What is the worst alternate mode you've ever seen on a Transformer? Hold no restraint.

 

I'm tempted to say SoundBarrier, turning into a ramp (or shield, or slab, or whatever)

 

Although I will get murdered by the fanboys and the logic that the guy infiltrated the autobots base many many times, Soundwave.
He could literally get stomped on accident. In a total alt mode battle royale (NOT THAT KIND) of all S1 guys, Soundwave goes out first

 

Any alt mode that lacks its own means of locomotion.

 

I'm going to say Reflector's camera mode. It takes three bots to compose it... and it doesn't offer much tactical value. I mean, Laserbeak's got a spy camera in his noggin that does just as good a job as Reflector's zoom lens, if not better.

 

I think Reflector can have a good argument made for him (them?), but I would personally choose G1 Marvel Stranglehold. I'm sorry, but seeing a giant version of a guy in He-Man inspired cosplay sporting a mustache is not a good disguise given his, well, giant size, so he's obviously not a real human, nor is it intimidating at all to me as a human.

Actually, come to think of it any Pretender who is the size of a normal Transformer but looks just like a much smaller but normal-looking human looks ridiculous. I'm fine with the monstrous-looking ones like Bludgeon, because at least they look like they could be intimidating.

 

Reflector, needs three guys to turn into a camera. Lazerbeak can do everything he can better

 

Reedman turns into a bunch of hairballs.

 

Another one would be astrotrains train mode.
Although practical in the "Robots In Disguise" Motif, I can't see it being used very well in a fight. Yes, he is a train that can turn into a robot/spaceship, but on it's own he can be easily taken down seeing as for transformers, kicking trains are like kicking medium sized animals. Difficult? Yes. Doable? Yes. And also this Lilformers strip makes the following argument.

 

Even with "cartoon logic" in mind, G1 Megatron's original tiny pistol alt mode doesn't make much sense for me both logic and tactic-wise.

What's even dumber is that Starscream of all people was chosen to be the user of Megatron's gun mode, like what if Starscream just decides to throw Megatron out into the space during a space battle with Megatron in gun mode unable to move independently at all?

 

Ramp has to be pretty high on the list. No locomotion, just big plate. Though against Reflector's 1/3 of a camera, it's kind of a toss up.

 

Something that has no wheels

 

G1 Megatron alt more. Any non mobile ones.

 

I'd say Scrounge...he turns into a freaking wheel...

 

Optimus Prime as a shoe.

Convoy (Nike Free 7.0) - Transformers Toys - TFW2005

 

Signal Lancer - Transformers Wiki

As a transformer who becomes a traffic light, the only places Signal Lancer can hide are places where there isn't already supposed to be a traffic light. The alt-mode is stationary and isn't useful for anything other than disguise, so has to sit sit around for a long, long time, doing and accomplishing nothing. Worse, the anomaly of finding a traffic light where there shouldn't be one draws attention to him, making the disguise useless as well.

 

Is Jetfire's father your favorite as far as alternate modes go?

Why he was the first wheel! And he did so with honor and dignity

 

I don't know maybe the flashlight botbot.

 

Jetfire alone means ROTF has some good to it.  

Anyway, nthing Megatron's G1 gun-mode. Can't fire himself, is dependent on others, and shrinks down. I'd find it hilarious if he got knocked out of Starscream's hands and got run over by Gears or something.