Merrit Alban Beech, Half-Living (Dead Reign, Palladium Books)
Startlingly tall, skinny, pale, cool skin, Merritt appears as though he just died and no one bothered to tell him he shouldn't be walking around. Some wiseacres have said he looks a lot better now than he did in the office.
Merritt's memories of before near-death are still there, but he doesn't remember being what you'd call happy. There are no moments he can point to and say, there, that was when he felt joy. But he's not sure if he's unhappy now or preferred whatever living hell he was consigned to previously. He does know that he feels a visceral terror thinking about the other side of near-death or that anyone would become like him or complete the passage, so that's what he dedicates himself to preventing.
Never offer Merritt a cup of Java.
Characteristics:
- Sex: Male-ish, he's not alive and not dead, sex is kind of a moot point, a philosophical issue perhaps, but largely irrelevant to Merritt at this point.
- Age: 34
- Height: Tall 7'
- Build: Skinny
- Alignment: Principled
- Background: Closest family is surviving in a safe haven community. They tell him he grew up in Michigan, had a degree and worked in a nice company. All he can remember is grey. Grey walls. Grey furniture.
- Aptitude: Natural Zombie Hunter - bonuses figured in below
- Outlook & Disposition: Bucket List of the Dead - Merritt doesn't have any cherished memories and wants to make some, experience his half-life before it's gone, since his full life was somewhat less than full.
Attributes:
- IQ: 11
- ME: 10
- MA: 5
- PS: 23 (was 15) (+8 to HtH damage)
- PP: 9
- PE: 11
- PB: 11 (was 15)
- Spd: 10 (was 20)
Scores:
- AR: 7
- HP: 15
- SDC: 29 (was 15)
- PPE: 4 (was 8)
- HF: N/A
Saving Throws:
- Horror Factor: +7
- Poison: +4
- Disease: +6
- Coma/Death: -15%
Adjustments:
- Resistant to Cold & Heat: Half damage
- Resistant to Poison & Disease: +4 to save, duration & effects 50%
- Stronger: PS +50%
- Acceptance: Most zombies do not see a half-living as alive. Following types chance to recognize.
- Thinker 40%
- Mock Zombie 55%
- Death Priest 70%
- Recognition: Many humans will mistake the half-living for the undead 40% chance
- Attributes: SPD 50%, PPE 50%, PB -30%
- Lost Skills: 50% of all skills were lost.
- Fire: Doesn't like fire. Uncomfortable in the presence of.
- Zombie Moan Echo Location: pinpoint in 45 seconds (3 turns)
- Death = Full Zombie in 1d6+6 minutes
Skills
- Camouflage (+10%)
- Climb (+15%)
- Detect Ambush (+5%)
- Excavation or Firefighting (+14%)
- First Aid (+10%)
- General Repair & Maintenance (+10%)
- Pilot: Motorcycle (+10%).
- Prowl (+10%)
- Land Navigation (+12%)
- Philosophy (+10%)
- Radio: Basic (+10%)
- Recognize Weapon Quality (+5%)
- Rope Works (+10%)
- Tracking (people & zombies; +10%)
- Wilderness Survival (+10%)
- W.P. Ancient: Sword
- W.P. Ancient: Crossbow
- W.P. Modern: Shotgun
- W.P. Modern: Revolver
Weapons:
- large crowbar, Dmg: 2d6
- combat shotgun: Rng: 150', Dmg: 5d6 / 1d6x10 / 2d4x10+8
- .357 Magnum revolver: Rng: , Dmg: 4d6, RoF; 1/1
- claymore: 2d6
- heavy crossbow: Rng: 700', Dmg: 2d8, RoF: 1/1
Combat:
- attacks/actions: 4
- kick attack 1D8 damage
- +1 to initiative
- +1 to strike
- +1 to dodge
- +2 to pull punch
- +2 to roll with punch, fall or impact
Standard Equipment:
- camouflage clothing
- street clothes
- running shoes
- boots
- gloves,
- leather jacket
- body armour (choice)
- rain poncho
- 2x sheets of camouflage netting (blanket-sized)
- box cutter (1D4 S.D.C.)
- survival knife (2D4 S.D.C.)
- first aid kit
- heavy-duty
- flashlight
- small flashlight
- pocket mirror
- 3x disposable cigarette lighters
- matches (1 book)
- duct tape (1 roll)
- eating utensils (set, knife, fork, spoon, drinking cup)
- binoculars
- walkie-talkie
- sunglasses
- two canteens
- backpack
- duffle bag
- knapsack
- food rations (1 week’s worth)
- some personal items
Commentary:
I have a love-hate relationship with Palladium. On the one hand the lore they put into their settings is amazing. And the unique spins they put on the settings make them memorable versus other games that hit-and-miss. I suppose that's one of the reasons they are still around. On the other, they seem to miss so many opportunities to make it richer, deeper, and more complex.
Then there's the layout and organization. I feel like the earlier books, the original revised Heroes Unlimited, the TMNT books, and Robotech were much easier to read and easier to find everything.
Looking at Dead Reign, if I wanted to use this with Rifts or Heroes Unlimited, unless the later revisions/editions are already aligned, there are things I would have to change. Just the number of attacks allowed is different, and the hand-to-hand styles are not the same across different books. I don't want to say it, because I'm quite tired of Rolemaster's multiple attempts to re-create itself across editions, but I think Palladium could benefit from a general revision that put every game on a level playing field. It would be a great opportunity to introduce modern play style concepts. And I don't mean less crunch. I think if you took the huge character generation and complex, freewheeling combat away, you would be taking away one of the games' characteristic and eccentric charms.
I so wish that I could play or run a game that takes place between Dark Day and the Rifting with Dead Reign just another horrible aspect of the world sliding towards Armageddon.
That would truly be a kick-ass campaign.