Marvel Zombies: A Zombicide Game
Marvel Zombies: A Zombicide Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
87 Game Pieces
- 6 Zombie Heroes: Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Hulk, Captain Marvel, Deadpool
- 6 Super Heroes: Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Ms. Marvel, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man
- 12 Bystanders: J. Jonah Jameson, Agent Coulson, Aunt May, Pepper Potts, Sharon Carter, Betty Ross, Mary Jane, Blind Al, Thunderbolt Ross, Hydra Bob, Okoye, Wong
- 63 S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents: 35 Troopers, 14 Guards, 14 Specialists
9 Double-Sided Tiles
140 Cards
- 6 Zombie Hero ID Cards
- 45 Zombie Trait Cards
- 42 Spawn Cards
- 16 Bystander Cards
- 6 Super Hero Cards
- 1 Avengers Sign Reference Card
41 Tokens
- Avengers Sign Token (intact/damaged): 1
- Door Tokens (open/closed): 14
- Blue Door Token (open/closed): 1
- Green Door Token (open/closed): 1
- Objective Tokens Red/Red: 7
- Objective Token Blue/Red: 1
- Objective Token Green/Red: 1
- First Spawn Point Token: 1
- Spawn Point Tokens Red/Red: 5
- Spawn Point Token Blue/Red: 1
- Spawn Point Token Green/Red: 1
- Exit Token: 1
- Activation Tokens: 6
Other Components
6 Plastic Dashboards, 6 Color Bases, 6 Dice, 12 Tracker Cubes
Hero Mode Contents
This box also contains the cards needed to use its Heroes and Bystanders in Hero Mode. The Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance core box is needed to play in Hero Mode.
- 12 Bystander Cards
- 6 Super Hero ID Cards
- 6 Zombie Hero Cards
Zombie Mode / Hero Mode
The rules contained in this box are for Zombie Mode, in which players control ravenous Zombie Heroes against the last remaining living Super Heroes. However, Marvel Zombies can also be played in Hero Mode, with those roles reversed, by using the contents and rules from the Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance core box.
Setup
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Choose a Mission. Each Mission can be played with 4 Zombie Heroes with additional instructions for 5-6 Zombie Heroes (controlled by 1-6 players). Any Mission may be played with fewer Zombie Heroes, but this increases the difficulty!
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Place the Tiles as indicated on the Mission map.
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Place any Spawn Points and other Tokens as well as any game pieces as indicated by the Mission.
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Unless otherwise indicated by the Mission, remove both Secret Mission cards from the Bystander deck. Then, place 1 random Bystander Card facedown in each Zone featuring the Bystander icon.
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Take and separate the following card types, identified by their unique card backs. Shuffle each of these into their own deck and place them facedown near the board:
a. Spawn Deck: These cards bring the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents and Super Heroes players will face during the game.
b. Super Hero Deck: Each time a Super Hero card is drawn from the Spawn deck, a random Super Hero is spawned. Each Super Hero presents a unique challenge!
c. Zombie Trait Deck: A deck of abilities that the Zombie Heroes can tap into, unleashing new powers.
d. Bystander Deck: Notable characters that can appear during the game for players to hunt. Some already begin hiding on the board, but others can be spawned through special events!
e. Avengers Sign Reference Card: This card is a reminder of the rules for this interactive item.
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Gather the number of Zombie Heroes chosen to play with (4, 5, or 6) and distribute them among the players in any way they see fit. Players sit around the table in any order they choose, playing cooperatively against the game, forming a single team.
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Players take 1 Dashboard for each of their Zombie Heroes, placing it in front of them, with the Zombie Hero's ID Card on it. Make sure the sliding tracker is on the 0 space of the blue area of the Danger Bar.
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For each Zombie Hero, players take 2 Tracker Cubes and a Color Base of the chosen color. They place a tracker on the rightmost slot of their Health Bar and another tracker on the 0 slot of their Hunger Track. Then, attach the color base to the Zombie Hero game piece.
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Place the game pieces representing the chosen Zombie Heroes in the Zombie Hero Starting Zone as indicated by the Mission.
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Each player then takes 1 Activation token, placing it with its green (Unactivated) side faceup next to their Dashboard.
Game Overview
Winning and Losing
The game is won immediately when all Mission objectives have been completed. The game is lost at the end of any Game Round in which a Zombie Hero has been eliminated, or when a Mission-specific losing condition is met. This is a cooperative game, so all players win or lose together!
Game Rounds
Marvel Zombies - A Zombicide Game is played over a series of Game Rounds which proceed as follows:
Player Phase: This is the Phase in which the Zombie Heroes perform various Actions, such as moving across the gameboard, performing Attacks, and Devouring Enemies!
Enemy Phase: Once all Zombie Heroes have activated, the Player Phase ends and the Enemy Phase begins. During this phase, any Enemies currently on the gameboard attempt to eliminate the Zombie Heroes and new Enemies are spawned.
End Phase: Each Mission, and some Skills, may list certain effects that happen during the End Phase. Most importantly, if any Zombie Hero has been eliminated, the players immediately lose the game when the End Phase is reached! Otherwise, once the End Phase is completed, a new Game Round begins.
The Basics
Before we get into specifics, here are some general rules that will aid players:
Useful Definitions
Enemy: This term refers to the various S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents and Super Heroes. This term includes all Troopers, Guards, and Specialists, as well as all Super Heroes. It does not include Bystanders!
Super Hero: A living Super Hero spawned and controlled by the game to fight the players.
Zombie Hero: A zombie Super Hero controlled by a player.
Zone: Inside a building, a Zone is a room. On a street, a Zone is the area between two linear markings (or a linear marking and the board's edge) and the walls of buildings.
For example, a street Zone may be delimited by linear markings, a wall, and the board's edge, and can straddle multiple tiles. A building Zone is a room delineated by walls; a building with several rooms forms several separate building Zones (even if they straddle two tiles as a single building).
Line of Sight
Line of Sight defines whether two elements on the gameboard (Zombie Heroes, Enemies, Bystanders, etc.) can see each other.
In Street Zones, Line of Sight is traced in straight lines that run parallel to the edges of the board. Line of Sight cannot be traced diagonally. Elements have Line of Sight through as many Zones as the line can pass through before reaching a wall or the edge of the board.
IMPORTANT: All Zombie Hero Skills, Traits, and Abilities require Line of Sight unless specifically stated otherwise.
In Building Zones, Line of Sight can be traced to any room that shares an opening with the room the element is currently in. If there is an opening, the walls do not block Line of Sight between 2 Zones. However, Line of Sight is limited to a distance of only 1 Zone.
Line of Sight traced from inside a building out onto street Zones may be traced through any number of street Zones in a straight line. Line of Sight traced from a street Zone into a building may only be traced 1 Zone into the building.
Closed Doors block Line of Sight.
Enemies, Bystanders, and Zombie Heroes don't block Line of Sight.
For example, Hulk, standing in a street Zone, sees in straight lines up to walls, closed doors, and the board's edge; he can see into a building through an open door, but not through to the other side. Iron Man, standing in a street Zone, has Line of Sight into 4 different rooms through open doors, but can't see more than 1 Zone through building Zones, and through an open door he can also see out of the building in a straight line over several street Zones. Captain Marvel, standing inside a building, has Line of Sight through the street, up to 1 Zone into the building on the other side of the street, but her Line of Sight can be interrupted by a closed door.
