"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
—Arthur C. Clarke
Mechanisms are the special abilities granted to Cybertrons: the abilities inherent to them as robotic forms. Some of these are very simple; others, decidedly complicated. Mechanisms of Level Three and below are fairly typical abilities, but some of the more advanced capabilities of Cybertron technology have been "lost" over the years. Legends have been told of Autobots with near-god-like powers. Most of these abilities were simply Mechanisms installed on their robotic frames and in their processing chips.
Most Mechanisms have a "Required Ability" listed. Other Mechanisms list a "Required Attribute." A character can never have more points in any given Mechanism than they have in its Required Ability or Attribute. For example, a character wanting to take four points of the Cyber Venom Mechanism would first have to take four points in Science.
Characters begin with eight points to create their own Mechanisms, and may buy more with freebie points at a cost of three freebies per one point of Mechanism.
Mechanisms which give a Cybertron special abilities are cumulative unless otherwise noted, meaning that a Cybertron who spends five points in one Mechanism can access all of that Mechanism's special abilities. Mechanisms can also be combined where applicable—for example, zooming in on a target in infrared mode, or combining a hologram with a mimicked voice for a perfect likeness.
(The perceptive player may notice that certain Mechanisms seem to overlap each other. This is provided to allow for as many variations in ability as are displayed on the Transformers series. I watched everything and tried to include everything. If an official Transformer displays an ability that has been somehow overlooked in my listings, please provide me with a proposed revision.)
Adding new Mechanisms after character creation can sometimes be difficult.
A Mechanism which is classified as "Hardware" would require that the Cybertron be rebuilt before upgrading this Mechanism. Only an ally with the Repair skill can rebuild a Cybertron's frame. In order to be rebuilt, the Cybertron must be put into Stasis Lock and "operated" upon. The Cybertron who is making the repairs must make a roll of Intelligence plus Repair. This roll will be extended, with a number of successes required which is three times the level of Mechanism desired. Each roll stands for thirty cycles of work. "Ones" rolled cancel out successes; if successes fall below zero, the Mechanism operated on has been permanently damaged in some way.
A "Software" type Mechanism is reprogrammed upon upgrade. This type of Mechanism can only be learned from a computer of a level higher than or equal to the desired level of ability. A Cybertron must link up to the computer, then roll Wits plus Computers to process the information. The roll is extended; the same rules as above apply. A Cybertron requires no outside aid other than the computer to pick up new Software.
A few certain Mechanisms are classified as "Special," meaning they require both rebuilding and reprogramming. Use the rules as above, and consider these activities to be simultaneous. The Cybertron being repaired processes computer information while in stasis.
Finally, there are Mechanisms which are considered "Separate." For these, the Mechanism does not effect the Cybertron himself, but, rather, an external factor such as designed weaponry. To upgrade these Mechanisms, the extended roll follows the same rules as above, and is made from the Cybertron's Wits plus the Required Ability for the Mechanism. Alternatively, the Cybertron can ask for outside help to build this Mechanism.
In addition to Mechanism type, Mechanisms are marked with a "Frequency." This is a guide for the Storyteller and her players as to how common certain abilities are. Players should consult with the Storyteller before taking any type of "Rare" Mechanism during character creation. If attempting to have a Rare Mechanism installed during play, the character may have to have a special contact who is certain to have the needed technology. The Storyteller reserves the right to disallow players from taking any Rare Mechanisms during character creation. Normally, lower levels of Mechanisms are Common, and higher levels are Rare. Those Mechanisms marked as "Very Common" are usually the first Mechanisms to consider when designing a new character.
The cost in EXP to upgrade Mechanisms during gameplay is five times the desired rating of the new Mechanism. More than one dot may be purchased at once, but they must be purchased separately. For example, a Cybertron wanting to upgrade from flightlessness to the Flight 3 Mechanism must pay 5 for Flight 1, 10 for Flight 2, and 15 for Flight 3, which is a total of 30 Experience Points (and no small amount, at that).
"...Hang onto your bobbysocks..."
—Tracks, infamously questionable Autobot, "Make Tracks"
Extra-thick armor coats parts of the Cybertron's body. This Mechanism can be applied one of two ways. Armor can be an all-over coat, allowing for the addition of one extra die to the soak pool of the character per point of Armor. Or, Armor plating can be used to cover specific parts of the body. Consider this an armor Specialization which allows a character to cover only this specific part with thick armor. This type of armor allows for the extra soak die to blows to this area, plus the ability to re-roll rolls of "ten" on a soak roll. A common place to apply extra armor is the spark cavity. Each point spent in Armor is one added to the soak die of the overall body or of the armored area. Normally, the more points spent on specific armor, the larger that armor's target area. A Cybertron can split armor among specific and non-specific, but can never have more than five total dots of armor. It is notable that any type of armor will add to the weight of the character, so that heavy armor may make certain tasks more difficult.
Type: Hardware
Required Ability: None
Frequency: Common
Cybertron has hearing abilities above the norm, and can decode audio messages as well as magnify quiet or faraway speech.
1 As the Werewolf or Vampire "Heightened Senses," but only in regard to audio.
2 Cybertron can decode any unfamiliar language, and respond in kind. This does not count as learning the language; it is only a way to understand each sentence spoken. Note that this does not count for any unfamiliar written languages, only those transmitted by sound. This ability also applies to "languages" without words, such as Morse Code.
3 Ability to hear through walls and other objects as if there was no obstacle. Hearing through solid objects perfectly requires expenditure of one point Energon. Cybertrons with this level of Decryption can also identify familiar electronic devices by the pitch of their sound. A roll of Perception plus Investigation, variable difficulty, will allow him to identify what types of electronic devices are operating in the area. This ability is also useful to determine if any other Cybertrons are active in the area. On an exemplary roll he may be able to divine a Cybertron's alliance with this method, but never specific unit or name.
4 Cybertron can not only hear and understand specific languages, but can now learn the entire audio component of a language simply by hearing a few sentences. Spend three Energon and roll Intelligence plus Investigation, with the difficulty variable depending on the difficulty of the language and how much of it the Cybertron has heard.
5 Clairaudience. Cybertron can hear anything specific, provided he can locate the source of sound and focus on it. Requires the expenditure of one point Energon per mile distance of source target (therefore, not practical at extreme distances). Roll Perception plus Enigmas to activate, with the number of successes indicating the clarity of "Transmission." Difficulty of the roll typically standard, but may be increased in situations where the target is trying to remain secretive.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Enigmas
Frequency: Common at 1-3, Rare at 4-5
The ability to produce various substances—organic and artificial—that may help, hinder, hurt or heal, was developed by Cybertron scientists during the Great War, and is used to good effect in modern times. The Chemical mechanism is associated with a Firearm weapon, either attached or hand-held, which must be declared upon the Mechanism's purchase. It can be a weapon with multiple functions, or a weapon designed solely for the use of the Mechanism. Dexterity plus Firearms rolls below are the rolls required to use the Mechanism in combat. The range for a chemical fired from a firearm weapon is 30, unless otherwise specified. Out of combat, other rolls may be required for more peaceful/creative Mechanism use.
1 Cybertron can produce a flame-retardant foam, allowing him to put out fires and nullify some explosions. This foam is not particularly thick, and is propelled from an apparatus on the Cybertron's person: usually an attached gun, or something which is "created" by Demolecularization. It is more easily spread from the air (in a "crop dust" pattern) than from the ground. Oddly enough, this foam does nothing to organic types (who find it as harmless as water, if just as distracting), but tends to "gum up the works" of Transmetal or higher generations. If used in combat, flame retardant foam is "shot" as a Difficulty 8 firearm, and will subtract one die from the Dexterity pool of a Transmetal or higher-generation target for the rest of the scene. This penalty is not cumulative upon multiple shots.
2 Cybertron creates a slippery oil, which can be used to lubricate joints and facilitate repair. In combat, it can cause a moving target to slip and slide if blasted at the floor. The oil is fired at Difficulty 6, and effects the area beneath the feet of one target, who makes a Dexterity roll at Difficulty 8, or trips and falls. Thereafter, anyone who steps on the effected patch of floor loses two combat dice as they attempt to avoid the fall; the spill lasts until it is removed. At Difficulty 8, the weapon can be shot at a target's hands, forcing him to make a Dexterity roll or drop his hand-held weapon. Modify the Difficulty of the Dexterity roll as needed; it is 6 if the target is merely holding a firearm, or 9 if the target is trying to hold onto a sword during fierce melee combat.
3 This Mechanism produces a sticky glue-like substance that holds a target in place. The difficulty to aim and shoot a glue-bearing weapon is 7; each success signifies the number of turns the target is held. Targets are entitled to dodge rolls to avoid the blast. Typically, glue is only targeted at the feet, which stops a target from advancing or fleeing, but not from firing a weapon or using his hands or mouth. However, players are invited to specify different targets, for example, gumming up a Cybertron's hands to prevent him from accessing a keyboard, with difficulties adjusted as needed.
4 Cybertron can produce a corrosive material with the approximate effects of acid. As a weapon, it requires a Dexterity plus Firearms roll, Difficulty 7, to aim and shoot. It does six dice of damage. For every two damage rolled, the acid melts enough armor plating to subtract a die from the enemy's subsequent soak rolls, a penalty that lingers until the foe is healed or repaired. Of course, corrosive acid has plentiful non-combat uses as well, and dissolves metal and organic objects at a moderate rate. A Cybertron uses up one Energon for each acid round fired.
5 A freezing gas which approximates the effect of the Freeze Ray, also called "Glass Gas." Glass Gas is capable of freezing multiple targets in place for the remainder of the scene, disallowing any type of movement whatsoever. It also makes inanimate objects brittle and easily destroyed, and serves as a useful counter for pyrokinetic abilities. Glass gas has an area of effect, rather than a specfic target. Under normal circuimstances, it requires a Difficulty 6 Dexterity plus Firearms roll; only one success is required to release a frozen blast that stuns all targets in a 20-yard cone in front of the Cybertron, and typically freezes them to the floor as well! The stun effect lasts until the end of the scene, or until the targets are thawed. Aiming the firearm at a specific target takes some doing even at short range, and is a Difficulty 10 action. Glass gas costs two Energon per blast.
