The Walking Dead Role-Playing Game

The Season 5 premiere is not until late October, but news broke this week that The Walking Dead has just starting filming the upcoming season. In a few short months our favourite band of post-apocalyptic undead-fighting misfits will once again grace our TV screens, but until then we have to entertain ourselves somehow. And since going around pretending people are zombies and stabbing them in the head is frowned upon (for some reason), we'll have to find some other way to get our zombie-killing fix.

Why isn't there a role-playing version of The Walking Dead yet?  There are numerous board games, none of which are very good. The video game by Telltale is excellent and very story- and RP-based, but it's one-player and pretty linear (Don't kid yourself - the multiple-path narrative is just an illusion. It always ends the same). A property like The Walking Dead is simply begging for an open-world, sandbox-style RPG. You have a group of survivors working together, struggling to conserve resources and protect themselves against whatever this crazy world can throw at you. Character death is pretty common, and having new characters jump in to replace them is very easy to do.

I'm not going out of my way to create a new game (certainly not while I'm still tinkering with Splatter-Elf), but I've already modded the D6 game engine to a Horror version populated with plenty of zombies. Since my last zombie post was pretty popular, I'm going to take a few minutes here to build some guys for the zombies to fight - specifically the cast of The Walking Dead, statted out in all their D6 Horror Goodness!

Note: The characters here are based almost entirely on their TV show counterparts, though I do borrow a little from the comic book to fill in some blanks.

Note Two: For those familiar with D6, you'll notice that I've tweaked and changed around the attributes, but the gist of it is the same. I just like them better this way.


Rick Grimes

Former Occupation: Sheriff's Deputy

A former deputy in King's County, Georgia, Rick was wounded in the line of duty and woke up in the hospital after the outbreak had already ravaged the world. He reunited with his wife Lori, son Carl and best friend Shane shortly thereafter, only to lose Lori and Shane once again to the horrors of the post-apocalyptic world.

Due to his status as an authority figure in the old world, Rick has grudgingly become the leader of a band of survivors. The responsibility of protecting numerous people - often including helpless seniors and children - weighs heavily on the goodhearted former lawman. He has tried to throw off the role of leader many times but always finds himself back at the head of the line for the good of the group.

Rick is fearless, resourceful and an excellent fighter. He leads by example and will do whatever dirty work is necessary for the good of the group. He will do anything - absolutely anything - to protect his adopted family and especially his son. The weight of his responsibility and the terrible things he has done and endured has wrecked havoc on his mental stability, though he has a strong enough will to usually grit and fight through it.

APTITUDE 2D+1
Agriculture 3D, Driving 5D+1, Horseback riding 3D+2
AWARENESS 3D
Search 6D, Shadowing/Tailing 5D, Streetwise 3D+2, Survival 5D+2, Tracking 3D+2
COORDINATION 3D+2
Automatic Weapons 6D, Dodge 5D+2, Firearms 6D, (S)Firearms: Colt Python 7D, Stealth 5D+2
INTELLECT 2D+1
First Aid 3D+2, Law 5D+1
PERSONALITY 3D
Con 5D, Leadership 7D, Willpower 6D+2
VIGOR 3D+1
Brawling 5D+2, Climbing 4D, Lifting 5D, Melee 6D, Stamina 5D+1, Swimming 4D+1

BODY POINTS: 32 / 32
SANITY POINTS: 13 / 32
SANITY LEVEL: Disturbed

DISADVANTAGES: Devotion (to family)
ADVANTAGES: Authority (as a police officer in the pre-outbreak world - doesn't mean much anymore)

MOVE: 10
CHARACTER POINTS: 17

Equipment of Note: Colt Python .357 Magnum (5D damage)

Carl Grimes

Former Occupation: Student

The son of Rick and Lori Grimes, this fourteen year-old (though he's only 9 in the comics) has seen and lived through terrible hardships since the outbreak. Once a shy and reserved boy, he is quickly growing into a hardened young man, though he sill suffers from mainy of the weaknesses of youth. Like most teenagers, he struggles with finding his place in the world and his dealing with the evolving relationship with his father. Carl's conflict is of course increased by having to also deal with the constant threat of walkers as well as his father's difficult role and responsibilities.

