Doctor Who via Ghostbusters: Goals

This sections expands on the rules for Luck and Goals briefly described in "Doctor Who via Ghostbusters: Character Basics."

Luck

Instead of Brownie Points, characters have Luck (although some like to think of it as "Destiny"). Luck can be saved, used as bonus dice, expended to reduce injury, or spent to improve Traits. Player characters start with 20 points of Luck.

Advancement

There are two main methods of character advancement: Mission Goals and Personal Goals. Both involve the awarding of Luck.

Mission Goals

Mission Goals typically arise when a Time Lord stumbles upon a situation that requires a Time Lord's expertise to rectify or, occasionally, when the Council of Time Lords persuades (or coerces) a Time Lord to intervene on their behalf to correct or prevent a temporal disruption. When such a mission is accomplished, each Time Lord and Companion is awarded Luck commensurate with the mission's level of success or failure.

For a failed mission, each Time Lord or Companion is awarded half the Luck spent.

For a barely successful mission (such as success achieved at a high cost), each Time Lord or Companion is awarded all the Luck spent plus one or two.

For a resoundingly successful mission, each Time Lord or Companion is awarded half again the Luck spent.

In general, Mission Goals are accomplished by the coordinated efforts of Time Lords, Companions, and helpful non-player characters.

Personal Goals

Characters may also earn Luck through the pursuit of Personal Goals. Player characters may choose one such Personal Goal at a time, which they may change between adventures if they wish. Players may select from the following list of Personal Goals or suggest their own.

Fame: Characters whose Goal is Fame gain 1D6 Luck points when they do something that increases their notoriety.

Fortune: Characters whose Goal is Fortune gain 1D6 Luck points when they significantly increase their wealth.

Truth: Characters whose Goal is Truth gain 1D6 Luck points when they reveal an important truth.

Honour: Characters whose Goal is Honour gain 1D6 Luck points when they uphold or restore their honour or that of another to a significant degree.

Revenge: Characters whose Goal is Revenge gain or lose 1D6 − 1D6 Luck points when they achieve vengeance.

Safety: Characters whose Goal is Safety gain 1D6 Luck points when they significantly ensure the survival of others.

Discovery: Characters whose Goal is Discovery gain 1D6 Luck points when they make a significant discovery.

Amusement: Characters whose Goal is Amusement gain 1D6 Luck points when they find a new source or form of entertainment that appeals to them.

Status: Characters whose Goal is Status gain 1D6 Luck points when they increase their social status and (real or perceived) power.

Freedom: Characters whose Goal is Freedom gain 1D6 Luck points when they achieve liberty for themselves or others.

Wisdom: Characters whose Goal is Wisdom gain 1D6 Luck points when they significantly increase their knowledge and awareness.

Discover Your New Ghostbusting Talent

As most Ghostbusting gamers know, characters in Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game have four Traits and one Talent for each Trait. If you didn't start as a Ghostbuster, how are you supposed to gain Ghostbusting skills?

This is where New Talent Acquisition comes in. Once someone without a background in parapsychology or occult studies gets hired as a Ghostbuster, that new employee will have a chance to develop a new career-related Talent. They may, upon completing orientation and beginning training, designate one (1) Ghostbusting-supportive Talent to a single Trait (in addition to whatever Talent is already assigned to that Trait). The new Trait will start at 0. After the employee's first mission, the Trait will increase to 1. After the second mission, it will increase to 2. Upon completion of the third mission, it will increase to 3 and remain as a full-fledged official Talent.

Likewise, experienced Ghostbusters who started with four Traits may choose one (1) new Ghostbusting or non-Ghostbusting Talent to develop at the same rate of improvement, starting at 0 and advancing to 3 as they complete missions. (Non-Ghostbusting Talents are developed as the experienced Ghostbuster takes advantage of paid time off and vacation time.)

The above optional rule occurred to me as I was creating characters for the RPGaDay2026 challenge who could be used as either player characters or non-player characters. If these characters could become Ghostbusters, I asked myself, how could their characteristics adapt to reflect their new training? The simplest way, it seems to me, is to let them gradually gain an extra Talent relevant to their new Ghostbusting role. Hopefully, it reflects their growth without granting them excessive power.

RPGaDay 2026: Day 31 (Bonus 3)

31. EDGE

Charlotte Ossuary
Part-Time Employee of Video Edge, "The Emporium for Your Sensorium!"

Brains 3 (Literature 6)
Muscles 3 (Yoga 6)
Moves 3 (Cheerleading 6)
Cool 3 (Customer Service 6)
Goal: Saving the Earth
Notes:

• Swings between extremes of studious concentration and hyperactive energy.
• Has a sixth sense for guessing what customers will like.
• Says her favorite director is Frank Capra.
• Wishes life were a musical.

