"Do you know how to fly it?"
"Not yet."
—Neo and Trinity, The Matrix
Learning on Cybertron is typically done through computer. Cybertrons can plug wires into their own processors and download specific types of knowledge directly into their minds from computers that have the knowledge on file. They can also download knowledge from each other through direct cable link. They can then use the knowledge where applicable, or simply encode it and store it away for later use. However, not all Cybertrons are capable of carrying all knowledge, for a basic intelligence is required to understand the more complex workings of history and robotic procedures.
Each unit in a Cybertron army has a central base computer, which is attached to their internal computer. This allows for different Cybertrons in the same unit to have similar energy signatures, which many Mechanisms can detect.
Rumors persist of more powerful, ancient computers, which exceed the levels of the surviving Autobot computers to great degrees. What kinds of mysteries a higher-level computer could hold are, so far, only the subjects of dreams.
"Ancient languages? Mega-boring! COBOL, FORTRAN...they're dinosaurs!"
—Enzo Matrix, Reboot, "The Tiff"
Cybertrons speak a language which sounds almost exactly like Modern English. No one is quite sure why, but it is quite possible that the process is inverse; that what we speak today is developed from the language the Cybertrons spoke when Cybertrons first visited Earth.
Of course, the purest, simplest language is the language of the processor: 11000101010010 0111100101...
Everything in between is relatively simple to understand. Spoken languages and even computer syntax languages can be downloaded into the brain of a Cybertron in mere nano-clicks, provided the language is documented in a computer. This is the simplest explanation for the reason why Cybertrons of different races still speak the same exact language, and why Cybertrons on far-off colonies still understand those they have had no contact with in over millions of years.
Basically, if it is logical that the Cybertron has heard a language regularly, assume she knows it. Only a Cybertron who was under-curious about languages in general would not bother to download knowledge on a language she heard spoken day-to-day. A Cybertron would obviously not know a language she had never heard before; a Cybertron of low Intelligence might know only a few languages. A Cybertron who had rarely left planet might only know her native language, having never heard anything else spoken.
Just because gaining facts is relatively easy does not mean that all Cybertrons know everything there is to know. Most increases in ability can only be gained through practice. A Cybertron can look at the schematics of an electron sword all he wants, but it will not make him any more capable of wielding it.
Characters are given experience points at the end of each gaming session, and at the end of a story. Each character gets one point automatically at each session; in addition, characters can earn extra single points for:
1. Good acting and creative role-play
2. Proving their character learned something from the session
3. Fulfilling their character's Nature/Concept
4. Acting in a heroic manner (or, perhaps for Predacons, a treacherous manner?)
At the end of an entire story, assign extra points for story success, danger, and/or character wisdom.
The following is the Experience Chart for gaining new Traits during role-play:
Attribute: current rating x 4
Ability: current rating x 2
New Ability: 3
New Weapon: weapon cost x 3
Mechanism: desired rating x 5
Spark Power (Transmetal II only): desired rating x 3
Spark Power (Optimal only): desired rating x 6
Energon: current rating
Spark: current rating x 3
Willpower: current rating
Do not allow players to gain Traits for no reason; make sure it is a gain which is justified by events in the story. For Knowledges, justifying Trait increases may be as simple as having the Cybertron find the right computer and plug in for a few megacycles. Other Traits are much more complicated to increase. Don't allow illogical increases simply because players "want" an ability. An all-brawn warrior with a single dot of Intelligence trying to plug into an exploration computer and gain the Science Knowledge "just to have the dot" doesn't work without some actual role-play and character-searching. Characters shouldn't gain more than one dot in any one Trait per story, though some Storytellers make exceptions. (Example: stockpiling a large amount of Experience for one Rebuilding overhaul to increase Flight abilities several notches.)
Characters gain new Backgrounds through roleplay itself, not through purchasing with Experience points. Characters can buy Willpower, earn Willpower through good play, or even lose Willpower if botching an important Willpower roll.
Learning new Procedures is in some ways similar to learning internal Mechanisms. In order to understand a new Procedure, the Cybertron attempting to learn it must have as many dots in the Procedures ability as the Level of the Procedure he is trying to learn. He must then locate a computer or another Cybertron who has the Procedure's information, and download the knowledge. Downloading Procedural knowledge requires an extended roll of Intelligence plus Computers, standard difficulty, where a number of successes equal to four times the Procedure's level must be accumulated. Success on this roll indicates that the Cybertron has now learned the new Procedure. Failure indicates that they were unable to learn this Procedure from this computer or ally and must now locate a different source of knowledge. A botch means that the Cybertron has received corrupt data, and will now never understand the Procedure, or, worse, will attempt the Procedure incorrectly. Each roll in this extended roll is one cycle of downloading. A Cybertron can typically attempt to download a Procedure for as long as he desires, but if the number of total successes falls below zero, the botch stands.
In practice, Procedures are organized more often by type than by level, so a Procedure of a higher level than the accessed computer may indeed be stored there if it is truly appropriate. For the most part, however, assume that the higher-level Procedures will only be stored on higher-level computers, due to their obscurity. Also, a high-level Procedure need not necessarily be found on every high level computer. Some Procedures are much rarer than others.
Characters with high levels of Procedural Knowledge may use this to develop their own Procedures. If you would like for a character to execute an unprecedented Procedure, ask your Storyteller for the possible required rolls. Developing a new Procedure is typically an arduous process, requiring extended rolls over long periods of in-game time.
Alter Activation Code
This procedure allows a character to renounce their current alliance and choose another. A Cybertron who knows this procedure need only access his internal computer and alert it that he is willing to alter his activation code to signify his belonging to a different alliance. After this point, he will change his alliance symbols, and his new activation code—typically "Terrorize," or "Maximize," will reflect his choice. This Procedure is easily programmed into a Cybertron by a computer that understands it.
Willing Alliance changes are not common on Cybertron, but happen often enough in farther-off places. Other Cybertrons are sometimes doubtful of a comrade who was once an enemy, but this is to be expected.
Realize Signature
This Procedure is used to add a new solider into a unit. It involves an interaction with the unit's base computer, and almost always requires the participation of more than one Cybertron from the unit. The Cybertron who knows the Procedure takes the new recruit's name and personal energy signature and feeds it into the computer, and the other members of the unit authorize the addition. From there on, the soldier is considered part of the unit, and carries the unit's radio signature and collective computer memory. Different units have different requirements for adding new recruits; some require that the recruit pass a competency challenge before being added to the base computer's data files. Smaller Maximal units usually require that all current unit members accept the new recruit; larger units only get support from the higher-ups.
Hero's Farewell
In war, death is a common reality. A Cybertron funeral is called a "Recycling," and, any Cybertron that understands this Procedure knows how to orchestrate this funeral.
Cybertron bodies, after their Spark has faded, are placed on pyres. The look of the funereal pyre differs considerably depending on locality and Alliance, but most are tall and spired structures, with their height indicating the prestige of the departed. The Cybertronian shell is then ritually atomized, its particles becoming one with the air, and, eventually, so legend says, the Matrix.
Bodies are atomized completely for several reasons. Most important among these reasons is preventing the possible desecration of an honored friend. The worst fate a Cybertron can imagine for a fallen comrade is to see his body reprogrammed and refitted with a new Spark: at the best, a lookalike shadow of the fallen, and, at the worst, a friend's visage on a new enemy. A second, equally important reason is spiritual, as the atomization of an ally's worldly body is said to ease his passage into the next world, and, eventually, next life. Finally, the atomization is logical; it saves the space that the body would otherwise occupy, and assures that the body's metal and organic components will again be usable resources in a relatively short amount of time.
The newer generations of Cybertrons consider lesser rites, such as burning the body, to be far less honorable than total atomization. To be buried, intact, is a disgrace.
Universal Greeting
Because Cybetrons tend to travel throughout outer space, a way of communicating with new and different life forms had to be developed. During the Great War, Cybertronian researchers studied the customs of foreign life, and finally arrived at a greeting which would be recognized throughout the cosmos. This greeting, "Bah weep grah nah weep ni ni ban," though generally meaningless, is recognized to all forms of life as a statement of peace. While the greeting is administered, a small piece of energon is typically offered as a token of goodwill. Any Cybertron who understands this Procedure can administer the greeting without difficulty. With hostile or unusual lifeforms, a Charisma plus Procedures roll may be required.
Jamming Frequency
A popular Procedure for military operations, a Cybertron who understands this Procedure can set a device to output a signal that confuses all normal signatures in the area. In any given jammed zone, Cybertron Radios will not work, and energy signatures from individual troops will be impossible to detect. Jamming stations, as these devices are called, are completely stationary; a jamming frequency covers an area, not a group or individual. Jamming frequencies do not interfere with vision-related Mechanisms, but may cloud the hearing-related to some degree (usually +1 difficulty). The area that can be cloaked under a jamming station depends on the size of the station itself; a small, easily hidden device can hide signatures over a few yards, but a giant tower can block out energy signatures for miles. Constructing the jamming station, for a Cybertron who has learned the Procedure, requires no rolls, only a matter of time.
Jamming stations can be useful when erected over hidden bases. Beware, however, for the station will also cloak the signatures of any approaching enemies, and prohibit radio contact.
