The Energon Pub

Kibble wrote:

icenemesis wrote:Out of curiosity what toy do you think has the best design and transformation. No bashing on movie, animated or unicron trilogy please.

Can we still bash Beast Wars?

Why are people reacting to this thread with horror? Yes it is subjective but I'm sure that the OP knows that and isn't trying to start WWIII. Opinions are like arseholes - everyone has one. Let's embrace that and move on

Anyway without further ado, here are my bestest ones.

Supreme: Armada Unicron - it's Unicron, nuff said.
Ultra: Masterpiece Grimlock - Simplistic transformation, awesome aesthetics
Voyager: Cybertron Vector Prime - Beautifully detailed, well proportioned, badass
Deluxe: 'Battle in Space' Cyclonus - Superb from pointy ears to toe
Scout: ROTF Air Raid - a really neat, poseable figure
Legends: Perfect Effect Reflector - perfect being the operative word

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Primus yet. He's superior to Unicron in alt-mode, transformation scheme (love that key system) and robot detaling. Sure, the character was designed as a toy and hasn't existed for as long as Unicron, but the figure is just incredible. His Cybertron mode also manages to fit in any universe you'd like, from G1 all the way to Aligned.

Buster Prime, or the ROTF Optimus mold.

IMO, it seriously must have taken alot of work to get it that accurate to the movie in both modes. Plus, buster has great paint, down to the pinstriping on the flames. I cant be 100% sure, but it could very well be the TF with the most paint apps. The whole body is silver paint!

gavinfuzzy wrote:Buster Prime, or the ROTF Optimus mold.

IMO, it seriously must have taken alot of work to get it that accurate to the movie in both modes. Plus, buster has great paint, down to the pinstriping on the flames. I cant be 100% sure, but it could very well be the TF with the most paint apps. The whole body is silver paint!

HA Jazz is also slathered in silver paint.

For me, based on my collection,

Leader- Rotf Optimus Prime for all of the Previously mentioned reasons
//honorable mention to Beast Machines Ultra Jetstorm, he's great on both modes, his geared gimmickry is superb (and awesome!) and he just looks really good overall, if not totally screen accurate.

Voyager- this one is tougher, but I think I have to give HA Jazz the edge over the original Optimus Primal. Primal is objectively pretty great, but a lot of love(and paint) went into Jazz's design, and his joints are top notch.

Deluxe- tie between Generations Drift and Warpath. They're both awesome in both modes, and are just designed really nicely. Drift has swords, swords man! And Warpath was one of my favorite toys when I was a kid, it's such a great update of the character.

Scout- Easily, Rotf Breacher. I love his modes, transformation, and I immediately fell in love with his head sculpt. His only real flaw are the chunks of arm kibble, but that's completely ignorable.

Legends- Megatron loses points for being difficult to transform, Cybertron Jetfire is pretty cool, but his articulation leaves you wanting a bit more... I'd have to give it to Prime cyber verse Cliffjumper. I really like this mold, it's so well articulated for the size class, and it just looks good.

Battle in Space Cyclonus (Or any other version of this mold)

Great alt mode
Kibble free bot mode
Awesome articulation
Genius transformation
Wonderful paint job
Awesome light piping
Targetmaster

Can he get any better?

BeastProwl wrote:Battle in Space Cyclonus (Or any other version of this mold)

Great alt mode
Kibble free bot mode
Awesome articulation
Genius transformation
Wonderful paint job
Awesome light piping
Targetmaster

Can he get any better?

Hopefully, I am painting his Shapeways gun soon. I much prefer the original gun he had as opposed to Nightstick. Cyclonus is my favourite deluxe as well.

Hmm... Lets do a personal opinion on every size then.

Leader: ROTF Prime, Cybertron prime is a close 2nd...

Alternators: Jaguar Ravage. Yep, going with the only animal one.

Ultra/HA : I don't own alot... I'll say HA Jazz/Barricade.

Voyager: I would like to say HFTD Prime, but that's the same as the leader... So, I;ll go with 1st Edition Optimus. Yep, there are many great voyagers out there, but this one is my favorite in terms of mold and look/design.

