Sea of the Dead [A d20 Zombie Apocalypse Game (Interest Check)]

[Erasmas]

I am checking interest in running a zombie apocalyptic survival game in a modern setting. This will be based on the d20 system, but will not be using the d20 Modern Rules. The game is one called Dead End that I created, and I have included the system (listed as "The Crunch") below. I copied this over from my files, so some notes may or may not make sense.

This will be gritty, violent, and fairly realistic in it's portrayal of what this kind of situation would actually mean for humanity (think Walking Dead... if this is too much for you, don't bother applying).

This particular rendition of the game will be taking place on a cruise ship, out at sea. The details and specifics not addressed here will be included if/when the In Character and Out of Character threads are put up.

A note about occupation for this particular game... you cannot play a character with any "combat" experience (i.e. no members of any armed forces, no police officers, no serial killers).

With all that being said, Bon Voyage!

The 16

Spoiler

1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?
Full homebrew. See "The Crunch" below.

2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?
Modern world.

3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
Three to six. I might take alternates, it will just depend on the interest level.

4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?
These forums.

5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
Level 1 (See "The Crunch" below).

6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
(2d20)x10 in cash. Up to 3 Credit cards.

7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
As stated, no "combat" occupations.

8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
Human only.

9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
The same basic seven stats (just like d20 Modern/D&D 3.0). 4d6b3.

10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
No alignments. Please don't ask to play a crazed maniac.

11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
Not applicable.

12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
Forum die roller (put into a spoiler or the OOC thread). And please, roll when I ask you to, not simply every time you do something.

13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
See "The Crunch" below.

14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
It is not necessary, but could be useful. Especially why you are on the cruise.

15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
There will be mostly RP with a ton of hack & slash! Wear an apron and rubber gloves.

16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
Not applicable.

The Crunch (Warning: A Fairly Lengthy Read)

Spoiler

This game is meant to give players the chance to fight for their survival during and/or after a zombie infestation. There will be members of the undead running amok, but they won’t necessarily be alone. Other survivors could threaten your existence almost as much as, if not more than, the zombies who caused such wide-spread panic.

HIT POINTS

Spoiler

Every character receives 18 hit points plus their Constitution modifier at first level. When a character gains a level, she also gains a number of hit points equal to her Constitution modifier.

MODIFICATION PLUGGING

Spoiler

Most of the time your character will start at level 1, the beginning. Your level number is added to both your saving throws and your initiative. Your ability modifiers add into places on your character sheet as well. Strength figures into Melee attacks. Dexterity figures into Ranged attacks, Armor Class, Initiative, and Reflex saves. Constitution figures into Hit Points and Fortitude saves. Wisdom figures into Will saves. Any time your character performs a skill that would be based on one of your abilities, that modifier figures into that number as well. See the Skills section to see how else these numbers may affect your character’s actions.

OCCUPATION

Spoiler

This decision has probably the most minimal amount of direct affect on the game. It is included for role-playing and character-development purposes. It also affects things such as starting cash and possible hands-on equipment or even weapons. For example, if Chuck is an auto mechanic, he may very well have access to a large wrench or even a starting vehicle. You may also be granted bonuses or penalties to certain skill rolls based on this. The GM’s discretion is paramount in deciding how your occupation with adjust anything on your character sheet both before and during game play.

COMBAT

Spoiler

Attacking
Melee
Bludgeoning: STR + Weapon Grade Rating Bonus
Slashing: STR + Weapon Grade Rating Bonus
Piercing: STR + Weapon Grade Rating Bonus
Ranged
Missile: DEX + Weapon Grade Rating Bonus
Thrown: DEX + Weapon Grade Rating Bonus
Auto^: DEX + Weapon Grade Rating Bonus
^- The character who is driving makes an attack as normal. Then the target must make a Reflex save @DC=15+(Mph, divided by 10) to take half damage.

For every ten kills listed under a specific weapon category (i.e. Missile, Auto, etc.), that character’s Weapon Grade Rating Bonus goes up by one point. Each time that character makes an attack with any weapon from that weapon category, she may add her Weapon Grade Rating Bonus to that attack. For example, Sharon has 10 kills with her shotgun and 10 with her Colt .45 revolver. That means she should have 20 tick marks listed under Missile and her Weapon Grade Rating Bonus is equal to 2. If Dennis has run over 64 targets with his F150 Pick-up, he should have 64 tick marks under Auto and his Weapon Grade Rating Bonus is equal to 6.

