(3.5) Really Campy Zombie One-Off

[Deth Muncher]

Hey all. I think I mentioned this a while back, but the thread died due to epic response failure, so now that I've got a better idea of what I want, I'll try again. A warning: This post contains a Wall of Text attack, no save.

Basically, I had borrowed a friend's zombie movies for much too long, and so as repayment I want to run a zombie module. A really, really campy one (which may actually have multiple meanings, if you think about it...). I'm trying to make this as stereotyped of a one-shot as possible. The movies I had borrowed were the "X of the Dead" series, so I'm thinking of making zombies like that. My current plans for the zombies are to have the base zombie, but with the addition of a bite attack that carries a DC 14 effect that starts draining Constitution points at the rate of 1-2 per hour (in game terms), and when Con = 0, they die and rise as a zombie. Also, it'll probably be one of those kinds of moves like "If Zombie succeeds on grapple, free bite attempt!" So, y'know, there's that. Oh, and maybe a bonus to Listen.

The second bit is the tricksier part, and where I need more help with (though you're welcome to critique my zombie alternate as well). See, in order to truly capture the zombie-genre (in my opinion, at least) there should be some sort of resource acquisition going on. While in the Tippyverse, everyone may have traps of Create Food & Water, and hell, the PCs themselves may even be able to cast those themselves (more on them later), the point will be that citizens of the town won't be able to, and the peasantry will be pretty much unable to get their own resources, so that's where the PCs come in. But what does this mean? Well, think about it. While everyone loves helping (or killing) the peasants, that's...well, boring. There's no shinies in it for them. Which is why I have two thoughts. Thought One: There will be a magic item shop with full wares somewhere in town for them to find, as well as random houses having random useful items as well. Thought Two: Somewhere, underneath the town in a cavern (possibly a grotto), there's an artifact that was created should just such an occasion rise (perhaps such a thing has happened before? HM, PLOT I DARESAY) - a strange iron stick that shoots flame and rocks at high speed with a resounding BOOM, created by one of the Wizards of Ash. (I see potential for a Wizards on the Coast pun here, in addition to the Evil Dead puns already present.)

So, with the basics of the plot out of the way, let's get to the PCs. I don't know what classes they'll be, but I think I'll put them (there'll be four of them) at...oh, level 9. What should I ban, other than Radiant Servant of Pelor? Likewise, if (for God knows why) they don't have a cleric/paladin, how should I figure out healing? Have healing items in random locations, a la Left 4 Dead?

So, uh, whatcha think? Would you play in this?

[Volthawk]

I'd play that.

Also, if you're banning the anti-undead PrCs, how about:

-Master of Radiance: Gets an aura that gives undead a -2 penalty to attack, damage and saves, gives light and makes divine spells have higher CL. Also, gets the ability to cast Searing Light/Sunbeam (Sunbeam is a full-round action, though) for free while the aura is up. It gets 3 uses per day overall, and each use always lasts a minute.

Sacred Purifier: Gets the Sun domain power (or another use), stacks with other turn undead using classes, can use Turn attempts to do extra damage against undead and can spend 2 attempts to do 10d6 positive energy damage to all undead within 30ft.

Both are in Libris Mortis.

[Deth Muncher]

I'd play that.

Also, if you're banning the anti-undead PrCs, how about:

-Master of Radiance: Gets an aura that gives undead a -2 penalty to attack, damage and saves, gives light and makes divine spells have higher CL. Also, gets the ability to cast Searing Light/Sunbeam (Sunbeam is a full-round action, though) for free while the aura is up. It gets 3 uses per day overall, and each use always lasts a minute.

Sacred Purifier: Gets the Sun domain power (or another use), stacks with other turn undead using classes, can use Turn attempts to do extra damage against undead and can spend 2 attempts to do 10d6 positive energy damage to all undead within 30ft.

Both are in Libris Mortis.

Oooh, okay. I might let Master of Radiance pass, but Sacred Purifier would be rape on a stick in this setting.

[Darklord Xavez]

Hey all. I think I mentioned this a while back, but the thread died due to epic response failure, so now that I've got a better idea of what I want, I'll try again. A warning: This post contains a Wall of Text attack, no save.