Type: Special
Required Ability: Science
Frequency: Rare
Cloaking is a stealth ability, involving audio, scent, and vision. Compare it somewhat to the Vampiric discipline of Obfuscate. This type of cloaking, however, cannot disguise the energy signature of a Cybertron, save at advanced levels, and energy scanners will still alert foes to the presence of the unit.
1 Cybertron can go into "Stealth Mode," where transformations and other motions make practically no noise. The servo sounds of transformations may still be heard in situations requiring absolute quiet—for these situations, use a roll of Dexterity plus Stealth to determine if the transformation is silent. Stealth Mode itself requires no activation roll: players simply tell the storyteller when it is in use.
2 Cybertron has a measure of camouflage, which allows him to blend into any background. Combined with Stealth Mode, the Cybertron will blend into most backgrounds, provided others are not actively seeking him out. Movement in camouflage mode requires standard Stealth rolls. Activities can be done as normal in this mode, but the mode will dissipate if any firearm or energy weapon is fired by the disguised target unless one Energon is spent.
3 Advanced camouflage. Expend one Energon to activate this mode, which covers all visual aspects of the Cybertron, and decreases the difficulty of Stealth rolls related to movement. This mode remains on the Cybertron until he deactivates it. Ammunition-based weapons may be used without penalty; however, energy-based weapons will disperse the mode, as above. A Cybertron in this mode may still leave behind footprints, or cast a faint shadow in harsh light. His energy signal will still show up on scanning equipment.
4 Complete undetectability. Expend two points of Energon and become completely invisible, inaudible, and undetectable—no rolls required. A character in this mode may do anything he wishes, including firing energy weapons (the blast becomes visible once it leaves the weapon). This character makes no noise while moving, but can deactivate some of the cloak to speak—the voice will come from all directions and seem completely sourceless. This character casts no shadow, leaves no footprints, and the Cybertron's energy signature is now nullified. The character may still leave behind a faint scent, but cloaked enough that identifying the character is next to impossible. Tracking this indistinct scent is at a base difficulty of 9. Tracking 4, however, will see through the invisiblity automatically.
If a character cloaked in this manner is damaged in a fight, he must roll Willpower at standard difficulty and respend the activation cost; if he makes the roll successfully, the cloak does not fail. If the roll is failed, the cloak disperses for a turn (it can then be raised again); if botched, this level of cloaking cannot again be raised until repairs are made.
Attacks directed at an invisible character who has not acted at all are at +4 difficulty. However, if the character has been very active in the battle, is firing weaponry, and making himself otherwise known, this modifier can be decreased to +2.
5 Cloak the Gathering. Cybertron can expand undetectablity as above to cover as many targets and objects as he desires. Requires a roll of Manipulation plus Stealth, with as many successes needed as targets. Expend Energon by size and number of targets: one point per extra robot-sized target, larger amounts to cloak an entire vehicle. If the cloak disperses on the character who has raised it, it disperses from all targets.
Type: Special
Required Ability: Stealth
Frequency: Common at 1, Rare at 2-5
Some of the more brutal Cybertrons have discovered poisons which will infect robotic systems. These venoms are typically attached to darts which are fired out of standard guns or venom-launchers, or are injected through stingers or fangs. When using Venom, a Cybertron must first declare what type of Venom she is using out of the options listed below. These venoms also work on organic targets in the basically same way they work on other Cybertrons, unless an exception is listed below.
Using any type of venom costs one point of energon per venom dosage. A Cybertron can also use a "double dose," or even "triple dose" of any given type of venom, allowing for double and triple effectivness at double or triple the cost. However, using any dosage above the standard amount requires a round of preparation (during which no other actions may be taken).
Cybertrons with high levels of scientific ability may attempt to design their own type of venom, with its own special effects. Consult your Storyteller before trying out a new invention on an unwilling target.
1 Cybertron can devise a poison which will enhance the damaging power of her weaponry. This poison, when added to a weapon that normally does standard damage, now does aggravated damage. This type of venom does +2 damage at a double dose and +4 at a triple dose.
2 Cyber Venom of this level causes a loss of muscle control. Cybertrons affected by this venom lose two points of Dexterity and one point of Stamina as their joints become limp and weary. This loss is incurred multiple times, for a number of successes equal to the damage roll. If Dexterity or Stamina fall below one, Cybertron is unable to move. This particular type of venom only stays in the Cybertron's system as long as the administering device remains in contact with the Cybertron. For example, a dart filled with this type of venom would continue to disable the Cybertron it effected until removed by an outside source. If this venom is administered by fangs, stingers, or the like, it can only effect its target if the bite or sting remains in contact, and disspates from the system one combat round thereafter.
3 Cybertron has devised a poison which is laced with raw energon. This poison remains in the system for a number of turns equal to the success of the damage roll. It does 1 additional health level of aggravated energon damage for each turn it remains in the system. Transforming into beast mode will not counteract the effects of this poison, as it is an internal defect. If this poison should ever cause a Cybertron to go to Incapacitated, it dissipates from his system.
This venom is to no effect on non-Cybertron targets, who are not weak to energon. In fact, it has been known to even rejuvenate some of its intended victims.
4 Cybertron has concocted a poison which can infect the processing unit of the attacked. This poison causes temporary insanity in the victim, to a degree displayed by the number of successes on the damage roll: one success indicates minor disorientation; five or more means the subject is reduced to a drooling, incoherent mass. This venom remains in the Cyberton's system until repairs can be made, or, in a pinch, if all his fuel is "bled out" and he is refilled.
5 The most deadly type of Cyber Venom is a venom that works on the spark itself. This venom hits right to the core and will begin to drain the spark of its victim. When the poison is injected, an activation roll of the creator's Intelligence plus Science, standard difficulty, is required. The number of successes indicates the potency of this particular dose of poison, which is the number of rounds it will act on the effected system. Each round the poison remains in the system, the infected must roll Spark to counteract its abilities. He must subtract a point of temporary Spark each round he fails this roll. (This roll cannot be botched, save for Optimals who have disastrous consequences for botched Spark rolls.)
When used on non-Cybertron targets, this venom causes immediate tranquilization, frightening nightmares, and some temporary loss of memory. However, life force is not damaged in any way.
Type: Separate
Required Ability: Science
Frequency: Common at 1-3 among Predacons (dependant on Beast Mode) Rare at 4-5 among Predacons, and all levels Rare among Maximals.
Cybertrons, after learning the advantages to transformation, eventually learned to access an ability allowing them to rearrange the very molecules of their bodies. Cybertrons who understand Demolecularization can use this to rearrange their bodies, and, at advanced levels, take them apart and piece them back together.
Demolcularization effects are cumulative, but only by choice. Therefore, a Cybertron who wanted to learn advanced Demolecularization could effectively ignore the lower ranges of the power if she so desired. Demolecularization is very complex, and difficult on a Cybertron body. Adding Demolecularization after character creation will require rebuilding.
1 Cybertron can shrink or grow slightly when changing modes, allowing for a beast mode that would have a slightly different amount of total mass from his robot mode.
2 Cybertrons can use Demolecularization to make parts of their body into different items. The modular portion of the body is typically one of the arms; only a small part of the body can be made modular in this fashion—no modular forms or advanced shape-shifting can be accomplished other than ordinary Transformation. When selecting this ability, decide which portion of the body is modular, and what types of items it can be transformed into. (You may automatically choose two additional items; after that, pay one freebie point per item. During a rebuilding phase once a character has already been created, pay two points of experience for each item past the first two.) Common objects include repair tools or recording devices. A Cybertron can also modulate his arm into a weapon, and many do. However, if you choose a weapon as one of your modulations, you must pay for the weapon.
Modulation is considered automatic during stress-free situations where time is not a concern. To make a modulation under duress, such as in combat, roll Stamina plus Repair.
A Cybertron can modulate into a raw energon blade, if he is willing to take the penalties for wielding it. He cannot modulate into refined energon.
3 At this level, a Cybertron can now shrink or enlarge great amounts in various modes. This size difference does not happen in the same mode. Therefore, a robot could not suddenly grow to twice her size to attack, but could grow to twice her size if shifting into the beast form of an elephant, or shrink to the size of an insect if shifting into the beast form of a mantis. This ability was heavily accessed during the Great War, when disguise was a concern, but is not typically used anymore due to its limitations. Demolecularizing does not seem to allow for "unnatural" sizes of creatures, like tiny dinosaurs or giant insects. It does not allow for the addition of any health levels for large-sized creatures, but does take levels away from creatures smaller than the average Cybertron. (For example, a Predacon demolecularized into the form of an "ordinary" bee would have only two health levels: Okay, and Squashed.)
4 Limited teleportation. Cybertron can now take apart his molecules and piece them together at a different location, normally a location within sight distance and never exceeding half a mile. This requires the expenditure of two points of Energon. Teleportation is perfect if Cybertron can see his intended location. If the location is hidden, teleportation requires a roll of Intelligence plus Athletics, difficulty and successes needed depending on distance, etc. Short-range teleportation is most often used to gain advantage in combat and therefore is instantaneous and does not use up a character's combat round.
5 Advanced teleportation. Cybertron can now teleport to any unseen location. Requires an expenditure of one point of Energon per ten miles distance, not practical at outrageous distances. Teleportation of this type uses up a round of combat, possibly more for longer distances. Roll Intelligence plus Alertness to use this ability. The difficulty of the teleportation is directly related to the Cybertron's familiarity with the location he is attempting to access: to teleport to a familiar location would be a simple task, but the difficulty could be up to 10 for a place the Cybertron does not know. A botch on a teleportation roll may be disastrous.
Type: Special
Required Attribute: Stamina
Frequency: Common at 1-2, Rare at 3-5
Cybertrons with Distraction Mechanisms have distinct advantages in battle, as they can take the upper hand before firing a shot.
