The Energon Pub

Over the years BotCon has produced a variety of boxed sets. From gnarly paint jobs and confusing groupings, to some really awesome ideas and highly anticipated and sought after figures. So which is your favorite boxed set you either got, held, or just saw online or in person? Which surprised you or disappointed you? Which one do you still want really really REALLY bad? (Like, give your right arm bad) I'm asking about boxed sets only, not any of the add-ons, souvenirs, or attendee-only figures.

Personally, I've been to only 1 BotCon, last year. So I have very little actual experience with personally handling boxed sets, but I think the Animated Stunticons turned out really well. Now I just hope the 3rd party Menasor kit comes through...

Personally, my favourite has been the G2 Redux set. Pyro and Clench were great and the supporting figures were awesome too. They even found a way to giv us Sky-Byte and Sharkticons.

It was all done in a neat tied-up theme, whereas this year's seems to be a cobbled together, throw-randomness-together mess.

My favorite is also the 2011 Stunticons. Not because I have it and went to the con(I have select previous Botcon figures), but because I absolutely love the Animated figures and the idea of using the box to do an entire team was so brilliant.

Wings of Honor. Because it's the only one I have!

The G2 set looked impressive. I did snag G2 Breakdown and I do like him, especially thanks to his connection to past Botcons. Of the Wings set I really like Scourge. Still! If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably still get him. The color choices on him are fantastic.

The Pre-Beast Wars set also seemed great. That's probably their best. Not only for the toys themselves, but the concept really hit it out of the park.

Out of all the figures I've seen online that I didn't buy yet, I'd have to say I still want Deathsaurus. If I ever find him at a reasonable price (not likely).

No love for the 2005 one, aside from Deathsaurus? I rather like the fembots and Fallback in that set. Wish I could afford any set...

I only have the 2010, 2011 and soon to have 2012 sets but the Stunticon set was the most ingenius idea ever. Anxiously awaiting the G1 Uppers combiner add on but it's been forever since any new info has come out.

Love the G2 redux set for the nostalgia factor and use of mostly classics molds. The pre Beast Wars set is also great and I would love to have it but the price is too insane.

It's a tie for me between 2007 and 2010, both of which had all around great figures.

The best box set they've done is 2011 because it's entirely self contained. I just happen to dislike it.

I don't own any Botcon sets nor do i intend too except maybe The TFCC Pirannacon that does look awesome.

I did get the Botcon scourge though which is a really nice figure but... his paints comes off really easily are all the botcons like this? I was just asking.

I don't own any Botcon sets. The only one that ever interested me enough to consider a purchase was the Animated Stunticon set. Brilliant idea. From what I've seen in pictures, the figures turned out great.

Sadly I own none of the Botcon sets, but from what I've seen the Dawn of Future's Past set is fantastic and I'd love to have it. There was someone on here a week or two ago who listed Rhinox but he appears to have dropped off the map. T_T

My personal favorite set is the G2 Redux set, due to my sentimental attachment to G2. Great use of some characters that haven't been seen since (Pyro/Spark, Rapido, Clench/Colossus) Plus there were several figures in the regular TF lines and Club exclusives recently that homage G2 and help to fill out the set (RtS Laser Prime, Classics 2-pack G2 Megs, Club Ramjet, DotM Space Case, Generations Skyfall stands in as G2 Sky Jack, Botcon '11 G2 Sideswipe).

Animated Stunticons were a really good idea, not really my thing, but it was a solid self-contained set that rounded out the Animated line.

Other Botcons featured some really great figures too though. 2010 Banzai-tron, 2007 Dreadwind (my grail), 2010 Sweeps. Shattered Glass was a fun thing as well, though I'm starting to get burned out on it due to being underwhelmed by this year's offerings.

I seem to be the middle of the road on this because I've had complete sets from '05, '07, and '09 and figures from every set but '06 and last years. Deathsaurus is by far my favorite individual Botcon figure but he carries the set. Some of the sparkle has died faded on the '07 set due to an over abundance of Seekers on the market. I never was one to care about the value of the figures but they just don't mean as much anymore and nearly everyone else has had another, better version come out since. Dreadwind is still a gem, though, as is Alpha Trion & Vector Sigma. Nowadays, the only bright spots in the '09 set are Thunderclash and Leozack and I never really cared for the Shattered Glass toys. I loved the story but the toys just didn't do it for me. I'm working on G2 Redux now and Rapido, Cindersaur, and Sky-Byte are all really good so far. The only ones I don't have any of are '06 and last years, much to my wallets chagrin.

Once, I would have said Games of Deception in a heartbeat and I'm hoping to say G2 Redux one day but from a simply balance and aesthetic point of view, I have to give it to Stunti-Con Job. The last awesome gasp of Animated just made me happy and jealous of those who got the set at the Con. Lucky devils.

