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[sol magnus]

i've noted in other threads (or maybe this one, they grow so fast) that I'm considering downsizing my Masterpiece collection for the WFC trilogy line. There are a few reasons:

1) My son is coming into the age where I can share the figures and the hobby with him. He knows who all the major characters are. He can play with them with - minimal - fear from me about whether he somehow breaks one or not.

2) The Masterpiece line, while not losing my business per se, is only becoming more expensive as time goes by. When I essentially traded out my CHUG collection for Masterpiece, I did a monetary comparison of figure selection and frequency of release vs. cost between CHUG and Masterpiece. At the previous time, I was actually saving money by buying Masterpiece figures at a lesser frequency than trying to keep up with the numerous CHUG releases I would inevitably want.

By downsizing my Masterpiece collection, I can keep my "hero versions" of my favorite/sentimental characters and the cost won't be as much of a factor.

3)Shelf space comes at a premium with Transformers. Especially Masterpiece. My son and I can get more figures to choose from for our "missions" with WFC figures.

There's a lot of pros to making this move, but there are some cons, as I've discovered in the act of (not) buying the figures when confronted with the possibility:

I purchased Ultra Magnus when I decided I was going to go through with this and found him in a Target in my area. That's the first step. Buying one. Not that I haven't bought this or that over the years since I've been concentrating on Masterpiece, but those were figures I just felt I had to have because I loved what they did with the figure (CW Ultra Magnus (Minimus Ambus), Titans Return Galvatron, Power of the Primes Optimus Prime, PotP Rodimus I didn't get but only because I simply never saw one in the store, Thrilling 30 Voyager Springer). I still appreciate the engineering as well as the characters, Masterpiece or no.

WFC S Magnus is a whole different decision making process, even if it overlaps with other areas. I'm a Magnus mark. But, the first thing that went "wrong" was the price tag. Fifty bucks is a lot of money for leader class. Seems like they just keep going up. I know about plastics and the cost of doing business. But it's fifty bucks. I paid forty for Optimus PotP from Walmart. Probably same for CW Magnus. Depending on the level of involvement I go with this with my son, that's going to add up quick. It colored my decision making on further figures immediately.

I was going for another figure just yesterday and WFC S Megatron was available. I had the money. I could have bought him. But I froze. Again, the price tag. 30 bucks. Did Voyagers go up? Weren't they less than 20 a few years ago? 20 tops? I KNOW all day long I didn't pay that for TR Galvatron - I wouldn't. I don't remember PotP Grimlock being 30 either, even though I never purchased him.

This isn't to say I simply won't pay 30 quid for Megatron. From everything I've seen, he's a phenomenal figure. However, would it perhaps be better to wait for the inevitable Leader Class Megatron? Or would it be better to get this one and skip the Leader when the time comes? I'm not interested in getting EVERY figure or every mold or any of that nonsense. I skipped several (although not enough) Masterpiece figures since 2012 or 2013. I'm just trying to balance the idea that my son will be playing with them, they're generally expensive toys even if not to the hilarious degree that Masterpeice is, and that there will be more than one version of several marquee level characters in this line. I froze, bottom line. But hunting down these guys I'm looking at almost 500 bucks if I wanted them all -

50/100 Ultra Magnus/Shockwave
30/120 Prime/Megatron/Soundwave/Starscream
10/80(?) 8 different micromasters/targetmasters
20/100 5 or 6 different deluxe class figures

Math isn't exact, but it's not all that far off. As a collector, I'm probably overthinking this, but there's no where else for me to let out this...angst.

Thoughts?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Sol, let me give you some of my thoughts on your dilemma.

For MP vs Generations, It all depends on how many figures you are going to be going for and who. Generations will put out a lot more of them a lot faster, whereas you might never get some of the figures coming out in the MP scale. I very much doubt there will ever be an MP Flywheels, Cog, etc. And the Generations will be far better for your son, especially the way the MPs are going with more complex and tinier and tinier parts.

As for the price, I think you might be mistaking the prices lately. The last time a voyager figure was $20 or lower that I can remember was 2011, Dark of the Moon/Prime was the last price raise. the Titans Return Galvatron retailed at $25-28 depending on the store. Leaders have not been less than $45 since 2011 as well, DotM/Prime being that cutoff as well. the prices went up again this year, but that's due to better articulation, more paint, and better quality figures. So the prices you are thinking of are 8 years old at least.

