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Post by savagedaddy on Oct 28, 2012 10:28:52 GMT -8
After hearing a podcast email question from season 8, I felt there should be a thread here in the Savage Worlds section to point zombie apocalypse GMs in the right direction for their campaigns or one-shots.
Because of the popularity of The Walking Dead, it's my opinion that most Savages will want to play in this setting of mindless, shambling zombies, and characters turning after being bitten or scratched, etc.
As a jump off point, I would recommend two published settings/adventures.
War of the Dead, a 52-part adventure campaign set in a zombie apocalypse available at DriveThru RPG. The modules are sectioned into weeks and are very affordable for pdf downloads. This is also has great fan created resources!!
OR
Zombie Run. Originally published in Savage Tales #06. And republished as ' Savage Tales for Fantasy Grounds II: Zombie Run'. This is more of a "mini setting book". The republished one is only a $5 pdf download.
I myself am a HUGE FAN of Zombies and Savage Worlds. So, I will be posting custom mechanics and my house rules as I run them in my own zombie apocalypse games.
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Post by jazzisblues on Oct 28, 2012 11:46:22 GMT -8
Very cool idea and I will be looking forward to seeing your house rules.
One of the things I've done from a house rule standpoint with zombies is that though they are extras they take wounds like a wild card and they do not feel the effects of the wounds until the final one unless one of those wounds is a called shot to the head in which case a single wound done specifically to the head is a dead zombie.
Cheers,
JiB
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Post by ericfromnj on Oct 28, 2012 21:42:25 GMT -8
I read through Zombie Run and honestly was not interested in running it at all. Not sure why.
My 1610 Solomon Kane zombie minions had 3 wounds like it was suggested somewhere (head shots take them down in one) and it worked rather well! I was very happy for the info on the podcast.
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Post by savagedaddy on Oct 29, 2012 16:29:54 GMT -8
Very cool idea and I will be looking forward to seeing your house rules. One of the things I've done from a house rule standpoint with zombies is that though they are extras they take wounds like a wild card and they do not feel the effects of the wounds until the final one unless one of those wounds is a called shot to the head in which case a single wound done specifically to the head is a dead zombie. Cheers, JiB A very interesting house rule for zombies. It's very Romerian (George Romero zombies). I'd like to expound on it slightly... Stage of Decay: Depending on various conditions, a human body decomposes to it's skeletal remains in approximately 50 to 365 days. According to Max Brooks' Zombie survival guide, it takes about 3 to 5 years for the reanimated corpse to "die". So, the virus that creates a zombie also slows the rate of natural decay. Fresh Zombies should be Wild Cards with 3 Wound levels. They have the least dessication and 'wear and tear' from daily movement, hunting, or encounters. Typical Zombies should be Extras with only 1 Wound level. These are the more decayed, or missing limbs, etc. I'll agree with JiB that zombies ignore negative wound penalties. Additionally... Zombies add +2 to their Toughness and cannot be Shaken. They can only be killed by a head shot that deals the necessary number of wounds. Head Shots are taken at a -4, but add +4 to damage if successful. If the zombie is a Wild Card, it suffers regular wound modifiers from the head shot until it has no more wounds. Fire, an explosion, or any other attack that damages the entire body including the head kills zombies as long as it scores the necessary number of wounds. As a tactic, zombies can be dismembered by making called shots at limbs, at a -2 penalty obviously, as long as it results in at least one wound. This doesn’t kill a zombie (only head shots do that), but it removes the affected limb and makes it harder for them to move and attack.
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Post by savagedaddy on Oct 29, 2012 17:47:55 GMT -8
Here is how I do Zombie in my Savage Worlds game. It is a mash up of Savage Worlds Deluxe, War of the Dead, and Zombie Run core rules -- with a dash of my own spice for flavor.
It should be noted that I do not condone any of the following: Sprinting Zombies, Resident Evil variations, or 28 Days Later 'Rage Zombies'; I'm a George Romero purist.
Attributes: Agility d4*, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d6*, Vigor d6 Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Stealth d6 Pace 4, Parry 5, Toughness 7
Hindrances: Slow: the Living Dead are NEVER dealt an initiative card that is greater than 5. They have an absolute maximum Pace of 4 and NEVER run.
Edges: Undead: No high brain function. Cannot be Shaken. Immune to Fatigue, Fear, Intimidation, disease and poison. +2 Toughness. No additional damage from called shots (except to the head), no wound modifiers (except to the head). Infectious - Anyone that suffers at least 1 wound (after soaking) from their bite is infected and will die, only to rise as a zombie (per setting rules).
