Complex/Complicated Transformations!

[3677]

So I kind of new to the transformers scene and I'm really looking for worthwhile purchases since my funds are fairly low.

I'm very interested in finding transformers with fairly complex or complicated transformations, and I've tried using search, but nothing really comes up

Maybe I'm using the search wrong, but if you guys could name transformers that you'd think fit in this category or can point me in the right direction, I'd be super grateful!

[CBratron]

It sounds like you want a challenge. I'd suggest Masterpiece Rodimus but worried it'd be rage inducing for you. Just for reference, name a figure to give us an example of what you consider adequate complexity.

[M-bot]

From the movie-verse, leader class Sentinel Prime was not the easiest. Neither was ROTF Optimus Prime.

[BigTransformerTrev]

movie-verse, leader class Sentinel Prime was not the easiest.

Yeah, one of the first guys I thought of.


You can also try Masterpiece Megatron, Energon Mirage & ROTF Scalpel - though the last two are more frustrating than complicated I guess

[Omega Metro]

WFC Bumblebee. I have never been able to transform this thing in the 3 years I have had it.

[Trent]

Binaltech Grimlock/Wheeljack.



Good luck.

[davieanix]

I seriously thought I was the only one who found Sentinel Prime hard!

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

It's going to be a bit tricky if your funds are low, since a lot of the more complex TFs tend to be larger, older, and/or more expensive than not.

MP Megatron is apparently considered pretty tricky, but will be costly to acquire and you may have to jump through a lot of hoops to get him depending on your states gun laws.

DotM Leader Sentinel Prime is another apparently-complex one. You might be able to find a loose one for cheap somewhere.
I gather RotF Leader-class Optimus Primes was pretty complex too.
Most of the on-screen characters from the Bay movies were pretty complex IMO. Leader Brawl is my personal most-difficult-to-transform TF, but I'm not a big movieverse fan.

Beast Wars Transmetal 2 Megatron is often said to be a bit tricky, though he's not usually listed with the likes of the above.

A lot of the Maximals from Beast Wars Neo are apparently pretty challenging.

IIRC the Binaltech/Alternators series was fairly complex by TF standards.

If you can find any of the Robots in Disguise/Car Robots Autobot brothers (Sideburn, X-Brawn, Prowl), they're meant to be pretty tricky. They'll probably be some of your more affordable options. Sky-Bite might be worth a look-see too.

Beast Hunters Deluxe Smokescreen and/or Prowl both have a certain degree of challenge to their transformations.


A few more cost-accessible TFs with transformations that are at least interesting IMO are: RotF Voyager Bludgeon (and it's a great piece too, though it really does need a better head and swords), Hunt for the Decepticons Voyager Highbrow and Deluxe Terradive, and Dark of the Moon Scout Ransack. I'm sure other people can name a few more.

[STL]

Binaltech Grimlock/Wheeljack.

Good luck.

No matter how many times I've transformed this, there is not a single time I've done it without searching online for photos and wasting anything less than half an hour.

To your point overall, I like complex transformations but they need to be intuitive. They need to make sense. Complication for complication's sake is something I do not like and BT Grimlock/Wheeljack are too great examples of that. Satisfying in both modes but frustrating/irritating to transform.

The movie line is your best bet for complexity. A lot of great and fun toys to transform in that line if you get past the aesthetic.

Outside of that, Alternity, BT/Alternator lines, Masterpiece's all hold up quite well.

Across most of the lines there are some good ones.

In particular some of my favourites:

- WFC Optimus Prime
- FP Assaulter / Broadside
- TFM Ironhide v1
- ROTF Leader Class Prime
- WFC Bumblebee/Cliffjumper
- Transformers Prime First Edition Bulkhead
- Beast Wars Neo (?) Big Convoy
- Alternity Bumblebee/Cliffjumper
- BT/Alternators Jazz

These guys tend to be intuitive once you figure out the logical flow or a certain number of clicks which allows alignment.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, I think the problem with toys like BT Grimlock & Wheeljack is that they suffer from having rather counter-intuitive transformations. Most other Binaltechs, Alternities and Masterpieces are quite complex, but also intuitive and fun.

As Ode to a Grasshopper mentioned, a lot of the Beast Wars Neo figures (that aren't redecos of pre-existing moulds) can be rather challenging too. Big Convoy is the most complex of that lot, but I personally find his transformation to be more frustrating than fun (he's basically a massive shellformer; but if you like that sort of thing, try Darth Vader/Death Star... phwoar! (he has a cloth cape which becomes concealed in Death Star mode!) ). Mach Kick, Long Rack, Break and Dead End are also pretty tricky to transform (relative to their size). The Car Robot (Robots In Disguise) Autobots are also quite fun, and in fact, those toys were the inspiration for Binaltech.

As others have mentioned, if you really want a serious challenge then look no further than Masterpiece Megatron! However there are legal requirements and restrictions in owning him (and all other Transformers whose alt modes are based on real life guns, unless they're tiny like Smallest Megatron or RtS Legends Megatron); as I understand it, Victorian law is similar to NSW in that you must own a permit and comply with safe storage requirements. I'm sure other Victorians here can shed more light on this. But if you satisfy the legal requirements, and if you can find MP Megatron for a good price, then I highly recommend it if super challenging transformations is your thing.