Also, there is no Leader Megatron rumor. There is a Leader Optimus, but it's a Cybertron styled one, not a G1 one. So that one depends on your preference.

If you go the Generations route, it'll be cheaper in the long run, more figures for the same price. Especially considering that the Siege Prime voyager is $30 and the new MP is $320-$450 depending on where you get it from.

I personally would go the Generations route, but a nice mix of the 2 will not hurt you either

[Jeddostotle7]

This isn't to say I simply won't pay 30 quid for Megatron. From everything I've seen, he's a phenomenal figure. However, would it perhaps be better to wait for the inevitable Leader Class Megatron? Or would it be better to get this one and skip the Leader when the time comes?

Given Hasbro's increasing commitment to inter-class scaling for the past couple years that became especially deliberate and pronounced with this line, I don't know if we'll be getting a Leader-class Megatron again, unless it's an super armored-up one.

[blackeyedprime]

@Sol, I think mix and match works quite well but if I ever considered downsizing and trying to spend less (which I have tried to do quite unsucessfully) I'd be looking at the magic square or hot soldiers legends style goodness and the Generations titan figures with the occasional base bot (Titans Return Overlord) & real scale alt mode bots (Siege reflector, TR Perceptor etc).

I'm pretty sure that would still be failing at downsizing with keeping X amount of 2Ft tall robots around, but it's my back up plan. My downsiziing of beastwars worked too well, sell them all, then can't afford BW MPs = hardly no beastwars)

[william-james88]

I'm looking at almost 500 bucks

50/100 Ultra Magnus/Shockwave
30/120 Prime/Megatron/Soundwave/Starscream
10/80(?) 8 different micromasters/targetmasters
20/100 5 or 6 different deluxe class figures

Math isn't exact, but it's not all that far off. As a collector, I'm probably overthinking this, but there's no where else for me to let out this...angst.

Thoughts?

The assumption here is you are stuck paying full price. If you are patient and diligent, you could get those toys for much less. The last non exclusive TF i bought for the full price was generations armada Starscream 5 years ago.

Pay attention to Amazon as prices go down, then go to target and price match on all the toys you want. Target doesnt have individual codes for the characters so you can buy them all for the lowest price you find of one specific character.

[sol magnus]

Sol, let me give you some of my thoughts on your dilemma.

For MP vs Generations, It all depends on how many figures you are going to be going for and who. Generations will put out a lot more of them a lot faster, whereas you might never get some of the figures coming out in the MP scale. I very much doubt there will ever be an MP Flywheels, Cog, etc. And the Generations will be far better for your son, especially the way the MPs are going with more complex and tinier and tinier parts.

As for the price, I think you might be mistaking the prices lately. The last time a voyager figure was $20 or lower that I can remember was 2011, Dark of the Moon/Prime was the last price raise. the Titans Return Galvatron retailed at $25-28 depending on the store. Leaders have not been less than $45 since 2011 as well, DotM/Prime being that cutoff as well. the prices went up again this year, but that's due to better articulation, more paint, and better quality figures. So the prices you are thinking of are 8 years old at least.

Also, there is no Leader Megatron rumor. There is a Leader Optimus, but it's a Cybertron styled one, not a G1 one. So that one depends on your preference.

If you go the Generations route, it'll be cheaper in the long run, more figures for the same price. Especially considering that the Siege Prime voyager is $30 and the new MP is $320-$450 depending on where you get it from.

I personally would go the Generations route, but a nice mix of the 2 will not hurt you either

Thanks for the response.

Just want to point out, I'm not saying Leader Megatron is rumored, just saying they have a trilogy and it's highly likely there will be one in the next three years. I'd love for this to be THE Megatron. It's a great figure. I'll likely wait for 'Cybertron' inspired Optimus as the logical compliment to Ultra Magnus because my son would love that. If that's the case, then Voyager Prime wouldn't be coming to our collection. Does that make sense? It would be the reverse for Megatron if I were to wait for a hopeful figure that may or may not exist now or in the future. My gut says buy the Megatron now. I definitely froze, though.

As far as the prices, I am out of date. I've been living it up almost strictly Masterpiece for the last six years since they went with scale. I do have the ones I mentioned (never opened, a crime in and of itself). I think they may have been about five buck cheaper on average. I didn't do any ebay or BBTS/TFsource on any of them. I found them in stores and scooped them up.

