To recreate a scary, flesh-eating "plague" zombie ala the new DAWN OF THE DEAD movie and 28 DAYS LATER (with the super-fast, strong zombies) just use the ghoul from p.323 of Conan.
To recreate the classic, slow-moving zombies of the original "Dead Trilogy": NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD and DAY OF THE DEAD, use the "Risen Dead" from p.325 of Conan.
Give both kinds of zombies the following tweaks:
Vulnerability (Ex): Any critical hit is considered to have damaged the brain and instantly killed the zombie, either by decapitation, smashing the skull, or piercing the brain (through the eye, for example). Zombies reduced to zero hit points are also considered to have had their brains destroyed, heads severed, etc, and to become inert.
Infectious (Su): Any living creature (not counting elementals and outsiders) bitten by the zombie must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or become infected. If the creature dies, it rises as a zombie 1d6 rounds after death. If it does not immediately die from its wounds but fails its saving throw, then it gradually sickens and dies within the next 3 days, rising as a zombie 1d6 rounds later. Each day of infection after the first, the infected creature must make an increasingly difficult Fortitude save or die. The next day's save is DC 25, and the final day's save is DC 30. If the final save is made, the infected creature fights off the infection enough for it to go dormant in its bloodstream, when it will reactivate upon his death, raising it as a zombie. Multiple bites require multiple saves.
Terror Save (Su): Zombies inspire a Terror Save (DC 13 for fast-moving zombies, DC 11 for traditional slow-moving zombies).
Anyone who becomes a zombie loses all class and racial features and abilities, as well as all memory of their past life (except for temporary, odd flashbacks at the GM's discretion).
To recreate the classic, slow-moving zombies of the original "Dead Trilogy": NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD and DAY OF THE DEAD, use the "Risen Dead" from p.325 of Conan.
Give both kinds of zombies the following tweaks:
Vulnerability (Ex): Any critical hit is considered to have damaged the brain and instantly killed the zombie, either by decapitation, smashing the skull, or piercing the brain (through the eye, for example). Zombies reduced to zero hit points are also considered to have had their brains destroyed, heads severed, etc, and to become inert.
Infectious (Su): Any living creature (not counting elementals and outsiders) bitten by the zombie must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or become infected. If the creature dies, it rises as a zombie 1d6 rounds after death. If it does not immediately die from its wounds but fails its saving throw, then it gradually sickens and dies within the next 3 days, rising as a zombie 1d6 rounds later. Each day of infection after the first, the infected creature must make an increasingly difficult Fortitude save or die. The next day's save is DC 25, and the final day's save is DC 30. If the final save is made, the infected creature fights off the infection enough for it to go dormant in its bloodstream, when it will reactivate upon his death, raising it as a zombie. Multiple bites require multiple saves.
Terror Save (Su): Zombies inspire a Terror Save (DC 13 for fast-moving zombies, DC 11 for traditional slow-moving zombies).
Anyone who becomes a zombie loses all class and racial features and abilities, as well as all memory of their past life (except for temporary, odd flashbacks at the GM's discretion).