Recover Lifeforce
In a pinch, this Procedure can be used to heal a weak Spark back to its full power. A Cybertron cannot heal his own Spark through this manner, only the spark of a comrade. In order to Recover Lifeforce, the Cybertron must plug his own circuitry into the damaged spark. He then transfers his internal Energon into the spark of the other. Once the Cybertron has hooked his circuitry into his ally's, he rolls Stamina plus Matrix, difficulty 6, to transfer his energy. Each success equals one Spark point that is recovered in his target. He uses his body's energy to replenish the spark, not his own Spark energy, but that does not mean the Procedure is without risk. For every point of Spark that the Cybertron is able to recover, he himself loses two Energon, and takes a single Health Level of damage. Too many successes, therefore, can be debilitating. A botch on the required roll means that the healer loses a temporary Spark point; no Spark is recovered in his target.
Optimize
Though most Cybertrons regard Optimization with an element of ignorance and awe, a Cybertron who is very intelligent or very lucky may learn the process of Optimization and how to go about Optimizing himself or another. He may attempt it on himself or lead a Cybertron who wants to be Optimized on a quest to find the perfect secondary spark.
Typically, an unwilling target in stasis lock has his spark temporarily removed and placed in the Cybertron to be Optimized to produce the transformation effect. If the new, "secondary" spark decides it is compatible with the new host, it may decide to communicate with the host and challenge him on a secondary memory plane. This is common with ancestral sparks who will discuss their role in preparing the Optimal. Failing the ancestor's challenge indicates that no Optimal is created, nor can the Cybertron ever attempt Optimization again.
If the spark is completely unwilling, the host's spark must overcome it by force. A straight Spark roll is required in contest with the Spark power of the secondary spark. Success indicates that an Optimal is indeed created from the original spark, with a 50% chance that the "Split Personality" Flaw will apply to the new Optimal. Failure on this role indicates complete rejection of the new spark—no Optimal is created, nor can the Cybertron ever attempt the procedure again. A botch on this role indicates that the Cybertron is now possessed by the "secondary" spark, which becomes his new personality.
The secondary spark is, ideally, removed from the new Optimal and placed in its original body; however, there are certain cases where an Optimal has refused to return his new spark and has instead carried two for the rest of his existence.
In a variation on this procedure, two living and awake Cybertrons with deep feeling for each other may choose to be "Spark-bound." One opens his spark cavity and places his spark into the cavity of the other; afterwards, the spark is returned, and the new Optimal places her spark in her companion. These Cybertrons are now bound to each other forever, and can communicate with one another telepathically. Because it is assumed that the sparks are willing, no roll is required for spark acceptance. If only one of the Cybertrons survives the procedure, the other's personality still exists within part of his consciousness.
A third possible source of a "Second Spark" for a would-be Optimal is an unrealized Protoform whose spark is intact and unused. This type of "spark-stealing" is frowned upon greatly, for the spark of the living Cybertron nearly always consumes the new spark utterly. If the Procedure is attempted in this fashion, there is no ancestral challenge or telepathic gain. The "overcome by force" method must be used, as with the first method, above.
The final risk to Optimization, for any version of the procedure, is the pain of the physical transformation that must occur. An extended roll of Stamina plus Matrix, difficulty 8, is required. Fifteen successes must be accumulated for the procedure to be completed, with each roll representing one cycle of difficult concentration. "Ones" subtract from total successes; if ever the would-be Optimal's total number of successes on this roll falls into the negatives, his spark is consumed, and he dies. Once the first spark is consumed, the secondary spark loses Spark power at a rate of one point per round unless it is put back into the original body; therefore there is the risk of it dying, as well.
When an Optimal is created, add half of the total spark pool for the secondary spark to his current Spark rating. Decide on the power of the secondary spark for Past Spark rolls, and give the new Optimal ten freebie points to spend as he will: on secondary modes, spark powers, etc. Decide how the secondary spark manifests itself. If it is very powerful or the margin of success of Optimization was very narrow, consider adding a Flaw such as Split Personality or Flashbacks.
Optimize may seem like a very simple Procedure...the reason it requires such low-level knowledge to learn. However, due to its risk, and relative obscurity, the Optimization procedure is rarely attempted. Optimization can only be learned from another Cybertron that knows the Procedure, though the curious may find records of the Procedure being attempted in some of the more important mainframe computers.
Storytellers reserve the full right to disallow player characters from attempting this Procedure if they feel it upsets game balance or is not dramatically appropriate. Despite this Procedure's low purchase cost, no Cybertron who is not already an Optimal may begin play understanding this Procedure.
Reprogram Alliance
This Procedure is used to alter the Alliance and data files of a stasis pod containing an inactivated Protoform. In order for the Protoform to have its Alliance altered, its pod must be found intact, and inactive. From there, a Cybertron who understands this Procedure can alter the files of the stasis pod computer, adding a shell program to the protoform inside, and thereby creating a member of an Alliance other than the protoform origin.
To attempt this Procedure, a Cybertron must have a chip with the shell program applied. This chip needs to be created ahead the fact, and each chip can be used only once. Typically, a Cybertron should have Repair and Computer skills to design this shell program; he may also specify its nature, if he desires. Creating the chip takes no less than a megacycle, and, perhaps, longer. A standard roll is Intelligence plus Computers to design the chip; if the Cybertron wants to add more specific information, such as certain data files, onto his shell program, the Storyteller should decide on the difficulty, rolls, and creation time for the alliance chip. If the chip's workings are designed to be very complex, the Storyteller may make these rolls in secret; then, the programmer will not know if his chip will succeed. Cybertrons who spend a lot of time altering Alliances may already have several of these chips in storage, waiting for stasis pods to link them to.
When the pod is approached, the shell program is applied to the computer on its outside. A Cybertron altering a protoform's Alliance simply removes the current data chip, being careful not to disturb the workings inside (make a Dexterity plus Repair roll, difficulty 7, for this), and places the new chip onto the stasis pod computer. He then runs the stasis pod's activation program.
The Reprogram Alliance Procedure may be attempted on an already-activated stasis pod, so long as the protoform has not yet emerged, but there is a very reasonable chance there will be several internal errors in the conflicting programs. Errors in alliance changes commonly result in Derangements for the newly created Cybertrons.
This Procedure was the most common way that Predacons in the Beast Wars on Earth gathered allies. It is also sometimes used by Organizations desperate for recruits.
Refine Energon
This Procedure allows for the refinement of raw, potentially damaging energon into the kind which is used for fueling. A Cybertron who understands this procedure is capable of handling raw energon carefully and without causing accidental explosions. He can find the fracture lines on an energon crystal and cut the crystal to a processable size without making a roll.
Refining raw energon requires a sterile lab and specific equipment. The energon is ignited with a particle beam, causing a chemical reaction within the crystal that alters its properties. Refining energon requires an extended roll of Intelligence plus Procedures. The difficulty is standard; the number of successes required is dependent on the amount of energon. Typically, refining only one crystal requires only one success, but one crystal is hardly worth the trouble of firing up the equipment.
Scientific computers often carry energon-refinement information.
Store Identity
Cybertrons realize that death, to them, is a "recycling" procedure, and that there will sometimes be chances to revive themselves nearly intact even after they have passed into the Matrix. Because of this, Cybertrons invented this Procedure to ensure that, in their next life, they are as solid as in their current life.
To store his identity, a Cybertron must first find a vessel. The most common storehouses for Cybertron identity are large computers; however, drones and the stasis pods of unrealized protoforms are other possible locations. Once a Cybertron chooses his vessel, he may choose only one; no Cybertron will have his identity stored in more than one location. (However, if the computer, pod, etc., is later destroyed, the Cybertron may again attempt this Procedure.)
After a suitable vessel is found, the Cybertron makes two rolls: Manipulation plus Computers, and Stamina plus Procedures, difficulty 7. If both rolls succeed, the storage is a success; if either fails, the Cyberton has been unable to store his identity, and must find a new vessel on which to reattempt the Procedure. The whole Procedure takes an average of a megacycle to complete, during which time the Cybertron can do nothing else.
Now, this Cybertron has made a "soft copy" of his personality files in the local computer. Typically, these files are for emergency use only, though what he does with the files is entirely up to him. Some Cybertrons only make these files as assurances that their life's work will be carried on after they have passed on to the Matrix. A new Protoform uploaded these personality files will not have the same Spark as the original, but he will certainly have a high Past Spark rating, and be very similar in form and personality to his "creator." Other, more ego-driven Cybertrons will insist on using their personality files, in whole or in part, on any Cybertrons protoformed in their vicinity, to promote similarity or obedience.
(Note: Beast Wars megafans know that this Procedure was used only once: in the episode "Bad Spark," and that its ability was realized in the unfilmed episode, "Dark Glass." Because "Dark Glass" serves to fill several gaps in the series and helps to explain the ending of the show in greater detail, it is canon despite its absence from film.)
Transmetallize
Transmetallization occurs when one Cybertron is bombarded with rays from a transwarp explosion. Without a transwarp signature, this Procedure is impossible, so, the transwarp core must first be located. Cybertrons who understand the Design Transwarp Core Procedure can build this core themselves, but others must find another source for the signature. Common sources include starship engine drivers, or modified energon-refinery equipment. (An alternate source is a Transmetal II Driver, which alters the Procedure only slightly; see Devices for more details.)
