What's your take on the undead?

[SuperBlue]

I'm setting up a Modern Day Horror campaign, and was interested in other's opinions on what powers you'd give the undead. I myself don't have the HERO Beastiary, nor do I have the resources to get one. So anyone wanna throw some ideas my way on how to build Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, so-on.

[Crimson Arrow]

Well, I haven't got my books here and I really can't recall how undead are statted in them anyway, but consider the following:-

 

Unintelligent undead (zombies, skeletons etc) - build them as automata - the only way to stop them is to destroy them. You can get clever and give them defences that only work against certain attacks (eg skeletons have defences which don't work against crushing impacts). Some zombies (the "living dead" variety) are possibly a bit too cunning to be considered automata, but I doubt anyone's going to call you on that.

 

Ghosts, phantoms, spectres etc - build them with Inherent Desolidification. I'd give them a fairly high PRE score, so they can scare the PCs. Don't forget that many powers will need to have the Affects Real World Advantage if these characters are going to do anything more than go, "Boo!"

 

Intelligent undead (wights, vampires etc) - build them as regular characters, but give them high defences (Damage Reduction is especially good) and maybe Regeneration. Don't forget Susceptibilities and Vulnerabilities, although you might prefer to make their defences limited so that they don't protect against "X" (eg silver weapons, stake through the heart).

 

One other thing I'd say is that perhaps there should be lots of different types of creatures within one "type" of undead. For example, there are well over a dozen documented vampire types in stories in the real world; feel free to create your own for your game. The PCs should be really scared when the vampire laughs at holy water and changes into a mosquito to escape.

 

This goes double for ghosts, where I think you should have real variety. I always disliked the way D&D used to say a ghost ages you, but a spectre drains life energy. Maybe some can age you, some have telekinesis, some are invisible, some can turn your hair white, some can give you a migraine (even if you don't get them normally), some make you fall asleep and drain your strength, some drive you insane, some take you back in time to their death etc.

[SuperBlue]

Thanks for the sugguestion. Anyone else have 2 pennies they want to share?

[Fireg0lem]

I think most everything has been covered, but one thing you might want to consider is the "template" (or package). Basically a set of standard powers all undead of a "type" get. Saves you time.

Another one, to build "classic" zombies - go for very low defenses, mostly nonresistant, but massive chunks of BODY. And send them in swarms.

 

Here's a sample writeup for a basic zombie

-2 STR 8

-6 DEX 8

-20 CON 0

40 BODY 30

-5 INT 5

0 EGO -

-5 PRE 5

10 COM -30

3 PD 2

6 ED 2

-4 REC 0

0 END 0

0 STUN 0

2 SPD 2

 

-4 -2" Running

4 0 END on Running

5 0 END on Strength

45 Takes No Stun

15 Does Not Bleed

9 Hand-to-Hand Attack 2.5d6, 0 END, HA (-1/2), Linked to Transform (greater to lesser, full power only, -1/2)

3 Major Transform to Zombie 1 pt., 0 END, Continuous, Uncontrolled (proper burial and blessing ends), Limited Target (humans -1/2), Linked to Hand-to-hand Attack (-1/2), Effect must be enacted while target lives, but cannot take effect until target dies (-1), No Range (-1/2), Gradual Effect (per hour) -1

50 Total Life Support

1 Armor, 1 PD, Only vs. Bullets (-1)

 

Disadvantages:

Distinctive Features (Zombie)

Unluck 2d6

Psychological Limit: Seeks to Kill All Humans

Psychological Limit: Herd Mentality

 

Total character cost: 147 CP

[Killer Shrike]

In the past (4e), I put together a Corporeal Undead and a (wait for it) Incorporeal Undead package/template and could slap that onto just about anything to make an "undead". Specific types of undead such as Vampires which had specific special abilites just took the Corporeal Undead package for all the basic "Im a walking dead guy" stuff and then bought thier other abilities outside of the package.