Some weapons have different rates of fire: single-shot, semi-automatic, automatic, and three-round burst. Single-shot attacks follow the above rules. A character who uses a semi-automatic weapon may make three attacks in one round. The first attack is at the character’s full attack bonus. The second shot is at a -2 to the attack, and the third is at a -4. A character who uses an automatic weapon may make five, using the same rules for a semi-automatic weapon. The second shot is at a -2, the third at a -4, the fourth at a -6, and the fifth at a -8. On a weapon that has a three-round burst setting, the character is allowed to make two attacks in one round (for a total of six bullets fired; three bullets per attack roll). The first attack is at a -2 and the second is at a -4. Be careful with this option, however… because while a successful attack can be devastating for an enemy (damage is rolled three times on a hit), a miss costs you three bullets! An expensive gamble… but with a big payoff.

Damage
Melee
Bludgeoning: Listed Weapon Damage + STR
Slashing: Listed Weapon Damage + STR
Piercing: Listed Weapon Damage + STR
Ranged
Missile: Listed Weapon Damage
Thrown: Listed Weapon Damage (+ STR)*
Auto: Listed Weapon Damage + (Mph, divided in half)
*- This bonus does not apply to a weapon that causes damage after it is thrown, such as grenades, dynamite, etc.

Every time that damage is dealt with a weapon, the same amount that was dealt is also dealt to the weapon itself. The only exception to this rule is any missile weapon (i.e. gun, bow, slingshot, etc.). Once a specific weapon reaches its hit point total in damage, that weapon becomes non-functional. How this occurs should be decided by the GM and should make sense for the circumstances – a sledgehammer’s head breaking off, a bottle shattering, a golf club becoming bent, etc.

Damaging Certain Materials

Substance	Hardness	Hit Points
Paper/Cloth	0	2/inch
Rope	0	2/inch
Ice	0	3/inch
Glass	1	1/inch
Drywall	2	2/inch
Leather/Hide	2	5/inch
Wood	5	10/inch
Stone/Concrete	8	15/inch
Iron/Steel	10	30/inch

WEAPON REPAIRS

Spoiler

Some weapons require maintenance or repairs because of usage and wear. Blades need to be sharpened after repeated use, handles and screws might need to be tightened, and some parts may just need to be replaced all together. Doing this can remove some of the damage from a weapon. When a character decides to repair or maintenance a weapon, they may recover up to 10 hit points for that weapon for every half-hour spent this way. However, no more than half (rounded down) of the damage that was dealt to the weapon since its last maintenance or repair may be recovered.

For example, David decides to sharpen his machete, which has taken 50 points of damage since he acquired it. He spends an hour and a half working on it, which would normally recover 30 points but because that is more than half, it brings the total damage on the machete down to 25 points (the most amount of damage that he can remove). Later on, his machete accrues another 55 points, bringing its total to 80 points of damage. If David spends another hour and a half, he can recover 27 points, once again the most that he can recover. His machete now has 53 points of total damage upon it.

Replacing parts of a weapon will remove whatever damage the weapon has on it, within the GM’s discretion. Putting a new barrel into a gun that has misfired, replacing the handle of a sword, etc. are all examples of this. Again, the GM has final say as to whether the materials or the know-how are available for the character’s use.

SPECIAL WEAPON NOTES

Spoiler

On the Weapons Chart, you will notice certain bold typed terms listed under the descriptions. These weapons have secondary effects or different rules to their operations than most others.

Explosive
These items function normally, but are potentially dangerous when taking damage. If one of these weapons takes enough damage to reduce its HP to 0, it simply blows up. Something like a fire extinguisher isn’t a big deal, but a flame thrower… now that’s another story.

