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* ''[[A Beacon of Hope]]''  
* ''[[A Beacon of Hope]]''  
* ''[[Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook]]'' (PDF)
* ''[[Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook]]'' (PDF)
* ''[[Winner’s Cup]]'' (''Play Renegade'' PDF)
* ''[[Winner's Cup]]'' (''Play Renegade'' PDF)
* '''Fillable Character Sheet''' (PDF)
* '''Fillable Character Sheet''' (PDF)
* '''Free Bonus Material''' (PDF)
* '''Free Bonus Material''' (PDF)

Revision as of 09:09, 9 September 2024


Are you prepared for all of those shabby impersonations of beloved characters? Are you?

The Transformers Roleplaying Game is a tabletop roleplaying game created by Renegade Game Studios. It was first teased in the summer of 2020<ref>https://www.dicebreaker.com/universes/power-rangers/news/power-rangers-rpg-deckbuilder-announced</ref>, and officially announced on September 1, 2021. The game was digitally released on August 2, 2022, followed by a physical release on October 11.

The game sees players create their own Autobot characters and wage their battles to destroy the evil forces of the Game Master Decepticons. (Or vice-versa!)

Gameplay

The Transformers Roleplaying Game makes use of Renegade Game Studios' own Essence20 system, which is also used in their other Hasbro-licensed games, including their Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, G.I. Joe, and My Little Pony roleplaying games; as such, characters from the different games can theoretically be mixed and matched for crossover campaigns. Renegade has also noted that the game "lends itself to cinematic action and cooperative roleplaying experiences, by using a character's background along with mechanics to incorporate unique character flaws", as well as a "Story Point" system which will be rewarded to players for finishing missions, performing daring heroics, and roleplaying.

Essence20 uses a system based on the d20 (20-sided die) and what they call a "skill die", which ranges from a d2 to d20. By rolling these dice, a player must exceed the numerical difficulty of the task at hand to succeed. The finer points of this mechanic are designed to "[lead] to more chances for [critical successes] and more opportunities for great roleplaying incorporating them".

Character creation

Skills are based on Strength, Speed, Smarts, and Social, referred to as "the 4 S's". First level characters begin with 16 Essence Points—four of these points are automatically assigned based on the player's choice of Origin, Role, and Focus, while the remaining twelve may be allocated at the player's discretion.

When creating a new character, players may freely combine most Influences, Origins, and Roles at will. This provides players with an "amazing depth and breadth to the variety of characters [they] can create",<ref>https://renegadegamestudios.com/blog/introducing-the-essence20-roleplaying-system/</ref> and allows for some charmingly outlandish combinations.

Influences

Influences flesh out a character's backstory and provide players with inspiration for a character's personality, appearance, and traits—these include former professions such as "Gladiator", or "Refinery Laborer", personality traits like "Skeptic" and "Stargazer", or the presence of additional body augmentations, such as "Experiment" or "Binary Bonded". These Influences may provide minor stat boosts or a chance to re-roll specific failed skill tests. Each Influence comes with several suggested Background Bonds, which players can select at will to add some additional flavor to their in-character roleplaying.

A player can take as many influences as they want; however, for every two Influences they select, they must choose a Flaw, which permanently impacts their character's stats or raises the chance of failing specific skill tests.

Origins

In the Transformers Roleplaying Game, a character's Origin generally corresponds to a Cybertronian's alternate mode or physical construction. A character's Origin also determines factors such as their size, starting health pool, movement speed, and overall Essence Points distribution. The Core Rulebook features the first eight Origins listed here; subsequent sourcebooks have added at least one Origin each.

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Roles

The Transformers Roleplaying Game offers nine distinct Roles, which correspond to an overall character "class" in a game like Dungeons and Dragons. A player's chosen Role dictates some of their Essence Points allotments; additionally, each Role offers at least one unique way a player can use their Energon Points. Each Role is further subdivided into at least two distinct Focuses—for instance, a Transformer who takes the "Gunner" role must choose whether to specialize as a Gunslinger or Sharpshooter. Subsequent expansions have offered further Roles and individual Focuses within preexisting Roles.

Focuses are not locked behind faction affiliations; for instance, players wishing to roleplay as morally ambiguous Autobots are free to choose more destructive Focuses from the Decepticon Directive sourcebook.

