Homebrew Doctor Who (d20 Modern/Future)

[Tonguez]

Personally I'm not to sure the Computer Use bonus is appropriate - the TARDIS is partially organic and TARDIS Control seems to be more like a Class Ability of the Timelord than a simple skill use (plus the always trained in INT based skills covers Computers too)

 

[dante58701]

I liked watching DR. Who as a kid. It was fun.

 

[Narsil]

Personally I'm not to sure the Computer Use bonus is appropriate - the TARDIS is partially organic and TARDIS Control seems to be more like a Class Ability of the Timelord than a simple skill use (plus the always trained in INT based skills covers Computers too)

The TARDIS looks organic and has a sentient AI but is not Organic in any way shape or form, save for perhaps a bit of biomatter which used to be the Master staining the inside of where the Eye of Harmony used to be. The TARDIS has been used by the companions before, with the Doctor's permission, and is operated on a similar princible to "enter coordinates for both Time and Space and then hit the Big Threatening Button Which Mustn't Be Pressed Under Any Circumstances" rather than "it is a class skill".

The class skill part would be the Time Lord ability to remotely control the TARDIS by concentrating psionic energy

 

[Raven Crowking]

The TARDIS looks organic and has a sentient AI but is not Organic in any way shape or form, save for perhaps a bit of biomatter which used to be the Master staining the inside of where the Eye of Harmony used to be. The TARDIS has been used by the companions before, with the Doctor's permission, and is operated on a similar princible to "enter coordinates for both Time and Space and then hit the Big Threatening Button Which Mustn't Be Pressed Under Any Circumstances" rather than "it is a class skill".

The class skill part would be the Time Lord ability to remotely control the TARDIS by concentrating psionic energy

The new series is clear: TARDISes are grown. (See Rise of the Cybermen)

I would claim that they are, in effect, some form of AI whose mechanics reflect organics, and that they are, in fact, grown by some form of mathematical logarithms (block transfer computation, ala Logopolis). Computer Use would apply, but I think you should create a new skill ala FASA called "TARDIS Systems".

 

[Narsil]

Or perhaps make a feat called "TARDIS operation", does exactly what it says on the tin.

 

[Tonguez]

The new series is clear: TARDISes are grown. (See Rise of the Cybermen)

Exactly. Plus its has always been suggested that the Tardis is sentient, able to make decisions on its own

Also the Christmas Invasion episode implied that the Doctor was himself 'part' of the TARDIS' systems which I would extrapolate as being a Class Ability of Timelords. It is the Doctor and his psionic symbiosis that allows his companions to communicate with (and thus use) the TARDIS not just a simple Computer Use skill that anyone could use

In fact it has never been too clear what the difference between a Timelord and a normal Galifreyan is, perhaps a Timelord is a Galifreyan able to form a symbiotic relationship with a TARDIS...

 

[Raven Crowking]

In fact it has never been too clear what the difference between a Timelord and a normal Galifreyan is, perhaps a Timelord is a Galifreyan able to form a symbiotic relationship with a TARDIS...

Although it is certainly not cannonical, and it certainly wasn't what they were thinking at the time:

We know that Time Lords are psychic, but not all Gallifreyans are (4th Doc says to another Gallifreyan, "You forget, we Time Lords are telepathic" in The Deadly Assassin) and that this psychic ability has something to do with the ability to store and process "artron energy". We also know that, prior to his first regeneration, the Doctor referred to "my heart" and Ian Chesterton said that his heartbeat was normal. Simularly, the 1st Romana never mentions having two hearts, but the 2nd Romana brings it up repeatedly in her first story. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that not only are Time Lords different from normal Gallifreyans, but that post-regenerative Time Lords are different from pre-regenerative ones.

When we first meet the Doctor in An Unearthly Child, the Time Lord is on the run from his people. For some reason, he has taken his granddaughter with him. There is never a suggestion of his returning home until The Sensorites, and that is immediately after discovering his granddaughter's latent telepathy, and explicitly for the purpose of further exploring that telepathic potential.

I would theorize therefore that Time Lords are selected from among those Gallifreyans who exhibit a high psychic potential, and further culled by rigorous examination and testing (which Runcible was noted to have failed in The Deadly Assassin). This ability to store and manipulate artron energy (see also The Invasion of Time) is no doubt crucial to bonding with a TARDIS.

EDIT: The process of becoming a Time Lord also, apparently, includes adding psychic blocks against violence (not very good ones, though, on the basis of the evidence available) and Rassilon Imprimature, which is necessary to create a stable TT Capsule.

 

[Kisanji Arael]

Why the bonuses to strength and Con? Admittedly, I haven't seen the newest Dr., nor did I watch doctors 1 - 3, but Tom Baker always seemed to use tricks of the mind and the ability to go undetected more than actual physical strength. If the newest doctor does have physical strength, then I would say that it's simply the body he's using, not any implications on time lords in general.

Perhaps a template is in order:

Time Lord:
+4 Int, +4 Cha, as well as an additional +6 to add to any ability score or scores in divisions no smaller than +2.

 

[Narsil]

Why the bonuses to strength and Con?

Two hearts would imply better endurance, as you'd have better respiratory systems. And the newly regenerated Doctor was fully capable of breaking down a metal door with the same force that two people hitting it with a sledgehammer would have had (in the TV Movie).

 

[Raven Crowking]

Also, in various episodes (as far as Con is concerned):

Endure extremely high temperatures
Endure extremely low temperatures
Endure a vaccuum
Endure powerful ongoing electrical shock

Definitely a high Con.

The thing with Strength, though, I would argue is more likely to be a residual effect of the energy from regeneration than a regular ability. For the most part, Time Lords are not shown as being stronger than a normal human. OTOH, Romana 2 once picked up a freagment of dwarf star alloy....though this was between universes, where its mass might have different properties.