A little while ago, Paizo released the Battlecry playtest, introducing two new classes - the commander and guardian (which you can download here). I missed doing it for the last playtest, but I thought I would try to do a Full Build Friday for each this time around. We'll start with commander as I delve into my favorite franchise, Transformers. You can likely expect even more such builds when Starfinder 2e releases. As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
If you prefer watching over reading, check out the YouTube video on the character.
Let's get into the build for Onslaught from Transformers!
ONSLAUGHT
SOURCE Transformers
BUILD GOALS
o The leader of the Combaticons, a militant unit of fierce soldiers that serve the Decepticon cause
o Onslaught is a tactical genius who excels at designing battle plans and strategies for his soldiers to carry out
o He prefers to be hands-off, able to observe his plans coming together but doesn’t hesitate to stride into the fray when things go awry
o However, such instances fill him with a rage that has terrified even in his comrades
o His most common alternate mode is a long-bed truck with a missile trailer. While in robot mode, his most common weapon is his sonic stun-gun rifle, which unleashes concussive force
o As part of his preparations, he readily makes use of traps, snares, and explosives
o His origin is usually marked with betrayal – in the cartoon, they were being detained by the Decepticons for going renegade while a comic had them as Autobot Elite Guard that feel to their darker desires
o In the Earth War game, he uses a grenade launcher as his primary weapon and launches missiles in a line as his special ability
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Sharpshooter Automaton
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Strength, +Dexterity
o Ancestry Feat: Reinforced Chassis
Background: Cannoneer
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Intelligence
o Skill Increase: Athletics (trained), Warfare Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Hefty Hauler
Class & Subclass: Commander
o Class Ability Boost: +Intelligence
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained), Crafting (trained), Intimidation (trained), Society (trained), Stealth (trained), Survival (trained)
o Class Feat: Deceptive Tactics
o Skill Feats: Lengthy Diversion
o Tactics: Double Team, Form Up!, Reload!, Strike Hard!
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Wisdom (Str +2, Dex +3, Con +0, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +0)
As will almost always be the case for Transformers characters, Onslaught uses the automaton ancestry and with Onslaught’s focus on ranged combat – between his anti-air alt mode and firearms – he uses the sharpshooter heritage. The Automaton Aim action could even be flavored as him transforming to steady his aim. Given that his alt mode is traditionally some form of military vehicle, he utilizes Reinforced Chassis as his ancestry feat. With his class choice, he doesn’t really need a background that grants him Warfare Lore, but those options fit him best. He’ll use Cannoneer, which is again based a bit more on his alternate mode over other Warfare Lore options. Then, for the very first time on the blog, he’ll use the commander class and takes Deceptive Tactics mainly because, well, he’s a Decepticon. For tactics, he’s mainly looking to take charge of the Combaticons and give the ranged nature of Transformers in general, Reload is a stand out option. Double Team is more physical, letting Brawl get in on the fun. Form Up is another deliberate choice as I like the concept of Onslaught calling for this right before they combine into Bruticus. Then, with the versatility of Strike Hard allowing a ranged or melee Strike, he uses that to actually order the other Combaticons to enact his strategies.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Adaptive Stratagem
o Skill Feat: Snare Crafting
o Gear: psychopomp mask
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Increase: Crafting (expert), Warfare Lore (expert)
o Gear: +1 blunderbuss, ring of discretion, psychopomp mask
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Guiding Shot
o Skill Feat: Alchemical Crafting
o Gear: crafter’s eyepiece, +1 blunderbuss, +1 backpack ballista, psychopomp mask
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Wisdom (Str +2, Dex +4, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +0)
o Ancestry Feat: Arcane Eye
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (expert)
o Gear: +1 striking blunderbuss, crafter’s eyepiece, backfire mantle, +1 backpack ballista, ring of discretion, psychopomp mask
Onslaught doesn’t like it when his plans go awry and them doing so usually triggers a rage in him, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t adjust his plans, such as with Adaptive Stratagem. Since he is described as being a hands-off commander, he’ll stick with ranged weaponry and use Guiding Shot to leave an enemy vulnerable to enable his squad’s attacks. With his use of explosives and traps, he’ll actually take Snare and Alchemical Crafting as his skill feats for this block so that he can set up and create these options. While he is staying out of the fight for the most party, Onslaught is still a big and burly ‘con and Toughness helps to represent that. There’s no new tactics this block, which feels a little bad, but he does have Arcane Eyes to let him see in the dark, enabling him on night missions. This is an interesting ancestry feat as unlike most darkvision options of the same nature, it isn’t limited to being taken at first level.
