Is there a Transformer who uses magnetism as a weapon, or is there any other character who employs that ability?

The only one I know of who used magnetism was Lockdown in AOE, and it proved enormously effective. So it would make for a great ultimate weapon in TF, but perhaps it shouldn't be used for precisely that reason?

 

It never really said it was just a plain magnet in the movie if that's what you mean, wasn't it sucking up everything under it?

They were reversing polarities of things in some of the shows, that's magnet related.

 

If there was ever a character whose powers were underutilized it was him.

 

TFA Ratchet employed magnets as his primary weapon. They proved pretty fucking useful, capable of stopping Lugnut's missile storm, tossing heavy weapons around, levitating himself over metal surfaces and otherwise have an impressive advantage over anything made of metal.

The potency of his magnets is also precise enough to dismantle parts of other Cybertronians, best seen when he used them to tear apart Lockdown's pre-hook arm/ remove Optimus' grapples from the muscle car.

TFA Ratchet had a pretty fucking awesome power. Makes me wonder why other Autobots (or Decepticons, who would totally be into the whole mutilation-via-magnetism thing) never really got in on that action.

 

All movie TFs seem to have limited magnetic abilities. Usually just to move small objects. (possibly used in Transformation as well, when you think about it)

Yeah, TFA Ratchet was a badass with his magnets. Even Lockdown wanted them.

 

In the "Cybertron" (War For Cybertron/Fall of Cybertron) games, there's a weapon called an EMP blaster and it's pretty useful. EMP stands for Electro Magnetic Pulse, so yes, and it was good enough to use in video games?

 

Jazz was also capable of disarming an entire squadron of humans via magnetism.

Christ, Lockdown armed with magnets. That's a scary thought 0.0

Ah yes, the EMP Shotgun. Lives up more to the shotgun than the EMP, though one could make a point that it justifies its EMP via disabling an opponent's shielding, rendering them more vulnerable to the actual flak.

 

Soundwave could read minds. surely being psychic is better than being magnetic!

also, was windcharger's ability actually magnetism? thought it was levitation which is subtly, but fundamentally different.

 

Emitting an EMP isn't the same as just having big magnets though.

 

Technically, Windcharger should be the most powerful Cybertronian. Although I remember reading something about how he doesn't have the concentration to use his abilities to their full potential.
If his magnetism was fully realized, couldn't he be like a god?

 

Not all metals are magnetic, and it's possible that cybertronians don't use magnetic data storage.

 

Windcharger and Tailgate BOTH had magnetism powers. Tailgate's was a bit more limited than Windcharger's however.

The only magnetic metals are ferrous ones. Iron and its derivative, steel. The ones that rust. There may be an odd one or two other metals that react to magnetism, but what you're talking about really, is basically iron and steel, and functionally, that's it.

Cybertronians likely aren't comprised solely, or even mostly, out of either material.

The most damage a magnet would do to a Transformer would be to disrupt electronics, IF they are not shielded. If the TF's electronics are shielded (and it's probably a good bet they are) then the magnets aren't doing anything.

In other words: No, Windcharger's not going to be a living superweapon vs other Cybertronians. He can do tricks, but he's not going to be contributing anything of worth to a battlefield. Certainly not on a level that it would be considered a war asset.

 

Always thought this myself. In the Cybertron games, they have EMP grenades which disorients and scrambles their vision but otherwise leaves a Cybertronian unharmed. EMPs almost act like flashbangs to them.

 

Iron, Nickel, and Cobalt are all ferromagnetic. Don't get fooled by the name.

 

Except we've seen plenty of examples to the contrary.

Magnets have captured several Transformers from G1 to Animated (Optimus Prime was taken out by the auto factories electromagnet in the first regular episode of Animated). More to the point, there's a story book Deadly Paradise in which Windcharger brutally murders Starscream with his magnetic powers (see Windcharger's Tfwiki article for the pic!) While as mentioned Animated Ratchet has done all sorts of stuff with his Magnets both offensively and defensively with his on the battlefield.

Back to the original question, as powerful as magnets are, they pale (IMHO) against profile Trailbreaker and Shrapnels powers. Trailbreakers forcefield could withstand the outer layers if the sun, while Shrapnel has an array of powers including being able to remote contol electronics of seemingly any nature as well as throwing lightning bolts from his hands. Both are fairly OP with their profile powers in real use.

 

fire, water, air and dirt, fuckin magnets, how do they work?

 

Ahhhhh. I forgot about that.

 

Yo and I don't wanna hear this bullshit again
Let's just say it's related to electron spin

 

Yep, TF1 Jazz is the one that came to mind for me, and TFA Ratchet.