When this was announced, I immediately did a mental checklist to see what my character would be equipped with. About the best weapon I could come up was a tire iron in my car, I have very limited non-perishable food in my house, but I do have a first aid kit. Obviously, my character would not be very well prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse.

I wonder if the idea is to make you have to reconsider the way that you play RPGs. Rather than relying on a combat background or buying firearms, you have to make do with what you have. In my case, most of the game would be based on avoiding and hiding from the zombies rather than fighting them.

I'd imagine it would take a lot of humility for players to frankly decide what their advantages and disadvantages are.

I think that's initially the point, it really makes you consider just what you'd try and do in that sort of situation if you play yourselves that is. It makes you wonder who's house would you go to first, would you try to drive or save your gas for a trip out of your town? Who has the most food/best weapons? Where's best defensible? It makes you try and think of how your town would fall apart as well.

It's less about the zombies and more about how long you hold on to your own humanity. If you start killing your neighbors immediately for their supplies, what does that say about you?

I was talking with my friends about the premise that we start while playing RPG and we found funny the fact that in the place we play the guy have around 8 swords (from katanas and Europeans), 2 bows (that we use in his back yard while we wait for people to arrive) and an actual chainsaw. Pretty much, our playing place already broke the game.

Again as someone else tried to raise that point, it doesn't break the game. It simply better prepares you, what if your weapons break? What if they're damaged beyond all reason? Are any of you blacksmiths? You need to start counting arrows now because eventually you won't be able to recover them all. Better use that chainsaw sparingly too, gas will be scarce.

I wonder how much weapons are gonna help us with the other books; Especialy wrath of the gods.

I don't think an alien with an atomic separator rifle and personal forcefield is gonna be intimidated by your dads' smith & wesson.

Same goes for renegade drones and definatly for Cthulhu!

Max Brooks Zombie Survival Guide would be a must for most GMs. Chainsaws make tiring weapons, their usefulness is limited to gas supply, they're noisy and they're almost as dangerous to the user as the target. Swords are all well and good, but in inexperienced hands, they're no better than a baseball bat and much more dangerous to the user.

Similarly, guns run out of ammunition and are really noisy. I think the people who will do best are the ones who have canned goods, camping gear and survival tools on hand. People who can survive without cars, phones, grocery stores ect.

My point is, it would be hard to break the game with what you have on hand. In fact, one of my gaming group raised the point that the lack of resources is part of the fun.

Me and my friends already know all this. My house first, as it's the most sturdily built and nearest to any food centres (corner shop, and near supermarket), followed by getting out of dodge by bike or foot, to avoid the traffic jam if my house is done in.

Somewhere there is a guy who lives on a US army base*, reading this and going: "what me worry?"

* or some survival nut in a underground bunker in the ozarks with two ton of beef jerky and .50 cal under his pillow.

or some survival nut in a underground bunker in the ozarks with two ton of beef jerky and .50 cal under his pillow.

Hardly seem like a gamer type to me...

I live on a sailboat... (thank God for game book pdfs)

I gotta laugh when I think of my GM's response as I just sail out the channel... Gotta watch for pirates I guess...

Nothing stops zombies from walking on the floor of whatever you're sailing on, or floaters from being an issue. supplies will eventually dwindle and if the disease can be transferred to fish there's gonna be a big issue.

Zombie Sharks.

I live on the West coast. The water gets deep REAL fast, so that's not an issue. Transferred zombieness to the fishes, yeah that would suck... Although I wouldn't be scared of zombie sharks. There's not a shark alive (or dead) that can harm a modern boat. Zombie killer whales, Sperm whales, and giant squid on the other hand... shudder....

Zombie sharks care not for your modern boats. Remember that zombies don't have a built in strength limiter, they'll hit something until they break it or it breaks them.

Zombie Giant Squid, now that'd be something.

I live on a sailboat... (thank God for game book pdfs)

I gotta laugh when I think of my GM's response as I just sail out the channel... Gotta watch for pirates I guess...

How much food is there/ equipment to grow and catch your own?

It's less about the zombies and more about how long you hold on to your own humanity. If you start killing your neighbors immediately for their supplies, what does that say about you?

Hardly seem like a gamer type to me...

You'd be surprised. I know a fair bit of people that wouldn't be alien to having guns, MRE:s and a fallout shelter in the basement.

Hardly seem like a gamer type to me...

You'd be surprised. I know a fair bit of people that wouldn't be alien to having guns, MRE:s and a fallout shelter in the basement.

Sounds like a fun place to play the Fallout PnP.

