New to GURPS: Zombie Apocalypse

[Stripe]

Originally Posted by Kromey

I am currently GMing a D&D 4e campaign (using a home brew setting based loosely on the old 3.5e setting and the events of a previous epic-level campaign I played in, with several updates drawn from the 4e setting), however I'm finding myself growing more and more... well, bored with 4e. I just feel limited, pigeon-holed into WotC's ideas of what characters somehow are supposed to be. It's very restricting. And I want to break free.

You sound like a GURPS player! :)

Originally Posted by Kromey

However, as I'm sure most of you have seen, there are a lot of RPGers -- seemingly especially those who've "grown up" on D&D -- who are extremely prejudiced against the perceived over-complexity of GURPS. If I were to simply approach my group and say "Hey guys, let's convert to GURPS, whaddya say?" they'd simply lynch me!

Yes. We are well aware of this. The prejudice goes both ways in equal amounts.

The difference is, we're right! ;)

Originally Posted by Kromey

I'm shooting for 50 points (upper "average"/lower "exceptional", yes?), and trying to avoid things like the police office or trained soldier (everyone else would be left bored while he mops up the zombies), or the asthmatic accountant (who'd be left bored while everyone else mops up the zombies).

Don't. Not if you want your players to enjoy the game. Remember why you chose to go with GURPS? The freedom? That goes for players more than anything. In fact, it's the #1 selling point of GURPS and you're getting ready to completely cut it out.

Let them play the characters they desire. If they want to be Rambo, let them. If they want to be Dirty Hairy, let them. They will have way more fun than if you force them, pigeon-hole them into what your idea is of what you think their characters somehow are supposed to be. That's very restricting. And, they'll want to break free.

Also, remember, in a zombie apocalypse, the bad asses often die early anyway! It's often the quiet librarians or whatever that are the heroes. So, being a police officer or National Guardsman won't make them any less susceptible to getting eaten in this genre WTSHTF.

I suggest a power level of 100 or 150-point characters with a -50 or -75-point disadvantage limit (p. 11 of Basic Set).

See Power Level, p. 487 of the Basic Set for a discussion of starting points.

When I get some time, I'll make further suggestions on your pre-made PC's.

Basically, I suggest broad, pre-made templates instead of entire characters.

Originally Posted by Kromey

I'd also like to run these stats for a basic zombie by you guys, see if this seems reasonable for this kind of low-power game. I found it on some forum somewhere, maybe even here, but no longer remember where.

Below is my fantasy zombie template which has been play-tested extensively. To make it a contemporary one, just remove its Dependency to magic and its susceptibility to spells.

Zombie

These shambling, rotting corpses limp and hobble forward in the masses -- moaning, growling, hissing and gurgling -- with one goal: kill all sentient life.

Somehow, zombies can sense sentient beings and are driven to slay them. Fortunately for the living, zombies are slow and plodding and aren't intelligent enough to use tools, weapons, or even turn a knob to open doors. Dogs are smarter than zombies.

At night and in utter darkness, zombies can see perfectly. Luckily for those they hunt, their constant moaning and growling can be easily heard.

Without fear of anything, least of all pain or destruction, zombies give little, if any, thought for their own continued existence. They mindlessly attack without defense.

In combat, zombies instantly go berserk (see Battle Rage, p. B124) and always make All-Out-Attacks. They do not suffer from stun or shock and make all rolls to remain conscious at +4 to HT. Injuries cause no penalty to Move and damage from impaling weapons grant no bonus (see Unliving, p. B380). However, zombies do suffer normally when struck in the skull (DR 2; Wounding Modifier is x4) and die instantly when reduced to -HP or below (p. B137).

Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 8 [-40]; IQ 3 [-140]; HT 10 [0].

Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24; HP 11 [0]; Will 3 [0]; Per 10 [35]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 2.5 [-40]; Basic Move 2 [0].

Advantages and Perks: Dark Vision [25]; Detect (Sentient Beings; Common; Vague, -50%) [10]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn't Sleep [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity (All mind control) [30]; Indomitable [15]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Eyes, No Vitals, Unliving) [35]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].

Disadvantages and Quirks: Appearance (Horrific; Universal, +25%) [-30]; Bad Smell [-10]; Berserk (Battle Rage) (6) [-30]; Bestial [-15]; Cannot Learn [-30]; Cannot Speak [-15]; Dependency (Mana; common, constantly) [-50]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Frightens Animals [-10]; Hidebound [-5]; Impulsiveness (6) [-20]; Incurious (6) [-10]; Low Empathy [-20]; No Sense of Humor [-10]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Noisy 3 [-6]; Numb [-20]; Obsession (6) (Kill All Sentient Beings) [-30]; On the Edge (6) [-30]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Sexless [-1]; Slave Mentality [-40]; Terminally Ill [-100]; Unhealing (Total) [-30].

Features: Affected by Control Zombie, Pentagram, and Turn Zombie; Fixed IQ; No mental skills.