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Stephen
2017-01-13, 03:47 PM
So ive working on a zombie apocalypse campaign for the past few months and have a lot of cool ideas to throw at my group that has decided to play this with me. But this will be my first time GMing a game. I've made new zombies, I'm drawing out a city map on grid paper, I have a few groups that players will eventually run into, as well as a somewhat believable cause for the zombie outbreak, which also opens the possibility of mutations not just in the zombies but the players as well. But part of the game will be finding and maintaining resources, establishing a base, and partly managing moral of the NPC's they take into their group. However I feel this may be a bit boring and may get repetitive if not done right and would like to avoid the PCs getting bored or feel their work is not enough. I have notes on 4 different groups that will play a major part as well as the mutated zombie stats if anyone is interested in them. What I'm looking for is ways to keep the players interested. For the most part I'm trying to keep the game in the realm of possibility, no real magic tho when the PCs get to it, mutations will open up the more fantastical abilities.

Thanks in advance
eNiX

CharonsHelper
2017-01-13, 04:23 PM
What system are you running?

Stephen
2017-01-13, 04:26 PM
I'm using a modified d20 system. Trying to get players more into the story than worrying about skills or game mechanics

CharonsHelper
2017-01-13, 04:27 PM
I'm using a modified d20 system. Trying to get players more into the story than worrying about skills or game mechanics

Modified off which d20 system? There are quite a few. 3.x? d20 modern? 5e? 4e? True d20? Naruto d20? Something else?

If you have very many house-rules, the advice that we can give is rather limited.

Stephen
2017-01-13, 04:39 PM
Sorry. D20 modern since it's more of a modern day setting I felt that was the best starting point. As for how modified mostly Im eliminating different ammo calibers and just making pistol ammo, shotgun ammo, ECT... The zombies I made are my own creations but tried to make them as balanced as I could and can post stats if needed.

Stephen
2017-01-20, 02:11 AM
So I ran the first session last night and even though only 2 of the 7 expected showed up it went well I think. I modified things a bit more than I had intended but it came together rather well. Being midnight I'm going to end here for now but this weekend I'll be sharing some of my notes as well as posting a campaign journal for anyone interested. I know I had fun and the 2 that played said they did too.

Fosco the Swift
2017-01-21, 11:52 AM
To prevent boredom, a lot depends on your players. I ran a zombie campaign once with my group, and I think the part they loved most was one of the encounters I ran, specifically the first one.

Basically, make your players want to run instead of fight. A lot of d20 encounters I see are at the PC's level, but this is a zombie world. Make them fear for their character's lives. Make them run from overwhelming odds. Especially when they're close to some really good loot. Have them choose between a new gun, and the possibility of being eaten alive. Also, interesting NPCs = interested characters.
They started out in a bar (YES a tavern, please don't judge) without any IC knowledge of the outbreak. I had zombies start breaking in through the windows, dragging patrons through the broken glass to be killed "off screen." A had a large group start breaking their way in through the doors. The players had their character join the bartender behind the bar: he had a shotgun and was blowing heads off (yes, more cliches - please don't judge, because my players were loving it). Eventually the main room was overrun with zombies so the characters fled, with the bartender (NPC) through a back door. They hopped on their motorcycles (PCs backstory = bikers, one player was obsessed with Sons of Anarchy at the time) and escaped. They loved two things in particular. The bartender, and how they had to escape the zombie horde.

Just an idea: if your players are interested, let them switch between NPCs if their party is growing. If you have a group of PCs with some NPC members, let your players take control of the NPCs for excursions in the open world. This allows players to use characters who are healthy, or particular skilled for the mission. Of course, this may lead to less attachment. Especially if this is a high lethality campaign.

Bohandas
2017-01-21, 12:27 PM
Sorry. D20 modern since it's more of a modern day setting I felt that was the best starting point. As for how modified mostly Im eliminating different ammo calibers and just making pistol ammo, shotgun ammo, ECT... The zombies I made are my own creations but tried to make them as balanced as I could and can post stats if needed.

Can you post them, I'm interested

Stephen
2017-01-21, 02:55 PM
Just an idea: if your players are interested, let them switch between NPCs if their party is growing. If you have a group of PCs with some NPC members, let your players take control of the NPCs for excursions in the open world. This allows players to use characters who are healthy, or particular skilled for the mission. Of course, this may lead to less attachment. Especially if this is a high lethality campaign.

I don't think I'll be doing this really. If the NPCs are needed I can play them out with the party, or the party can send NPCs to do certain things for them for out for supplies or whatever while they do something else. Though I like the bartender idea and will probably do something similar to maybe bring in a few of my players that didn't make it to the first session. The campaign journal is posted as well if you would like to take a look as well

Stephen
2017-01-21, 04:17 PM
Can you post them, I'm interested

The base zombie I for the most part took out of the monster manual. The rest are modified from that or new creations. I also made 2 different ACs, one for damaging the body, one for the head, with separate HPs for both. Killing the body incapacitates it, while the head kills it.

Base zombie
Body: 7hp, 10ac\ Head: 3hp, 13ac, 30 speed
Slam 1D4, if successful will try to grapple and bite for 1D4 plus infection.

