Firstly, I got the book! Time to go insane coming up with cool senarios!

Now that thats over with,

I understand how combat and damage works. Im just wondering on how hit points work for npcs.

If i were to use a pistol in combat and roll a 1 2 3 positive and only a 3 negative. and if I had a dex of 4. Then my 1 and 2 would hit, combined with the +3 dmg of the pistol that would be 5 damage total. Right?

How much damage then can a npc/zombie/soldier/civilian take?

Is it 9, because thats how many stress bubbles there are? or is it something else?

Thanks guys!

Generally yes it is 3x3 (9) unless otherwise stated such as the case of the infested fragment on page 134. But this is adjustable. If you want easier zombies change their stress tracks to 2x3 or even 1x3. 1x3 works if you want your players to mow down the zombies.

The book suggests that if the NPC is not of any importance and is just there, for example a group of 4 zombies. If you fight your not going to want each of the to have 9 HP in each category. You want the fight to be quick. So basically just give them one row of stress. This still gives the zombie a fighting chance, but when they have 9 stress bars each it just drags on and on, plus it gives the zombies an great advantage at infecting you.

Another thing you can do is have a group of zomies in a single square and add one stress bar for each to make it a little more interesting.

If you were to follow the same rules as you do with the PC characters there is also resistance that could come into play...

first row is 3 (6)

second row would be 6 (9)

third row would be 9 (12)

total 18 (27)

number in brackets include the +1 resistance they have to physical attacks. I would actually lean more to include everything so they would have 27 "HP". Zombies are not something that would go down easily, you could shoot one several times and it would not go down but a human would likely die by the same amount of shots. Unless you were lucky to get a head shot. (of course depending on scenario and type of zombie)

Reading on Page 46 under NPCs and Traumas the last line says "When these minor NPCs fill up one of their stress tracks, don't allow them to cling to life, just let them die". A stress track is the 9 boxes but it really doesn't clarify whether they should follow the same rules for resistance as the PC's do.

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Reading on Page 46 under NPCs and Traumas the last line says "When these minor NPCs fill up one of their stress tracks, don't allow them to cling to life, just let them die". A stress track is the 9 boxes but it really doesn't clarify whether they should follow the same rules for resistance as the PC's do.

I don't know, but if they don't use the resistance rules, would the zombies (No Room in Hell) not kill themselves over the course of the fight?

In Edge of the Empire, FFG use a minion/rival/nemesis system of NPCs. We could do the same here:

Nemesis = like PCs, full stress track, resistance and can cling to life

Rival = full stress track, with or without resistance, can't cling to life

Minions = X by 3 stress tracks, but can group together, for an additional positive die per NPC, for example:

Group of 4 minions, 4 x 3 stress tracks, you kill one when you do at least 4 stress damage, group add +3 positive dice

Keep in mind that the zombies in the book have the "It Won't Die" ability. This gives them resistance to physical stress damage much like wearing armour. This would stack with the resistance gained from moving along the stress track. Less levels to the stress tracks can keep it easier to take them out if you want. A 2x3 or 1x3 track.

Keep in mind that the zombies in the book have the "It Won't Die" ability. This gives them resistance to physical stress damage much like wearing armour. This would stack with the resistance gained from moving along the stress track. Less levels to the stress tracks can keep it easier to take them out if you want. A 2x3 or 1x3 track.

Thanks for mentioning the "It won't die" ability. Completely forgot about it.

That was part of my calculations on the total amount of stress, it included the "it wont die" and the resistance as it increases in stress. From what i read in the book a stress track is defined as all 9 boxes (page 30). There is one stress track for each of the 3 groups and Each row in the track is defined as a tier.

I was actually thinking about the whole minion idea for when it is a small group of zombies, makes sense. But for those that have never played or heard of doing this they wouldn't know.

Also keep in mind that a tier's resistance would not come into play until you are damaged within that tier.

For example--a zombie that is undamaged only has its "It Won't Die" damage resistance. If he took a hit causing 3 points it would only cause 2 points of and he would have damage in the first tier. The next hit inflicts 5 points of damage but is reduced to 3 by his abilty and the resistance confered by the first tier. He would now be damaged 2 points into the second tier and have a damage resistance of 3 on the next attack from both the ability and tier combined.

You need to do about 11 points of damage in one hit to one hit a zombie and take him out. Otherwise they get progressively harder to kill barring special actions.

Also keep in mind that a tier's resistance would not come into play until you are damaged within that tier.

For example--a zombie that is undamaged only has its "It Won't Die" damage resistance. If he took a hit causing 3 points it would only cause 2 points of and he would have damage in the first tier. The next hit inflicts 5 points of damage but is reduced to 3 by his abilty and the resistance confered by the first tier. He would now be damaged 2 points into the second tier and have a damage resistance of 3 on the next attack from both the ability and tier combined.

You need to do about 11 points of damage in one hit to one hit a zombie and take him out. Otherwise they get progressively harder to kill barring special actions.

Good point, I didn't think of it that way. that damage resistance would only be when they are in that tier. so it could be possible to get lucky and kill one easily. I think that all the scenarios though should have some sort of mechanic like the meteor one for the head shot. Like a critical hit so to speak and uncancelled doubles works great for that as a mechanic.

yeah, i was going to apply that 2 uncancelled hits equals a head shot to all of them.

I think 2 uncancelled doubles works nicely and makes it a something that is "special" when it's rolled. 2 success i think would come up often. You could throw a rock and get 2 successes i think fairly easily.depending on the odds you could also increase it to 3 or 4 uncancelled successes and then it makes it something unique to come up.