Hypothetical Casting: Kirsten Dunst

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 31 (Bonus 2)

31. EDGE

Herbert Ghaster
Part-Time Employee of Video Edge, "The Emporium for Your Sensorium!"

Brains 4 (Filmmaking 7)
Muscles 2 (Self-Inducing Suspended Animation 5)
Moves 3 (Dart-Throwing 6)
Cool 3 (Storytelling 6)
Goal: To remember where he left that one missing antique film reel.
Notes:

• Claims he acted in silent movies in his youth.
• Retired from the film industry many years ago.
• Enjoys video games.
• Has a surprisingly big collection of old movie reels in a climate-controlled vault.

Hypothetical Casting: Mel Brooks, Dick Van Dyke

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 31 (Bonus 1)

31. EDGE

Raya Zaya Edgerton
Assistant Manager of Video Edge, "The Emporium for Your Sensorium!"

Brains 3 (Music Video Trivia 6)
Muscles 2 (Skydiving & Hang Gliding 5)
Moves 3 (Dancing 6)
Cool 4 (Intimidation 7)
Goal: To go on permanent vacation (or become an MTV VJ).
Notes:

• Loves participating in extreme sports, but hates watching them.
• Dances a little too aggressively. Everywhere.
• Is on a carnivore diet, which is apparent when you meet her.
• Causes shoplifters' blood to freeze.

Hypothetical Casting: Grace Jones

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 31

31. EDGE

Conrad Darwactor
Owner/Manager of Video Edge, "The Emporium for Your Sensorium!"

Brains 3 (Movie Trivia 6)
Muscles 3 (Digestive Capacity 6)
Moves 3 (Dart-Throwing 6)
Cool 3 (Singing 6)
Goal: To buy and restore the old motion picture palace.
Notes:

• Has an encyclopaedic knowledge of film history.
• Advocates "extreme customer service."
• Believes all formats are good and valid.
• Hires the "quirky cool kids" (some of whom are past retirement age).

Hypothetical Casting: Jack Black

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

P.S. Stay tuned for BONUS characters throughout the day!

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 30

30. PRIDE

Maxine Schlottkarr
Taxi Driver

Brains 4 (Mental Road Map 7)
Muscles 2 (Staying Awake 5)
Moves 3 (Driving 6)
Cool 3 (Telling Jokes 6)
Goal: Fame
Notes:

• Takes pride in her job as a taxi driver.
• Does open mic stand-up whenever she can.
• Has a photographic memory.
• Fantasizes about choreographing the greatest pie fight in the history of the world.

Hypothetical Casting: Andrea Martin, Margaret Cho

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 29

29. LABOUR

Chuck Danchuk
Handyman

Brains 3 (Fixing Things 6)
Muscles 3 (Moving Stuff 6)
Moves 3 (Hiking 6)
Cool 3 (Engaging in Small Talk 6)
Goal: To find a focus for his energy.
Notes:

• Enjoys manual labor more than anything.
• Is very talkative.
• Has a hobby of documenting edible and poisonous plants everywhere he goes.
• Has trouble keeping still.

Hypothetical Casting: Joe Flaherty

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 28

28. DEVOTION

Flora Bausch
Florist by Day, Scientist by Night

Brains 5 (Botany 8)
Muscles 2 (Landscaping 5)
Moves 2 (Flower Arranging 5)
Cool 3 (Lying Convincingly 6)
Goal: To help customers find the perfect floral gift and to help carnivorous plants inherit the world.
Notes:

• Has a devotion to carnivorous plants that is rumored to be mutual.
• Is working feverishly to discover a way to communicate with plants (beyond merely talking to them).
• Claims to be developing carnivorous plant hybrids for "pest control."
• Adores coloring books.

Hypothetical Casting: Catherine O'Hara

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2026: Day 27

27. HUNGER

Viola Twist
Pretzel Vendor

Brains 3 (Pretzelmaking 6)
Muscles 3 (Pushcart-Pushing 6)
Moves 3 (Judo 6)
Cool 3 (Remaining Calm 6)
Goal: To unify pretzelmaking and martial arts.
Notes:

• Owns and operates her own pretzel pushcart, Let's Twist Again Pretzels.
• Is endlessly trying new pretzel innovations and experiments.
• Organizes an annual "Push to End World Hunger" charity pushcart race.
• Is an amateur philosopher.

Hypothetical Casting: Zooey Deschanel

N.B. This is a character (player or non-player) suitable for use with Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2026 specifically), read this.]