Deluxe: Alot from the classics line were great. Drift, Jazz, Tracks... But I'm going with the most repaint one of them all. Starscream. IMO this thing really looks like it's G1 self, and looks almost like a mini-MP.

Scout: HFTD Breacher or the Energon Bruticus Helicopter. Something about that vortex-guy is just great. Breacher wins all scouts in terms of design though, IMO. Windcharger is amazing too, but I was a lil disappointed in the transformation.

Cyberverse: People collect these? Okay, DOTM Guzzel? Maybe...

Well, that was a long post.

First Edition TFP Optimus and RotF voyager Optimus.

Robot modes are amazingly accurate to the animation, truck modes are very realistic with very few giveaways that they're Transformers. Poseability is amazing. Sword(s) AND gun(s).

Why did I pick voyager RotF Optimus over the leader? He comes with swords and guns where the leader has just swords, the voyager's blades dont' get in the way as much and are easyish to remove and he has better articulation. The leader has limited ankles and no real thigh rotation due to an internal limiter (which is easily removed if you take his legs apart).

BeastProwl wrote:Battle in Space Cyclonus (Or any other version of this mold)

Great alt mode
Kibble free bot mode
Awesome articulation
Genius transformation
Wonderful paint job
Awesome light piping
Targetmaster

Can he get any better?

He could have had a bicep swivel, and a ball joint neck wouldn't hurt.

All right, might as well play along.

For me, a PERFECT Transformers is one that is great looking in all it's modes, is fun and easy to transform without any partforming (weapons dont count) and it dont have parts flying everywhere during transformations. All the Transformers I'm going to name here made me go "wow" and dont have a single serious flaw. Buy them now.
In no particular order:

Alternators Skids

Voyager Animated Bulkhead

TF Prime first Edition Deluxe Megatron

Armada Tidawave

TF Prime RiD Deluxe Wheeljack

TF Prime Cyberverse Legion Cliffjumper

Animated Deluxe Oilslick

RtS Voyager Lugnut

HftD Leader Starscream

G1 Optimus Prime with trailer

G2 Optimus Prime with trailer

Leader Energon Megatron

Marvel Crossover Warmachine (car)

DotM Bumblebee

Alternator Rodimus

HftD Human Alliance Jazz

Special exception: Best partformer ever, God Ginrai A.K.A Powermaster Optimus Prime with Apex Armor.

Over and out.

1. Masterpiece Megatron: although plastic quality is so bad, since we are talking about design only, it's on top of my list. He's still the most complex in terms of transformation in my mind.
2. ROTF leader OP, hands down, movie accurate bot and alt modes, complex transformation.
3. Masterpiece OP, both MP1 and MP10. Absolutely love them, and they are durable!

United Megatron Cybertron mode.

Why?

Well, he's big and has a big gun (haha), a simple transformation and even gets an ajusted alt mode. The robot mode is solid as a rock and is brimming with detail. What puts him above his Hasbro counterpart is his paintscheme. Very GEEWUN and the metallic red is just fantastic.

His robotmode is very poseable, ankles, big, stable feet. Good articulation in his arms and elbows and he can carry his gun on both arms. His knees bend alsmost 180 degrees and he completely lacks balljoints.

That, people, is a solid deluxe.

Mykltron wrote:First Edition TFP Optimus and RotF voyager Optimus.

Robot modes are amazingly accurate to the animation, truck modes are very realistic with very few giveaways that they're Transformers. Poseability is amazing. Sword(s) AND gun(s).

Why did I pick voyager RotF Optimus over the leader? He comes with swords and guns where the leader has just swords, the voyager's blades dont' get in the way as much and are easyish to remove and he has better articulation. The leader has limited ankles and no real thigh rotation due to an internal limiter (which is easily removed if you take his legs apart).

You mean HFTD OP right? ROTF OP is the repaint from the first movie line.

For me I am currently in love with RID Arcee, especially now that I have the Arcee sword with her, she looks really cool just posing.

RotF Leader Prime. It amazes me that even his back kibble is model accurate (though I often see it mistransformed, like it is out of the box, along with his ankle wheels and calf panels). Anothing thing that I love about the figure is that he has pieces and panels that overlap simply for visual depth, like the panels on the back and insides of his calves. There is nothing lazy or phoned in about this mold.

