Metroplex Contact Build (Transformers Essence20 rpg)

I know it's been a while, but I've been working on something big and wanted to make sure I left nothing out. Now here are the fruits of my labor: the contact build for Metroplex!

The notes below are based on my own TF campaign, inspired by events from the "War for Cybertron" and "Fall of Cybertron" video games as well as the original 1986 Transformers Movie.

Metroplex is a titan; the living heart of the Autobot city-state of Iacon on Cybertron. During the last days leading to the Exodus, Metroplex was awoken by Optimus Prime and helped turn the tide during the Decepticon invasion of Iacon. As the Ark was preparing the leave Cybertron, the Autobots discovered they did not have enough energon to power the main thrusters. The noble Metroplex used the last of his own energon reserves to power the Ark; allowing the Autobots to escape Cybertron. Luckily, Telatraan-1 also used the opportunity to download the consciousness of Metroplex and store him within its databanks. 

When the Autobots aided humanity in fighting off the Decepticon forces from Earth in the mid 1990s, the Autobots were given permission to create a permanent base on Earth, located near Lookout Mountain in the Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee tri-state area: known as Autobot City. As the city was built, Teletraan-1 revealed the stored memories of Metroplex, who was rebuilt as a defense fortress on the outskirts of the city.

Unfortunately, Metroplex was not fully functional to assume  his full titan form during the attack of Autobot City in 2005. But this even prompted the Autobots to focus on the city's defenses,  making Metroplex fully-fictional by 2006.

Metroplex is commanded by Ultra Magnus, who serves as the base commander of Autobot City and the general commander of all Autobot forces stationed on Earth.

If you enjoy this content, please support my friend Owen and his fight with cancer.

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

METROPLEX

"Vigilance is the foundation on which victories are built."

Metroplex’s poor, slow, and infrequent efforts to support his brave comrades and forward the Autobot cause are never enough. Sure, he's the Autobots' ultimate weapon, their greatest and final defense. Yes, he's a gigantic, towering warrior, capable of channeling awesome energies. Strong beyond belief, versatile, clever, brave and self-sacrificing, Metroplex is willing to give everything he has to the Autobot cause and defend it to his last astroseconds of life. Despite all this he’s wracked to the core of his being with the belief that he could and should be doing more. It’s a self-deprecating attitude that stuns many of his fellow Autobots, most of whom take immeasurable comfort in his very existence and the knowledge that regardless of what evil comes, Metroplex is out there to back them up.

This Titan's great modesty about his power and achievements together with a boundless patience necessitated by his size and alternate mode are apparent to anyone who pierces his normally less than talkative demeanor, and in the optics of many, these traits only raise his already high standing.

Metroplex's long-standing nemesis is the equally-gargantuan Decepticon, Trypticon. He has three "normal"-sized components: Six-Gun, Slammer, and Scamper, to help patrol and defend his territory. The extent of that territory varies; sometimes Metroplex is an independent base, and other times he's part of (or all of) Autobot City, aka Scramble City.

Influences

Fanatic, Nemesis (Trypticon), Titan-Spark: Metroplex is the heart and soul of Iacon,  the home of the Autobots. He was willing to sacrifice his very spark to ensure the last of the Autobot escaped Cybertron by using his energon to fuel the Ark. Luckily, Teleraan-1 also downloaded Metroplex into herself, saving the Titan; later to be rebuilt as part of the Autobot City defenses in the early 21st century…. Restored to his former glory!

Origin

Pillar: Metroplex’s alt mode is that of a mobile battle station.

Role and Focus

Warrior (Sentinel): Ultimately, Metroplex’s function is to serve as the final line of defense in the Autobot army. He is only activated in the most dire of circumstances. Otherwise, he tends to remain in battlestation mode and use his vast artillery weapons fire to protect his inhabitants.

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 10: Brawn +d12, Might +d8

Speed 2: Targeting +d4

Smarts 8: Alertness +d4, Culture (History) +d6, Technology +d4

Social 8: Persuasion (Truth) +d8, Streetwise +d6

Gaining Metroplex As A Contact

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

Maintenance Crew: Metroplex is fond of Autobot who work at helping others out. He is especially happy with those who work and serve as maintenance workers, as they keep all his various subsystems running smoothly. Any PVs that spend their downtime working to repair or maintain Metroplex, succeeding on three DIF 15 Technology Skill Tests, gain Metroplex as a permanent contact,

Allegiance Points: 6

Contact Perks

Deploy Weapons (3  Allegiance Points): As a living battle station, Metroplex is stored with equipment to aid the Autobot military. All PCs gain a Limited (or less) Weapon Upgrade or Kit of their choice to use until the end of the mission. 

Smash Decepticons (3 Allegiance Points): Metroplex smashes his fists down, destroying all in its wake. One Threat of Threat Level 10 or less is Defeated and removed from the combat scene..

Strongest Autobot (3 Allegiance Points): There is no one more powerful than Metroplex in the Autobot ranks. All PCs gain an Edge to their Strength-based Skill Tests until the end of the scene.

Contact Heng-Up: As one might imagine, Metroplex tends to be rather stationary. He is based at Autobot City on Earth, and moving him to other locations is difficult and unwieldy. Making use of Metroplex as a contact is only practical for those PCs at or near Autobot City.

Metroplex is protected by a trio of three mentally-linked Autobot warriors who serve as the Metroplex Defense Force.

SCAMPER

“Be careless, and your friends won't live to regret it.”

Scamper is part of the composite whole that is the Autobot city, Metroplex. Although autonomous in his own right, with an impulsive and sociable personality, Scamper is an extension of Metroplex, and commonly patrols the peripheries of the giant Autobot's city form in his sports car mode alongside Slammer.