APTITUDE 2D+1
Agriculture 2D+2, Computer Operation 3D+1
AWARENESS 2D+1
Search 3D, Shadowing/Tailing 2D+2, Survival 3D, Tracking 2D+2
COORDINATION 2D+2
Automatic Weapons 3D, Dodge 3D+1, Firearms 4D+2, Melee 3D+1
INTELLECT 2D
PERSONALITY 2D+2
Con 3D
VIGOR 2D
Brawling 2D+2, Climbing 2D+2, Swimming 3D

DISADVANTAGES: Young Age (add +1 to difficulties of all Awareness, Intellect and Personality checks)

BODY POINTS: 24 / 24
SANITY POINTS: 18 / 25
SANITY LEVEL: Normal

MOVE: 10
CHARACTER POINTS: 8

Equipment of Note: Sheriff's Hat

Maggie Greene

Former Occupation: Farm Hand

Daughter of Hershel Greene and wife of Glenn Rhee, Maggie is a tough and capable woman who has watched her family die one-by-one, killed both by walkers and the brutal atrocities of other survivors. She grew up on her father's farm and is a bit of a tomboy, but her ease with doing physical work has served her well in the post-outbreak world. She helped keep her family alive by making solo runs into the nearby town while the rest of them stayed on the farm, a role simliar to her future husband Glenn, who she met when he and the rest of Rick's group arrived at the farm.

APTITUDE 2D+2
Agriculture 5D, Computer Operation 3D+2, Driving 4D+2, Horseback riding 4D+2, Repair 4D
AWARENESS 2D+2
Search 6D, Survival 5D,
COORDINATION 3D
Automatic Weapons 4D+2, Dodge 5D, Firearms 5D+2, Stealth 5D+2
INTELLECT 3D+1
First Aid 5D, Library Use/Research 4D
PERSONALITY 3D
Creative Expression 3D+2, Willpower 4D
VIGOR 3D+1
Brawling 4D+2, Climbing 4D+2, Melee 4D+1, Stamina 5D+1, Swimming 4D+1

DISADVANTAGES: Devotion (Glenn)

BODY POINTS: 32 / 32
SANITY POINTS: 22 / 30
SANITY LEVEL: Normal

MOVE: 10
CHARACTER POINTS: 13

Glenn Rhea

Former Occupation: Pizza Delivery Boy

Bright, resourceful and brave, Glenn has somehow managed to retain his youthful enthusiasm after the outbreak. Always eager to help, he survived the early days of the apocalypse by singlehandedly making runs through walker-infested Atlanta to find food and supplies for the other survivors. He is very good at get into and out of tight situations.

His positive attitude attracted the attentions of Maggie Greene, and she and Glenn fell in love and were eventually married. He and Maggie have gone through extreme measures to protect each other and be together, living through countless hardships.

APTITUDE 2D+2
Computer Operation 3D+2, Lock picking 4D+2, Driving 4D+2, Repair 3D+2
AWARENESS 3D
Search 6D+2, Streetwise 5D, Survival 5D, Urban Geography 7D
COORDINATION 4D
Automatic Weapons 4D+2, Balance 5D+2, Dodge 7D, Firearms 5D, Stealth 6D+2
INTELLECT 2D
First Aid 3D+2
PERSONALITY 3D
Willpower 4D
VIGOR 3D
Brawling 4D+2, Climbing 5D+2, Jumping 4D, Melee 4D+1, Stamina 4D+2, Swimming 4D+1

DISADVANTAGES: Devotion (Maggie)

BODY POINTS: 30 / 30
SANITY POINTS: 25 / 31
SANITY LEVEL: Normal

MOVE: 10
CHARACTER POINTS: 13

Equipment of Note: Full Body Riot Armor (+2D Vigor vs Physical attacks, +1D vs firearms)

Michonne 

Former Occupation: Lawyer

Michonne speaks very little about her time before the outbreak, but it is suspected she may have been a lawyer. She had at least one small child and a boyfriend, neither of whom survived. She mostly keeps to herself and is a fierce warrior, an expert at beheading walkers with her trusty katana. She lived alone a long time in the wild with nothing but a pair of toothless, armless walkers, which certainly played havoc on her mental stability. Though it took her awhile to trust them, she has now become a loyal and important member of Rick's group.