Grenades
Grenade attacks are handled a little differently, since the damage that they do is not a direct result of the attack, but rather a secondary effect. The attack is made, with no countering defensive roll, to determine the accuracy of placement. An attack roll of 15 or higher hits directly where the character was aiming. Otherwise, the grenade lands away from the targeted area at a distance of 5 ft. per every one point the attack roll was below 15. Then roll 1d8 to determine the direction of the miss randomly. For example, Hector lobs a frag grenade into a crowd of zombie baseball fans. He rolls a total attack roll of 8; 7 points shy of 15… so he missed his mark by 35 feet (7x5=35). Hector then rolls a d8 and comes up with a result of 1… he overthrew it, and it lands on the opposite side of the crowd from Hector. Poor Hector.

Any targets within the area of the grenade’s effect then roll Reflex saves. If they score a result of 15 or higher, that target manages to “bunker down” or dive for cover in such a way as to avoid the direct explosion. On this same save, if they score a result of 20 or higher, that target has the option of picking the grenade up and throwing it away (possibly even back at the original attacker). However… if a 1 is rolled on the returning throw, the grenade detonates in the target’s hand (and no further saving throw is required). After the first save is resolved, there is a second save to be made as listed on the Weapons Chart. If the target is “bunkered down” or has full cover between themselves and the blast and passes this save… they completely ignore the effects of the explosion. If they fail the secondary save, however, they take half damage but may ignore any other effects of the grenade. Someone who fails the first save, but passes their second takes half damage and any other effects’ durations are halved as well. And of course… anyone who fails both of these saves takes the explosion full-on. Boom, baby!

Gun
As mentioned above, a weapon with the “gun” notation does not receive damage when dealing it, when used normally. This is because these weapons all project something that deals the damage, as opposed to the weapon itself. However, if one of these weapons is used to melee with (i.e. a pistol whipping), then damage is applied to the weapon in the normal fashion.

Shotgun
A shotgun deals damage differently than a normal weapon. It sends out a cone of lead goodness to its maximum distance to everything within that cone. One attack is rolled and every target makes its defensive roll separately. The damage dealt decreases by one die per 20 ft. increment (and the cone increases by 10 ft. of width) it is away from the point of origin.

Car
A weapon with the “car” denotation has the capability of dealing damage to multiple targets in one round. The driver chooses her path or route (called a “run”) for that round, making the appropriate checks as needed. Any target(s) that was/were included in the path of her run are considered to have an attack pending against them. The following must be completed for each pending attack in the order that they occurred. The driver makes an attack as normal; against a normal defense roll from the target. If the attack is successful, then the target must make a Reflex save @DC=15 + (Mph, divided by 10) to take half damage. The speed at which the vehicle is traveling when a successful attack is made is then divided in half (rounded up) and added to the listed die damage.

For example, Cliff is driving his Chevy Malibu (classified under the “Sedan” category) at 30 miles an hour and plans out his run through a nearly empty parking lot. His run causes pending attacks for three zombies. He rolls his first attack and scores an 8 on his to hit; the first zombie rolls for defense and scores a 12… a miss. He rolls for his second attack and scores a 17 on his to hit; and the second zombie rolls for defense and scores a 4. The second zombie then rolls a Reflex save and rolls a 20 (succeeding, since the DC was only an 18). Cliff’s player rolls out the damage (the listed Sedan damage, plus his speed in Mph divided in half), which is 2d6+15. He rolls two 3’s, resulting in 21 points, but because the zombie passed his saving throw… it only takes 11 points from a glancing strike of the Malibu’s grill. Now, he rolls his third and final attack and scores a 16 on his to hit; the third zombie rolls for defense and scores an 11. The third zombie then rolls a Reflex save and rolls a 7 (failing against the same DC of 18). The damage this time rolls out as a hulking 26 points and splatters zombie innards all over the hood of Cliff’s Malibu!

Don’t forget though, autos take damage just like any other melee weapon… add that damage up and keep track of it!

DEFENSE

Spoiler

Dead End is a game that is meant to capture the nitty-gritty atmosphere of a zombie attack. It is not easy to avoid the onslaught on bites and rakes made by the rotting corpses of the walking dead.
A character’s Dexterity is normally the only number that is added to their defensive rolls (or Armor Class). Willingly wandering into a horde of the undead should give any character serious pause; thus, this relatively low defense rating. Take them down quick, before they take you down!