I live on a sailboat... (thank God for game book pdfs)

I gotta laugh when I think of my GM's response as I just sail out the channel... Gotta watch for pirates I guess...

Have you seen the dawn of the dead 2004 remake, or Zombi 2? People in those movies had sailboats... It didn't save them

I live on the West coast. The water gets deep REAL fast, so that's not an issue. Transferred zombieness to the fishes, yeah that would suck... Although I wouldn't be scared of zombie sharks. There's not a shark alive (or dead) that can harm a modern boat. Zombie killer whales, Sperm whales, and giant squid on the other hand... shudder....

Keep in mind there could also come attacks from the sky, by zombie birds.

Night of the seaguls anyone?

I live on a sailboat... (thank God for game book pdfs)

I gotta laugh when I think of my GM's response as I just sail out the channel... Gotta watch for pirates I guess...

Have you seen the dawn of the dead 2004 remake, or Zombi 2? People in those movies had sailboats... It didn't save them

While as a GM you should of course challenge the players, you shouldn't necessarily try to find ways to overcome them when they have a real good idea. In this case, being fairly familiar with sailboats capable of transoceanic travel I can say that the majority of them should have little trouble with zombies unless the folks onboard are just plain stupid. The writers of the movies did things because that's what they wanted to happen and it was better for their narrative. Plus quite honestly, most of them really don't do any research anyway.

I live on the West coast. The water gets deep REAL fast, so that's not an issue. Transferred zombieness to the fishes, yeah that would suck... Although I wouldn't be scared of zombie sharks. There's not a shark alive (or dead) that can harm a modern boat. Zombie killer whales, Sperm whales, and giant squid on the other hand... shudder....

Keep in mind there could also come attacks from the sky, by zombie birds.

Night of the seaguls anyone?

Yeah, those could certainly ruin your day, but if you have animal zombies, then it's pretty much game over for the characters very quickly anyway.

Agreed, mostly it was stupid characters doing narative stuff. And yeah boats would be the safest places to be. Just hope your supllies last long enough.

Yeah, those could certainly ruin your day, but if you have animal zombies, then it's pretty much game over for the characters very quickly anyway.

Thats probably how i'd go: getting bitten by a cute zombie kitteh... (yes, even if its a zombie kitten, it is still cute )

Yep if you've got zombie animals what are you going to eat after all since all flesh is now undead and out to get you.

You might end up infected by a zombie mosquito bite and go yay now that I'm dead lets play a game where I have some sort of chance.

Yep if you've got zombie animals what are you going to eat after all since all flesh is now undead and out to get you.

You might end up infected by a zombie mosquito bite and go yay now that I'm dead lets play a game where I have some sort of chance.

Depends if the virus is transfered by eating flesh or not, may be a different strain for animals so you could be ok. You'd still have to deal with possibly rotten meat though.

Mosquito bite is the same story, possible that it's not blood transferred. You have plenty of chance, could be cool for a oneshot though, you're all going to turn, the clock is ticking, let's see if you can make a difference.

Could be like walking dead where you're all infected anyways.

Hey all, sorry to be gone for a while... was on vacation.

Just to give people an idea of what a lot of cruising sailboats have in terms of gear...

-Living in California, I usually keep about 30 days of canned food available onboard in case of a Major (7.0 or higher) Earthquake. Some cruisers have more, some less. A lot of people also fish for food. but that is not a guarantee.

- I have a watermaker onboard (converts seawater to freshwater) - will last a couple of years if maintained properly. Also, a Water catchment system on a sailboat can gather A LOT of water when it rains...

- Solar power and a wind turbine for electrical power.

- Lots of booze... ya know... cuz I even have a sailing friend that brews his own beer onboard. Its not the best, but bad beer is better than nothing if the world is ending...

- Most cruising sailboats have a smaller dinghy that can be used for shore excursions. I myself have an 8' walker bay. It has its own sail kit, oars and a 5hp engine.

- Finally, a sailboat of about 30' or so can support about 4-5 people (you're average gaming group). it'll be tight, but it is doable.

Hell, my friends have always joked with me that if Z-Day does happen, they're coming to me...

So if you live on one the coasts or even the great lakes... A sailboat could be a great option for your group's survival.

I like the idea of the sailboat as a mobile base of operations for the group. you're safe when you need to be and can use a dinghy to come in quietly as night to scavenge for supplies.

Looks like when Z day comes you will be sorted.

Your apocalypse sounds like it will consist of fishing, sailing, drinking beer and swimming...... geez bring on the end of the world!