 

The packages IIRC were minimalist (as good packages should be), just containing the basic benefits of undeath (Automata, some resistances) and the basic disadvantages to undeath.

 

 

Also, if you look in the Bestiary, IIRC it has at least 1 template that would be applicable to apply to characters/creatures to make "undead".

[SuperBlue]

Originally posted by Killer Shrike

Also, if you look in the Bestiary, IIRC it has at least 1 template that would be applicable to apply to characters/creatures to make "undead".

 

*sigh*

 

I already said I don't have the Beastiary nor the resources to aquire it.

[TaxiMan]

They all might have a Cumulative Transform power that bestows Psychological Limitations. I haven't thought all this out and I'm sure someone has done this better, but:

 

1 pip Transform, Ranged, Requires Successful +10 PRE Attack, Cumulative with All Undead Transforms, to "Psych Lim: Mental Illness" (see description), Cured by Spending A Lazy Day in the Sunshine.

 

The Psych Lim would go up in stages. First time, you get Moderate Fear Of The Dark. Next time you get Strong, finally you get Total. The cure works on Transform damage that hasn't made it to the effective level, but won't remove existing Psych Lims.

 

Basically, if you get scared enough by the undead in one night, you get a Psych Lim. If you make it to the day, you can wash away your fears.

[Crimson Arrow]

I forgot about Inherent Life Support. However, I am not sure that every undead has every type of Life Support. Zombies might need to eat (although some suggest this is not a physical need, but a psychological one, as their bodies are dead and can't process food) and might be subject to certain diseases and viruses (after all, they continue to rot). Vampires need to feed and rest in their coffins.

 

As to Taximan's suggestion, I think you need to work this out in the campaign. You can either have standard "horror" rules (like "Call of Cthulhu"), or make sure that every monster has an "insanity" Transform. I'd go for the former, but Taximan's offering is a good one (I might make the cure take a bit longer though).

[Publius]

Some sombie powers I mentioned in a different thread, reposted here for the sake of convenience only:

 

When I do Zombies I give them interesting little abilities that we well know from Horror flicks:

 

Um....where did he go? Teleportation, with the limitations "must move through intervening space" and "can only teleport when no one is looking at them or the place they teleport through/to". This is how the shambling horde closes the gap between themselves and the hero so easily even though they are apparently moving at a slow walk. Alternate name: Never turn your back on the dead

 

Death Comes on Silent Feet Invisibility to sight and image groups, only in deep shadow and cannot use during combat. Because they come up from the darndest places sometimes. Alternate Name: "Got'cha!"

 

If they can use the Teleport ability and the invisibility it really keeps PCs on their toes. Even 150 point characters get a little jumpy with this one, esp. if you give them a major transform effect for any zombie bites or scratches that infect the PCs with a zombie disease bwaaaahahahahaha

 

In the specific case you mention (Ninja type knows darned well they are coming and is not going to look elsewhere), I can see how you might give the Zombies a special OCV bonus that only functions when they work in concert with one another as an ability: Corpse Corps, OCV Bonus +Whatever Appropriate, "Only works for a single member of a group of 3 or more Zombies in close combat with victim er... target" or even "DCV Penalty" thrown in to make certain the Zombies get hit in the process. This way there are multiple attacks with bonus for groups of 6, 9 or 12 of them, but they don't become invincible either.

[Killer Shrike]

Originally posted by SuperBlue

*sigh*

 

I already said I don't have the Beastiary nor the resources to aquire it.

So borrow it from somebody else.

 

Actually, theres nothing in the Template IIRC that isnt logical and doable on your own with just FREd. So if you happen to see one on the rack at the FLGS, just peek at it for comparison purposes. You certainly dont "need" it, so no worries there.

[GreyGuardian]

One very interesting thing in the bestiary was using physical disadvantages and susceptibilities to model undead. I think it gave undead an equivalent to presence or ego as a disad to allow for mindcontrol or "turning" effects even on mindless undead... after all necromancers always seem to be able to control the creatures they create... to a point.