Monstrous Monday - Hunger Virus (Marvel Crawl Classics)

Hello apocalyptic true believers,

At some point everyone experiences hunger in the wastelands, just pray you never experience the Hunger Virus.


Hunger Virus

The Hunger Contagion is a zombie virus that passes via the bite of the infected. Those affected by the virus become zombies with an uncontrollable drive to eat flesh. They retain their intelligence, abilities, and personality. The hunger affects the zombies self control. The hungrier they are, the less rational they act. When the zombies hunger is satiated, their personalities reemerge and more humane and moral individuals often feel guilt for their action.

The disease is 100% infections. Once bitten a person becomes a zombie in minutes. Accelerated healing, such as regeneration, can slow the process, causing it to take hours.

The zombie's hunger is entirely mental. They gain no nourishment from feasting on flesh. If forced to go cold turkey and isolated for a few weeks, the craving disappear and the zombie is fully in control of itself.

Game Effects
Once bitten an infected individual has 2d10 rounds before they become a zombie with an uncontrollable hunger. Once this happens they become undead. They retain all of their abilities, though clerics may find their gods no longer hear their prayers. Reduce their AC by 2, Reflex save by 2 and their movement by 5. and  If reduced to zero HP they are just considered to be dismembered. If their heads/brains aren't totally destroyed they are still conscious and can bite and infect others. If deprived of flesh for two weeks and placed in an isolation suit, the zombie regains their wits. However if the suit is breached and they are exposed to flesh they must make a DC 15 will save every round or try relapse into their flesh eating ways.

Example

Zombie Howard the Duck: Init +3, Atk Quak-Fu +4 melee (1d6) or sword +4 (1d8) or bite (1d3 + infection);  AC 12; HD 5d6; HP 24; MV 15'; Act 1d20; SP hunger, virus, infravision 60' SP Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +2; AL C