Movement
Game pieces such as Zombie Heroes, Enemies, and Bystanders can move from their Zone to an adjacent one. An adjacent Zone shares at least one unobstructed edge with their current Zone. Corners do not count. This means no diagonal movements!
In Street Zones, movement from one empty Zone to another has no restrictions. However, game pieces must go through an open door (or opening) to move from a building Zone to a street Zone and vice-versa.
In Building Zones, game pieces may move from one Zone to another as long as their Zones are linked by an opening (such as an open door). The position of a game piece in the Zone and the layout of the walls do not matter as long as the Zones share an opening.
Zombie Hero movement is hindered by Enemies in their Zone (p. 13).
For example, Deadpool can move 1 Zone left or right through the street, but he cannot move diagonally, and a closed door prevents him from entering a building — it must be opened first. Captain America, on the other hand, can move wherever he wants within a building where all walls have openings and the door is open. Remember: no diagonal Moves!
Reading an ID Card
Each Zombie Hero has a unique ID card featuring the following information:
- Health: Each time a Zombie Hero is wounded, this track is reduced by 1. If it ever reaches 0 (zero), that Zombie Hero is eliminated.
- Hunger Track: Representing the insatiable hunger for flesh, Zombie Heroes become more dangerous as their Hunger Level rises. However, if it gets too high, they become Ravenous, losing all control (see The Hunger, below)! The Hunger Track is important when Zombie Heroes are performing Attack Actions.
- Attacks: Each Zombie Hero has a unique Attack, as well as a common Devour Attack. Attacks are described in detail in the Combat section.
- Skills: Each Zombie Hero has their own unique Skills, unlocked as they gain Experience (see below).
Experience, Danger Level, and Skills
Each time a Zombie Hero eliminates an Enemy, they gain 1 Experience Point (XP). Or, in the case of enemy Super Heroes, 1 Experience Point for each Toughness they had (see Super Heroes in Enemies, below). Whenever Experience is gained, advance that Zombie Hero's Danger Bar by that amount. Some Missions may also provide additional ways to gain Experience.
There are 4 Danger Levels on the Danger Bar: Blue, Yellow, Orange, and Red. Reaching a new Danger Level provides the Zombie Hero with a new unlocked Skill to help them on their Mission.
Gaining Experience has a side effect, however! When players draw a Spawn Card, read the line that corresponds to the highest Danger Level achieved by ANY Zombie Hero (see Spawn Enemies, below). The more dangerous the Zombie Heroes become, the greater the forces sent to neutralize them!
A Zombie Hero starts the game at the Blue Danger Level with 0 Experience Points and a single Skill, and from the start of the game can use their unique Attack and Devour Attack. The Yellow Danger Level is reached with 7 Experience Points; the Zombie Hero gains a 4th Action to use every Turn. The Orange Danger Level is reached with 19 Experience Points, unlocking another Skill. The Red Danger Level is reached with 43 Experience Points; all Skills are now available.
(As an example of a Spawn Card's Danger-Level-dependent effects: at the Blue Level it might read "2 Troopers," at the Yellow Level "3 Troopers," at the Orange Level "8 Troopers," and at the Red Level "9 Troopers" — the same card grows more dangerous as the Zombie Heroes gain Experience.)
Enemies
There are 4 types of Enemies. Most Enemies have only a single Action they perform when they activate. The exceptions to this are Specialists and Super Heroes, who each have 2 Actions per Activation. An Enemy is eliminated as soon as it is assigned enough Hits during a single Attack Action to match its Toughness value. The Zombie Hero that eliminates the Enemy gains 1 Experience Point, except in the case of Super Heroes, which grant Experience equal to their Toughness value.
Trooper
Wielding electroshock batons, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Troopers' real strength is in numbers. Keep your distance, though. You never know when they might open fire!
- Actions: 1
- Toughness: 1
- XP Reward: 1
Guard
Packing electroshock gauntlets and heavy armor, it's hard to get past S.H.I.E.L.D. Guards to munch on the Bystanders they sometimes escort around.
- Actions: 1
- Toughness: 2
- XP Reward: 1
Specialist
The elite S.H.I.E.L.D. Specialists are fast and deadly, with jetpacks that allow them to drop right on top of unsuspecting zombies!
- Actions: 2
- Toughness: 1
- XP Reward: 1
Super Hero
Each Super Hero is powerful and unique, but they are all equally determined to stop the zombie invasion.
- Actions: 2
- Toughness: X — this is specific to each Super Hero, as indicated on their Super Hero card.
- XP Reward: Equal to their Toughness.
- Each Super Hero also has a unique Ability listed on their Super Hero card which is in effect as long as they are on the board.
Player Phase
During each Player Phase, the following steps must be taken, in order:
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Increase Hunger Tracks: All players increase their Hunger Track by 1.
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Refresh Activation Tokens: All players flip their Activation tokens to their green (Unactivated) side.
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Activate Zombie Heroes: All the Zombie Heroes are activated, one by one. Each Round, the players choose the order in which to activate each Zombie Hero. During their Turn, a Zombie Hero can perform up to 3 Actions at the Blue Danger Level (not counting any free Action their Blue Level Skill might give them). The Actions available to a Zombie Hero are as follows:
Move
The Zombie Hero moves from their Zone to an adjacent Zone (they cannot move diagonally, through walls, or closed doors).
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A Zombie Hero must spend 1 additional Action per Enemy standing in the Zone they're attempting to leave.
Example: Captain America is in a Zone with 2 Troopers. To leave this Zone, he spends 1 Move Action + 2 additional Actions (1 per Trooper), for a total of 3 Actions. If there had been 3 Enemies in the Zone, Captain America would have needed 4 Actions (1+3) to move.
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Entering a Zone containing Enemies ends the Zombie Hero's Move Action (this is important for Skills or effects that allow Zombie Heroes to move multiple Zones per Move Action).
Open Door
The Zombie Hero breaks open a door in their Zone. Place a Door token on its open side where the closed door was (or, in the case that there was already a Closed Door token there, simply flip it to its open side).
NOTE: Once opened, doors cannot be closed again.
- Some Missions feature colored doors. Usually, these cannot be opened until some condition is met, like finding a specific Objective. Read the Mission description to learn more.
IMPORTANT: Opening a building for the first time reveals all the Enemies and Bystanders waiting inside. This is explained in the Spawning in Buildings section below.
Gain Trait
The player draws the top card from the Zombie Trait deck and places it in one of the 2 Zombie Trait slots on that Zombie Hero's Dashboard. A Zombie Hero can only perform a single Gain Trait Action per Turn, though other effects might grant them extra Zombie Trait cards.
- Each Zombie Hero may only have up to 2 Zombie Traits at any time. If they already have 2 when they draw a new one, they may discard the newly drawn Trait or discard and replace 1 of the 2 on their Dashboard.
- If the Trait deck ever runs out, reshuffle all the discarded cards to make a new deck.
- Zombie Traits have powerful effects but are discarded after a single use. Each Zombie Trait has specific instructions for its effects, so read each one carefully! 2 Traits can be used together if their requirements are met.
Attack
The Zombie Hero attacks an Enemy or Bystander they are able to target. Combat is explained in detail in the Combat section.
