The Energon Pub

Ohhh man this thing is sweet!

Plastic feels good, even the transformation pays homage to the g1 figure! The devastator hand is tight, screws everywhere, not like the crappy crazy devy ball and sockets that pop out against a stiff breeze. This is the best incarnation of scavenger there has ever been.

Two things I'm unhappy about are, one side of the cockpit's paint is a strange lacquer paint or something and it's quite shotty but not noticeable from the other side. The other is the ball and socket head is a bit loose on mine but that's a small fix as well. The only reason I bring them up is because they are there, and probably shouldn't be for a $100.00 toy. Also be careful about flipping down the connector joint (same as the universe combiner sockets) as it is very tight the first time.

Oh, and this thing is MASSIVE!!! the arm mode is almost as tall as my fully decked out crazy devy devastator! AWESOME!. Can't wait for the rest now!

Paint flaw in cockpit:





Alt mode:



Not-Devastator hand tucked away in alt mode underneath:




Alt mode size comparison:



Robot mode:



Robot mode comparison:





Arm mode:

Sweet! Can't wait to get mine! How bout' you post some pics of the paint issue and some size comparison pics to go with your review!

Okay added some pictures before going on vacation, sorry if the pics arent the highest quality. light piping is pretty sweet and pics were taken about 5 mins after item was opened and removed from box.

I love the way he looks.. Lately I cannot justify $100 for a transformer toy though..

Thanks for the review! Now I'm really glad I got him.

Vehicle and limb modes are fine. Robot mode turns me off a great deal. I also don't like the multi colored gun setup. It just looks goofy.

At $600.00 for the whole set, it's a big pass. I'll either stick with my Energon Devastator, or buy the Maketoys one.

Just not this one.

And can we please drop the "Not-" thing? Just call it what it is.

Autobot032 wrote:Vehicle and limb modes are fine. Robot mode turns me off a great deal. I also don't like the multi colored gun setup. It just looks goofy.

At $600.00 for the whole set, it's a big pass. I'll either stick with my Energon Devastator, or buy the Maketoys one.

Just not this one.

And can we please drop the "Not-" thing? Just call it what it is.

The translucent gun is just kind of a bonus, you don't have to use it in the combiner gun mode. Rather you can have one solid gun and one translucent gun, or I guess you could mix and match.

I agree with the "not" naming, it's goofy. I just call him Scavenger.

This really is an awesome figure. I got mine today from RK, and have been very impressed with everything from the packaging to the figure itself. Waiting until next year to complete this thing is going to be a killer.

I've decided to get it. It doesn't look G1 in it's robot mode, but this is true for many Classics. I'm not hardcore into the G1 designs, so this is just my speed.

Maketoys ... maybe if I save up ...

i might get this, just hope the face is somewhat G1 accurate...

_Devastator_ wrote:i might get this, just hope the face is somewhat G1 accurate...

It doesn't seem to be especially accurate.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Constructicon_%28G1%29

Which is a small bummer.

The head is fairly true to the generation 1 cartoon save for two light piping bulbs at the top. I was hesitant about completing this set because I had heard issues about tfc and quality control, but after havig this in hand it's an automatic buy for me. Hell if they were slightly less I would buy them if they didnt combine as this Scavenger is an awesome representation of the cartoon version.

not my cup-o-tea but glad youre enjoying it. great pics dude

Looks sweet. I have two on preorder but they wont ship until all my Fansproject Insecticons ship.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:

_Devastator_ wrote:i might get this, just hope the face is somewhat G1 accurate...

It doesn't seem to be especially accurate.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Constructicon_%28G1%29

Which is a small bummer.

i meant the completed devastator head, i dont worry about this too much cause if i get this i'd have displayed as devastator only.

i want it but just cant justify the asking price and the huge ass long wait to getting them all

worst is you know some scumbag and evil-bay will charge a fortune for all these bots together

i just cant see paying £70 A PIECE for 1 robot when i have to collect 6 of them to make devastator

I got FP insecticons for £30 each and they were all with free postage...there the same size scale and these guys yet they cost 70 a pop?

might just wait till FP devastator is done and settle with that

Swindle01 wrote:i want it but just cant justify the asking price and the huge ass long wait to getting them all

worst is you know some scumbag and evil-bay will charge a fortune for all these bots together

i just cant see paying £70 A PIECE for 1 robot when i have to collect 6 of them to make devastator

I got FP insecticons for £30 each and they were all with free postage...there the same size scale and these guys yet they cost 70 a pop?

might just wait till FP devastator is done and settle with that

I'm not sure that they are in the same size scale, so the price increase is justified. From what I have read and seen (I am also waiting on the FP Insecticons to ship my Exgraver), Exgraver is Deluxe/Voyager scale and his price range is almost identical to FP's own Warbot which was a similar size scale. The FP Insecticons seem to be a Scout sized product, which puts it's price range with the rest of the line. Now yes it's going to be expensive to complete the set, but it also is coming out over a year period, which is good because I wouldn't be able to justify the asking price in one lump sum at this time.

