[VS] Zombie free-for-all

[The Glyphstone]

Wouldn't Marvel Zombies be disqualified under....ah, darnit. I didn't think to include a clause that says the original host body can't exceed normal human ability either. So I guess Marvel Zombies do have a massive, possibly overwhelming advantage, since they are zombified superheroes/villains...

[Smart_alec]

I was under the impression that the method of infection would be the same in a new neutral universe. (Which unfortunately means that the Sentry is still running around. So if this is the case I would like to revise my previous estimation of their position on the tally.) Rather than transplanting the in-universe infected to a planet to duke it out.

Either way Marvel Zombies wins but there is an alternative. Headpool as ground zero rather than Sentry.

[Tiki Snakes]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

Wouldn't Marvel Zombies be disqualified under....ah, darnit. I didn't think to include a clause that says the original host body can't exceed normal human ability either. So I guess Marvel Zombies do have a massive, possibly overwhelming advantage, since they are zombified superheroes/villains...

Well, this isn't the marvel setting so no marvel characters to infect. I thought that would have gone without saying. Presumably there is a workable model of zombification in there somewhere though.

[Smart_alec]

Originally Posted by Tiki Snakes

Well, this isn't the marvel setting so no marvel characters to infect. I thought that would have gone without saying. Presumably there is a workable model of zombification in there somewhere though.

Headpool.

Problem solved.

[Forum Explorer]

Originally Posted by Smart_alec

Headpool.

Problem solved.

who or what is Headpool?


Wasn't there an original clause that the zombies had to be below human intelligence? It could be rudimentary but that's it.

[The Glyphstone]

Originally Posted by Forum Explorer

who or what is Headpool?


Wasn't there an original clause that the zombies had to be below human intelligence? It could be rudimentary but that's it.

Zombified Deadpool's head, which got decapitated and was still wisecracking and breaking the fourth wall as a severed head (and biting people it got thrown at).

[Triscuitable]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

Wouldn't Marvel Zombies be disqualified under....ah, darnit. I didn't think to include a clause that says the original host body can't exceed normal human ability either. So I guess Marvel Zombies do have a massive, possibly overwhelming advantage, since they are zombified superheroes/villains...

It's a virus from an alternate universe brought to the Zombiverse when the Sentry of that universe punched his way into the universe from which it originated (Earth-Z). After becoming infected himself, he traveled to Heaven of the Evil Dead universe, where Ashley Williams was complaining to Saint Peter about how he's fought back the Deadites repeatedly, and deserves a spot in Heaven. St. Peter cuts him short, revealing that Zombie Sentry is busy eating all the people Ash had been holding up. Sentry tackles Ash, preparing to eat him too, when Ash retaliates. Ash ends up in the Zombiverse, on a rooftop just moments before the Sentry appears feasting on humans below. The Avengers show up to stop him, and they're subsequently infected.

Seriously. This happened.

Originally Posted by Smart_alec

I was under the impression that the method of infection would be the same in a new neutral universe. (Which unfortunately means that the Sentry is still running around. So if this is the case I would like to revise my previous estimation of their position on the tally.) Rather than transplanting the in-universe infected to a planet to duke it out.

Either way Marvel Zombies wins but there is an alternative. Headpool as ground zero rather than Sentry.

But even then, Sentry wasn't the technical ground zero. He was a part of a time loop (which after the events I previously explained occurred, were made by The Watcher).

Basically:

1. Sentry shows up in Earth-Z.
2. Giant Man infects Sentry.
3. Sentry goes to the Evil Dead universe Heaven.
4. Sentry brings himself and Ash to the Zombiverse.
5. Ultimate Reed Richards shows up in the Zombiverse.
6. Zombiverse Magneto is killed.
7. The entire universe is devoured by the zombies over time.
8. Some zombies end up being transported to Earth-616.
9. Infection is contained, Machine Man sent to Zombiverse.
10. Contrived events, a lot of zombies are re-killed.
11. IIRC, the zombies are teleported into a universe where all the superheroes were apes.
12. The Watcher teleports the remaining zombies that pose a threat to Earth-Z (pre-infection).
13. Sentry shows up in Earth-Z.
14. Giant Man infects Sentry.