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Efficient Preparation
o Skill Feat: Intimidating Glare
o Gear: +1 reinforced chassis, +1 striking blunderbuss, demon mask, crafter’s eyepiece, necklace of knives, +1 backpack ballista
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Incredible Initiative
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (master), Warfare Lore (master)
o Tactics: Piranha Assault
o Gear: lesser dread armor rune, +1 reinforced chassis, tactician’s helm, +1 striking blunderbuss, crafter’s eyepiece, backfire mantle
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Tactical Expansion – Mountaineering Training, Naval Training
o Skill Feat: Battle Cry
o Gear: fearless sash, lesser dread armor rune, lesser grub gloves, +1 reinforced chassis, +1 striking blunderbuss, demon mask
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Rain of Bolts
o Skill Increase: Crafting (master)
o Gear: +1 resilient reinforced chassis, fearless sash, boots of bounding, lesser dread armor rune, tactician’s helm, +1 striking blunderbuss
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +2, Dex +4.5, Con +2, Int +4.5, Wis +2, Cha +1)
o Class Feat: Targeting Strike
o Skill Feat: Terrifying Resistance
o Gear: thousand-blade thesis, +1 resilient reinforced chassis, brooch of inspiration, fearless sash, +1 striking backpack ballista, +1 striking blunderbuss
While tactics can be reused infinitely, only having two feels a little limiting, so Onslaught takes Efficient Preparation to be able to prepare at least one more, accounting for the disparate personalities that make up his Combaticons. Given his strategic genius and the fact that the Cybertronian war has raged across the galaxies and a swath of biomes, he uses Tactical Expansion to pick up Mountaineering Training and Naval Training to account for that. I don’t think I would keep them regularly prepared but they’re fantastic choice to swap in with Adaptive Stratagem. Then Targeting Strike simply builds out of Guiding Shot and lets Onslaught open up soft spots in his target for his allies to then take advantage of, taking a step in combining their attacks since this build won’t allow them to combine their bodies. With some of the armored adversaries Onslaught and his squad face, they benefit significantly from the Piranha Assault tactic, and it’s not a bad one to hold in reserve, swapping in with Adaptive Stratagem when the situation calls for it. For skill feats, there’s a heavy focus on Intimidation options this time around given the terror Onslaught is able to invoke even in his own allies. Battle Cry feels particularly appropriate, considering his class. As battle ready as Onslaught is, Improved Initiative also felt appropriate and this combos nicely with his skill feat, hopefully allowing him to act before his foes can shake the frightened condition. Rain of Bolts rounds out his feat selection for the block, and gives him an area attack that could be flavored as blasts from his alt mode or the activated ability of his Earth Wars incarnation.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Pick Up the Pace
o Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o Gear: +2 striking blunderbuss, mask of the banshee, thousand-blade thesis, +1 resilient reinforced chassis, fearless sash, boots of bounding
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Fortunate Blow
o Skill Feat: Terrified Retreat
o Gear: +2 resilient reinforced chassis, +2 striking blunderbuss, greater demon mask, thousand-blade thesis, brooch of inspiration, thundering weapon rune
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Lesser Augmentation – Reinforced Chassis
o Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o Gear: +2 greater striking blunderbuss, +2 resilient reinforced chassis, greater brooch of inspiration, greater demon mask, ashen weapon rune, thousand-blade thesis
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Drilled Reflexes
o Skill Feat: Intimidating Prowess
o Gear: propulsive boots, +2 greater striking blunderbuss, warcaller’s chime of restoration, +2 resilient reinforced chassis, greater demon mask, +2 striking backpack ballista
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +2, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +5, Wis +3, Cha +2)
o General Feat: Fleet
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (legendary), Warfare Lore (legendary)
o Tactics: Ready, Aim, Fire!
o Gear: +2 greater resilient reinforced chassis, greater helm of underwater action, propulsive boots, +2 greater striking blunderbuss, greater brooch of inspiration, greater crafter’s eyepiece
Fortunate Blow fills a similar function to Guiding Shot and it’s a little difficult to determine when either should be used – obviously Fortunate Blow is more useful when fighting ghosts or other creatures with immunity to precision damage. I waffled a bit on his other class feat for this level, but given the military unit that the Combaticons are, even more so than most Decepticons, Drilled Reflexes felt right, allowing him to ensure that his combat-capable companions can unleash their own reactions. His tactic for this round is Ready, Aim, Fire, which is honestly a massive boon. For two actions, he can allow allies to swap to a ranged weapon, reload a ranged weapon, and then unleash a volley at a target – all for only a reaction on their part! This fits with the ranged combat common amongst Transformers and that feels particularly appropriate given the alt modes of the Combaticons. He takes more Intimidation feats, including the ability to force a retreat from his victims with Terrified Retreat and then focuses on speed for his general feats to mimic the vehicular alternate mode that he possesses. With a lack of enticing options at thirteenth level from among his ancestry feats, Onslaught circles back to Lesser Augmentation to gain a reaction that lets him try to turn critical hits into regular ones.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Undaunted Discipline
o Skill Feat: Scare to Death
o Gear: greater thundering weapon rune, +2 greater resilient reinforced chassis, soaring armor rune, propulsive boots, +2 greater striking blunderbuss, +2 greater striking backpack ballista
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Greater Augmentation – Rain of Bolts
o Skill Increase: Athletics (legendary)
o Gear: +3 greater striking blunderbuss, greater thunderblast slippers, greater thundering weapon rune, +2 greater resilient reinforced chassis, greater helm of underwater action, propulsive boots
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Tactical Expansion – Demoralizing Charge, End It!
