Megatron (and Galvatron) Contact Build (Transformers Essence20 rpg)
A warning to the peopleThe good and the evilThis is warTo the soldier, the civilianThe martyr, the victimThis is war
It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lieThe moment to live and the moment to dieThe moment to fight, the moment to fightTo fight, to fight, to fight
To the right, to the leftWe will fight to the deathTo the edge of the earthIt's a brave new worldFrom the last to the first
To the right, to the leftWe will fight to the deathTo the edge of the earthIt's a brave new worldIt's a brave new world!
-- This Is War, Thirty Seconds to Mars
There are two great villains in the genres I follow who only got better the more your knew about them and the more one delved into their background.
The first is Magneto, villain of the X-Men. When he first appeared in the 60s, he was literally just ANOTHER evil megalomaniacal villain who wanted to rule the world because he had power, and everyone under him was a lesser being. Then, as other writers got ahold of the characters, we discovered he was a German Jew who survived the Holocaust and was once again witnessing humanity turning on "his people" (mutants) simply because of the happenstance of their birth. He was no longer a simple supervillain; Magneto was right! He had already witnessed the worst humanity had to offer and he was seeing the signs of his happening all over again.
The second is Megatron! The leader of the Decepticons in the original G1 comics and cartoon was just a powerful, and again, megalomaniacal villain. He wanted to rule and conquer for the sake of being power-hungry. Then, other writers got ahold of him... and he became a full character...
NOTE: As usual, the following events are based on the history of my personal TF campaign, and uses characters and events picked from a variety of different TF continuities and sources. YMMV
D17 was forged after the Golden Age of Cybertron. The spacebridges to other worlds had been forced close due to the Plague of Rust assaulting the colony worlds. Cybertron was once again on its own; cut off from the larger galaxy. Without access to other worlds, Cybertron was forced to rely on its own stores of Energon. And Transformers born into this era were assigned positions of work based on their alt-mode. As a heavy labor vehicle, D17 was tasked to be an Energon miner. And under the Functionist government, he would never be allowed to aspire to be anything more.
When D17 lashed out against one of his foremen for not working fast or hard enough and crushed the 'bot under his drill, the miner was sentenced to an even more brutal labor prison, where he had to continue mining by day and fighting in "illegal" gladiator matches by night. Here is where D17 -- or Megatron, which was the gladiator name he assumed; in honor of the warrior Megatronus Prime -- found his voice. After defeating his enemies, Megatron spoke out against the Functionist government and the ruling council that controlled the lives of everyone on Cybertron. His bold words were heard by a data clerk named Orion Pax, who started to visit Megatron and discuss what it might take to create a new Cybertron government. They spoke and debated at length, eventually becoming friends. Pax even helped write speeches for Megatron, that touched the hearts of the crowds.
Eventually, the words of Megatron reached the Cybertron Council, who debated killing Megatron at first as a means to keep the peace. But cooler heads allowed Megatron and his speech-writer Pax to visit the Council and make their plea for a brighter future.
Megatron spoke of a new Cybertron shaped by the strong and powerful. Why should the ruling bodies get the most Energon, when the stronger, larger Transformers needed it to help overcome potential threats to the planet? He spoke to rule by might and power alone. And by this rule, Megatron demanded that the council bestow upon him the Matrix of Leadership so he could lead the next age as the newest Prime.
Pax, hoping to cool the heated words of Megatron spoke next of a world where all sentients are free to live and work as they desired; without Functionism determining their path. His ideals that "Freedom is the right of all sentients" touched the council. They decided to make Orion Pax the next Prime, in the event of the death of the current Sentinel Prime.
Megatron was furious. He had taken in Pax and given him a place at his side. Yet here was this small data clerk... his best friend... stabbing him in the back and seeking the power of the Prime for himself! The betrayal!
In the shadows of Cybertron's lower wards, Megatron summoned Orion Pax (who was joined by his lover Ariel) to speak on the decision of the Council. Heated words were thrown... and then a cannon blast. And Orion Pax was dead. The body of Ariel soon followed him.
And then the rise of the Decepticons... and the great war to follow... The Exodus to Earth...
And the came Unicron...
