SparkleLord Mekton Zeta Build
Written by Christopher Thomas. Last updated 2 March 2010.

Recently, a flash game came to my attention: Robot Unicorn Attack. This is an entertaining running/jumping game, with enough rainbows and sparkles to cause tooth decay at 100 metres, and music to match. The protagonist is a robotic unicorn, leaping from ledge to ledge on rainbows and charging through metal stars in a firey aura.

This got me thinking. This glittery but aggressively destructive unicorn reminded me of someone: SparkleLord (bio page 1 bio page 2), a magical and evil rainbow-unicorn with a similarly destructive bent, who takes the form of a motorcycle when in our world. The two could be one and the same.

Naturally, I just had to make a Mekton version of him. Here he is.


SparkleLord
(roadstriker-scale MS motorcycle/mechabeast)
 
Head
5k [5spc] 2.5t 5.0cp Servo (HS)
[7sp] -- 3.5t 7.0cp Armour (LH)
1k 1spc 0.5t 4.0cp Sensors (MS) (7km/100km at RS scale)
4k 4spc 2.0t 13.0cp EMW halo 10/20 (20k, WA+2)
(10-6)(10+3) (WA +1, +1 thought)
-- -- -- 3.0cp (EMW split from torso)
-- -- -- 0.8cp Loudspeaker, Spots, IR Spots
[5/5] 8.5t 32.8cp
 
Torso
8k [8spc] 4.0t 8.0cp Servo (MS)
[6sp] -- 3.0t 6.0cp Armour (MW)
4k 4spc 2.0t 13.0cp EMW halo 10/20 (see head)
(10-6)(10+3) (distributed between torso/head)
-- -- -- -- Foreleg Melee Control Node
(0k melee weapon; exists only to link to)
-- -- -- -- Hind Leg Melee Control Node
(0k melee weapon; exists only to link to)
-- 1spc -- -- IA 6p25 (see notes)
-- 1spc -- -- ESPer Lens 4p6 (1 spc, 0 backlash)
1k 1spc 0.5t 2.5cp Backup Sensors (1km/30km at RS scale)
(2-1)(2+0.5)
-- 1spc -- 2.0cp Decor (+3 COOL)
6k -- 3.0t 6.0cp Wheels (MW) (front/back wheel, 3k each)
-- -- -- -- Saddle Cockpit
[8/8] 12.5t 37.5cp
 
Legs (x4)
5k [5spc] 2.5t 5.0cp Servo (MS)
[6sp] -- 3.0t 6.0cp Armour (MW)
1k 1spc 0.5t 4.0cp Hoof (6k, WA+1, quick)
(3-2) (3+1) (3k, +2 beast, +1 servo) (WA +1, +1 thought)
-- -- -- 3.0cp (hoof cross-linked to torso control node)
-- 2spc -- -- Ninja Leap +2H
-- 2spc -- 0.5cp Maneuver Verniers (3/15)
(3-1) (0+0.5)
[5/5] 6.0t 18.5cp (x4)
 
Tail
2k [2spc] 1.0t 2.0cp Servo (LW)
[4sp] -- 2.0t 4.0cp Armour (MS)
-- 2spc -- 0.5cp Maneuver Verniers (3/15)
(3-1) (0+0.5)
[2/2] 3.0t 6.5cp
 
Totals
48.0t 150.8cp Subtotal
x 5.87 Cost Multiplier Systems
48.0t 885.2cp Total (Mekton)
÷10 ÷3 Scaling
4.8t 295.1cp Total (Roadstriker)
 
Combat Stats
Beast Land MA 8 (144 kph) (base 4, +2 beast, +2 super)
Beast Flight MA 8 (144 kph) (x1.0 land MA, 3 rounds +2/extra psi point)
Beast Jump 4h (40m) (base 8÷4=2, +2 ninja; 4h/action)
Beast MV +2 bonus (base -4, -1 beast, +2 super, +3 vern = 0)
(+2 thought)
Cycle Land MA 13 (374 kph) (base 4, +5 cycle, +2 wheels, +2 super)
Cycle Flight MA 13 (374 kph) (x1.0 land MA, 3 rounds +2/extra psi point)
Cycle MV +2 bonus (base -4, +2 super, +3 vern = +1, clamped at 0)
(+2 thought)

Notes
Cost Multipliers
x 1.00 baseline
x 0.00 cycle form (free)
x 0.30 beast form
x 0.20 2 disguised forms
x 0.10 instant transform
x 0.30 supercharged
x 0.30 maneuver verniers +3
x 0.10 ninja leap +2h
x 0.05 shadow imager
(rainbows/sparkles/etc)
x 1.20 IA 6p25
x 0.50 thought control (sapience)
x 1.82 ESPer lens (psionics)
x 5.87 Total

