Running a "Dawn of the Dead" zombie game in d20 D&D?
- Thread starter FoxWander
- Start date
My group has done this before, for like two sessions. My advice to you is not to worry abotu the crunch of it too much. As I recall, dice roles were required only rarely during these sessions because superfluous dice rolling tends to interrupt the kind of narrative flow we were going for. Most dice rolls were listen checks timed perfectly to freak us out, and combat had a lot more roleplaying involved than dice rolling, which was very unusual for us, but seemed to fit this style of play very well. Also, the DM did a good job of making sure none of us gained anything resembling control over the situation, which kept us on our toes.
That worked really well for us, without having to buy any sourcebooks or anything for rules. Anyway, whatever you end up doing, have fun. Those horror campaigns can be great!
Ciao.
That worked really well for us, without having to buy any sourcebooks or anything for rules. Anyway, whatever you end up doing, have fun. Those horror campaigns can be great!
Ciao.
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
There was a module in Dungeon Magazine a few years ago, Tammeraut's Fate. I am a great advocate of this module, because it did D&D zombie apocalypse, albeit on a very small scale (ie one remote island, as opposed to the entire world), very well. The reason it worked so well was because of time - the characters get to the island, realize that it's been attacked by an army of sea zombies in the night... then the sun goes down.
Despite the high magic inherent in D&D, an overwhelming force, especially against a group low on resources and time, is still scary. Any ol' zombie template will do (since they're all over the place, really), as long as the fear of contagion and massive numbers is there. Zombies are very much a case of presentation over stats (although a good set of stats is very helpful).
Demiurge out.
Despite the high magic inherent in D&D, an overwhelming force, especially against a group low on resources and time, is still scary. Any ol' zombie template will do (since they're all over the place, really), as long as the fear of contagion and massive numbers is there. Zombies are very much a case of presentation over stats (although a good set of stats is very helpful).
Demiurge out.
jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
Alzrius said:I would have reviewed it too if you and the other guys hadn't snatched all the review copies at RPGnow before I had a chance.
Being a zombie nut, it was the first thing that I downloaded, actually
It is fair to say that it can be adapted to fantasy settings, but it would take a bit of work. It would take about the same amount of work as adapting similar advice in All Flesh Must Be Eaten to a fantasy setting - and that took an entire supplement (the aforementioend Dungeons & Zombies).
FoxWander
Adventurer
Well "Dungeons and Zombies", as well as that Dungeon adventure, both seem like good ideas to get for this. In fact the adventure idea was quite similar to what I was already planning (thanks Demiurge, for mentioning it) for an intro to the coming zombie apocalypse. I wanted to throw the players into a small, controlled area that was fully zombified so they'd have an oppurtunity to wonder what was happening before the zombie infestation started popping up everywhere.
For some reason I don't want them to just wake up to the full-on Zombie Apocalypse, although that IS the best way to start something like this. But if you wake up and everything is just screwed already I'm not sure how much the players would feel they have any hope of fixing the situation. And I think the idea that it could be fixed is the only thing that would make this a viable campaign length idea, rather than a cool one-shot adventure.
What do you all think as DMs and players. Should there be a staged build up to the ZA or should you wake up in the middle of it?
I have an actually preliminary plotline which I'll post when I have more time and have it fleshed out (no pun intended ) a little more. But it might cover both staged build up AND waking up in the middle of it.
For some reason I don't want them to just wake up to the full-on Zombie Apocalypse, although that IS the best way to start something like this. But if you wake up and everything is just screwed already I'm not sure how much the players would feel they have any hope of fixing the situation. And I think the idea that it could be fixed is the only thing that would make this a viable campaign length idea, rather than a cool one-shot adventure.
What do you all think as DMs and players. Should there be a staged build up to the ZA or should you wake up in the middle of it?
I have an actually preliminary plotline which I'll post when I have more time and have it fleshed out (no pun intended
) a little more. But it might cover both staged build up AND waking up in the middle of it.
Cartigan Mrryl
First Post
Oi... if you want to try to adapt it, I say go for it, use the advice from the guys above.
But I say you try to talk them into a good ol' Modern game. Do you have the stuff you'd need for it? Because if you promised them all a good game if they'd just give you a chance, keep it believable (No automatics, unless they get them from a believable source in the game... or if they're American [ is it true Americans can buy automatics from a gun store?]) But yeah, offer to pregen characters if they want, and be FAIR [nobody hates doing you a favor only to find that you're going to try to kill them all off via Zombie-rush.] I also sugest that you use a more post-Apoc money-system than in D20 Modern. Cold, hard cash and give guns a set amount, money scattered in different locations, maybe a gun merchant ala Resident Evil 4? I don't know, just some advice if you ever DO get them to agree... maybe talk them into it. I dunno....
But I say you try to talk them into a good ol' Modern game. Do you have the stuff you'd need for it? Because if you promised them all a good game if they'd just give you a chance, keep it believable (No automatics, unless they get them from a believable source in the game... or if they're American [ is it true Americans can buy automatics from a gun store?]) But yeah, offer to pregen characters if they want, and be FAIR [nobody hates doing you a favor only to find that you're going to try to kill them all off via Zombie-rush.] I also sugest that you use a more post-Apoc money-system than in D20 Modern. Cold, hard cash and give guns a set amount, money scattered in different locations, maybe a gun merchant ala Resident Evil 4? I don't know, just some advice if you ever DO get them to agree... maybe talk them into it. I dunno....
Templeton580
Explorer
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Orryn Emrys
Explorer
One of our GMs did a couple sessions of a zombie-infested world (fast zombies, ala Dawn of the Dead) in a dimension-hopping D20 MODERN game... it was a blast... the players (of which I was one, of course) got absolutely stupid in that scenario..... We talked about it a bit in our recent podcast, and included some great zombie humor, as well.... It was our Halloween episode....
If you check out the show for any reason, please let us know what you think. The website link is in my sig. Thanx.
If you check out the show for any reason, please let us know what you think. The website link is in my sig. Thanx.
Herobizkit
Adventurer
One thing you'll need to get rid of is pesky Clerics and Paladins who can turn undead. Consider maybe keeping the Paladin's turn undead for flavour (as he only turns as a 1st level cleric at 3rd level), and changing Clerics to Favored Souls.
On the same note, you may want to change Wizards to Sorcerers as well; reduce their overall spell list, increase their spells/day, and allow them access to wands.
On the same note, you may want to change Wizards to Sorcerers as well; reduce their overall spell list, increase their spells/day, and allow them access to wands.
