Last Updated on February 26, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

Zombicide is a cooperative survival board game where 1–6 players work together against relentless hordes of zombies controlled entirely by the game system. Each player commands a team of Survivors — everyday people thrust into an apocalyptic nightmare — each with unique skills, weapons, and personalities.

If you’re learning how to play Zombicide, this detailed guide covers setup, gameplay, personality cards, scoring, and strategy so you can fully understand and master the Zombicide game rules.

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How to Play Zombicide

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Objective

Your mission: complete the scenario objectives and live long enough to tell the tale.

The good news? Zombies are slow, dumb, and predictable.
The bad news? There are a lot of them.

Players must search for weapons, scavenge for supplies, and coordinate attacks while avoiding being overrun. Success depends on teamwork — sharing equipment, giving advice, and even making sacrifices to protect your team. Whether you’re clearing out infested buildings, rescuing trapped civilians, or finding escape routes, every decision counts.

When the game ends, only through careful coordination and brutal efficiency will your group become the ultimate zombie-killing squad in town.

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Setup

1. Choose a Mission
   Select a mission from the rulebook or an expansion. Each mission defines the board layout, objectives, and special rules.
2. Assemble the Game Board
   • Arrange the map tiles as indicated by the chosen mission.
   • Place doors, objective markers, spawn points, and any other tokens according to the setup diagram.
3. Form Survivor Teams
   • Gather between 6 and 12 total Survivors for the game.
   • Each player controls 1 to 6 Survivors (depending on player count).
   • New players are recommended to use a single team of 6 Survivors for simplicity.
   • All teams must have the same number of Survivors.
4. Distribute Starting Equipment
   • Set aside these special cards: Bulletproof Vest, Molotov, La Guillotine, Nailbat, and Wounded cards.
   • Pull out all Bow, Crowbar, and Fire Axe cards.
   • Each team receives one of each: Bow, Crowbar, and Fire Axe. Assign these among Survivors so each has at least one starting weapon.
   • If a Survivor’s starting skill grants a weapon, give it now (this is separate from the starting gear).
   • Return any unused starting weapons to the equipment deck.
5. Prepare the Decks
   • Shuffle Zombie cards into one deck and Equipment cards into another.
   • Place both decks face down beside the board.
6. Place Survivors on the Board
   • Each team places its miniatures on the starting Zone(s) shown in the mission setup.
7. Set Up Survivor Dashboards
   • Place each Survivor’s ID Card in front of its player.
   • Put an experience tracker on the first blue space of the Danger Bar.
   • Place a skill counter on the Survivor’s starting skill.
8. Choose a First Player
   Zombicide is cooperative — pick the first player intentionally, not randomly. Give that player the First Player token.

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Overview of Play

Zombicide is played in rounds, each divided into three phases:

1. Players’ Phase

The player with the First Player token activates their Survivors one at a time, in any order.

• Each Survivor begins with 3 Actions per turn.
• Actions include moving, attacking, searching, opening doors, or trading.
• Some skills and abilities grant extra Actions as Survivors level up.

Players take turns clockwise, activating all their Survivors before passing play to the next player.
Once all players have finished, proceed to the Zombies’ Phase.

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2. Zombies’ Phase

Every Zombie on the board activates:

• If a Survivor is in their Zone, Zombies attack.
• If no Survivor is adjacent, Zombies move toward the loudest Zone or the nearest visible Survivor.
• Runners receive two Actions each turn (they can move twice, attack twice, or mix the two).

After all Zombies act, new Zombies spawn in every active Spawn Zone according to the Zombie Deck.

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3. End Phase

• Remove all Noise tokens from the board.
• Pass the First Player token to the next player clockwise.
• Begin a new round.

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Winning and Losing

• You win by completing all mission objectives.
• You lose if all Survivors are killed or if the mission specifies another failure condition (such as abandoning a key character).

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The Basics

Key Terms

• Actor: Any figure on the board — either a Survivor or a Zombie.
• Zone: The basic area of movement.
  • Indoors: a single room or enclosed section.
  • Outdoors: the area between two crosswalks or building walls.
  • Some Zones may span multiple tiles.

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Line of Sight

Line of Sight (LoS) determines whether an Actor can see another Actor or target a Zone.

• On streets, LoS follows straight lines parallel to board edges. No diagonal sight.
• LoS continues through Zones until it reaches a wall or board edge.
• Indoors, Survivors see all Zones that share an open doorway with their own Zone.
• From inside to outside, a Survivor can see into one street Zone; from outside to inside, only one room deep.
• Indoor alleys count as streets for LoS purposes.

