Humans are people who never caught the Z-Virus. They are almost everyone still alive in 2065, about 300 million people. Most of them were born after the Fall of 2035 and have never seen a world without zombies. They farm, hunt, trade, guard walls and pick through ruins to stay alive.
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5 to 6 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet
As a Human, you have these traits.
Resourceful. You gain Heroic Inspiration whenever you finish a long rest. You can spend it to reroll any one die right after you roll it, and you must use the new roll.
Skillful. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
Versatile. You gain one Origin feat of your choice. Road Kid, Stronghold Born, Scrounger and Lifeline Trained are common picks.
Humans can catch the Z-Virus. Only humans carry it, and animals never get it.
Bite. A zombie must grab you before it can bite. A bite that deals damage makes you Infected, with no save. Worn Bite Guards or Shin Guards let you roll a d20. On 11 or higher the teeth do not break the skin.
Fluids. Zombie blood or bile in your eyes, mouth or an open wound calls for a DC 13 Constitution save. On a failure you are Infected. Goggles or a gas mask give advantage.
Stages. The Fever comes first (0 to 6 hours, 1 level of Exhaustion after the first 5 minutes). Black Veins come next (6 to 24 hours, 2 more levels of Exhaustion and black lines on the neck and arms). The Turn comes last (24 to 48 hours). You die and make one DC 15 Constitution save. On a failure you rise as a zombie and the character is lost. On a success you wake as a Mutated. On a natural 20 you wake as a sentient Undead, or you may pick Mutated instead.
There are four ways to stop it.
A Booster Shot within 5 minutes of exposure stops the infection. Given later, it only gives advantage on the Turn save.
Cut it off. A bite on an arm or leg is stopped by cutting off the limb within 1 minute. It deals 3d6 slashing damage, and you must pass a DC 13 Constitution save or drop to 0 HP.
Burn it. Burn the wound within 1 minute. It deals 2d6 fire damage, then you make a DC 15 Constitution save. A success stops the infection.
A vaccine. It does not exist. It can only be made from the body or blood of Nell Avery, a girl who cannot be infected.
Humans also draw zombies first. When a zombie can reach both a Human and a Mutated, it goes for the Human.
Every stronghold lets Humans in. Gate guards test everyone with a Blood Test Kit, a paper strip and a drop of blood. A clean strip means you may enter. A black strip means the Z-Virus, and the guards turn you away or hold you.
Humans run almost every group that matters, from the Gate Compact and Lifeline to the Grange, the Salt Fleet and the Tollmen. The Burners are Humans too. They burn the dead, and they also burn Mutated and Undead.
Your Origin feat says who you were in the 30 years since 2035. Pick one that fits your story, such as a farm child, a road kid or a clinic worker.
Wear Bite Guards and Shin Guards. The d20 roll against a bite is often the difference between a scar and the Turn.
Save for a Booster Shot. It costs 100 Credits and is rarely for sale, and it only fully works in the first 5 minutes.
Carry a quiet weapon. A knife, a hatchet or a bow keeps the hordes away. Guns are Loud.
Spend Heroic Inspiration on the rolls that matter most, such as a bite roll, a grab escape, a death save or the Turn save. You get it back after every long rest.
The Clean Blood feat (level 4) gives Humans more time and better saves against the Z-Virus.