My friend Berin is preparing to run a Dr. Who campaign for us, and in preparation, I bought the .pdf version of the game’s box set from Drive Thru RPG. The price of the file set is about $20 cheaper than the print version, but still a bit pricey at $34.99. There is also a separate Aliens and Creatures compendium on the site for $25.
First off: the production values on the .pdf are top-notch — about what I’ve come to expect from most new licensed products. I can’t vouch for the paper and print quality on the books in the box set, but based off of the .pdf, you’re probably looking at high-gloss paper, cardboard counters in full color, etc… The books are chock-a-block with pictures from the new series of the show (all from the Tennant tenure as the Doctor.)
There are three “books”: an Adventure book, the Players Guide, and the Gamemaster’s Guide. There’s also a bunch of handouts for gadgets, blank and archetype character sheets, and character sheets for the Doctor and companions, as well as story point tokens.
The Adventures book has two scenarios and a bunch of ideas for the gamemaster. It’s fairly standard fare and will be useful for new GMs, not so much for the experienced gamemaster. The “Read This First” handout is a simple “what is a role playing game”, “how to play” booklet.
The Players Guide is simply a character creation manual with the basics of the Dr. Who RPG system. For the .pdfs, the layout is single page, but with the first page being the outer cover of the book…the whole thing as a single unit. this means that you have a two page layout, followed by single pages. It’s fine to look at on a computer, where resizing is fairly quick and painless; on the iPad, it’s annoying, especially if you lock the horizontal so you can flip through the book easily. (I use PDF Reader, myself, on the iPad.)
The chapters are simple: the first gives you the same general information as the Read This First pamphlet and an overview of the Whoverse. The second chapter, goes through the process of character creation. It’s very straightforward and simple — deceptively so. You can craft a great deal uniqueness into your characters despite the simplicity.
There are six attributes: Awareness, Coordination, Ingenuity, Presence, Resolve, and Strength — these can be paired with a simple list of skills to handle the various tasks presented. Skills are also stripped down, with 12 total. There’s also Traits, good and bad, that allow the player to craft various types of companions, aliens, Time Lords, and the like.
Chapter Three covers the basics of the game. It’s a simple and elegant system: the player rolls 2d6 and adds their appropriate attribute, skill, and possibly a trait to beat a target number. Story points can be used to alter rolls, use gadgets, or alter the story line. Combat is not the primary focus of the game or the series, and is reflected in initiative. There’s no random initiative, rather Talkers go first (to reflect the Doctor’s tendency to talk his way out of trouble), Movers, Doers, and Fighters. Damage isn’t done in hit point style, rather damage is applied to the attributes (shot in the leg for 3 points? This might subtact from your Coordination, Strength, and Resolve…)
Other conflicts are mental and social. Social conflicts can affect your Resolve or Ingenuity; Mental can be something like be frightened.
The Gamemaster Guide parallels the Players Guide in the first three chapters. The second chapter is character creation, the third is the system rules. There’s more there — rules for chases, healing, experience.
Chapter Four covers time travel, the nature of time, and the Time Lords and their society. One of the cooler elements is a random table for the appearance and attributes of Time Lords that regenerate. I had the idea that on regenerating, the Time Lord (Doctor or otherwise) should be shifted to another of the players, as well.
Chapter Five covers the basic aliens encountered in series — from the Autons (the manikin plastic creatures from the Eccelston season) to the Cybermen, to the Daleks, as others. Chapters Six and Seven comprise the usual tips, tricks, and suggestions for gamemasters found in most RPG guides.
Overall, the look and feel of the book, and the system, goes a long way to evoking the Dr. Who series. I have yet to play the game, but the books have that Who feel to them. It’s a buy.
Style: 5 out of 5. Substance: 4 out of 5 (it would have been higher if they had paired down the “how to GM” material in favor of more of aliens, more gadgets.)
The Black Campbell 