Basically, I had borrowed a friend's zombie movies for much too long, and so as repayment I want to run a zombie module. A really, really campy one (which may actually have multiple meanings, if you think about it...). I'm trying to make this as stereotyped of a one-shot as possible. The movies I had borrowed were the "X of the Dead" series, so I'm thinking of making zombies like that. My current plans for the zombies are to have the base zombie, but with the addition of a bite attack that carries a DC 14 effect that starts draining Constitution points at the rate of 1-2 per hour (in game terms), and when Con = 0, they die and rise as a zombie. Also, it'll probably be one of those kinds of moves like "If Zombie succeeds on grapple, free bite attempt!" So, y'know, there's that. Oh, and maybe a bonus to Listen.

The second bit is the tricksier part, and where I need more help with (though you're welcome to critique my zombie alternate as well). See, in order to truly capture the zombie-genre (in my opinion, at least) there should be some sort of resource acquisition going on. While in the Tippyverse, everyone may have traps of Create Food & Water, and hell, the PCs themselves may even be able to cast those themselves (more on them later), the point will be that citizens of the town won't be able to, and the peasantry will be pretty much unable to get their own resources, so that's where the PCs come in. But what does this mean? Well, think about it. While everyone loves helping (or killing) the peasants, that's...well, boring. There's no shinies in it for them. Which is why I have two thoughts. Thought One: There will be a magic item shop with full wares somewhere in town for them to find, as well as random houses having random useful items as well. Thought Two: Somewhere, underneath the town in a cavern (possibly a grotto), there's an artifact that was created should just such an occasion rise (perhaps such a thing has happened before? HM, PLOT I DARESAY) - a strange iron stick that shoots flame and rocks at high speed with a resounding BOOM, created by one of the Wizards of Ash. (I see potential for a Wizards on the Coast pun here, in addition to the Evil Dead puns already present.)

So, with the basics of the plot out of the way, let's get to the PCs. I don't know what classes they'll be, but I think I'll put them (there'll be four of them) at...oh, level 9. What should I ban, other than Radiant Servant of Pelor? Likewise, if (for God knows why) they don't have a cleric/paladin, how should I figure out healing? Have healing items in random locations, a la Left 4 Dead?

So, uh, whatcha think? Would you play in this?

Blarrgh! Wall of Text deal 10d6 bludgeoning damage! Need potion of Cure Light Wounds!
Anyways, ban wands of Cure X. They are both healing tools and weapons in your module. Also, don't let casters use Control Undead (Hide from Undead is ok though). It defeats the purpose.
-Xavez

[Deth Muncher]

Blarrgh! Wall of Text deal 10d6 bludgeoning damage! Need potion of Cure Light Wounds!
Anyways, ban wands of Cure X. They are both healing tools and weapons in your module. Also, don't let casters use Control Undead (Hide from Undead is ok though). It defeats the purpose.
-Xavez

Wall of Text is dispelled by lolcats.

Anyhoo, you're right. Wands of Cure Blah are both weapons and and healing tools. Though I may need to figure out for some way for them to heal themselves though...

[YPU]

You could go for the variant stamina/wound system in UA, if I remember correctly the stamina heals a lot faster but wounds a lot slower. Might fit a zombie game.

[IonDragon]

Hang on a sec while I find a link to my L4D zombies. (Post #2)

They were made using a homebrew super hero system, therefore they are unbelievably tough.

Disclaimer: They were not written for D&D 3.x. They were written for Cape & Hammer, which shares many similarities to 3.x, but also has important differences.

[Darklord Xavez]

Wall of Text is dispelled by lolcats.

Anyhoo, you're right. Wands of Cure Blah are both weapons and and healing tools. Though I may need to figure out for some way for them to heal themselves though...

Then I dispel your Wall of Text.

Anyways, give them potions.
-Xavez

[Deth Muncher]

Then I dispel your Wall of Text.

Anyways, give them potions.
-Xavez

But potions could be used as splash weapons, couldn't they? But then again, that'd be a nifty thing in and of itself.

Should I be allowing extradimensional storage spaces here? They don't really do much either way, but it might make the thing a little scarier and realistic if they actually have to worry about what they're carrying.

[Darklord Xavez]

But potions could be used as splash weapons, couldn't they? But then again, that'd be a nifty thing in and of itself.

Should I be allowing extradimensional storage spaces here? They don't really do much either way, but it might make the thing a little scarier and realistic if they actually have to worry about what they're carrying.

