[d20M] Apocalyptic Zombie Romp Help (and Resources) Needed [d20F]

[Kirin'Tor]

My regular group has, for the 5th week in a row, been unable to rally together for the FR game I've been running, and our only other DM has been filling in dutifully each week, but he's getting burned out.

So, we've decided that this week, we'd resurrect an 'almost was' idea we had a few months back: It's been requested that I run a (Post?)-Apocalyptic Zombie Romp in d20 Modern.

So, here's where my plea comes in: Pathetic as it is, I've only ever seen 1 zombie movie (Resident Evil) and my players have seen all of them, so I wouldn't want to rip off directly anyway. So, I'm turning to my ENWorld fellows for help:

I really need some plot ideas (why is the world\city be swarmed by zombies?; what scale is best: city, country, global, etc?; what's a good 'trick' for zombies: only head removal, not harmed by bullets, etc?) and advice on setting the mood; Resources\links would be great too...

Basically, I've got 2ish days ('till Saturday evening) to plan my DMing return, and I want this zombie bash to be memorable! I've just no idea where to start...

[edit] The reason I mention d20F in the title is that I thought it might have some useful resources that could be culled for a true modern game, and I wouldn't be opposed to that. I also failed to mention that, unless advised otherwise, the game will begin in a small town (the one we live in) and be set in the now.

 

[Turanil]

Michael Tresca has released a PDF about d20 Modern and zombies: Blood & Brains. I think it would give you many interesting things to run a modern zombie game.

 

[Kirin'Tor]

Thanks...I'll look into that! Anyone have any general advice on running zombie games?

 

[Kesh]

Yes: Borrow or buy a copy of All Flesh Must Be Eaten. Or, at least browse the website.

It's pretty much the leading zombie RPG, and there's a ton of great scenarios on the website.

 

[Kirin'Tor]

Yes: Borrow or buy a copy of All Flesh Must Be Eaten. Or, at least browse the website.

It's pretty much the leading zombie RPG, and there's a ton of great scenarios on the website.

WOW...that site has so much useful stuff! I may have to try to pick up a copy before saturday...

 

[Tetsubo]

WOW...that site has so much useful stuff! I may have to try to pick up a copy before saturday...

There is also a book called the Zombie Survival Guide that might be useful to you. It's has "true" info on how to survive a zombie plague. It's a good read if nothing else.

 

[Kirin'Tor]

That survival guide sounds like a hoot...but I've only got so much cash to invest in saturday's one shot?) game

Does anyone have advice on running a zombie\horror game, under d20M?

 

[exile]

I don't have my D20 Modern books in front of me (and have never actually played using those rules). I would suggest that if D20 Modern uses hit points, switch to a wounds/vitality system. As long as teh characters are taking vitality damage, they are more or less safe. As soon as they take theat first wound damage (from a zombie anyway), their fate is sealed; they will die and rise as zombies themselves.

Also, I played in a zombie oriented miniatures game at Gen Con. Each player ran a group of 3-4 miniatures working in concert with the other players' minis to achieve a common goal. The scenario for the session involved rescuing someone from a shopping center. Zombies totally poured out of every little store to surround us...it was a bloodbath, but loads of fun.

I've been thinking of running a zombie campaign (probably more a mini-series than a long running game). One mission that came to mind involved the characters trying to rescue a girl (known to one or more of them or an important NPC) from a hospital. The complication to this is that she had recently been involved in a car wreck and was paralyzed (waist down? neck down?), so they also have to deal with finding suitable transportation/healt care stuff/etc. for her.

Some ideas. Have fun.

Chad

 

[Owen K.C. Stephens]

I have a few ideas I have successfully used when running zombie horror.

1. Give zombies DR 10/critical (or 8/critical or 5/critical, depending on the toughness you;re looking for). What this means is they have DR 10 against any attack except one that would normally be a critical hit. The critical hit doesn't actually do increased damage, but it bypasses the DR. This works well for zombies that can be shot, stabbed and crushed a lot, but a shot to the head kills them. It also means characters can learn that some weapons are better at zombie-killing that others (higher threat range), and allow dedicated zombie killers to take things like Improved Critical.

I have combined this with a head-shot rule, that allows characters to take a -4 to hit to double their threat range -against zombies- (and only zombies), once they learn the weak spots on the undead.

2. Make most zombies slow and fragile. A zombie with 3 hit points is fine (especially with the DR mentioned above). Don't even give them full 30 foot moves. 15 is fine. However, use lots and lots and lots of them.

Then, add the rare uber-zombie who violates the "rules" for zombies. Uber-zombies can be gaurdians of places with information about how Z-Day came about, and useful tools for the PCs.

3. Decide on a cause, and support it in the background world. For example, if zombies are the result of a terrible worldwide curse, allow the PCs to gain access to magic eventually. If it's a form of psionic possessions, allow the PCs to become psionic. If it's the result of government chemistry, allow the PCs to find other experimental government technologies to help them.

In my experience it's best not to combine too many of these into the same world, unless you want a really over-the-top zombie slugfest. If you do go that route, consider having zombies from different sources act different and have different vulnerabilities.

4. Open with everyone having more than one PC, then be merciless until each player is down to one. By that time, try to have the PCs have some edge that helps them keep their last character each alive.

Owen K.C. Stephens
d20 Triggerman

 

[talien]

Also, do a searxh for NCRPC at RPGNow.com. It's a list of free zombie adventure hooks. And thanks for the shout out for Blood and Brians...I'm the author.