1 Cybertron has a beast mode with a natural, built-in distraction. This may include the ink burst of a squid, the spray of a skunk, or anything related. Naturally, the rolls for this ability vary greatly, but usually involve the Performance Ability. Distracted targets suffer a -1 to all dice pools.
2 Cybertron can use a weapon to eject a burst of "black light," which will blind a target completely for a number of rounds equal to the number of successes on a Dexterity plus Firearms roll. This Mechanism can only be used in conjunction with a purchased Firearms weapon, and otherwise does no damage to the target. However, the blindness can not be countered by any means. It will go away on its own after the rounds have passed. Black light works on any type of target that can see.
3 Smokescreen: a highly messy Mechanism which can never be used in an organic mode. Cybertron uses his robotic body to give off a thick smoke, which blinds everyone near him. Targets will also suffer from coughing fits; they must roll Willpower, difficulty 6, or they will be unable to act for the duration of the scene. Even if they succeed on this roll, they suffer a -2 to all dice pools where vision is required, and scent-related Mechanisms are impossible. The expelled smokescreen requires no roll, but does require the expenditure of two points of energon.
4 In another Mechanism which is not possible in any organic mode, the Cybertron glows with a brilliant light, shooting off flares at random and disorienting his targets. Because the light emanates from a single Cybertron, efforts to attack or target him are at a -1 difficulty. However, sight-related Mechanisms are impossible, and other Cybertrons in the room will not be able to see anything save the Cybertron using this ability. This power requires the expenditure of one energon, and a roll of Manipulation plus Performance, difficulty 6. The number of successes equals the rounds of general disorientation. This power is probably best used to cover an escape, as when it is in effect, all gathered are effected and not much else is possible.
5 Special Power of Elita One. A dangerous ability utilized by Cybertron's greatest female warrior, this allows for the complete distraction of all foes. Anyone submitted to the force of this ability views nothing but flashing, spinning lights and hears deafening and hypnotic melodies. During the duration it is as if time has stopped for them; when they finally come out of this trance, they may not even remember the Cybertron who inflicted it on them. To use this ability, a Cybertron must spend one point of Spark for each round she wishes her opponents to be debilitated. She must also spend one Energon for every target she wishes not to be affected by the power. During this time, everyone in the area save the Cybertron who uses the ability and those she does not wish to be affected can make no action. They must remain frozen in time. After this time, they awaken, and will act at the Storyteller's discretion, usually forgetting that the Cybertron who used the power was even in their vicinity.
The Cybertron who used this power will lose all of her Willpower and Energon after the duration of the hypnosis has passed. She will also lose her remaining Spark at a rate of one Spark point per round unless she is immediately repaired and has at least one point of Spark forcibly restored. Use of this ability is often a last-ditch effort as it can prove fatal.
No rolls are required to activate this ability, and no Willpower expenditure, etc., can counteract the rounds of hypnosis.
Type: Software
Required Attribute: Charisma
Frequency: Rare
Cybertrons can create extensions of themselves and place them in smaller, sparkless robot drones who will do work for them. Drones are all automatically capable of relaying video and audio back to their creators, either directly to their owner's processor or to a monitoring screen the owner has set up. Drones have a small amount of memory capabilities and can be programmed to do simple tasks without constant monitoring. Drones can, like full-fledged Cybertrons, have Mechanisms attached to them. Use the Cybertron's own Mechanism points or his freebie points to buy these Mechanisms. This typically requires the Repair or Science abilities of the creator and not the Required Ability for the Mechanism. Dronemasters pay only one freebie point (or two experience points) per point of Mechanism to add that Mechanism to a Drone; however, no Drone can have a Level Five Mechanism. Drones are not capable of speech on their own, but owners of Drones may record messages on the Drones for later playback if the proper Mechanism is installed.
Drones are not cumulative. They can be purchased during character creation, or, new Drones can be built when old Drones are destroyed. If a Drone is destroyed (Incapacitated) the owner loses that Drone. He must respend experience points and make the proper rolls to repair it, unless the statistics for the Drone say otherwise. However, because of the disadvantages regarding purchasing Drones during gameplay, players need only pay for the cost of the level of Drone they are attempting to create (and not, also, the costs for all levels of Drone beneath that level). Drone Force is the only Mechanism where a player can buy the same level of the power twice (for example, buying two Level One Drones to have two drones with different abilities).
When creating Drones, take care to decide the appearance of the Drones and how their functions and Mechanisms operate. Players and Storytellers are free to modify or add to the types of drones listed below; discuss with your Storyteller your idea for any new type of drone.
1 Cybertron has a single Drone of medium size (able to be held in two hands). This drone can send video and audio information back to its master, though the quality of the video is typically poor and grainy. This Drone has three health levels (Full, Wounded -2, Incapacitated) and a Dexterity of 2, Stamina of 1.
2 Cybertron has a small force (4-10 in number) of Drones as Drone Force 1, and does not need to respend to rebuild lost Drones. All of these Drones are identical and have the exact same capabilities.
3 Cybertron has one Drone roughly half his size. These Drones make poor scouts, but may be outfitted with attached weaponry (Spend Freebie points to access this). The large drone has no Mental or Social attributes, but has Physical attributes of the owner's choosing of a total of five in number. (Example: Given Drone has Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2.) The Drone has no Abilities, but rather relies on the owner's Abilities to attack, dodge, etc. This Drone has five health levels: Full, Injured -1, Wounded -2, Crippled -5, Incapacitated.
4 Cybertron has a large force of small Drones, slightly larger than the typical spark. These Drones are capable of building each other and are thus effectively infinite in number—destroying every last Drone would be next to impossible and respending to restore these Drones is not required. They have three health levels as the Drone in Drone Force 1, and have three Physical Attributes of the owner's choosing.
5 Cybertron has drones as Drone Force 4, and, also, several Drones as the large Drone listed in Drone Force 2. Choose a specific number of large drones (4-10, usually). Unlike the smaller Drones, these may be destroyed; they can be repaired, but if they are wiped out, must be repurchased. This Cybertron can also fit weapons to his smaller Drones.
OR
Cybertron has a single, gigantic, transformable drone. He should make a character sheet for this drone, which is allowed the usual amount of points for all Attributes, Abilities, Weapons, and Mechanisms, but has no personality and no free will. This character is Transmetal in Generation and has no Background points. The drone also has no Spark—allot no points in its Spark rating, and, if it falls to the Incapacitated health level, it is destroyed. It must be rebuilt as well as repurchased.
Type: Separate
Required Ability: Repair
Frequency: Common at 1, Rare at 2-5
Though all Cybertrons can download information by wire through willing computers, some are advanced enough to access information which is encoded or is not willingly given.
1 Cybertron can plug in and log on to a computer which does not belong to his Alliance. More importantly, he can plug his mind into that of a downed, unwilling Cybertron in stasis lock. If using this ability for espionage purposes, he will have to make a Wits plus Computers roll to access the information he desires. At Storyteller's discretion in important situations, the downed target may fight back with Willpower.
2 Cybertron has an advantage when decoding the encoded material of others. Consider this Cybertron to be at a -2 for the difficulty to understand an encrypted document.
3 If, in the Matrix, all are one, on this world, all are, too. An organic mind is not that different from a computer, and a Cybertron who understands this level of Downloading can access information from an organic target such as a human with little difficulty. Use of this ability requires direct contact between the Cybertron and the mind he is trying to access—typically fingers placed on the head. A roll of Wits plus Empathy is used, with the difficulty based on the Willpower of the target from which the Cybertron is trying to extract information. Failure indicates no information received; a botch indicates the wrong information. Drain one Energon to use this ability. Information cannot be implanted or altered, only "read."
4 Cybertron has remote access to computer and organic systems. He can access information from a single computer or mind from across a room, or any time he can sense the source first-hand. Wits plus Security is used for computer systems, Wits plus Empathy for organic targets. Accessing information from a distance drains two Energon.
5 The Final Purge. Using this ability instantly increases the knowledge of the user, as he sucks out all information from all possible targets within the immediate area. He does not remove the knowledge from their minds but simply bombards his own mind with copies of the information. Targets for this power include the brains of all organics present and the information from the drives of all computers, as well as any Cybertrons in the area. Any highly sensitive or carefully encoded information he retrieves will be impossible to decipher unless downloaded into a secondary computer source. A Cybertron cannot use The Final Purge to retrieve information from a computer or another Cybertron with Encoding 3 subroutines without dire consequences per the subroutine designer's and Storyteller's discretion. He can also not learn Procedures, etc., from the information without making the proper rolls. The Final Purge may, however, be the last hope for a powerful Cybertron desperately lost for clues. Activating this power requires a Wits plus Investigation roll of standard difficulty. Use of this power drains all of the user's remaining Energon and garbles his logic circuits for the remainder of the scene while he processes the data, regardless of number of successes. Failing The Final Purge means no information is gained; a botch means that, along with no information, the Cybertron gains a new Derangement. A Cybertron who activates this power will require repairs immediately, but will be able to relate what he has learned when he is fully functional again.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Matrix
Frequency: Common at 1-2, Rare at 3-5
A computerized mind can be an open slate to downloading and hacking programs; therefore, Cybertrons have devised methods which allow them to encode and protect their most important files.
1 Cybertron has advanced encoding information which allows her to prevent hackers from accessing several of her internal data files. A Cybertron with this basic level of coding ability can also use security procedures to guard information: for example, only allowing Cybertrons of his unit access to classified information. Cybertron must be willing to state which files are coded, as all files must be decoded before use and to encode normally accessed files would be a waste of time and resource.
Foes wishing to decode the Cybertron's encoded files must roll Intelligence plus Enigmas (typically, a difficulty of 8) and score a number of successes equal to the encoder's Intelligence. This roll may be reattempted (at +1 difficulty), but, if botched, the information will not be decoded and is worthless.
2 Cybertron can encode even basic information about herself, such as alliance and common energy signature, to confuse the scanners of others. She cannot use this type of Encoding to alter her frequency to that of another Cybertron, only scramble her frequency so that it will not be easily detected. Expend one Energon and roll Manipulation plus Stealth, difficulty 8, to use this ability. The amount of successes equals the permeability of the temporary jamming code. This encoding can only last for one scene before it must be reactivated. It confuses Cybertron scanners of all types and Alliances equally, and nullifies radio communication even within the Cybertron's unit. Therefore, it is not often used in an organized army.
