Dead Reign

Dead Reign is a post-apocalyptic horror RPG about surviving the zombie outbreak. Using a familiar d%/d20 Palladium chassis, it delivers fast, lethal fights, tense scavenging, and hard choices. Class-based, medium-prep, it focuses on teamwork, scarcity, and moral dilemmas. Ideal for campaign play and gritty one-shots.

At-a-glance

Post-Apocalyptic • d20/d% checks • 3–5 + GM • Medium prep • Moderate crunch • 2–4h sessions

Decision Tags:
Low Prep
Dead Reign

Dead Reign drops your table into the raw aftermath of a world-ending zombie outbreak. Cities are fractured, supply lines are gone, and every sound risks drawing a hungry horde.

Theme and Setting

Sessions revolve around food, fuel, and fragile trust—can you protect your people, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Built on Palladium classic framework, Dead Reign blends d20 attack rolls with d% skills, hit locations, and escalating threats.

How Play Feels

Combat is fast and dangerous—ammo runs dry, injuries matter, and splitting the party is a recipe for disaster. The rules reward planning and decisive teamwork over lone-wolf heroics.

What Makes It Distinct

Instead of treating zombies as background noise, Dead Reign spotlights them: different undead types, behavior cues, and encounter pressures that force tough calls. Scenarios emphasize scavenging routes, barricades, time pressure, and noise management.

Where It May Not Fit

You want a very light rules load You want combat and action to drive most of the session.

Decision guide

What this game is about

Key facts
Players
3-5 players + GM
Session
120-240 minutes
Prep
Low
Play profile
Complexity
4/5
New GM Fit
3/5
Roleplay Focus
4/5
Combat Focus
2/5
Tactical Depth
3/5
Campaign Depth
5/5
Who it suits
Best for
Groups that want tension, danger, and unease to stay active at the tableLong-form play with room for characters and situations to developPlayers who want character, atmosphere, or story to matter more than pure tactics
Avoid if
You want a very light rules loadYou want combat and action to drive most of the sessionYou mainly want short standalone sessions with minimal carryover

A strong fit for groups that want tension, danger, and unease to stay active at the table, with campaign helping define the experience.

Agent data

Structured data and an explicit decision profile JSON document are available for remote agents.

Open agent JSON