Homebrew Zombie Species Details
Zombies are undead creatures that arise from the graves of the restless. They are between the veil of life and death, constantly teetering on becoming mindless husks of hunger. Many Zombies are different in their behavior, but a common factor that all Zombies inherit is a hunger for humanoid flesh. Most Zombies crave brains, the pinnacle of humanity, but don't require them. Many zombies are also able to keep a humanoid appearance, as flesh not only satiates them, but keep their body from decaying. Zombies typically keep the appearance of what they looked like during their death, but have desaturated and sunken features. It is a common myth that all Zombies are rotting, gutted, gory corpses, as many zombies are able to live their lives as they did before.
Zombie Traits
Zombies are naturally more athletic than other races, and are known to have increased adrenaline that gives them the upper hand when they are hurt. Zombies are able to regenerate at alarming speeds when allowed to feed, and have been known to go into "feeding frenzies" that makes them near unstoppable when they get a taste for blood.Zombody
Gain a +1 to all physical stats (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution), increased to +2 while under half health, and +3 while under a quarter health. When this bonus is increased to +2, you get -1 to all Mental stats (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma). When this bonus is +3, you get -2 to all mental stats.
When dropping to 0 hitpoints, you are not knocked unconscious but still roll death saving throws, and you are now in a full "Zombie State". You get out of the zombie state when you gain back hitpoints (or are otherwise put out of the dying state). While in a Zombie State your mental stats are dropped to 2, and your physical stats are increased by 5, as well as the maximum cap. These stats cannot be changed until out of the Zombie State. Once out of the Zombie State you suffer a fatigue and are given 1d4-2 states of exhaustion, with a minimum of 1. Once out of the Zombie State your stats are set back to what they would normally be.
Zombie Bite
Instead of making an unarmed strike, you may attempt to bite a creature. When biting a creature, you instead deal necrotic damage, and heal for half of the damage dealt. A creature bitten this way must roll a successful constitution save of 5 or be infected. Infected creatures heal you for the full amount when bitten instead, and will take an extra d4 damage from all sources. Infected creatures are no longer infected when they are cured of an ailment (such as lesser/greater restoration). If an infected creature dies, they also turn into a zombie. You cannot heal from this feature while in the Zombie State, but deal double damage, and can critically strike on a roll of 17-20.
Zombies made from this feature will be husks of hunger, meaning they see no one as an ally or enemy, and act purely out of aggression and starvation.
Apocalyptic Strength
You gain proficiency in Acrobatics and Athletics. When in the Zombie State you gain:
- Advantage to both of these skills, as well as Physical saving throws.
- +2 to both of these skills
- -5 to Animal handling, Deception, Medicine, Nature, Performance, Religion, and Sleight of hand checks.
Eternal Hunger
You may spend time eating a corpse to heal for a certain amount, depending on the amount of time spent:
- Spending 30 minutes grants healing equal to 3 of the creatures hit die
- Spending 1 hour grants healing equal to half of the creatures hit die, with a minimum of 4
- Spending 2 hours grants healing equal to all of the creatures hit die, with a minimum of 5
Zombies need to eat at least 1d8 pounds of flesh per month, or will go into a starving state. Zombies in a starving state have trouble controlling themselves, and must roll a constitution saving throw (DC 10) every 6 seconds to keep them from attacking an ally. Zombies who have not eaten enough for an additional month will not be able to control themselves at all, and will always attack the nearest living creature.
Feeding Frenzy
After reducing a creature to 0 hitpoints or eating a corpse, zombies go into a Feeding Frenzy for 12 seconds. When a Feeding Frenzy is activated, it refreshes the zombies turn. While in a Feeding Frenzy, zombies gain the following:
- Advantage to all saving throws
- Immunity to exhaustion, charmed, frightened, incapacitated, prone, restrained, stunned, and unconscious effects. Zombies already under these effects ignore (but don't end) them for the next 6 seconds.
- Can critically hit on a roll of 18-20, but can also critically fail on a roll of 1-3.
- An extra 10 feet of movement
- 30ft of Darkvision
While in a Feeding Frenzy, Zombies will attack the closest living creature.
Decaying Physique
Zombies bodies have very big weak spots, and cannot properly sustain themselves. Zombies gain the following:
- You are an undead, and are targeted as an undead and/or humanoid for the purposes of features, spells, etc.
- You can only heal from biting when you bite a living creature.
- Creatures with knowledge of the undead may attempt to target your head when making an attack roll. They may roll a d6, and on a 6, they deal double damage and cause you to roll a constitution saving throw (DC 15) or be stunned for your next turn.