3 At this level, a Cybertron has put walls around her own information to prevent unwanted download. Any Cybertron attempting to hack into her own personal system is subject to becoming lost in a subroutine: another part of the memory where challenges will be offered, etc, for the information. These subroutines and security procedures vary greatly and are usually fatal or damaging to the hacker. A subroutine can offer a very interesting avenue for role-play. When taking this Mechanism, design your character's subroutine with great care.
The subroutine will still function if the character's mind is attempted to be accessed through means other than direct download, including Spark Telepathy. Occasionally, subroutines are also attached to the files on the Cybertron's personal computer.
4 Cybertron can remotely encode the files of others, temporarily confusing her target. To use this ability, the Cybertron must choose a target which is already distracted in some manner—perhaps engaged in combat with another foe. After choosing a target and spending one Energon, she rolls Manipulation plus Empathy, with a difficulty of the target's Willpower. The target may spend Willpower points to resist the attack, but only if he realizes what is being done. If he does not realize it, the attacker can remotely alter files which are part of his memory, causing them to be garbled and indistinct (though not usually changed in any specific way save on an exemplary roll). This ability has sometimes been accessed to alter the activation codes of newly Protoformed Cybertrons, causing them to mistake their true alliance. This ability may also be used on organic targets, but at a base difficulty of 8—higher difficulties for the very strong-willed.
This ability can also be used to garble the information in an enemy's computer, but only one file at a time. To use this ability, roll Wits plus Security, and expend one Energon. The target file is now encoded with the Cybertron's own special code, although the target information is not retrieved in this manner. This ability can be used with remote computer access, at a difficulty of 9, but is much simpler to use when plugged directly into the system (difficulty 6). The number of successes on the roll effects how difficult the coded file is to decipher.
5 Cybertrons with this much skill in encoding can garble information the very instant it is passed on. Information they have uttered only cycles ago can without warning vanish from a target's mind; messages from one Cybertron to another can sound like gibberish to all others collected in the area. Roll Wits plus Subterfuge to instantly garble information; expend one Energon for each target for which information is to be denied. This ability is best-used to confuse a target into non-action. If an Encoding roll of this caliber is successful, next to nothing can retrieve the information the Cybertron plans to hide.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Security
Frequency: Common at 1-2, Rare at 3-5
Upon realizing that their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness, Cybertrons developed ways to protect themselves from energon damage. With greater development, shields made of pure energy were used to deflect physical harm as well as energon.
1 Cybertron enjoys slight energon resistance benefits. Transmetals with this level of shielding do not need to roll soak for energon every third round of exposure—consider it soaked automatically—and can carry small energon weapons without Spark penalty. Cyberorganic Beasts with this level of shielding can soak damage from raw energon every third round of exposure.
2 At this level, Transmetals avoid soak every other round, and Cyberorganics may soak every other round. Larger weapons such as energon sabers may now be carried by Transmetals (though in this case, they must still take the -1 to Spark penalty). Also, a Cybertron at this level can sense Energon in any given area no matter his mode. With a roll of Wits plus Alertness, he can also sense of what type and at what concentration.
3 Cybertron can raise shields which will protect him completely from the effects of raw energon in the area, even in areas of high concentration. Activating these shields requires a roll of Wits plus Survival, with the number of successes indicating the number of rounds he is so protected. Activating these shields requires one point Energon. These shields may be reactivated when they fail so long as the Cybertron has enough internal Energon to replenish them. When a character's field dampeners are activated, electromagnetic pulses have no effect on him.
4 A Cybertron with this type of shielding can use his own internal energon to create a physical forcefield. This field is energy-tight, meaning that no energon radiation or energy-based projectiles can pass through the shield. Also, supernatural attacks will be stopped by this shield. However, the shield does not exist to ordinary solid objects, which pass through it without difficulty. Roll Manipulation plus Matrix to raise this shield, with the number of successes equaling the initial number of rounds the shield will remain active. The difficulty of the roll is based on the size of the shield—a difficulty 6 shield might protect a single character from the front; a difficulty 10 roll would be needed to shield an entire army. It costs a single point of Energon to raise this shield initially—after its normal duration has passed, the character that raised it may spend one additional Energon to keep it active another round, as long as he is taking no other action during that round. Electromagnetic pulses do not penetrate this shield.
5 Cybertron can divert power from an energon source, effectively nullifying its damaging properties and restoring his own fuel. Roll Wits plus Procedures, with the number of successes equal to the amount of Energon the character regains. Use of this ability drains no Energon, save on a botch, where a single Energon is drained. The raw energon that was effected by this ability is now stabilized. Energon shielding this advanced can nullify energon explosions, also, the force shield as Energon Shielding 4 can be solidified so that no object—ordinary projectiles, living creatures, even air—can pass through it.
Type: Special
Required Ability: Survival
Frequency: Common at 1-3, Rare at 4-5
Though flight was at one time unique to Decepticons, now all types of Cybertrons enjoy its benefits. Abilities related to flight are not cumulative. Flight can only usually be purchased during character creation; altering a character's flight mode during gameplay would require extensive rebuilding and is usually only attempted if the character selects a new beast form or changes Generation.
"Maneuverability" ratings specified below regard actions like dodging, etc. Use the character's regular Dexterity for other acts which take place during flight—mainly, shooting—keeping in mind possible increased difficulties regarding air speed, etc.
1 Character has a "glide mode," low-altitude flight. This mode can only be accessed in one of the Cybertron's forms, typically his beast mode. His maneuverability is equal to his Dexterity in this mode. Gliding panels have three health levels each (Okay, Wounded -2, Destroyed) unless designated as shields.
OR
Character has helicopter-style fight, accessible in only one mode (typically robot mode, or vehicle mode for a Transmetal). This allows flight up to median altitudes, but poor maneuverability: halve the character's Dexterity in the air (here and for all Flight Mechanisms, round up after dividing). Propeller blades typically number four and have two health levels apiece (Okay and Destroyed). If targeted successfully by an armed opponent, helicopter blades have no soak roll.
2 Cybertron has jet engines, which are accessible in only in robot mode. He can fly to median altitudes with a maneuverability equal to his current Dexterity. Transmetals who spend this amount on Flight can at their own choosing instead affix these engines to their beast modes to create a "flying beast" vehicle mode. Jet engines are assumed to have two health levels apiece (as propeller blades), and are typically two in number. A Cybertron can still fly with only one engine, but at half maneuverability. Jet engines drain Energon at a rate of one point per megacycle of air time. (Do not drain Energon for short flights.)
OR
Cybertron has a beast mode which is a winged creature. This allows for true winged flight, as Flight 3, but is only accessible in beast mode. Maneuverability is equal to the character's beast mode Dexterity.
3 Winged flight. Cybertron has a beast mode with wings—bird, insect, bat, flying dinosaur, fuzor combination, etc. These wings allow flight to median altitudes and are accessible in both beast and robot modes. For one mode, air maneuverability is equal to the character's current Dexterity-in any other mode, it is halved. Choose which mode has the Dexterity bonus when choosing this Mechanism. Wings are assumed to have three health levels each (as glide panels) unless designated as shields. A Cybertron requires two wings to fly—one damaged wing will ground him. Winged flight expends no Energon.
OR
Cybertron can affix jet engines as in Flight 2 to one other mode. Halve the Dexterity to find the Maneuverability for this mode.
4 Cybertron has both wings and rockets, which are accessible in all modes. Flight 4 must also be purchased for Optimal Cybertrons who plan to have an odd amount of wings (greater than two).
5 Space flight. Cybertron can break through the atmospheric barrier allowing space travel at any distance: planet to planet, star to star, provided he has enough Energon to make this trip. Rocket engines drain Energon at a rate of one point per megacycle. At levels within atmosphere, count these rocket engines as the jet engines in Flight 2. Rocket engines are accessible in only one mode, typically vehicle mode.
Type: Hardware
Required Ability: Athletics
Frequency: Common at 1-4, Rare at 5
The Focus Mechanism refers to a character's ability to convert sheer force of will into energon. Focus can be reused to fuel the frame, but is typically applied to attached weapons. Focus is only used on attached or internal energy-based weapons; it is impossible to power a hand-held weapon through sheer force of will, and impossible to make a standard bullet any more powerful than it already is. Focus rating refers to how many damage dice a character can add to a weapon per point of Energon spent. When choosing Focus as a Mechanism, choose to which weapon the Focus applies. It may only apply to a single weapon unless Focus is purchased twice.
1 Cybertron can use Willpower to add to his fuel, but only if he is doing nothing but concentrating. The Cybertron must meditate for one cycle for each Willpower he plans to convert, then roll Wits plus Matrix, difficulty 6. The total number of successes is the amount of temporary Willpower which is converted into Energon. This Cybertron can also use his Focus to add one die of damage to his attached Focus weapon by spending a single point of Energon during his attack.
2 Cybertron can spend Energon for extra damage dice as above, with no limit to spending, on his Focus weapon. In addition, he can add an extra die to any one roll involving Physical Attributes by spending a point of Energon. This second ability can only be accessed once per day.
3 The Cybertron can now score automatic successes on energy damage with no limitations. Spend one point of Willpower for each automatic success desired on the damage roll. As an alternative, power the weapon with internal Energon to gain two extra damage dice per Energon spent. (Both methods cannot be applied simultaneously.)
4 Cybertron can now use Willpower to replenish his bodily energy. This ability can only be accessed if the Cybertron's Spark is about to be extinguished due to lack of energy, and is typically a last-ditch effort to regain power until a battle is won or until help arrives. If the Cybertron is in critical health and his Spark has fallen to one, he may roll Stamina plus Matrix at difficulty 6. For a number of rounds equal to the Cybertron's successes, he ignores all wound penalties, takes no damage from local energon sources, takes aggravated damage as normal damage, and ignores all critical systems failures. He is +2 to all attack rolls, and +2 to all soak rolls. After these rounds of near-invulnerability have passed, he loses all Willpower, and will lose his final point of Spark in a number of rounds equal to ten minus his rounds of invulnerability.
