"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