Doctor Who - Discussion Thread for The Game of Rassilon

Raven Crowking · Jun 19, 2007

In this thread (http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=199342), I am posting the basic rules for my Doctor Who homebrew. So as to avoid interupting the flow of that thread, I am creating this thread to answer any questions and receive comments.

You can also post characters if you make them, and use this thread as a form of notebook for the other thread.

RC

Raven Crowking · Jun 19, 2007

OK, simple character creation example:

I want to make a companion from 1908, sort of a pulp-era heroic type. I'm going to call him Slade Johnson.

I start out with Attributes: STR, END, DEX, AGL, PCN, KNO, PSI and PRS. I have 8 points to spend, but right away I know I'm not buying any psychic powers, so I can lower PSI to -4 to have 12 remaining points. For the pulp action guy, STR, END, DEX, AGL, PCN, and PRS are pretty important....but probably END and PRS are most important. I choose my stats as follows:

STR +2, END +3, DEX +2, AGL +1, PCN +3, KNO -1, PSI -4, PRS +2

I then pick the Adventurer background, gaining the following skills:

Bluff (PRS) +2, Brawling (STR) +2, Climb (STR) +2, Escapology (AGL) +2, Intimidate (PRS) +2, Jump (STR) +2, Move Silently (AGL) +2, Spot (PCN) +2, Swim (AGL) +2, and Wilderness Survival (PCN) +2. For my optionalskills I gain Archaic Weapons (STR) +4, Drive (Automobiles) (DEX) +4, Firearms (DEX) +4, Pilot (Airplanes) (DEX) +4, and Ride (AGL) +4.

I'm sort of torn between the Resilience and the Attractive Knacks, but I'll take Resilience now and pick up Attractive later.

I take a +1 to Fort and Will saves.

My character owns a small plane, usually carries a revolver and a small amount of folding money. He has a hip flask half filled with whiskey, a watch, and a pilot's cap.

That's it. Now all I have to do is add some things up, roll hit points, and play.

Raven Crowking · Jun 19, 2007

Slade Johnson

Medium Humanoid, Level 1
STR +2, END +3, DEX +2, AGL +1, PCN +3, KNO -1, PSI -4, PRS +2.
Skills: Archaic Weapons +6, Bluff +4, Brawling +4, Climb +4, Drive (Automobiles) +6, Escapology +3, Firearms +6, Intimidate +4, Jump (STR) +4, Move Silently +4, Pilot (Airplanes) +6, Ride +5, Spot +5, Swim +3, and Wilderness Survival +4.
Knacks: Resilience.
HP 11; Saves Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +3; Defence 12; AP 4.

Equipment: small plane, revolver, $150 folding money, hip flask half filled with whiskey, watch, and pilot's cap.

Raven Crowking · Jun 19, 2007

I imagine Slade Johnson having an initial adventure somewhere in Africa or South America, encountering a "Lost World" where a Silurian colony has arisen.

Or "Slade Johnson" could be a Time Lord by making the adjustments and changing his name to, say, Professor Challenger? :lol:

Anyone else care to try the character creation system? 10 minutes from concept to character.

RC

Raven Crowking · Jun 19, 2007

Professor Challenger

Medium Humanoid (Time Lord), Level 1
STR +1, END +5, DEX +2, AGL +1, PCN +5, KNO +3, PSI +1, PRS +4.
Skills: Archaic Weapons +5, Bluff +6, Brawling +3, Climb +3, Computer Use +7, Concentration +8, Diplomacy +6, Drive (Automobiles) +6, Escapology +3, Firearms +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +3, Knowledge (Alien Species) +7, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +7, Knowledge (History) +5, Knowledge (Planets) +7, Knowledge (Technology) +7, Move Silently +4, Navigate +7, Pilot (Airplanes) +6, Repair +7, Research +5, Ride +5, Sciences (Temporal Sciences) +7, Spot +7, Swim +3, TARDIS Systems +7, and Wilderness Survival +6.
Knacks: Resilience.
HP 11; Saves Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +5; Defence 12; AP 4.

Equipment: Type 42 TARDIS, TARDIS key, sonic screwdriver, hip flask half filled with whiskey, Gallifreyan pocketwatch, and pilot's cap.

Psychic Powers: Body Control, Telepathic Focus, and Telepathic Reception.

Regeneration: If a Time Lord encounters conditions that would otherwise cause his death, he can attempt to regenerate. Regeneration under these circumstances requires a Willpower save (usually DC 20, but possibly higher depending upon circumstances). If the save fails, a regenerative problem has occurred (your GM will tell you what happens). You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to this save if you are within your TARDIS – this bonus rises to +4 if the time rotor is activated. A Time Lord can also regenerate when not faced with immediate death – this does not require a Willpower save.