Role Focuses
Analysts are information warfare specialists who can manipulate the game's Initiative-based combat order by boosting up allies or suppressing enemies.
  • Manipulators disorient their foes with holo-projectors and electro-disrupters.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Spec Ops use charisma and deception to gain an enemy's trust... then strike when their foes least expect it.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Corruptors fool their enemies through espionage and misdirection.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Inquisitors gain the information they need through interrogation and coercion.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Hubs keep teammates connected by acting as a mobile communications center.<ref name="EC"/>
Field Commanders make everyone around them better—they can temporarily boost an ally's stats or inspire their teammates to take free actions.
  • Ambassadors prefer to minimize casualties through negotiations, but will fight fiercely to protect non-combatants from harm.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Strategists combine their inspiring presence with clever tactics to control the flow of combat.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Masterminds lead from the rear, using cunning strategies to mislead and deceive their enemies.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Tyrants lean on their terrifying presence in combat to intimidate enemies into surrendering—and frighten allies into obedience.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Team Leaders lead by example, fighting alongside and supporting the 'bots under their command.<ref name="EC"/>
Gunners always have the right firearm for the job—whether they're sniping foes from afar, laying down a hail of close-range covering fire, or obliterating hard targets with heavy weapons.
  • Gunslingers adapt to the changing battlefield by rapidly switching from one firearm to another.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Sharpshooters are long range fighters who rely on single, precise shots.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Cannonade Gunners deploy explosive munitions to blow their enemies to bits.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Triggerbots specialize in two-handed heavy weapons.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Cannoneers use heavy artillery to obliterate enemy cover.<ref name="EC"/>
Modemasters are well-rounded fighters with enhanced transformation abilities, who can take on extra alternate modes or link up with a smaller Mini-Con partner. Unlike other Roles, Modemasters can choose how to allocate their Essence Score Points and Skills as they level up.
  • Microlinked Transformers have formed a symbiotic partnership with a smaller Mini-Con; as they level up, they may pair up with an additional Mini-Con.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Triple Changers gain extra flexibility by choosing an additional Origin.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Mimics gradually gain Origins as they level up, until they cap out at six.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Minion Masters may control up to four Mini-Cons, and can gain additional Mini-Cons through General Perks.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Bonded Masters have been binary bonded with a smaller being, either a Headmaster, Powermaster, or Targetmaster.<ref name="EC"/>
  • Component Ace Transformers lend additional expertise to a combiner team.<ref name="EC"/>
Scientists start with extra Energon Points, which they can use to heal and support their allies in and out of combat.
  • Medical Officers patch up injured teammates and protect them from incoming damage.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Gadgeteers can augment their allies with advanced technology, jury-rig battlefield equipment, and take out enemy equipment.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Cyber Engineers apply various stat boosts by experimenting on themselves and their fellow Cybertronians.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Elementalists specialize in weaponry involving one particular element, such as fire, lasers, or acid.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Counsellors provide psychological support for allies... or prey upon the psychological problems of their enemies.<ref name="EC"/>

Scouts excel at gathering intelligence, marking targets, and causing havoc behind enemy lines.

  • Outriders rely on speed to evade their enemies.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Prowlers use stealth tactics and silenced weapons to ambush their opponents.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Demolitionists trip up foes and destroy buildings with booby traps and explosives.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Trackers pursue and isolate single targets across long distances.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Surveyors map out terrain, plan routes, and lay explosive traps.<ref name="EC"/>
Warriors are close-range fighters who specialize in melee combat. When a Warrior takes enough damage to be Defeated, they may choose to instead lose one of their limbs and fight on with a temporary stat loss.
  • Sentinels emphasize defence and precision.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Wreckers prefer one-on-one combat.<ref name="CR"/>
  • Brutes cut foes down to size with underhanded tactics.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Shredders work themselves into an unstoppable rage. ref name="DD"/>
  • Pugilists pummel foes into submission with their fists.<ref name="EC"/>
Envoys prefer diplomacy over violence, and this wide perspective allows them to use another faction’s specific Faction Benefit in addition to their own.
  • Alien Ambassadors specialize in translating languages and assisting beings from other planets, even those that don't share a common language with the party.<ref name="FG"/>
  • Grid Psychics can telepathically tap into the power of the Morphin Grid to assist their allies in combat situations.<ref name="FG"/>
  • Military Attaches are combat diplomats who can handle themselves in a fight.<ref name="FG"/>
Raiders take whatever they feel they're owed, through coercion, deception, or brute force.
  • Acquisition Experts combine sticky fingers with hit-and-run tactics.<ref name="DD"/>
  • Siegemasters use heavy weapons to bust bunkers and crack open fortifications.<ref name="DD"/>

Perks and levels

All player characters begin with multiple Perks—these include universal perks that apply to all Cybertronians, faction-specific Perks for Autobots and Decepticons, Origin Benefits based on a character's Origin, and Perks based on their chosen Roles and Focuses. As they level up, characters gain additional Role and Focus Perks; at certain levels players may also select from a General Perk from a universal pool to further customize their character.