When fighting against other members of the living, guns often are involved. For this reason, the use of cover becomes a smart player’s friend. However, sometimes a character may want a little extra protection and armor can accomplish this. Whether it is as simple as a leather biker jacket or a Kevlar vest, or as complex as a suit of chainmail or dog trainer’s suit… all provide some small amount of “ease of mind” when combat comes around.

Instead of armor affecting a character’s Armor Class, it provides Damage Resistance (meaning it takes away from damage that would normally be inflicted upon a successful attack). The GM should determine the DR rating for these items, as well as what parts of the body they would effectively protect. The GM should also keep in mind what the armor is defending against (i.e. a leather jacket will work great against zombie bites and scratches… but not so well against bullets). Something else to keep in mind is that some of these pieces may be combined or stacked!

Depending on the armor, however, the weight or encumbrance could also have adverse affects upon other actions. Things such as climbing a ladder or running for any distance could possibly become difficult (incurring a penalty to the check) or even impossible.

ZOMBIES

Spoiler

When attacking a zombie, only damage to the brain will kill them. Severing any body part may slow them down or immobilize them completely, but will not kill them. Most attacks therefore will probably be aimed at the head. When a character successfully attacks a zombie, calculate the difference between her attack and that zombie’s defense. If her attack beats the zombie’s defense by 4 points or more, then she successfully targeted the head. Otherwise, consult the chart below to determine where the zombie was hit. All attacks to a zombie that do not hit the head are treated as subdual damage. As a GM, take into consideration where the zombie was hit, what kind of weapon was used, and how much damage was dealt. Just because this is subdual damage for a zombie, that doesn’t mean that it can’t take off a leg! It only means that it is not fatal to them.

Zombie Hit Chart
4 - Head
3 - Neck
2 - Arm or Leg (right or left)
1 - Stomach or Torso
0 - Nick or Scratch (does 1 point of $ (subdual) damage.)

Sometimes, a character may want to attack a part of their undead target
other than its head on purpose. In this case, simply refer to the chart above to see how much the attack roll must defeat the defense roll by. For example, Wade cannot shut a door because a zombie has his arm stuck in between. Wade takes his machete to the infested’s limb and rolls a 17 total on his attack. The zombie rolls for defense, and only gets a 12. According to the chart, Wade needed to score an attack two points higher to succeed; and he did!

Subdual damage will never kill a zombie. However, if a zombie ever receives its hit points or more to a single body part, that part is rendered useless. Whether or not this immobilizes the target is entirely up to the GM’s common sense.

ADVANCEMENT

Spoiler

Leveling:
Kills are gathered from two sources in Dead End: zombies and humans. It is possible for there to be “monsters” in this game, but those would be campaign specific. All kills count as equal in Dead End, regardless of the difficulty of the fight.

For every kill made by a character, she may put a tick mark down into the weapon category for which that kill belongs. For example, if Logan cuts a zombie in half with a chainsaw, he would put one tick mark down under Slashing. If Kara throws a grenade, blowing up three bandits, and then shoots another she would put three tick marks under Thrown and one more under Missile. If the kill does not fit into one of the six major categories, place it under Miscellaneous. Kills under specific weapon categories go towards a character’s Weapon Grade Rating Bonus (see Combat section).

All of a character’s kills are totaled together across all categories. For every twenty-five kills that a character gets, their level increases by one. When a character levels, two things change on your character sheet.

Saving Throws-
Fortitude: CON + Level
Reflex: DEX + Level
Will: WIS + Level
Initiative-
DEX + Level

A number of hit points equal to the character’s Constitution modifier are added to her total hit points when a new level is reached. And every third level that a character reaches, she gains one ability point, to be added to any ability that she so wishes. Comeliness is the only ability in which this point may not be spent. So, at 3rd, 6th, 9th and beyond, this ability boost applies.

SKILLS

Spoiler

Each skill (i.e. swimming, trap-building, searching, etc.) is based on one of the main abilities. When your character performs any of these skills, you may add the appropriate ability modifier plus half of your level, rounded up, to your roll. The GM may grant your character additional bonuses or penalties to these rolls based on circumstances or your character’s occupation.

