Dungeons & Zombies - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dungeons & Zombies

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
mcmd_dnd_gamerz
Apr 17, 2012 7:05:09 Hey,

I've got an opportunity to run some D&D sessions over the summer, while our regular DM is taking a short paternity leave.

I was thinking of running a Zombie-Horror Themed adventure, where the object of the game is escaping from a major city.

Anyway, in order to give the game a horror-like feel, with lots of suspension and a healthy dose of zombification, I've decided on a few home-brew rules changes:

Monsters will be primarily made up of level-adjusted Zombies, Ghouls, Ghasts or other undead nasties.

When characters reach 0hp by an attack from a zombie, they will rise from the dead as a zombie

The ability to take extended rests will be compromised (i.e. they'll really have to fortify a location first) Therefore I'm allowing a Moderate Rest: 1 Hour, regain healing surges = con mod (min 1), and 1 daily power.

Food: Every meal skipped reduces a character's number of healing surges by 1, and requires a successful Endurance Check to prevent losing a second.

In order to make this work though, Players will need to know a few things:
#2
terishd
Apr 17, 2012 10:17:17 I'm no 4ed person, but I can make some comments.

Don't get boring with your monsters. It can help spice up your scenario to show other monsters also having to cope with the zombie threat.

I would not do the 0hp=Zombie thing, but impose that when reach 0hp the threat of changing into a zombie becomes real. When they die, yep, they become zombie. On the next day however they WILL become zombie upon reaching 0hp, and the next day at 1hp. That gives the character a chance to possibly stay alive and maybe get an antidote (assuming there is one).

The need for complete rests and certain powers to only be granted once per day was stupid the moment it was stated. 1ed had partial rests, and I restated them for my 3ed game. I thus agree with figuring some way to have them in 4ed.

The food thing is minor, and I would bet something you don't bother with.

Uh, spawning zombies? You mean that creature that I pounded and cut into pieces will get back up? I don't think so. However, if your characters are stupid enough to run away after only knocking a zombie down (like they are in the movies), they deserve to die.
#3
mcmd_dnd_gamerz
Apr 17, 2012 12:43:50 Haha, well, in 4e there are a bunch of minions (i.e. monsters with only 1 HP) that have a 50% chance of getting back up on their last turn.

I don't want to sound "Fourthcore" but healing and HP management is pretty easy in 4e - especially if the party won't be going up against any BBEG, solos, or other ongoing damage effects. Minions deal low damage (3-4 points vs typical player's HP of like mid 20's - lvl 1 wizard's got like 20 if they don't dump Con) so I don't think that 0hp is an unreasonable goal to set.

The goal, also, is to see how long a PC can survive - I won't be doing much in terms of story over the 3-4 sessions, but rather a fun time to try and "beat the game." Characters that survive to level 2 or 3 will be doing good - since I don't plan on advancing the monsters.

The food rule is just so that the PCs don't hole up somewhere and expect to live out the invasion. They're going to have to find food for themselves, and any other NPC survivors they've got with them... without modern food preservation techniques, this puts an intense timeline on their escape plan.

#4
WhisperMagellan
Apr 17, 2012 17:23:29 Zombie mage.
Dragonborn zombie
Dragonborn zombie mage.
Zombie thrower/artillery.

Or you could buy all 8 versions of the Zombies board game and supplements.

You might want to grab some booster boxes of HorrorClix. not only are they cheap since being discontinued, but I was inspired by some of the minis to have the circus of the Undead come to town (started as an ordinary circus, but was corrupted by a necromancer after something one of the PCs had). All you have to do is cut off the old base (easy with an xacto knife) and glue it to a smaller base (or not depending if the monster can stand on it's own).
#5
Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi
Apr 17, 2012 19:06:04 What do you mean, "Players will be strongly discouraged from taking Daily Powers"? Aside from Utility powers, players don't really get a choice in how many Dailies they have. You know, except for choosing an Essentials-style martial class.
#6
mcmd_dnd_gamerz
Apr 17, 2012 19:14:06
What do you mean, "Players will be strongly discouraged from taking Daily Powers"? Aside from Utility powers, players don't really get a choice in how many Dailies they have. You know, except for choosing an Essentials-style martial class.

Yes.

I also meant in terms of party formation, there should be 2 or more essentials-esque classes.

I should also say that "when choosing dailies, (as with other powers) pick those that hit multiple creatures, last for an encounter, or provide some other utility or bonus. Single target dailies will be more useless than single target encounters."

