Custom Characters

[paulson games]

I got my copy in last friday and had a blast playing it last night. As usual a new game gets my creative gears turning and I started thinking about various survivor characters I'd like to see and create models for.

Since they are kind enough to provide blank character cards on the reverse and some rough guidlines for character abilities I went to work on Photoshop.

Here's my first one, hot off the digital press.

9 Iron has the same stats as a Crow Bar but does not have the ability to open doors.

Dynamite has the same stats as a Molotov Cocktail.

Also will add a Bucket of Balls card to the deck, Bucket of Balls may be attached to the 9 Iron to give it a range of 0-1.


Being somewhat OCD when it comes to making models and graphics the font differance bugs me, if anyone has a guess at what font they use on the offical stuff please let me know.


I'll also be posting my minis up here once I start getting some paint done and whatever greens I can manage to piece together.

 

[Dexterity Jones]

Man, if you ever find the proper mini for this character, I will play it with gusto! CAddy shack ftw.

However, dont you think starting off with a molotov a bit over the top? (though I do understand why you did it...damn gophers!)

 

[rhinokio]

the art is ace, but man starts with a mele, and the most powerful item in the game? thats pretty overpower. why would anyone not play that?

 

[strewart]

Start him with one component of the 'dynamite' (molotovs need to be built) to make him at least have to find the other part might be a bit more balanced if people think its too much?

 

[paulson games]

Chollo starts with 2 machetes which are far better than a crow bar so starting with a melee isn't that buff. Dave gets the ability to find two molotovs right off the bat which is pretty powerful. You can make them of find one straight up. I only plan on making one dynamite card so once it's used it's gone and there's no making more.



A sorta house rule we'd played with, made things insanely tough (but fun)

When revealing a zombie result instead of just using teh current color level add zombies for the current level plus all lower levels. (they are cumulative)

For example: current threat level is yellow, a card is drawn with blue level having one walker, yellow is two walkers. You deploy 3 walkers.

By the time you are hitting orange and red zones it adds some really huge zombie mobs to the table & you'll likely need at least an abomination level pack to cover them.

 

[mixar]

Can someone create a "Dexter" character?

 

[rhinokio]

Chollo starts with 2 machetes which are far better than a crow bar so starting with a melee isn't that buff. Dave gets the ability to find two molotovs right off the bat which is pretty powerful. You can make them of find one straight up. I only plan on making one dynamite card so once it's used it's gone and there's no making more.

we've nerfed chollo to one machete cause we found 2 was way op. starting equip is overpowered when you are finding riffles shotguns and chainsaws and you always are just pfftt, i'll keep my starter gear.

also i would not say dave has the ability to find 2 moltovs right off the bat, we just played first half of scenario 2 during lunch, and have 2 of the objectives , and with 6 players, we have only found the empty bottle, no gas yet, so aver about hour an a half of playing with 6 people we dont have ingrediants for moltovs.. and the dave char doesnt even have the bottle, we got to swap it over to him.
again do whatever you want with your personal characters, i was just offering my thoughts

 

[paulson games]

Starting off armed doesn't seem to be as much of an issue when playing some of the later scenarios. Scenario 1 is way too simple to judge any results on as it's meant to be a quick learn to play one.

When we played scenario 2 we had a virtual arsenal going on, basic stuff like crowbar wouldn't have made the grade as most of the models were packing guns and we had 2 chainsaws, a katana, and 2 fireaxes to round off our melee weapons. Also found a molitov on a search as well as the components to make a second one although it was spread between two models that were far enough we couldn't exchange.

I think the inventory balance can swing pretty heavily in games based on luck of the draw and also how much searching people commit too, at least half our teams were looting like crazy every chance they could get.


Another option we've explored is running the mission like an ongoing campaign, continuing the character's into the next session with their current level and weapon inventory. (non weapon items are dsicarded between each round so that they can't horde food or other equippment for meeting objectives.)

While Chollo or other pre-armed models start stronger, trading off an ability or other trait for those weapons becomes a bit of a hinderance if you are doing campaign style play as the other characters will level up with more useful features. Every charcter upgrade is crucial and trading one for weapons is kind of a steep price from what we've been experiencing.

We're still in early phases of tinkering with the game play so we may find that not to be the case after we rack up in another dozen games. So the charcter is not set in stone and we may go back and tweak him later.




Also other rules we are discussing/joking around with.

Cardio: Charater can move two zones for each move action.

The Double Tap: +1 Damage inflicted by character armed with a firearm

Check the stalls: If this survivor is next to a closed door they may reveal any zombies inside a building.

Looter: This survivor may perform their search actions in street zones.

The Kung Fu Grip: Regardless of what is in their active inventory slot this survior can fight unarmed with the following stats:
range:0 dice:1 hit:6+ damage:1 silent

Locksmith: Suvivor can open or close doors as a free action. Silent

Photo Journalist: Once per turn Suvivor gains +1 experince when a zombie is killed in his line of sight.


