View source for Zombie Slayer

{{Challenge Path Description
|image=zombies_3.gif
|name=Zombie Slayer
|season=Fall 2012
|date=August 14, 2012
|desc=The dead are rising! Okay, it's been known to happen from time to time -- zombies aren't exactly rare in the Kingdom -- but this time it's serious! Take up arms to fight the undead hordes, before the entire Kingdom falls to a zombie apocalypse!}}
In practice, that's not quite what happens. You become a Zombie Master, a new class with a unique resource mechanic but no access to permed skills. You're stalked by wandering zombie hunters, your diet is highly restricted, and only undead familiars are allowed. 

==Restrictions==
*'''Skills''' 
**No access to any non-zombie skills that you may have permed, including books on [[Your Mystical Bookshelf]].
**No class can be picked during reincarnation. Instead your class will be '''[[#Class|Zombie Master]]''', which has its own distinct skill set. Your main stat is [[Muscle]].
**Skills are gained by killing wandering Zombie Hunters, eating their [[hunter brain|brains]], and then visiting the open grave in your campsite.
**You do not have MP. Skills use up members of your zombie horde, which you replenish by using your [[Infectious Bite]] and [[Recruit Zombie]] skills (among others).

*'''Consumption'''
**'''''Liver is size 4!''''' Players will become intoxicated (and unable to adventure) upon reaching a drunkenness level of 5.
**Cannot eat normal food -- only food with 'brains' in the name (and also the [[steel lasagna]] for some reason).
***Monsters killed on this path will drop [[crappy brain]]s, [[decent brain]]s, [[good brain]]s, [[boss brain]]s, and [[hunter brain]]s.
***[[brains casserole]] and [[fricasseed brains]] are also edible, but [[Brain Food Pastaco]] and [[brain-meltingly-hot chicken wings]] are not.

*'''Familiars''' 
**Only [[:Category:Undead Familiars|undead (or undead-ish) familiars]] are available; the rest are temporarily deceased.
***Trying to switch to any other familiar (such as by using the /fam chat command) yields the message "That familiar seems to be dead."
**This restriction (and error message) also applies when using the [[Crown of Thrones]].

*'''Dropping the Path'''
**You may not drop Zombie Slayer until day 3: {{blockquote|You can't give up the Zombie Slayer lifestyle until you've given it a chance. Three days worth of chance..}}

==Divergences==
*You [[Dawn of the D'oh|begin the run]] with [[Barney's rake]]. Your [[Box of bear arms|bear arms]] are also auto-pulled, if you own them.
*Most monsters will drop delicious brains based on their [[Monster Level]], '''after +ML effects.''' The monsters that can and cannot drop brains seem to be identical to those who can/cannot be turned by [[Infectious Bite]]. The monsters that can drop brains will do so as follows:
**'''0-50 ML:''' [[crappy brain]] (30% drop)
**'''51-99 ML:''' [[decent brain]] (30% drop)
**'''100+ ML:''' [[good brain]] (30% drop)
**'''Quest Bosses:''' [[boss brain]] (100% drop)
**'''Zombie Hunters:''' [[hunter brain]] (100% drop)
*** One exception to the above pattern is [[Ed the Undying]] who does not drop any brains despite being both [[:Category:Undead|undead]] and infectable.  A possible explanation is that part of the traditional mummification process was removing the brain via a hook through the nose. Alternatively, since Ed is technically repeatable if one loses to a later incarnation, this may simply be intended to prevent farming [[boss brain]]s.

*Zombie Hunters will attack you following each level-up. They drop epic-quality [[hunter brain]]s which will allow you to choose a new skill. These monsters can be found in any zone, and will begin to appear approximately '''Level to Level*3''' turns after level-up. They will reappear every 10-15 turns until you defeat them. A given level's Hunter will not appear until you defeat the previous Hunter. Zombie Hunters are [[Wandering monsters]], following those rules for when they can appear. The Hunters are:
**Level 2: [[Norville Rogers]]
**Level 3: [[Peacannon]]
**Level 4: [[Scott the Miner]]
**Level 5: [[Father McGruber]]
**Level 6: [[Herman East, Relivinator]]
**Level 7: [[Angry Space Marine]]
**Level 8: [[Deputy Nick Soames & Earl]]
**Level 9: [[Father Nikolai Ravonovich]]
**Level 10: [[Charity the Zombie Hunter]]
**Level 11: [[Special Agent Wallace Burke Corrigan]]
**Level 12: [[Hank North, Photojournalist]]
**Level 13: [[Rag-tag band of survivors]]
**Level 14: [[Wesley J. "Wes" Campbell]]
**Level 15: [[The Free Man]]
**Any level, multiple times: [[Zombie-huntin' feller]] (starting on Day 2)