Once the vessel for the beam has been set up, a cage-like element is usually used to contain the Cybertron to undergo the Procedure. The exact appearance of the apparatus varies greatly, and uses a tremendous amount of energy. Insufficient energon reserves will prevent the Transmetallization Procedure from working before it even begins.
During the Beast Wars, the most common cause by far for Transmetallization was accidental exposure. Transmetal rays were an accidental product of the Beast Wars encounter with the Vok on early Earth. The same Procedure was altered considerably with the advent of the Transmetal II Driver, which allowed for even more advanced Generations of Cybertrons. Apply a Transmetal II Driver to the following Procedure to create a Transmetal II; in the absence of the Driver, a Transmetal is created.
Constructing the apparatus to create the Transmetal requires an extended roll of Intelligence plus Procedures. Each roll indicates a day's worth of work, and fifteen successes are needed. The difficulty of the roll is 7, but may be increased if the Cybertron has fewer resources to work with. After this device is completed, the Cybertron who is to undergo the transformation (this target may be either an already-concious Cybertron, or an unrealized protoform still in its stasis pod, who will become Transmetal upon activation) takes a place before the device. Because the subsequent energy bombardment is painful, standard procedure includes putting the target in stasis lock, although it is not required.
The activation roll for the final stage of the Procedure is Manipulation plus Repair. A new Transmetal will have to rest for a number of megacycles before he can do much at all. The number of megacyles of rest is equal to ten minus the number of successes on the Manipulation plus Repair roll. A botch on this roll indicates that the target is grievously injured, and sometimes, even destroyed. (As an alternative, the Storyteller may wish to make several of the construction rolls above in secret, not letting the Cybertron know how well the Procedure will take hold.) A stasis pod with a Transmetallized occupant cannot be activated until this time has passed.
For characters who were already created before their Transmetallization, modify the character sheet as needed to reflect this change. Storytellers may allot a number of Freebie points (5-10), or insist that the player spend accumulated EXP. The vehicle mode of the Transmetal form is "free," but newly created Transmetal IIs must use experience points to purchase their starting Spark Powers. The Transmetallization Procedure often yields unexpected results, so players waiting for an opportunity to overhaul their character's Weapons or Mechanisms can do so at this time. Weapons and Mechanisms can be "traded in," one point to one point (keeping prerequisites in mind), or purchased. No Abilities are altered through this Procedure (though it is an excellent time to purchase additional Attributes).
Note: There are no starting characters that are Transmetal II Fuzors, but combining a character who started as a Fuzor with the Transmetal II version of this Procedure may yield such a result. Therefore, roleplay is the only way this system can create Transmetal II Fuzors who are not Optimals.
Restore Alliance
This Procedure can be used to restore the "proper" alliance of a protoform who has changed sides through no will of his own. Because this Procedure is done to a fully aware Cybertron, after the fact, it is far more difficult than the Procedure used to alter an inactivated protoform.
In order to remove the shell program which alters initial protoform Alliance, the Cybertron to be altered is put into stasis lock, with primary Spark functions detached. This dangerous Procedure disables all vital functions, so, past this point, failing the Procedure results in death for the subject.
The Procedure requires several megacycles of careful and uninterrupted repair. First, a Dexterity plus Repair roll is used to carefully locate the program on the physical form of the subject. After that, a Wits plus Computers roll is used to deprogram and remove the shell. The difficulty for both rolls is usually 7. However, if the shell program is specifically safeguarded, the difficulty can be much higher, and more variable rolls may be required. Failing any roll results in catastrophe. Success on the Procedure means that the subject's Alliance has now been permanently restored to match his original protoform. Altering this Cybertron's Alliance through any means is now at a +2 difficulty.
Personality is often altered somewhat through this Procedure, though never completely. One additional boon of this Procedure is that it often counteracts "impurities" which were inherent from the altered Alliance, wiping most Derangements clean from the motherboard. However, no memories, Attributes, or Abilities are altered.
Because the risks involved in restoring Alliance are great, the Procedure to remove the shell program is undergone only for those who require complete absolution regarding their changed Alliance. Less fastidious Cybertrons who wish to return to their original protoform Alliance merely alter their activation codes, and leave the shell program intact. It is not unheard of for unwilling subjects to have Alliance forcibly restored, but usually restoration is a matter of choice.
Restore the Faded Spark
Most Cybertrons know there is a reason why blank protoforms are taken on important missions. However, it is rare that more than one Cybertron in a unit knows what do to with a blank protoform should the spark of an important Cybertron be destroyed.
A Cybertron who understands how to restore faded sparks can use this Procedure to return a fallen comrade to the world of the living, in a newly protoformed frame. This typically can only be accessed if the Cybertron died a violent or too-soon death which resulted in the utter disruption of his spark. If the Cybertron "spent" all his spark, or if his spark simply faded away, this Procedure is nearly impossible.
The Cybertron attempting the Procedure must have a way of attaching himself to the protoform that his ally's spark will enter, typically by wiring himself directly to the stasis pod. He must then concentrate completely on the Matrix for a megacycle, allowing his consciousness to drift. Only after this time does the Procedure even begin. The Cybertron first makes Perception plus Matrix rolls. The base difficulty for this roll is 10, but it is decreased by one for every remaining point of temporary Spark that the fallen Cybertron had at his passing. It may be increased if a great deal of time has passed between the Cybertron's passing and the Procedure's attempt (a Storyteller may declare certain revivals to be impossible). Each roll indicates a full megacycle of concentration. If a roll fails, the Cybertron attempting the Procedure must also roll his Spark. If he fails this roll, he loses a temporary point of Spark. He may try the first roll again in another megacycle, with the same risk, adding successes to the number he gained before, but always losing Spark for any roll where there are no successes. Therefore, it is possible for the Cybertron attempting this Procedure to calmly fade away into the Matrix himself, extending his consciousness into nothingness while seeking his former ally.
The Cybertron must accumulate as many successes as twice his fallen friend's permanent Spark. Once he has accumulated all of these successes, he has finally located his friend's entire Spark in the Matrix. He then begins pulling the Spark back towards the new body. This is a single, standard roll of Charisma plus Procedures. It requires only one success, but may only be attempted once, or the Procedure has failed.
From there on, the Cybertron who has completed the Procedure will awaken from his trance. It is now only a matter of time before the Cybertron he revived awakens in his new body: typically, the reviving process takes as many megacycles as the initial Procedure. Make a character sheet for this "new" Cybertron. He will have all of the same memories as he did in his original body, and, therefore, most of the same Abilities, but may have very different Attributes, having reached enlightenment or gone completely mad while in the Matrix. His permanent Spark rating will be exactly one less than it was before he was assumed into the Matrix (death is typically quite a shock to the system). This Cybertron will also typically have a larger Past Spark rating than he did before he was destroyed, having had his spark mingled with the sparks of countless generations.
The new body will mingle with his Spark, and will likely be both different from and similar to the Cybertron's old body. Friends will probably recognize the revived Cybertron right away, despite the change, but mere acquaintances may or may not make the connection.
This Procedure is somewhat controversial, and many Cybertrons, particularly Predacons, frown upon the idea of ripping a Spark from the Matrix when it has obviously earned a warrior's rest.
(Note: I had some qualms about including a system for this ability, accessed by Rhinox in "Coming of the Fuzors," since some of the dialogue seemed to indicate that the circumstances of Optimus Primal's initial passing were extremely unusual. However, since Rhinox seemed to understand right away what needed to be done with the blank protoform, and had the equipment needed to do it, I feel there must have been some precedence for this ability.)
Design Transwarp Core
A warp core that can travel through both time and space is not a simple device. While a common fixture for both Maximal and Predacon ships, many transwarp cores have their time travel functions disabled, or other such preventative measures. A Cybertron who understands this difficult procedure can not only repair broken cores, but can create a new, fully functional transwarp core, provided he has the required parts.
Building a transwarp core from scratch can require up to a decacycle of work: each day roll Intelligence plus Science, difficulty 6, for every megacycle spent on the device, and accumulate forty total successes. A botched roll at any time may be catastrophic, due to the very unstable nature of the transwarp cell.
Storytellers should decide on the damage to transwarp cores which require repair, and choose the amount of successes needed. The difficulty of the roll is typically standard, so long as the character understands the procedure. Characters that do not understand this procedure may attempt to repair a faulty core at difficulty 9, or 10 for extensive damage; they may not build a core from scratch.
Pure, refined energon is one of the components required to create a functional transwarp core. No core may be completed in areas where energon is not accessible.
Create the Frame
During the Great War, Cybertrons were built from metal and circuits, and had no organic properties. Frames were built, which housed the sparks of Autobots and Decepticons. Not all Cybertrons knew how to construct these frames; now, in this age of Protoformation, the technology is becoming rarer and rarer. Still, there are those creators who understand how to build a frame for sparks from nothing but metal.