HEALING

Spoiler

A character normally heals at a rate of 1 hit point per level, per night of rest. A character may attempt to treat whatever wound(s) that either she or another character has incurred. If this is done, the person doing the healing rolls a Heal skill check (Wisdom + half her level). The DC is equal to 5 + the amount of damage the injured character is down from their full hit point amount. If the check succeeds, then the injured character is healed for 1d4+1 hit points for every five points the check result is over the DC.

For example, Tina is at 11 hit points and her total is 20. She is down 9 hit points, so the DC for healing her is a 14. Reggie is attempting to bandage Tina up and rolls a total of 20 (a roll of 11 + 4 Wisdom + 5 (for being level 10). Tina heals 2d4+2 hit points (1d4+1 for passing the check, a second 1d4+1 for beating it with a 19 or more).

This is where one place that the character’s occupation and/or background could play a large part. Someone with basic first aid training could receive a +2 to their Heal check, while a nurse could get a +4 and a doctor a +6 perhaps.

However, if such a check to heal a character succeeds, no other check may be made for that same injury.

Interested Players

Moomoo	Francois	43	Cook	1	$170	Sheet done!
Umbranar	Mason Lighthill	28	Ship Mechanic	3	$320	Sheet done!
Razorback	Jim Knispel	33	High School Teacher	2	$130	Sheet done!
HZ514	Blake Spectre	28	Lawyer	2	$210	Sheet done!
Thump	Viola Skarovsky	25	Gymnast	1	$280	Sheet done!
GunnDancer	Victor Ryan	29	Olympiad	2	$170	Sheet done!

[Erasmas]

Hmm... I guess there isn't much interest in this at all then.

[moomoo]

I am quite interested.
Some questions though:
- We get an amount of money, but what can we actually buy? And what do we have to estimate for prices?
- You mention 7 stats, but I only know 6: STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA, do I miss something?
- Is there a character sheet we can use, since you mention that on the Weapons chart, there are special notes etc. but I don't see this Weapons chart, and it would probably be part of the character sheet I guess?

I like the heavy survival feel I get from this system though, looks like fun!

As a character, I was thinking of François, the french cook that is one of the cooks on the cruise ship.

[Umbranar]

Interested. Is some kind of MMA/mortial arts fighter ok as starting character?

[razorback]

Love me some zombie apocalypse setting.

I'm interested. Have to go through the reading.

Think 'Jim' the high school teacher. (Not so) Recently divorced, his friends and family have been pushing the mid-thirties divorcee to 'get back in the game'. Listened to their advice and booked the cruise. Love on the high seas (hasn't happened yet), adventure, zombies, dancing... everything in the brochure and more!

[Erasmas]

Excellent... fresh meatplayers!

To satisfy some things up front, here are some answers

• Starting off, you will have the clothes you are wearing and any items that would be in your pockets (remember... you are on a cruise - no pocket knives, no guns, no tasers, etc... and you wouldn't be drinking and having a grand ole time while pulling your entire suitcase behind you).
• We will start the game at a point where you all, as a group, will have fought your way into a secured hideaway, each grabbing a weapon that will make sense for your characters and/or where I decide to have you guys start.
• You can use the following as a template for your character sheet... it is very straightforward and shouldn't be difficult to figure out with reading The Crunch, but please ask questions if you need to!
  
  Spoiler

  
  Character Name:
  Level:
  Kill Total:
  Age:
  Occupation:
  
  Height:
  Weight:
  Sex:
  Hair:
  Eyes:
  Skin:
  
  HP:
  Wounds:
  AC:
  DR:
  Initiative:
  
  FORT:
  REF:
  WILL:
  
  STR -
  DEX -
  CON -
  INT -
  WIS -
  CHA -
  COM -
  
  

  Weapon	To Hit	Damage	Range	Critical	Type	Mag	Permanent	Dmg Since Last Repair

  Inventory:
  
  Weapons Grade Ratings
  

  Bludgeoning
  Slashing
  Piercing
  Missile
  Thrown
  Auto
  Miscellaneous

  
  Cash:
  Vehicles:
  
• Wounds and weapon damage is tracked per incident, so each hit, each bite, each scratch, each busted zombie head caused by your baseball bat... these need to be kept separately. Healing and repairing hinge on this, so keep it accurate!
• You will each start play with 1d3 kills already, which you will need to roll here to determine!
• Also, please include a picture of your character whenever you submit your sheet... it helps me tremendously to visualize your character!

