Toy Review - RID Warrior class Scorponok
Scorponok
Series – Robots In Disguise (15)
Sub-line – Combiner Force
Size/class – Warrior Class
New/remould/redeco – New
Wave – Wave 7 2017
Released here - February 2017
Approximate Retail Price - $29
Approximate Size – 14cm (robot), 12cm long (beast mode)
Allegiance – Decepticon
Alt-mode – robotic scorpion
Main Features/Gimmicks – N/A
Main Colours – Brown, orange, grey
Main Accessories – Scimitar Stinger
Stock image
Robot mode
Unlike some of the other, earlier, Decepticon RID toys, he doesn't follow the pattern of a earth vehicle mode and a beast-like robot mode. While he has a beast mode, his robot mode still includes some beast-like features, the slender digitigrade legs for instance. The head is fixed in a hunchback style pose but has a circular movement so he can look side to side.
I had assumed from the pictures that the shoulder pads moved but they actually lock in place and don't get in the way of arm movement too much. The beast mode tail collapses pretty close to the body or can be moved around. The sword weapon looks good in the fairly odd shaped hands, but it's also nice to see a scorpion Transformer with hands that aren't pincers!
Transformation
The chest/back also has an extra separation step that I wasn't expecting that helps with the head swap. All up its "11 steps" and it's simple but satisfying.
The pincer transformation is a fairly unique style of conversion. As mentioned above, pretty much every other Scorponok toy, and other scorpions like Pincher simply give the robot mode the pinchers as hands. Even Scorp over in the Machine Men had the same feature!
With the Robots in Disguise toy the pincers actually move down the arms in a loose way that brings to mind no other Transformer immediately.
Beast mode
Kind of a standard looking robot scorpion. Doesn't have a lot of support and doesn't stand on the beast legs, but looks good anyway. The tail is quite poseable and looks good with or without the sword attached.
The catch of the unique pincer transformation means the pincers don't open/close in beast mode which I imagine might bother some people.
Final thoughts
I've not bought many Robots in Diguise figures as I've been disappointed in most of the ones I have got. But the more I saw pictures of this guy, the more intrigued I was. I think he's a very nice figure and he's definitely a keeper for me (alongside Bumblebee and Fracture). It's got the feel of a lost Animated toy that particularly appeals to me.
There is a retool coming, Paralon, who's a more regular character in the cartoon I believe, and whose toy has a Beast Wars Scorponok inspired head, but the overwhelming purple is a bit much for me.
A couple of photos
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). The toy is a tad top heavy which can make it prone to falling. The weird 'hands' (or lack thereof) and bestial legs in the robot mode aren't quite my thing. On the plus side, I do like how they've done something more original with the claws instead of just making them the robot hands (though I wish the claws could snap open/shut), and I do like how the sword becomes the beast mode's stinger. 
Like pretty much the rest of the RiD line, I just find this toy to be okay at best, but by no means impressive. 