5 Cybertron gains three damage dice per point of Energon spent on his Focus weapon, with no limit to spending. Contrarily, he can use Willpower for two extra damage successes per point of Willpower spent. A Cybertron with this amount of concentration can also use his internal Energon to increase his Physical Attributes temporarily, on a one-for-one basis. The effect wears off after the end of the scene.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Leadership
Frequency: Common at 1-3, Rare at 4-5
Holograms are used for a variety of reasons; trickery, disguise, espionage, or even entertainment.
1 Cybertron can record short video clips into his memory and play them back either for the benefit of his own optics or on a computer screen through direct computer link-up or disk/chip transfer. Only one video clip at a time can be stored in such a fashion. Video clips do not include audio, which must be purchased as a separate mechanism.
2 Cybertron can project still pictures onto blank air, as a 3-D slide show. These "slides" have no solid form and are not capable of producing movement or sound. He can also transfer visual images over radio signal, if he has purchased the radio.
3 Cybertron can project three-dimensional movies of events he has already witnessed and recorded. At this level, the character is capable of recording up to three such scenes. Moving scenes are radio-transferable.
4 Cybertron can create any three-dimensional visual illusion of his own design, which is capable of movement. The illusion can be no larger than the Cybertron himself. This ability is most useful for disguising the Cybertron as a different type of animal or as a common object as it can be layered on top of the Cybertron as a cloak as well as in a different location altogether. The illusion costs one Energon for each scene it remains in existence, and requires a roll of Intelligence plus Subterfuge to raise, with the difficulty of the roll representing the difficulty of the duplication and the number of successes indicating the illusion's permeability or lack thereof. (If the illusion is extended for more than one scene, make this roll only once.) Imagery difficulty is based on the target. To create an illusion of a common object or any random-looking animal or human being would be standard difficulty; to reproduce someone exactly whom the character had recorded to video file would be difficulty 7; to reproduce someone the character had met only once would be difficulty 10. The illusion can speak, but only in the voice of the Cybertron who is creating it (unless Mimicry is applied).
5 Cybertron has internal cameras capable of producing holograms of any size. These illusions are stable and solid but are the exact same for all who witness them. They are capable of movement. In this manner whole cities of people could be created, or illusions of any size. These illusions are also capable of speaking in the Cybertron's own voice. Spend three Energon for a hologram that stretches from horizon to horizon; intermediate amounts for smaller illusions. This hologram lasts the duration of one scene, but may be prolonged indefinitely by expenditure of one point Energon per extra scene. The illusion requires an Intelligence plus Subterfuge roll to raise as in Holographic Imagery 4, with the difficulty equal to the complexity of the illusion the Cybertron is trying to create.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Expression (Artistic Expression acceptable/preferred)
Frequency: Common at 1, Rare at 2-5
Cybertrons with this Mechanism can manipulate magnetic and pseudo-magnetic forces.
1 Cybertron has a beast mode which is an insect, spider, etc., and, in beast mode, can cling to any surface. (This is true even if the surface is not metallic!)
2 Cybertrons with this level of magnetism can cling to any surface as above in any mode. This ability can be used regardless of the beast mode of the character.
3 Cybertron can emit a magnetic pulse which will disable all complex machines in the area. This pulse will cause any complex machine—household appliances, computers, even other Cybertrons, to "turn off." When the effect is used, the only active machine in a fifty-foot area will be the Cybertron who used the effect, who is immune to his own magnetic frequency. Spend one Energon and roll Manipulation plus Repair to use this ability, with the number of successes equal to the number of rounds that the machines cease to function. Other Cybertrons can spend a Willpower point to counter the effect of this power, but only after one round of inactivity has passed. This ability does not damage a Cybertron frame in any way, and no health is lost for targets it effects.
4 The magnetic pulse the Cybertron creates at this level is much more powerful, and can cause even simple machines, like knives and levers, to cease functioning. In addition, the Cybertron can use the frequency to control simple machines, such as levers, pulleys, locks, etc. Roll Manipulation plus Repair to use this ability, and spend one Energon. This Cybertron can also use Magnetism to attract small metal objects from distant locations, though nothing at more than a few feet of distance, and nothing so large as another Cybertron. No complex machines can be manipulated in this fashion.
5 The most powerful type of magnetic pulse can control any type of machine, including the body of another Cybertron. Roll Manipulation plus Repair for an ordinary complex machine, such as an automobile, Manipulation plus Computers for a computer interface, or Manipulation plus Matrix to control another Cybertron. Controlling a complex machine requires an upfront expenditure of two Energon. If another Cybertron should happen to be the target of this ability, he can spend Willpower to resist it, but only if he realizes the nature of the attack. If this Cybertron should indeed fall under the other character's control, his actions are dictated by the character who masters him, but his thoughts and feelings are not. This control lasts for one scene, but may be prolonged with the expenditure of one Energon per extra scene.
The difficulty for this ability is lessened by 2 if the Cybertron has direct contact with the machine he is trying to manipulate, and decreased by 4 if he is somehow "plugged in" to this machine.
Magnetism of this caliber is well-combined with an Energon Shielding Mechanism (4 or 5) to create magnetic force-fields, which are capable of pulling other Cybertrons into a targeting range.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Computers
Frequency: Common at 1-2, Rare at 3-5
Cybertrons have developed several Mechanisms which allow for the easy transfer (or alteration of) audio information.
1 Cybertron has excellent memory circuits that allow him to repeat back specific scenes in good detail and recall specific events without fail.
2 Cybertron has a "record and play back" function in regard to audio, where he may store any statement made into his memory, and play it back exactly, word for word, in the voice in which it was spoken. This is an actual recording including background noise, etc, and does not actually use the Cybertron's personal vocal apparatus, but a different, internal recording device. This ability is limited to short statements, transmissions, or conversations, and only one such quantity can be stored at a time.
3 Cybertron can alter his vocal apparatus to imitate the distinct voice of another. This must be a person whom the Cybertron has heard speak many times and whose voice patterns he is familiar with. Expenditure of one point Energon and a roll of Wits plus Subterfuge are required to activate this ability, with the number of successes indicating the exactity of the duplication. The mimicry lasts for the duration of the scene.
4 At this level, the recording ability of the Cybertron is extended to record longer scenes and store greater amounts of data. Many short transmissions, one very long conversation, or the like, can be stored and played back at a later date. With the expenditure of one point of energon and a Wits plus Subterfuge/Performance roll, conversations can also be altered and edited at the Cybertron's whim, producing fascinating and difficult to detect forgeries that do not emanate from the Cybertron's main vocal apparatus. For single vocal mimicry as Mimicry 3, they can now throw the mimicked voice to a location up to twenty yards away.
5 These Cybertrons have a much simpler time mimicking specific voices and can get a grip on the vocal patterns of people they have heard speak only a few times. In addition, they can at the expenditure of one point Energon per voice mimic any group of voices as Mimicry 3, and can throw these voices to any location.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Empathy
Frequency: Common at 1-2, Rare at 3-5
Though the citizens of Cybertron are robots, nature is not a foreign element to them, and some are extremely in tune with its workings.
1 Cybertron has chosen a beast mode which is an underwater creature, and is therefore comfortable under water and near the sea. Cybertron suffers no Dexterity penalties underwater.
2 Cybertron is in tune with the natural rhythms of the earth beneath him. He can use his weight and natural power to generate small quakes. Roll Strength plus Brawl to strike at the earth. (In some cases, other weapons such as a bashing melee weapon or a missile can be used.) The magnitude of the resulting quake is equal to the number of successes the Cybertron scores: one success is a small tremor—five or more can put cracks in the earth. The difficulty of this roll is increased if the Cybertron is indoors and increased further if he is far from the earth, as on the second floor of a building. Tremors near water can also be used to create small tidal waves. Also, a tremor in a mountainous area may cause a rockslide, which will effect everyone in the area save the one who summoned it.
3 This character understands currents, both underwater and in the air. He can use this ability to decrease the likelihood that projectiles will damage him. Spend one Energon to activate this ability, then roll Wits plus Survival. The successes gained in this roll are converted to an equal number of automatic successes on all Dodge rolls for the remainder of the current combat, and often visible winds or waves. Summoning currents for this purpose uses up one round of battle.
4 Cybertron can harness the natural energies around him. This ability is typically most useful in situations where there is a high amount of electrical energy in the air, such as during a lightning storm. This ability can be accessed one of two ways. The Cybertron can use the jolt of energy to charge his own batteries, meaning that absorbing an amount of lightning during a thunderstorm could recharge him to full-capacity Energon. Roll Stamina plus Survival to access this ability, at standard difficulty, with the number of successes equaling the amount of Energon replenished. Or, he can use himself as a conduit for lightning, drawing the energy through himself and outward at any target. Lightning typically does ten dice of damage to all targets—roll Dexterity plus Matrix to hit with the bolt. Harnessing lightning for this purpose costs one Energon per bolt as energy is rushed through the body. A Cybertron can harness electrical energies without the aid of a storm, but the difficulty for this roll is a ten.
5 Cybertron can summon storms of any type, including thunderclouds, blizzards, fogs, and tornadoes. This ability costs Energon depending on the strength of the storm—up to five Energon for very large and violent storms, only one for small rains. Roll Manipulation plus Primal-Urge to summon the storm, Wits plus Matrix to control it.
Type: Special
Required Ability: Primal-Urge
Frequency: Common at 1-2, Rare at 3-5
All Cybertrons have an internal radio which is capable of communicating with members of their own unit over short geographical distances. However, more powerful radios opened up can also pass along coordinates, wordless signals, and communicate over limitless spans. Additional information, such as video, may be sent by remote if Mechanisms are purchased for this reason.
1 Cybertron has an internal radio unit which allows him to communicate with other Cybertrons on a single frequency. There is a standard Maximal frequency and a Predacon frequency, as well as many other private circuits. Unlike the standard equipment radio, this radio has no limits regarding distance, and it can allow the Cybertron to communicate with any members of his current alliance. However, it will not respond in situations where frequencies are being intercepted and jammed, and is interfered with by high levels of raw energon.