Temporal Sense: Time Lords can sense temporal anomalies. They are allowed to make a Perception check to notice any temporal anomaly within 100 meters.

Minor Special Effect: A Time Lord can spend 2 Action Points to create a minor effect that seemingly defies the laws of physics. The player must describe this effect, and the GM adjudicates its effects. This ability can be used to grant a +4 circumstance bonus to the use of any skill. Alternatively, it may simply accomplish a task if the GM deems the description is sufficient.

Deux Ex Machina: By spending all remaining Action Points, a Time Lord can cause a major effect to happen, often resolving a major problem. This effect may negate an attack or a major threat; prevent the Time Lord from having to regenerate; or something similar. The player must describe this effect, and the GM adjudicates its effects. A Time Lord must spend at least 4 Action Points to use this ability.

Ilium · Jun 28, 2007

What the heck, I'll give it a shot. How about the classic Doctor's companion: The average Joe. Actually to be truly classic it should be a woman, I suppose. So here's the Average Jane (more or less)

Jane seemed to be a bored (and, to be honest, somewhat boring) adjunct professor of sociology in a New England college town when The Doctor's TARDIS suddenly appeared in the library's main reading room while she was working late. He soon discovered that her research into fringe and student subcultures had given her a remarkable ability to adapt to new social situations and she has proven quite resourceful. Since then things have been anything but boring.

Jane Emory:
STR +0, END +1, DEX +2, AGL +1, PCN +1, KNO +4, PSI -4, PRS +3
HP: 10
Saves: Fortitude +1, Reflex +2, Willpower +4
Defense: 12

Background: Academic
Skills
Administration (KNO) +8
Cryptology (KNO) +8
Gather Information (PCN) +5
Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) (KNO) +8
Knowledge (Popular Culture) (KNO) +8
Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) (KNO) +8
Knowledge (Physical Sciences) (KNO) +8
Knowledge (Streetwise) (KNO) +8
Research (KNO) +8
Computer Use (KNO) +8

Social Chamelon: By spending an Action Point, Jane can cause people to treat her as though she belongs in a particular setting. Each use of this Knack lasts for one episode. Social Chameleon causes the average person to treat her as though she belongs in a setting; specific major characters can still determine that she is an outsider.

Raven Crowking · Jun 28, 2007

Ilium said:
What the heck, I'll give it a shot. How about the classic Doctor's companion: The average Joe. Actually to be truly classic it should be a woman, I suppose. So here's the Average Jane (more or less)

So, did you find the character creation system easier or more difficult than standard D20? What are your thoughts?

Ilium · Jun 28, 2007

Well, it's definitely simpler, if only because the skill choice is pretty much taken out of your hands. You select a background and that's it (except, in this case, I had to decide which Knowledge skills to take). Also, with no classes, feats or talents to select, it's a lot quicker.

One thing your write-up doesn't say is "this is based on the Modern SRD." It took me a while to realize that's where all your skills, etc. are coming from.

It occurs to me that you could really munchkin out with these rules by dropping -4 in several stats to become quite dangerous in combat (or whatever your chosen field is). Of course, compared to the time lord even the most min-maxed character is going to be a distant second fiddle.

Speaking of classes, feats and talents: Are you dropping them entirely? If so, how will you do character advancement?

Raven Crowking · Jun 28, 2007

What's a good college town in New England?

Wycham, New Hampshire, is a beautiful wooded community about seven miles from the coast. Like much of New England, the lanes are fronted by low stone walls, and small family cemetary plots from colonial days dot the landscape. Wycham is notable for Wycham University, a small school with a solid reputation. It was a quiet town, where nothing too exciting ever happened, until the autumn of 2007....

Now, get a couple more charaqcters who fit the setting, plus a Time Lord, and we could play a game.

Raven Crowking · Jun 28, 2007

Ilium said:
One thing your write-up doesn't say is "this is based on the Modern SRD." It took me a while to realize that's where all your skills, etc. are coming from.

Nope. Just added what I thought I needed to the D&D skillset, and renamed some things.

It occurs to me that you could really munchkin out with these rules by dropping -4 in several stats to become quite dangerous in combat (or whatever your chosen field is). Of course, compared to the time lord even the most min-maxed character is going to be a distant second fiddle.

You could make an Ace, a Leela, or a Sarah Jane Smith.

Speaking of classes, feats and talents: Are you dropping them entirely? If so, how will you do character advancement?

If I don't hear back from Morrus soon, I'm going to go on with the rules thread. You get new skill points every "episode", everything else is by level, but with an exponential XP growth chart. Most characters will be 2nd level at the end of their first "episode".

RC

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