HftD Starscream is almost as good, but OP trumps him in having accurate back kibble.

Masterpiece Grimlock, Rodimus Prime (the Takara release), and the new MP Prime mold all look perfect to me (reported quality issues aside). I don't own any of them but it's very tempting.

PrymeStriker wrote:

He's so short though. That's a dealbreaker for me.

RAcast wrote:He's so short though. That's a dealbreaker for me.

Breakdown's incredible.

Generations scourge is one of my favorites. His only fault imo is his shoulder articulation.

G1 Grimlock = awesomeness

G2 Hero Megatron/Archforce/RID Blugeon, this is my personal fav mold!

Even though I'm not a HUGE Dinobots fan compared to some other lines;

Of my G1 collection, Sludge is easily one of the best bots in terms of poseability, and even just looks (plus I love sauropods)

Of my Masterpieces, Grimlock is my fav mostly because he displays so well in both modes, and I'm more likely to transform him back and forth while some of my other MPs I get tired just looking at and am inclined to keep them as display pieces.

I am new to collecting Transformers outside the Beast Wars line (the line I grew up with) and I was looking for the ones that had the best design so this thread is helping. It seems the key is a kibble free Robot mode as well as an Alt Mode where one would not guess can transform as well as an imaginative/unique transformation (which is usually a necessity if you want 2 distinct kibble free modes). Using this thread and other online sources, I compiled a list for anyone to refer to which includes redecos since what we are really interested for here is the mold itself.

HFTD Terradive
HFTD Leader Starscream
HFTD Breacher / Generations Brawl (scout)
Animated Megatron Leader Class
Animated Shockwave/Longarm
Animated Blurr
Animated Prowl
ROTF Optimus Prime
MP-10 Optimus
RID Rail Racer
BWN Big Convoy/Black Big Convoy/ Universe Nemesis Prime/Timelines Ultra Mammoth.
Generations Warpath
Cyclonus (Universe/Generations/Shattered Glass/BattleinSpace)
United/Generations Scourge
ROTF Bludgeon/Decepticon Banzaitron
War for Cybertron Bumblebee deluxe
War for Cybertron Optimus Prime deluxe
Cybertron Vector Prime
RTS Lugnut


I find it very interesting how the Animated series has a lot of entries. I started collecting them and I actually don’t feel Blurr should be on this list. He is fine but the open space in the back makes him feel incomplete in his Alt Mode. His arms also look far too restricted in movement giving him a stiff appearance in Robot mode. So if anyone can tell me why he is liked so much, it would be really appreciated.

There are 3 molds that I like a lot and that have yet to be mentioned.

I actually find my favourite animated toy to be Lockdown, which isn’t mentioned on this thread yet. He is entirely kibble free in both modes, every peice of the cool looking car (a cross between a mussel car from hell and the 90s batmobile) is used to turn him into a very tall and imposing robot. I recommend everyone to find him. It is hard for anyone to believe how much can fit into that car mode, making this an impressive design feat.
I also really like the Alternators Decepticharge/Windchanger. He is the only alternator to be kibble free in robot mode (unless you count his big shoulders as kibble, but I dont since they are simply his shoulders). The legs are very sleek and I love how many car pieces fold into one another (the bottom of his feet, the hood on his back). Also, his chest is not a piece from his car mode, making his robot mode extremely distinctive from his alt mode. I highly recommend him.

Lastly, I would like to mention Voyager Optimus Prime from Dark of the Moon. I really like how he is an entirely new sculpt and much more kibble free than any of his predecessors (including ROTF Leader). His proportions have changed giving him longer legs that result in a sleeker look. The pieces forming the legs fold into one another so beautifully that once transformed he resembles one of the Movie Optimus action figures that cannot transform.

I'm not going to repeat what people have said already. Although I do agree what they are saying. As an alternative I've always thought TFP First Edition Bulkhead's pretty awesome in both modes, transformation can be a bit tricky.

One of the best figures ever made IMO is the PRID deluxe Vehicon. Virtually flawless in either mode but with an ingenious transformation.

MightyMagnus78 wrote:One of the best figures ever made IMO is the PRID deluxe Vehicon. Virtually flawless in either mode but with an ingenious transformation.

This.