Interact with Objective
The Zombie Hero takes and/or activates an Objective in their Zone. The specific effects of doing this are detailed in the Mission description.
End of Turn
A Zombie Hero does not need to perform all their Actions if they wish and may forfeit any remaining Actions and end their Turn.
Once a Zombie Hero has completed all their Actions (or forfeited any remaining ones) their Turn ends. Flip their Activation token to its red (Activated) side to indicate this.
ACTING RAVENOUS: While Zombie Heroes still retain most brain functions, they can be blinded by their insatiable Hunger. While Ravenous (see The Hunger, below) the only Actions they may perform are Move and the Devour Attack (this includes free Actions!).
Enemy Phase
Once all players have activated their Zombie Heroes, the Player Phase ends and the Enemy Phase begins. No single player controls the Enemies. They do it themselves, performing the following steps in order:
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Activate Enemies: All Enemies on the board activate and spend their Actions to either Attack a Zombie Hero in their Zone or Move toward the closest Zombie Hero if not currently in a Zone with one. Any Bystanders on the board also activate, either trying to flee via a Spawn Zone or hunting the Zombie Heroes if they are Combat Bystanders (see Activating Bystanders, below).
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Spawn Enemies: After all Activations are done, new Enemies appear on all active Spawn Points on the board.
1. Activate Enemies
Attack
Each Enemy in the same Zone as Zombie Heroes spends their Action to perform an Attack. An Enemy's Attack is always successful, does not require any dice rolls, and inflicts 1 Wound.
The Zombie Heroes in the Zone share the Wounds in any way the players prefer, even if it means inflicting them all onto a single Zombie Hero!
When a Zombie Hero is wounded, their Health Bar's tracker is moved 1 space to the left per Wound they receive. A Zombie Hero is eliminated as soon as their Health Bar reaches 0. If this happens, the game will be lost during the next End Phase!
Enemies fight together. All Enemies activated in the same Zone as a Zombie Hero join the attack, even if there are so many Wounds being dealt that it would be overkill.
Example 1: A Trooper in a Zone with 2 Zombie Heroes inflicts 1 Wound during its Activation. The players choose which Zombie Hero takes the Wound.
Example 2: A group of 8 Troopers activates in the same Zone as 2 Zombie Heroes. Since both Zombie Heroes have 5 Health, the players choose to deal 4 Wounds to each Zombie Hero.
Move
Enemies that did not Attack (because there were no Zombie Heroes in their Zone) spend their Action to Move 1 Zone towards Zombie Heroes:
- Enemies always move towards the closest Zone with Zombie Heroes in their Line of Sight.
- If the Enemy does not have Line of Sight to any Zombie Hero, they move towards the Zone with Zombie Heroes they have the shortest open path to. If there are no open paths to Zombie Heroes, the Enemy doesn't move.
- If there is more than one closest Zone with Zombie Heroes, or more than one route of the same length to the closest Zone, Enemies split into groups of equal numbers, separated by type, to follow all possible routes. If it's not possible to split an Enemy type into groups of equal number, the players decide which group gets the extra Enemy.
- Enemies cannot open doors.
Example: A group of 4 Troopers, 3 Guards, and 1 Super Hero activate at equal distance to 2 Zones occupied by Zombie Heroes. The Enemies want to target both Zones, so they split into 2 groups.
- 2 Troopers go one way. The other 2 take the other route.
- 2 Guards go one way. The last one takes the other route (players choose).
- Players choose which route the Super Hero takes.
(As illustrated in the rulebook: if a Trooper is closer to one Zombie Hero but has no Line of Sight to her, it instead moves toward other Zombie Heroes it can see at the end of a street. A Specialist that can see 2 Zones with Zombie Heroes moves toward whichever is closer and uses its 2nd Action to attack. A Super Hero that can see 2 Zones with Zombie Heroes at the same distance lets the players decide which path it takes. An Enemy group with no Line of Sight to any Zombie Hero, facing 2 open routes of the same length toward the closest Zone with Zombie Heroes, splits — e.g., Troopers separate to go both ways while players choose which path a Guard takes.)
Specialists and Super Heroes
Specialists and Super Heroes each have 2 Actions per Activation. Each time they activate, they perform 1 Action, either Attacking or Moving with the rest of the Enemies, and then perform their 2nd Action, either attacking if they're now in a Zone with a Zombie Hero, or moving again if they are still not in a Zone with a Zombie Hero.
2. Spawn Enemies
The Mission map shows where Enemies spawn at the end of each Enemy Phase. These are Spawn Points.
Starting with the First Spawn Point token, then proceeding clockwise, draw 1 Spawn card, reading the line that corresponds to the Danger Level of the Zombie Hero with the most Experience (Blue, Yellow, Orange, or Red). Place the indicated amount of the corresponding Enemy type in that Spawn Zone.
Repeat this for each active Spawn Point token.
Spawn Point tokens mark the Spawn Zones on the gameboard. During the Spawn Enemies step, always start from the First Spawn Point, marked with a 1.
Colored Spawn Points: Some Missions feature a Blue and/or Green-colored Spawn Point token. Unless otherwise stated, these Zones don't spawn Enemies until a specific event happens, dictated by the Mission. These Zones will only begin spawning Enemies when these conditions are met.
If the Spawn deck should run out, reshuffle all the discarded Spawn cards to make a new deck.
The Spawn deck features various types of Spawn cards:
Regular Spawn
A Regular Spawn card lists a different number of Enemies to spawn (of a stated type, e.g. Troopers) for each Danger Level — for example: Blue Level: 2 Troopers; Yellow Level: 3 Troopers; Orange Level: 8 Troopers; Red Level: 9 Troopers.
Example: Wasp has 5 XP, placing her in the Blue Danger Level. Hulk has 12 XP, which puts him in Yellow. In order to determine how many Enemies spawn, read the Yellow line, which corresponds to Hulk, as he has the most Experience.
Rush!
When a player draws an Enemy Rush card, the Enemies placed by that card immediately perform an Activation after being placed.
Extra Activation!
When a player draws an Extra Activation card, instead of spawning new Enemies, all Enemies of the listed type immediately Activate, performing their Action(s) as usual.
Escorted Bystander!
When a player draws an Escorted Bystander card, draw the top card from the Bystander deck, spawning the indicated Bystander along with the number of Guards listed on the Spawn card.
Keep the Bystander card faceup next to the board, with the Escorted Bystander card tucked under it to help identify it. See the special activation rules for Escorted Bystanders in the Bystanders section below.
If the Bystander deck should run out, reshuffle any discarded Bystander cards to make a new deck. It seems you weren't really finished with them.
Special Action
There are a few Special Action cards in the Spawn Deck. Each one details its specific instructions when it is drawn.
Super Hero!
When a player draws a Super Hero Spawn card, draw the top card from the Super Hero deck, spawning the indicated Super Hero in that Zone. Note that each Super Hero has a unique Ability that is active as long as they are in play and a specific Toughness value, so keep their Super Hero card faceup within view of all players.
If the Super Hero deck should run out, reshuffle all the discarded Super Hero cards to make a new deck. Looks like they didn't really die after all!
Running Out of Enemies
Players may run out of game pieces of the indicated type when required to place an Enemy on the gameboard. In this case, the remaining Enemies of that type are placed (if there are any). Then, all Enemies of the indicated type immediately resolve an extra Activation. Multiple extra Activations may occur in a row. Keep an eye on the Enemy population!
