Doctor Who: The Card Game

About this board game

Doctor Who: The Card Game is a 2012 card game for 2–4 players that takes about 60 minutes to play. Players act as the Doctor and his companions, defending specific locations while sending the Doctor’s enemies to conquer locations their opponents are trying to protect.

Each player begins with one location. The deck contains attackers, defenders, locations, and support cards, creating a contest between threats and protection. Attackers target specific locations and can earn points for the player who controls them if they remain in play at the end of the game. Defenders attempt to remove those attackers so the location’s owner can score for protecting it.

Every turn combines card management with decisions about what to play and what to pass on. You draw two cards, collect any cards banked during an earlier turn, and take three cards passed to you by the player on your left. You then play or bank cards until only three remain in your hand, pass those three cards to the player on your right, and end your turn.

• Attackers: Target locations and may score at the game’s end.
• Defenders: Remove attackers and help protect locations.
• Support cards: Offer abilities such as enlarging your bank or providing time points for drawing additional cards.

Because cards move between players, each turn brings new opportunities and threats. In Doctor Who: The Card Game, successful play means protecting your own location, disrupting your opponents’ defenses, and making the most of the cards available to you.

When the game ends, players total their points. Whoever has the most points wins.