• Overview
  • Map
  • Areas
  • Points of Interest
  • Characters
  • Races
  • Classes
  • Factions
  • Monsters
  • Items
  • Spells
  • Feats
  • Quests
  • One-Shots
  • Game Master
  1. World Z
  3. Lore

Infection Rules

Getting bitten

A zombie must grab (grapple) a creature before it can bite it. A bite that deals damage makes the target Infected. There is no save.

Bite Guards and Shin Guards

Worn Bite Guards protect the arms. Worn Shin Guards protect the legs. When a zombie bites a guarded arm or leg, the target rolls a d20. On 11 or higher, the teeth do not break the skin and the target is not infected.

Blood and bile

Zombie blood or bile in the eyes, the mouth or an open wound can infect. The target makes a Constitution save, DC 13. On a fail, the target is Infected. Goggles or a gas mask give advantage on this save. Bloater Zombies burst and Spitter Zombies spit, so both cause this save.

The three stages

Stage 1, The Fever. From 0 to 6 hours after exposure. Nothing happens for the first 5 minutes. This is the Booster window. Then the target gains 1 level of Exhaustion.

Stage 2, Black Veins. From 6 to 24 hours after exposure. The target gains 2 more levels of Exhaustion. Black lines show along the veins in the neck and arms. Anyone who looks can see them.

Stage 3, The Turn. From 24 to 48 hours after exposure. The character dies. Then the player makes one Constitution save, DC 15.

The Turn save

  • Fail. The character rises as a zombie and is lost.

  • Success. The character wakes up alive as Mutated. Change the race to Mutated.

  • Natural 20. The character wakes up as a sentient Undead. The player may pick Mutated instead.

Stopping the infection

  1. Booster Shot. Given within 5 minutes of exposure, it stops the infection. Given later than 5 minutes, it only gives advantage on the Turn save.

  2. Cut it off. A bite on an arm or a leg can be stopped by cutting off the limb within 1 minute. It deals 3d6 slashing damage. The target makes a Constitution save, DC 13, or drops to 0 HP. The limb is gone. A Prosthetic can be crafted later.

  3. Burn it. Burn the wound within 1 minute. It deals 2d6 fire damage. Then the target makes a Constitution save, DC 15. On a success the infection stops. On a fail nothing changes.

  4. Vaccine. A vaccine does not exist.

Who cannot be infected

  • Mutated are already infected. They cannot be infected again.

  • Undead cannot be infected.

  • Animals never get the Z-Virus.

GM notes

  • Write down the time of every exposure. The stages run on real game time.

  • Tell the player when the 5 minute Booster window closes.

  • Black Veins are easy to see. Guards and townsfolk react to them.