Spawning in Buildings
Opening a closed building for the first time reveals all the Enemies and Bystanders waiting inside. A single building extends to all rooms connected by openings, sometimes straddling several tiles. Closed doors create separations between buildings.
Enemies waiting in a building only spawn in the Zones marked with the spawn icon. Draw and resolve 1 Spawn card for each of these Zones, one after the other, in any order the players choose (we suggest starting from the farthest to the closest).
Once all Enemies have been spawned, reveal any Bystander card inside that building, replacing it with the corresponding Bystander game piece and placing the card faceup next to the board.
Example: Wasp just opened a building with 4 spawn-marked Zones. Enemies spawn in all 4 Zones, one after the other, in the order of the players' choosing (they decide to spawn in the indicated order, from 1 to 4). A Spawn card is drawn for the first Zone: the most experienced Zombie Hero is at the Yellow Danger Level, so the yellow line is used to spawn, placing 1 Guard in this Zone. For Zone 2, 3 Troopers spawn. For Zone 3, the card drawn is a Guard Rush card, so the 2 Guards it spawns immediately activate. For the last Zone (4), an Extra Activation card is drawn instead: all Guards on the board immediately perform an extra Activation, including the ones that just spawned, even if they already had a Rush. Finally, the 2 Bystander cards revealed inside the building are replaced by their respective game pieces.
Combat
When a Zombie Hero performs an Attack Action, they use either their unique Attack, listed on their ID card, or the generic Devour Attack. All Attacks feature the following information:
TYPE: Attacks fall into 2 categories: Melee or Ranged. The Melee and Ranged symbols are used to distinguish each type. Some Skills or effects might interact with these types specifically.
- Melee: Melee Attacks are identified by the Melee symbol and can only be used against targets in the same Zone.
- Ranged: Ranged Attacks are identified by the Ranged symbol and can target Enemies in distant Zones within Line of Sight.
RANGE: This indicates the distance to the Zone(s) the Attack can target.
- A value of 0 limits the Melee Attack to the same Zone.
- Ranged Attacks usually display two values: The first is the minimum Range. The Attack cannot target Zones closer than the minimum. That value is usually 0, meaning it can target Enemies in the same Zone (it is still a Ranged Attack). The second value shows the maximum Range of the Attack. It cannot target Zones beyond its maximum Range.
DICE: Each Attack lists the base number of dice it rolls, though bonus dice can be added by other game effects (such as Hunger Level, see The Hunger, below).
ACCURACY: Each die result that equals or exceeds the Accuracy value of the Attack scores 1 Hit.
To resolve an Attack, perform the following steps, in order:
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Target a Zone: Select 1 Zone within the Range listed on the Attack (remember you must always also have Line of Sight to your target).
- You can use a Ranged Attack to target another Zone even if there are Enemies in your Zone. Any Enemies in a Zone between you and your target Zone are also irrelevant.
- Remember that for Ranged Attacks in Building Zones, Line of Sight is limited to the Zones that share an opening and is limited to 1 Zone max. Line of Sight for Street Zones goes in a straight line parallel to the board's edge until it meets a wall or the edge.
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Roll Dice: Roll the listed number of dice, plus any additional dice from Zombie Traits, Bystanders, Skills, or Hunger Level (see The Hunger, below).
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Assign Hits: Assign any Hits scored to the targets in the Zone attacked, always following the Target Priority order (see below).
Target Priority
When attacking, whether with Melee or Ranged Attacks, Hits must be assigned according to Target Priority order:
- Super Hero
- Guard
- Trooper
- Specialist
- Bystander (Devour only)
IMPORTANT: Bystanders can only be assigned Hits by a Devour Attack. They are ignored by other Attacks since they are too valuable as a food source to risk eliminating.
The Hits must be assigned to targets on the first Target Priority level until they have all been eliminated, then to targets of the next Target Priority level until they have all been eliminated, and so on (e.g., Super Heroes first, Specialists last). If several targets share the same Target Priority level, players choose the targets hit among them.
NOTE: Other Zombie Heroes in the targeted Zone are not affected by your Attacks, even if you miss. You may be a Zombie, but you're still a mighty Hero!
Enemies are eliminated when they are assigned a number of Hits equal to their Toughness value. Remember that Troopers and Specialists have a Toughness value of 1, Guards have a Toughness of 2, and Super Heroes have their Toughness listed on their card.
Enemies are only eliminated when they are assigned enough Hits to equal their Toughness during a single Attack Action. If not enough Hits are rolled to eliminate them, the assigned Hits do not carry over. It's all or nothing for each Attack!
Targets Menu
| Target Priority | Name | Actions | Toughness | XP Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super Hero | 2 | See card | Equal to Toughness |
| 2 | Guard | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Trooper | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Specialist | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Bystander | 1 | 1 (Devour only) | 0 (see Mission) |
Example: Deadpool performs Melee Attacks using his Dual Katanas (Dice: 3, Accuracy: 4+). In his Zone there are 2 Guards, 1 Specialist, and 1 Bystander.
- Deadpool rolls his first Action's 3 dice, scoring 3 Hits. Following the Target Priority order, 2 Hits are needed to eliminate 1 Guard and the last Hit just bounces off the second Guard.
- Deadpool rolls his second Action's 3 dice, scoring 2 Hits. The remaining Guard still requires 2 Hits to eliminate, so the Specialist remains unharmed.
- Deadpool rolls his third Action's 3 dice, scoring 2 Hits. 1 Hit is enough to eliminate the Specialist. The last remaining Hit doesn't harm the Bystander, since they can only be eliminated by a Devour Attack.
Devour
Devour is a special Melee Attack that all Zombie Heroes have access to. When selected, it functions just like any other Melee Attack with the following exceptions:
- Once the Attack is completed, if it eliminated a target, that Zombie Hero reduces their Hunger Track to 0 (see The Hunger, below).
- Each Devour Attack may only ever eliminate a single target. This means that any Hits rolled in excess of the first target's Toughness are lost, as only 1 target can be eliminated.
- Unlike regular Attacks, Devour can target Bystanders, following the Target Priority order. Devouring a Bystander is a very special treat for Zombie Heroes (see Bystanders, below)!
The Hunger
Driven by an insatiable need to devour living flesh, the Hunger is what drives the Zombie Heroes. While it has many drawbacks, it also offers powerful advantages.
- The Hunger Track shows how hungry that Zombie Hero is.
- Each Zombie Hero's Hunger Track automatically increases by 1 at the start of every Player Phase.
- When performing Attacks (whether Melee or Ranged and including Devour), a Zombie Hero must roll additional dice equal to their Hunger value.
- Each time a Zombie Hero attacks, after that Attack has been resolved, for each Hunger symbol that was rolled (after any rerolls), their Hunger Track increases by 1. Note that a successful Devour Attack always reduces the Track to 0, effectively ignoring any Hunger symbols rolled during that Devour.
- Once a Zombie Hero's Hunger Track reaches its maximum, they become Ravenous (see below).
- Once a Zombie Hero is Ravenous, any effects that would increase their Hunger are simply ignored.
- Several Skills and effects state to "Increase Hunger" to gain a benefit. Unless otherwise stated, such increases are always by 1. If a Zombie Hero's Hunger Track is already at maximum, they may not use these effects.
