Ability

An ability, loosely speaking, is a special technology and/or weapon that is incorporated into a Transformer instead of being a separate device. A particular ability tends to be unique for one Transformer though there are cases of overlapping (for example, the ability of Windcharger to form a magnetic field, whereas Tailgate has a ferrocobalt magnet under his hood that he uses to be towed by other vehicles).

The first mention of these special abilities were featured on the bios of the G1 toyline.

Some examples of these abilities include:

• Force field: Trailbreaker (G1)
• Glass gas: Cliffjumper (G1)
• Teleportation: Skywarp (G1)/Dreadwing (Movie)
• Telekinesis: The Fallen

Fiction

The Transformers cartoon

The original The Transformers cartoon visualized the special abilities of the Transformer characters. However, the cartoon show took liberties with some of the toys' bios to change one's tool into an ability. A classic example is Hound, who was repeatedly featured producing holograms of various sorts without aid of any device. However, Hound's toy bio states that he has a hologram gun...and only uses it to produce 3-D maps.

The source of the Decepticons' individual abilities was their Power chip rectifier. Heavy Metal War It can be presumed that the Autobots also use a Power chip rectifier for their special powers, but there isn't any solid evidence to support or oppose the assumption.

Beast Wars cartoon

After the quantum surge, some of the Maximals and Predacons obtained Transmetal bodies, which granted them an extra vehicular-like mode. Cheetor's third mode gave him the ability to fly via integrated rocket boosters.

Beast Machines cartoon

After being reformatted by the Oracle, the Maximals exhibited unique and almost arcane abilities in their robot modes. Optimus Primal could absorb enemies' fire and send it back at them, Blackarachnia could send electrical "stings" through the ground, and Cheetor had a pair of blades he could use for slicing, dicing, gliding, and deflecting Vehicon fire.

Live action continuity

The Fallen displays the ability of telekinesis during Operation: Firestorm, using it to great effect to defend himself from attacking humans as he attempts to activate the Star Harvester. He used it lift all of the humans heavy weaponry high in the air and then drop it and then create a shield of rocks around the Great Pyramid of Giza to protect him from air attack. However, Optimus Prime manages to break through it using Jetfire's parts and attacks the Fallen.

Animated cartoon

The Decepticons of Animated have straight-up weapons, but the Autobots have distinct abilities they use in combat instead. Examples would include Bumblebee's stingers, Ratchet's magnetic powers, and Prowl's holograms. A particularly notable case is Blackarachnia, who has the power to download and copy others' abilities for brief periods of time.

War for Cybertron

Many of the combatants during the Great War possessed two abilities in robot mode, along with a vehicle mode ability. There were many abilities, and the lesser known combatants of the war could choose from a set of four depending on their class. Examples of these abilities include Cloak, Spawn Sentry, Hover, and Barrier.

IDW Generation 1 continuity

Transformers with unique abilities were known as outliers.

Notes

• The abilities were a combination of a way for Bob Budiansky to make each character unique and to get around a "no bullets" restriction.