As a longtime buyer, I do have certain disciplines in spending. I may have kicked out 50 for PotP Optimus, because my son wants an Optimus with a "Matwix" (he's 6) and he ain't getting a Masterpiece, but the figure is just too much for him - or me - to allow him to have at this stage. Which leaves me with a figure I probably shouldn't have bought. (haha!)

There's also not as burning a need to be complete on this, either. Flywheels almost seems beside the point. My son isn't going to know who he is, and I'm not ever going to care beyond MTMTE...and he's no Springer. But "evergreens" like Soundwave, Hound, Prowl - either I care or my son cares or we both care. That's the focus. But then, I do love the little bits with the gun blasts, so I can spring for some of those.

Also, I'm not ever likely to be completely out on Masterpiece. I'll likely buy the Prime.

Anyway, thanks again for the reply. It does help.

[sol magnus]

This isn't to say I simply won't pay 30 quid for Megatron. From everything I've seen, he's a phenomenal figure. However, would it perhaps be better to wait for the inevitable Leader Class Megatron? Or would it be better to get this one and skip the Leader when the time comes?

Given Hasbro's increasing commitment to inter-class scaling for the past couple years that became especially deliberate and pronounced with this line, I don't know if we'll be getting a Leader-class Megatron again, unless it's an super armored-up one.

It probably would be, and my son would go bonkers for that. That's the dilemma.

[sol magnus]

@Sol, I think mix and match works quite well but if I ever considered downsizing and trying to spend less (which I have tried to do quite unsucessfully) I'd be looking at the magic square or hot soldiers legends style goodness and the Generations titan figures with the occasional base bot (Titans Return Overlord) & real scale alt mode bots (Siege reflector, TR Perceptor etc).

I'm pretty sure that would still be failing at downsizing with keeping X amount of 2Ft tall robots around, but it's my back up plan. My downsiziing of beastwars worked too well, sell them all, then can't afford BW MPs = hardly no beastwars)

It's very easy to fail at downsizing. I was supposed to own about half the Masterpiece figures I ended up with.

[sol magnus]

I'm looking at almost 500 bucks

50/100 Ultra Magnus/Shockwave
30/120 Prime/Megatron/Soundwave/Starscream
10/80(?) 8 different micromasters/targetmasters
20/100 5 or 6 different deluxe class figures

Math isn't exact, but it's not all that far off. As a collector, I'm probably overthinking this, but there's no where else for me to let out this...angst.

Thoughts?

The assumption here is you are stuck paying full price. If you are patient and diligent, you could get those toys for much less. The last non exclusive TF i bought for the full price was generations armada Starscream 5 years ago.

Pay attention to Amazon as prices go down, then go to target and price match on all the toys you want. Target doesnt have individual codes for the characters so you can buy them all for the lowest price you find of one specific character.

I'll certainly keep that in mind. One of the reasons I ended up with all the Masterpiece figures I did was because I started out super-focused and got AWESOME deals in the early going. I know how to save a buck. I'm talking "retail", but I don't intend to pay full retail for every figure.

I think I have to make a mental adjustment to a kind of collecting I haven't been doing for a few years. Thanks to everybody for their excellent responses. I know my posts tend to be grunts, but I'm as passionate about these robots as anybody.

[no-one]

Taking a crack at pushing the battle damage concept a little farther without actually modifying or damaging the figure.

[william-james88]

The Transformers Siege wave 2 deluxes were first found at US retail earlier this month and since then a few reviews emerged. We have some below from both Chuckdawg1999 and Emgo. The reviews show us deluxe Chromia, Ironhide, Sixgun and Prowl. These are available at Walmart right now and are just shy of $20, which is the MSRP. Chromia, as you will see, is not a combiner limb and thus will not be part of the Elita 1 combiner. Let us know what you think of these toys and if you will be getting them all or not.

While the wave 2 voyager bots were also found recently, we still have yet to see the leader, Battle Master and Micro Master class at retail, so if you find them, let us know.

Ironhide is a large deluxe that feels solid but suffers from some thin plastic and weak panels with a weapon that could've been designed a touch better. SixGun has a weaker vehicle mode than Cog from Wave 1 but makes up for it with the sheer number of weapons it can form. Both are solid additions to any collection.

