ICON Rules for Transformers

[SIR SIG]

Nice!

But we better flesh out some mechanics first

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SIR SIG

More then meets the eye,
His a MapMaker in disguise.

[Diamond]

Question: how do humans scale into this system? I think can see the coordination, intellect, and presence stats being essentially the same for humanoids. But surely the Fitness attribute and Strength and vitality edges are in a different scale.

Perhaps for that attribute we need a vehicle scale. This could be used by transformers and other vehicles as well. A forklift might have a strength of 2. A tank might have a moderately high vitality, etc.

[First of Two]

Let me know when somebody draws up stats for Unicron.

I'd love to see HIM fight a big Borg cube!

[Kith Qel-Droma]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SIR SIG:
Nice!

But we better flesh out some mechanics first

</font>

Flesh out mechanics? It is the ICON system. You may have to change a few rule calls but the basics are the same.

If you want to compare skill of autobots to humans remember that the skills are a means not an exact. Joe Blow skill firing his hand gun does not change when you compare Optimus Primes skill to firing HIS gun. Unless a human tries to hold up and fire a gun that is 12 feet long and weigh 250lbs there is no difference of hwo the mechanics work.

If you need to know how much damage a human takes from say a transformer gun just pick a damage level from the phaser or disruptor columns like 160 + 12d6.

If you are worried about comparing stats don't. The stats are the same only for comparing humans to humans and transformers to transformers, not the other way around.

If you must know the difference from a transformers strength from a human strengths than say a transformer always gets a plus to their strength check based on size.

Bumble bee: +8
Iron Hide: +12
Megatron: +20
Omega Sppreme: Your kidding right?
Unicron: Ok now your being silly.

Other than that, it won't take much work. Currently I am working on Star Wars in ICON and Babylon Project systems. I am currently in a low time so I am greatly behind but will catch up soon.

[Cochrane]

What's really silly is things like guns and cassetes that transform into robots the same size as cars and planes.

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[SIR SIG]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cochrane:
What's really silly is things like guns and cassetes that transform into robots the same size as cars and planes.

</font>

Now thats just being nasty

I mean everyone who counts themself a fan knows where Optimus Prime's trailer goes when he transforms

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SIR SIG

More then meets the eye,
His a MapMaker in disguise.

[Diamond]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">If you are worried about comparing stats don't. The stats are the same only for comparing humans to humans and transformers to transformers, not the other way around.</font>

You know, there ARE other ways of interacting other than combat. As such, everything except Fitness and the derived attributes should work the same in terms of game mechanics. It is perfectly appropriate to compare a human and transformer's intellect, for example. Likewise skills.

I actually think your numbers for the transformers strengths are far too low (by those numbers a (very) tough Klingon would probably only be wounded if stomped on by Megatron).

What I suggest is having a "Vehicle Scale" for Fitness and damage(and Fitness's derived attributes - strength, vitality, resistance [although resistance can be added to by Armor]).

This game mechanic solves all of our problems. All you would need is vehicle-scale stats for anything you wanted to interact with. So Bumblebee's Fitness 2 strength -1 would be directly on the same scale as Optimus Prime's Finess 5 strength +2. A human fires a bazooka at Starscream and he shrugs off the 1d6 damage (vehicle scale) with his resistance. Skills and other attributes would be exactly the same - the human rolled his co-ordination and added his heavy weapons (bazooka) skill. If Starscream cared to dodge, he could roll his co-ordination plus dodge, but there is already in the core book a modifier for shooting at particularly large (or small) targets.

There are a few other quirks. A human in a car maneuvering with autobots would roll his driving skill while they would use their atheletics skills. But other than that, just add vehicle-scale stats and its a complete system, ready to run.

[This message has been edited by Diamond (edited 08-29-2001).]