2 Cybertron can "force" his radio signal upon other Cybertrons, even those who do not share his frequency. The communication will be audible to all who are near the target of this ability; it is not "telepathy," but a simple radio communication opened to an otherwise unknown channel. Unlike the above, it will only work at short distances, and costs one Energon for every mile past the first that the channel is opened up. This can only be used to communicate with nearby Cybertrons; it does not effect standard radios, nor can it (for obvious reasons) be used on organic targets.
3 Cybertron can easily understand electronic messages, even those with no sound base. A character with this type of radio can listen to phone conversations through wires, satellite transmissions, or radio transmissions not on his frequency. Roll Perception plus Enigmas at difficulty 6 and expend one point of Energon to use this ability, which lasts for the duration of the scene.
4 Cybertron can output a random radio frequency of immense volume, loud enough to distract all others in the room and even scramble some Cybertron circuitry temporarily. Expend one Energon and roll Charisma plus Performance (difficulty 6) to begin the sonic assault. All others present, Cybertron and organic alike, must make resisted Willpower rolls, gaining more successes than the Cybertron with the radio transmitter. Those who manage to gain these successes feel no adverse effects other than ringing ears; the rest are at a -2 to all dice pools for the remainder of the scene, and are partially deafened. Anyone who botches the resisted roll becomes completely deafened, a quivering mass who can do nothing but cover his ears for the rest of the scene.
5 Cybertron can now create an audio signal at any frequency. He can use this ability to intercept conversations on any frequency, or communicate with others through satellite transmissions or wires. When communicating on a frequency, roll Intelligence plus Security to send the transmission, variable difficulty, with the number of successes suggesting the clarity of the message. When jamming a frequency, roll Wits plus Security, difficulty depending on the difficulty of the jam itself.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Enigmas
Frequency: Common at 1-3 (Very Common at 1), Rare at 4-5
Cybertron has a physical shield which is part of his external structure. This is different from armor plating because shields can absorb a lot more damage, and will typically direct all damage from the Cybertron's main frame. When designating a shield, decide how the shield is carried and where it is typically located. Wings and fins are popular shields—when a wing has been designated as a shield, it has as many health levels as below as opposed to the default three. For any shield listed below, Cybertron must roll Dexterity plus Alertness to activate the shield. If the roll is successful (only one success is needed), the shield is assumed to deflect the incoming fire. The shield then has a soak roll as designated below to nullify some damage. The difficulty for a shield to soak is only 3: a roll of 2 means no soak, and a "botch" removes a success. Shields have a certain number of health levels; after they take this much damage, they are destroyed. Shields can be repaired once destroyed, but not usually during combat. Shields can soak energon-based (sustained-pulse) damage even if held by a Cyberorganic Beast or Fuzor, but cannot protect a Cybertron from area energon radiation.
Using a shield counts as a dodge; therefore, an extra action must be spent for a character to attack the same turn he raises his shield. Shields can only be used in robot mode.
1 Small shield: can deflect energy weapons or thrown weapons. Has three health levels (Functional, Damaged, and Destroyed). This shield has a soak roll of three.
2 Larger shield as above. Four health levels: Functional, Damaged, Ruined, Destroyed. Soak roll of five. Shields of this size are still primarily for deflection and not for full body coverage.
3 Giant shield—allows for coverage of approximately one quarter of the body. May be of some help in explosions. Four health levels as Shield 3—soak roll of six.
4 Wraparound shield. Shields with this much coverage are often wings or fins. Six health levels: Functional, Damaged, Crippled, Ruined, Scrapped, Destroyed. Soak roll of seven. If a wing is designated as this type of shield, and it is "Destroyed" in combat, it is Storyteller's discretion whether or not it can still be used in flight.
5 Full body shield. Shields of this size may be an encumbrance, but are excellent deflectors and good at nullifying explosions. These shields may even be able to provide coverage for several Cybertrons at once. Six health levels as Shield 4—soak roll of ten.
Type: Separate if hand-held shield; Hardware if attached shield. (Hand-held shields are a snap to fashion, but may be dropped in combat. Attached shields cannot be dropped.)
Required Attribute: Strength (allotted, not x2 effective)
Frequency: Common
Cybertrons with Spectrum Vision can see different waves of light, allowing for increased visual abilities.
1 Ultraviolet: Character can enhance the output of any available light, increasing the brightness in the room slightly, mimicking the nightvision of a cat. This ability is dependent on the existence of available light, and works poorly underground. Perception rolls may be necessary in locating objects if it is still very dark.
2 Infrared: character can activate "Infrared Mode," allowing him to see sources of heat. A character with infrared scanners can see heat patterns regardless of the light in the room: the hotter the object, the warmer the color. Anomalies in heat output can also serve well to tell if a creature is a biological animal or a Robot in Disguise. Because objects appear only as vague blotches in this mode, spotting any specific target requires a roll of Perception plus Alertness.
3 Cybertron has a scanner which can view energy patterns, particularly signatures left by energon. He will automatically be able to tell whether there is energon in any given area simply by activating this level of sight. Energon-charged beings—other Cybertrons—will leave a faint trail, which may be tracked by a roll of Perception plus Investigation. Failing this roll indicates that such a trail was too faint to be located properly.
4 At this level, the Infrared Scanners give a clearer picture, where shapes are outlined distinctly and recognizing targets does not require a roll. They also allow the Cybertron, at the expenditure of one Energon, to see heat auras where warm objects have recently passed, and follow heat signature trails for specific targets. A Cybertron with this level of infrared can automatically tell when animals are actually Cybertrons. He can also tell other types of heat anomalies on sentient creatures when they are present (with a Perception/Alertness roll).
5 Character can see all colors and waves of light. At this level of ability, even pure darkness is not an obstacle for the character's ultraviolet scanners. He can also "see" when radio communication is being broadcasted (roll Perception plus Enigmas to determine the source), and can see spark-related auras, allowing him to understand the extent of the power of an ally or enemy. For this last ability, roll Perception plus Matrix, difficulty 6, with the number of successes detailing the amount of gained information. An excellent roll will provide information on another Cybertron's age, Protoform, and Mechanisms.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Investigation
Frequency: Common
All Cybertrons are capable of human-like speed and dexterity, though some are capable of more speed than others. Speed engines depend greatly on the character's beast mode, so choose your mode carefully when planning to activate this Mechanism. Odd beasts can still access superspeed if they are Transmetals with a vehicle mode. Speed engines are considered cumulative, but require careful rebuilding before they can be advanced.
1 Cybertron has an advantage over others in beast speed. This allows for the choice of a beast mode that runs particularly fast. Combined with winged flight or basic submersability (Naturistics 1), this also accounts for speedy birds, insects, or fish. If a Cybertron has purchased this Mechanism at this level, give his Beast Mode one extra point of Dexterity.
2 Cybertron has booster engines allowing him to combine rockets and exceed ordinary speed. To access this ability, Cybertron must have purchased either flight or submersability capabilities. Expend one point Energon and make a roll of Stamina plus Athletics to turn on these boosters, which double the flyer's speed and air Dexterity (or the swimmer's underwater speed and Dexterity).
3 Cybertron can run, roll, fly, or swim at speeds exceeding the speed of sound. Choose which mode this speed is accessible in, and whether it is land, air, or underwater speed. (In order to use this in the sea or in the air, Cybertron must also have purchased Flight Mechanisms or submersability as Naturistics 1.) Make a Stamina plus Athletics roll to activate the booster rockets—spend one Energon only once, when the engines kick in. A character at this level of Speed effectively doubles his Dodge pool, but halves his Dexterity (here and below, round up) due to possible loss of control.
4 Cybertron can run at speeds exceeding Mach Two, the fastest possible Cybertron land speed. These booster engines require the expenditure of one point of Energon per megacycle of travel—expend no Energon for short distances. This type of speed is only possible in one mode—choose one. For Cyberorganics, this must be a robot mode Mechanism, though it is very uncommon. These boosters can also be combined with flight or submersible engines as in Speed 3, and must be turned on and off as in Speed 3. This triples the user's Dodge pool, but disallows fine manual Dexterity. Halve the Dexterity pool and do not allow operations which require a fine touch.
5 Light speed. Cybertron can travel at the speed of light, allowing for quick trips around the planet or longer interstellar trips. Traveling at light speed requires flight capabilities (of Flight 2 or above), as light speed cannot be reached by a Cybertron who is ground to the earth. Expend one point Energon when entering Warp, and roll Stamina plus Athletics to make the jump successfully.
Type: Hardware
Required Attribute: Dexterity
Frequency: Common at 1-3, Rare at 4-5
Tracking—seeking both allies and enemies—is a very common function for a Cybertron to access. Cybertrons can also use this ability to find out information about their targets, or about anyone else in the vicinity.
1 Character can activate radar to tell how many Cybertrons of his alliance are active in up to a half-mile radius. If these Cybertrons are part of his active unit, he knows their names and exact location as well.
He can also ask his internal computer to locate (by grid and vector) those of his unit which are not in normal tracking range, though this requires a roll of Perception plus Computers.
2 Cybertron can track specific targets. This method of tracking is based on scent and can only be used in beast mode. Roll Perception plus Primal-Urge to get the scent of a target; Intelligence plus Investigation to track its direction. If either roll fails, it may not be reattempted. Difficulty and number of successes needed are based on the target's intelligence, stealth, etc.
3 Cybertron can, at the expenditure of one Energon, activate a simple scan which will tell him how many life forms are in the current area. Life forms who are Cybertrons will read as "active units," and Alliance can be identified, including specific name if the Cybertrons located are part of the tracker's unit. Roll Perception plus Investigation to activate the scan. This scan does not tell what type of non-Cybertron lifeforms are active in the area, only the number. No more than a half-mile radius around the Cybertron may be scanned in this fashion.
