Skids Contact Build (Transformers Essence20 RPG)

Today's Transformers Contact Build is for the Autobot theoretician: Skids!

While the original Skids toy was among the most unpopular toys of its series, due to the fact that it converted into a blocky, subcompact hatchback, the character has always been surprisingly interesting in the comics! He never had much screen time in the original TV series, and I will NEVER FORGIVE Michael Bay for what they did with his character in the Revenge of the Fallen, but Skids has always been beloved in the various comic books he's appeared.

In the Marvel comics, he had several issues where he was a focus character, including having a brief romance with a human woman. The Dreamwave series also treated him well. 

((I don't think the artist knew what the dimensions of the Honda City Turbo were, because here, Skids is drawn like a minivan or SUV.... Meanwhile, THIS is a Honda City Turbo! Look at those seats; this is a tiny car!))

But Skids really came into his own during the IDW comics, where he was a regular character in the Lost Light series, engaging in many adventures and relationships during the course of that comic.

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

If you enjoy this content, please support my friend Owen Stephens in his fight with cancer. All help is greatly appreciated.

SKIDS

“Deep down, we are more like than unlike humans.”

Skids is a theoretician. This is appropriate, as some would say his existence is merely theoretical; everyone forgets who he is or that he was there. But if they got to know him, they'd learn that he likes to daydream, get built into furniture, and pick up cowboy chicks. Skids unfortunately favors daydreaming while traveling in vehicle mode, but thankfully his excellent brakes spare him and others from incurring TOO much damage after inevitable fender-benders.

Skids is also a fast learner, voraciously absorbing and compartmentalizing new information he receives. This allows him to adapt to new environments and unexpected situations very quickly. His calm, reflective nature and tendency to fade into the background sometimes causes some to question his ability to fight, but make no mistake; Skids can handle himself in battle.

He'd just rather...listen to some music, y'know?

Influences

Cybertronian With Attitude (Brainy), Specialist, Student: Before the war, Skids of Nova Cronum trained as a theoretician at Senator Shockwave's Academy of Advanced Technology, secretly recruited to the school because of his status as an "outlier" with special powers — in Skids's case, a "super-learning" ability that allowed him to master many skills.

Origin

Support: Skids assumes the alt-mode of a Honda City Turbo.

Role and Focus

Analyst (Manipulator): Skids ability to theorize tactics and manipulate outcomes is represented well by the Perks of this Role and Focus.

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 4: Athletics +d4, Might +d4

Speed 5: Initiative +d6, Targeting +d4

Smarts 9: Alertness +d6, Culture +d2, Science (Theoretician) +d6, Technology +d2

Social 7: Deception +d4, Performance +d6, Persuasion +d4

Gaining Skids As A Contact

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

Time To Chill: Given Skids’ ability to overthink any and every situation, he is most appreciative of the opportunities he has to forget about the War, its dangers, and loss of his loved ones. If the PCs spend their downtime with Skids, helping him find new music to listen to, books to read, or other knowledge to absorb, requiring three successful DC 16 Culture, Deception, and Performance Skill Tests, they gain Skids as a permanent Contact.

Allegiance Points: 3

Contact Perks

Analyze (3 Allegiance Points): Skids studies the battlefield and provides tactical analysis based on his observations. The PCs are told the Threat Level of each Threat in the Combat scene and allowed to learn one Defense score from each of the Threats. Additionally, they are provided with information about why the Threats are in the scene and what their motivation is for this combat.

Project Assessment (2 Allegiance Points): Skids theorizes the most likely outcome for success and provides his insight. The PCs are allowed to alter their Initiative order, swapping Initiative placement with another PC.

Twin Electron Blaster (1 Allegiance Point): Skids carries a weapon able to short-circuit anything it hits. A Threat suffers 1 Stun and is Immobilized until the start of its next turn.

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'Till All Are One!