Skullgrotes

Skullgrotes is a Laser Beast from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Strike Commander of the entire Laser Beast Corps, Skullgrotes (スカルグロテス Sukarugurotesu) is second only to Great Emperor Tigerburn. He is also the leader of the Subterranean Demon Clan, a group of super-powerful warriors who protect the Royal Family with their lives. And as befitting a beast of his status, he is a warrior seemingly without equal.

Aside from being a physical powerhouse, his hide is covered in scales so hard, weapons seem to bounce off harmlessly. He also has mystical powers, among them the ability to boost the abilities of his subordinates, making an already dangerous force an even bigger threat. Worse still, his Ghost Horror Laser (ゴーストホラーレーザー Gōsuto Horā Rēzā) MVP Weapon can cast its own form of illusory magic, using an advanced AI to temporarily turn its targets into brainless puppets to manipulate as he wishes. He is also the only Laser Beast granted use of the golden Battle Drill, the Laser Beasts' most powerful assault vehicle and personal chariot of Emperor Tigerburn.

Once he's on the battlefield... well... good luck.

Fiction

Beastformers comic

Skullgrotes worked alongside Tigerburn as the Laser Beast society became a cold-blooded, machine-like civilization. Legend of the Three Wise Ones One day their underground city was flooded and the Laser Beasts relocated to the surface, where they began conquering the lands belonging to the Beastformers. Skullgrotes led the initial invasion and conquest of Sunatoria, Hogland, Bowdonia, and Sheepnia. Beastformers VS Laser Beasts

Legends comic

Skullgrotes was among the Laser Beasts who emerged from the underground and began warring with the Beastformers. When several Autobots joined the Beastformers' side, Tigerburn coveted their power and used one of the Three Wise Ones' gems to merge the bodies of himself, Skullgrotes and Scopecougar with those of three Headmaster Teens. Skullgrotes was merged with Shuffler, granting him a powerful, completely robotic body. LG51 Doublecross Prologue He used his new abilities to control the decapitated body of Grotusque, first by piloting it from within then by turning into its head as a Headmaster, until he was returned to his original form when Seaspray used water from the Well of Transformation to separate him from Shuffler. The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 1

In 2038, the then-peaceful Beast was invaded by Galvatron II's Decepticons. Skullgrotes was part of the joint Beastformer-Laser Beast alliance that fought against the invaders. The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 3

Toys

Beastformers

• Beast Planet's Greatest Confrontation Set (Box set, 1988)
  • ID number: 101
  • Accessories: "Ghost Horror Laser"

Available only in the "Laser Beasts" part of Takara's post-Transformers "RPG"-themed Beastformers series, Skullgrotes is an anthropomorphic dragon in high-tech yellow armor. He has a transparent orb in his torso, revealing the elemental power of Fire, Water, or Wood held up with his back to a light source.

He was probably only available in the "Beast Planet's Greatest Confrontation Set" (ビースト星最大の対決セット Bīsuto-sei Saidai no Taiketsu Setto). This set also came with the Beastformers Platinum Tiger, Golder and Yellow Giraffe plus the Tiger Hunter vehicle (unchanged from their prior releases), and the set-exclusive Laser Beasts Kingbuster, Salmomancer, and a chromed-gold Battle Drill.

This set is particularly expensive on the secondary market, given the entire Laser Beast half of the set is not available anywhere else.

• Battle Drill (Contest prize Battlecruiser, 1988)
  • Accessories: "Ghost Horror Laser"

Skullgrotes was possibly also available as part of a mail-away lottery prize: a yellow-and-red version of the Battle Drill. Entry required sending in five questionnaires (presumably with at least one filled out) found packaged with every Laser Beast toy. The questionnaires showed Skullgrotes in the illustration, but we have not been able to confirm that he actually came with the Drill.

This too is a high-ticket item nowadays.

Generations

• Autobot Shuffler (Titan Master, 2017)
  • Accessories: Elephant/tank/launcher vehicle

The Titans Return Shuffler head was repurposed as Skullgrotes in the Legends comic.

Part of the fourth wave of Titans Return Titan Master class toys, "Autobot Shuffler" transforms from robot to a head compatible with any Deluxe-or-larger Titans Return figure.

He comes with a vehicle which can transform from an elephant based on his original toy to a tank, or a multi-rocket launching system which can be held by larger figures. Shuffler himself (or any other Titan Master figure) fits inside the elephant and launcher modes, and "pilots" the tank form in his robot mode.

Titans Return mold: Shuffler
Titan Master: Hasbro: Titans Return Shuffler Ramhorn TakaraTomy: Legends LG47 Clouder Accessory: Hasbro: Titans Return Shuffler's partner drone Ramhorn's partner drone TakaraTomy: Legends LG56 Amhorn LG59 Big Fight