Building such a frame requires a lot of resources as well as a lot of time. Use an extended roll to build a Cybertron frame; Intelligence plus Repair, with each roll representing one day of work. Accumulate at least twenty successes. If ever the number of successes falls below zero due to "ones" rolled, the frame is a failure and cannot be made into an active Cybertron. Then, a roll of Intelligence plus Computers is used to design the internal processors. For this roll, the designer need accumulate only a number of successes equal to the Mental attributes he wants his new creation to have. (Typically, a creation can not be more intelligent than its creator.) As above, "ones" subtract from total successes, and a negative amount of successes indicates the frame must be scrapped.
Finally, a spark is fit to the frame. Roll Wits plus Matrix to make the fit successfully. The number of successes on this roll is the current Spark power for the newly created Cybertron. If this roll is failed or botched, the spark was destroyed.
Make a sheet for this new character, who is considered to be a Generation of Transmetal due to lack of organic parts. This character may have both beast and vehicle mode, or only vehicle mode, if desired. This character may be a Transmetal Fuzor as well, but cannot be a Transmetal II or an Optimal (unless two sparks were given to the frame as per the Optimization Procedure). The Cybertron created by this method is not protoformed and thus is neither Maximal nor Predacon initially. It is an Autobot or Decepticon, if named so by its creator, or, it is nothing at all.
This Procedure can only be learned from another Cybertron who knows it, or from a schematics file dating before or during the Great War.
White Wolf players should be familiar with the optional Merits and Flaws system, which allows the addition of extra abilities or extra freebie points during character creation. The Merits and Flaws listing below is by no means complete, and is mainly restricted to those Merits and Flaws which are unique to Cybertrons or which must be altered for Cybertron purposes. White Wolf books contain many listings of Merits and Flaws related to personality, etc., some of which are certainly perfect for Cybertronian usage. However, certain Merits and Flaws do not apply, and discretion should always be used.
Cybertron-Supernatural Merits/Flaws
Indestructible Spark of Starscream (15 pt Merit)
The infamous Decepticon traitor Starscream was, after his physical death, found to have a spark that could not be destroyed by most ordinary means, such as running out of energy or being exposed outside the body. After this discovery, many scientists sought to reproduce the phenomena. Characters with the Indestructible Spark of Starscream merit are either spark-clones of the original Starscream, or very careful replicas, and are thus highly rare. These Cybertrons are nearly incapable of being destroyed. They spend Spark energy as normal, but recover it at an increased rate: one point per scene, automatically. Also, a character with the Indestructible Spark will not display any physical deprivation from spark loss, even if their Spark rating falls to zero. When a character with the Indestructible Spark falls below Incapacitated, they can like any Cybertron spend Spark to rise up again; however, when they recover, it is to full health as opposed to the Mauled health level. These characters can only be completely Incapacitated when they lose all their spark energy and fall to Incapacitated again. After that, they will recover Spark at the end of the scene.
The Spark of Starscream is so durable that it can survive outside the Cybertron's body indefinitely without draining (so, if he has a safe place to keep it, he may choose not to leave it in his body at all). The spark can also be cut up into several pieces and re-used, if one is careful. The only known way to destroy the Spark of Starscream is by cutting directly through its core with raw energon. This will destroy the spark, along with creating an explosion so powerful it destroys any sparks within a quarter-mile radius.
There is a downside to the Indestructible Spark of Starscream. Characters who are found to have this kind of spark are generally feared and hated due to their origins (no one likes or trusts Starscream). The pure power of the spark also carries with it a kind of madness: characters who take this Merit must also take at least one Derangement.
(Note: The spark of the original Starscream has never been destroyed. Although it currently has no body, it is somewhere in the universe, still seeking a host.
(This Merit has an enormous cost for an important reason: Storytellers beware when allowing a player to take this Merit for her character.)
Misplaced Spark (5 pt Merit)
The Spark of this Cybertron is in an unusual location in his body and not in the usual Spark cavity areas in the torso. This serves as an advantage to confusing enemies who will aim for the spark cavity to strike a mortal blow. However, remember that if an opponent accidentally hits the area where the Spark is now located, he may still strike a mortal blow unintentionally.
Emotional Vampire (5 pt Flaw)
Cybertron must be in the presence of a certain emotion to operate at full capacity. This emotion is chosen at the time the Flaw is assigned. After that, the character cannot recover Spark by the ordinary means outlined above, save in the presence of that particular emotion. (Once per day, a Wits + Empathy roll to "drain" the power from an emotion for Spark recovery.) In addition, if they should go for an entire week without experiencing the emotion, one point of temporary Spark will automatically drain.
(This Flaw will override the "automatic" spark recovery provided by the Indestructible Spark of Starscream, but, in this case, Spark recovery will not require a roll if the target emotion is present.)
Note that this flaw is potentially fatal: Storytellers beware when allowing a player to choose it.
Energon Allergy (3-5 pt Flaw)
Although all Cybertrons dislike contact with raw energon, characters with this flaw are extremely weak to its energy. Characters with a three point energon allergy are at the risk of double the normal health levels of aggravated damage per turn during any exposure to raw energon. As a four-point flaw, Transmetal and above characters cannot soak energon damage, and even refined energon does one health level of damage to you per round when you are exposed to it outside your system. As a five-point flaw, the above follows, refined energon damages as fully as unrefined normally, and energon damage of double the norm seeps into any mode, even the fully organic model one Beast.
Feral Beast Mode (4 pt Flaw)
When in beast mode, this character becomes of the animal and loses all touch with his robot self. Character will act only as an animal and forget his ability to speak and to Maximize/Terrorize. If the character wants to return to robot mode, he must be carefully reminded of this ability.
This Flaw may be programmed out or repaired quite easily after initial creation, but unless the character's motherboard is wiped entirely, it will continue to manifest throughout his life. In any situation where it is appropriate for the Cybertron's feral mode to come to the surface, roll his Primal Urge dice, alone, at difficulty 8. If the roll "succeeds," he succumbs to his beast.
Destiny (5 pt Merit)
A Cybertron with this Merit has been chosen for something great. A character's Destiny hangs over him, and other Cybertrons may realize that he is going to be something grand or important. The exact nature of this Destiny is secret, and up to the player and/or Storyteller.
Dark Fate (5 pt Flaw)
This character has a terrible destiny, which will come into play during the course of the Chronicle. This destiny need not be anything specific, and is often better left vague ("You are doomed to betray someone near to you..."). The Storyteller reserves the right to choose the time and place the fated situation will come into play.
Guardian Angel (6 pt Merit)
Someone or something protects this character from harm. Though it is not common to have actual angels watch over the Cybertrons, occasionally a Matrix spirit or simply the circumstances of Fate itself will cause prevention of harm to a character with this Merit. The Storyteller decides what if anything special watches this character, and when it manifests itself. This can often get characters out of otherwise fatal situations.
"He's whacko."
"No! Not whacko! Wonko! Wonko the SANE!"
—Blackarachnia and Waspinator, "Dark Designs"
The mental flaws below—all too common when programming goes awry—are considered derangements.
Sadism/Masochism (2 pt Flaw)
This Cybertron is excited by the giving or receiving of pain. Masochists, who enjoy pain, are given an extra difficulty of one on all rolls to soak damage (they enjoy the pain rather than attempt to resist it). Sadists, who deal out pain, must make willpower rolls of difficulty 5 to halt any combat situation. Those with these Flaws often actively go out to find sources of pain they can experience (on one side or the other).
Paranoia (3 pt Flaw)
This Cybertron sees enemies everywhere: perhaps even among his own unit. Very few can be trusted; all others are servants of evil, and frightening. Sometimes paranoids craft complex conspiracy theories to explain their delusions; other times, they are simply skittish, seeing every stranger as "one of them." Paranoid Cybertrons add one to the difficulty of all social interactions, and even the hint of suspicious behavior in an outsider may provoke them to activate their weapons.
Obsession (2 pt Flaw)
A character with this Flaw has an obsession with any one thing. It could be a type of common object, or an abstract concept: the classic "mania" will fall into this category. Whenever the character is in direct contact with his object of obsession, he must make a Willpower roll, difficulty 7, to resist being drawn toward the object. If he fails this roll, he will fly into a sort of frenzy, letting nothing get in his way. (Note that if he feels no need to resist the attraction, the roll is not required, and neither is the frenzy.) Where abstract obsessions are concerned, apply the modifier situationally...for example, an obsessive perfectionist would have to make this "sanity check" every time he failed a roll.
Manic/Depressive (3 pt Flaw)
A Cybertron with this Derangement has severe mood swings. If he fails a task, sometimes he will be required to make a Difficulty 8 Willpower roll. If this roll is not successful, he will lapse into temporary depression, suffering a -2 to all dice pools. This Cybertron will always become depressed if a roll is botched, and has half his normal Willpower rating. The Storyteller rolls a die to determine how many scenes the depression lasts, and does not tell the player the result. After the depression has passed, the Cybertron will approach his activities with a new fervor, extremely upbeat and aggressive for the same number of scenes.
Garbled Identity Circuits (3 pt Flaw)
In this specific form of schizophrenia, the character has a difficult time separating his robot life from his beast life. He will for all intents and purposes behave as his beast would behave—though not feral and perfectly capable of transforming and communicating, he only thinks in accordance with how his animal would think.