Bookends, people!

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

Zombified Deadpool's head, which got decapitated and was still wisecracking and breaking the fourth wall as a severed head (and biting people it got thrown at).

The Merc with half a mouth!

[Anecronwashere]

I'd give this one to Blacklight.
Not ZEUS, as he is an entirely separate virus (And didn't create the zombies or spread them)

They are a hiveminded race, very animalistic But there is a chance that a Female bitten will become a Runner. Basically a Commander and can spread the virus and mutate ti into new strains then breed those strains.

Their main strains that were developed:
-Walkers: Standard Zombies
-Hunters: Not normal Zombies in that they are born, not turned. They are created from spare biomass (animals, bacteria, water) inside Water Towers and Hives (which take up apartment blocks). Incredibly dangerous, capable of taking out tanks and running up skyscrapers
-Leader Hunters: An upgrade of the normal one specifically designed with Mercer in mind, having 2 brains to prevent being Consumed immediately, an actual threat to a person who can take down a platoon of tanks all at once

The rate of evolution the Blacklight virus has and the ability to recoup losses through Water Towers (which make the Hunters and Leader Hunters) means that Blacklight would win in a war of attrition versus the stronger strains and completely dominate the weaker zombies, even the ones that can pick up guns and shoot

[Triscuitable]

There's another type that you're missing here that is a side-effect of Whitelight infection, or a specific form of the Prototype virus.

[Anecronwashere]

The Hydra was specifically made to combat tanks and Mercer.
I left it out cause it wasn't Humanoid and didn't really fit the criteria

[The Glyphstone]

Only the Walkers would be eligible for this fight, since one of the rules was that being Zombified could not make you more physically capable than the human they were before, and the other was that the disease had to spread via infection...so Hunters are doubly disqualified, and Leaders once.

[Triscuitable]

Originally Posted by Anecronwashere

The Hydra was specifically made to combat tanks and Mercer.
I left it out cause it wasn't Humanoid and didn't really fit the criteria

No, Evolved. They're humans who have been infected directly by Mercer (but not with the DCX-1118 C strain of Blacklight) with the same chemical that was eventually secretely placed into the "cure" Whitelight. They're not as tough as Prototypes like Heller and Mercer, but they're certainly more dangerous than any other form of infected.

[Anecronwashere]

Different strain.
And as you said "Infected by Mercer" who wouldn't exist in the setting.
I was talking about the Elizabeth green Virus from the first game as the Prototype2 virus is different. Since more than 1 Green can exist (the Runners) it's more allowable than the Unique case of Mercer

[Triscuitable]

The virus in Prototype 2 is the exact same virus. However, since the time that's passed since Prototype, it's become publicly known as the "Mercer Virus", due to nobody in the public knowing it's true name, but recognizing who that hooded young fellow was running through the streets with a blade for an arm. Whitelight is the cure for Blacklight that's been tainted with the Mercer Virus. It causes a more stable, sentient mutation that remains a part of the hive mind.

Anyways, this is completely irrelevant to the subject.

[Wardog]

I've just finished reading Neal Asher's Spatterjay trilogy.

Would "gone native" Hoopers (like the Skinner) count as zombies for the purpose of this thread?

[The Glyphstone]

Do they meet these criteria?

-Must be recognizably humanoid (easy one).
-Must be capable of and required to reproduce via infection of living or dead humanoid hosts.
-Must not exceed gross physical limits of the pre-infection host body.
-Must possess an overwhelming desire to infect/kill/eat humanoids, engaging in unilateral violence whenever possible.

[GloatingSwine]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

They also vary in their physical ability, since they're dead bodies - freshly created KA shamblers are as strong and agile as a normal human.

On PCP.

K-A overrides pain receptors, meaning that a fresh zombie is actually stronger and less prone to fatigue or injury than the person it was before amplification.

The "intelligence" of K-A zombies mostly manifests in their hunting behaviour, they will set traps by allowing an obvious pursuer to drive a victim into a waiting mob which conceals its presence. They will also, at certain densities, aim to deliberately infect to increase their numbers rather than immediately attempting to feed.