It was the Unicron Singularity that altered Megatron, in more than one way. His transformation into Galvatron was a powerful upgrade. But when Unicron was defeated by the ascension of Rodimus Prime, the Chaos Bringer attempted to save his own existence by downloading his mind into a defeated Galvatron... which, drove him crazy! Just try having the full consciousness of an immortal Elder God pushed into your head, and see if you don't go a bit insane!
His minds torn asunder by madness, Galvatron rarely recognized friend from foe. He was paranoid, violent, and even more power-hungry than his former self. Megatron was many things, but he usually didn't just blast his allies for the LOLs. Galvatron did... regularly!
When Unicron's head was cast into the Alpha Centauri star, Galvatron reverted to his original form as Megatron... who was deeply affected by his time as Galvatron. The madness he had endured... the unending rage and paranoia... the suffering he had caused on a scale unlike anything he had done before... Megatron was changed. During the Battle of San Francisco, Megatron encountered the human solder Dorothy "Dot" Malto, who was helping evacuate injured humans, Autobots, and Decepticons from the battlefield. Her willingness to sacrifice herself to come to the aid of her fallen enemies touched something deep within Megatron, causing him to surrender. Following the battle, Megatron disappeared for some time, entering a self-imposed exile.
Eventually, Megatron returned to Earth and sought out Dot Malto, who had become a mother in the intervening years. Through her assistance, he wanted to help restore Earth from the damage he had been responsible for causing. Joining his old friend Optimus Prime at Autobot City, Megatron began his penance.
MEGATRON
Threat Level 14
“Peace through tyranny.”
Megatron is the founder of the Decepticon uprising, and their most well-known and feared leader. As a young, charismatic leader forged in battle and the heritage of war, he began to believe in a grand purpose for his race—it is the Transformers' glorious destiny to rule an empire which will span the universe. The opposite of his mortal enemy Optimus Prime, he feels great contempt for other Transformers who, he feels, betray their proud heritage by demanding peace and cooperation with weaker life forms. It is the destiny of the Decepticons to bring order to the universe through conquest, though in the millions of years since coining this purpose it remains to be seen how much of his mission statement is altruistic... and how much of it is mere words built to fuel warriors to further his desire for personal power.
Megatron will attempt almost anything to achieve his goals, but his schemes are rarely in any way subtle. This is perhaps due to his arrogance, but his pride is not so strong as to dissuade him from abandoning a battle he is losing. He often shows dramatic examples of cowardice, concealed in rage. Although Megatron rarely wins in his duels with Optimus, few can rival his ability to locate energy sources for the Decepticons. Some would question his sanity, though these few are mostly now dead by his hands... or his fusion cannon, depending on his mood. Sometimes he uses his energon mace to strike them down. It does not matter how they die. Death by the hands of Megatron is an honor.
Influences
Gladiator, Nemesis (Optimus Prime), Titanspark: Megatron started life as a heavy laborer who engaged in gladiatorial combat to find purpose. His battles against Optimus Prime are legendary.
Origin
Megatron has different alt-modes based on his appearance in various media. If you want the classic pistol mode from the G1 animated series and comic, you want to use:
Armory Call (Energy Firearm): Megatron’s alt-mode is a modified Walther PPK.
Meanwhile, if you want the more modern tank form that megatron assumes, you want to use:
Rainmaker: Megatron assumes the alt-mode of an M1A1 Abrams Battle Tank.
Role and Focus
Field Leader (Tyrant): Find this Focus in the Decepticon Directive.
Essence Scores and Skills
Strength 10: Brawn +d8, Intimidation +d4, Might (Flail) +d6
Speed 4: Initiative +d2, Targeting +d6
Smarts 10: Alertness +d6, Culture +d6, Science +d4, Technology +d4
Social 10: Deception +d4, Performance +d4, Persuasion (Leadership) +d10
Gaining Megatron As A Contact
Competent Servitor: Megatron does not suffer incompetence for long. Even his patience for those such as Starscream can only go so far. If the PCs spend their downtime in a scene with Megatron and discuss strategy, succeeding on two DIF 25 Smarts-based Skill Tests, they gain Megatron as a permanent Contact.
