MAXIMAL: Packrat

FUNCTION: Thief

  FIRST APPEARANCE: “Critical Mass” (Botcon exclusive comic)

"Don't just take the goods, take the credit, too."

His protoform was badly damaged upon landing, and his beast mode ended up being a clone of Rattrap’s. His premature damage seems to have lead to his cowardice; he ran away as soon as he awoke. When Onyx Primal entered the Beast Wars, he became the assassin’s greatest supporter, openly wanting him to gain control of the Maximals. When Onyx left to start his own group, Packrat was one of those who followed, and together they raided the Darkside & recovered the futuristic Transwarp driver. However, the Predacons made a brutal assault to recover it and Packrat was brutally killed by Tarantulus in the process. 

Profile:    Although many of his enemies (and comrades) call him the nastiest of names, they can't take away the fact that Packrat's a top-notch thief. With a cunning nature that rivals Megatron and a speed that astounds even the swiftest of Maximals, Packrat is efficient at getting the job done. He strikes from the shadows with lethal intensity, accomplishes the mission objectives, and quickly melts back into the depths of the jungle. Packrat makes up for his lack of strength and cowardice through sneakiness & ingenuity when it comes to saving his own hide. Although naturally loud and brash, he is outfitted with a sonic dampening field which makes him virtually undetectable by the Predacons. Packrat prefers to work alone so that he can get the glory… as long as it doesn’t involve physical danger. He is the ultimate glory hound. Although small in size, Packrat has an ego the size of one of Cybertron's moons. His penchant for stealing is only surpassed by his desire to let everyone know he did it. These acts cause unease and distrust among his team-mates aboard the Axalon. His quarters are full of stolen artifacts, broken pieces of equipment, and other treasures from various looting escapades. Whether Packrat is sent out on a solo mission or as backup, no one is quite sure if they can count on him. Despite his bravado, Packrat has a low self esteem and is constantly trying to gain the respect of the other Maximals. When he gained the Energon armour, devised by Fractyl of the Predacons, Packrat saw the opportunity to gain this much sought after respect. However, at Rhinox's insistence, he voluntarily gave up the armour, thereby saving himself and consequently, his team-mates. He is also taken in by more edgy, confident Maximals, leading to his unquestioning support of Onyx Primal.

Abilities:    In beast mode, Packrat can travel up to 35 kph while cruising, and up to 45 kph in short bursts. His sonic dampening field creates an aura that has a mean sound level of 5 decibels. If he is not seen, Packrat can approach within 2 feet of his target without being detected. Packrat possesses superb night vision which helps him in nocturnal or underground jobs. His Energon armor, in robot mode, can repel fields of up to 10 gigajoules per square centimeter, and subsequently can last infinitely longer in robot mode than all other Maximals or Predacons. His weapon of choice is a sonic disruptor which shatters the exostructure of his target.

Weaknesses:    Packrat has a low self-esteem and extreme cowardice, leading to the constant mistrust everyone has towards him. Due to this breakdown of teamwork, Packrat is unreliable during a battle. His stamina is also very low. The Energon armour works well with small to moderate doses of the energy source, but behaves violently when placed within range of raw Energon. The resulting Energon-anti-Energon reaction ends in a detonation with the force of a thousand tons of explosives, destroying both the armour and the host.

MAXIMAL: Onyx Primal

FUNCTION: Infiltrator/Assassin

FIRST APPEARANCE: Hidden Repaints, chapter 1

"I’m the best I am at what I do, and you’d better be as well."

He was one of the best assassins in the Tripredacus assassination corps; until they found out he was spying on him and hired Death’s Head to kill him. He was forced to flee and, by accident, ended up flung into the Beast Wars under the guise of a Maximal agent. He didn’t like working under Optimus Primal though, as he considered himself superior in terms of skill and intelligence. After the Antagony/Transwarp driver incident, he splintered off from the Axalon Maximals and formed his own group with Packrat, Airazor and Tigatron. He retrieved the driver, only to lose it and his base when Megatron launched a counteroffensive. He was beaten by Tarantulus and watched Packrat be killed; these traumas have since changed him into a more introspective character.