[Wardog]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

Do they meet these criteria?

-Must be recognizably humanoid (easy one).
-Must be capable of and required to reproduce via infection of living or dead humanoid hosts.
-Must not exceed gross physical limits of the pre-infection host body.
-Must possess an overwhelming desire to infect/kill/eat humanoids, engaging in unilateral violence whenever possible.

1) Humanoid, yes, although they will be far less "human"-looking than most of the other zombies mentioned.
2) Yes, I think. (The virus that causes the mutation is normally spread by leech bites, but can be spread human-to-human... contact, and can I think be caught through any cut).
3) Technically they fails that criteria. People infected with the virus but able to keep it in check with medicated food effectively have an unlimited lifespan, and gain increased strength, toughness, healing, and resistance to (other) diseases, all of which increase over time. "Going native" (massive mutation caused by not keeping the virus in check) increases that (as well as causing massive physical changes). However, infected people are still people, and can live perfectly normal* lives for hundreds of years. If "going native" is treated as the point of reference rather than the initial infection, then the change might still be within your limits.
4) Definitely. (And in the case of the Skinner, you can add "skin people alive and run around waving their skin like a flag").

If mutated Hoopers are alowed, then a lot of the classic anti-zombie tactics won't work. Cut their head off and stick it in a box, and three hundred years later the head and the body will still be alive and trying to join up.


* For a given value of "normal".

[The Glyphstone]

The intent of #3 was to disallow Superpowered 'zombies' like LFD Special Infected, Resident Evil boss-monsters, and Necromorphs. Though Marvel Zombies accidentally slipped through on a technicality.

[Wardog]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

The intent of #3 was to disallow Superpowered 'zombies' like LFD Special Infected, Resident Evil boss-monsters, and Necromorphs. Though Marvel Zombies accidentally slipped through on a technicality.

Okay, that rules them out then.


Some other zombies that no-one has mentioned yet:

Doom zombies (probably the most well-armed non-super zombies).
Rakghouls from the Star Wars universe.
Plague Zombies from WH40k. (Despite being WH40k I don't think they too much benefit from the complete OTT nature of the setting. Their main advantage - as far as I can tell - is that the plague is spiritual in nature, and can affect anyone lacking sufficient faith to protect them, which may make it spread faster than other forms of zombification).
The Evil Dead

[Tiki Snakes]

Originally Posted by Wardog

Some other zombies that no-one has mentioned yet:

Doom zombies (probably the most well-armed non-super zombies).

We're not portalling in the Zombies direct from their source settings though, they are merely occurring on the same version of earth at the same time.
In which case the doom zombies, as they are caused by an apparently singular event rather than an on-going infectious source per say, would suffer from having limited non-replenishable numbers.

At least, presumably. Unfortunately, their qualities are pretty vague.

[Smart_alec]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

The intent of #3 was to disallow Superpowered 'zombies' like LFD Special Infected, Resident Evil boss-monsters, and Necromorphs. Though Marvel Zombies accidentally slipped through on a technicality.

I thought that we had decided that the Marvel Zombies were simply the same disease rather than the same host bodies?

[The Glyphstone]

Originally Posted by Smart_alec

I thought that we had decided that the Marvel Zombies were simply the same disease rather than the same host bodies?

Did we? I thought they were just pushed under the table and forgotten about.

[Smart_alec]

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

Did we? I thought they were just pushed under the table and forgotten about.

I guess I'm an idiot then.

CAN we agree that it's the core magical inter-dimensional disease that is the subject of this thread rather than the infected that appear in the source?

[Tiki Snakes]

That was my understanding of and via the OP, yes. Disease/Curse/Whatever, not the iconic individual infected from the actual source media.

[The Glyphstone]

Sure, we can use nameless humans infected with Marvel Zombieism to allow that strain to compete.

[Triscuitable]

Originally Posted by Wardog

The Evil Dead

Deadites are most definitely powered by the force of the Necronomicon, and are constantly mutated into more durable and lethal forms as they continue to exist. Deadites also include trees, so I think we can consider them invalid.