Transformers in role-playing games

June 25, 11:06 PMRPG ExaminerMichael Tresca

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So you want to play a giant transforming robot, but there's no officially licensed Transformers role-playing game. What to do? Fear not – there's more fan-based role-playing conversions than you can shake a Walther P38 at (that's a Decepticon joke).

The Transformers have a long history harkening back to the eighties, when the robots first debuted on screen. There were a couple of attributes that differentiated Transformers from say, GoBots, who have become a forgotten running joke.

For one, Transformers were violent. Megatron transformed into a realistic-looking pistol. Similarly, the Decepticons turned into all sorts of tanks, jet fighters, and anything else little boys might find cool. Autobots were a little less cool (cars are fun, but after a certain point you can only have so many), but then there were the Dinobots who are pretty much what they sound like: transforming dinosaurs. In essence, Transformers took every toy boys love and amped up the awesomeness by making it transform into a giant robot. VW Bug? No, giant robot. Tractor trailer? No, giant robot! Dump truck? How about a GIANT ROBOT THAT JOINS OTHER ROBOTS TO BECOME A MASSIVE ROBOT! You get the idea.

Secondly, Transformers had a huge amount of media support. Seconded only by G.I. Joe, you could own every toy you saw in the cartoon. The comics, which took the series in a different direction, were everywhere. Transformers wasn't just a concept, it was a thing you could hold and play with and transform, doing what kids do best: take things apart.

Third, Transformers rocked, literally. From the kicking theme song to the music in the Transformers movie, to Weird Al's "Dare to Be Stupid," Transformers was embraced as cool by adults as much as it was by kids. Transformers reached a perfect synergy between what kids wanted and what the media hype produced.

Of course, this new era of the Transformers movie is due to Gen X nostalgia. The kids of the eighties are now grownups with buying power, and the movie series appeals to them on the most visceral level. It's also an excuse to reboot the franchise and answer the hypothetical question that every kid whispered to their friends: What if Transformers were real?

Putting Transformers in a role-playing game setting is challenging for a few reasons. To begin with, Transformers are not people, although they often act like people. The scriptwriters remembered this attribute only when it suited the plot. But that doesn't change the fact that Transformers are robots first and foremost, and the majority of role-playing games implicitly support a human-like model of wounds, healing, sleep, and eating. Transformers don't really do all that, so any rules for playing them must accommodate these abilities without making them so unbalancing that there's no room for other types of characters. Why?

Because Transformers are also about transforming into something innocuous. There's a reason for Transformers pretending they're something else, and humans make a convincing accessory. Beyond the stupid kid who always tags along with the giant robot, there's plenty of opportunities for human characters to be involved. Which means you can't just commit to Transformers being giant scale robots without rules for their softer, squishier friends.

Finally, Transformers have to actually transform. This transformation ability is practically limitless, from the aforementioned Megatron transforming and shrinking down to a pistol, to robots having two or even three alternate forms, to robots that merge together into even bigger robots. At this point most role-playing systems break down, because alternate forms are essentially alternate characters, and any power gamer worth the title will be sure to pick a tank/jet fighter combo.

There are several homemade versions bringing Transformers to your favorite role-playing game, including conversions for Mekton Zeta, White Wolf, and Hero System. There are also many systems that lend themselves to giant robots, including Cartoon Action Hour, Mechaton, and True 20. DriveThruRPG has a Movie Mayhem sale from the 25th through the 28th of June that features a variety of role-playing games featuring giant robots, including Battletech, Heavy Gear, Battlefield Evolution, Mekton, Rifts, and even Spycraft.