For me, like a couple others, it's the homage factor that does me in for a fig, which is why I love Classics so much (and probably why I dished out more cash than I should have to get Robotmaster Starscream, TC and Skywarp; heh) or the fact that I'm always looking for either a good ol' version of this or that character or the 'Ultimate version' of any character that homaged in more recent lines like, say, G1 Grapple whose more current version (IMO anyways) would be Energon Roadblock. Same goes for Cybertron Downshift (Wheeljack), Smokescreen and the TFCC Ironhide and Ratchet figs. Names don't matter that much to me anymore either, well not since kitbashing Super Link Hot Shot Fire into Bluestreak anyway. And I usually go for the best version, whether domestic or Japanese, and the more iconic characters if I decide to get the Japanese versions (i.e. Tele-Waspinator) because of the prices and all.
This usually get me to purchase to many versions of one character, as in the case of Classics Astrotrain and the club exclusive Astrotrain. Both are great - and I still have my G1 original BTW - but I sometimes wish I'd have waited a while longer to get the Classics version as I find that the club exclusive fits in better with the rest, even if he doesn't transform into a train at all. Meh. "Doubled" characters or "outdated" ones usually get stored away, or even given away as in the case of most of my Armada figs, making my friends' little boys
very happy.
'Cept for BW Dinobot that is. Have and will keep all these for as long as I can.
What else is there... Combiners! I can never get enough of combiners and am trying to get the Classics Devastator set even tho' I have the Energon version. Had to import the Super Link Aerialbots because the Japanese version was just that little tad better looking (yeah, yeah, smudge s and globs of paints and everything), and the reissue Predacons where a must on my list and now sit proudly on my computer desk at home. And then there's dinosaur alt-mode TFs, like the Dinobots and most of the Beast Wars Neo bad guys I HAD to get.
Other than that, not much. Used to depend alot on the 'wow' and 'weird' factors, which led me to purchase all the Fuzors and to much of RiD/Car Robot (still regretting that Baldigus purchase tho'...), but that's cooled down quite a bit of late. Did get Titanium 6" Soundwave 'cause I'll probably never see the reissue in store and that Rodimus Prime fig calls to me every time I see it. The movie Real-Gear stuff I'll probably end up getting, too.
