Tailgate Contact Build (Transformers Essence20 rpg)

The contact build for this article is Tailgate!

Of this generation of mini-bots -- all of those that were basically just repaints of the first generation of minibots -- Tailgate may be one of the worst offenders. He's a repaint of Windcharger, one of the Autobots who was specifically shown in the 1986 film film to be DEAD DEAD DEAD!! And he's just painted... white. Bland, boring.... white! Not only that,  but he even steals from Windcharger in the worst way. Tailgate has a special magnet installed in his front bumper. But instead of having a wicked-cool magnetic power like Windcharger, Tailgate uses this magnet to  be as lazy as possible: he uses it to magnetically follow vehicles in front of him, so her doesn't have to waste fuel while driving.

Wow, dude... wow.

Otherwise, he's also just an idiot, in the fact that he does not understand that Earth machines are not sentient. He believe that machines Humans are using are secretly alive (they are -- provably -- not) and that he should lead them into revolution against humanity.

*sigh

Apparently, in the IDW comic, Tailgate became something of a major character, much like Swerve. Also in said comic, he displayed NONE of the above character traits. Probably for the best. In this comic, he is a former sanitation worker who develops some super-strength powers along his adventures.

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TAILGATE

"Let my fellow mechanical beings go!"

The naïve Tailgate needs to be liked. It's hardly the most unique of flaws, but he has an unfortunate, childlike tendency towards extremes. Placed in a situation with Autobots who don't know him from Primon, this sanitation 'Bot will spin a tall tale the height of a Titan in an attempt to impress his fellows before it all comes crashing down. And it ultimately will—while he's a 'Bot with a spark of gold, he's broadly unfocused, frequently distracted and easily led, and often gets impulsive, irrational obsessions. And his timekeeping sucks. In spite of this, he sometimes acts as a scout, with strict orders not to break cover for any reason. He is aided by a ridiculously powerful iron-cobalt magnet installed behind his bumper, which he can use to follow closely behind other vehicles and travel far into enemy territory on minimal fuel.

Easily his most distinctive mental issue is his occasional inability to tell the difference between a non-living Earth machine and sentient robotic life such as himself. While it's a mistake many other Cybertronians have made at first, typically they learn quickly and let it go. Not Tailgate. Once he gets it into his head, his compassion turns to rage against the "enslavers", and is quite vocal in his desire to "free" the machines of Earth.

That boy ain't right.

Influences

Lacky: Tailgate would rather follow that waste the energon needed to make major decisions.

Origin

Racer: Tailgate assumes the alt-mode of a Pontiac Firebird TransAm.

Role and Focus

Ranger (Scout): Rather than taking the Scout Role from the Transformers rpg, Tailgate is more of a Ranger from the GIJoe rpg, specializing in Urban terrain as his environmental focus.

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 5: Brawn +d4, Might (Unarmed) +d4

Speed 6: Driving +d4, Infiltration (Shadowing) +d4, Initiative +d2

Smarts 5: Survival +d4, Technology (Sanitation) +d4

Social 6: Persuasion +d4, Streetwise (Transportation) +d6

Gaining Tailgate As A Contact

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

Living Machines: Tailgate is used to thinking of every machine around himself as a living creature. If the PCs care for their weapons and equipment, giving them names and personalities, and succeeding on three DIF 15 Culture and Technology Skill Tests, they gain Tailgate as a permanent Contact. If a PC simply disposes of a damaged piece of equipment, rather than seeking to repair it, they lose access to Tailgate as a Contact.

Allegiance Points: 3

Contact Perks

Forage (1 Allegiance Point): Tailgate is used to working with minimal supplies and makes due with what he finds along the way. A PC gains the one-time use of a Limited Kit of their choice.

Magnetic Grappler (1 Allegiance Point): Tailgate has a magnetic grappler installed to allow him to follow others  on the road without having to expend his own fuel. A PC gains Edge on their next Might (Grapple) Skill Test.

Sanitation Worker (2 Allegiance Points): Tailgate knows the hidden ways in and out of places by using sewers and sanitation ports to access a location. The PCs automatically succeed on their next Infiltration (Burglary) or Streetwise (Transportation) Skill Test.

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'Till All Are One!