CREATURES FROM LITERATURE

SOLANUM ZOMBIE

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
10	STR	0	11-	Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH Damage [0]
8	DEX	-6	11-	OCV:  3/DCV:  3
0	CON	-20	9-
8	BODY	-4	11-
3	INT	-7	10-	PER Roll 10-/14-
0	EGO	0	9-	ECV:  0
15	PRE	5	12-	PRE Attack:  3d6
4	COM	-3	10-

2/6	PD	3		Total:  2/6 PD (2/6 rPD)
2	ED	6		Total:  2 ED (2 rED)
2	SPD	2		Phases:  6, 12
0	REC	-4
0	END	0
0	STUN	0		Total Characteristics Cost:  -28

Movement:  	Running:	3"/6"
		Leaping:	0"
		Swimming:	0"

Cost	Powers & Skills
45	Feels No Pain:  Automaton (Takes No STUN (loses abilities when takes BODY))
15	Heart No Longer Beats:  Does Not Bleed
10	Only Shots To The Head Count:  No Hit Locations
5	Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) for up to 10 Active Points of STR
4	Already Dead:  +2 PD; Only Versus Slashing Or Piercing Attacks (-1/2)
3	Already Dead:  +2 PD; Only Versus Piercing Attacks (-1)
10	Bite:  HKA 1/2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); No STR Bonus (-1/2)
312	Infectious Bite:  Drain CON 7d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), NND (defense is Life 
	Support [Immunity]; +1), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger 
	resets automatically, immediately after it activates; triggered when zombie bites victim; +1), 
	Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Day; +1 1/2), affects DEX, CON, INT, STUN, 
	BODY simultaneously (+2); Gradual Effect (1 Day; roughly 1d6/3 hours; -1 3/4), Only When Bite Or 
	Similar Attack Does BODY (-1/2) plus RKA 7d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), NND (defense 
	is Life Support [Immunity]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that 
	takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; triggered when zombie 
	bites victim; +1); Gradual Effect (1 Day; roughly 1d6/3 hours; -1 3/4), Only When Bite Or Similar 
	Attack Does BODY (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Linked (Drain; -1/2) plus Major Transform 7d6 (human 
	into Solanum infected zombie, heals back in manner specified by the GM), Reduced Endurance 
	(0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets 
	automatically, immediately after it activates; when zombie bites victim; +1); Gradual Effect (1 Day; 
	roughly 1d6/3 hours; -1 3/4), All Or Nothing (-1/2), Limited Target (humans; -1/2), No Range (-1/2), 
	Only When Bite Or Similar Attack Does BODY (-1/2), Linked (Drain; -1/2)
	Notes:  The BODY NND must kill the victim before the Transform can fully take effect. Once 
	the victim dies, the Transform will cause the victim to rise as a zombie in about 2-3 hours.
7	Hunting Moan:  Drain PRE 1 point, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), 
	Uncontrolled (+1/2), Continuous (+1), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 
	Hour; +1), Area Of Effect (16" Radius; +2); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), 
	Incantations (Requires Incantations throughout; must moan; -1/2)
	Notes:  The Hunting Moan uses the idea of "voice range" from The Ultimate Energy Projector 
	(page 30). Thus, people within the Area of Effect might not hear the moan (and be affected) in 
	certain situations. Also, GMs may declare that there need to be a set number of zombies before the 
	moan really takes effect (i.e. 5 or more). In addition, the GM may declare the effects of 
	the Hunting Moan stack. Meaning that 5 zombies equals 1 point of PRE Drain, while 10 equals 1/2d6, 
	20 equals 1d6, and so on, with each doubling of zombie numbers adding a Damage Class.
12	Already Dead:  Damage Resistance (6 PD/2 ED)
90	Unaffected By Fire And Electricity:  Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%
-9	Slow:  Running -4" (2" total); No Noncombat Movement (-1/4)
2	Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) for up to 4 Active Points of Running
-2	Unable To Swim:  Swimming -2"
8	Acute Sense Of Smell And Hearing:  +4 PER with Normal Smell and Normal Hearing
8	Can Smell A Fresh Corpse From A Mile Away, Hear A Foot Step At 500 Yards:  +8 versus Range Modifier 
	for Normal Smell and Normal Hearing
20	Operate Perfectly In The Dark:  Targeting with Normal Hearing and Normal Smell
45	Walking Dead:  LS  (Eating: Character does not eat; Immunity All terrestrial poisons and 
	chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Safe in High 
	Pressure; Safe 	in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low 
	Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep)