The Transformers Roleplaying Game does not use an experience-based level system. Instead, levelling is left to the discretion of the GM, who may award the party the opportunity to level up at the end of an adventure or after a key encounter such as a boss fight.

Game content

Sourcebooks

  • Core Rulebook — The first book to be released, which presents the basics of the gameplay and contains rules for character creation, mechanics for tools, equipment, weapons, and vehicles, all to be used while exploring the world of the Transformers along with your friends (as well as the GM). The Core Rulebook also includes material for the Game Master, such as guidelines for creating adventures and campaigns, and a dossier of famous and infamous Cybertronians to use as non-player characters. A starter-adventure, "Troubled Waters", is included in the book to help prepare players and the GM for what the game has to offer.
  • Field Guide to Action and Adventure — A sourcebook meant to not only be used with the Transformers Roleplaying Game, but also with the Power Rangers Roleplaying Game and the G.I. Joe Roleplaying Game. The book offers new character options, as well as rules and tools for GMs to create crossover adventures between the aforementioned roleplaying games and new threats.
  • Decepticon Directive — A sourcebook all about creating Decepticon characters and running a Decepticon campaign. The Decepticon Directive Sourcebook adds several new character options, including a new Role, many of which are also compatible with Autobot characters. Various Decepticon-themed settings, non-player characters, gear, and so forth are also included for GM usage, along with a new adventure scenario.
  • Enigma of Combination — A sourcebook focusing on combiners and binary bonded characters, along with several new Roles, Inspirations, and Focuses.

Adventure scenarios

Adventure scenarios are pre-written game modules that provide a full session's worth of content for players, including characters to interact with, branching story paths based on their choices, and plenty of enemy encounters to overcome.

Regular release Play Renegade program Free RPG Day
  • "Cobra/Con Fusion" (cross-compatible with the G.I. Joe Roleplaying Game)
  • "Unnatural Disaster" (cross-compatible with the G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, and My Little Pony Roleplaying Games)
 Gen Con

Bonus material

Additional pieces of material, such as stat blocks for new characters and items the GM can choose to implement, are available as part of a free "Bonus Material" download, which is set to be updated with new content as time goes on.

Transformers Roleplaying Game Starter Bundle

A beginner’s collection of books, PDFs, and Autobot branded accessories to get started in the basic gameplay.

Accessories

  • Fillable PDF Character Sheet (August 2, 2022)
A fillable PDF file of a standard blank character sheet, to be used by the players. The sheet was released on the same day as the digital release of the Core Rulebook, and is available as a free download from Renegade's website.
An 80-page hardcover book designed for more detailed tracking of character information. The journal includes an expanded character sheet, prompts to assist with character building, cheat sheets and other guidelines for quick reference, and 40 pages of space intended for session note-taking.
We have a feeling that the players won't be able to go all-out murderhobo on these NPCs...
A physical screen designed to hide the contents of the Game Master's side of the table from prying eyes. While the exterior features artwork of Grimlock, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Wheeljack and Windblade, the inside of the screen features rules, lists, and reference tables for the GM's convenience. The screen also comes with a booklet containing the adventure scenario "A Beacon of Hope"; those who pre-ordered also received the PDF version of the adventure for free.
A double-lined fabric dice bag bearing the Autobot insignia; a Decepticon variant is schedule for release in November 2023. It measures 6.25 inches x 8.5 inches flat, and features a locking drawstring clasp. Perfect for holding...
A full set of dice required for play, with the Autobot insignia appearing in place of the highest number on each die to instantly let you know when you roll a critical success. The set includes two d20, a d12, a d10, a d8, a d6, a d4, and a d2 coin. A Decepticon set is scheduled for a November 2023 release.

Notes

References

<references />
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