Powers that deal damage on a miss are also going to be useless against a primary minion encounter.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mcmd_dnd_gamerz Apr 17, 2012 7:05:09	Hey, I've got an opportunity to run some D&D sessions over the summer, while our regular DM is taking a short paternity leave. I was thinking of running a Zombie-Horror Themed adventure, where the object of the game is escaping from a major city. Anyway, in order to give the game a horror-like feel, with lots of suspension and a healthy dose of zombification, I've decided on a few home-brew rules changes: Monsters will be primarily made up of level-adjusted Zombies, Ghouls, Ghasts or other undead nasties. When characters reach 0hp by an attack from a zombie, they will rise from the dead as a zombie The ability to take extended rests will be compromised (i.e. they'll really have to fortify a location first) Therefore I'm allowing a Moderate Rest: 1 Hour, regain healing surges = con mod (min 1), and 1 daily power. Food: Every meal skipped reduces a character's number of healing surges by 1, and requires a successful Endurance Check to prevent losing a second. In order to make this work though, Players will need to know a few things:
#2 terishd Apr 17, 2012 10:17:17	I'm no 4ed person, but I can make some comments. Don't get boring with your monsters. It can help spice up your scenario to show other monsters also having to cope with the zombie threat. I would not do the 0hp=Zombie thing, but impose that when reach 0hp the threat of changing into a zombie becomes real. When they die, yep, they become zombie. On the next day however they WILL become zombie upon reaching 0hp, and the next day at 1hp. That gives the character a chance to possibly stay alive and maybe get an antidote (assuming there is one). The need for complete rests and certain powers to only be granted once per day was stupid the moment it was stated. 1ed had partial rests, and I restated them for my 3ed game. I thus agree with figuring some way to have them in 4ed. The food thing is minor, and I would bet something you don't bother with. Uh, spawning zombies? You mean that creature that I pounded and cut into pieces will get back up? I don't think so. However, if your characters are stupid enough to run away after only knocking a zombie down (like they are in the movies), they deserve to die.
#3 mcmd_dnd_gamerz Apr 17, 2012 12:43:50	Haha, well, in 4e there are a bunch of minions (i.e. monsters with only 1 HP) that have a 50% chance of getting back up on their last turn. I don't want to sound "Fourthcore" but healing and HP management is pretty easy in 4e - especially if the party won't be going up against any BBEG, solos, or other ongoing damage effects. Minions deal low damage (3-4 points vs typical player's HP of like mid 20's - lvl 1 wizard's got like 20 if they don't dump Con) so I don't think that 0hp is an unreasonable goal to set. The goal, also, is to see how long a PC can survive - I won't be doing much in terms of story over the 3-4 sessions, but rather a fun time to try and "beat the game." Characters that survive to level 2 or 3 will be doing good - since I don't plan on advancing the monsters. The food rule is just so that the PCs don't hole up somewhere and expect to live out the invasion. They're going to have to find food for themselves, and any other NPC survivors they've got with them... without modern food preservation techniques, this puts an intense timeline on their escape plan.
#4 WhisperMagellan Apr 17, 2012 17:23:29	Zombie mage. Dragonborn zombie Dragonborn zombie mage. Zombie thrower/artillery. Or you could buy all 8 versions of the Zombies board game and supplements. You might want to grab some booster boxes of HorrorClix. not only are they cheap since being discontinued, but I was inspired by some of the minis to have the circus of the Undead come to town (started as an ordinary circus, but was corrupted by a necromancer after something one of the PCs had). All you have to do is cut off the old base (easy with an xacto knife) and glue it to a smaller base (or not depending if the monster can stand on it's own).
#5 Omnirahk_half-Rahkshi Apr 17, 2012 19:06:04	What do you mean, "Players will be strongly discouraged from taking Daily Powers"? Aside from Utility powers, players don't really get a choice in how many Dailies they have. You know, except for choosing an Essentials-style martial class.
#6 mcmd_dnd_gamerz Apr 17, 2012 19:14:06	What do you mean, "Players will be strongly discouraged from taking Daily Powers"? Aside from Utility powers, players don't really get a choice in how many Dailies they have. You know, except for choosing an Essentials-style martial class. Yes. I also meant in terms of party formation, there should be 2 or more essentials-esque classes. I should also say that "when choosing dailies, (as with other powers) pick those that hit multiple creatures, last for an encounter, or provide some other utility or bonus. Single target dailies will be more useless than single target encounters." Powers that deal damage on a miss are also going to be useless against a primary minion encounter.