APTITUDE 2D+1
Driving 3D+2, Horseback riding 4D
AWARENESS 3D
Search 5D, Survival 5D+1, Tracking 5D
COORDINATION 4D
Automatic Weapons 4D+2, Balance 6D, Dodge 6D, Firearms 5D, Stealth 6D
INTELLECT 2D+1
First Aid 3D+2, Law 6D, Research 4D+1
PERSONALITY 2D+2
Creative Expression 3D+2, Willpower 5D+2
VIGOR 3D+1
Brawling 4D+2, Climbing 5D+1, Jumping 5D, Lifting 5D, Melee 5D+1, (S)Melee: Katana 7D+2, Stamina 5D+1, Swimming 4D+1

BODY POINTS: 33 / 33
SANITY POINTS: 16 / 30
SANITY LEVEL: Normal

MOVE: 10
CHARACTER POINTS: 11

Equipment of Note: Katana (VIG+2D damage one-handed, VIG+3D damage two-handed)

Daryl Dixon

Former Occupation: Drifter / Redneck

Daryl was a screw up and a thug who grew up in the shadow of his brother Merle. Despite not having much of a career or prospects before the outbreak, his hard upbringing has equipped him perfectly for surviving in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. He's an expert survivalist, fighter, hunter and tracker, and feeling like he has nothing to lose makes him fearless as well.

Though he mostly keeps to himself and doesn't open up much, he and Rick have developed a strong bond and mutual respect, and Daryl has become Rick's fiercely loyal right-hand man. Also, despite his gruff exterior, Daryl has a weak spot for children, turning into a goofball around babies and going to extreme lengths to protect and save children.

APTITUDE 2D+2
Boating 4D+1, Driving 5D+2, Horseback Riding 4D+2, Motorcycle 6D
AWARENESS 3D+1
Search 7D, Shadowing/Tailing 7D+1, Streetwise 5D+1, Survival 7D+2, Tracking 8D
COORDINATION 4D
Archery 5D, (S)Archery: Crossbow 8D, Automatic Weapons 5D, Dodge 5D+2, Firearms 6D, Stealth 6D, Throwing 5D+2
INTELLECT 2D
First Aid 3D, Navigation 4D
PERSONALITY 2D
Con 3D, Willpower 5D+1
VIGOR 3D+2
Brawling 6D, Climbing 5D+2, Jumping 4D+2, Lifting 5D+2, Melee 6D+2, Stamina 6D+1, Swimming 5D

DISADVANTAGES: Prejudice (redneck hick)

BODY POINTS: 36 / 36
SANITY POINTS: 20 / 28
SANITY LEVEL: Normal

MOVE: 10
CHARACTER POINTS: 12

Equipment of Note: Stryker 380 Crossbow (4D damage)

---

So what do you think? Did I miss any important skills? Anyone ranked too high or too low? Discuss!

Comments

  1. I have heard great things about AFMBE, but I'm embarrassed to say I've never played it. The only "official" zombie game I've played is Dead Reign, which is okay but has some serious design issues.

    I'm really going to have to check out All Flesh, though. Thanks for commenting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kreg Mosier's 'The Dead' is THE best Walking Dead game, based on the comics before they hit big. Free artless version is out there waiting to be Googled...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That... actually is really, really cool. I was not at all familiar with it, but it is very much the kind of zombie survival game I wanted to see/would have made myself. It's not the same idea as the zombie "Funnel" we've been playing with lately, but it looks like a very, very cool take on the genre. Thank you for sharing!

      Delete

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