You have to ingest a potion for it to take affect. Just like how you don't taste Pepsi if it's rubbed on you forearm. Unless you put your forearm in your mouth. So unless these zombies start eating each other, potions can't be splash weapons.
-Xavez

[Pluto]

D&D isn't really the system for this.

There's too much flying and teleporting and healing and being outright invisible to things.

If you're going to do this with 3.5, I'd recommend drop casting/manifesting/supernatural classes entirely. And drop most magic items. This would make injuries very serious (which is kind of important to the genre), it would make stealth both more difficult and more important and it would make straight-out confrontation less desirable.



Or, for a more D&D-flavored take, I would reread SilverclawShifter's campaign journals. Those were both great examples of high-magic zombie games done right.

[Deth Muncher]

D&D isn't really the system for this.

There's too much flying and teleporting and healing and being outright invisible to things.

If you're going to do this with 3.5, I'd recommend drop casting/manifesting/supernatural classes entirely. And drop most magic items. This would make injuries very serious (which is kind of important to the genre), it would make stealth both more difficult and more important and it would make straight-out confrontation less desirable.



Or, for a more D&D-flavored take, I would reread SilverclawShifter's campaign journals. Those were both great examples of high-magic zombie games done right.

Three steps ahead of you. :P But I don't necessarily want Zombie Kythons everywhere.

[Lycanthromancer]

If there's a BBEG, make him a telepath/thrallherd, and make his minions regular zombies at first, then necrocarnum zombies, then pseudonatural zombies with tentacles. Then undead and mutated monsters with other templates.

Think Resident Evil.

That way, there's always a sense of fear around, since they never know what's going to show up next.

[Deth Muncher]

If there's a BBEG, make him a telepath/thrallherd, and make his minions regular zombies at first, then necrocarnum zombies, then pseudonatural zombies with tentacles. Then undead and mutated monsters with other templates.

Think Resident Evil.

That way, there's always a sense of fear around, since they never know what's going to show up next.

See, I was just gonna make it that one of the boats in the harbor had accidentally carried this plague with it. I could make it that the longer the zombies are around, the more templates they have...hm...like Day 1, they're regular zombies (with their new Diseased Bite). Day 2, they go back to having regular action usage instead of one action/round. Day 3 they can run. Day 4...mutation? Makes the game more time sensitive that way.

[Karsh]

Level 9 is awfully high for a zombie game. Having flight spells basically completely negates the threat posed by the earthbound zombies, and most characters are going to have such high AC compared to a crappy run of the mill zombie that they're almost never going to get bitten, and when they do, will have to roll exceptionally poorly in order to actually become diseased.

Zombie games are best when the PCs can't afford to risk just wading through all the zombies and are forced to think laterally to find a way to survive.

[Deth Muncher]

Level 9 is awfully high for a zombie game. Having flight spells basically completely negates the threat posed by the earthbound zombies, and most characters are going to have such high AC compared to a crappy run of the mill zombie that they're almost never going to get bitten, and when they do, will have to roll exceptionally poorly in order to actually become diseased.

Zombie games are best when the PCs can't afford to risk just wading through all the zombies and are forced to think laterally to find a way to survive.

But see, the whole thing is that I'm going to have them have more zombies than they can handle. Or that's the plan, anyway. WAVES AND WAVES. Plus there's the civilian element: Yeah, okay, the PCs might shrug off an attack. But Bob the Farmer? Not s'much. Also, one zombie attack + Aid Anothers of 8 other zombies?

[Lycanthromancer]

Make everyone a different flavor of Expert or Aristocrat. Start at level 3.

That'll learn 'em.

[Deth Muncher]

Make everyone a different flavor of Expert or Aristocrat. Start at level 3.

That'll learn 'em.

XD Oh God. THE DEATH.

[Lycanthromancer]

XD Oh God. THE DEATH.

The whole point is to have to avoid that part, and survive.

Survival-horror isn't survival-horror when you can just blow the town and its resident shamblers away with a casting of control wind or a wand of fireball.

[Deth Muncher]

The whole point is to have to avoid that part, and survive.

Survival-horror isn't survival-horror when you can just blow the town and its resident shamblers away with a casting of control wind or a wand of fireball.

