(crossposting with /c/ttrpg from Bahlaj Zone) What is your favorite system for Doctor Who?
(How do you actually crosspost? I am just reposting it here.)
There have been a few official Doctor Who RPGs. There is the FASA RPG in the 80s, which I know nothing. I ran a campaign in 1e of the mid-2000s Doctor Who: Adventures In Time And Space RPG by Cubicle 7. There was a second edition from Cubicle 7 rebranded as Doctor Who The RPG in 2021, which I own and have yet to play/run. Cubicle 7 used their own Vortex System for it.
Fun tangent. 1e was closer to Savage Worlds with Traits working like SW Traits, Edges, and Hinderances. Whereas 2e felt like Fate Core by removing Traits and replacing them with a mechanic called Focus, which work like Aspects, and Distinctions, which work like Stunts.
Lastly, but I am a 5e hater, Cubicle 7 released Doctors and Daleks, which is a 5e supplement for doing Doctor Who. But, as much money as that probably made them, it seems like an utter waste for the license and I'm glad it was just a one-off cash grab and they continued with their main rpg. Apparently, it was well-made and basically replaced the combat system of 5e to make it work, but it goes back to my "why bother calling it 5e unless you just wanted a cash grab" thought.
I bet there are loads of Indie RPGs out there for Doctor Who as well. It's been a fixture of fiction for longer than any of us have been alive. And its a scifi adventure romp aimed at kids. We TRPG nerds eat that shit up. Also, since we're on the Bahlaj server, I bet regeneration has almost certainly interested many eggs, especially now that the Doctor themselves has regenerated into a woman once.
What is your favorite system for this setting and why?
Mine was 1e Doctor Who: AiTS. I found it light enough for the loose narrative and world building of Doctor Who. The game is built from the ground up to ensure the game follows the themes and motiffs of the setting. The conflict system discourages violence, chase rules are front and center, and there even little things like how no weapon in any book is strong enough to get through a Dalek's armor.
I am, however, considering 2e. I usually enjoy lighter games and simplfications, but I wonder how players would feel of losing all their Traits. Basically, all their fiddly bonuses go away and most characters don't get Distinctions RAW unless they have special powers. That's something Fate Core does better, imo, by givint everyone Stunts. As such, a 2e character will often just be Attributes, Skills, and their Foci, which feels like a downgrade. But, the creators have made a good point that Traits weren't really balanced and most never came up anyway.
Anyway, I gave my favorite and why. How about yours?