Armchair Review: The Third Doctor Sourcebook

And the Third Doctor Sourcebook is out. And I am once again that young Filipino boy in the 70s and early 80s of the Philippines who would excitedly find a book about a TV show that I liked from the U.S. or U.K. in local bookstores normally dominated by non-SF/Fantasy stuff.

The Third Doctor, played by Pertwee, is the earliest doctor that I've been able to watch during those PBS pledge nights for KTEH in the California Bay Area -- so I'm especially stoked!

This sourcebook once again underscores the key elements of the featured doctor's personality, how it differs from prior incarnations, how it affected the stories and adventures of the Doctor and his Companions.

Here's an excerpt:

By contrast, the Third Doctor is less a renewal and more of a reboot. He is an active crusader against evil, utilising not only his wits but his martial skills as well. Neither of his previous incarnations took the fight to his enemies so directly. The Third Doctor also has a flair for fashion and a love of gadgets, particularly vehicles. He is not a reluctant hero or an underestimated schemer; he’s an action hero.

Another benefit of this concisely-written, well-laid out book in the series is an example of how initial ideas in revamping an ongoing campaign (especially a Doctor Who campaign) can impact future adventures. There's also a lot of material concerning U.N.I.T. campaigns, making this a great companion sourcebook to the DWAITAS U.N.I.T. Sourcebook.

Finally, fans of the series: will get writeups and history on The Third Doctor, the Brigadier, insights on how to craft a campaign with (most) adventures set on earth, the treatment of earth as a prison for a normally time-and-space spanning campaign, episode synopses with lots of adventure ideas and crunchy bits for villains and NPCs! A must-have for Doctor Who and DWAITAS fans.