Prowl is a solid deluxe class figure and a nice update to the previously released Classics and Combiner Wars versions. Transformation is smooth and intuitive but the resulting figure has short legs that cause the overall proportions of the figure to look off. Being a core member of the Autobots it would be hard not to recommend their actual RoboCop.

[Wolfman Jake]

So far every Siege figure for me is a buy and I don't know if that's a good or bad thing

It's not a good thing, my friend. It's a GREAT thing!

I'm super happy tonight too. I was tired after work and on the fence about stopping by another Walmart for a look at their Transformers section and just going straight home to decompress, but it paid off. I finally found both Starscream and Soundwave! I've got the Voyager Class of Wave 2 now covered, along with the Micro Masters in m stack at TFSource. The only Deluxe I've gotten so far is Prowl, though. Still need the other three and the Battle Masters.

[Nemesis Maximo]

I was able to snag Six-gun on Hasbro Pulse for $9.99...but he still hasn’t shipped out yet.

[Hellscream9999]

I was able to snag Six-gun on Hasbro Pulse for $9.99...but he still hasn’t shipped out yet.

That's cuz they haven't received anything for wave 2 yet, you pre-ordered it, should be close to them getting it though - hopefully

[Cyberpath]

Source: Loopaza Mega Store

[Evil Eye]

So here's a funny question- what non-Siege figures do you guys think would "supplement" this line well? I can actually see a lot of the old BM Vehicon toys making very good cannon fodder (for either side with some stickers, depending on individual colours and designs), along with some of the Energon and Cybertron figures (Energon Landmine would look right at home next to the Siege Autobots IMO).

On the 3P side of things, some of the Planet X figures might work quite well- the Seekers they made would IMO make very good generics ala the Bumblebee movie (helped by their Thundercracker and Skywarp having quite different colours from G1).

[Hellscream9999]

So here's a funny question- what non-Siege figures do you guys think would "supplement" this line well? I can actually see a lot of the old BM Vehicon toys making very good cannon fodder (for either side with some stickers, depending on individual colours and designs), along with some of the Energon and Cybertron figures (Energon Landmine would look right at home next to the Siege Autobots IMO).

On the 3P side of things, some of the Planet X figures might work quite well- the Seekers they made would IMO make very good generics ala the Bumblebee movie (helped by their Thundercracker and Skywarp having quite different colours from G1).

I think some of the extravagantly weird stuff form cybertron would work really well here, like the speed and giant planet guys

[Dr. Caelus]

So here's a funny question- what non-Siege figures do you guys think would "supplement" this line well? I can actually see a lot of the old BM Vehicon toys making very good cannon fodder (for either side with some stickers, depending on individual colours and designs).

I can confirm that this is true, and its the primary reason I went on a Vehicon ebay-shopping spree after Christmas. Mega-class Tankors look great with Siege Megatron. Deluxe Jetstorms look cool with Shockwave if you can put them all on flight stands.

Also a cool looking display combo:
1 Siege Megatron
2 Cybertron Sideways
3 BM Tankors
6 Cybertron Scrapmetal Drones
1 PotP Predaking

[Sentinel_Primal]

I've actually been using the old WFC/FOC figures that I have as additional troops. Granted, I don't have many of them considering I wasn't collecting at the time a lot of them were released. The ones I did already have was Ruination (always loved combiners), Blaster with Ramhorn and Eject in addition and that legends Bumblebee from T30. Then I picked up the T30 Seekers and might pick up the deluxe Cliffjumper so he can be a different mold than Bumblebee. The lack of blockiness for the WFC/FOC figures isn't really too bad because the new WFC figures are stylized versions with more greeble anyway

[william-james88]

[Cobotron]

HOLY FUUUUUUUUUUUUDGE STICKS!

[Jelze Bunnycat]

The magic of creativity... and 5mm ports

[Sarahthecutevixen]

I don't think Soundwave is suppose to throw Ravage...and hey my hand makes a cameo

[Ironhidensh]

I picked up Starscream today. While he isn't as bad as has been made out, he defiantly breaks the streak of Decepticon voyagers being freaking awesome.

[no-one]

I picked up Starscream today. While he isn't as bad as has been made out, he defiantly breaks the streak of Decepticon voyagers being freaking awesome.

I'm trying hard to hold out for a slight discount on Starscream. Bot mode looked good (better than expected in person), but I'm still not sold on the tetrajet with legs.

Soundwave on the other hand is murdering it. I even like his weird space barge thing.


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