- You cannot take reactions when under half health
- You gain vulnerability to Radiant and Psychic damage, but immunity to necrotic damage
- If you have not eaten any flesh at the end of a day, your body will begin to Decay. While your body is Decaying, you do not gain bonuses from the Zombody feature, and you take 1d12 necrotic damage every 30 minutes, which cannot be reduced in any way.
- You cannot be converted to another race, such as a Vampire.
Necroid
Necroids are Zombies that retain most of their humanity. They are, lack for better words, self-made zombies. Rather than dying and being raised back from the dead, they instead have been given self-necrosis, which decays their body and mind over time. They possess many of the same features of normal zombies, just slightly changed and warped due to dark magic. Necriods typically speak and behave like regular humanoids, near indistinguishable from a living being. However, some Necroids still rot and decay like other zombies, which many people mistake as a hungry zombie.
Zombody and Zomind
Gain a +4 to all Mental stats, Decreased to +2 while under half health, and -2 while under a quarter health. When this bonus is Decreased to +2, you get +1 to all physical stats . When this bonus is -2 , you get +2 all physical stats. Necroids lose -2 to all physical stats when not under a quarter health.
When at 0 hitpoints, you are not knocked unconscious but still roll death saving throws, and are now in a Rapid Necrosis. Necroids in a Rapid Necrosis gain +3 to all physical stats and all mental stats are set to 4. These stats cannot be changed until put out of Rapid Necrosis.
You may ask your DM to make a separate character sheet for a Necroid that is under a quarter health and/or in a Rapid Necrosis. This character sheet must have the same level, race, and rolled stats, but may differ in class, features, spells, etc.
Zombie Bite
Instead of making an unarmed strike, you may attempt to bite a creature. When biting a creature, you instead deal necrotic damage, and heal for half of the damage dealt. A creature bitten this way must roll a successful constitution save of 5 or be infected. Infected creatures heal you for the full amount when bitten instead, and will take an extra d8 damage from all sources. Infected creatures are no longer infected when they are cured of an ailment (such as lesser/greater restoration). If an infected creature dies, they also turn into a zombie.
Undead Mind
You gain proficiency in Deception and Intimidation. When at full health you gain:
- Advantage to both of these skills, as well as Mental saving throws.
- +2 to both of these skills
- +5 to Perception, Investigation, and Stealth
Eternal Hunger
You may spend time eating a corpse to heal for a certain amount, depending on the amount of time spent:
- Spending 30 minutes grants healing equal to 3 of the creatures hit die
- Spending 1 hour grants healing equal to half of the creatures hit die, with a minimum of 4
- Spending 2 hours grants healing equal to all of the creatures hit die, with a minimum of 5
Zombies need to eat at least 1d8 pounds of flesh per month, or will go into a starving state. Zombies in a starving state have trouble controlling themselves, and must roll a constitution saving throw (DC 10) every 6 seconds to keep them from attacking an ally. Zombies who have not eaten enough for an additional month will not be able to control themselves at all, and will always attack the nearest living creature.
Feeding Frenzy
After reducing a creature to 0 hitpoints or eating a corpse, zombies go into a Feeding Frenzy for 12 seconds. When a Feeding Frenzy is activated, it refreshes the zombies turn. While in a Feeding Frenzy, zombies gain the following:
- Advantage to all saving throws
- Immunity to exhaustion, charmed, frightened, incapacitated, prone, restrained, stunned, and unconscious effects. Zombies already under these effects ignore (but don't end) them for the next 6 seconds.
- Can critically hit on a roll of 18-20, but can also critically fail on a roll of 1-3.
- An extra 10 feet of movement
- 30ft of Darkvision
While in a Feeding Frenzy, Zombies will attack the closest living creature.
Decaying Physique
Zombies bodies have very big weak spots, and cannot properly sustain themselves. Zombies gain the following:
- You are an undead, and are targeted as an undead and/or humanoid for the purposes of features, spells, etc.
- You can only heal from biting when you bite a living creature.
- Creatures with knowledge of the undead may attempt to target your head when making an attack roll. They may roll a d6, and on a 6, they deal double damage and cause you to roll a constitution saving throw (DC 15) or be stunned for your next turn.
- You cannot take reactions when under half health
- You gain vulnerability to Radiant and Psychic damage, but immunity to necrotic damage
- If you have not eaten any flesh at the end of a day, your body will begin to Decay. While your body is Decaying, you do not gain bonuses from the Zombody feature, and you take 1d12 necrotic damage every 30 minutes, which cannot be reduced in any way.
- You cannot be converted to another race, such as a Vampire.







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