Phobia (1-3 pt Flaw)
Character has an irrational fear of any one thing. A one-point phobia is a minor fear that causes a subject to retreat from the hated object (or make a Willpower roll to remain). A three-point phobia is a major fear of a very common object—three successes on the Willpower roll are needed to avoid running away in terror. Consult the Storyteller when choosing an object of fear.
Nightmares (1 pt Flaw)
The Cybertron's imagery circuits bombard him while he is at rest or in stasis lock. He often has unrestful fits while trying to relax. Sometimes a character's nightmares will be so terrible as to give him difficulty functioning the next day. After a particularly difficult night, the Storyteller may choose to give a nightmare-inflicted character a -1 to all dice pools.
Flashbacks (3 pt Flaw)
In stressful or familiar situations, part of the Cybertron's past spark (or some of his own repressed memories) begins to take over. Suddenly, he will be reliving a vision of some other time, oblivious to the world around him. Visions are not always unpleasant experiences, but they are always disorienting. A remembrance of a "good" time is easily as distracting as a terrible memory, as characters in flashback sequences are completely unaware of their current situation. Characters in flashbacks will often refer to others by different names, or even mistake inanimate machines for friends and foes. A common Flaw for Optimals.
Split personality (5 pt Flaw)
Cybertron has a second, latent personality, which manifests itself at often inappropriate times. Some Cybertrons even develop several, multiple personalities; each other personality has its own emotional stimuli which it responds to. Storyteller and player must agree on the personalities the character possesses; most often, it is a single secondary personality which manifests as part of the character's connection with his Past Spark. Sometimes, a Cybertron can manifest different Abilities or Mental Attributes when his second personality is in control, and the voice and mannerisms of a Cybertron change drastically depending on which personality he is employing. The second personality can manifest at any time; all or both personalities are part of the same person. This Flaw is another common symptom of faulty Optimization.
Damaged Memory Circuit (2 pt Flaw)
When this Cybertron was first protoformed, his memory and identity circuits were not functional. Therefore, he knows nothing of his alliance and planetary heritage; though he understands transformation, he does not know of Cybertron or the Cybertron race. This is an illogical Flaw for characters who were protoformed on Cybertron itself, and is more appropriate for characters activated far from home. If any Cybertron were protoformed on-planet with this Flaw, it would be immediately corrected.
An alternative version of this Flaw, which is perfectly acceptable on Cybertron or any colony, is to create an amnesiac character whose memory circuits were damaged after a traumatic event, causing him to forget his former life. Players who wish to play amnesiacs may take an additional 1-5 points of Flaws, if desired, which the Storyteller chooses and keeps secret until such time as they should be revealed.
Emotionless (4 pt Flaw)
A flaw which is found solely among robots, but, is very rare among Cybertrons. A Cybertron with this flaw is, as a usual robot, completely lacking in all emotions. He does not understand hurt, pain, love, or happiness... He may take no dots in Empathy, and will have increased difficulties in all Social rolls where stirring or understanding emotion is necessary.
This can be a fascinating flaw to roleplay, as a character with this absolute lack can be very cold-hearted and goal-oriented, or may have a sort of longing to understand.
A character cannot take this flaw along with the Emotional Vampire Flaw.
Code of Honor (1 pt Merit)
This character has a strong sense of honor and a code to which he strictly adheres. This can be the Predacon Code of Honor, any Maximal peace code, or a code invented strictly for this character (if constructed in great detail). This character can automatically resist temptations that are contrary to his code, and any enemy attempting to reprogram him against his code does so at a +2 difficulty.
Vengeance (2 pt Flaw)
Someone or something has wronged this character, perhaps destroyed a home, murdered a friend, or tainted your name. That thing must be destroyed. The Cybertron's obsession with vengeance is so overpowering that, in any situation where he has the opportunity to enact it, he must spend Willpower to resist the compulsion. Of course, this Cybertron will resolve the conflict eventually, but only when the Storyteller decides it is time, and then perhaps at great cost.
Soft-Hearted (1 pt Flaw)
Some more peaceful-minded Maximals simply cannot stand the suffering of others. Cybertrons with this Flaw suffer penalties whenever they see pain and suffering, and will do almost anything to prevent it. If this Cybertron witnesses suffering, the difficulties for all her rolls for the next megacycle increase by 2. A very rare Flaw among Predacons.
Iron Will (3 pt Merit)
A Cybertron with the Iron Will Merit is difficult to break. Characters with Iron Will can always spend a point of Willpower to resist the effects of another Cybertron's Download Mechanism, damage from Encoding subroutines, and a Transmetal II's Spark Telepathy or Hypnosis. In crossover Chronicles, this expenditure can also be used to resist supernatural domination, such as the Dominate Discipline or a Mage's Mind Sphere. However, this merit does not effect emotional appeals or other such non-mechanical/supernatural attempts.
Programmed Loyalty (4 pt Flaw)
When this Cybertron came on-line, or when he went through a repair cycle, an extra line was added to his programming. Because of it, he is always forced to obey the will of another single individual, or, in rare cases, a faction. Willpower cannot be spent to resist the instructions of this Cybertron's "master," and the Cybertron is incapable of doing any damage to the Cybertron he is programmed to obey. In most cases, the Cybertron does not realize he is being manipulated. The loyalty is an intrinsic part of his programming, and obeying the whims of his master does not make him in the least unhappy.
In rare cases, it may be possible for a Cybertron to break out of this hold naturally, but only under a life-changing circuimstance (such as renewing a link with his Past Spark, or falling in love). In those cases, shattering through the programmed barrier can sometimes cause damage to the Cybertron (drain points of Spark rather than Will while to disobey a master while the bond is being broken) before the bond is completely destroyed.
Confused (2 pt Flaw)
To this Cybertron, the world seems confusing and bewildering. The galaxy: even worse. This behavior should be roleplayed most of the time, and confusion becomes more overpowering in certain situations: large crowds, new places, strangers with names to remember… Willpower expenditure can sometimes override confusion, but only for a little while.
Multitasking (5 pt Merit)
A Cybertron with Multitasking has an incredibly quick processor: so fast that the character is literally able to think two thoughts at once. In game terms, this means that any Wits rolls this character must make are at a -1 difficulty. Combining this ability with Spark Telepathy or Download/Encoding Mechanisms can also yield some interesting results. Giga-sized Cybertrons may not take this Merit, as it nullifies their size class disadvantage.
Programming Block (2 pt Flaw)
After spending some time in beast form, some Maximals decided they did not want to embrace their secondary form, which was too animal and not at all sophisticated. In response, they designed a programming block which would keep their beast selves from interfering with their robotic identities. However, the programming block proved to be a mistake.
Characters with the Maximal Programming Block cannot take any dots in Primal-Urge or Animal Ken during their character creation. They are not used to their beast half, and if they should spend too long in their beast mode, this Flaw will suddenly manifest itself. The character will regress into an animal mentality as with the Flaw "Feral Beast Mode" until an ally can return them to robot form. This Flaw is one that can be easily be corrected and reprogrammed, but many Maximals are stubborn about their programming and will not allow anyone to remove the block which they insist "protects them."
This Flaw is almost unheard-of among Predacons, who do not deny their beast natures.
(Note: This flaw is, of course, designed after the events in the Beast Wars episode "Call of the Wild." However, I give it a greater range of limitations, and do not apply it to any of the "ordinary" season-one characters, most of whom did seem to have Primal-Urge ratings despite the sudden manifestation of the block in this episode.)
"It cannot even transform! This thing is useless."
—Megatron, "Transmutate"
Though handicaps are not particularly common in a race of robots, sometimes there are those Cybertrons who become handicapped either from protoformation malfunction or extensive battle damage. All of the Flaws listed below are assumed to be unrepairable due to an internal problem preventing the repair. At Storyteller's discretion, these Flaws may eventually be corrected by means of a total overhaul and reprogram, or other drastic methods.
Poor Video (2 pt Flaw)
Cybertron receives, for some reason, extremely poor-quality video feed. It may be fuzzy and indistinct, without color, or at a terribly inconvenient aperture (decide which, to aid role-playing). Mechanisms related to sight are very hard to work with. Difficulties of dice rolls related to vision are increased by two.
No Video (6 pt Flaw)
Character has no internal cameras, and, therefore, is completely blind in any mode. Characters with this Flaw fail all vision rolls and cannot take any Mechanism involving special sight, although other senses can develop well enough to compensate for this loss. Loss of video feed is common for those Cybertrons who have survived large energon explosions.
Poor Audio (1 pt Flaw)
This character receives audio at a lower quality than most. It is generally garbled, soft, and indistinct, and this Cybertron has to often ask to have phrases repeated. Dice difficulties related to hearing are increased by two; hearing Mechanisms are nearly impossible to use.
No Audio (4 pt Flaw)
This Cybertron receives no audio messages, and is completely deaf. Characters with this Flaw cannot take special hearing Mechanisms. Due to the neatness of Cybertron circuitry, the speech of the deaf is still completely clear, however, others will have to communicate with an audio-impaired friend in some other way. (Direct radio link-ups into the processor are common, but risky.)