*Many locations involving NPCs do not work. These are the known exceptions:
**[[The Council of Loathing]]
**[[The General Store]]
**[[Mr. Store]]
**[[The Cake-Shaped Arena]]
**[[The Bugbear Bakery]] (still requires [[Bugbear Costume]])
**[[The Crackpot Mystic's Shed]]
**[[The Untinker's Cottage]]
**[[The Bounty Hunter Hunter's Shack]]
**[[The Degrassi Knoll Bakery and Hardware Store]]
**[[The Gift Shop]]
**[[The Shore, Inc.]]
**The Knob [[Dispensary]]
**[[The Game Grid|The Game Grid Arcade]]
**[[The Hippy Store]]
**[[Barrrtleby's Barrrgain Bookstore]]
**[[The Black Market]]
**[[The Florist Friar's Cottage]]

*Resting at your campsite gives this additional message:
*:Unsurprisingly, you sleep like the dead.
*If you are poisoned during a fight, the effect will be removed at the end of combat with the following message:
*:You retch and spray some additional green fluid around the area.
*Trying to use a permed skill to which you do not have access, using chat commands, yields the following message:
*:Graaah?
*Trying to eat from the [[Hot Dog Stand]] yields the message:
*:You're really, really hungry, but that isn't what you're hungry for.
*The first choice in the noncombat in [[The Defiled Nook]] gives a [[talkative skull]] instead of moxie stats the first time you choose it.
*[[The Hermitage|The Hermit]] is not around, but you can get one free [[ten-leaf clover]] each day from visiting. Likewise, the [[hermit script]] does not increase the number of clovers available in-run.
*You don't receive any quest item when looking with the [[Lord Spookyraven's spectacles]] in [[The Haunted Bedroom]].
*You don't need a [[wand of Nagamar]] to defeat the Naughty Sorceress's third form.  You'll have to do some [[Rene_C._Corman_(Zombie_Slayer)|more fighting]], though.
*Upon freeing King Ralph you must [[Behind the Gash|choose]] a [[class]].  If you choose a [[Moxie]]-based or a [[Mysticality]]-based class, muscle will switch with your new class's main stat.
*Consuming a [[bottle of used blood]] does not give any stats.
*You cannot enter [[The Sea]] (the [[an Old Man|Old Man]] doesn't appear).

==Class==
The '''''Zombie Master''''' is the class associated with the Zombie Slayer [[special challenge path]].

[[File:zombavatar_f.gif|Female]] [[File:zombavatar.gif|Male]]

===Horde===
[[File:Horde_Anim_S.gif|frame| <center>your zombie horde</center>]]
You do not have [[MP]] of any kind. Skills instead use zombies from your horde. If you aquire a non-Zombie master skill from [[The Big Book of Every Skill]], all MP costs will also be replaced with Zombies, with each being worth 1 Zombie per MP.

You begin with one zombie in your horde, and can gain more by:
*Infecting certain types of monsters with [[Infectious Bite]], and (if necessary) intensifying the infection, such as with [[Plague Claws]]
*Spending adventures to [[Recruit Zombie]]s
*Using brains to [[Lure Minions]]
*Using Meat to [[Summon Minion]] or [[Summon Horde]]
*Insta-zombifying an enemy using the [[Bear Hug]] skill from [[Box of bear arms|bear arms]] (only works on 10 encounters/day)

===Skills===
You begin with two skills:
*{{InlineItem|Infectious Bite}} - Give your opponent a little bit of what ails you
*{{InlineItem|Recruit Zombie}} – Spend some time looking for a new friend

You can gain additional skills while contemplating in [[An Open Grave]] at [[The Campground|Your Campsite]]. You may learn from three trees: Hunger of the Zombie, Anger of the Zombie, or Master of the Zombie. Each skill you learn costs one zombie point, regardless of rank. 

You cannot skip ranks within a skill tree. In order to learn a 3rd-rank skill, you must first learn the 1st-rank and 2nd-rank skills from that same tree. 

You begin with one zombie point on your first Zombie Slayer run. You get bonus zombie points for past Zombie Slayer runs (1 point for Normal, 2 points for Hardcore). You gain an additional zombie point for each [[hunter brain]] eaten.