Nono, you're absolutely right. I guess my thought was to overwhelm them. Like yeah, fireball after fireball is great...until you're out of fireballs. Plunking them in the head with your crossbow is great...but what about when you're out of bolts?
Plus, there's always the possibility that I could keep them from recharging at night due to moaning from the Zeds, so they may not get their spells back, etc.

[Lycanthromancer]

Nono, you're absolutely right. I guess my thought was to overwhelm them. Like yeah, fireball after fireball is great...until you're out of fireballs. Plunking them in the head with your crossbow is great...but what about when you're out of bolts?
Plus, there's always the possibility that I could keep them from recharging at night due to moaning from the Zeds, so they may not get their spells back, etc.

I was thinking something more like a tactical game, where the players have limited resources (with the option to find more); have to evade the brain-eaters; lead them into traps; find food, water, and defensible shelter, and compete with others for those resources or convince them to band together for everyone's safety; find some route to escape a town that suddenly is hemmed in by poisonous clouds of mist in which lurk even worse horrors; keep from becoming zombies themselves and prevent a few people who have snapped from the strain from killing them all; and so on.

Give them tactical considerations beyond simply 'fireball the mooks.' Force them to get creative with unusual resources, such as using ladders to string between buildings to escape the crawling mass of darkness, and buckets of melted lard to prevent them from climbing up the walls. Make it unique and heart-pounding, and they'll remember it forever.

[Deth Muncher]

I was thinking something more like a tactical game, where the players have limited resources (with the option to find more); have to evade the brain-eaters; lead them into traps; find food, water, and defensible shelter, and compete with others for those resources or convince them to band together for everyone's safety; find some route to escape a town that suddenly is hemmed in by poisonous clouds of mist in which lurk even worse horrors; keep from becoming zombies themselves and prevent a few people who have snapped from the strain from killing them all; and so on.

Give them tactical considerations beyond simply 'fireball the mooks.' Force them to get creative with unusual resources, such as using ladders to string between buildings to escape the crawling mass of darkness, and buckets of melted lard to prevent them from climbing up the walls. Make it unique and heart-pounding, and they'll remember it forever.

This is true. Maybe I'll make them all be non-caster classes. I know one guy is definitely going to be a ranger - he always is. One girl is probably going to be some sort of warrior. The other two I dunno. I may want to advise them against making a rouge, but I could always make sneak attacks work on the non-mutated zombies...

Anyway, back to the other options. Other than the McGuffin hidden under the town, the only other things I'd planned on letting them have were whatever they may be able to scavenge from houses, and maybe what they could find at the shipyard (and maybe on ships). That's PROBABLY enough materials for whatever traps they could imagine, right?

[Lycanthromancer]

This is true. Maybe I'll make them all be non-caster classes. I know one guy is definitely going to be a ranger - he always is. One girl is probably going to be some sort of warrior. The other two I dunno. I may want to advise them against making a rouge, but I could always make sneak attacks work on the non-mutated zombies...

Anyway, back to the other options. Other than the McGuffin hidden under the town, the only other things I'd planned on letting them have were whatever they may be able to scavenge from houses, and maybe what they could find at the shipyard (and maybe on ships). That's PROBABLY enough materials for whatever traps they could imagine, right?

Maybe tier 4 and below? It wouldn't do to have a factotum, crusader, warblade, or swordsage in the group, after all.

Also, if they have access to ships, why don't they just fix up the least damaged one (there's bound to be one that isn't so badly beaten up that they can use it) and get out? I'd certainly be trying to chivvy all of the people that could be easily gathered onto a ship and getting the hell out.

[Deth Muncher]

Maybe tier 4 and below?

Also, if they have access to ships, why don't they just fix up the least damaged one (there's bound to be one that isn't so badly beaten up that they can use it) and get out? I'd certainly be trying to chivvy all of the people that could be easily gathered onto a ship and getting the hell out.

Perhaps no one has ranks in Profession: Sailor? -shrug- Or perhaps the zomplague is coming from the ocean/ships/whathaveyou, so they don't really want to be in that area much?

[Pluto]

Perhaps no one has ranks in Profession: Sailor? -shrug- Or perhaps the zomplague is coming from the ocean/ships/whathaveyou, so they don't really want to be in that area much?

Be prepared for the players to try it.

Maybe there are other survivors warring over resources on the seas?

Maybe there are worse things out there.