4 Cybertron can attach his senses to the Spark of another, and in this way will always know the target's location: in what direction, and at what distance. This type of tracking is based on more of an internal sense than scent, but is still considered a scent-based operation as Cybertrons struggle for words to explain it. Expend two Energon and roll Intelligence plus Primal-Urge to "fix the scent" of this Spark when in contact with the target. From then on, tracking is automatic regardless of target's stealth. Multiple sparks, not just one, can be fixed to memory in this fashion. (Organic targets who are non-Cybertron may still be tracked by this method, but the difficulty for the roll to "lock the spark" is a 9.)
5 Cybertron can scan any area as Tracking 3, at the expenditure of one point of Energon per mile radius scanned. This scan will tell him not only the Alliance of Cybertrons located, but also the name, even if he has never met these Cybertrons before. He can also use this scan to seek out a specific target whose spark he has not fixed to memory, so long as this target is not too far away.
Type: Software
Required Attribute: Perception
Frequency: Common at 1-3 (Very Common at 1), Rare at 4-5
The ability to increase the size of surrounding elements, rendering things easier to see at great distances. At higher levels, even micro-vision is possible.
1 As the Werewolf "Heightened Senses," but only in regard to video.
2 "Dramatic zoom": A certain amount of zoom vision, allows for tighter close-ups on faraway objects, with some magnification. Pinpointing a specific detail at a distance will typically require a Perception plus Investigation roll.
3 Cybertron has the ability to select a specific section of her video sphere, zoom, and magnify. Spend one point of temporary Energon to zoom and magnify anything within visual range to perfect clarity. Because the Cybertron is so engrossed on one target, using this ability requires perfect concentration and a roll of Perception plus Alertness with difficulty depending on area light. This Cybertron can magnify a particle of dust at a hundred feet, but can never see individual cells or atoms.
4 This Cybertron can now see much more than ordinary eyes can see, all the way down to the microscopic level. The object to be magnified in this manner must be no more than a few feet from her optics; however, she can zoom in on it so completely as to see its component elements. Spend one Energon to magnify with this type of clarity; roll Perception plus Enigmas to get images in focus. Depending on what the Cybertron is trying to do with this ability, several varied rolls may be required.
5 Cybertron can ignore obstacles to her vision, effectively projecting her internal camera beyond those points and giving her the ability to see through walls. Requires a Perception plus Alertness roll with difficulty depending on the permeability of the obstacle: five to see through clouds, ten to see through solid steel. One flat Energon is spent for this ability, plus one other Energon for each additional object to be bypassed. This ability allows for basic clairvoyance, since this Cybertron can see anything at a great distance provided there is light to see it by.
Type: Software
Required Ability: Alertness
Frequency: Common at 1-3 (Very Common at 1-2), Rare at 4-5
"Transmetal power...better get used to it."
—Blackarachnia, "Crossing the Rubicon"
In addition to the normal robotic Mechanisms provided to members of the Cybertron race, those Cybertrons who have been altered by advanced, supernatural means can create a kind of power from their own spark. Spark powers are never subtle. Rather, they are accompanied by glowing, energy forces that emerge directly from the Transmetal II's spark cavity. These glowing forces are always visible when these powers are in use, and may wrap around a body to heal it or lift an enemy into the air like ethereal arms. The powers below are only available to Transmetal IIs and Optimals, TIIs primarily. Unlike the Mechanisms listed above, Spark Powers are indeed magical in nature. They are sometimes distrusted by those Cybertrons who believe not to take something too far that has no basis in logic. Spark powers can be used in any mode.
A Cybertron can never have more total dots in Spark Powers than he has in his Spark pool (therefore, no one Cybertron can ever "master" all of the abilities listed below). He cannot "unlearn" abilities to gain new ones, and so must practice carefully. To add new Spark powers to a character after creation, a player must have the Spark prerequisite, then spend experience points: 3 times his desired rating in the power if he is a Transmetal II, and 6 times if he is an Optimal. After that, his character must "learn" the power before he can use it to its fullest, learning the details of the power through either training or experimentation. In some stressful situations, a Transmetal II power may develop without practice (though the experience must always be spent).
There are rumors of some of the more inadvanced Generations gaining comparable psychic abilities during protoformation. For example, there are stories of Predacons who can tell the future, and a few Maximals whose empathic abilities seem beyond the norm. However, these legends are largely unfounded; typically, a Cybertron must be modified into a Transmetal II before he is capable of any true magic.
Spark Combustibility, or Pyrokinesis, is a telekinetic power used to cause damage. It includes the setting of spontaneous fires, and the starting of spontaneous explosions.
1 Transmetal II can use Spark points to set small, energy-based fires. These flames are often of varying colors and strengths. Roll Spark to use this ability and light with energy any object with which the Cybertron has direct contact. These flames are light, primarily, and do little or no property damage, but may cause some confusion.
2 Transmetal II can cause high levels of light energy to flood from her spark, blinding targets and possibly starting fires. Roll Spark, difficulty 7, for this ability. For a number of rounds equal to the number of successes, all dice pools related to sight are at a -2 to all who witness this glowing display, no matter their alliance. In addition, at three successes or more, all flammable objects in the vicinity will burst into flame. "Flammable objects," at this level, does not include sentient targets.
3 Cybertron can now cause non-sentient objects to explode from within. To use this ability, spend a point of temporary Spark, and make a Spark roll. Larger or extremely important objects, such as computers, require more successes, though simple objects will be completely destroyed. This power can also create disastrous chain reactions if used in high-energon environments. This ability can only be used on objects within the Cybertron's range of sight.
4 Cybertron can cause even sentient targets to spontaneously combust. To use combustion as an attack, spend a point of temporary Spark, and make a Spark roll, difficulty 9. If successful, the resultant explosion will do ten dice of damage to your target. The target does not get a soak roll, as it is damaged caused by the target's own body. Though this can be fatal to organic targets, this power does not harm another Cybertron's spark. Organic targets may make a Willpower roll to avoid certain death by this power—each success on a difficulty 7 roll cancels out one success made by the Transmetal II on the inital attack roll.
5 Cybertron can lock her spark to the spark of another, causing this spark to combust. Though this is indeed a highly dangerous, highly frightening ability which is very rarely used in combat and seen as highly dishonorable, sometimes using all of one's options is the only course. To assault the spark of an enemy, spend two points of temporary Spark up front, and make a Spark roll at difficulty 8. You will need one success for every point of Spark you hope to drain. Your opponent may spend Willpower to nullify your successes on this roll. If you are willing to spend another point of temporary Spark, this can be made into an extended roll, although the difficulty increases by one each time. If you do not gather all the successes you need, the roll fails, and your opponent loses no Spark. If you have more successes than your foe has points of permanent Spark, your foe is destroyed, from the spark out, in a catastrophic explosion. Botch a roll, and the same happens to you. This ability can also be modified as a psychic assault on an organic target. If one Cybertron uses this power on another who knows it, the attack can easily become a face-off.
Successful use of this power always results in a morality check for permanent spark loss if used by a Maximal, and often does in the case of a Predacon, as well.
Cybertrons with Transmetal II power can sometimes use their sparks to recover injuries to themselves or others. Using any of the healing abilities below counts as taking an action; some may even take more than one turn depending on the extent of the damage the Cybertron is trying to heal.
1 Transmetal II Cybertron can use his Spark to recover his own injuries. Roll Spark to access this ability, and recover as many Health Levels as successes on this roll. This ability may only be used once per day. It cannot be used to recover aggravated damage.
2 Increased healing abilities as above may now be activated up to one time per megacycle. However, spend a point of temporary Spark for every time this ability is accessed after the first in the day. This ability can now recover any type of damage.
3 Ethereal healing. Roll Stamina plus Repair; as long as this roll is successful, recover all lost Health Levels instantly regardless of type of damage. A failed roll indicates no health is recovered. On a botch, spend one point of temporary Spark, and recover no health. This ability may be used more than once a day, but spend a point of Spark for every time each day it is accessed after the first.
4 Cybertron can use his Spark to recover the injuries of others, even those who are non-Cybertron. To use this ability, spend a point of temporary Spark, and roll Spark, healing the target as many Health Levels as successes on this roll, regardless of type of damage. Cybertron should be in direct contact with the target he is trying to heal.
5 Cybertron cannot only recover the injuries of his comrades, but their psychic energy as well. Roll Charisma plus Matrix, and transfer temporary Spark from the Transmetal II to a target of his choice. The Transmetal II can transfer as many points of Spark as he has successes on the roll. Botching this roll means that a point of temporary Spark is lost from the Transmetal II, but nothing is gained by his companion. This ability can be modified to allow the rejuvenation of the "soul" of an organic target.
Certain Transmetal IIs can use their powers not to read the thoughts of others, but to influence them. Cybertrons with hypnotic abilities at lower levels are typically regarded as trustworthy and influential. On the other hand, Cybertrons who display this openly at its higher levels are rarely trusted.
1 Cybertron can access his spark to quell the fighting instinct in a single foe. To accomplish this, he must make physical contact with the target; his spark, eyes, and possibly even hands will glow while he activates this power. He must not be taking arms against the enemy nor threatening him verbally, or the power will not work. Roll Spark to use this power. The difficulty begins at 6, but is increased if the target is very angered or is prone to becoming upset. When used on an already peaceful target, multiple successes may cause the target to fall into sleep mode.
2 Hypnotic power as above is now expanded in range. Transmetal II can subdue any number of targets as successes on a Charisma plus Empathy roll, without making physical contact with these targets. The difficulty for this roll is as difficult as it would be to quell the single most violent person in the group (as a mob can often be raised to anger by just one loud voice).
3 A Cybertron with this ability can create a psychic field of invulnerability, which can prevent foes from being able to harm her. In order to use this power, the Transmetal II must not be taking arms against her foe, but must assume a peaceful posture. She then rolls her Appearance plus Empathy, against a difficulty of the target's Intelligence plus Subterfuge. Because the energies surround the user, not the target, multiple targets may be effected at once (use only one roll, and figure the number of successes differently based on the different targets). Only one success indicates that the target will have a difficult time attacking; three or four and the target will not be able to strike at all. Five or more successes on this roll, and the target is enthralled for the rest of the scene, and may even try to prevent his own former allies from harming the Transmetal II. The effects of this power can be removed by the user at any time, and will instantly be removed (save in the case of five or more successes) should the Transmetal II attempt to attack her opponent. If the Transmetal II is damaged while the power is in effect, she must roll Willpower to keep the shield raised.