Had they not put out retail versions of the seekers (that were overall better figs to boot,) that would easily be the best set. The first Shattered Glass set is cool, too, but I don't have it and never will when single figs run upwards of $500. But I also get to skip paying big bucks for most the SG figs they're still doing so it's probably a good thing. Shy of the seekers, though, the Stunticons were probably the best executed set. I'm just not into Animated enough to really care...which is a shame since it's the only set I own.

I've been to every BotCon since 07 and have seen the 05 and 06 figs up close. While I'm cheating a bit on answering the question the way it was originally presented, I'll give you my thoughts year by year.

2005 - I think this one is very underrated. I absolutely love the Ironhide (it looks much better in person) and most of the other figures are very nice. I think what hurt this set was that the characters feel a bit jumbled together.

2006 - I absolutely love this concept. I almost wish they had done this kind of set for the first time now, now that they are moving towards larger sized figures in the sets.

2007 - Sure, it may have lost a lot of aftermarket value after the fact but this is a beautiful set. It's actually the reason many of us, including myself came to BotCon for the first time.

2008 - If you've never seen some of thse figures in person, particularly the Optimus and Goldbug, it's hard to get a handle on how cool they actually are. It's close but this is probably my favorite.

2009 - I like the unique box for this set. The Scourge figure to me is actually a better Scourge than the Generations one in some aspects and every figure in here is at least decent but there's not a lot of "WOW" factor here, especially since Hasbro has made Kup and Scourge since. Btw, Kup also has a better head than his Generations counterpart.

2010 - Not everyone's into G2 or the bright colors, but if you are, this is a great set in all aspects. (The Con itself kicked but, too!)

2011 - I know a lot of people don't love Animated but this was an awesome set. I wasn't a big animated guy for a long time but have started collecting G1 homages and these figs work really well alongside them.

I don't own any of them, but I LOVE Animated, so I have to go with The Stunticons. The Pre-Beast Wars set is a close runner-up, though.

My favourite botcon set is the Games of Deception with Botcon dreadwind/bugbite and the three seeker jets.

The designs are all fantastic and look to be well made. Although I can never afford one I would love to see them up close one day.

The only botcon figure I have is the Botcon Scourge which is really good but his paint has started to peel off a bit is that normal? I decided to seal him in a plastic bag and never look at him ever again forever, Like I did with my boxed original shockwave.

My favourite is 2010, with 2012 then 2008 taking 2nd and third place. I really hope to see more G2 figs from The Club in coming years

Botcon 2007 for me. Every figure was a star in the set for me, esp Dreadwind. Even when HASBRO & TT issued their own seekers, I still favour the three that came in the boxset.

2008 comes in 2nd.

Don't own any, I want the G2 Redlux one. IMO, that set had loads of good ideas, with nice execution with the paintjob.

As for souvenir packs, I'm looking for the Banzaitron/Skyquake set, SG Prime/Kick-out, and the Junkions 3 pack.

I have all of the Botcon figures from 05 onward minus 05 Ratchet. Each set has their own merits and at least one great stand alone toy. Personally, I would have to say 06 is my favorite. It was the first year I was able to attend and Beast Wars was celebrating an anniversary that year. My love for BW was at an all time high then too. Being my first Botcon and making so many great memories colors how I feel about that set and that experience in total. This past year and 10 used some great molds in some great decos too. I'm glad to have each figure.

Well actually my favorite set is and still at the moment the Botcon 2007 set.

don't own any myself, but the G2 set was pretty cool. Pyro and Clench are both pretty awesome, when I had little interest in the original versions of those toys. The Sharkticons are pretty nice troop-builders. Rapido is fun, although I wish he'd been Skram instead.

I don't have any complete sets but I have a few figures.

The 07 set with Dreadwind is my favourite. I'm glad the Seekers got a retail release as I now have Dirge, Thundercracker and Thrust. I even have a KO white G1 Bumblebee with a con symbol which I'm happy to use as Bugbite and he's closer in scale to the Seekers. I'd still give my right optic for Dreadwind though.

Among the few figures I have, I really like Leozack and Chromia. That set with Ironhide would be a close second for me, though again the KO clip on head for the Encore has made this fan very happy.

I'm a huge G2 fan but the mold choices dissapoint me and I have a sizeable amount of the original G2 line including Clench and Pyro anyway. I'd have loved Breakdown and Streetwise from G1 Sideswipe and Prowl.

I'd kill for a remold of G1 Jazz as Kick Off.

The bottom line, every year has something for everyone. I will pick up Thunderclash at some stage.

i only have the 2011 and 2012 sets, but i got to say the stunticons are my fave