o Skill Feat: Legendary Professional
o Gear: cloak of swiftness, +3 greater striking blunderbuss, quickstrike weapon rune, greater thundering weapon rune, +2 greater resilient reinforced chassis, soaring armor rune
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Untrained Improvisation
o Skill Increase: Crafting (legendary)
o Tactics: Executioner’s Volley
o Gear: +3 greater resilient reinforced chassis, cloak of swiftness, dread blindfold, +3 greater striking blunderbuss, greater thunderblast slippers, greater thundering weapon rune
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +3, Dex +5, Con +3, Int +5, Wis +4, Cha +3)
o Class Feat: Pennant of Victory
o Skill Feat: Quick Jump
o Gear: +3 major striking blunderbuss, +3 greater resilient reinforced chassis, mercurial mantle, dread blindfold, +3 greater striking backpack ballista, quickstrike weapon rune
Onslaught’s single-minded determination and focus plays into Undaunted Discipline, letting him work through mental manipulations to see his plan through. Another use of Tactical Expansion lets him take Demoralizing Charge to send his allies into the fight and break the will of the enemy as well as End It, which is another way to let him send a foe running – leaving them open to his squad’s barrage. For the tactic that he normally gains, I prefer Executioner’s Volley given the aforementioned focus on firearms but also that the damage is combined – sort of like how the Combaticons combine? It’s a bit of a stretch, but this would be a fun tactic to combo with the single-action Fortunate Blow. He rounds out class options with Pennant of Victory. While a very short-lived effect, the offensive options it grants makes more sense for Onslaught rather than the more defensive and passive effects of Glorious Banner. Scare to Death is a shoe-in for his skill feat but Onslaught finally takes Lengthy Diversion after taking Deceptive Tactics earlier. Maybe the new book will feature more feats to make use of this, but this is the only one of the sort that I could see him using – like when he very sneakily triggered a fight between Optimus and the Predacons. At times, the Combaticons have been a bit more mercenary, including a period when they worked for a North Korean dictator, which lends credence to him taking Legendary Professional through his Warfare Lore. For his last ancestry feat, he upgrades Rain of Bolts through Greater Augmentation. This lets him rain damage in an area much more frequently, ups their damage, and even adds precious metals to them. All in all, a fantastic enhancement that competed with Core Cannon to resemble his alt mode.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: While Onslaught may want to consider using a different weapon if going down this route – or at least getting his spotter a backfire mantle – the Sniping Duo Dedication isn’t a bad choice for him. The damage from it is circumstance, which would stack with the damage from his Targeting Strike. Options such as Cover Fire, Triangulate, and Exploit Opening all help to play into his strategic style while enhancing his combat capability with a single member of his squad. He could also look into a Gunslinger Dedication, likely with a Way of the Vanguard to give him some better reloading options like Running Reload, some unique attacks with his weapon like Phalanx Breaker or Scatter Blast, and the ability to make his own bombs and ammunition with Munitions Crafter.
BUILD CONCLUSION
Onslaught is a sharpshooter automaton commander with the cannoneer background serving to reference his membership in the militant Combaticons as well as his missile-launching alternate mode. As a tactical genius who prefers to watch his plans unfold, he uses the commander class with a ranged weapon, which lends itself to Guiding Shot and Targeting Shot. As a member of the Decepticons, he readily makes use of Deceptive Tactics and strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies (and sometimes his allies) both through his investment in Intimidation as well as tactics such as Demoralizing Charge and End It! Rain of Bolts helps reference the missiles of his long-bed truck with missile trailer alt mode as well as the line he lays down in Earth Wars. His weapon of choice, the blunderbuss, is also a reference to that game. He further controls the battlefield through traps, snares, and explosives from his Alchemical and Snare Crafting feats though he needs to spend the time to actually assemble them. As a Decepticon, Onslaught favors aggressive tactics such as Strike Hard, Ready, Aim, Fire, and Pennant of Victory to decimate his enemies.
Adorned in alloy and achievements, this aggressive automaton annihilates adversaries in all-out assaults, aided by allies acquiescing to his ample advice!
Lemme know what you think and what other builds you would like to see!
If you want to join in on the discussion of these builds and the ones I do for monsters or just hang out with a bunch of fellow TTRPG nerds, check out the Discord server. We also have a Twitter where we try to post teasers for the blog. As promised, we're rolling up a guardian next week!
Have a fantastic Friday!
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