Example: At the start of the Round, Wasp is at Hunger 2. The Player Phase starts, automatically increasing her Hunger to 3. During her Turn, she performs a Wasp's Sting Attack, rolling 5 dice (2 base Dice + 3 from Hunger). Among her results is 1 Hunger symbol, which means her Hunger is increased to 4. She's now Ravenous!
Ravenous
If a Zombie Hero goes too long without Devouring flesh, they run the risk of becoming Ravenous and reverting to an almost-mindless state. While Ravenous (Hunger Level at 4), the following rules apply:
- The only Actions a Ravenous Zombie Hero may perform are Move and the Devour Attack. They may not perform their unique Attack. This also means they cannot Interact with Objectives, Open Doors, Gain Trait, etc., and many Skills and Abilities tied to increasing Hunger or performing regular Attacks become unusable.
- At the end of their Turn, if a Zombie Hero is Ravenous, they suffer 1 automatic Wound.
As soon as the Zombie Hero's Hunger is decreased below 4, they are no longer Ravenous.
Bystanders
Bystanders represent key living targets for the Zombie Heroes to Devour. Bystanders are either placed during Setup, or can be spawned via the Escorted Bystander card (see Spawn Enemies, above). They have numerous special rules that are outlined below.
Devouring a Bystander
- Bystanders cannot be eliminated by regular Attacks. The only way to eliminate them is by performing a Devour Attack against them that generates at least 1 Hit. When this happens, the Zombie Hero who Devoured them gains their unique Bystander card, placing it in the left slot on their Dashboard.
- Unlike Zombie Traits, Bystander cards are typically not discarded upon use, but instead offer a permanent ability for the Zombie Hero.
- A Zombie Hero may only have 1 Bystander card at any time. Should they Devour another Bystander, they may replace the old card with the new one or discard the new one.
- Devouring a Bystander typically does not award any Experience, but some Missions might modify this.
Activating Bystanders
During the Enemy Phase, Bystanders act differently depending on whether they have combat capabilities or not, which is indicated by the presence of the combat symbol on their card.
Combat Bystanders
Combat Bystanders actively hunt Zombie Heroes during the Enemy Phase. They have 1 Action, just like Troopers, and function pretty much the same way (though they are not affected by any Spawn cards such as Extra Activation, Rush, etc.). They are activated with the Enemies, performing an Attack or Move as described in Activate Enemies above.
Non-Combat Bystanders
Non-Combat Bystanders will try to escape the gameboard during the Enemy Phase. They also have 1 Action and are activated along with the Enemies, following most of the same basic rules (see Activate Enemies, above). However, they never attack. They may only perform Move Actions. Instead of moving towards Zombie Heroes, they take the shortest possible route to the closest Spawn Zone (their movement is not hindered by the presence of Zombie Heroes in their Zone). If they enter a Spawn Zone, they are immediately removed from the gameboard and their card is discarded.
Escorted Bystanders
When a Bystander is spawned as an Escorted Bystander (see Escorted Bystander!, above), that overrides their movement behavior.
- Escorted Bystanders always move with the Guards in their Zone towards Zombie Heroes. If the Guards get an extra Activation, the Escorted Bystander activates with them.
- Combat Bystanders attack along with their Guard escort.
- An Escorted Bystander does not move if there are no Guards in their Zone (though Combat Bystanders still attack).
- If there are no Guards in an Escorted Bystander's Zone at the end of the Enemy Phase, spawn 1 Guard there.
- Non-Combat Bystanders are not removed from the board if their Guard escort happens to lead them over a Spawn Zone.
Interactive Objects
Missions might include Interactive Objects on the map. While in a Zone with an Interactive Object, Zombie Heroes may use them to perform a special Ranged Attack. Each Interactive Object is different, so see its associated Reference card. Marvel Zombies features 1 Interactive Object, the fallen Avengers Sign, but expansions might feature others.
Avengers Sign
Roll 1 die for each Enemy in the targeted Zone. Super Heroes are ignored for this Attack and bonus dice such as those granted by Hunger do not apply. The Avengers Sign may only be used twice. After the first time it's used, place the token in the targeted Zone and flip it over to its Damaged side to show it's been used once. Remove it from the gameboard after the second time it's used.
Missions: Zombie Mode
MZ0 – Tutorial: Growing Hunger
Easy / 25 minutes. Tiles needed: 8R, 3V.
Once the infection takes you, there is no coming back. All you can do is accept this new existence… Accept this perpetual need to eat... If you let it go too long, then the hunger leads to uncontrollable madness… We don't want to eat them, but we need to be able to think, to figure this out… Maybe just one or two? Then we can formulate a plan… Yeah… Just a couple to keep the hunger at bay…
Objectives: A new existence. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Devour all Bystanders. The game is lost if any Bystander escapes the map.
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Rules:
- Lockdown. The Blue Door cannot be opened until the Blue Objective has been taken. The Blue Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; 2 Spawn Points; 2 Bystander Cards; Exit Zone; 1 Locked (Blue) Door; 1 Objective. Tiles: 8R, 3V.
MZ1 – The Hunger
Easy / 25 minutes. Tiles needed: 3R, 5R, 8R, 9V.
The infection was almost instantaneous, and with it came the endless hunger. Always there, always pushing you for your next meal. When it takes you over, it doesn't matter who you were, what your morals were, or who your friends and family were. If they are alive, they are food. This hunger, it cannot be sated, only suppressed…
Objectives: They can run but they cannot hide. Accomplish these objectives in any order:
- Devour all Bystanders. The game is lost if any Bystander escapes the map.
- Take all Objectives.
Then:
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Green Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes. It is active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- The taste of flesh. Each Bystander gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who devours them.
- Be prepared. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Bystander Cards x4; Objectives x4; Exit Zone; Spawn Points x2 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players). Tiles: 3R, 8R, 9V, 5R.
MZ2 – Avengers Tower
Easy / 45 minutes. Tiles needed: 1R, 2V, 4V, 5V, 6V, 7R.
The Avengers Tower holds a wealth of comm arrays and tracking tools. Should we gain access to these, finding more meals would be a piece of cake... or… flesh. Let's leave the puns to Spider-Man… Unfortunately, it seems the tower has been put on lockdown. Fortunately, it appears some of the staff got stuck outside when the barriers went up… Perhaps one of them has an override card…
Objectives: Enter the tower. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Find the Secret Mission Bystander (see Special Rules).
- Take both Red Objectives.
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- The hidden access code. Place the Secret Mission #1 Bystander card randomly among the 4 Bystander cards that are NOT on tiles 5V or 6V.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. After Setup, resolve a spawn on each Spawn Point.
Special Rules:
- Rubble. The Red Door cannot be opened.
- Found it! When the Secret Mission #1 Bystander card is revealed, the Green and Blue Spawn Points become active. Spawn 1 Bystander in the Secret Mission card's Zone and tuck that card under the spawned Bystander's card to mark them as an Objective Bystander (if a Rescued! card is drawn, ignore it and draw a new card). The Green and Blue Doors can only be opened once the Objective Bystander has been devoured. If the Objective Bystander escapes, the game is lost.
- It's a learning process. Each Bystander gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who devours them. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Bystander Cards x6; Sealed Door; Locked Doors; Avengers Sign; Objectives x2; Spawn Points x5; Exit Zone. Tiles: 4V, 2V, 7R, 1R, 6V, 5V.