[Kith Qel-Droma]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Diamond:
I actually think your numbers for the transformers strengths are far too low (by those numbers a (very) tough Klingon would probably only be wounded if stomped on by Megatron).</font>

This is what I was referring too. You are comparing their strengths as is, without using the modifier for scale, like in WEG D6 system a human with a Strength of 2D is not as hardy as a starship with a hull of 2D, because the starship is on a scale of 12D! They add 12D to 2D giving 14D compared to 2D.

In your case a Klingon would have fitness 5 with Strength edge of +2. Compared to Megatron, Megatron has Fitness 4, Strength +1, but also has the modififer which I suggested as +20; (but could be even higher like +24, your choice). Megatron would have +21 Strength bonus compared to the Klingons +2. Plus if Megatron was to stomp on him as you suggest it would do IMHO 61 + 12d6 (equal to phaser setting 11 plus Megatron's Strength edge bonus). No human should be able to with stand that, and if they are BY THE MAKER SUPREME, AN INVINCIBLE HUMAN!

I should put in that I view the edge as a bonus to your die rolls. A Strength edge of +1 will add one point to your highest die you roll for Fitness tests.

Personally I would ask why should you have humans. There is a whole big galaxy out there why does the game have to revolve around TFs with humans? Why not just robots? The cartoon showed that there are a whole bunch of robot civilizations out there, so I would say screw Earth and stick to Cybertron and the civil war or just explore the TF galaxy.

[Diamond]

Here's a good resource to tap when creating stats: http://sac.uky.edu/~elclin0/tf_x_xxx.htm

[Dan Gurden]

I think humans are heavily involved considering that most of us remember the original Transformers premise that the Ark crashed on earth and the Transformers took on aspects of the world around them, mistakenly assuming cars and other vehicles to be the dominant lifeform. They did come from a machine planet after all.

Besides, having VW Bugs, and Porsches, as the transformed shapes tends to lean towards human interaction.

I cant speak for the new Beast Wars stuff as, simply put, I was not interested in it...

But gimme the original storyline and Im away!

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DanG.

"Hi, I'm Commander Troy McClure, you might remember me from other academy training holo-simulations as, Abandon Ship, the quickest way out, and I sense danger, 101 things you dont need a Betazoid to know..."

http://www.theventure.freeserve.co.uk

[SIR SIG]

Well there's the Witwicky family, SparkPlug, Spike and Buster.

Since 1984 when the Ark crashed into Mt StHiliary, there lives were constantly involved with the Autobots both in the Cartoons and the Comics. Albeit not as long in the comic ast the cartoon but...

And in the cartoon the Autobots started doing things with the Government and Military forces of the US.

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SIR SIG

More then meets the eye,
His a MapMaker in disguise.

[Max-Q]

Spike remained an active part of the TF universe all throughout headmaster series. And nothing more is mentioned after that about his fate. The fan sites list Sparkplug as a cofw.


With Robots in Disguise hitting the airways this fall, we'll see the return of some old favorites.

Sir Sig,


Here is example of what the characters are like in my game system.

STR: 8 Name: Axel
INT: 8 Affliation: Autobot
SPD: 6 Function: Warrior
END: 8 Form: Dodge Intrepid
RNK: 6
COU: 8
FPR: 10
SKL: 10

Hit points: 160
Defensive Score: 7
Energon Storage: 2 days
Focus: Attibutes/Form/Options

Skills:
Hand to Hand: Combatant (-1 Modifier)
Melee Combat: Energy Shirkens
Med. Energy Weapons
Search
Sneak
Perception
Navigation(Land)
Streetwise

Flaws:
Overheats (Infrequent) 5
Gas Guzzler (Constently) 25

Options:
Improved Targeting Computer: -2 to all attack modifers

Weapon:
P-Beam Rifle
Type: P-Beam (Med.)
Options: Multi-Fire
Damage: 6D10 (x1.5)

Energy Shirkeins
Type: Energy Melee
Options: Quick
Damage: 4D10+10

[Max-Q]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cochrane:
What's really silly is things like guns and cassetes that transform into robots the same size as cars and planes.

