Omega Invitational: Player Profiles (Part 2)

The grand finale of the first season of Allied Crossplay for the Transformers TCG is coming up soon, with multiple avenues of coverage leading up to the kick-off on March 28th. If you missed the past few days of posts on the Omega Invitational, make sure to get caught up.

Sixteen players will be duking it out to see who comes out on top at the end. Below, you will find the second set of player profiles (in no special order, aside from chronological order in which answers were returned).

vangelus

Location: Toronto, Canada

What brought you into the Transformers TCG?

As a lifelong Transformers fan who was just coming off of a re-engagement with Magic: The Gathering, TFTCG became my perfect-fit tabletop constructed card game. 

What was your favorite character or character line-up from the Wizards of the Coast era?

Octone! A great Wave 4 big guy who brought Opportune power and beefy bountiful pings.

Which moments in competitive Transformers TCG were your favorites?

Tanking massive damage with Bombshell in wave 1, seeing the decision space open with green pips in wave 2, enjoying the game’s newfound feeling of life in waves 3 and 4, and becoming the Eternal 37th Best Player In The World at the Energon Invitational. 

What drew you to play with cards made by Team Bayformers and affiliated Allied Crossplay groups?

Seeing, extremely loudly, that the goal was to create more decision space and an outwards power creep, rather than an upwards one.

What is your favorite community-created card?

Angolmois Surge exemplifies a lot of things – a gear in a larger clockwork of battle cards that add another decision space, forming a fresh archetype to support a somewhat sparsely-supported tag in Melee, and forcing a lot of Transformers fans to learn how to pronounce “Angolmois”.

How do you feel about being chosen to participate in the Omega Invitational?

I very much intend to be among the 37 best players in the world, no matter who I have to eliminate to secure my crown. But also it’s great to be taking part in a culminating moment of TFTCG’s longer second life in the hands of community-made card sets.

What are you looking forward to the most in the future of the Transformers TCG? 

A community-driven environment of sidewards power creep and upwards decision-space creep, eventually reaching into every corner of Transformers regardless of continuity, marketability, or evergreen suitability.

You can find more from Vangelus on his YouTube channel.

Siliag

Location: Southampton, UK

What brought you into the Transformers TCG?

I was looking for a collectible card game after the dark days of Pokemon TCG and just happened to stumble across the Transformers TCG. Saw the cards and the mechanics and just fully got on board. 

What was your favorite character or character line-up from the Wizards of the Coast era?

Nemesis Prime

Which moments in competitive Transformers TCG were your favorites?

Competitively, being the scourge of the South of England with my Bugs deck! Won the local tournament for our playgroup and beyond (Southampton) then took 2nd at the Inivitational Qualifiiers (Brighton) then playing in said Invitational in London where are playgroup ranked really highly and myself getting in the top half winning a SoundWave Vs Blaster retro edition set (or whatever it was called).

What drew you to play with cards made by Team Bayformers and affiliated Allied Crossplay groups?

Just a pure love of the game, and wanting it to continue.

What is your favorite community-created card?

Malevolent Architect from the Turbo Revving Old Punks, simply because it makes the Constructicons playable (and viable)

How do you feel about being chosen to participate in the Omega Invitational?

I feel strangely honoured to be invited to the Omega Invitational as its been a while since I’ve played, but it is also a reward for past endeavours which I have enjoyed and put time into. It’s also exciting for the community too.

What are you looking forward to the most in the future of the Transformers TCG? 

The future looks good, and full! Full of content. I’m just pleased it (TFTCG) is still going and that peeps can have something new to play and experience. 

Check out more from Siliag by searching #pipsandflips on Instagram.

The Energon Hustler

Location: Plymouth, UK

What brought you into the Transformers TCG?

Seeing some friends playing down my FLGS. When I saw Optimus Prime Battlefield Legend I was sold. The art is so iconic and brought me back to my childhood. I was all in from that point! 

What was your favorite character or character line-up from the Wizards of the Coast era?

