Character-A-Day Day 21: Doctor Who
Character A Day, Day Twenty One(ish)
Doctor Who (The Newest One)
There Were Two Others
Perhaps They Regenerated?
Given that I’ve purchased, uhm, about sixteen hardcovers for this game system (11 of them are dedicated to the various incarnations of the Doctor), it’s about damn time I rolled up something, don’t you think? Well, not “rolled”, it’s point based. But we still “roll” characters, just like we “dial” phones. Go figure.
Anyway, this is one of the times a concept just leaped at me. I was assuming I’d generate a companion (though you can also play as UNIT members or Torchwood agents or the like, with no Doctor at all), and I started thinking of concepts for one, and I had an idea for something 18th century, but wasn’t sure what, then I escaped the assumption that, in an RPG, it had to be British, and somehow it came together… a Revolutionary War era apprentice of Ben Franklin, who, as it turns out, was much further ahead of his time than imagined, dabbling in weird electro-mechanical science gizmos, one of which did something wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey, attracting some version of the Doctor (I’m gonna say Third, my favorite) and my character sneaked onto the TARDIS in the confusion, and remained aboard.
A quick trip to the Colonial Names Generator, and we have Emanuel Price.
First step is attributes. They’re on a scale of 1-6, with 24 character points to split up. It’s recommended to spend only 18 and leave the rest for Traits, though you can get more with Bad Traits. (Bad traits, bad traits, whatcha gonna do…)
Emanuel Price
Awareness: 2
Coordination: 3
Ingenuity: 5
Presence: 5
Resolve: 4
Strength: 2
I take the bad traits “Insatiable Curiosity” and “Impulsive”, because, let’s face it, those are pretty much requirements for a companion. That gives me +2 points. With the 19 I spent on Attributes, that is 7 for some Good Traits.
Boffin (2 points): This allows me to concoct useful gadgets from common household goods.
Charming (1 point): I want to go against the socially inept nerd stereotype, hence, the high Presence and Resolve. This amplifies that.
Technically Adept (1 point): If it’s not working, whack it.
Resourceful Pockets (1 point): I can spend story points to have something useful in my pocketses, yess, Preciousss….
Reverse The Polarity of the Neutron Flow (2 points):Once per adventure, I can turn a failed science or technology roll into a Fantastic Success.
Skills
With which one can pay money that is owed. These are on the same 1-6 scale.
Science: 4
Technology: 4
Knowledge: 2
Marksman: 1 (He is living during a war, he has had some training.)
Fighting: 1
Convince: 3 (He talked the Doctor into letting him stay.)
Subterfuge: 2 (After he successfully sneaked (snuck? I hate it when the language is in transition) onboard.)
Craft: 1
That’s 18 skill points.
I also get 12 story points — which can be used to alter die rolls, avoid lethal damage, all the usual plot-point type mechanics.
My tech level is the Industrial Age, from the 18th to the 20th centuries… a bit broad, but hey, it’s Doctor Who, not Traveller.
And really, that’s it.
The character options can be much broader, if I didn’t want to go for a fairly archetypal companion — I could be an alien, a cyborg, a psychic, and so forth. The various splatbooks include more good and bad traits. But for starting out, I wanted to test out the “core functionality”, as it were, and I think it passes — I had no trouble turning my concept of a character into stats that “does what it says on the tin”, that is, give mechanical weight to the concept. I dislike systems where key aspects that define your character are basically left to GM discretion or lack any support in the rules. This system does not have that issue. Good.
Your stuff looks a bit 1889 Dr Who
Str dex End MENTality INtuition Cha
Stats 1 to 7 then
1 still at 1 Or 7 skills at 7 points system tricker
Regeneration2d6roll End INtu so max those for me then control regererations in age and gender…