Skid-Z
| F Rm 30 |
A Mn 75 |
S Ex 20 |
E Rm 30 |
R Rm 30 |
I Am 50 |
P Rm 30 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Gd 10* |
| Health: Karma: |
140 110 |
* Amongst humans, at least. Rm +30 among the Autobots, Rm -30 among Predacons / Decepticons.
Origin:
As is his fellow 'late arrival' on earth, Tow-Line, Skid-Z is an electromechanical being from Cybertron, a robot that strives to prevent Decepticon dominion of the universe. This alien may also be from another time period, making him doubly out of place on the planet earth.
Known Powers:
Cybertronian Physique: like his fellow Autobots, Skid-Z is a robotic entity of Cybertronian design and origin. As such, this high-speed, highly maneuverable combatant has, by his very nature, the use of a large variety of abilities that reflect this. His very body gives Skid-Z these super human powers:
* Body Armor: like most Cybertronians, Skid-Z was built (or formed) with a reinforced steel frame, one that offers him Excellent (20) resistance to injury. This makes him immune to most basic human attack forms, and moderately resistant to his fellow robots. His defense breaks down as follows:
Ex 20 / Ty 6 / Fe 2 / Sh 0 / Sh 0
* Growth: most Cybertronians have some degree of control over their size, no matter what form they take. Due to his significant height in his humanoid mode, Skid-Z has this power via technicality; he may very well grow somewhat while transforming, but doesn't appear to do so.
According to the standard Growth rules, Skid-Z has this power at Typical (6) rank, making him stand approximately twelve feet tall. Since his Strength rank is higher, this offers him no combat benefit, but on the other hand, human-sized folks targeting Skid-Z receive a +1 CS to hit him in battle.
The Ultimate Powers Book, however, gives Skid-Z this power at Poor (4) rank, making him out to be twice a normal human's size. This would grant the possessed Autobot a +1 CS to the Strength score listed above (raising it to Remarkable (30)), thus adding 10 points to his Health score.
According to the Transformers MSH Sourcebook, on the other hand, Skid-Z's statistics are geared towards mixing it up with beings of like size. As such, when fighting folks of normal human size, he should receive a +1 CS to the damage he inflicts upon them (+1 CS per 2 CS of growth).
Finally, per the Universal Heroes rules, Skid-Z has a +1 size factor. As such, he inflicts +1 CS damage vs normal human opponents, and has 1 CS of Damage Reduction against them. On the other hand, he is at a -1 CS to hit them in combat, while they receive a +1 CS to hit him.
* Invulnerability to Disease and Toxins: like all robots, Skid-Z is highly resistant to diseases and poisons that would kill organic beings. He possesses this resistance at Class 1k rank versus organic pathogens, and at Unearthly (100) versus more chemically creative substances.
* Microscopic / Telescopic Vision: all Transformers have the ability to alter their visual sensitivity where distance is concerned. Functioning at Feeble (2) rank, this power lets them see objects up to a mile distant with ease, as well as allowing them to read items on microfiche.
* Radio Transceiver: as are most all Transformers on earth, Skid-Z is equipped with an audio / video transmission system. This communications rig allows him instant contact with any other Cybertronian on earth, having Excellent (20) range (25,000 miles).
Headlights: to better emulate earthen vehicles (and since they come in handy in the dark), most automotive Transformers on earth are equipped with a set of convenient headlights. These twin lamps can be used to generate Excellent (20) intensity illumination, making driving at night no problem.
Shape Change: whenever he desires, Skid-Z can transform between his humanoid and F-1 racer mode, and often does so quickly in battle to maximize the use of his abilities. This power is voice-activated, however ('Skid-Z, Transform!'). His F-1 racer mode has these vehicular statistics:
| C Un 100 |
S Mn 75* |
B Rm 30 |
P Gd 10 |
* Note that this Speed rating does not account for the effects of his super speed power.
Super Speed: the one ability that sets Skid-Z apart from his fellow Autobots (especially Mirage, the Spychanger who shares the same vehicular form), this power reflects this heroic Cybertronian's unparalleled handling, maneuverability, and powers of acceleration.
Possessing this power at Unearthly (100) rank, Skid-Z can use this ability to accelerate from zero to his maximum speed, which is 150 miles per hour, virtually instantaneously. Furthermore, Skid-Z can substitute this rank for his Agility at any time, making him very, very hard to touch in battle.