MZ3 – Sanctum Defense
Medium / 45 minutes. Tiles needed: 1V, 3R, 5R, 6R, 7V, 8R.
The Sanctum Sanctorum holds magic portals to not only all corners of the globe, but the greater universe as well. If we can gain access to them, then the buffet would be endless! Of course, the resident Sorcerer Supreme and his allies will try to stop us… But they are just the h'orderves before the proper feast!
Objectives: The Sanctum defenders. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Devour Wong.
- Defeat Doctor Strange (see Special Rules).
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- Where's Wong? Place Wong's Bystander card randomly among the 5 Bystander cards that are NOT on tile 7V.
- The doctor will see you now. Place Doctor Strange in the indicated Zone with his Super Hero card faceup next to the board.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Green Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes. It is active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- Stay hidden. Bystanders are only revealed when a Zombie Hero enters their Zone.
- Wong's protection spell. Until Wong has been devoured, whenever Doctor Strange is eliminated, spawn him back in his starting Zone at the End Phase.
- Magic barrier. The Sanctum Sanctorum is sealed by Strange's magic. The Red Doors cannot be opened until Doctor Strange has been eliminated for good.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Doctor Strange; Bystander Cards x6; Locked Doors x3; Exit Zone; Spawn Points x3 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players). Tiles: 7V, 1V, 5R, 6R, 3R, 8R.
MZ4 – Valuable Tools
Medium / 60 minutes. Tiles needed: 1R, 2V, 3R, 4R, 5R, 6V, 7R, 8V, 9V.
In the chaos that ensued after the zombie outbreak, hiding and stashing potentially dangerous equipment became a hurried affair for the remaining heroes. Now, as the dust settles, obtaining these priceless pieces of tech has become a priority. Better keep these toys away from any potential threats, be they living or other zombie heroes. And if we can grab a snack or two along the way, even better.
Objectives: Tech race. Accomplish these objectives in any order:
- Each Zombie Hero must take at least 1 Objective.
- Each Zombie Hero must devour at least 1 Bystander.
Then:
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Green Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes. It is active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- Fleeing snacks. Treat all Bystanders as Non-Combat Bystanders. They move 1 additional Zone per Activation. Each Bystander gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who devours them.
- Incorporating gear. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Bystander Cards x9; Objectives x6; Exit Zone; Spawn Points x3 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players); Avengers Sign. Tiles: 3R, 9V, 6V, 7R, 4R, 5R, 2V, 8V, 1R.
MZ5 – Madness at Oscorp
Medium / 45 minutes. Tiles needed: 2V, 3V, 4V, 5R, 8R, 9V.
Some of the scientists on Oscorp's R&D team hit the lab's panic button as soon as the zombie heroes started to ravage the city. They thought they would be safe inside the building, at least until all this "blows over". Little do they know, all they've done is turn themselves into canned food! Now, let's find a big can opener and clean this place out!
Objectives: Oscorpses. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Take both Red Objectives.
- Take the Green and Blue Objectives.
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Green Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes. It is active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- Dual custody keys. Each Red Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
- Oscorp. The highlighted building represents Oscorp. Its doors can only be opened once both Red Objectives have been taken.
- Barred Bugle. The Red Doors cannot be opened.
- Secret Exit. The Blue Door can only be opened once both the Blue and Green Objectives have been taken.
- Secret Studies. Each Zombie Hero that takes the Blue or Green Objective gains 5 XP. They also may draw 1 Bystander card and place it on their dashboard.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Exit Zone; Bystander Cards x6; Objectives x4; Sealed Doors x2; Locked Door; Oscorp building; Spawn Points x3 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players). Tiles: 5R, 4V, 9V, 3V, 2V, 8R.
MZ6 – Raiding Hell's Kitchen
Medium / 60 minutes. Tiles needed: 2R, 3R, 5R, 6R, 7R, 9R.
We got word of a large group of survivors holding out in Hell's Kitchen. Now that we've arrived, however, something seems off. Could it be that we were led into a trap? Not like it matters. What are a bunch of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives going to do against the Earth's Mightiest (Zombie) Heroes?
Objectives: The raid. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Take all Red Objectives and find the Exit.
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- False intel. Place the Blue and Green Objectives randomly among the Red Objectives, facedown.
- Correct intel. Place the Secret Mission #1 and #2 Bystander cards randomly among the 6 Bystander cards that start on the board.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The indicated Red Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes.
Special Rules:
- Informants. When the Secret Mission #1 or #2 Bystander card is revealed, players may choose an Objective anywhere on the board and flip it to see if it is Blue or Green. Then, draw a new Bystander card.
- Secret escape route. When the Green Objective is taken, place the Exit token in this Zone.
- To the rescue! When the Blue Objective is taken, immediately spawn 1 Super Hero in the Blue Spawn Point and it becomes active. When the Green Objective is taken, immediately spawn 1 Super Hero in the Green Spawn Point and it becomes active.
- Valuable intel. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Opened Doors x2; Closed Doors x3; Objectives x5; Bystander Cards x6; Spawn Points x4 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players). Tiles: 7R, 5R, 3R, 9R, 6R, 2R.
MZ7 – Divide and Conquer
Hard / 120 minutes. Tiles needed: 1V, 2V, 3V, 4R, 5R, 6R, 7R, 8V.
"The city is packed! Time for a feast! Let's devour as much as we can and use some good old strategy. Divide and conquer! We'll divide ourselves and conquer all of them. Wait… is that how that works? Maybe the missing part of my brain is starting to make a difference."
Objectives: Belly full of brains. Accomplish these objectives in any order:
- Each Zombie Hero must devour at least 1 Bystander.
- Each Zombie Hero must reach the Red Danger Level.
Special Setup:
- Divide. Divide the Zombie Heroes equally between the 2 Starting Zones.
- Thor's day. Place Thor in the indicated Zone with his Super Hero card faceup next to the board.
- Jackpot. Place the Green and Blue Objectives randomly among the Red Objectives, facedown.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Blue and Green Spawn Points are only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes.
Special Rules:
- Conquer. Each Red Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it. The Blue and Green Objectives each give 5 XP to ALL Zombie Heroes when taken.
- Rolling thunder. If he's eliminated by a Zombie Hero at the Blue or Yellow Danger Level, Thor respawns in his starting Zone during the next End Phase.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Blue and Green Spawn Points become active once their respective Objectives have been taken.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zones; Avengers Sign; Bystander Cards x8; Spawn Points x4 (+2 Spawn Points for 5-6 players); Thor; Objectives x8. Tiles: 1V, 3V, 7R, 6R, 5R, 4R, 2V, 8V.
MZ8 – S.H.I.E.L.D. Trap
Hard / 30 minutes. Tiles needed: 1V, 2V, 4V, 6V.
We chased a squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents into a seemingly abandoned building. Fast food, am I right? But suddenly, we found the place surrounded by a powerful forcefield. Heh, so this was all an elaborate ruse to trap us in here? They must really be getting desperate…
Objectives: Break the shield. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Find and take the Blue Objective.
- Escape via the Exit with all Zombie Heroes. Any Zombie Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- Shield control. Place the Blue Objective randomly among the Red Objectives, facedown.