Fast zombie
Body: 7hp, 14ac \ Head: 3hp, 17ac, 60 speed
Slam 1D6, grapple, bite 1D6 plus infection
Same has base except more deadly, faster, more agile, and hits a little harder

Screamer zombie
Body 25hp, 12ac\ Head:2hp, 19ac, 30 speed
Grey all over, no arms at all, 6 feet tall half of which is legs, and a small domed head on the top of the torso with no neck. Where its neck should be is a large mouth.
When threatened it produces an ear piercing shriek. DC14 will save or stunned one round. Next round if 2nd consecutive will save is failed 1D4 damage and stunned again. 3rd consecutive fail causes player to go unconscious for 1D4 rounds. Any damage ends the scream and must recover 1 round before it starts screeching again

Feral zombie
Body:15hp, 16ac\ Head:8hp, 19ac, 90 speed
Slash 1D8, grapple, bite 2D4, impale 4D6 (only after on top of prone victim)
Shorter legs, longer arms, it runs around on all fours and tries to tackle its prey, zig zagging to stay mobile. On a successful tackle it will slash twice. If victim is unable to free themselves it will put both its front claws together and impale them through the stomach ripping their insides out

Exploder zombie
Body:1hp, 5ac\ Head 1hp, 19ac, 15 speed
When it finds prey it will waddle its bloated misshapen body on short legs as close as it can get before exploding, spraying acid in surrounding 20 feet, failing a DC 14 reflex save causes 2D4 acid damage, any base zombies hit by acid are not burned but after 2 rounds they start to turn into exploder zombies themselves. Any damage to the body causes it to explode, killing the head causes it to die without exploding.

Still working on more and so far the base, fast, and screamer are the only ones ive used so far. Let me know what you think

Fosco the Swift
2017-01-21, 09:00 PM
The Feral Zombie looks terrifying, could possibly kill a low level PC by itself. I'm curious, how did you handle the Infection disease? Con damage?

Stephen
2017-01-22, 12:11 AM
The Feral Zombie looks terrifying, could possibly kill a low level PC by itself. I'm curious, how did you handle the Infection disease? Con damage?

Im my story the zombie infection is spread through tainted GMO foods. Without going into to much detail everyone is infected already and will turn when they die. Zombie bite infection will kill the players within 24 if they don't get a cure injector, which hasn't been even hinted at to the players yet. There will also be injectors that will cause mutations in the players, like make them blind but daredevil like sences, or regenerate wounds faster. Lots of different things I can do. As for the feral, that's the way I wanted it. When I introduce it he will end up killing an NPC while they watch. Havnt decided if I'm going to do it to a random nobody or an NPC they know.

Potato_Priest
2017-01-23, 10:51 PM
Base zombie
Body: 7hp, 10ac\ Head: 3hp, 13ac, 30 speed
Slam 1D4, if successful will try to grapple and bite for 1D4 plus infection.


I'm coming from 5e, and I'm wondering if there's any sort of attack roll in your system. Also, on average, will a zombie beat a commoner with an axe who aims for the head? If not, then it's hard to imagine how a large scale infection would spread without significant quantities of the stronger varieties. For a horde to grow larger, it must infect more people than the number of zombies it loses in the battle, so if a commoner can pretty easily kite 1-3 zombies to death with an axe, it's hard to explain a large horde.

I know realism might not be a thing that you want to worry about, because fun IS more important, and I respect that, but I'm curious, and should any of your players bring it up, you might want to ready an answer.

Potato_Priest
2017-01-23, 10:54 PM
Im my story the zombie infection is spread through tainted GMO foods. Without going into to much detail everyone is infected already and will turn when they die.

Oooh, that is a good way to back up the story. I like that idea. Have governments(whatever is left) established executions in whatever hospitals and strongholds may yet remain?

hifidelity2
2017-01-25, 06:00 AM
Im my story the zombie infection is spread through tainted GMO foods. Without going into to much detail everyone is infected already and will turn when they die. .
In a Zombie world I am playing in the DM had the Zombie plague was caused by nanobots - released by governments as they we supposed to be a cure for most ills (they live in your body killing cancer, stopping infection etc)


The party are either the 0.01% who were cyber intolerant (so could not have them) or my Char who invented them and so has the prototypes that have not been fiddled with. We are currently trying to work out who modified the nanobots, how and why (and we are being chased by just about everyone due to my characters knowledge (Its modern day, set in GURPS - Tec level 8(ish) but I invented TL10 nanites which just about no one else understands)

Stephen
2017-01-26, 10:28 PM
I'm coming from 5e, and I'm wondering if there's any sort of attack roll in your system. Also, on average, will a zombie beat a commoner with an axe who aims for the head? If not, then it's hard to imagine how a large scale infection would spread without significant quantities of the stronger varieties. For a horde to grow larger, it must infect more people than the number of zombies it loses in the battle, so if a commoner can pretty easily kite 1-3 zombies to death with an axe, it's hard to explain a large horde.

I know realism might not be a thing that you want to worry about, because fun IS more important, and I respect that, but I'm curious, and should any of your players bring it up, you might want to ready an answer.

Or if many groups are brought together by one large noise or something. Explosion at a gas station for example. Large noise attracts walkers from 3 mile radius then they all move together till the next large noise. Just a quick thought to your question

Stephen
2019-10-23, 02:39 PM
Sorry for the long absence, I lost my log in info and computer crashed so it's taken a while to find this place again. Thank you birthday emails lol. This project is still very much alive and kind of in a redevelopment stage, changing the way characters are created. Stepping away from a lot of former game models, like "D20 modern", and "End of the world: zombie apocalypse" and into something different. My goal now is to eventually take this new system, and story, to publish as its own game system. I want it simple enough for new players, but customizable enough to still keep interest with veteran pen and paper players. I have gone through and reread comments and really love the positive feedback and thoughts, and would like to hopefully reignite it now that I'm back on the forum. Any questions and thoughts are welcome, most likely I will create a new thread later in the weekend with many of the new updates on how things are developing and get feedback on the system and maybe try to grab a few people to help play test a few things if anyone is interested.

Again. I apologise for the absence and appreciate the feedback. More to come soon
eNiX