Jazz Contact Build (Transformers Essence20 rpg)

Today's contact build is a fan favorite: Jazz!

Highly personable, Jazz is everyone's friend. It's probably a surprise to some to discover that Jazz is the top Special Operative within the Autobot ranks. Unlike the spies and intelligence agents, like Bumblebee and Mirage, Jazz is the overt agent who gets things done... like James Bond! And he does it with style!

This article is unofficial, fan-made content using the Transformers Essence20 rpg by Renegade Games Studios.

JAZZ

“Do it with style or don’t bother doing it.”

Jazz is Optimus Prime's right-hand man. Unlike Prowl, Prime's military strategist, Jazz responds well to change and improvisation. Whatever surprises the Decepticons spring, Jazz can deal with it. His position as Special Operations head calls for all the skills he possesses, yet he still has time to add some style to everything he does. Jazz's upbeat and outgoing personality makes him one of the most popular Autobots among the Ark's crew.

An admirer of Earth music of every kind, Jazz loves culture. More than most other Autobots, he has his finger on the pulse of Earth trends and lingo, effortlessly incorporating human slang into his vocabulary. Chances are, Jazz could tell you the status of almost any reality television show and each week's Top 40 list.

Influences

Artisan, Security, War Veteran: Jazz of Staniz was a free spirit from an early age. Though he spent his formative years in the industrialized spaceport town of his birth, he wasn't drawn to shipbuilding or tourism, the city's two primary industries. Instead, he gravitated to the music scene that naturally sprung up around restaurants and bars. A chance encounter with a magna marching band gave the young robot the reason to leave his city behind. Moved by the music, he decided to tell people that he was named for the harmonious melodies of the band — a name that translated to "Jazz".

Jazz was a member of the Kaon Security Services prior to the Decepticon uprising and the subsequent civil war. He spent many an hour being bored to death by Prowl.

Jazz served as Optimus Prime's second-in-command on Cybertron. He was instrumental in the defense of Iacon and saved his leader's life after a surprise attack rendered Prime non-functional.

Origin

Champion: Jazz’s alt-mode is a Porsche 935 Turbo.

Role and Focus

Analyst (Spec Ops): This role and focus was built specifically with Jazz in mind.

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 5: Athletics +d4, Might +d6

Speed 7: Driving +d4, Initiative +d4, Targeting +d6

Smarts 9: Alertness +d4, Culture (Music) +d8, Survival +d2, Technology +d2

Social 8: Performance +d6, Persuasion +d6, Streetwise +d4

Gaining name As A Contact

Fellow Autobot: If this Contact is on scene, the PCs can summon them for 1 round.

Music Lover: Jazz loves Earth; especially its music. Any PC who has the Earth-Spoiled Hang-Up gains Jazz as a temporary Contact. If a PC spends their downtime sharing their love of Earth culture, and succeeds on a DIF 16 Culture, Performance, or Persuasion Skill Test, they gain Jazz as a permanent Contact.

Allegiance Points: 3

Contact Perks

Do It With Style (2 Allegiance Points): Jazz always adds in his own personal flourish with any skill he performs. A PC may substitute Performance for any one Skill Test made before the end of the scene.

Morale Booster (1 Allegiance Point): Jazz always has an encouraging word to lift up his fellow Bots. A PC gains ↑1 to their next Skill Test.

Put On a Show (3 Allegiance Points): Jazz is equipped with 180db stereo speakers able to create dazzling, disorienting sound and light shows. All Threats in the Combat scene are Blinded and Deafened until the end of their next turn.

PRETENDER JAZZ

Some time after 2006, after Goldbug was promoted to head of Autobot Intelligence, Jazz was augmented with the Pretender technology. Goldbug wrote in his personal datatracks that now that Jazz had a Pretender shell, the latter was even more likely to get involved with human affairs.

Essence Scores and Skills

Pretender Jazz has the following Essence Scores:

Strength 5: Athletics +d4, Might +d6

Speed 8: Driving (Land) +d4, Initiative +d4, Targeting +d6

Smarts 9: Alertness +d4, Culture (Music) +d8, Survival +d2, Technology +d2

Social 9: Deception +d2, Performance +d6, Persuasion +d6, Streetwise +d4

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