Captain Jetfire from Wave 4. Jetfire was one of my favourite toys as a kid and I loved how Captain Jetfire played. I love cards that provide massive card advantage – he certainly brings that to the table!

Which moments in competitive Transformers TCG were your favorites?

Winning my first local event here in Plymouth shortly after getting into the game and more recently playing in the casual events PSI Pre-invitational & Two Lwosers. 

What drew you to play with cards made by Team Bayformers and affiliated Allied Crossplay groups?

They look good. Like real WOTC cards. The level of play testing is brilliant and they present a very varied meta game. They also aren’t afraid to errata cards if they become a problem.

What is your favorite community-created card?

Currently Gilthor – I really liked Bayformers bringing us the Quintesson faction and he is definitely a flagship card for them.

How do you feel about being chosen to participate in the Omega Invitational?

I fully didn’t expect to play in the event so when I got the message from Billmoo inviting me I was overjoyed. It’s a real honour to be invited and I’m super excited! 

What are you looking forward to the most in the future of the Transformers TCG? 

More great cards from the Allied Crossplay community. The diversity of the meta game is fantastic and so many archetypes are viable. It’s a dynamic and exciting time. I’m also looking forward to playing in more events. It’s been great playing people from all over the globe.

You can find more from the Energon Hustlers on their YouTube channel.

frank4321

Location: South Wales, UK

What brought you into the Transformers TCG?

All things Transformers I have been a massive fan since the 90s (late 80s kid myself) always been into TCG and combine that with transformers was definitely worth giving a go.

What was your favorite character or character line-up from the Wizards of the Coast era?

Getting into Transformers TCG late wave 1/beginning wave 2 for me, it was actually Metroplex. Just the idea of playing such a massive character card and the mechanics behind just seemed awesome to me. I played him still all the way up till wave 4. Then combiners had some really decent support cards for them to pack a punch. From there on, it was Superion all the way. It’s just incredible: the stats, the combine ability, and even going 1 wide combined being able to stand against some of the toughest pierce decks from my experience with him.

Which moments in competitive Transformers TCG were your favorites?

For me was 2019 London Energon Internationals in the UK, meeting and playing with incredible people, coming 6th with Superion in a 80+ player field was my finest achievement. I will never forget such a huge point in Transformers TCG at the time, but then it’s not always about the competitive side. Even those janky deck builds with friends face to face or even through Discord and meeting some awesome people.

What drew you to play with cards made by Team Bayformers and affiliated Allied Crossplay groups?

Honestly, like all when WotC announced they were cancelling the game. it hit pretty hard. How can such a amazing game be cancelled with the support and players behind it 100%? I refused to believe and opened the world of fan created sets being made was just incredible the time and effort everyone has put into there creations. I’m late coming to BFA and mainly started with eye of the matrix events, then found ATP sets and had been playing there for about a year now. It’s time to see what else is out there and all you guys behind Ark, Bayformers, and TROP have me hooked with incredible sets out there.

What is your favorite community-created card?

My favorite community made card is actually a card I haven’t played yet. It would have to be Bruticus. On paper he’s insane. The abilities all the little guys have, then to combine into Bruticus… If you don’t have a way to stop pierce or the combine trigger, he’s going to eat 2 of your guys alive.

How do you feel about being chosen to participate in the Omega Invitational?

Honestly speechless. I don’t know how people get picked to be invited to it. but very appreciated to have been chosen. I want to try new things within the tcg discord community, so I’m very grateful to be picked to play with such an awesome group.

What are you looking forward to the most in the future of the Transformers TCG?

I always wished someone would pick TF TCG back up to make it a live game with support in stores again… but those days have passed and I couldn’t think of a better way for the community to carry on with such a brilliant game that has proven to not be “dead” and carry on playing awesome games within Bayformers, Turbo-Revvin Old Punks, and the guys from Ark and whoever may be in the future to come. Keep up the awesome work!

We’ll be back tomorrow with a look at four more competitors! In the meantime, scope out the Team Bayformers webpage for more info on their sets, Allied Crossplay sets, and links to their social media accounts.