Items:

Brick: range 0 dice:1 hit 5+ Damage:1 silent

Throwing Stars range: 0-1 hit:6+ Damage: 1 silent

2x4 - range:0 dice: 1 hit: 4+ Damage:1 silent

Rags - nothing

Nails - nothing

Torch - made with with 2x4 & rags range:0 Dice: 1 hit:4+ Damage:2 silent

Nail Studded 2x4 - made with 2x4 & nails once per action may reroll attack dice

Nail Studded Bat - made with Nails & Bat once per action may reroll attack dice

Crossbow - range:0-2 Dice: 1 hit: 4+ damage: 1 silent

Compound Bow - range: 1-3 Dice: 1 hit: 3+ damage:1 silent

Riot Gear - survivor has tough

Nunchucks - Range: 0 Dice: 2 Hit 4+ damage 1 silent

Football/Baseball Helmet - same effect as goalie mask

Air Jordans - survivor has slippery

Welding Gear - survivor can open or close doors silent

 

[Scorpion0x17]

found a molitov on a search as well as the components to make a second one

You're meant to remove the Molotov cards from the deck during set-up.

The idea is that you collect the components (and get them into one character's inventory) then swap them out for a Molotov card.

 

[Droganis]

Scorpion has it right. See #4 in set-up in the rulebook.

Interesting ideas, Paulson! I like the thought you've put into this so far. You'll have to tell us how it all works out.

 

[paulson games]

Doh! Hadn't seen that blurb about the molitov. What I might do is move dynamite up his skill tree to the red zone, sort of like an increasing rage meter, takes him a bit to build up to the point that he goes full A bomb at which point he brings out his "ace in the hole" for clearing out the course. (He'd start with the 9 iron and bucket of balls instead).

Granted the rules don't provide an instance in generating equipment late in the game, but it could work maybe?

 

[Scorpion0x17]

You could have Starts With 9 Iron, Bucket of Balls option in orange, then Dynamite in red.

 

[Raijen]

Machete is overall powerful, but he’s more of a background character for us. The main problem we had with him is he can’t go off alone. It takes too long to switch weapons to open the door, open the door, and then switch back to his machete. Another problem is sometimes you just need a ranged attack and he’s not particularly good at it. Not bad mind you, just that almost everyone else can do it at least slightly better. Plus the whole switching weapons problem.

As for custom heroes I’ve been going through my figures and browsing online to see what I can dig up. I’ve found an Alice from Resident Evil (film) rip-off which I’m thinking of using, as well as a combat rigged Scooby and Gang. I currently have some more mundane (non-sci-fi) versions of Firefly and Sucker Punch heroes.
What I am thinking of getting is a group of military figures, the problem is finding six with mostly identical uniforms that are all character detail. Found some guys in hazmat suits with assault rifles, thinking of trying to work them in as bad guys for a scenario.

 

[skeeter]

View attachment 15154
Looking forward to getting my Sedition Wars "Calamity" crew (Serenity/Fire Fly adapts) and creating a character sheet for them ...

1) Leader type, motivator, morale booster, adaptable to all weapons master of none.
2) Agile, prefers dual wield melee, "reader" (never rolls a 1).
3) Short range gun expert, reflex aiming (no auto-hit survivors).
4) Medium range gun bonuses, grenades, action booster when cornered.

 

[Dexterity Jones]

REally wish I had the money for Sedition wars, JUST for the Crew of the Serenity..... ahhh well, maybe I'll find them for sale someday.

 

[Raijen]

I almost bought the game because of them. The only problem I ran into was it then became $120 for those figures (as I couldn't use the Sedition Wars figures for anything else really, especially the Strain) or going all in for $200-$300 which would really be streaching my budget (especially since my wife was already upset by Zombicide).

 

[thefinn]

I'm on the lookout for some stylistically appropriate "librarian" art... My fiancée almost refuses to play the game with me strictly on the grounds of having terrible female characters. She wants a nerd-girl... I've got the rest of what I need to make the card (I've already built a whole Sedition Wars tie-in scenario), but haven't found good art. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[paulson games]

Try hassle free they might have something that'd work. http://www.hfminis.co.uk/

You may be able to make a nerdy girl out of the school girl model by greenstuffing on some glasses. Hasslefree mins are slightly smaller than the zombicide ones but still quite useable.

I thought the goth girl in zombicide makes a decent figure and I don't care much for goths.

 

[CptJake]

I'm on the lookout for some stylistically appropriate "librarian" art... My fiancée almost refuses to play the game with me strictly on the grounds of having terrible female characters. She wants a nerd-girl... I've got the rest of what I need to make the card (I've already built a whole Sedition Wars tie-in scenario), but haven't found good art. Anyone have any ideas?

I think Louise from Hasslefree fits well:

Regular (blue level)

Orange level?

Art for card: plenty online, such as:

 

[Sharkey1337]

Anyone with some photoshop skills willing to create this character sheet for "Shiv" (aka Blade)?

Found this image for Shiv:

Skills:

Blue:
1) Starts with Katana
Yellow:
1) +1 Action
Orange:
1) +1 free Combat Action
2) Slippery
Red:
1) +2 damage with Katana
2) Ninja
3) Amidextrous

Actually found the perfect figure too!