Generations Darkmount. Unorthodox character choice, two fully realized modes, great accessories, and seige level articulation a decade prior to it.
A close second is generations Deluxe scourge. A spirited reinvisioning with all of darkmount's strengths. Also, redecoes like a boss. Best army builder mold ever.
Honorable mention to HFTD Lugnut for most of the same reasons as Darkmount, plus a lot of fun, unobtrusive gimmicks.

 

This is a tough one for me to nail down. I want to say ER Optimus. Nothing really seems to get in the way, he’s solid, the articulation is good, the transformation is fine and he’s a great toy representation of the source material.

 

2021 has been a solid year. I love Kingdom Optimus Primal, SS86 Hot Rod and SS86 Grimlock. I still need to get my hands on Kingdom Rodimus.

I think I’ll go with SS86 Grimlock overall. But it might be to soon to say.

For in the long run I love Animated Voyager Optimus Prime, T30 Springer and Prime FE Voyager Optimus Prime.

There are to many great toys out there.

 

Galaxy Convoy. After all this time he is still one of my favorites.

 

T30 Springer still.

 

RTS Jazz is like, holding a slice of heaven, man. It just hits so many notes and it’s so hard to find flaws in it. The little speakers, the genius spring loaded panels, the satisfying transformation, the great articulation, the alt mode, the weapons storage, all of it.

 

I dont have Kingdom Rodimus so this is my view until I get Rodimus (in 6 weeks for my bday!). But my favorite Mainline (and I like this figure more than any 3P figure I have) is earthrise Optimus. If his hands were regular, he would be a perfect figure. But with his hands the way they are he is 95%

 

alright, well let's start with the line first. This will help narrow the choices down, and after we get the line we'll get the wave, after we get the wave we'll get the size class, and after we get the size class, we'll decide the figure

elimination round 1: What is the best transformers line?

vote here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DYGr1P6QYTUBXv8ZNyIOR_TzONoy0b4Fz_1zEx4KUIg/

 

There's definitely some recency bias here since there's literally thousands of mainline figures, but Kingdom Beast Megatron is probably the best mainline figure I own. Yeah, it's not perfect due to the huge backpack, and some of the fiddly dino-skin panels, but the overall package is incredibly impressive. The robot mode is huge and imposing, faithful to the character's design, packed with articulation even by WfC standards. Then you have what may actually be the best beast mode ever done in mainline TFs, with almost no robot kibble showing, plenty of articulation, and the size to back up the price point. I even really like the rubbery skin layer, but I do share some of the concern of it degrading over time.

 

Definitely doesn't get the credit it deserves. I absolutely love the new SS86 Scourge, but this version was my favorite out of the Generations deluxes hands down!

 

This sounds like a terrific way to cut out some of the best Transformers ever made and wind up with a solidly mediocre answer.

 

Combiner wars or Power Of the Primes(don't remember) Cosmos.

 

Either Laser Rod Optimus Prime or the Cyberjets. Good enough to be used in their own line and then on a fairly regular basis in varying lines for 15ish years...

 

Good thing that it's not the "perfect" figure for the question, as that would be impossible as none are, but even just "the best" is impossible as there's too many and each that would be "best" will have an issue or another...

Like 30th Springer... great one that got so much votes throughout the years, but Sandstorm is better when it comes to tolerances and the modifications it got. I absolutely consider him one of the great figures of all times.

You want simple yet clean transformation and great looks, the Cyberjets, Hooligan mold is a superb figure that stands solid today.

TLF Voyager Megatron is another that could be perfect for so little, but my annoyance for the figure is more the cosmetics from the movie itself.

WFC Airazor is one that's hard to put down, while RiD Windblade will be one of my all times favorites.

I tend to always go back to a "giddy" feeling with a lot of the Generations lines when I grab the figures that have so much articulations, fairly easy transformations, and little kibble (that looks out of place anyhow).

So either one nails it down over an unbiased method of counting the articulation, the transformation, the look of it and any other criteria, or simply because they just love that particular figure, including emotional attachment to it.

Taking all of this in consideration, I have to say that the Siege Seeker mold is very hard to beat. Full articulation, both modes look quite nice regardless that some consider the underside as kibble, to me it's the same as how many jets look with the dual tubular air intake/jets, quality plastic, no gaps (even spring loaded panels), so it gets my vote at this point. Again, it's not perfect, but it's darn close.

 

I've always hesitated on that mold simply because I am not a fan of the splitting cockpit into feet thing, but I have to say that if I disregard that, it really does look great as a robot, and I absolutely love your picture.

I might crack next time I see one... damn it.

 

I've seen TR triggerhappy on a lot of people's favorites list.

I might have to pick that one up.
Never seen it in person

 

United Stepper - takes the best mold and gives it better paint and a Targetmaster.

some near runners-ups for me-
Classics Prime. Even with the arm kibble I’m not sure any figure has given me more overall joy.
Classics BB - a miniature Alternator, still the best headsculpt BBS ever gotten.
Fire Convoy - just a total package
Reveal the Shield (?) Terradive. Possibly the cleanest jet TF ever done in the mainline.
Reveal the Shield Breacher - he’s like a voyager at Scout size.
(Earthrise Prime just misses out for his lame trailer and a few minor annoyances)

 

I don’t like looking at figures as a list of boxes to check off. Waist swivel? Check. Paint apps? Check. In scale? Check. It’s boring, for me at least.

I think the best way to judge a figure is what you get out of it. One of my favourite figures is POTP Dreadwind. Now using the checklist you could point out that it doesn’t have a lot of articulation, the transformation is simple, it doesn’t hide robot mode kibble in vehicle mode all that well, etc. But I love it. It’s just so fun, has personality, is an amazing display piece. But most importantly, for whatever reason, it just speaks to me. I just look at it and think “oh yeah that’s the one, that’s what I’m talking about.”

This “well it’s not good cause parts forming or it’s feet are to big” is, I don’t know, just a boring way to view toys.

Obviously everyone does this hobby for a reason, so I’m not trying to claim that my way is the right way. But after rereading before posting I do think it slightly looks like that’s what I’m saying. So just know that I’m simply giving my opinion, not telling others how to collect!

 

Clearly you are a man of exquisite taste.

 

my favorite movieverse figure is hunt for the decepticons sidearm sideswipe