Hey there, I'm writing up ideas for a new campaign using Pathfinder rules, and a significant portion of it is going to involve defending a stronghold against hordes of the undead, raiders, the works. Planning on using Core Rulebook-era game setting in Golarion; mostly medieval fantasy, Gunsmiths and Alchemists allowed, although guns will be rare.
I'm looking for some general input for things to keep in mind for this game, things that might make great side-quests(raiding nearby areas for supplies), day to day upkeep, etc. Doesn't need to be PF rules-specific, just some ideas and input to add more detail to the game and "flesh it out." Pun absolutely intended.
The stronghold isn't going to be the permanent fate of the campaign, at some point the players will get the opportunity to face the cause of the zombie threat head-on, but at least a large portion of the game will be holing up with survivors in a wasteland of the wandering dead.
I posted this here and not in the Pathfinder game area, because I don't necessarily need specific game mechanics, just overall ideas. I can translate ideas into game mechanics later.
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Food and water. Yes, a cleric can create those but only in limited amounts. And if they begin in low levels, having to prepare that spell every day will limit his options and would't allow him to go anywhere lest the settlement will starve.
Supplies. Without trade, the settlement only has a limited amount of metals and wood available. If there is a mining or lumbering spot close by, it would need to be secured, and supply lines set up.
Those came off the top of my head. Please keep us posted on how it goes.
Food and water are definitely going to be a concern, and having a cleric cast the spell is the "easy way out." But like you said, having to use up spell slots for that spell is going to severely limit their other capabilities.
Basically, what's happening in the world, is a massive force of Negative Energy is hurtling toward the world. Over time, the massive amounts of negative energy this thing creates permeates the very air and soil itself. Dead things won't stay dead. Wounds heal slower, plant life dies, etc. These things are going to prevent the players from simply retiring in their fortress and (hopefully) spurn them into dealing with the cause head on.
Basing a lot of this on the Atropus entry from the 3.5e book Elder Evils. The world itself begins surging with negative energy, and eventually divine magic starts changing and ceases to function, as this massive entity of negative severs the god's link with civilization.
The basic feel I'm trying to deliver with this game is early Final Fantasy meets AMC's The Walking Dead.
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... and eventually divine magic starts changing and ceases to function, as this massive entity of negative severs the god's link with civilization.
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That would screw over the divine casters more and more,
so I would not recommend that route.
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... and eventually divine magic starts changing and ceases to function, as this massive entity of negative severs the god's link with civilization.
...That would screw over the divine casters more and more,
so I would not recommend that route.
It's going to depend greatly on how many divine casters are going to be in the party. If we have an actual cleric/druid/etc, then the change will be less drastic. Basic mechanics being a slight penalty to any spells utilizing positive energy(Cure, etc) and a caster level bonus to spells using negative energy(Inflict, etc). If there are no divine casters in the party, the changes will be more thematic and cosmetic.
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If you want to lure them out of the fortress, you can make them really desperate by staging more and more night attacks, so that the chances of characters getting a good night's rest become slimmer and slimmer. No need to take away cleric powers then.
Also when reading your post instantly 2 adventure titles sprang to mind:
1) The siege of Kratys Freehold (dungeon 33)
2) Tammeraut's fate (dungeon 106)
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You might watch The Colony. It is not zombie related at all but does show lots of the psychological things that a group that of survivors go through. It also shows what sort of physical things they need and must endure. It is set in modern times, but there is so much in every episode that I think it would be well worth your time. If nothing else you can use it to flesh out NPC's.
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... and eventually divine magic starts changing and ceases to function, as this massive entity of negative severs the god's link with civilization.
...That would screw over the divine casters more and more,
so I would not recommend that route.
I think its a great idea. Force them to clear areas, set up shrines, convert survivors to be able to get the juice back through the darkness to the clerics. It will lead to quests! Roleplaying.
I've run a few zombie type games.
Ran a all flesh game, set in medieval Russia. Players were Polish invaders in a fort. It was damn good. They got surrounded, horse got eaten. Players died and came back. Limbs got severed. NPCs needed to be protected. They eventually escaped, to a very desolate Kiev.
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You should have the zombies wreck their stronghold, so they have to keep up the maintenance in their downtime. Also zombie bodies might pile up and poison their supplies and create obstacles if they aren't busy burning or removing the corpses.
You should have the zombies wreck their stronghold, so they have to keep up the maintenance in their downtime. Also zombie bodies might pile up and poison their supplies and create obstacles if they aren't busy burning or removing the corpses.
That sound like a very good idea