Character Templates: Hardboiled Detective

When I have run Doctor Who games at conventions, the UNIT soldier seems the most popular of the default character types I offer as pre-gens, but the detective comes close. I initially envisaged this as a character focused on investigation, but I've observed that people are keener on the implications of a tough combative type with investigation and breaking-and-entering as a secondary set of skills, so I shifted the first version of the character in that direction, with the result that's shown below. While the UNIT soldier is implied to be British (although he doesn't really have to be) the illustration I used on the character sheet for this one implies an American... although it isn't specified, and not everyone has played it that way.

Background

You were working a missing persons case in your home city when you stumbled into a temporal rift and found yourself flung almost a hundred years into the future to a hotel in Kent. Discovering that the missing person had been similarly trapped but had subsequently been killed and taken over by the Gelth, you teamed up with other people who had travelled through the anomaly to close it and defeat the alien invasion plan. Unfortunately, that still left you trapped in the year 2022! Using a TARDIS drawn to the hotel, you and the others are now travelling through time and space (note: how effectively depends on whether one of the other players is playing a Time Lord…) either to get back home, or simply to explore.

DWAITAS stats

Concept: 1920s Hardboiled Detective

Awareness  3	Coordination  3	Ingenuity  2
Presence  3	Resolve  4	Strength  3

Skills: Conflict-4, Convince-3, Craft-1, Intuition-3, Knowledge-2, Subterfuge-4, Technology-1, Transport-2

Focus: Investigate            Story Points: 12

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Since the character is literally a detective, the obvious path is to use the "detective" archetype from Doctors & Daleks in 5E, but this isn't really what we're going for here. Instead, it makes more sense for the character to have one of the more physical archetypes combined with particular proficiencies that flesh out their other aspects. Since some of the other pre-gens are combat-oriented and likely to be Protectors, in the interests of having some variety in the 5E versions, I'll go with a stalwart.

For Savage Worlds, we need to add a few Hindrances that fit in with the character. Since the picture shows him with a cigarette, and he is from the 1920s, that seems a logical choice for one of them. For combat, while he's sure to carry a gun, the 'tough guy' image means that brawling would be more important (and in-genre), and we'll also give him a few skills related to his role as an investigator.

Characters in BRP don't have the broadly defined skills that they have in DWAITAS, or even Savage Worlds, which in this case, means more focus on the various perception skills. On the other hand, he wouldn't have a wide range of combat skills, so it's possible to keep those quite high. Fast Talk seems more appropriate here than Persuade (although he'll have that too, since it's part of the profession package for detectives) and we can also specify a skill in Tracking to follow suspects. We'll underplay any Law skill he might have, due to the unlikelihood of it being relevant in most jurisdictions he's likely to end up in.

For GURPS, the skills are even narrower, which gives us the opportunity to specify boxing instead of brawling to give a two-fisted vibe, and a blunt Forced Entry skill instead of the lockpicking implied in the other systems. Since he gets back points for a low tech level (we're assuming TL7 and the interwar period is TL6) we don't need to give as many disadvantages as he had hindrances in Savage Worlds, and, since ST determine hit points as well as regular strength, we'll add an advantage to boost his physical resilience.

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5E - Hardboiled Detective

3rd level Stalwart

STR 14 (+2)	DEX 14 (+2)	CON 15 (+2)
INT 10 (+0)	WIS 14 (+2)	CHA 8 (-1)

Saving Throws: Con +5, Cha +1

Armour Class: 12          Plot Points: 34

Speed: 30 ft.         Tech Level: 4

Quip Bonus: +5 Motivation: Runaway

Skills: Athletics +4, Investigation +2, Insight +4, Perception +4, Survival +2

Tools: Games, Disguise Kit, First Aid Kit, Investigator's Tools

Features: Lucky, Profiling, Encourage/Discourage, Helping Hand, Wavelength Wizard, Embolden, Reassuring Presence, In Your Face

Quips: Emotional Argument, Logical Argument, Parley, Stalwart Statement

Savage Worlds - Hardboiled Detective

Agility: d6	Smarts: d4	Spirit: d6
Strength: d6	Vigour: d8

Skills: Athletics d4, Common Knowledge (1920s Earth) d4, Drive d4, Fighting d8, Intimidation d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Thievery d6

Hindrances: Habit (smoking, minor), Impulsive, Suspicious (minor)

Edges: Brawler, Investigator

Gear: .38 revolver, handcuffs, cigarettes

Pace: 6                  Parry: 6                 Toughness: 5

BRP - Hardboiled Detective

STR 14	CON 15	SIZ 14
INT 12	POW 11	EDU 12
DEX 11	CHA 9
Hit Points: 15	Move: 10	Fatigue: 29
Base SR: 5	Damage Bonus: +1D4

Skills: Brawl 75%, Climb 60%, Dodge 42%, Drive 40%, Fast Talk 55%, Fine Manipulation 40%, Firearm (pistol) 70%, Grapple 45%, Insight 55%, Jump 45%, Knowledge (law) 15%, Listen 50%, Persuade 40%, Research 35%, Sense 30%, Spot 50%, Stealth 75%, Swim 45%, Track 35%

GURPS - Hardboiled Detective

ST 13	DX 11	IQ 11	HT 11
Speed: 5.5	Move: 5	Thrust: 1d	Swing: 2d-1

Advantages: High Pain Threshold

Disadvantages: Addiction (tobacco), Low Tech Level (6)

Skills: Boxing-13, Carousing-11, Criminology/Tl6-12, Detect Lies-13, Driving/TL6 (car)-10, Fast Talk-13, Forced Entry-11, Guns/TL6 (pistol)-12, Search-14, Shadowing-12, Stealth-13