Asteroid Zombie Apocalypse (Because why not?)

[O Senhor Leetz]

Watching Planet Terror last night, I thought to myself, "Self, a ridiculous, over the top,  ultra-violent, tongue-in-cheek, blast-and-slash zombie setting could be fun." But then I thought why stop there. Take a classic post-apocalyptic world, throw in zombies and some alien mystery too. Because, hey, why not? Back story...

Asteroid: An asteroid hits Earth. Let's say California. Drops the west coast into the Ocean, tidal waves wreck the Pacific and a subsequent dust cloud chokes up Earth for a while. Shock-waves short out most electronic stuff on the planet, for at least a short while. The USA is screwed, Japan's half under the Ocean, and Hawaii is wiped off the map, but humanity continues, Europe is OK, Asia is OK, Africa is no worse off. People begin to rebuilt. But then come the...

Zombies: In the asteroid was a dormant alien bacteria that started off as what seemed to be an epidemic of the common cold, but soon became a plague of global proportions. The infected went nuts, entering a zombie-like state and hungering for human flesh. No cure was discovered, and only those that managed to fight off the original cold were safe. Things went from bad to worse, but that was before the...

Apocalypse: As the zombie-flu spread, entire countries were over-run. Soon, most nations were pushed back to their fortified capitals, military bases, and island resorts. In light of that, some less-than prudent choices were made to try to nuke the zombies, burn them out and let them starve. That really didn't work. So that's where we are now. Generation Zero after the A.Z.A.

So, like I said, tongue-in-cheek, over the top. Like driving around the burnt-out Mid-West in a 1970 Dodge challenger decked out with a mini-gun and a M2 turret on the passenger's side. Holding off a zombie-horde in Detroit to the last shotgun shell. Fighting off zombies only to run into drugged-up raiders. Like the bastard love-child of Fallout, Planet Terror, The Road Warrior, and Left 4 Dead.

Would probably make a better campaign/adventure than a real setting, but who knows.

[Kaptn'Lath]

first question when i come to zombies (i love zombies) fast zombie or slow? Holds on to some skills/memories? like turning a door nob, or flicking a light switch?

[Elemental_Elf]

To mirror Lath: Are the zombies fast or slow, dumb or smart, tortured souls or creatures of the night?

This sounds like a great OTT setting that wreaks of fun!

[Mason]

Why didnt the nukes work?

[Kaptn'Lath]

how long does the break down in civilization take?

[Elemental_Elf]

What year is the start-date for the setting?

[LoA]

I was reading up on your other thread about how you wanted to create a non typical dnd setting. Why not take this and make it into a setting? Paizo did something about a meteorite infused with necromantic energy crashing onto a world which did crazy things to the ecology.

[Nomadic]

You all are missing the most important question...

Can I replace my hand with a chainsaw?

[Weave]

You all are missing the most important question...

Can I replace my hand with a chainsaw?

Perhaps the most pressing question to humankind.

[O Senhor Leetz]

Is the Pope Catholic?

But than that means someone else has to drive the 70' Charger, because Uncle Sam didn't make those in automatic.

[Elemental_Elf]

Is the Pope Catholic?

But than that means someone else has to drive the 70' Charger, because Uncle Sam didn't make those in automatic.

I've seen women drive on the freeway while applying makeup AND talking on the cell phone... So unless you're right hand was lobbed off, I think you can pull it off  x.  x(

[O Senhor Leetz]

Haha, fair enough E_E.

also, on the fast/slow zombie things. I personally think fast zombies are way more frightening, except in a PnP-style setting, I think having fast ones would be a little over-whelming and annoying for the players, as all of a sudden they are surrounded by 20 zombies, who have X times as many spaces to move as the players. But if there is a huge horde of slow ones, who every round get 1 space closer and closer as the ammo runs low and the players can't back away any more, dice rolls getting more and more frantic, I think that's the way to go. And you could totally do the Special Zombie treatment that Left 4 Dead did.

[Kaptn'Lath]

do both, recent zombies are quick, but as a rigour starts over a long period of time the zombies slow, but harder to kill? if your all about zombies then maybe more than one type without making it complicated?

[Steerpike]

Could the asteroid be a biological weapon paving the way for full-scale alien colonization?  Maybe the aliens drop one of these things onto a planet, let the disease run its course, allow the zombies to starve, and then land their ships?

Will animals be affected, or only humans?

Is the disease airborne?  Does everyone have to wear a gas-mask?

[CoyoteCamouflage]

Do zombies, in fact, starve at all?

And, like Steer, what about the animals? Has PETA already been devoured by zombie animals, or zombie sharks roaming freely through any and all waterways, devouring anything unlucky enough to be in the water?

Otherwise, I love the idea. It's simple, it's funny, it sounds absurdly fun. It's certainly not in the vein of most other games, and who doesn't love a good zombie apocalypse? Especially one where you can go all Mad Max on 'em.