Moomoo: To answer your specific questions -

• You will not be able to buy anything starting off. However, you may find NPCs that are willing to trade or sell things, you never know. Or... worse come to worse... you could burn it to stay warm. And credit cards can be used for more than just swiping through a machine!
• Sorry, yes... my gaming group plays with a 7th stat (Comeliness), which is literally how attractive you are.
• For the sheet, see above. As for the Weapons Chart... you guys don't get to see that. I will give you the information as you find weapons (because you will not simply get to pick from a list). Keep in mind that weapons have a set amount of HP and will break or become useless... but only I will know their limits!

Welcome aboard!

Umbranar: Yes, that is fine. I will warn you, however, that getting that close to the undead and putting your hands and other body parts in their faces will be a big gamble!
Welcome aboard!

Razor: Jim sounds perfect. Just the kind of character I am looking for... nothing special, just in the right place and the wrong time!
Welcome aboard!

[HZ514]

Oh man, looks like you put a lot of work into that crunch. Count me in!

Thinking about playing as a haughty white-collar lawyer who fancies himself "above the riff-raff" and never gets his hands dirty. Whoo, zombie apocalypse!

[Erasmas]

I am going to fill out an example character sheet for you guys, to help alleviate some of the possible confusion (I hope)!

Spoiler

Character Name: Joey Catchings
Level: 1
Kill Total:
Age: 28
Occupation: Sales Rep

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 195
Sex: Male
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Blue
Skin: Light Tan

HP: 19 {18 + CON}
Wounds: 0 {currently}
AC:+3 {This number is not fixed, like in D&D, but is instead a d20 roll plus this number any time an attack is rolled against you}
DR: 0 {no armor worn}
Initiative: +4 {DEX + level}

FORT: +2 {CON + level}
REF: +4 {DEX + level}
WILL: +2 {WIS + level}

STR - 14 (+2)
DEX - 16 (+3)
CON - 13 (+1)
INT - 10 (+0)
WIS - 13 (+1)
CHA - 12 (+1)
COM - 14 (+2)

Weapon	To Hit	Damage	Range	Critical	Type	Mag	Permanent	Dmg Since Last Repair
Hedge Trimmer	+2	3d4+2	--	20(x3)	S	--	11	6
Champagne Bottle	+2(m)/+3(r)	1d4+2	10'	20(x2)	B/T	--	4	3

Inventory:

• Black T-shirt
• Blue jeans
• Socks
• Black skater shoes
• Wallet ($47 cash, 2 credit cards, ID, spare car key, room key card)
• Cigarette lighter
• 2 shoe laces (long)
• Can of compressed air
• Bottle of rubbing alcohol
• 2 packets of gauze

Weapons Grade Ratings

Bludgeoning
Slashing
Piercing
Missile
Thrown
Auto
Miscellaneous

Cash: 47
Vehicles: --

Spoiler

To Determine Starting Kills:
(1d3)[3]

HZ514: Thank you... and welcome aboard!

[HZ514]

So cash is (2d10)[13] x 10, right? Come on, big money!

And for stats, it says 4d6b3 in the Big 16, how do we generate the seventh stat?

[HZ514]

Gonna go ahead and post this even though it's unfinished, I'll edit it to fill in more stuff.

Spoiler

Character Name: Blake Spectre
Level: 1
Kill Total: 2
Age: 28
Occupation: Lawyer

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 170 lbs
Sex: M
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Skin: Caucasian

HP: 19
Wounds: 0
AC: 0
DR: 0
Initiative: 1

FORT: 2
REF: 1
WILL: 3

STR - 6
DEX - 11
CON - 13
INT - 16
WIS - 14
CHA - 13
COM - 11

Weapon	To Hit	Damage	Range	Critical	Type	Mag	Permanent	Dmg Since Last Repair

Inventory:

• White T-shirt
• Purple Dress Shirt
• Gold Tie
• Black Dress Pants
• Black Suit Jacket
• Black Dress Shoes
• Wallet ($210 cash, 2 credit cards, ID, fake ID, room key card)

Weapons Grade Ratings

Bludgeoning
Slashing
Piercing
Missile
Thrown
Auto
Miscellaneous

Cash: 210
Vehicles: --

[Erasmas]

HZ: Yes, that is correct on cash. You will be using 4d6b3 for all seven stats, assigning them as you wish. Otherwise, if you wish to leave it up to a single die roll... you can roll 4d6b3 for the six normal stats and then roll 3d6 for the Comeliness separately. And the sheet is looking good so far!

