Mine just needs a few more things then he'll be perfect.

 

It really depends on what you want out of the kit.

I bought both the kits. The Treansform Dreamwave Kit produces a significant better looking Volcanicus overall. The feet, hands and chest piece / back piece are way, way better designed than the Dreamwave one. In conjunction with thigh-pieces (that attach to Grimlock's legs), it produces a very athletic looking, unified bot. When people buy both kits, if they use ANY of the Perfect Effect Set, it is usually just waist/crotch piece. I chose not to, but he Perefect Effect one does look pretty cool.

Additionally - and this is a big sell - with the Transform Dreamwave Kit, you get individualized G1 weapons.

The TFW kit has gorgeous black/and gold hands and feet with talons on them and look very Dinosaur-y. The hands in particular are perfect looking. The Perfect Effect set, meanwhile has prety standard black hands with spiked knuckles and black/red feet that look weird. They're also sold separately.




The Dreamwave kit is less comprehensive, but has some cool things. It has new thighs and new arms for Grimlock that are way better (and better proportioned) than the default Hasbro ones. This is required for using the set if you're going to use the chest-piece combiner parts. Another big sielling point is that it has an absolutely massive sword that splits into individual parts for Dinobot's robot modes. Both this sword and the monolithic sword that come with the Dreamwave set are based on Grimlock's Fall of Cybertron design. I personally think the Perfect Effect sword looks a lot better.

Having bought both, I elected to get two whole sets of PotP Dinobots. One set I have combined into Volcanicus. That set uses the Transform Dreamwave set, in full, equipped with the Perfect effect combined sword. I also have the individual dinobots in their robot modes with the Dreamwave G1 weapons, and this uncombined Grimlock I have enhanced with the Perfect Effect new legs/arms. I have the Perfect Effect combiner chest and crotch in storage.

The nice part about the Perfect Effect set is that the hands/feet are seperate, so if you buy both sets, there isn't overlap on those.





Comparison:

Comparison points:
-Hands/claws and feet.
-Thigh (bulked up on TFW, unmodified on PE)
-Sword comparison
-Upper body shape
-Crotch shape.




Short version:
-> Unless you want the better replacement parts for Grimlock's legs/arms and a massive combining sword, buy the Transform Dreamwave Kit.
-> The Perfect Effect Kit isn't as good looking or feature full as the TDW kit, but those grimlock parts and the combining sword are pretty awesome in some situations. The hands/feet are sold seperately.
-> The best thing to do is probably just buy both kits and not buy the PE hands/feet.

 

Pretty good break down. Few minor notes. The tdw kit back piece does give the sides of his back a weird shape in my opinion where as the PE kit makes him bulkier all around.

Lastly the PE feet are gold like tdw and not red as pictured.

 

I honestly don't like either upgrade kit because they change the torso profile too much.
I feel I'm one of the few that actually likes Grimlock's torso mode. All it really needs is something to keep it from collapsing.

Is the stock transformation possible with the PE kit?

 

If you install the PE forearms, the stock torso transformation will be lost. If you install the PE thighs, the stock waist transformation will be affected but not lost

A combination of both kits



With the rarely seen Transform Dream Wave cape



More pictures here:
PC-23 + DREAM WAVE/TCW-06 = Any pics for this lovely Dinobot Combiner?

 

Nah, you're not alone... I don't have any kits for my combiners; happy with them as-is.

But if there was an adapter or kit that just helped lock the torso in better, I might jump.

 

If you don’t mind using 3D printed materials,the chest plate is designed to make the stock torso confit more stable in regards to shoulder connection. The thigh pieces bulk up his thighs and add prime master ports if you want. The sword is different than the FoC style PE and TDW use but it’s in the same kind of config as the PE sword.

Power of the Primes Volcanicus Chestplate by fjschuler on Shapeways

POTP Volcanicus Thigh Armor - Left by fjschuler on Shapeways

POTP Volcanicus Thigh Armor - Right by fjschuler on Shapeways

POTP Volcanicus 'Extinction' sword set by fakebusker83 on Shapeways

Edit: here’s a post that shows the chest part and one of the thighs so you have a better idea.

 

Despite suffering for his gimmick, POTP Starscream honestly does pretty well as a torso. I'm actually seriously impressed with his torso mode.

 

Honestly his bot mode isn’t all that bad. Set of 3D-printed null rays and a repro label set and he’s quite nice. His alt mode could stand to have the arms hidden a bit better but otherwise it’s not that bad either.

 

I'm surprised they didn't try to squeeze out one more seeker from it in terms of repainting. Elita is basically same use but enough of a retool into another gender and the only other technical use of it. it's not like they're creatively stuck like with say the SkyLynx/Dezarus mold.

 

I love my Starscream combiner. He's on of my favorites.

 

I've been thinking about selling Bruticus here but was getting cold feet since I don't enjoy that process, so I wanted to play with the set to remind myself how it feels. He's still floppy as hell, but he looks pretty damn good upgraded. Been thinking about tracking down the other Perfect Effect set for him and Menasor, though I'm leaning towards keeping him and getting rid of Menasor. Either way, here he is looking as imposing as I could make him:

 

He's a keeper!

 

I've created a custom Menasor when I wait to buy in very near months G2 and UW boxsets.
I've used CW Motormaster with improved hips as torso, feet by my POTP Abominus that let a greater movement and as legs CW Dead End and UW Flowspade
As arms UW Trickdiamond and CW Breakdown using CW hands .Then I didn't extend the arms in inferior part making them similar to G1, can't rotate but at least is more balanced as proportions and chest is open without car inside so it shows that AOE ornament.

Maybe in next months I'll also post pics on these threads.And great pics to all of you too!

 

Just be aware that unite warriors megatronia will set you back easily 200

 

Sorry, I don't understand what that 200 mean.

 

$200 USD most likely.

 

Man...glad I picked her up when she was on a sale for $125

 

Pride of my collection, warts and all. I really love the Combaticons and getting an official quality release made me so happy.