Allegiance Points: 6
Contact Perks
Decepticons… RISE! (3 Allegiance Points): Megatron may be one being, but he commands an army that spans the galaxy. All the Player Characters’ other Contacts gain 2 Allegiance Points for the current mission.
Pistol Form (3 Allegiance Points): Megatron assumes his pistol form for use by one of the PCs. The PC makes all Targeting Skill Tests with an Edge (as though benefiting from Lend Assistance provided by Megatron). The PC’s ranged weapon attack has the following Upgrades: Anti-Tank, Deadly, Ignores Resistance, Wrecker. Threats injured by this weapon attack are also Frightened, if the attack roll overcame their Willpower or Cleverness Defense. The PC may use Megatron as a ranged weapon until the end of the Combat scene or until they miss an attack roll.
Stand and Fight! (3 Allegiance Points): In the presence of Megatron, no one retreats! All PCs are immune to the Frightened Condition until the end of the scene.
NOTE: I'm not a fan of mass-shifting. So when I say that Megatron becomes a gun... THIS is what I mean!
GALVATRON (Threat Level 16)
“My power is everything; defeat is absurd!”
Whether he's born from the fires of Unicron himself, an ancient Transformer warlord, or something else altogether, one thing is always certain: Galvatron is a focal point of power and madness given form. He is blind to all but his lust for power; his whims and desires can be sacrificed in a moment's rage. Not even his own subordinates are safe. Though he is not beyond the capacity for long-term goals, it is his unpredictability and casual disregard for any and all life that strike such horror in friend and foe alike. Truly, the Decepticon leader is without any sense of empathy.
In most universes, Galvatron was once Megatron but was reborn from his death throes in a Faustian pact with Unicron. He retains the memories and spark of Megatron but his personality was significantly altered after the near-death experience, massive physical upgrade and reprogramming; just ask Starscream about the difference. And that was before he went insane. The cause and extent of Galvatron's madness varies between different timelines, as does his physical power. Sometimes he's all but invincible.
Influences
Gladiator, Titanspark, Unscrupulous: Galvatron is Megatron transformed. His alterations by Unicron has stripped him of all ethics and morality, driving Galvatron insane and willing to destroy anyone who stands in his way, including his own soldiers.
Origin
Rainmaker: Galvatron assumes the alt-mode of a Cybertronian tank.
Role and Focus
Field Commander (Tyrant): This role focus comes from the Decepticon Directive, made with Galvatron in mind.
Essence Scores and Skills
Strength 10: Brawn +d8, Intimidation +d10, Might +d6
Speed 9: Driving +d4, Initiative +d4, Targeting (Fusion Cannon) +d8
Smarts 9: Alertness +d4, Culture +d10, Technology +d4
Social 10: Deception (Bluffing) +d8, Persuasion +d4
Gaining Galvatron As A Contact
Hail Galvatron!: If this Contact is on scene, the PCs can summon them for 1 round.
Prove Your Worth: Galvatron is likely to destroy anyone who attempts to curry his favor without first proving how useful they can be to the Decepticon cause. A PC must succeed on four DC 20 Skill Tests – one from each Essence Score – to gain Galvatron as a temporary Contact. Failure in any Skill Test results in the PC suffering 1 Energy Damage, as Galvatron blasts them with his fusion cannon for failing in his presence. Each failure results in 1 additional Damage.
Allegiance Points: 6
Contact Perks
Fearsome Enemy (3 Allegiance Points): Galvatron is a fearsome foe. All PCs gain an Edge when attempting a Intimidation Skill Test until the end of the scene. If the Intimidation Skill Test is used to Frighten its target, the Skill Test is made as if specialized. A successful Intimidation (Frighten) Skill Test against a target also inflicts 1 Stun.
Fusion Cannon Blast (3 Allegiance Points): Galvatron loves to destroy anything and everything in his path with his heavy cannon, even allies to stand in his way. Select a Threat of rank 11 or lower. That Threat is immediately Defeated.
Untrustworthy (3 Allegiance Points): There is no vow that Galvatron makes that he is unwilling to break. The PCs Critically Succeed on all Deception Skill Tests until the end of the scene.
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'Til All Are One!
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