Rules Changes: Beyond skills that have been added, I don't really change many rules. One thing I did change is I wanted Patient Zero to be a bit more special. While he still acts as a normal Abomination with no special rules, upon being killed, the killing Survivor gets the first "healing" card (First Aid kit/medi-pack/bandages) card pulled from the Equipment deck. I added cards for the "regular" abominations from 1st edition.
Added Zombie Types: The Zombicide Discord puts out some fantastic content. So far, much of it have been for 1st edition of late. However, "conversion" between 1st and 2nd editions is pretty simple. The big issue is designing the cards and getting them printed. That said, I've added a few zombie types based on rules from the Discord:
- The Stranger: The Stranger is a bit like a Necromancer in Black Plague/Green Horde in that it will try to avoid heroes, but unlike Necromancers the Stranger is not a mobile spawn point, but instead will move around the board from spawn point to spawn point adding another spawn point at each one until killed. If left to roam, the extra spawns can quickly overwhelm survivors. I use a Heroclix figure of Rorschach for the Stranger.
- Rad Zombies: These are irradiated zombies. While the rules have Walker, Runner, Fatty, and Abomination versions, I just use walkers as (surprisingly) there aren't many zombie minis made wearing radiation suits. Basically, these zombies irradiate zones. The radiation lasts for a turn after the Rad Zombies have been in that zone. A survivor entering that zone has an item become irradiated and if not discarded, that radiation can spread throughout the survivor's entire pack even in empty pack spaces. Irradiated empty pack spaces cannot hold items. Plus, standard walkers, runners, and fatties can become irradiated as well. Not taking out Rad Zombies early can easily turn into a board full of zombies giving off radiation! I'm having some sculpts printed out to use as rad zombies that I got as a member of the Vaultz patreon. (Check it out here. He has put out some great minis just waiting to be printed.)
- Ghouls: The Walk of the Living Dead rules put out by the Discord group brings in the Ghouls from Night of the Living Dead to "main-line" Zombicide. Ghouls don't track by noise, but instead track bodies. They make a bee-line towards survivors they can see, but if they can't see them they move towards the zone with the most warm bodies. Beyond that, most work the same as their Zombie counterparts, except for Breakers. Breakers can bash in doors. Making shorter trips for the horde to the survivors. I'm not using the rules for Relatives.
- Ratz: Rat Swarmz are quick and can move through buildings as if they are open and are unaffected by cars.
- Toughs: This group of zombies are unique zombies, not unlike the Unique Runners, Fatties, and Walkers from the 2E Kickstarter, except they are all from the Left for Dead video games. (I got the figures for them from Studio Miniatures.) I've got Tank, Smoker, Witch (both stationary and wandering), Jockey, Boomer, Spitter, Hunter, and Charger.
- Tanks, or the Abominatank, has a hide that is so tough that it takes 2 high damage attack (molotovs or other Damage 3 or better attacks) during the survivors' turn to take it out. Plus, if it gets within 2 zones of a survivor, it can throw hunks of concrete or asphalt at the zone hitting at least 2 survivors in the zone with a Damage 1 attack.
- Charger: If a Charger gets within 2 Zones of a Survivor, it will charge and grab a Survivor and take them 2 more zones or until they hit a wall or the map edge (whichever comes first). If they hit a wall, the survivor takes 1 damage and 1 more damage each round until either the survivor or the Charger is killed. During the Survivor's turn that is in the clutches of a Charger, they can't do anything other than scream. Otherwise this Tough has the rest of the Runner rules.
- Hunters: They use the movement rules for Crowz. This doesn't mean that they fly, but they move across the top of buildings until they get within a zone of a Survivor. When in range, they will leap at a survivor, causing 1 damage each round until the Hunter is killed. The affect Survivor loses it's turn while the Hunter is tearing it apart. Runner rules.
- Jockey: This Tough doesn't do damage, but will instead "ride" a Survivor. Ridden survivors essentially lose their turn and their movement is determined by a dice roll. If there are two or more survivors in a zone with a survivor being ridden by a Jockey, any other zombies in the zone will only attack the Ridden Survivor. Runner rules.
- Boomer: I've renamed the Boomer as the Puker. If it gets within a zone of a Survivor, it will Puke on them. This immediately grants an extra activation to all other zombies in all adjacent zones to the puked on survivor. Attack rules still apply and can be doled out how the players see fit and the Puker does not gain an extra activation. Fatty rules
- Smoker: If a Smoker gets within a zone of a survivor, it will pull a survivor into its zone. Walker rules
- Spitter: Spitter can hock a nasty acid loogie at survivors from 2 zones away. This spit affects all survivors in the zone for 1 damage. Walker rules
- Witch: There are two versions of the Witch; one that is stationary with special placement rules, and another that also has special placement rules but also wanders randomly around the board. Both forms won't pay survivors any mind unless any extra noise is made by Survivors. If any extra noise is made, the Witch goes berserk. She does 2 Damage per attack and has the activations of a Runner when she's been set off, but is tough like a Fatty. She'll keep attacking until killed or until no survivors are in sight; at which point she'll calm down and revert back to normal.
- Unique Zombies: I use the special rules for each of the unique zombies from the 2E Kickstarter. I have special spawn cards made up for the unique zombies for the spawn deck, then a deck for spawning unique and tough zombies much like the Abomination deck.
- Fatty Bursters: Yep, from Black Plague/Green Horde. They explode when a survivor stands in their zone or ends a Move action in their zone, causing 2 Damage. They also explode upon being killed. No armor can lessen the damage either.
- The Lost: I don't use the old Zombivor rules as I never cared for them. Instead, the Lost are freshly dead heroic survivors who are tough as nails and are walking treasure chests! They follow the rules of Walkers, but take 5 Wounds to take out. Once killed, the killing survivor gets a draw from the equipment deck as a reward.
- Abominations: In addition to the Abominatank and the change to Patient Zero, I use all of the Abominations from the Kickstarter and the previous 1st Edition sets. I'm also adding a few others to the Abomination deck:
- Abominamaggot: When the Abominamaggot is drawn, it spawns in the noisiest zone from the previous turn and can make an immediate attack. The figure is the Grave Digger from the Resident Evil 3 board game.
- Acidmination: This Abomination is the G-Type (Seeder) from the Resident Evil 2 board game. This abomination oozes a strong acid. Whatever survivor it wounds with it's attack must also discard 1 equipment card (either in hand or in pack) that is destroyed by the acid.
- Abominatyrant: This abomination is the G-Tyrant from the Resident Evil 2 board game. When it attacks, it hits all survivors in the zone.
- Nemesis Blaster: This is the Nemesis figure from the Resident Evil 3 board game that wields a bazooka. If this abomination gets within 3 zones of a survivor(s), it fires it's bazooka that hits everything in zone with a Damage 2 attack. Zombies in the target zone are destroyed as well, but no AP is given for those zombies.
- Tentacle Horror: This is the Nemesis figure with all the tentacles coming out of its body from the RE3 board game. This abomination can pull in 1 survivor from each adjacent zone into it's zone.
- Undead or Alive Abominations: There are a few abominations from Undead or Alive that I'm going to add to Moderncide. Melting Pot, Fat Mace, Abominabear, Abominape, and the Crocosaur. I may add a few others like the Gore Geyser, but those 5 are a good start.
In addition to the rules above, I also use the weapon breaking rules from campaign play. I'm thinking of adding in day and night rules as well. I've also printed out a lot of gear cards that I've found all over the net. That's one of the things I love about the Zombicide games, it's easy, and I daresay begs to be added to and made your own!
