The Fifth Doctor Sourcebook
bjmorga
First Post
3 out of 5 rating for The Fifth Doctor Sourcebook
I like the Fifth Doctor. He's not my favorite Doctor or even in my top five, but he's a decent, middle-of-the-pack kind of Doctor. That lack of blind, undying love for the Fifth Doctor perhaps colors my perception of his sourcebook. The book feels more spartan than the previous volumes. While having much of what the previous four volumes had, this sourcebook does not include any new traits or gadgets. This isn't a game-ending omission (after all, these sections never really go beyond seven or eight pages), but it does reduce this sourcebook to being almost exclusively an episode guide. One of the strengths of this series is that these sourcebooks offer something beyond just roleplaying stats. It gives Doctor Who fans of all stripes a reason to pick up the book. Readers don't have to be a Doctor Who RPG player to enjoy these books. The absence of these traits and gadgets makes it feel like one of the points of this book's existence, to be a roleplaying supplement, is incomplete in its execution and delivery. It's a "you get what you paid for" proposition. Readers get a chapter on how the Doctor was during this era and a chapter covering his televised adventures. That's it. Fans who are looking for that kind of "television guide" experience will be pleased. Players looking to add more depth to their campaign might feel a bit underwhelmed.
I like the Fifth Doctor. He's not my favorite Doctor or even in my top five, but he's a decent, middle-of-the-pack kind of Doctor. That lack of blind, undying love for the Fifth Doctor perhaps colors my perception of his sourcebook. The book feels more spartan than the previous volumes. While having much of what the previous four volumes had, this sourcebook does not include any new traits or gadgets. This isn't a game-ending omission (after all, these sections never really go beyond seven or eight pages), but it does reduce this sourcebook to being almost exclusively an episode guide. One of the strengths of this series is that these sourcebooks offer something beyond just roleplaying stats. It gives Doctor Who fans of all stripes a reason to pick up the book. Readers don't have to be a Doctor Who RPG player to enjoy these books. The absence of these traits and gadgets makes it feel like one of the points of this book's existence, to be a roleplaying supplement, is incomplete in its execution and delivery. It's a "you get what you paid for" proposition. Readers get a chapter on how the Doctor was during this era and a chapter covering his televised adventures. That's it. Fans who are looking for that kind of "television guide" experience will be pleased. Players looking to add more depth to their campaign might feel a bit underwhelmed.
