The Energon Pub

Arbalest

Allegiance: Autobots
Function: Skirmisher/Hunter
Alternate Modes: Cybertronian Ballista Turret
Weapons: (Robot Mode:) Energon Halberd, Laser Javelins, Energon Bow, Miscellaneous Traps (Alt Mode:) Ballista
Height: 28 ft / 8.5 m
Quote: “You can always hit your targets, no matter how high you aim.”
Appearance: Primarily silver with black, orange and magenta highlights. Transforms into a Cybertronian Ballista, which is basically a large crossbow-styled turret. In robot mode, Arbalest is a bit towards the lean side, being relatively thinner than most, but has a slightly wider frame. The “bow arms” of the turret turn into his arms, shoulders and back, while the main body of the ballista becomes his torso. The base/grips of the ballista becomes his legs.

Strength: 5
Intelligence: 7
Dexterity: 7
Speed: 2
Endurance: 5
Courage: 8
Firepower: 8
Accuracy: 9
Melee: 7
Tech Skill: 7
Charisma: 5
Rank: 5

Profile:
Arbalest was never much of a bot to go after fame, wealth, success or any of that. He just wanted to be as good as he could in the things he did, so as to set the example of excellence in whatever field he decided to delve into. Long before the war, Arbalest was a simple mech who did any random errands that would come by. Though he only earned enough to survive, he was a happy mech. He never bothered others much, but he was always diligent and committed to his work. And when the war struck his home city of Praxus, his decision was firm. He was going to side with the not-quite-as-violent group, but he knew that none of that would last for long.

Having worked in so many different kinds of jobs, Arbalest became a jack of all trades, master of only one. One of the most common errands he used to run was preparing mechs of the upper circles for turbofox hunting. By watching them, Arbalest took some interest of his own in learning how to hunt. Making himself skilled with trapping and preying, he developed his skills outside of the optics of the very mechs he prepared the hunts for.

The Autobots found his hunting abilities to be useful. He was perfect for ambushes - silent, swift and always had his aim on mark. Designated to be a skirmisher in their ranks, his commanders were confident with his abilities. To Arbalest, it didn’t matter much. As long as he was helping the cause, everything was fine.

Abilities:
Arbalest is a skilled hunter. His aim is unparalleled, armed with an Energon Bow and several Javelins in robot mode. While not the fastest of weapons, they are precise, and a sharp shot is better than a missed one. Their piercing tips also aid in Arbalest’s aim. He also carries an Energon Halberd, which serves the dual purpose of both a slashing weapon and a stabbing weapon, without the shorter range of a sword. Most of the time, Arbalest also carries various kinds of other equipment, mostly traps, that further help him in his skirmishes. The most common of these include energy nets and snares, though usually Arbalest would try to procure other kinds should there be a need for such.

However, the most dangerous part of Arbalest’s arsenal is his alternate mode. Giving up all form of mobility in this mode, he transforms into a large ballista turret. Making up for the raw firepower that he lacks in robot mode, his turret mode allows him to fire at extreme range, with all the pinpoint accuracy of his robot mode. The turret can be loaded with both physical and energon bolts, dependent on the need of the situation, and at point blank range, a bolt fired can terribly damage another Cybertronian. In addition to this, the base of the turret is made up of a strong grip-like framework, which can either be extended as a tripod for flat surfaces or wrapped around an object to provide for a different angle, such as gripping upside down onto a horizontal pole.

Weaknesses:
Arbalest is immobile in alternate mode, and requires being in robot mode to move around. Aside from this, he is also not well geared for a proper firefight, as his rate of fire in both modes is only as fast as his reload time. His halberd is also not particularly suited for skirmishes, given that its size makes it a slower weapon to use.