Profile:    Onyx Primal considers himself the only good thing in the Maximals. Before being targeted for termination, he was a top agent in the Tripredacus Council's assassination corps. He keeps these details of his Predacon history well hidden from his present Maximal compatriots, while maintaining an air of superiority that has won him few friends among their ranks. Stubborn, quick to claim credit and slow to take blame, Onyx Primal is a less than ideal Maximal soldier. Unfortunately, he feels his clandestine past has left him with few other options for survival. As distasteful as he finds his current Maximal existence, Onyx Primal realizes that it may be his only hope to escape termination at the hands of his former employers.

Abilities:    Onyx Primal's training as a covert agent has made him an unerringly effective spy and sniper. He is capable of near soundless movement; that is, whenever he isn't loudly complaining about his Maximal companions! In robot mode, he wields a standard blaster and a highly effective sniper laser. In bat mode, he assumes a "stealth cloak" capable of shielding him from a variety of Cybertronian scanning technologies.

Weaknesses:    Onyx Primal's greatest weakness is his inability to function cohesively within the Maximal chain of command. His fugitive status with the Tripredacus Council causes him to suffer frequent bouts of paranoia, limiting his overall effectiveness.

PREDACON: Fractyl

FUNCTION: Geochemist

FIRST APPEARANCE: “Critical Mass”

"The power of this planet is our salvation and our curse."

Profile:    Fractyl is a pawn in a war of ideals. While Megatron pushes him to be a warrior in his universe-dominating army, Fractyl is more concerned with solving the problems caused by the strange planet's surplus of Energon. Upon his emergence from the Darkside in his pterosaur form, he immediately knelt to the ground collecting, collating, and analysing the geologic make-up of the area. Megatron wanted to slag him where he stood. Although extremely useful in other technical areas, Fractyl is a geochemist at heart and it is in the field where he spends most of his time. Megatron and the other Predacons prefer it that way. He is tolerated as long as he keeps his distance or if another team member wants to use him to their advantage. When forced with confrontation, Fractyl prefers to think situations through before using violence as his last resort. He believes there are too many interesting natural phenomena around the planet to investigate and would rather study them in peace. He often flies alone to solve current problems and get peace and quiet. However, Megatron insists that he takes a stronger interest in the affairs of the Beast Wars. Focusing on the Energon deposits provides Fractyl with the opportunity to contribute to the Predacon cause and conduct immensely stimulating scientific research. At times, Fractyl puts his own need for higher knowledge and acceptance at the expense of himself and his team-mates. The Energon armour, devised after a meteor impact yielded a new power source (Furmanite), was his best, but not last, attempt at resolving their recurring overload problems, thereby earning the others' respect.

Abilities:    In beast mode, Fractyl can travel distances well in excess of 1000 km, before resting. He has twin aft-mounted boosters, operating with the aid of the planet's Energon field, which can propel him up to speeds of 250 kph. Fractyl's neural network has the capacity to store 100 exobytes of information. Fractyl uses an augmented quark disruptor to break any target into its constituent subatomic particles.

Weaknesses:    Fractyl is in constant search of acceptance from his Predacon team-mates. Blinded by this need, he may make foolish choices resulting in more problems. He is also an inexperienced combatant.

PREDACON: Vice Grip

FUNCTION: Reconnaissance

FIRST APPEARANCE: Hidden Repaints, chapter 1

"The search often begins within yourself."

Profile:    Vice Grip is one of Megatron's most loyal and dependable troops. He understands the value of a mission and does his utmost to complete it successfully. This drive, coupled by his extraordinary tracking abilities, is well received by the Predacon leader. His comrades have deep respect for him and often look to him for guidance and advice. He is a cheerful & friendly Predacon, and always tries to boost his team-mates confidence.

Abilities:    In insect mode, his giant rear pincers can easily crush unsuspecting Maximals, and then finish them off with a high-voltage electric surge. In robot mode, the pincers convert to a hand-held pulse weapon that discharges an explosive ball of electricity capable of shorting out all Maximals in a twenty meter radius.