Life Sense: Zombies rely equally on all of their senses to find prey. +2 on all Notice rolls to sense living things (including rolls against surprise attacks and rolls to detect characters using Stealth).
Special Abilities: Fear:Novice characters must make a Fear checks at –2.
Bite: The bite of the Living Dead causes Str+d4 damage (Zombies typically use grappling attacks. If one gets a raise, it automatically bites its opponent. If it hits, but does no damage, it still grabs its opponent who must then struggle to break free).
Claw: As flesh decays around the fingers, bones protrude and become 'claws'. Claws also carry the risk of infection, but only do Strength damage.
Moan: When the Living Dead spot prey they let out a terrifying moan. This is a Test of Wills attack using the zombie's Intimidation vs the target's Spirit. If successful, the zombie has a +2 to attack against anyone who hears it-- if it can reach its prey the next round. If not the advantage is lost.
* Wild Card Zombies have a one step die type for Agility and Strength
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2012 19:42:08 GMT -8
Besides the resources mentioned, any of the All Flesh Must Be Eaten books provide setting and scenario ideas. I like your zombie ideas savagedaddy, but as a Romero purist, why the Wild Card zombies at all? In the trilogy, zombies were all rather weak and clumsy. Except zombie number one, and he shouldn't count.
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Post by savagedaddy on Nov 1, 2012 18:08:10 GMT -8
I use Wild Card zombies for two reasons...
1. It keeps the players (survivors) on their toes by interjecting an unexpected level of difficulty.
2. Newly turned Zombies should have more muscle mass, and therefore more coordination than a zombie who has been slowly decaying and hunting 'flesh' for eight months.
Like Wild Cards in Savage Worlds itself, Zombie Wild Cards should be few and far between. For example, a member of the survivor's team who turns should go from Wild Card Human to Wild Card Zombie.
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Post by savagedaddy on Nov 1, 2012 18:11:25 GMT -8
GM's Only: Zombie Combat Tactics for Savage WorldsAfter running a few Zombie scenarios I've noticed my own tendency to use combat tactics. In other words GM vs Player. WTF?! "Bad GM. Bad, Bad GM". As a Savage Worlds GM of a Zombie Apocalypse, you must remember one thing and one thing only -- THE LIVING DEAD HAVE NO INTELLIGENCE! No intelligence means no tactics. However, this doesn't mean that the Living Dead have no instincts. They do act in a very predictable way when it comes to combat. - They ALWAYS let out a terrifying 'Moan' when they spot prey. In game terms, it incites terror in the victim and alerts nearby zombies to join them.
- They chase prey down (albeit very, slowly)
- They use a lung, grab, bite combination to attack.
- They frequently 'gang up' on their prey
So, in Savage Worlds terms: 1. The Moan (see Savage Worlds Deluxe pg. 76) This is an Intimidation attack against anyone who hears it . Success grants a a +2 bonus to the zombie's next combat action . Raise grants the zombie a +2 and makes the defender Shaken. In a large crowd, this benefit is granted to only one zombie —not the entire crowd. If the zombie cannot reach a victim that failed the Test of Wills that round, then the benefit is wasted. Zombies ALWAYS do this first without any consideration of distance or the results of the Test of Wills attack. 2. Zombie Attacks (see Savage Worlds Deluxe pg. 73 & 76) Zombies ALWAYS (A) Wild Attack + Grappling (an opposed Fighting roll that causes no damage. If the zombie wins, he’s entangled his prey. With a raise, his prey is also Shaken). (B) - Then bite for Strength+d4 damage. It will continue this process until the victim escapes, or succumbs to Incapacitation and is devoured. The Wild Attack adds +2 to to the zombie's grappling attack (an opposed Fighting vs Strength roll) and +2 to any resulting bite damage (Str +d4). It also reduces Parry -2 until the next action. Zombies always attempt all three at once and will bite or claw as long as the opponent is successfully grappled. If the victim breaks free, the zombie will start the process over again. 3. Ganging Up (see Savage Worlds Deluxe pg. 73) Ganging up on a foe allows attackers to flank, exploit openings, and generally harass their outnumbered opponent. Each additional adjacent zombie adds +1 to all the zombie's Fighting rolls, up to a maximum of +4. If three zombies attack a single character, for example, each of the three zombies gets +2 to their Fighting rolls. This is not a tactical maneuver. Flanking positions are determined by the shortest distance between the zombies and the defender. Regardless of the number of zombies (10 or 100) only the first four around the character get the bonus.
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Post by jazzisblues on Nov 2, 2012 6:32:24 GMT -8
Excellent implementation of zombies, I like what you've done a lot. I am going to shamelessly steal what you've done for use in my Deadlands game that I'm running.