4 Transmetal IIs with this level of hypnotic power can implant single-phrase suggestions in their subjects, which the subject will almost always obey. The Transmetal II must make eye contact with her target, then speak the phrase clearly. This power can also be combined with Telepathy, provided direct eye contact is still made. However, the eyes of the user will always glow when this power is in operation, so it is very difficult to conceal it. The suggestion itself must be a single sentence or less—no complex orders may be issued in this fashion. The target will also not act on directly damaging commands such as "Explode," or "Die," or be coerced into directly suicidal acts, though some self-damaging commands may be issued ("Walk into that energon field.") Popular commands include "Destroy him," "Don't move," or "Give that to me." The suggestion should be as clearly stated as possible; a target cannot act on a suggestion he does not understand. Roll Spark to use this ability, contested against a difficulty of the target's Willpower. The amount of successes indicates the amount of time the target will continue to act on the suggestion. For example, one success may be sufficient for a simple "Give that to me," command, but suggestions which take more time ("Hunt him down and deactivate him.") may "wear off" before they are achieved. The amount of time a single suggestion will last is as follows:
1 Success: 1 combat roundThe suggestion, once implanted, can be removed by Incapacitating the hypnotized Cybertron, or by doing the same to the Transmetal II that used the power. New suggestions on an already hypnotized target replace the old instructions; a Cybertron can only act on one suggestion at once. The Storyteller has the option to increase the difficulty of the Transmetal II's roll if she is trying to get a target to do something which clearly violates his programming.
2 Successes: 10 combat rounds
3 Successes: twenty cycles
4 Successes: one megacycle
5 + Successes: a day or more
Transmetal IIs with Shining power can use their sparks to create supernatural weaponry, which increases their power in battle.
1 Cybertron can apply the energy of his spark to one of his ordinary weapons, allowing the standard-damage weapon to do aggravated damage. To use this ability, Cybertron must spend one round "charging" the weapon with the energy of his spark, be the weapon his claws, his sword, or the bullets in his gun. After this round, the effect will last for the rest of the scene. This power has no effect on weapons which already do aggravated damage.
2 Cybertron can use his spark to infuse a Mechanism of his choice. The effects of this can vary greatly, but, among them are the ability to strengthen an energon shield, the ability to reflect energy weapons through standard armor, and the ability to see the spark energy of others. Creativity is encouraged. Depending on what the Cybertron is trying to do, a Spark roll may be required. Even if a roll is not required, infusing a Mechanism takes a single round, as with Shining 1.
3 Cybertron can infuse the energy of his spark to an ordinary weapon, allowing it to do damage which is not only aggravated but is aggravated, energon-type. This attack will be unsoakable by low Cybertron generations, and difficult for Cybertrons to heal. There is no difference, however, when this attack is used on organic targets. Infuse the weapon as with Shining 1.
4 Spark energy can be used to mimic the Focus Mechanism, allowing for not only aggravated damage, but damage in greater amounts. Adding damage to a weapon requires a round of infusion as above, as well as a Spark roll at difficulty 7. For every success on this roll, one automatic success is added to the damage roll for the Cybertron's weapon. This is energon-type damage.
5 Cybertron can create energon-charged weapons which will explode on impact, creating explosions which will damage all but the wielder. This power requires an expenditure of temporary spark points, and a number of rounds of infusion equal to the number of points which are spent. When the weapon (it can be of any type) meets its target, it explodes in a wave of energon-type damage. The weapon's intended target takes the weapon's regular amount of damage, plus one extra automatic point of damage for every Spark point the Transmetal II spent on the ability. All others in the room also take the amount of spent Spark points in damage. Note that this ability does not effect the Transmetal II, but effects everyone else within the range of the explosion: both allies and foes. The exact range of the explosion depends on the amount of Spark points spent—roughly 50 feet per point. Note that the rolls to attack with the weapon must still be successful; if botched, results may be disastrous. This power also poses a special risk in high-energon areas.
One of the first spark powers to be utilized, telekinetic abilities grant a remarkable advantage in battle.
1 Cybertron can lift small objects at short distances, such as retrieving his weapon from halfway across a room. Unlike Magnetism, this ability is never dependent on the material from which the object is made. Simple acts, such as lifting a stationary object nearby, are automatic, but more difficult acts, like stopping an object thrown at the character, require a Spark roll. At this level, the manipulated object must be small enough to be held in the hand of the Cybertron using this ability.
2 Cybertron can telekinetically lift objects of a weight rating equal to her effective robot mode Strength. This requires a Spark roll; difficulty and number of successes needed vary by object and intent. This power is now expanded to include any object she can see, Zoom-Vision-range objects included. This does not include lifting any sentient targets; only objects.
3 Cybertron can use Telekinesis to create a repelling force-shield, as with Energon Shielding. This shield is always energy-tight. The shield is generated from the spark-cavity out in a spherical pattern; it grows until it dissipates. It requires a Spark roll, difficulty 6, which indicates the duration, in rounds, of the energy shield. At difficulty 8, a Cybertron can also use this shield to repel solid objects (she must declare which objects the shield is to repel, and needs at least one success for each). The strength of the shield decreases as it grows farther from the spark cavity of the Transmetal II.
4 Cybertron can lift a single target into the air of a weight rating of up to twice her Strength. At this level, this includes a sentient target such as another Cybertron, though he may use Willpower to resist being controlled in this fashion. (In this case, the Transmetal II's Spark expenditure could be used to counter Willpower expenditure, until one or the other was exhausted, or a contested rolling system may be used.) Targets can be manipulated to actions they would not normally take, but cannot be forced into work that requires fine Dexterity, and cannot be forced to speak, etc, only manipulated in wide gestures like a puppet on strings.
5 Cybertron can lift larger targets of nearly any weight, and manipulate them as she wishes. This is now expanded to include multiple simultaneous targets. No roll is needed to lift a single object; a Spark roll is necessary for every object beyond the first.
Spark telepathy, psychic communication, is a varied and confusing ability. It is expanded to include "Telempathy," the sharing of emotions, which is both the most complex and most simple form of psychic communication. The spark of a Transmetal II who is using this ability will always be visibly glowing, so that telepathy sources can be visibly detected. Telepathy can target both Cybertron and organic targets equally.
1 Cybertron can, by concentrating on her own Spark, get a feel for the latent emotions of those around her. For example, she can tell which among her comrades are afraid or angry, and may gain some insight into their actions when others are confused. This ability has no specific target; rather, it feeds equally off of all the emotions of all gathered. It requires no roll. Cybertrons with this ability will often get sudden flashes if emotions are very powerful, sensing, in just one example, "disturbances in the force."
2 Cybertron can use spark telepathy to communicate with a far-off target without using a radio signal. This type of communication is two-way, as with a radio, but makes no audible noise. To establish communication, the Transmetal II must roll her Spark. The difficulty may be as low as 4, for a willing target that the Transmetal II knows very well, or as high as 10, for an extremely stubborn stranger. The Cybertron using Telepathy does not gain any information from the target other than that which he willingly communicates to her.
3 This Transmetal II can now, through telepathic probe, gain information which is not necessarily willingly provided. She must roll Spark as above to begin contact, then roll Charisma plus Empathy to unlock stored information. Information that can be obtained in this fashion includes memories (even the repressed, though at a higher difficulty), specific emotions, and future plans. Each piece of information requires a single roll; an extremely unwilling target can spend Willpower to nullify the Cybertron's successes and attempt to break her contact.
4 This Cybertron can expand Telepathy 2 to include multiple simultaneous targets. With this ability, she can send a spirit message to her entire unit, no matter their locations. Spend a point of temporary Spark to access multiple targets; only one point of Spark is spent, but a separate contact roll is required for each target. Setting up a large "party-line" over telepathy may take several megacycles, but this has its advantages in that the linked Cybertrons can speak not only to the Transmetal II, but to each other.
5 This Cybertron can provide both messages and images to a target. This ability is most effective in altering the dreams of another Cybertron; if the Cybertron to be affected by this power is currently in stasis lock, the difficulty to create the dream is only 6, regardless of the target's willingness or identity. Once the Transmetal II establishes contact, she has full control over the dreamed images of the Cybertron. She has contacted him on another plane, where she can create realities as she sees fit (often requiring many variable rolls). Outside of stasis lock, this telepathy can still be accessed, though at a minimum difficulty of 8. If this roll succeeds, the Cybertron contacted is put into an immediate trance.
"That's one of those things where I look, and say, 'that person has got WAAAY too much time on their hands.'"
—Matt Priest, fellow computer-graphics major, upon seeing my web site.
The Mechanisms section is really complicated. Granted, it's no more complicated than the Disciplines in Vampire, or the Gifts in Werewolf, but it's pretty complicated, especially for people who already learned the White Wolf systems and are sick of messing with this stuff. It's probably the most complicated aspect of the most complicated fan-generated White Wolf adaptation on the net...(though I could indeed be wrong). The admission that the list probably isn't even complete is sure to be enough to drive people over the edge.
The suggested rolls above are designed to work most of the time. If, for some reason, a different roll seems more appropriate for a Mechanism's intended use, use the roll that makes the most sense.
If you hate the Mechanisms and Weapons, if you don't want to bother with all these rules…don't. Don't worry about it. Remember that the most important rule is that there are no rules, and you're here to have fun, not to be a mathematical genius. I provide the rules for you, and for me, because I like structure and I know a lot of roleplayers that thrive on it. I also know a lot of roleplayers that throw out rules. If your Storyteller is one of the types who will let you run an alien cartoon-character in his World of Darkness campaign, I'm betting he's the latter. On the other hand, if this is a one-hundred-percent Beast-Wars-only campaign...well, first of all, I'm honored that you're even using my little rules, but... Just have fun with it. Use what you like, change what you don't; I'll probably never know.