Also, the MakeToy version (FP is not making a Devastator) has no release date, so not to be cynical, but it may be years until it is released - if it is at all. Not to mention with no word on pricing/individual releases, this could end up being very expensive as well. If MakeToys keeps with FP style pricing, this could very well go for $300-400 for the set.

And in all honesty, size has nothing to do with pricing in the 3rd party, supply and demand does. Exgraver cost me a few more dollars than PE Scouting Force and less than the full set of FP Insecticons, but I think they are all worth their price because they are not only filling a void in my collection, but they are engineered brilliantly - in some cases even better than official products. So at the end of the day, yes is it a lot of money for a toy, sure, but no more than we as collectors have proven willing to spend in the past.

insecticons scout sized? from what ive seen there deluxe size (on scale with classics hotrod etc)

also toymaker is pretty much FP, there just a side company which still has alot of the same people in it. Also with toymaker i get the impression that considering all the bots are actually finished that they will release them as a group set rather than single like that hercules is going to be

either way its good to have a choice of what devastator to get, just takes the piss alittle on how much exgraver costs on his own

Swindle01 wrote:insecticons scout sized? from what ive seen there deluxe size (on scale with classics hotrod etc)

also toymaker is pretty much FP, there just a side company which still has alot of the same people in it. Also with toymaker i get the impression that considering all the bots are actually finished that they will release them as a group set rather than single like that hercules is going to be

either way its good to have a choice of what devastator to get, just takes the piss alittle on how much exgraver costs on his own

You are right they do look larger than the other two figures in the same series, so hopefully they are larger ... even though at Scout size I wouldn't mind. Insects should be smaller than planes.

And I want to support MT, I think their upgrade to G2 Prime looks fantastic and ass soon as that becomes available for pre-order I will jump at the chance, but just because a prototype is made doesn't mean it will happen.

I hope all their prototypes become realities and that they have great quality. And I love competition in companies as much as the next guy, but without a release date or an estimated price for their "Build" team, I'm not going to miss out on the Hercules set on the chance that something else will be released and/or will be cheaper.

I like everything except the robot mode. But, that isn't a huge gripe considering I'll keep him in Devy mode most of the time. In agreement with everyone else, the wait will suck.

I would love to buy into this set as the Constructicons were always my favorite, but these are a little above my priceline and I have to draw the line somewhere.


It would be nice if these were $50 a pop, but due to chronic medical conditions and everything I've got preordered at BBTS I think that I'll pass on this set.

Thank You! Was feeling kinda nervous about this one so Im glad to hear its of relatively good quality. Should get mine on the second. About time we get a decent Devastator to go with the Masterpiece line. The fact that its a year or so for all of them does suck but at least it will keep me married.

I received my Exgraver thismorning. I love it!

All the joints are solid and strong, the plastic feels dense and well-made. The only joint issues I have are a slightly loose head, which nail polish fixed, and the ratcheting joint for the base of the digger arm is scarily tight. However after moving it a bit and realising just how solid the plastic is, it no longer bothers me.
I think the reason why the head was loose was the fact that the socket of the ball and socket is clear plastic, so has less tolerance than the tougher plastic.

The colours are perfect, a nice deep purple and a bright, almost pearlescent green.

The robot mode is a wonderful representation of a Classicsverse Scavenger. It has many cues to G1 and Dreamwave without being a slavish copy. It has the full range of articulation we have grown to expect despite a chunky and solid look. The excellent joints means it can hold any range of poses. I did notice if you overextend the ratcheted feet (ie point the toes like a ballerina), they come un-geared. It is simple enough to realign them, but it is something to be aware of.

The excavator mode is very solid. The way the grey pegs lock the tracks in place using the fist mounting holes is cunning. It is clear they could have made it more sophisticated as they clearly have the skill, but they went for elegant simplicity and solidity instead.

The arm mode is very satisfying, Hercules will be a well articulated and rock-solid combiner. My only complaint is the thumb could have a wider range of motion.

I always customise my transformers and Exgraver is no exception. A large con symbol either side and a smaller one on the chest was a start. I also stripped the black paint from the hands (the usual alcohol trick works fine) to give him G1 green hands and also to help hide the hands in alt mode. I painted the base of the digger arm green, and the purple sections on the side of the digger. I painted the 5mm peg above the cockpit orange to look like a hazard light, and I painted the translucent red gun black like his G1 "Kills in one hit" gun. I masked the depressed pieces before spraying it black, so the translucent red shows through, it looks awesome. I think I will do that with the rest of the red guns on the other constructicons, ignoring that Long Haul and Bonecrusher had green guns in G1.
I plan to add purple to the legs and feet, leaving the tracks black, but I need purple paint first, so no pics til I get my paint!

I think Exgraver is an excellent toy, and Hercules will be fantastic. It was well worth the 84usd shipped that I paid for it.

Here's a few pics I snapped.

Haha, I like the pictures with him attached to the classics Devy. I'm glad this guy has turned out to be a success. My only grip is his lower half. I wish the legs could extend a little or there was more to them than just the treads. I'm going to buy this guy soon, but I'm trying to hold out on pictures of a completed Hercules first.