Psionic Skills (daily point pool: 60)
Stat* Ranks** Skill SK+ST
LUCK 3 aura view +9
LUCK 4 emotion scan +10
LUCK 3 flight +9
LUCK 2 psi block +8
LUCK 1 regeneration +7
LUCK 3 telepathy +9
*Psionics use the LUCK stat, which is 6 (from IA) like the others.
**Maximum skill rank is 4, due to the ESPer lens's limits. Many are lower to better reflect SparkleLord's abilities.
Skill Portfolio
Stat* Skill* ST+SK
ATT personal grooming +12
COOL intimidate +15**
COOL persuade/fast-talk +15**
COOL leadership +15**
EMP human perception +12
INT awareness/notice +12
INT expert (Radical Land) +12
INT language (English) +12
INT language (Japanese) +12
INT shadow/avoid +12
INT survival +12
REF athletics +12
REF drive +14***
REF stealth +12
MREF mecha fighting +14
MREF mecha melee +14
MREF mecha piloting +14
TECH jury rig +12
TECH mecha tech +12
*Stats and Skill ranks are at 6 unless othewise noted.
**Includes +3 COOL bonus from decor.
***Assuming thought-control boosts Drive, even though it's REF rather than Mecha Reflexes.

Personality, Behavior, and Tactics

SparkleLord is a study in contrast. On one hand, he's a bona fide unicorn, shedding rainbows and sparkles, and embodying all of the physical attributes that one would normally ascribe to his kind. On the other hand, he is an evil being full of hatred for all that brings joy in the world (possibly including himself, though nobody's lived long enough to report back on that after asking).

In beast form (his preferred shape), SparkleLord appears to be a living unicorn, trailing a rainbow behind him when he leaps and with hooves that strike sparkling lens flares when they strike the ground. His mane and tail are rainbow-hued and constantly shift in colour. For those who can see through the illusion that cloaks him, his hide looks like sculpted metal (though the rainbow mane and tail seem to be real physical objects).

In motorcycle form, SparkleLord appears to be an immaculately clean white motorcycle with rainbow decals. This apparently reflects his actual appearance (SparkleLord rarely emits rainbows and sparkles in this form, as he's trying to maintain a low profile if he's looking like a motorcycle at all). SparkleLord can switch between forms in the blink of an eye, usually with an impressive light show during the process.

SparkleLord will often team with a rider. While SparkleLord lacks the psychic finesse needed to directly dominate such a person, he is quite skilled at using subtle manipulation of emotions to cause a rider to form a bond with him and be bent to his goals and outlook. He can carry a rider in either form, though this impedes his ability to use his halo attack (unless he doesn't mind the rider being incinerated).

SparkleLord can move very quickly. His favoured attack mode (in either form) is to charge directly at an opponent or barrier, and engage his EMW halo weapon. This wreathes him in multicoloured plasma fire, intense enough to destroy nearly any obstacle on contact. Failure to destroy the target results in ramming damage to both per normal rules (usually not what SparkleLord had in mind). Success means there is nothing left to be rammed, and SparkleLord continues on his path.

SparkleLord is proficient at jumping. In unicorn form, he can leap or run with equal ease and speed (8 hexes per round either way). In both unicorn and motorcycle form, he can use quasi-magical powers to fly. In unicorn form, this allows him to begin a new jump in mid-air. In motorcycle form, this allows him to ride up walls and other ordinarily non-navigable surfaces. In both forms, it allows him to extend his jumps to improbable distances, and to follow paths normally disallowed by the laws of ballistics. While it's within his power to up-and-fly in arbitrary directions, SparkleLord rarely does so (it's far more impressive-looking when done subtly). All flight effects do, however, drain mystical power, making non-momentary flight extremely draining (rules-wise, he has much better uses for his psi pool than flying around everywhere).

Contrary to rumour, SparkleLord is not invulnerable. He does, however, have the ability to heal nearly any injury (including loss of limbs/components) given enough time undisturbed. Should he find himself on the losing end of a fight, he'll flee at maximum speed, and nurse plots of revenge as he recovers. As he is both charismatic and manipulative, he won't hesitate to sacrifice pawns to ensure his own safety in such situations.

SparkleLord's current whereabouts are unknown. He was banished from the Radical Land a long time ago, and was last seen, with a rider, pursuing King Radical in a motorcycle chase.

Written by Christopher Thomas. Last updated 2 March 2010.