	Skills
2	Hungers For Human Flesh:  +1 with Grab

Total Powers & Skill Cost:  562
Total Cost:  534

75+	Disadvantages
25	Distinctive Features:  Zombie—grayish skin, smell of decay, shambling walk, moaning, and so on 
	(Not Concealable; Extreme Reaction [fear]; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
20	Physical Limitation:  Instinctive Intelligence (All the Time, Greatly Impairing)
15	Physical Limitation:  Little To No Agility; Cannot Climb, Cannot Leap, Cannot Run, Cannot Swim 
	(Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
15	Physical Limitation:  Unable To Move (i.e. goes 'dormant') In Freezing Temperatures (Infrequently, 
	Fully Impairing)
25	Psychological Limitation:  Unquenchable Hunger For Flesh, Especially Human Flesh (Very Common, Total)
10	Vulnerability:  2 x BODY shots to the head (locations 3-5) (Uncommon)
349	Experience Points

Total Disadvantage Points:  534

Background/History:  A Solanum zombie is what you get when someone dies from the Solanum Virus. The virus infects the frontal lobes of the brain, where it replicates itself, while simultaneously shutting down the rest of the body’s various life support systems (such as the heart and lungs). Once the host is dead, the Solanum Virus ‘rebuilds’ the brain into an organ free of oxygen dependency, thus allowing the virus (via the modified brain) to reanimate the now-dead host as a zombie—one of the walking dead.

Personality/Motivation:  A Solanum zombie is nothing more than a mobile host for the virus. It doesn’t think, feel, or remember. It has one single desire—to feed on flesh, preferably human flesh (and thus spread the virus to new hosts). A Solanum zombie is totally mindless—it can’t be taught, trained, or otherwise dealt with in a rational manner. In addition, zombies will not cooperate, plan, or use tools (by the same token, they don’t fight among themselves, either). They will, however, continue basic actions over, and over, and over (such as battering at a door), until stimuli indicates an easier source of prey.

Quote:  None. Other then their insanity inducing “Hunting Moan,” zombie do not (and apparently cannot) speak.

Powers/Tactics:  As a zombie desires only to devour fresh human flesh, they will usually attack by Grabbing a foe before delivering a powerful bite. The bite is directed at whatever body part is closest, be it a limb, the face, torso, or so on. If given sufficient time, a zombie will attempt to devour its victim, stopping only if unable to force more flesh into its mouth or the former victim rises as a zombie itself.

Being bitten by a Solanum-infected zombie is tantamount to a death sentence. Lopping off of an infected limb is possible, but has proven successful in less than 10 percent of attacks. Infection is always fatal, usually killing the victim in 20-23 hours, with the body rising as a new zombie 2-3 hours later. Along the way, the infected individual will suffer from fever, chills, dementia, vomiting, numbness, loss of coordination, paralysis, coma, and then death.

Aside from being bitten, humans can contract the Solanum virus via contact with infected fluids. For example, a human with cuts and abrasions on his hands who comes in contact with the blood of a fresh zombie will be infected, as will a person splattered with zombie remains after an explosion (provided the remains comes in contact with an open wound, such as a scrape). Eating the flesh of a Solanum zombie will kill the victim, with no rising after death (unless the victim has open sores or wounds in the mouth).

Zombies who have found prey will start to moan. This moan can carry for some distance, and will attract any other zombies who hear it, causing them to moan. This moan can leapfrog in this manner and result in zombies from miles away being attracted to potential prey. In addition, constant exposure to a zombies moan has been known to bring madness and suicide among humans exposed to it.

As it has no need for oxygen, a Solanum zombie can be found anywhere—up to and including the sea floor. The local environment means little to the zombie, although a wet environment (such as a jungle) will result in the zombie decaying quickly. The “average” zombie will survive for 3-5 years, although zombies in dry conditions (such as some deserts) can survive almost indefinitely. Curiously, zombies will ‘freeze’ in cold temperatures, reanimating once they have thawed out sufficiently.

Appearance:  A Solanum Zombie appears as a shambling, moaning (if prey is near), human. It wears whatever it had one when it died, and will not remove or change its clothes, no matter how filthy or blood-stained they become. As the zombie ‘ages’ it will start to decay and fall apart. Also, since it doesn’t heal wounds, any damage it takes will remain until it’s destroyed.

Designer's Notes:  Here you go—the zombies from The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z:  An Oral History Of The Zombie Wars. I built the zombie based around the information given in The Zombie Survival Guide and started out by adapting the zombie presented in the Zombie World section of Post-Apocalyptic Hero. In fact, anyone who wants to run a zombie mini-campaign should read the Zombie World section, specifically pages 172-174.

(Solanum Zombie created by Max Brooks, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

Solanum Zombie Hero Designer File


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