No Vocal Apparatus (4 pt Flaw)
Cybertron cannot form sounds, as he has no vocal apparatus to work with. He will have to find some other way, such as signing or projecting images, to communicate with others. Some Cybertrons with this disability compensate by becoming relay scouts and simply recording the messages of others.
No Olfactory Sensors (3 pt Flaw)
Due to a damaged circuit, this character has permanently lost his sense of smell. It is impossible for him to accomplish any task involving finding a scent, or to take a Tracking Mechanism involving scent.
No Transformation (7 pt Flaw)
The ultimate in Cybertronian physical defects is the lack of a secondary form. A character with this Flaw is assumed to have a robot form, and only a robot form. He cannot derive any of the benefits from having a secondary form (if not Transmetal, he will take damage from energon exposure, etc.). He cannot transform into anything else, nor can he be reconstructed to do so without a total overhaul. Cybertronians who cannot transform are hated and pitied by others of their race, Maximal and Predacon alike. Most Cybertronians protoformed with the inability to transform are put into permanent Stasis Lock.
Remote Processor (5 pt Merit)
Character has a processor which can operate without being directly attached to his body. This allows the character's separate pieces to operate independently from one another—missing arms and legs returning to the body; the head and body functional even if separated—for an indefinite amount of time. A character with this merit can be in pieces and still functional: he has no Physical attributes while in pieces, but does not lose Mental attributes and may salvage himself and put himself back together while fully aware and conscious.
Misconstruction (4 pt Flaw)
This character has extremely weakened joints that often fall apart. If the character ever falls below the Injured health level, he will begin to lose limbs, attached weapons, etc., as a result. The parts are generally salvageable and the damage is repairable, but the loss can be very irritating to a Cybertron attempting to accomplish an important task. If a character with this Flaw falls to the Incapacitated health level, he is considered to be in many pieces, with the head and body separated from each other.
Shrunken Spark (2 pt Merit)
This Cybertron has a spark which is somehow smaller than average, and may be very cleverly hidden in the torso. Opponents aiming directly for the spark have a +1 difficulty to hit it (making the shot impossible under most circumstances). Characters cannot take this Merit along with the Flaw, Obvious Spark.
Obvious Spark (2 pt Flaw)
This character's spark cavity is clearly marked and wide open. It may be a circle drawn on her outer plating, a glow that emanates from the spark area, or some other obvious target. The casual observer can easily guess where the spark is located, and opponents aiming for the killing blow are at a -1 difficulty to hit the spark cavity. Characters cannot take this Flaw along with the Merit, Shrunken Spark.
Moving Parts (2 pt Flaw)
Although most Cybertrons make the general servo clamor when they walk, transform, etc., on a Cybertron with this flaw the sounds are exceptionally irritating. This Cybertron is at a plus two difficulty for all rolls involving Stealth. The Moving Parts flaw can also consist of a sound that follows the character around where ever he goes, such as a high-pitched whine or a loud buzzing. (It does not, however, apply to theme music.)
Metallic Sheen (1-2 pt Flaw)
The character's organic beast mode, for some reason, has a metallic appearance. This may be due to shining hair, feathers, scales, skin, or another feature. A Cyberorganic Beast takes this as a two-point flaw, as he loses his ability to blend in with natural animals of the same type. A Fuzor can also take this flaw, though it is only a one-point flaw. He was never able to "blend in," but this flaw makes him easily recognizable as a robot. This Flaw may not be taken by any characters with a generation of Transmetal or above (it is already assumed). It does not effect a character's organic nature or energon-soaking ability, only appearance.
Second Head (1 pt Merit)
The character's beast mode head is, in robot mode, one of his hands. This is a Merit because it allows for a secondary processor: though animal-like in nature when the character is in robot mode, this arm is capable of some thought. It can serve as a secondary pair of eyes; it will also be able to function without rest of the body if it is somehow detached. This is not a very powerful Merit, however, because of its disadvantages; the character will have to use the "mouth" on the hand for mechanical operations.
It is common to attach a weapon to the mouth of a secondary head, and combining this merit with a Drone Force Mechanism also yields interesting possibilities. (When designing a character's robot mode, feel free to place the beast mode head wherever you like, and feel free to give a Fuzor a second head as desired. The head, however, will not be capable of operating separately from the robot body unless this Merit is purchased.)
Strange hunger (2-4 pt Flaw)
Cybertron, for some unknown reason, has faulty energon processors, and requires sustenance which is different from the natural food of his Beast Mode. At a 2-point level, the food required is simply unusual, such as a wolf who eats grass. At 3 points, the food required is also terribly inconvenient: a single, specific type of meat. Some Cybertrons develop hungers that are downright horrific, such as those who must sustain themselves off the mech-fluids of Cybertron foes. Cybertrons who can only take sustenance from refined energon, and nothing else, may take this as a 4-point Flaw.
Poison resistance (3 pt Merit)
Character is unaffected by all types of venom, and can ignore all penalties imposed by Cybervenom attacks.
True Love (2 pt Merit)
The character has found his only love in the world, someone true and perfect. This entitles him to an automatic success on any Willpower roll he makes in order to protect or be closer to the object of his affection.
In addition, a Cybertron gains a second benefit from this Merit: Once per story and at Storyteller's discretion, he can use thoughts of his true love (and an on-the-spot Wits/Empathy roll at standard difficulty) to regain a single point of Spark.
As always, this can be an exacting merit to play over the course of a Chronicle, and must be roleplayed.
Foe Aversion (2-4 pt Flaw)
Cybertron has a specific aversion to a certain type of opponent, such that he will absolutely never hurt a person of this designation. This mainly applies to foes that the Cybertron will not hurt due to prejudice or superstition. As a lower-level flaw, the foe the Cybertron avoids is relatively uncommon—a 2-point aversion might consist of an inability to harm the Cybertron's same protoform animal. At three points, the category is much broader, for example, a Cybertron that will not harm females, or those of his same protoform alliance. A four-point flaw is an extremely broad category, such as all flying Cybertrons.
Speech Impediment (1 pt Flaw)
Cybertron has a slight impediment to his vocal processing. These impediments normally do not make the Cybertron any more difficult to understand, which would be counterproductive to the design of the race. At worst, they can be slightly irritating, and can make the Cybertron an easy target for mockery. However, certain speech impediments are actually good, as speech patterns passed down from Great War heroes occasionally make their way into their offspring. A speech impediment is a very minor Flaw because unusual speech patterns are relatively common to Cybertronian culture. It is not considered common among Cybertrons to ridicule the speech patterns of others, but other cultures may not be so tolerant. Cybertronian speech impediments have a lot of variation: examples would be the need to speak in third person, the need to repeat the last word of every sentence, or a propensity for speaking in rhyme. Creativity is encouraged, and speech impediments should be roleplayed. (Most official White Wolf books say you don't have to roleplay them, but where's the fun in that?)
Dark Secret (1 pt Flaw)
Cybertron has a dark secret about his past which he will take enormous pains to hide from others. Perhaps he killed a good friend on accident, or destroyed an important artifact. When choosing this flaw, decide what the character's terrible secret is, then hope no one ever figures it out.
Intolerance (1 pt Flaw)
Character has a heavy dislike for one particular type of person or thing. When choosing this Flaw, choose that one thing. It should be something dramatically appropriate and common to the chronicle—there's no reason to give a character an unhealthy hatred for torque wrenches or blue pens, and an unhealthy hatred of vampires makes no sense for characters born and raised on Cybertron.
Hunted (4 pt Flaw)
Character is a criminal or other type of rogue, and is hiding out from a specific hunter or group of hunters. The Storyteller creates the hunter and does not tell the hunted character all of the hunter's abilities. A very difficult Flaw to enact over time, as it is quite possible that the hunted criminal may be captured...
Enemy (1-5 pt Flaw)
Character has, through his travels, made himself a sworn enemy for life. This Flaw varies in cost depending on the severity of the enemy...a one-point enemy is nothing but a small nuisance, but at five points, the character might be hated by a powerful organization.
Devices, the special objects Cybertrons use in their experiments, journies, battles, and day-to-day lives, can be purchased during character creation or fashioned or discovered during the course of a Chronicle. The Devices listed below are only suggestions and are by no means a complete list. Players are encouraged to have their characters design and create their own Devices depending on their situation.
A character who is going to design a Device should have high levels of Repair, Science, Matrix, and/or Procedures, or another applicable Ability. He should declare what the Device's intended purpose will be, and begin an extended roll for the invention—usually based on Intelligence. The difficulty and number of successes required will depend on what type of Device the character is intending to create.
Most of the common Devices can be built in this fashion. A powerful unique Device is usually constructed by circumstance, and not by simple invention.
Characters can be protoformed with Devices on the common Device list, unless the statistics for the Device say otherwise. It goes without saying that no unique Devices will be attached to a protoform. Certain Devices are special forms of ordinary weapons. A player who wants to use a Device as a "dedicated" weapon must simply pay for both and declare the similarity on his sheet.
Hotbox
Level: One
A simple Device used to temporarily confuse Infrared scanning to hide from attackers under cover of darkness. A Hotbox is approximately the same size as a standard Charge, and is activated with a roll of Wits plus Demolitions, difficulty 6. Only one success is required to activate the Device, which will output an area of heat approximately the size of a Cybertron figure. Opponents using Infrared will have to roll Perception to tell the difference between the false heat and their target. Hotboxes are not effective against more advanced Infrared.
