equally able to digest animal matter as well as metal! Chaar is a desolate and lonely place, even after the Decepticons claimed it as a new hideout. The star’s radiation makes scanners and sensor equipment all but useless here, and Energon spikes of any kind will draw attention from the leeches, who in turn will draw chaarantulas. This is the reason why there aren’t any massive compounds or foundries to speak of here; the Decepticons prefer to remain in small pockets, biding their time until they can rocket off and find better accommodations elsewhere. Chaar was never meant to be a long-term headquarters, reinforced by how the Decepticons treat the ruined world. RADIATION PROBLEMS The powerful wavelengths of radiation pummeling Chaar from its star cause all sensory and scanning equipment to receive ghost images and false readings or even blank out spectacularly for minutes at a time. Any uses of the Alertness skill while in the greater Chaar orbit or planetside automatically suffer Snag. Additionally, Skill Tests affected in this way Fumble on a d20 result of 1 or 2. Use of personal protective equipment designed to stave off environmental effects mitigate these penalties; these penalties are also removed when the planet’s metal moon is visible in the sky above where a character is attempting the Skill Test. PLOT SEEDS Here are a few ideas to inspire adventures in this location: • The Seekers have captured Arcee during a recent conflict and the closest place to hide her is on Chaar. She has turned out to be more than anyone expected and has escaped. Now the seasoned Autobot warrior is loose on the planet. Someone must find her and bring her in before she can cause too much damage. • Sunstorm is recruiting a team to go to Chaar and collect radiation-soaked material samples that he and his fellows are planning to use to better focus his natural, dangerously powerful emanations. The real problem? Who will help him test these measures when the time comes to do so? CHAAR Downloaded by Elijah Kidd on 6/21/2024 . Unauthorized distribution prohibited.