- Trapped! Do not place a Bystander card nor draw Spawn cards for the rooms in the tile where the Zombie Heroes start.
- Ambushed! Place 1 Guard and 2 Troopers in each of the two adjacent Zones, as shown.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The indicated Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes.
Special Rules:
- Shield barrier. Zombie Heroes cannot move out onto the streets except through the Blue Door (see below).
- S.H.I.E.L.D. gear. Each Red Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
- Disabling the shield generator. The Blue Objective gives 5 XP to ALL Zombie Heroes when taken. Once taken, the Blue Door can be opened.
- They were expecting us. The Blue Spawn Point becomes active once a door accessing its tile is opened. The Green Spawn Point becomes active once a door accessing its tile is opened.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Troopers x4; Guards x2; Closed Doors x8; Exit Zone; Bystander Cards x3; Locked Door; Objectives x4; Spawn Points x2 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players); Inactive Spawn Points x2. Tiles: 6V, 1V, 4V, 2V.
MZ9 – Population Control
Hard / 60 minutes. Tiles needed: 1R, 3R, 5R, 6R, 7R, 9V.
The hunger is all-consuming and we have nearly picked the entire city clean… Before we move on, we think we may have found one last pocket of still-living civilians. The last remaining super heroes in the city have rallied here to save these last, precious morsels. No matter. Soon they will either join us or make a fine meal!
Objectives: Clean the plate. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Devour all 5 Objective Bystanders (see Special Rules).
- Clear the game board of Super Heroes.
Special Setup:
- Leftovers. Take the 2 Rescued! cards out of the Bystander deck before placing 1 random facedown Bystander card under each Objective. Then, shuffle the Rescued! cards back into the deck.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Blue and Green Spawn Points are only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes. They are active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- Leftovers. When a Zombie Hero takes an Objective, they gain 5 XP. The Bystander card under that Objective is revealed and replaced with that Bystander's piece. This is an Objective Bystander. Keep the Objective token on its card to help identify that.
- If they can't protect them, they'll avenge them: Each time ANY Bystander is devoured, spawn 1 Super Hero in that Bystander's Zone.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Spawn Points x3 (+2 Spawn Points for 5-6 players); Bystander Cards x11; Objectives x5. Tiles: 6R, 3R, 7R, 5R, 9V, 1R.
MZ10 – Ticket to the Multiverse
Very Hard / 120 minutes. Tiles needed: 1R, 2R, 3R, 4V, 5V, 6R, 7R, 8V, 9V.
We got to thinking: Why stop at one world when we know there is an infinite number of multi-verses out there just waiting to be devoured? Unfortunately, the living know our plan and are desperate to stop us, hiding away the parts needed to build a dimensional portal (or perhaps they want to use them first?). Luckily, Stark knows of a locator nearby. Find it, get the parts, and let the multiversal feast begin!
Objectives: Assembling a portal. Accomplish these objectives in any order:
- Take all Objectives.
- Take all Secret Mission cards.
Special Setup:
- Parts Locator. Place the Blue and Green Objectives randomly among the Red Objectives, facedown. Place the 2 Secret Mission Bystander cards faceup as indicated on the map.
- Reinforcements. Remove all 6 Super Hero spawn cards from the Spawn deck.
- Standing guard. Place 6 Super Heroes in the indicated Zones.
- 5-6 Zombie Heroes. The Blue and Green Spawn Points are only used in games with 5 or 6 Zombie Heroes. They are active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- Silent guardians. Each Super Hero doesn't activate and their Ability is inactive until a door to their building is opened.
- The parts we need. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Zombie Hero who takes it.
- Desperate defense. Each time a Zombie Hero reaches a new Danger Level, place 3 Troopers in the Spawn Zone closest to them.
- Secret Mission 1: Disruptor. Once the Blue Objective has been taken, the Secret Mission #1 card may be taken by spending 1 Action in its Zone. Once Secret Mission #1 is taken, ignore the Desperate defense Special Rule.
- Secret Mission 2: Upgrades. Once the Green Objective has been taken, the Secret Mission #2 card may be taken by spending 1 Action in its Zone. Once Secret Mission #2 is taken, all Zombie Hero Attacks (except Devour) gain +1 die.
Map setup includes: Zombie Hero Starting Zone; Bystander Cards x9; Avengers Sign; Super Heroes x6; Secret Mission Bystander Cards x2; Objectives x6; Spawn Points x4 (+2 Spawn Points for 5-6 players). Tiles: 9V, 1R, 2R, 4V, 3R, 8V, 6R, 7R, 5V.
Missions: Hero Mode
These Missions require the rules and components found in the Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance core box in order to be played.
MH1 – Ground Zero
Medium / 45 minutes. Tiles needed: 1V, 2R, 3V, 4R, 5V, 7V.
We'd heard the reports of super heroes turning into flesh-eating monsters, but who could really believe it? Once we were on the ground though, we were immediately attacked and separated. We need to regroup and figure this all out. This is madness. Surely there must be some way for us to contain it.
Objectives: Just in time. Escape via the Exit with all Super Heroes. Any Super Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- Anyone got a map? Place 1 of the Super Heroes in one of the Starting Zones and all other Super Heroes in the other.
- Lost keys. Place the Blue and Green Objectives randomly among the Red Objectives, facedown.
- 5-6 Super Heroes. Before the start of the game, draw 1 Spawn card for each active Spawn Point.
Special Rules:
- Gathering clues. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Super Hero who takes it.
- Secret backdoor. The Blue Door can only be opened once both the Blue and Green Objectives have been taken.
- They heard us! The Blue Spawn Point becomes active once the Blue Objective has been taken. The Green Spawn Point becomes active once the Green Objective has been taken.
Map setup includes: Super Hero Starting Zone; Bystander Cards x6; Closed Doors x3; Locked Door; Exit Zone; Objectives x4; Spawn Points x3; Inactive Spawn Points x2. Tiles: 7V, 2R, 5V, 1V, 4R, 3V.
MH2 – Rescue Operation
Easy / 25 minutes. Tiles needed: 2R, 3V, 7V, 8R.
It was a plea for help, a desperate call over the emergency waves. Civilians need our assistance. They are defenseless against the zombie hordes and worse, our own former comrades. This is the ultimate test for us as super heroes. We cannot fail! We must get out there and we MUST save them!
Objectives: The way out. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Rescue the Objective Bystander (see Special Rules).
- Escape via the Exit with all Super Heroes. Any Super Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- Trapped. Place a random Bystander on the indicated Zone. They are the Objective Bystander. Place an Objective token on its card to help identify that.
- 5-6 Super Heroes. The Green Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Super Heroes.
Special Rules:
- Nowhere to run. The Objective Bystander cannot move. When this Bystander is rescued, ALL Super Heroes gain 5 XP. Players immediately lose if the Objective Bystander is devoured or discarded.
- Busy building. The Blue and Green Spawn Points become active once the Blue Door has been opened.
Map setup includes: Super Hero Starting Zone; Bystander; Bystander Cards x4; Exit Zone; Spawn Points x2 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players); Closed Door; Inactive Spawn Point; Inactive Spawn Point. Tiles: 7V, 8R, 3V, 2R.
MH3 – Symbol of Hope
Easy / 45 minutes. Tiles needed: 2V, 4V, 5V, 6R, 7R, 9V.