Scamper tends to be impulsive and gregarious, but he is serious about his job. He is constantly on duty in his own mind, even when he is relaxing with his friends. In his sports car mode he carries side mounted electro-blasters that shoot streams of 20,000-volt electricity, with a top speed of 150 miles and a range of 500 miles. In robot mode, Scamper uses a high-energy particle beam pistol.

Influences

Security: Scamper is one part of the Metroplex Defense Force.

Origin

Drone (Champion): Scamper assumes the alt-mode of a six-wheeled Cybertronian sports car.

Role and Focus

Ranger (Scout): Scamper uses the GIJoe Role, focused on Urban environments.

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 5: Athletics +d4, Might +d6

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

Smarts 7: Alertness +d6, Survival (Urban) +d6

Social 4: Streetwise (Transportation) +d6*

Gaining Scamper As A Contact

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

Mutual Respect: Scamper often feels like just another piece of Metroplex. If the PCs spend their downtime with Scamper and socialize with him, succeeding on a DIF 15 Deception, Persuasion, or Streetwise Skill Test, they gain Scamper as a permanent contact.

Allegiance Points: 3

Contact Perks

Guide (1 Allegiance point): Scamper knows his way around Autobot City and its back alleys like they are second nature. A PC gains ↑1 on their next Streetwise or Survival (Urban) Skill Test.

Ever Vigilant (3 Allegiance Points): Scamper always considers  himself on duty, even when relaxing with his friends. All PCs automatically succeed on Alertness Skill Tests until the end fo the scene.

Metrodash (2 Allegiance Points): Scamper knows how to move through urban environments unimpeded. All PCs ignore rough terrain while in an urban environment until the end of the scene.

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SIX-GUN

The name Six-Gun isn't just metaphorical; this Autobot soldier is literally a walking, talking mass of weaponry. Six-Gun is one of Metroplex's autonomous troops, and is composed of six of the Titan's guns. Along with Scamper and Slammer, he helps patrol and defend Metroplex's interior and periphery. Like his partners, he is mentally linked to Metroplex, and shares a similar personality. Perhaps befitting a living artillery battery, Six-Gun tends to be a bit more blustery and belligerent than his teammates.

Influences

Security: Six-Gun functions as one of the component warriors of Metroplex.

Origin

Armory Call: Six-Gun is a COMBAT Weaponizer, assuming the form of a multi-use weapons loadout.

Role and Focus

Gunner (Cannonade): It’s no surprise, given his form, that Six-Gun likes to make things go BOOM!

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 6: Brawn +d6, Intimidation +d4, Might +d2

Speed 7: Initiative +d4, Targeting +d10

Smarts 7: Alertness +d6, Science +d4, Technology +d4

Social 5: Performance +d2, Persuasion +d4, Streetwise +d4

Gaining Six-Gun As A Contact

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

Weapons Check: Six-Gun is in charge of the heavy weapons deployed across Metroplex. If the PC spend their downtime assisting Six-Gun in weapons maintenance on the battlestation, succeeding on three DIF 16 Science, Targeting, and Technology Skill Tests, they gain Six-Gun as a permanent Contact.

Allegiance Points: 3

Contact Perks

Boom, Baby! (3 Allegiance Points): Six-Gun unleashed his full arsenal against the enemy forces. All Threats in the combat scene suffer 1 Sharp Damage.

COMBAT Weaponizer (2 Allegiance Points): Six-Gun is a Cybertronian Omnifunctional Modular Battlefield Assault Tech System Weaponizer; able to transform into a weapon form used by others. A PC can use Six-Gun as an Artillery Cannon -OR- add a Restricted Upgrade to one of their existing Ballistic weapons. The PC can use this perk until the end of the scene.

Heavy Weapons Expert (1 Allegiance Point): Six-Gun functions as the Autobot heavy weapons expert; teaching ‘bot how to handle massive firearms. A PC ignores the Brawn requirements for using a weapon until the end of the scene.

An example of Six-Gun in his C.O.M.B.A.T. Weaponizer form being used by Slammer!

SLAMMER

For a drone controlled by Metroplex, Slammer does not do much. He is usually seen in the form of Metroplex's left rear tower, though he is rarely seen in tank form.

Sometimes, Slammer is a sentient Transformer armed with the power of the C.O.M.B.A.T. technology.

Influences

Security: Slammer functions as one of the three Metroplex Defense Force.

Origin

Drone (Rainmaker): Slammer assumes the alt-mode of a combat tank.

Role and Focus

Gunner (Cannoneer): Slammer focuses on the use of his main artillery cannon.

Essence Scores and Skills

Strength 6: Brawn +d6, Intimidation +d4, Might +d2

Speed 7: Driving +d6, Initiative +d2, Targeting +d6

Smarts 7: Alertness +d4, Science +d6, Technology +d4

Social 5: Animal Handling +d2, Persuasion +d4, Streetwise +d4

Gaining Slammer As A Contact

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

Forward Observer: Slammer serves exclusively to defend Metroplex from attack. If the PCs aid Slammer is fighting off an enemy force, using an action to Lend Assistance with Slammer resulting in injuring or defeating a Threat, they gain Slammer as a permanent Contact.

Allegiance Points: 3

Contact Perks

Artillery Barrage (2 Allegiance Point): Slammer makes use of his heavy cannon in battle, One Threat suffers 2 Sharp Damage and the 20ft. radius  area around the Threat becomes rough terrain.

Heavy Armor (1 Allegiance Point): A PC makes use of Slammer is cover until the beginning of their next turn.

Shock and Awe (3 Allegiance Points): Slammer lays down heavy fire, demoralizing the enemies on the field. All Threats in the combat scene gain the Frightened Condition until the end of their next turn

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Till All Are One!