[Thump]

I want to try this, though I'm not too familiar with the system, so please excuse any noob mistakes I make.

Rolls for cash:

(2d20)[28]

Rolls for stats:

(4d6b3)[12]

(4d6b3)[13]

(4d6b3)[15]


(4d6b3)[16]

(4d6b3)[12]

(4d6b3)[12]

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Thump]

Also, it says in the 16 that cash is 2d20x10.

(3d6)[9]

For my character; Viola Skarovsky, Russian gymnast. She had recently broken one of her legs in the middle of a competition by way of faulty equipment, so her employer (coach) decided to give her a vacation on a cruise. She has [roll]d3[/roll] kills already.

Spoiler

Character Name: Viola Skarovsky
Level: 1
Kill Total:
Age: 25
Occupation: Gymnast

Height: 5 ft 7
Weight: 118lbs
Sex: F
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Pale white

HP: 19 (18 + CON)
Wounds:
AC: +3
DR: 0
Initiative: +4

Kills: 1

FORT: +2
REF: +4
WILL: +2

STR - 15
DEX - 16
CON - 12
INT -12
WIS - 13
CHA -12
COM -9

$280 Cash, tumbler (+2, d4+2), crutches.

Bludgeoning
Slashing
Piercing
Missile
Thrown
Auto
Misc

[HZ514]

Alright, here we go. *Prays to the RNG Goddess*

(4d6b3)[15]
(4d6b3)[11]
(4d6b3)[13]
(4d6b3)[11]
(4d6b3)[16]
(4d6b3)[13]
(4d6b3)[6]

Edit: DAT 6!

[Erasmas]

Thump: No worries on possible mistakes, no one else knows the system any better than you will! And besides, all of us make mistakes (as evidenced by my missing the 2d10 instead of the 2d20!

Welcome aboard!

HZ: Your cash should be 2d20 instead of 2d10!

[Erasmas]

Thump, your character is slightly less than average in appearance, but certainly not "ugly". Could be an interesting character beat!

And HZ... yeah, that 6 is beastly wicked. Better find a good "dump stat" for ol' Blake!

[HZ514]

Originally Posted by Erasmas

HZ: Your cash should be 2d20 instead of 2d10!

Yay, more moneys! $$$ (2d20)[21]

Editing my character sheet to reflect those rolls. Erasmus, in your expert opinion, how awful (on a scale from "eh, not a big deal" to "OH GOD I DIED") would each stat be to dump? I'd suppose comeliness would be the least detrimental, but I hadn't envisioned my character as a -4 mod uber-troll

[Thump]

Rolling for kills!

(d3)[1]

[HZ514]

Ditto! (1d3)[2] for great justice!

[Erasmas]

HZ: Well, there's two ways to look at it... you can either build him "in character" (as a lawyer) or you can build him "meta-gaming" (as a zombie survivor).

Lawyer:

• STR: No need for it. Use a cut body to impress the ladies, that's it.
• DEX: No need for it.
• CON: No need for it. Maybe handle drinks when schmoozing a client, that's it.
• INT: Big need - lawyers are all about being able to recall information that they have read... the very definition of intelligence.
• WIS: Decent need - being able to think on the fly and adapt in a courtroom is pretty important.
• CHA: Big need - not only to get people to like you; but you also want that jury in your corner.
• COM: Not necessary, but good-looking people always get away with more.

Survivor:

• STR: Busting down doors, lifting up other people, climbing.
• DEX: Shooting, tying knots, wriggling free from undead hands.
• CON: Hit Point abuse, staying up for long hours.
• INT: Not essential for survival, but nice to have around.
• WIS: Not essential, but sometimes you gotta think on your feet.
• CHA: No need for it.
• COM: No need for it.