Equipment:
Blaster: a warrior by trade, Skid-Z carries a powerful blaster on him in his humanoid mode, kept in a sub-space pocket when not in use. Curiously shaped like the classic Decepticon warrior, Shockwave, this blaster can be fired to inflict Incredible (40) Force damage per burst.
Quirks:
Mania / 'Race Mania' 3: having been possessed by the spirit of Auggie Cahnay when his stasis pod scanned the deceased race driver's F-1 racer, Skid-Z acquired the man's obsession with winning races - any races. When a race begins near him, Skid-Z must pass a Psyche FEAT at -3 CS to resist entering it.
Talents:
Acrobatics: acting primarily as a scout, seeking out Decepticon / Predacon shenanigans, Skid-Z has learned how to take maximum advantage of his incredible speed, acceleration, and reflexes. As such, he can attempt dodge, escape, and evade maneuvers at his Agility score +1 CS.
Advanced Guns: being a warrior by trade, at least when not scouting for the Autobots (or trying to trounce the participants of some race or another), Skid-Z has to know how to at least use his own, advanced weapon. When using energy-based weaponry, Skid-Z does so at +1 CS.
Contacts:
Although he showed up on the planet a bit later than his fellows, Skid-Z can naturally rely upon the many earth-bound Autobots for assistance should he need it; after all, they helped him when he first arrived - all of 'em. This is because, despite his curious mental issues, he comes through for them as well.
Likeness:
In his vehicle mode, Skid-Z perfectly resembles a white F-1 racer with metallic purple trim in places, silver hub caps, and blue under-carriage parts. When transformed into his humanoid form, Skid-Z simply appears to be a robot built from assorted white, blue, and purple F-1 racer bits.
Personality:
Skid-Z is an Autobot scout more so than a warrior, and enjoys confounding his enemies with his amazing speed. Of course, this youthful Cybertronian is obsessed with winning any race he encounters, thanks to the bizarre influence of a dead human's spirit within his personality matrix...
Real Name: Skid-Z
Occupation: scout, warrior
Legal Status: citizen of Cybertron with no known criminal record on earth
Marital Status: inapplicable
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: the Autobots
Height: 12' (approximately)
Hair: inapplicable
Eyes: orange
Weight: less than 1 ton
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Skid-Z is composed of a strong alien metal that is primarily white and purple in hue, regardless of his form.
Story:
Skid-Z, unlike most of his fellow Autobots, arrived on the planet after the Predacons had made their intentions on earth painfully apparent. However, he was no less dedicated to protecting earth from their nefarious plans. To this end, he chose to have his stasis pod scan one of the fastest cars on earth.
To better reflect his own skills, of course. This car wound up being that which was used by the late Auggie Cahnay, a racer who, curiously, had dealings with another wave of Transformers during their stay on earth. Not knowing of this or the human's obsession with winning, Skid-Z scanned the vehicle gleefully.
What he didn't expect, though, was that his personality matrix would be possessed by Cahnay's wants. This caused the suddenly schizophrenic Autobot to enter every single race he encountered, no matter how inappropriate it would be for him to do so, in order to win - to the detriment of all else.
He continued to do so even after he was approached by Sky-Bite, in that Predacon's effort to sway the confused Cybertronian to his lord's evil cause. Though Skid-Z easily avoided the villain's advances, he was targeted by Sky-Bite and his fellows when he entered the International Grand Prix.
Now, when Skid-Z didn't contact his fellows once he arrived on earth, the Autobots came looking for him, and after figuring out what had happened to him (and what form he had taken on this primarily organic world) they ultimately ended Megatron's efforts to turn Skid-Z over to the 'dark side'.
Of course, he managed to do so only after Megatron almost killed Optimus Prime and the Autobot Brothers. Though this direct threat to his friends' safety temporarily snapped him out of his weird race mania, Skid-Z quickly reverted to his confused state after the fight for his life had ended.
The other Autobots knew that Skid-Z had to sort out the weird, otherworldy influences within his mind, and as such they left him to his own devices. Over time, the high-speed scout came to terms with Cahnay's spirit and motives somewhat, and as such was able to help his allies in their final earthen battle.
Having changed into Galvatron, the Predacon formerly known as Megatron had the Autobots on the ropes, but with Skid-Z's assistance, the collected force of heroic Cybertronians managed to defeat their foe at last. After beating him, the Autobots then took a nice, long vacation on earth.
They spent some time recovering from the fight, but after this was done, Skid-Z and his fellows went back home at long last. Naturally, they took all the Predacons and Decepticons they'd defeated (and captured) with them back to Cybertron, removing their threat from earth once and for all...!
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