<p>
{| border="1px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3"
!Rank
! colspan="3" | Hunger of the Zombie
! colspan="3" | Anger of the Zombie
! colspan="3" | Master of the Zombie
|-
|
| align="center" | Name
| align="center" | Type 
| align="center" | Effect
| align="center" | Name
| align="center" | Type 
| align="center" | Effect
| align="center" | Name
| align="center" | Type 
| align="center" | Effect
|-
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Bite Minion}}
| align="center" | Noncombat<br>1 Zombie
| Restore 10% of max HP
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Distracting Minion}}
| align="center" | Combat<br>1 Zombie
| Sacrifice a zombie for a regular attack that always hits
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Summon Minion}}
| align="center" | Noncombat
|  Lets you summon zombies for 100 Meat each
|-
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Lure Minions}}
| align="center" | Noncombat
| Lets you trade brains for zombies
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Plague Claws}}
| align="center" | Combat
| Weakens your opponent and increase the strength of his or her Infection
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Zombie Chow}} 
| align="center" | Noncombat<br>1 Zombie
| [[Chow Downed]]<br />+5 Familiar Weight<br />(10 Adventures)
|-
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Undying Greed}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +25% [[Meat from Monsters]]
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Flesh Mob}} 
| align="center"  style=white-space:nowrap| Combat<br>3 Zombies
| Unleash your horde to damage your foes
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Smash & Graaagh}} 
| align="center" | Combat<br>2 Zombies
| Attempt to steal an item from your opponent
|-
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Hunter's Sprint}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +100% [[Combat Initiative]]
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Elemental Obliviousness}}
| align="center" | Passive
| So-So [[Elemental Resistance|Resistance]] to All Elements
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Scavenge}} 
| align="center" | Noncombat<br>2 Zombies
| [[Scavengers Scavenging]]<br />+20% Items from Monsters<br />(10 Adventures)
|-
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Insatiable Hunger (skill)|Insatiable Hunger}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +5 Stomach Capacity
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Vigor Mortis}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| Muscle +30%
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Meat Shields}} 
| align="center" | Combat<br>1 Zombie
| Hide behind your zombies, making you harder to attack
|-
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Devour Minions}} 
| align="center" | Combat<br>Noncombat<br>4 Zombies
| Restore 50% of max HP<br>
Upgrades Bite Minion to cure negative effects
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Virulence}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +10% chance of Critical Hit<br>
Critical Hits Improve Infectious Bite
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Summon Horde}} 
| align="center" | Noncombat
| Lets you summon 11-14 zombies for 1,000 Meat<br>
Upgrades Summon Minion to increase combat chance
|-
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Indefatigable}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| Regenerate 16-20 HP per Adventure
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Bilious Burst}} 
| align="center" | Combat<br>5 Zombies
| Explode some zombies, dealing Spooky and Stench damage
| align="center" | {{StackItem|His Master's Voice}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +5 to Familiar Weight
|-
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Skullcracker}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +100% Brain Drops from Monsters<br>
Critical hits occasionally stun opponents
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Unyielding Flesh}}
| align="center" | Passive
| Damage Absorption +100<br>
Damage Reduction: 5
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Ag-grave-ation}}
| align="center" | Noncombat<br>3 Zombies
|[[Zomg WTF]] (Monster Level +30) (10 Adventures) 
|-
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Neurogourmet}} 
| align="center" | Passive
| +1 Adventure per Brain Eaten
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Corpse Pile}}
| align="center" | Combat<br>3 Zombies
| Pile zombies on your foe, preventing him/her/it from moving for a while, and dealing damage
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Disquiet Riot}} 
| align="center" | Noncombat<br>5 Zombies
| [[Disquiet Riot (effect)|Disquiet Riot]] (Decreases Combat Frequency) (10 Adventures)
|-
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Ravenous Pounce}}
| align="center" | Combat<br>2 Zombies
| An attack that deals more damage the hungrier you are and always hits<br>
+5 Stomach Capacity
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Howl of the Alpha}}
| align="center" | Combat<br>9 Zombies
| Scare your enemy away for a while<br>
Deals major damage to unscarable enemies
| align="center" | {{StackItem|Zombie Maestro}}
| align="center" | Combat<br>9 Zombies
| Order your horde to attack an enemy ''en masse''<br>
Also reduces the Cost of Zombie Skills by 1
|}

==Council Text==
:See [[The Council of Loathing/Zombie Slayer]].

==Strategy==
See [[Zombie Slayer/Strategy]] for tips & strategies.

==Rewards==
*A class [[tattoo]] is obtained when starting the path.
**A sparkly class tattoo is obtained at the start of any run ''following'' your first Hardcore Zombie Slayer run.
*The [[Hovering Skull]] familiar hatchling ([[talkative skull]]) is only obtainable within this path.
*Players will receive a [[Thwaitgold maggot statuette]] upon defeating the final boss of this path.
*Surprisingly, there [http://forums.kingdomofloathing.com/vb/showthread.php?p=4252181#post4252181 is no level 30 trophy] for this class.

==History==
*Prior to the NS Lair revamp on January 1, 2015, the lair had a few divergences for this path:
**You did not need a [[star starfish]] familiar to use [[Richard's star key]] in the lair. You still needed the hat and weapon and any familiar equipped. 
**You needed at least 10 zombies in your Horde to defeat the Naughty Sorceress's familiars.

{{Ascension Paths}}