So, you're two options are on opposite sides of the fence. In real life... a lawyer needs all "non-combat" skills, while a survivor has no real need of them. But... keep in mind that you will be with a group.

[HZ514]

Originally Posted by Erasmas

HZ: Well, there's two ways to look at it... you can either build him "in character" (as a lawyer) or you can build him "meta-gaming" (as a zombie survivor).

Spoiler

Lawyer:

• STR: No need for it. Use a cut body to impress the ladies, that's it.
• DEX: No need for it.
• CON: No need for it. Maybe handle drinks when schmoozing a client, that's it.
• INT: Big need - lawyers are all about being able to recall information that they have read... the very definition of intelligence.
• WIS: Decent need - being able to think on the fly and adapt in a courtroom is pretty important.
• CHA: Big need - not only to get people to like you; but you also want that jury in your corner.
• COM: Not necessary, but good-looking people always get away with more.

Survivor:

• STR: Busting down doors, lifting up other people, climbing.
• DEX: Shooting, tying knots, wriggling free from undead hands.
• CON: Hit Point abuse, staying up for long hours.
• INT: Not essential for survival, but nice to have around.
• WIS: Not essential, but sometimes you gotta think on your feet.
• CHA: No need for it.
• COM: No need for it.

So, you're two options are on opposite sides of the fence. In real life... a lawyer needs all "non-combat" skills, while a survivor has no real need of them. But... keep in mind that you will be with a group.

Heh, very good points. I've always leaned toward RP over meta-gaming, so I'll stick with the first option. Dumping STR come at me, zombies.

Edit: Think the sheet's done. Let me know if there's anything else I need to add.

[moomoo]

The see me rollin', they hatin'

Spoiler

(4d6b3)[9]
(4d6b3)[12]
(4d6b3)[10]
(4d6b3)[9]
(4d6b3)[14]
(4d6b3)[12]
(4d6b3)[12]
(2d20)[17]

[moomoo]

Eh voila, monsieur François is ready to board zhe boat

Spoiler

Spoiler

Character Name: Monsieur François
Level: 1
Kill Total: 1
Age: 43
Occupation: Chef extraordinaire

Height: 5'6''
Weight: 205
Sex: Male
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black
Skin: Caucasian

HP:20
Wounds:0
AC: -1
DR: 0
Initiative: 0

FORT: 3
REF: 0
WILL: 1

STR -12
DEX - 9
CON - 14
INT - 12
WIS - 10
CHA - 12
COM - 9

Weapon	To Hit	Damage	Range	Critical	Type	Mag	Permanent	Dmg Since Last Repair

Inventory:

• White chef beret
• White T-shirt
• Dark blue apron
• White trousers
• Black clogs
• Wallet (170 cash, 3 credit cards, French ID Card, Traveling passport)

Weapons Grade Ratings

Bludgeoning
Slashing
Piercing
Missile
Thrown
Auto
Miscellaneous

Cash: 170
Vehicles:

[Erasmas]

HZ: RP over metagaming... you and I should get along just fine!

The sheet looks good. Your AC should read "+0", but no biggie. You will be able to add in the weapon information right before we get started!

Moomoo: Don't forget to roll your 1d3 for your starting Kill Total! Sheet also looks good! Your height reads 5'65"... not sure what happened there.

[HZ514]

Sounds good! Pretty pumped for this.

[moomoo]

How many bastards haz Monsieur François eaten for breakfast?
(1d3)[1]
5'65'' -> 5'6'', will edit in

[Erasmas]

Excellent, you guys!
And hell yeah... so am I. I have run a couple of these tabletop and it is tons of fun! There will be a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor from time to time as well, just as a warning.

Oh, and don't forget pictures for your characters, please! Google is your friend.

[Erasmas]

We have five people who have posted interest so far. I figure, I will give this the weekend to see if any others want onboard as well as to allow the remaining players to get their characters together.

If all goes well, we should be able to set sail on Monday!

[moomoo]

Monsieur François looks not as delicious as his food:

Spoiler

[Thump]

This should be interesting.

:)