Video Transfer
Level: One
This Device, a favorite of unit commanders, allows for full-video transfer accompanied with an audio message. The video picture is sent with the accompanying radio message, where it must be received at a device with its own viewscreen—most often the unit's central computer. It provides nothing more than the usual radio communication, other than an accompanying visual image of the speaker. This Device must be used in conjunction with the Radio Mechanism, or it has no function. It requires no activation roll.
A Level Two adaptation of this same Device allows for the inverse: video information transmitted from the unit's main computer to any specified location, where the speaker's image will appear as a 3-D translucent hologram projected onto the air before the addressee. This Device, called a Holotransfer, must still be centered at a computer, and cannot be "dedicated." Hologram Mechanisms render it obsolete for any usage beyond unit communication.
Cable launcher
Level: Two
A special type of firearm weapon, adapted to shoot a grappling hook or other type of cable. It is best used as a means of escaping combat or gaining advantage. The roll to shoot the cable is the standard Dexterity plus Firearms. The difficulty to find a hold and grapple to a higher location typically depends on the area: only 4 to catch the branch on a tall tree; 6 to catch a beam on the ceiling of a complex; 8 to catch a safe hold on a rocky cliff. Its maximum range is fifty feet, and it may only be shot once per turn. This firearm can indeed be shot at an opponent; the difficulty to hit a foe with the attached hook is 7; it does 4 dice of damage. However, a Cybertron who wishes to use this as a weapon must pay two Weapon Points for the privilege.
Matter Scanner
Level: Two
A Device of Autobot design, put to special use by scientists and repair forces. When activated, this design will read back the material composition of any given object. This can be useful to discover information about object origin. The Device's function is usually automatic. A roll of Perception plus Science (variable difficulty) is required to operate the device if the matter being scanned is particularly alien, or is cloaked in a special way (for example, a Cybertron using a Cloaking Mechanism).
Telepathy Talisman
Level: Two
This Device, a piece of engineering developed by a devout Maximal in fear of increased Transmetal II influence, functions like a portable and interchangable version of the Encoding Mechanism. The Cybertron operating the Device, a circuit-crossed crystal which resembles a high-tech jewel, must wear it somewhere on his person. As long as he employs the Talisman in this manner, he will always be aware of outside forces attempting to contact him mentally. Cybertrons attempting to use Spark Telepathy or Download on this target do so at increased difficulty; in addition, he may roll his own Spark to counteract the successes accumulated by the influencer. The Device glows with a bright light when in operation. If the Talisman's wearer should happen to botch the activation roll, the Talisman shatters.
[Note: A Device designed for our own Chronicle, catalogued here for your everyday use.]
Glitch Kit
Level: Three
A favorite toy among Cybertron hackers, the glitch kit hides the traces of outside manipulation in local computers. Its usual appearance is a rectangular metal box; the bottom is lined with ports, chips, and wires designed to allow it to interface with almost any type of computer. It is physically attached to the system, then activated from the system internally with a Wits plus Computers roll, difficulty 7. After the Device is activated, the hacker can consider himself secure. Cybertrons later trying to detect any tampering with the computer's internal workings may still do so, in extreme situations, but only at difficulty 10. They will not be able to receive detail on which files were altered, or information on who made the alterations.
CR Scanner
Level: Three
A Device invented to aid repair sequences, the CR Scanner can check a Cybertron frame for damage, then quickly alert the Cybertron's internal repairs on how to recover it. In essence, the scanner makes "unrecoverable" damage recoverable by internal repairs by converting aggravated damage into normal damage. The Device, a rectangular mechanism with ports which must be directly connected to the Cybertron during the time of repairs, requires a Wits plus Repair roll, difficulty 7, to activate. Each success indicates one health level of aggravated damage which has been converted to normal. In addition to this benefit, if the patient is Incapacitated, but has already spent the Spark to recover, he will recover to the Mauled level immediately as opposed to waiting for a minimum number of Incapacitated rounds. If a Cybertron uses a CR Scanner during a round of combat, he may take no other actions that round.
Transfixatron
Level: Three
This Device, first created during the Great War and used sporadically thereafter, is designed to "transfix" another Cybertron, forcing him to remain permanently in his alternate mode. Transfixatrons are sometimes used as actual weapons (Weapon cost: four points), attached to the Cybertron who operates the device. However, more often, they are standalone devices, or fitted to Drones. (A Drone of any type may be fitted with a single Transfixatron, no additional cost.)
Dexterity plus Repair, (either the activator's Dexterity or the Dexterity of the Drone the Device is attached to), difficulty 6, is the usual roll to activate this beam. The beam has a range of 50 feet, and targets may dodge. Any target who is hit with the beam automatically transforms into Beast Mode, and must remain in that mode for the rest of the scene or until he can be repaired.
It is rare, but not impossible, for a Cybertron to protoform with this Device.
Transmetal II Inhibitor
Level: Three
A Transmetal II Inhibitor comes in the form of an injection device. When used on a Transmetal II Cybertron, it will temporarily nullify his mystical powers, particuarly those related to attack or healing. The owner of the Device makes a Dexterity plus Melee roll at 9 to inject his target with the inhibitor virus. He then makes a Wits plus Science roll at 7 to decide the "potenency" of the shot. Each success on this roll deprives the Transmetal II target of his spark powers for a single combat round. When purchased, the Inhibitor has three such shots in its system; it can be "refilled" by a science-minded Cybertron with about a megacycle of work and an Intelligence plus Science roll at difficulty 8. Purchasing a Level Four or Five version of this Device is possible, where these versions have four or five shots in their system, respectively, but lower-cost versions are not advised.
Action Figure
Level: Four
A mysterious Device, first discovered on planet Earth during the Great Wars, the Action Figure is a tiny, accurate or otherwise, simulacrum of a Cybertron figure. Figures have been found representing everyone from the most minor figures of the War to heroes like Optimus Prime. Though the figures were a relatively common artifact during the Great War, they have become much rarer now that contact between Cybertron and Earth has broken up. An odd ability of the Figures is their seeming ability to predict the future appearance of new colleagues. A Cybertron may have an Action Figure which turns out later to be someone he meets, or, may have a figure of a strange character which turns out later to be his own future self. The Action Figures, despite their mysterious appearance, have no true abilities, magical or otherwise, though some of the more important figures are extremely sought-after by Cybertron collectors.
Burnout Bug
Level: Four
Another Device used primarily by hackers allows for the utter extermination of a computer's internal workings, if only temporarily. This Device is fairly inconspicuous, usually no bigger than a computer chip. When attached to the circuits of any computer, it causes the computer's functions to shut down. To activate the Device, the Cybertron must attach it directly to the innards of the target computer, though any of the computer's circuits will usually do. Activation requires a roll of Wits plus Demolitions, difficulty equal to 4 plus the Level of the computer being attacked. The computer will shut down for a number of rounds equal to 5 plus the number of successes on this roll. Larger amounts of successes may indicate that functions are impaired more than temporarily, and five or more successes means that the computer will have to be manually repaired. Stored data, however, is not typically lost as a result of the burnout. Communications and scanning functions are the most common elements to be destroyed by the bug.
Holographic Projector
Level: Four
This Device is used to project images and illusions into blank air—a trickery utilized by Cybertons which have not internally developed their own Hologram Mechanisms. The hand-held projector works as Holographic Imagery 4: see the rules for the Holographic Imagery Mechanism for more details. The advantage to having this ability contained in a Device is that carrying a projector requires less fine-tuning of a difficult ability; the disadvantage is that anyone who discovers the Device may use it for his own purposes.
Transmutor Beam
Level: Five
Another Device which must be attached to a unit computer to function properly, a Transmutor is nevertheless a deadly weapon. This laser, when used on an opponent, will alter the polarity of his memory circuits, causing him to believe that he is part of an opposing alignment. The activation code of the target is altered, and his obedience to his new cause is complete, though the main parts of his personality still remain. Targets of this Device usually find themselves expressing latent impulses which drew them toward the causes of the other side of the war. For example, an intelligent Maximal may become a devious Predacon; a Predacon who was fastidious about planning may now find himself caring as well. The alteration in alliance is complete once it takes effect, though it may be reprogrammed into normal, or realtered with another shot of the beam. The beam's activation roll is the user's Manipulation plus Procedures, with a difficulty of the target's Willpower. This roll should be done in secret by the Storyteller (the results shared with the Device's target), so that the user can not tell how well his experiment has succeeded. The target will retain all his memories, and it is possible that his former friendships will manifest even after his alignment has changed; a likely target for this Device is an enemy who made his friends through competition and opposition.
This laser is part of a larger apparatus, and is typically only used on restrained targets. If, for some reason, the beam is being aimed and fired, a standard Dexterity plus Firearms roll is used to hit.
Stories of the earliest part of the Great War tell of a version of this Device which could be hand-held without requiring central computer back-up. However, such a Device has not been fashioned during modern times.
