Doctors and Daleks
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Doctors and Daleks was a roleplaying game released by Cubicle 7 in 2022. It was a “parallel” game to Adventures in Time and Space: The Roleplaying Game, using a heavily adapted version of the rules for the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons rather than the original Vortex system rules of Adventures in Time and Space.
Publisher summary
A New Way to Adventure through all of Space and Time
Doctors and Daleks brings the epic adventures of the Universe’s most famous Time Lord to the world’s most popular roleplaying game. Running parallel to the award winning Doctor Who: The Roleplaying Game, Doctors and Daleks is a new line of products that brings Doctor Who adventures to your table using 5th Edition rules.
Releases and revisions
The releases were:
All three books were also available in a TARDIS slipcase as Doctors and Daleks: Collector’s Edition.
Game mechanics
As an adaptation of fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons, many of the basic mechanics are shared between the two games. Characters have six “Ability Scores” - Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma - which define their basic capabilities. Each has a score (typically of between 8 and 20), and a modifier (typically between -1 and +5). To resolve an action with a chance of failure, a player makes an “Ability Check” by rolling a twenty-sided dice and adds a modifier based on the appropriate Ability Score; they may also add additional bonuses, such as a “proficiency bonus” representing training in a specific skill. If this result equals or exceeds a “Difficulty Class” set by the Game Master, the action succeeds. Attack rolls (for affecting other creatures negatively) and saving throws (for avoiding danger) are resolved in a similar way.
Differences from Dungeons & Dragons
While these basics are the same, many other rules are heavily modified to try and provide a similar play experience as Adventures in Space and Time. Some key differences include:
- The fantasy classes (like Fighter, Wizard, Rogue and Cleric) are replaced with six classes based on each of the six Ability Scores, similar to the older game d20 Modern.
- These classes are the Charmer (Charisma), Empath (Wisdom), Protector (Strength), Stalwart (Constitution), Thinker (Intelligence) and Trickster (Dexterity).
- Each class has a number of “subclasses” - specialisations like “The Boffin”, “The Criminal” or “The Survivalist”.
- All references to magic are largely replaced by technology, and the game uses the Technology Levels from Adventures in Space and Time to alter many roles depending on the character’s level of technical understanding and the level of technology being used.
- Spells are replaced by Quips, which represent “the power of conversation in Doctor Who”. They are special abilities that usually involve using words to persuade, distract or annoy someone. All classes have access to at least some Quips, and some of them are adaptations of spells from the 5th-edition basic rules.
- The game introduces many rules for non-violent conflict, including:
- “Hit Points”, which measure physical injury and stamina, are replaced with “Plot Points”, which measure luck, resolve and drive.
- The addition of two new damage types, “emotional damage” and “logical damage”. Dealing any kind of damage other than these two types is an “escalation” that makes an opponent less likely to listen, and thus your quips less effective.
- Initiative uses the rules from Adventures in Space and Time, in which characters who are talking go first, those who are doing something non-violent go second, and attackers go last.
- A variety of alternatives to deadly force, including “Environmental Action” (using your environment to impose status conditions like blinded or stunned), “Changing the Situation” (using Quips and other abilities to talk your way out of a fight), making an enemy Incapacitated and two different ways to retreat.
- Alternate ways to earn experience points which don’t rely on defeating enemies.
External links
- What is 'Doctors and Daleks'? - introductory blog post from Cubicle 7
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