JiB
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Post by ericfromnj on Nov 2, 2012 7:35:35 GMT -8
JiB, I should have payed attention before with the posts because it was you I was stealing the 3 hit minion idea from, I think...
SD, I like the latest post and will steal things with unmitigated glee.
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Post by savagedaddy on Nov 2, 2012 9:36:03 GMT -8
GMs Only: The Infection. has been revised. See Zombie Meta-Setting Rule
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Post by jazzisblues on Nov 2, 2012 12:34:27 GMT -8
JiB, I should have payed attention before with the posts because it was you I was stealing the 3 hit minion idea from, I think... SD, I like the latest post and will steal things with unmitigated glee. Feel free to steal with impunity. I don't even think that the idea was originally mine. JiB
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Post by savagedaddy on Nov 2, 2012 20:19:53 GMT -8
Gritty Damage Setting Rule
This damage system variant makes combat more deadly and less cinematic than that found in standard Savage Worlds, which help maintain the appropriate level of tension for a survival horror setting.
Players should be warned before play starts, or they could flip out when trying to soak their first wound!
DAMAGE There are no Soak rolls! Players may spend their bennies on the brutal Vigor rolls that are to follow.
INJURY Anytime a Wild Card character suffers a wound, they must roll on the Injury Table and apply the result immediately. Roll only once per incident regardless of how many wounds are caused. Injuries sustained may be temporary or permanent, per Incapacitation rules. A Shaken character that is Shaken a second time from a damaging attack receives a wound as usual but does not roll on the Injury Table.
WOUNDS When a character suffers one or more wounds, they make a Vigor roll – including any wound penalties incurred by the current attack. If they succeed, there is no further effect. Failure means they are Incapacitated
INCAPACITATION An Incapacitated character must make an immediate Vigor roll, minus any wound penalties as usual.
Raise: The victim is only stunned, not Incapacitated. They are still Shaken, retain all wounds, and also incur an immediate injury. Roll on the Injury Table.
Success: The victim is knocked unconscious until healed (or 2d6 hours later). Roll on the Injury Table.
Failure: The victim is knocked unconscious and suffers a permanent wound (roll on the Injury Table). Unfortunately, he’s also Bleeding Out and must make a Vigor roll at the start of each round before Action Cards are dealt. Success means he must roll again next round. Failure means he dies. A raise on the Vigor roll (or a successful Healing roll) stabilizes the bleeding and no further rolls are required.
Critical Failure: The victim expires instantly. The GM secretly rolls 1d6 to determine how many minutes it takes for the victim to reanimate as a zombie.
If any wound is the result of a single Zombie’s attack, another layer is added to Gritty Damage to facilitate the Infection. Wounds from claw attacks have a 25% chance (1 on a d4) of transmission. Bites are 100% virulent.
The following Infection rolls are made secretly by the GM and should not be shared with the victim or the group for sake of dramatic tension and roleplaying opportunities.
One Wound: Roll 1d20 to determine the number of days before the Infection takes hold.
Two Wounds: Roll a d12 to determine the number of hours before the infection takes hold.
Three Wounds: Roll 1d6 to determine the number of minutes before the Infection takes hold.
INFECTION Once the Infection takes hold, the Fever starts and they character applies 1 level of Fatigue. Each hour that passes adds another level of Fatigue. As soon as the fever begins, the character must make a Vigor roll at a –1 for the first level of Fatigue. Success allows him to makes another Vigor roll at the end of the hour with the normal penalty for continued Fatigue. Failure (or reaching Incapacitation) means he has died. The character is gone.
Upon death, the GM secretly Rolls 1d6 to determine the number of minutes until the character revives as one of the Living Dead, assuming his brain hasn’t been destroyed.
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Post by savagedaddy on Nov 5, 2012 6:06:47 GMT -8
House Rule: Character Death & Replacement Characters
Because a zombie apocalypse is such a lethal setting (if you're doing it right), character death is an inevitability. For this reason, players are allowed to transfer experience points, ranks, and unspent bennies from the point of death to a new character.
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Post by jazzisblues on Nov 5, 2012 6:29:11 GMT -8
House Rule: Character Death & Replacement CharactersBecause a zombie apocalypse is such a lethal setting (if you're doing it right), character death is an inevitability. For this reason, players are allowed to transfer experience points, ranks, and unspent bennies from the point of death to a new character. I typically do the same thing whenever a character dies in any game. Only two comments: 1. Why make a distinction between xp and ranks? If you give a character 25 xp to spend they will be of seasoned rank. Not sure of the reason behind the distinction. 2. I would give either existing bennies or starting bennies whichever is higher. Cheers, JiB
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