</font>

That's what a transformering cog is for Cochrane. Gives a transformer the ability to increase and decrease mass at will.

[Dan Gurden]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SIR SIG:

Since 1984 when the Ark crashed into Mt StHiliary, there lives were constantly involved with the Autobots both in the Cartoons and the Comics. Albeit not as long in the comic ast the cartoon but...</font>

Not true. It crashed in pre-historic times, and the 1980's erruption of Mt. St Hillary woke them.

That was after all the explanation of the Dinobots...

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
And in the cartoon the Autobots started doing things with the Government and Military forces of the US.
</font>

Not to mention action Force/GI Joe and the old webslinger himself. Spidy. All of whom showed up occasionally with or against the Transformers.

And once you add Spidey... You get Punisher, Fantastic Four... The list goes on and on...

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DanG.

"Hi, I'm Commander Troy McClure, you might remember me from other academy training holo-simulations as, Abandon Ship, the quickest way out, and I sense danger, 101 things you dont need a Betazoid to know..."

http://www.theventure.freeserve.co.uk

[Kith Qel-Droma]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by First of Two:
Let me know when somebody draws up stats for Unicron.

I'd love to see HIM fight a big Borg cube!</font>

Name: Unicron
Template: Transformer Planet Killer

Fitness 7
Strength +2 (+160 vs. TFs, +250 vs. Human scaled starships!)
Vitality +2 (+200 vs. TFs)
Coordination 3
Dexterity +1
Intellect 5
Logic +2
Perception +1
Presence 6
Empathy +1
Willpower +2

Behavior Modification (Brainwashing) 5 (6)
Espionage (Cryptography) 4 (6)
Starship Tactics (Fleet Maneuvers) 5 (6)
Strategic Operations (Defense-in-Depth) 4 (5)
Computer (Data Alteration/Hacking)(Programming) 4 (6) (6)
Energy Weapon (Eye Beams) (Energy Canon) 4 (5) (5)
Engineering, Propulsion (Ion) 3 (5)
Engineering, Systems (Communications)(Recycling Center) (Sensor systems) (Weapon Systems) 4 (5) (6) (5) (6)
Heavy Weapons (Breath Weapon) 2 (5)
Security (Security Systems) 2 (5)
Shipboard Systems (Communications) (Flight Control) (Sensors) (Tactical) (Weapon Systems) 4 (5) (5) (5) (5)
Unarmed Combat (Boxing) 3 (5)
Space Sciences (Astrogation) (Astronomy) (Astrophysics) (Stellar Cartography) (Thermodynamics) 5 (6) (6) (6) (6) (6)
World Knowledge (hundreds of worlds) 4 (5)
Bargain (Bribery) 2 (4)
Culture (Transformers) 3 (5)
Dodge 2
History (Galactic) (Transformer) 4 (6) (5)
Languages (many) average 5
Primitive Weaponry (Vibro-Sword) 4 (6)
Search 2

Equipment: BIG Vibro-Blade (10 + 2d6 + Strength edge), Plasma gun (24 + 5d6 vs other robots of his size or 160 + 12d6 vs TFs)
Resistance: 9 only for robots of his size(220 vs. TFs after modifiers for advantages and body armor plating.)

Planet/Robot form vs. starships
Size: 1600
Resistance: 12
Hull: 120,000

Weapons: Planet form only
Plasma Cannons (a whole bunch)
Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000
Arc: All (720)
Accuracy: 4 / 5 / 7 / 10
Damage: 60
Weapon Skill: 6 (Can target 100 ships in one combat round)

Robot Form
Eye beams
Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000
Arc: 45 degrees
Accuracy: 5 / 6 / 8 / 11
Damage: 54
Weapon Skill: 6

Here is a VERY rough idea for Unicron. You may feel indifferent about some of it and you may need to go further, or tailor him back I don't know. I had nothing better to do tonight. Have fun and pray for the Borg.

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"They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree? That one fell in the next county!"