I wouldn't stop them though, if they wanted to try -- it makes sense, it can serve as an early goal and it could help move the adventure along.

[Deth Muncher]

Be prepared for the players to try it.

Maybe there are other survivors warring over resources on the seas?

Maybe there are worse things out there.

I wouldn't stop them though, if they wanted to try -- it makes sense, it can serve as an early goal and it could help move the adventure along.

This is true. But I totally plan on there being zombies on some of the boats. Likewise, if they're banging around trying to repair a ship, it's going to attract the horde.

[Lycanthromancer]

If you don't want the players trying to escape that way, don't offer the option in the first place. It's better to either keep the option away from them or make escaping by boat the eventual goal to work toward than to show them a way out and withholding it from them indefinitely.

Maybe there are supplies that need collected before the only serviceable boat is seaworthy, and the party has to arrange for someone to defend the boat and go brave the hordes to find what they need to fix the boat and escape safely.

[Deth Muncher]

If you don't want the players trying to escape that way, don't offer the option in the first place. It's better to either keep the option away from them or make escaping by boat the eventual goal to work toward than to show them a way out and withholding it from them indefinitely.

Maybe there are supplies that need collected before the only serviceable boat is seaworthy, and the party has to arrange for someone to defend the boat and go brave the hordes to find what they need to fix the boat and escape safely.

Question: How likely is it that a band of heroes with absolutely no skills pertaining to building ships would be able to build/rebuild a ship? I mean this honestly, not as an attack. While the "Sailing off into the sunset" ending would be my ultimate goal for the campaign, or even the "Sail around in a ship, sniping the remaining Zeds" plan, I just wonder if logistically, it makes sense. If no one has ranks in Profession: Sailor, just how can they be expected to make a ship shipshape again unless via Deus Ex Machina?

[Pechvarry]

I've never actually played the system, but it sounds like E6 would help a lot with this. One of the many benefits being that even your oldest and weakest model of zombie can still pose a threat to the PCs (even if it requires mass aid other to do so). That should save a lot of work for you as the DM.

Also, someone mentioned leading zombies into traps and such: a zombie campaign could really open the door for a craft (trapmaking) character to actually be a party role. May require some homebrew rulings to make it effective, see details in craft (trapmaking), no purchase necessary.

If no one has ranks in Profession: Sailor, just how can they be expected to make a ship shipshape again unless via Deus Ex Machina?

Party SmartyPants Mcgee can find books and scrolls at the library, which is infested with zombies. Once the players hold the library long enough for him/her to locate relevant texts, they can vacate to a place of relative safety while Smarty studies and gains the know-how to repair the vessel (with help) and actually um, survive at sea.

If you go for something like this, I'd actually suggest banning players from grabbing ranks in profession (sailor) and handle it entirely in RP.

[Bigbrother87]

...No love for Oakspar7777? Over on the Wizard's board, Oakspar7777 started a thread years and years ago about DMing for his girlfriend. Around page 4 he starts talking about his upcoming zombie campaign as well. That campaign was one of the best zombie campaign's I've ever read, barring silverclawshift's, of course. ;)

He starts the characters at level 1, and he had the players build the characters WITHOUT telling them what kind of Halloween campaign they'd be playing.

Page four of that thread, the campaign starts being discussed around post #98. Go there if you want people's reactions and questions as well. The actual posts are linked below.

Oakspar7777's Zombie Campaign! October, 2005

• Post #98:First discussion of a Zombie D&D campaign
• Post #103:Zombie campaign stages, the zombies he used
• Post #106: The Campaign begins!
• Post #110: Part 2
• Post #111: Part 3: The Bold Plan
• Post #114: Part 4
• Post #115: Part 5: Day 31, the Weapons shop
• Post #121: Part 6: Day 35
• Post #128: Part 7: Day 40, The Escape Begins
• Post #132: Part 8: They level up!
• Post #135: Part 9: Day 78, The Breakout
• Post #137: Part 10: Day 97
• Post #145: oakspar7777 answering some questions about how he ran this campaign
• Post #148: Part 11: Day 98b
• Post #153: More questions answered
• Post #159: Part 12: In the Monastery
• Post #190: Part 13: Questions and Endings

The entire thread when Oaksparr777's available to give advice and talk is phenomenal reading, but those posts are important to your question.
((edited for formatting))