Zombie Run Excerpt

Hindrances

Major

Innocent

Your character isn’t very experienced. Until now, she hasn’t seen the harsh, horrible side of life, and she isn’t prepared for it. She suffers -2 to all Guts checks against grotesque or horrific scenes (but not terrifying triggers; see Fear, Savage Worlds p.93) and on Smarts and Spirit rolls to resist Intimidation, Persuasion, and Taunt.

Minor

Ruthless

Morality, ethics, mercy, honesty, nobility ... screw ‘em. Your character believes the end justifies the means. Lying, cheating, backstabbing, even killing — anything is permissible if it gets the job done. Most people find this trait rather unpleasant. When interacting with people who’ve seen his Ruthless side, your character’s Charisma drops by -2 (though the Game Master might decide this doesn’t apply when your character is dealing with other Ruthless, Bloodthirsty, or Mean characters).

Edges

The characters in Zombie Run are normal, everyday people. They don’t use magic, psionics, or anything like that, so none of the magical, Arcane, or Power-related Edges are appropriate. Weird Edges and Wild Card Edges other than Power Surge are okay.

Background Edges

Power Lifter

Requirements: Novice, Brawny, Strength d8+

Either naturally or through intense training, your character has become really, really strong. His load limit is 15 x Strength, and he gets +1 on melee damage and rolls to break things.

Combat Edges

Headshot

Requirements: Novice, Shooting d8+ Your character has become very proficient at popping off zombies. He suffers only a –2 penalty when he takes a Called Shot at a zombie’s head (instead of the usual –4). This Edge works only against zombies or other slow moving or stationary targets. Against targets that actually bob, weave, and dodge, such as living people, the character suffers the usual –4.

Professional Edges

Physician

Requirements: Novice, Healing d8+, Knowledge (Medicine) d8+ Physicians dedicate their lives to the science of healing. Many were licensed professionals before the disaster; others were gifted students and interns. Characters with the Physician Edge get +2 on Healing rolls. This is cumulative with the Healer Edge.

Gear

Gasoline

Fuel is important in Zombie Run — how much do you have and can you find more? To keep things simple, vehicles have four fuel levels: Very High, High, Low, and Out. Vehicles burn fuel at the following rates:

• Motorcycle: one level every 200 miles
• Small car, jeep: one level every 100 miles
• Mid-sized car, Humvee: one level every 50 miles
• Large car, truck, or SUV: one level every 25 miles

During combat, if a driver draws a deuce his vehicle’s fuel drops one level at the end of the round.

Improvised Weapons

Characters in Zombie Run might find themselves using just about anything as a weapon. Most tools, utensils, and sports equipment function as clubs or knives, doing Str+1 damage. Heavier or sharper items such as sledge hammers and fire axes do Str+2 damage.

Chainsaws

Basic chainsaw stats are given on p.45 of the Savage Worlds rules. But chainsaws need gasoline (See Gasoline above). One level of gasoline raises a chainsaw’s fuel level to Very High. Its fuel drops one level after every combat (unless the fight was very short) and at the end of the round every time the chainsaw wielding character draws a deuce for initiative. A chainsaw without gasoline does Str+1 damage but doesn’t injure the wielder on a roll of 1.

Chain

A length of chain does Str+1 damage and reduces your opponent’s Parry by –1. It also adds +1 to disarm attempts and Agility Tricks (if the Trick is performed with the chain).

Molotov Cocktails

Fill a glass bottle or jar with gasoline, kerosene, or some other flammable liquid, stick a rag in the top, light it, and throw. Molotov cocktails have a range of 3/6/12 and explode in a Small Burst Template. The fire does 2d10 damage each round with the usual chance of spreading (6 on 1d6; see Fire, Savage Worlds p.97). One fuel level of gasoline makes four Molotov cocktails. Increasing the amount of fuel doesn’t increase the damage, but it does increase the area of effect. Twice the normal fuel covers a Medium Burst. Triple the normal fuel covers a Large Burst. More than triple normal fuel has no additional effect.

Sledge Hammers

Sledge hammers do Str+2 damage but require Strength d6 to wield effectively and reduce the wielder’s Parry by –1.

Vehicles

Bicycle

Bicycles work a little differently than other vehicles. Treat a bicycling character as if he were walking but double his Pace. You can "run" while riding a bike. Just roll 1d12 instead of 1d6. If the character has to fight, make a tight turn, or perform another difficult maneuver, he has to make an Agility roll. Failure means he falls and suffers normal collision damage (1d6 for every 5 current speed). If he’s wearing a bicycle helmet, ignore head injury results on the Injury Table. If two characters are riding double and have to perform a tricky maneuver, they both make Agility rolls at –2. Failure on either roll means they both fall. Whenever a character rides a bike, roll 1d10. On a one (one or two if he rides through broken glass, sharp rocks, thorns, etc.), he hits a nail, piece of glass, or other sharp detritus and gets a flat. He can’t use his bike again until he patches or replaces the tire. This requires twenty minutes of work and the proper equipment (a patch kit, tire pump, wrenches, new tire, etc., any of which a character can scavenge as beginning gear if he draws a club).

• Acc/Top Speed: 2 x standard Pace / "Run" +1d12
• Toughness: 2
• Crew: 1 (+1)
• Notes: Off-road (a bike can be ridden almost anywhere a character can walk; each inch of rough terrain equals two inches as usual)

Bus

This is a commercial passenger bus like the one in which the characters make most of their trips across the country.

• Acc/Top Speed: 5/25
• Toughness: 16 (4)
• Crew: 1+25
• Notes: -

Humvee / Jeep

• Acc/Top Speed: 10/30
• Toughness: 12 (3)
• Crew: 1+3 Jeep/+5 Humvee
• Notes: Four Wheel Drive

Pickup Truck

This is your typical open-bed truck, able to carry loads of supplies or people. Up to six people can travel (uncomfortably) in the truck bed. If the truck crashes, everyone in the bed automatically gets an Agility roll to jump clear. Anyone who succeeds suffers half the usual damage dice (see Falling or Jumping From Vehicles, Savage Worlds p. 99). Characters riding in the bed can be attacked directly—they aren’t protected like the people in the cab. However the walls of the bed provide some cover.

• Acc/Top Speed: 20/40
• Toughness: 12 (3)
• Crew: 1+8
• Notes: Four Wheel Drive

Monsters

Zombie

There is something about zombies that PCs know:

• Undead: Zombies add +2 to their Toughness, never suffer Fatigue or Fear, and can’t be Shaken by anything. They can be killed only by a head shot that scores one wound (i.e. at least 12 damage) or by one wound from fire, an explosion, or any other attack that damages the entire body including the head. They catch fire as usual (6 on 1d6). You can also dismember them. This requires an aimed shot at each limb (-2) that scores at least one wound. This doesn’t kill them; it just makes it impossible for them to move and attack.
• Pace 4" (this is maximum, can be less), can't run
• Zombies always tries to grapple
• Zombies can sense live beings
• Zombie's bite is infectious. Killed by zombies bite will rise as zombie in 1d6 rounds.