The Avengers Tower serves as more than just a base of operations. In these troubled times, it is a bastion of safety for all those still in the city. We must spread the word that this is the place where we shall make our stand and that any who still rank among the living should rally here! We might be facing literal death, but we will not back down!
Objectives: Repair the beacon. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Take the Blue and Green Objectives.
- Move the Avengers Sign to the Exit Zone.
Special Rules:
- In need of repairs. Super Heroes cannot interact with the Avengers Sign until the Blue and Green Objectives have both been taken.
- Collecting parts. The Blue and Green Objectives each give 5 XP to ALL Super Heroes when taken. Each Red Objective gives 5 XP to the Super Hero who takes it.
- The Beacon. The Avengers Sign may only be thrown once. While in the Zone with the Sign, a Super Hero may spend 1 Action to move 1 Zone, taking the Sign with them into that new Zone.
- Silver lining. The Blue and Green Spawn Points are active from the start of the game. The Blue Spawn Point is removed when the Blue Objective is taken. The Green Spawn Point is removed when the Green Objective is taken.
- 5-6 Super Heroes. Before the game begins, resolve a Spawn on each Spawn Point. During the Spawn Enemies step of each Enemy Phase, draw 1 additional Spawn card for the First Spawn Point.
Map setup includes: Super Hero Starting Zone; Bystander Cards x6; Avengers Sign; Exit Zone; Objectives x4; Spawn Points x4. Tiles: 2V, 5V, 6R, 7R, 9V, 4V.
MH4 – Stark's Plan
Easy / 25 minutes. Tiles needed: 1R, 3V, 6R, 7R, 8R, 9R.
Apparently, Tony Stark came up with some sort of plan to stop this infection involving nano-machines. We can't be entirely sure, as no one has been able to contact him for some time… Before we lost communication, though, he said he was handing the plans off to two people "he could trust". Our locator beacons show they are secured away in some nearby bunkers, but who knows how long those will last. We must rescue them and the intel they possess!
Objectives: Escape. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Rescue both Trapped Bystanders (see Special Rules).
- Escape via the Exit with all Super Heroes. Any Super Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- Trapped. Remove the 2 Too Late! cards from the Bystander deck. Then, place 2 random Bystander cards facedown in the indicated Zones. They are the Trapped Bystanders. Do not place the regular Bystander cards in the other room of the Trapped Bystanders' buildings.
- 5-6 Super Heroes. The Green Spawn Point is only used in games with 5 or 6 Super Heroes. It is active from the start of the game.
Special Rules:
- Locked. The 2 Red Doors can only be opened once both Red Objectives have been taken. The Blue and Green Doors can only be opened once both the Blue and Green Objectives have been taken.
- Door keys. Each Objective gives 5 XP to the Super Hero who takes it.
- Too Late. The players lose if any Trapped Bystanders are devoured or discarded. Place an Objective token on their Bystander cards once they're revealed to help identify them as the Trapped Bystanders.
Map setup includes: Super Hero Starting Zone; Objectives x4; Spawn Points x3 (+1 Spawn Point for 5-6 players); Bystander Cards x6; Exit Zone; Locked Doors x4. Tiles: 8R, 6R, 7R, 3V, 1R, 9R.
MH5 – Longshot
Hard / 90 minutes. Tiles needed: 2V, 3V, 4V, 6V, 8V, 9V.
How could anyone have expected it to get this bad? Less than 48 hours ago, these were our friends and allies! And now, they've all become those… those flesh-eating things… We've received communication from S.H.I.E.L.D. They are setting up an extraction zone just outside the city… All we can do now is gather what survivors we can and whatever supplies we need and get out of here!
Objectives: Easier said than done. Accomplish these objectives in order:
- Take all Objectives.
- Escape via the Exit with all Super Heroes. Any Super Hero may leave through this Zone for free at the end of their Turn as long as there are no Enemies in it.
Special Setup:
- Incredible trouble. Place Hulk in the indicated Zone with his Zombie Hero card faceup next to the board.
- 5-6 Super Heroes. The Blue and Green Spawn Points are only used in games with 5 or 6 Super Heroes. They are active from the start of the game.
- Overrun. Before the game begins, resolve a Spawn on each Spawn Point.
Special Rules:
- Puny heroes. Whenever Hulk is eliminated, lay down his game piece and ignore him for all game effects. At the next End Phase, stand him up again. Hulk can only be eliminated for good by a Super Hero at the Orange or Red Danger Level.
- You are making me angry. Each Red Objective gives 5 XP to the Super Hero who takes it. When any Red Objectives are taken, Hulk can't activate that Round.
- Gathering supplies. The Blue and Green Objectives each give 5 XP to the Super Hero who takes it. Then, that Super Hero draws a Heroic Trait card for free.
Map setup includes: Super Hero Starting Zone; Objectives x6; Hulk; Closed Doors x4; Exit Zone; Spawn Points x3 (+2 Spawn Points for 5-6 players); Bystander Cards x6. Tiles: 3V, 6V, 4V, 9V, 2V, 8V.
Round Summary
1. Player Phase
- Increase Hunger Tracks.
- Refresh Activation Tokens.
- Activate Zombie Heroes. Zombie Heroes activate in any order. On their Turn, each Zombie Hero can initially perform 3 Actions.
- Move: Costs 1 extra Action per Enemy in their Zone.
- Open a Door: When a building is first opened, spawn its Zones and reveal Bystanders.
- Gain Trait: Only once per Turn.
- Interact with Objective
- Attack: Use Zombie Hero's unique Attack or Devour Attack.
- Roll extra dice equal to their Hunger level.
- Deal Hits equal to a target's Toughness in a single Attack to eliminate them, always following the Target Priority order.
- Each Hunger symbol rolled increases their Hunger.
- Devour Attack can only eliminate a single target, zeroing their Hunger.
Ravenous: While a Zombie Hero's Hunger Level is at 4, they are Ravenous.
- The only Actions they can perform are Move or Devour Attack.
- Suffer 1 Wound at the end of their Turn.
2. Enemy Phase
-
Activate Enemies. Each Enemy and Bystander activates and spends their Action(s) on either an Attack or a Move, depending on the situation. Specialists and Super Heroes perform 2 Actions.
- Attack: Each Enemy in the same Zone as a Zombie Hero performs an Attack, dealing 1 Wound.
- Move: Enemies that have not Attacked use their Action to Move 1 Zone towards the closest Zombie Heroes.
-
Spawn Enemies. Starting from the First Spawn Point and going clockwise, draw and resolve 1 Spawn card for each Spawn Point token. Read the line corresponding to the highest Danger Level among Zombie Heroes.
Bystanders: Devouring them grants their ability.
- Combat: Activate like Troopers.
- Non-Combat: Activate similar to Troopers, but never attack, moving towards closest Spawn Zone to escape.
- Escorted: Only move with their Guard escort. Combat Bystanders attack with them. Spawn 1 Guard if left alone.
3. End Phase
Perform any effects indicated to take place during the End Phase.
If any Zombie Heroes are eliminated, the players lose. Otherwise, start a new Round.
Targets Menu
| Target Priority | Name | Actions | Toughness | XP Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super Hero | 2 | See card | Equal to Toughness |
| 2 | Guard | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Trooper | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Specialist | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Bystander | 1 | 1 (Devour only) | 0 (see Mission) |