Control Chip
Level: Five
In devising more ways to turn others to their sides, a clever Faction developed this technology during the Great War. Like the Transmutor Beam, it is designed to turn prisoners of war against their former allies; however, unlike the Transmutor Beam, the domination expressed by a control chip is absolute. The target of the chip loses all traces of personality, becoming dominated by the Cybertron who implants the chip. The chip's effects are variable dependant on programming. Some brands turn the targets into utter zombies, who can do nothing save obey commands; other models of the chip change their targets into puppets, who speak the voice and perform the exact actions of the controller.
The most foolproof way to install this chip is while the target is in stasis lock. However, attaching the control chip to a drone or dart-based weapon for implantation is not unheard of. (Attempting to install a chip this way requires a to-hit roll.) The activation for the chip is Manipulation plus Computers: as above, with a difficulty based on the target's Willpower. However, only one success is required for the programming to take hold.
Control chips attack the processing unit, and are counter to Spark. Therefore, a Controlled Cybertron can access no spark-based functions, including recovering from Incapacitated health. If the Cybertron falls to the Incapacitated health level while being Controlled, there is a 50% chance that the chip will be dislodged. He will still lose the Spark advantage for the moment, but will be mentally recovered when he is revived. If the Cybertron who has activated the Control Chip falls to Incapacitated, the hold he has on all of his subjects is released.
A Control Chip can be implanted on an organic target, but only if the target is unconscious and forcibly operated on. Organic targets do not have Control Chips dislodged when they fall unconscious; in this case, the chip must be physically removed. The Cybertron will lose his control on the target if he is Incapacitated, but may regain the control on the organic target when he awakens again. (Certain supernatural abilities can be used to resist control, Storyteller's discretion.)
Usage of this Device (and even the Transmutor Beam, though to a lesser extent) is considered in direct violation of The Optimus Prime Directive. It is almost never employed by Maximals.
Transmetal II Driver
Level: Five
The original Transmetal II Driver was developed by the Vok race, for reasons unknown. Though the original Driver was destroyed in the Beast Wars, the technology, and driver schematics, eventually found their way back to Cybertron. A Transmetal II Driver is a spherical Device which can be held in two hands. Most completed Drivers are of a dark metal, with red inlaid stones, though appearance may vary slightly. This highly rare, often sought-after Device is the key element to creating a Transmetal II Cybertron. A Cybertron who understand the Transmetallize Procedure can build the Transmetallization apparatus in conjunction with this Driver; the end result will be a Transmetal II Cybertron. Combining the Procedure and Device are the only known way of creating a Transmetal II. The Driver can be used multiple times, creating as many Transmetal IIs as necessary.
No character will ever be protoformed with a Transmetal II Driver. The Driver must be manufactured by a Cybertron with the (very rare) plans, or it must be a found object. There should be a good explanation to go along with a starting character who has this Device in his possession.
The following Devices are of Level Five and are extremely rare, or, in some cases, one-of-a-kind. Consult your Storyteller before starting a new character with one of these Devices. Most of these devices only make sense as such if a Chronicle is set after the run of the Beast Wars television series. Ignore them if setting a chronicle before this series. The list for unique Devices used during the series is found in Chapter Eight.
Note that this portion of the Device list contains series spoilers. Skip to the next chapter if you do not want to read this list.
Sword of Dinobot
Recurrence: Unique
Level: Five
Appearance: As a typical Predacon drill-bit sword: six-bladed.
Abilities: This sword, though a Predacon design, was wielded by the Maximal named Dinobot throughout his struggle against the Predacon general Megatron. The blade was finally lost in his struggle to save early humanity from destruction. Most sources say the sword was scrapped, but there are those who hold that the sword still exists, buried somewhere beneath the valleys of Mesopotamia.
This sword, when wielded by a Predacon, is an ordinary drill-bit sword of the traditional type. However, should the sword be picked up by a Maximal warrior, it becomes more powerful. It allows the Maximal fighter to add his current permanent Spark score to every damage roll he makes, and has a lowered damage difficulty of five. Dinobot's spark is strong surrounding the blade and guides its blows for warriors with honor. A fighter who is deemed lacking in honor, Maximal or Predacon, will be completely unable to use this weapon. It is possible that a Predacon with extreme honor would be allowed to obtain the benefits of this weapon, but it is likely that an alliance change would be required of him within a short time.
A similar blade, The Sword of Grimlock, is rumored to exist, and have even greater power. Certain Maximal legends hold that the ancient Autobot commander is secretly holding ranks among the Maximal forces in a far-off colony. If this is true, it is possible he still holds his own sword.
Hammer of Dinobot
Recurrence: Unique
Level: Five
Appearance: This hammer seems to be a primitive weapon indeed, as it is little more than a stick fastened crudely to a sharpened stone.
Abilities: This is an improvisatory weapon, which Dinobot created and wielded to prevent Megatron from harming a tribe of pre-humans at the dawn of time. It is said to be the first tool ever taken up by man, and in this way, is partially responsible for the existence of the human race. As an artifact, it has been endowed with certain unexplainable powers. It is virtually immune to ordinary methods of decay; the wood does not rot or burn, and the hammer will never fall apart. When used in combat, the Hammer does aggravated damage (Strength +5, Difficulty 7, as an axe) to Cybertrons and all other races, and ignores all armor. It has been passed down through generations of human tribes.
Other possible devices that may have filtered their way through human tribes include the so-called "Predacon Masks" (in actuality, the intact portions of the remains of two of the Beast Wars' Predacon force), rumored to cause temporary or permanent insanity in their wearers. These morbid artifacts were last known to have been in the possession of the Predacon survivor, Waspinator.
The Rubber Duckie of Megatron II
Recurrence: Unique
Level: Five
Appearance: This toy appears to be an ordinary yellow "rubber duck," with painted features. It was possessed by the Predacon commander who called himself Megatron, who used it in his recovery baths throughout the course of the Beast Wars on planet Earth.
Abilities: Don't laugh at the duck. Rumors that this toy still exists somewhere on planet Earth has spawned many arguments and even the occasional quest among curious and enterprising Predacons, who believe that it may contain some sort of valuable message or fascinating ability. Other Predacons say that's the dumbest thing they ever heard.
The Spark Chamber
Recurrence: Unique
Level: Five
Appearance: A small box with two equally sized halves and opened sides. It is just the right size to accommodate a single spark, and the inside of the chamber is lined with tiny blades of raw energon. The two halves of the box may be squeezed towards the center until the blades touch the far sides. The box springs back to its original state when not compressed. It is clearly marked with the Predacon symbol.
Abilities: This devious device was designed by Megatron II to contain the core of an indestructible spark: that of Protoform X, a Starscream clone known by most as Rampage. Megatron removed this core with an energon blade, then placed it in the box. When he pushed inwards on the box, the energon would not damage the indestructible spark, but would cause its owner intense pain. In this way, Megatron could control Rampage, despite his objections. Another such device could possibly be fashioned, if necessary, though the device that controlled Rampage is rumored to be the only such spark chamber that could contain the spark of Starscream himself. The device was last known to have been discarded when Megatron used the spark it contained for a different purpose, and may still be somewhere on planet Earth.
Golden Shard
Recurrence: Ultra-rare
Level: Three—Five
Appearance: A silver of shattered disk, colored gold. Most of these, if found, would be too small to be useful; however, a small number of still-readable shards exist, which would be a tiny fraction of a much larger disk.
Abilities: The Golden Disk, a Cybertronian artifact warred over during the Beast Wars on Earth, was eventually shattered. However, a few fragments, large enough for data to be read and extracted, remain. The data on the Golden Disk itself varies greatly, but among its information were the codes to open the doors to the Autobot ark, a message to future followers from the Decepticon commander Megatron, and a wealth of information about the planet Earth and its people. It is possible that several shards may still exist—either in Predacon hands or on planet Earth—which contain bits and pieces of this information. The power level of the shard depends greatly on what information it contains. Any shard that contained any part of Megatron's message would be a level Five shard, but a shard with nothing but Earthly music would be at a lower level.
The Covenant of Primus
Recurrence: Two exist.
Level: Five
Appearance: A file-book dating back millions and millions of years, containing a Cybertronian tape-data system and a viewscreen. The volumes are marked on the front covers with the Autobot symbol, and despite their different ownerships are virtually idential.
Abilities: One Covenant was owned by Optimus Prime; the other copy by the original Megatron. This work, the Cybertron Bible, contains passages about the histories of Primus and Unicron, and predictions about the future of Cybertron. Though countless copies of the work have been filed, the original two copies (which may contain apocrypha not transfered into common knowledge) were lost when the Autobots and Decepticons first crashed on planet Earth. Maximals and Predacons located the volumes during the Beast Wars, but they were again lost. The books have no special properties other than being the original volumes of a great work, but that alone, plus the circumstances of their ownership, makes them the target of great religious argument. It should be noted that not all Cybertrons believe the words in the Covenant as fact; some of the more scientific types dismiss "the Primus theory" entirely.
The Mint Condition Action Figure of Optimus Prime
Recurrance: Extremely rare.
Level: Five
Appearance: An Action Figure, as above, in the perfect likeness of the Autobot hero Optimus Prime. This Figure, if found, would be in perfect shape, and still in the original box in which it was contained while on planet Earth.
Abilities: Fetches a really good price at conventions.