As noted in the rulebook, there have been many books and movies about zombies, and many of them have there own types of zombies. For example, I Am Legend an about vampire-like zombies, while 28 Days Later had living zombies who suffer from a disease that causes mindless rage, but its Romero's band of brain-eating, shuffling corpses that have become the most iconic (although to my knowledge, George Romero did not come up with the brain-eating thing). Video games also add a wide range of zombies, as shooting the same type of corpses gets really, really old. This post is about exploring ideas for different types of zombies, and other zombie-like nasties, then coming-up with rules and stats to cover them. I have yet to brake-in the rules, so I'm just throwing out ideas. If anyone have any ideas or suggestions, then please reply.
Undead Animals - They are zombie versions of animals. Imagine a pack of zombie-wolves!!!
Ghouls - They are a form of zombie with low/animal-like intelligence, and a taste of flesh. They attack like predators, by stalking their pray, but will run if confronted by superior numbers or fire. They usually have a nasty bite and claws. They dont always kill female victims outright (dont dwell too hard the idea). Some options can include paralysis by touch (as in D&D), and near/total blindness with keen sent (as a new talent).
Wendigo - Human cannibals who turn into ghoul-like creatures (not undead) or man-eating beasts do to some supernatural force.
Revenants - Someone with unfinished business on earth, and will walk the earth until their overriding objective is fulfilled - usually to avenge their murder or betrayal. They are as intelligent as in life.
Crazies/Corpse-eaters: These are people who have became mad from the outbreak and act like brutal zombies. They may limit themselves to the living, or eat living and zombie alike. If they look crazy and unkempt, then folks would confuse them for real zombies. As an option, you my find a normal-looking and rational-speaking person, that turns crazy with the right triggers.
Corpse-Master - This is a person or intelligence-zombie that can control zombies.
Bloat Zombies - In warm weather, corpses bloat... then explode if you poke them with a stick. These zombies are like a pinata of diseased guts and flesh. Protip: Do not poke Bloat Zombies!
Rage Zombies - Zombies are usually aggressive towards the living, these are are fast and bloodthirsty (think 28 Days Later)
Vampiric Zombies - This is like a zombie with the Absorb Vitality trait, but it must bit the target and spend some combat rounds to suck-out the blood.
Vampires - These are classic blood-suckers from so many books, shows and games. If they look life-like, they are treated as normal NPCs (with some unusual habits and behavior) until their true nature is exposed. They usually have well established Hollywood traits and weaknesses (unless you count that female author who shall go nameless), but old myths are full of strange one into themselves. They could look like hansom - if pale - people, or they could look as freakish as Nosferatu. If they look freakish or corpse-like, they could use fresh blood or illusion to keep a life-like appearance.
Demonic Corpse - This a copse possessed by a demonic spirit. They could have supernatural powers.
Parasitic Zombies - These are some sort of mutant/alien creature, or nanobytes that take host in a dead or living body, then makes a zombie out of them.
Mutant Zombies - They are like normal zombies (or any variation for that matter), but are effected my some mutagen - like radiation or a retro-virus - that turns them into some deformed horror. (video games are full of great examples of these)
Cyber-Zombies - Through some form of advanced technology, there are creatures that are half-flesh-and-bone/half-machine. They might be a military experiment gone wrong (as in Universal Soldier), a bad side-effect of an overly fast and irresponsible cyberware market, or they could be some sort of robotic AI or nanos that merges with whatever machinery or corpse that it happens by (think of the Boomers from Bubblegum Crisis, but more fleshy).