This is something that's been bugging me for a while. We all know the little stats on the back of the box are for just fun, but it annoys me when they just plain don't make sense. This goes all the way back to G1 Starscream, the Decepticon second-in-command who had an official rank of 5/10. Errors like these seem to have returned with the movieverse figures: --- Barricade has an intelligence stat of 5/10. As a spy, isn't it his job to gather intelligence? --- Bonecrusher's firepower is listed as 7/10, yet his figure has no ranged weapons and he never used any in the movie. --- Skids has an intelligence stat of 6/10. Come ON! We all know Skids isn't that bright. --- Neither is Mudflap, who comes in at 5/10. So, tell me what you think about this, and post any funny or ridiculous tech specs you've come across. (That is if you pay attention to them at all.)
Tech Specs are just there to give an idea about what the character's strengths and weaknesses are, although granted they don't really make sense with certain portrayals of characters in the media. But, most of the time, they at least get some things right. I.E. PCC Mudslinger has an inteligence of two, and since he's clearly all brawn and no brain that makes sense.
Barricade-5/10. Think of the term military intelligence. I don't think it requires a lot of intelligence to gather intelligence.
I find them a lot more useful and interesting for toys of characters that don't appear as much in the fiction...
They're definitely not what they used to be, that's for sure. Sometimes I think they just roll some dice to come up with the numbers. Seems odd that, for example, a motorcycle/robot, like Arcee, can be stronger than a fighter jet/robot, like Mindwipe. There also seems to be a tendency to make the Autobots as strong, smart, etc. as possible while the Decepticons in general get tech-spec shafted. Kinda makes the 'Cons look like a bunch of punks causing trouble at the mall instead of a global or universal threat.
Are you sure? Decepticon usually have 7-10 in fire power, but lacking in courage. Many of the decepticons have been physically stacked for stats: High strength stats High speed stats (seekers, etc) High fire power stats High endurance Stats For autobots, I have found a general trend of (note: general. It does not mean no exceptions): Higher intelligence stats High skill stats High Courage stats. Note that, intelligence and courage at some battles, don't really matter. But in general on a fight based on pure ability, decepticons have it where it counts.
THIS. If he only knows how to do one thing, or two, then this does sort of make sense. He can gather intelligence AND get Pawned by BB. yep. that stat sounds about right.
I actually think that they may be scaled in a sense. For instance, Galvatron had a lower firepower than Megatron in his Tech Specs while he could easily blow Megs away. I think that the firepower scaled to his new stats.
Agreed. The Decepticon portrayals recently, for the most part, make it seem as if the Autobots have no reason to be concerned, as most Cons (even the higher ups) are weak and cowardly, while nearly all Autobots are courageous and have good strength and firepower.
I think the tech specs were far more important back in the G1 days. Back then, you normally wouldn't have every single character in every single episode, or often the toys were out far earlier than the TV show. The tech specs really helped flesh out the characters for later on and that's where they were important. Nowadays though, everything is so planned out in advance by Hasbro and the assorted media companies (as well as the TV shows now tending to be far more in sync with the toy line, or even ahead of the toy line), that we all are getting our interpretation of the characters BEFORE we get the toy.
IIRC, the error is that Starscream's stats were all swapped with those for Skywarp, explaining why Skywarp has such high stats and a few of Starscream's are oddly low. Gathering intelligence doesn't mean he necessarily has intelligence, as he doesn't necessarily need to understand what he's compiling. It might be my job to steal a copy of Stephen Hawking's research notes, and I could do it, doesn't mean I'd understand them This isn't necessarily an error, as he may have non-obvious ranged weapons that he never used, just an instance where one has to use their imagination. For instance, BW Dinobot doesn't appear to have any ranged weapons either...until he shoots someone with his eye lasers.
Being killed in a big motion picture will really ruin your Rank rating. True, I do like the bios much more these days than the Tech Specs. After all, who ever cared about Universe Hot Shot's stats when his bio is the best part of the packaging?