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Movement

Survivors and Zombies move one Zone per Move Action, following these rules:

• Movement must be between Zones sharing an edge (not just a corner).
• Entering or leaving buildings requires going through an open door.
• Indoors, movement between rooms is only possible through connected doorways.
• Miniature position inside a Zone is irrelevant — Zones define all movement boundaries.

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Reading Equipment Cards

Door-Breaching and Noisy Weapons

Many tools and weapons can open doors or attack Zombies.

Weapons like the Crowbar, Fire Axe, or Chainsaw list:

• Whether they can open doors.
• Their noise level (shown by a sound icon).
• Their damage, range, and accuracy.

Noise is critical — it attracts Zombies toward that Zone during the Zombies’ Phase.

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Weapon Types

• Melee Weapons – Range 0, used against Zombies in the same Zone.
  • Example: Crowbar, Fire Axe.
• Ranged Weapons – Range 1 or more, used against distant Zones.
  • Example: Pistol (Range 0–1), Rifle (Range 1–3).
  • Attacking at Range 0 with a ranged weapon still counts as a Ranged Action.

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Noise

Noise represents commotion that draws Zombies.

• Each time a Survivor fires a noisy weapon or opens a door with a noisy tool, place one Noise token in that Zone.
• Survivors themselves count as 1 Noise token each.
• Noise tokens do not move with the Survivor — they stay in the Zone where they were made.
• Only one token is created per noisy Action, regardless of dice rolled or hits scored.
• All Noise tokens are removed at the end of the round.

Example:
Dan opens a door with a Fire Axe (noisy) → 1 Noise token.
He later attacks a Zombie with the same weapon (silent) → no new noise.
Meanwhile, Parker fires twice with her MP5 → 2 Noise tokens total (one per Ranged Action).

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Experience, Danger Level, and Skills

Every time a Survivor kills a Zombie or completes an objective, they gain Experience Points (XP).

• Track XP on the Danger Bar of their ID Card.
• As XP increases, the Survivor’s Danger Level rises — Blue → Yellow → Orange → Red.
• Each new level unlocks one new Skill.
• Skills are cumulative; a Survivor at Red level has all previously gained skills active.

Level	XP Required	New Skill
Blue	0	Starting Skill
Yellow	7	Gain +1 Action
Orange	19	Choose 1 of 2 Skills
Red	43	Choose 1 of 3 Skills

Important: The highest active Danger Level among all Survivors determines how strong the Zombie spawns become. As you grow stronger, the apocalypse intensifies.

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Inventory and Equipment Rules

• Each Survivor can carry up to 5 items (two equipped + three in reserve).
• Hand Slots: Two active weapons or tools (one per hand).
• Reserve Slots: Items like armor, ammo, or other gear still work from reserve slots.
• You may discard items freely at any time, even during another player’s turn.
• To combine items (e.g., Gasoline + Glass Bottles = Molotov), both cards must already be in your inventory — you can’t combine while receiving a card.

Example:
If your inventory is full and another Survivor gives you Glass Bottles, you must discard something first to make space before creating a Molotov.

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Standard Zombie Types

• Walker: The most common and slow-moving zombie. It requires only 1 Damage to eliminate and grants 1 Experience Point (XP).
• Fatty: These are large and resilient, requiring a minimum of 2 Damage to destroy. They also grant 1 XP. When a Fatty spawns, it typically brings two Walkers with it as an escort.
• Runner: Quick and deadly, Runners get two Actions per activation, moving and attacking twice as fast as other zombies. Like Walkers, they are destroyed by 1 Damage and grant 1 XP.
• Abomination: A mutated monster and the Survivors’ worst nightmare. An Abomination requires a massive 3 Damage or the special effect of a Molotov cocktail to kill. They grant 5 XP and typically spawn alone.

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Special Zombie Types

These variants introduce additional challenges and special rules:

• Berserker Zombies: Immune to Ranged weapon damage (except for “kill everything” effects like a Molotov). They must be destroyed using Melee attacks. Berserker variants exist for all standard types (Walkers, Fatties, Runners, and Abominations), maintaining their original damage requirements and XP value.
  • Berserker Abomination: Moves up to two Zones per activation instead of one.
• Toxic Zombies: When a Toxic Zombie is killed by a Survivor in the same Zone, it inflicts 1 Wound on the assailant due to a Toxic Blood Spray. They are always prioritized first for removal in Ranged Combat. Toxic variants exist for all standard types.
  • Toxic Abomination: At the end of the Zombie Phase, all Standard Zombies in its Zone are converted into Toxic Zombies.
• Skinner Zombies & Crawlers: Skinner Zombies (Walkers, Fatties, and Runners) can transform upon elimination. For every “1” rolled during the attack that kills a Skinner Zombie, a half-zombie Crawler is placed on the board.
  • Crawlers: Small and hard to hit from afar, Crawlers are always targeted last in the Targeting Priority Order and are destroyed by 1 Damage.
• A-Bomb Abomination: This elite Abomination can only be killed by a Molotov or similar “kill everything” effect. It has a Grabbing ability, dragging all Survivors from adjacent Zones into its Zone at the end of its activation.
• Zombie Dogz: These are incredibly fast, receiving three Actions per activation. They are small targets, always being targeted last in the Targeting Priority Order.
• Murder of Crowz: These flying pests move quickly (up to 3 Zones) and ignore most terrain and obstacles.
• Seekers: A specialized Walker-type that gains an extra activation every time a Seeker Zombie card is drawn.
• VIP Standard Walkers: These Walkers are identical to standard Walkers in combat rules but grant the attacking Survivor a special VIP Zombie miniature. Collecting five different VIP miniatures allows a Survivor to claim a powerful Pimpweapon card.

Zombivors: Returning from the Dead

Your Survivors don’t have to stay dead; they can return as Zombivors, who are essentially zombie heroes. When a Standard Survivor takes their second Wound, they are “killed” and their miniature is laid down. This does not grant experience to the killer. At the start of any following Player Phase, the player can resurrect their hero:

• Resurrection Mode: The downed miniature is replaced with its standing Zombivor version, their Identity Card is flipped, and all Wounds are discarded.
• Endurance: Zombivors are incredibly tough, only being eliminated when they have accumulated five Wounded Cards in their inventory (compared to two for a standard Survivor).
• The Cost: While tougher, Zombivors are slower. They do not gain the +1 Action Skill that Standard Survivors normally receive upon reaching the Yellow Danger Level.
• Starting the Game: Experienced players can choose to begin the game directly with Zombivors instead of Standard Survivors.

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Special Tile & Zone Rules

Board game tiles introduce unique environments that affect movement, line of sight, and spawning.

Mall Tiles

Mall tiles mix indoor and outdoor environments. Shops are treated as buildings, while Indoor Alleys are treated as streets.

• Indoor Alleys: Count as street Zones for all purposes, including Line of Sight that covers many zones before hitting a wall. Cars can drive through if double doors are open. You cannot Search in an indoor alley.
• Shops (Buildings): Movement is restricted to opened doors. They are building Zones for Line of Sight and can be Searched. Opening a shop door causes a Zombie spawn inside.

Prison Tiles

The prison environment introduces new obstacles and zones:

• Alleys and Cells: Alleys function identically to Mall Indoor Alleys. Cells are building Zones that block Line of Sight, cannot be Searched, and cause a Zombie spawn when their door is opened.
• Barbwire Fences: These block movement for most Actors but do not block Line of Sight or shooting. Zombies pile up at the fence, but an Abomination can move through and destroy the fence, creating a “torn barbwire” token that allows passage.
• Observation Towers: Accessible only by a ladder, these zones are neither street nor building Zones. They are safe from Zombies (who can only pile up at the base) and cannot be Searched. Survivors in a tower gain +1 maximum Range for attacks.
• Rotating Security Gate: This acts as a door that can be opened, closed, or rotated a quarter turn by spending an Action to pull a dedicated switch. Zombies will pile up when the gate is closed.
• Security Zones: These are building Zones where the only allowed action is Moving. Survivors and Zombies cannot end their activation in a Security Zone; they are pushed back to the Zone they entered from. Zombies do not spawn in these zones.

Damaged Building Tiles

These tiles introduce hazardous environments that impact movement:

• Hole Zones: These function as street Zones for Line of Sight, allowing vision beyond one zone. Getting out of a Hole Zone is difficult, costing two additional Actions (typically three actions total). Hole Zones cannot be Searched and zombies do not spawn in them.
• Planks: Planks placed across a Hole Zone create a connection where the linked Zones share Line of Sight (allowing diagonal shooting) and are considered adjacent for movement (allowing diagonal movement) and range (Range 1).

Barricades: Temporary Protection

Survivors can erect Barricades in designated map locations to block zombie movement.

• Construction: Building a barricade is a two-step process that requires spending 3 Actions at once by a single Survivor. You cannot use “Free” Actions (like free combat actions or free searches) for this.
  1. Start: The first Survivor spends 3 Actions to place an “incomplete” token on a border of their zone (must be Zombie-free). Incomplete barricades have no effect.
  2. Complete: A second Survivor (or the first, on a later turn) spends 3 Actions to flip the token to the “complete” side.
• XP Reward: All Survivors who participated in the construction each earn 5 Experience Points.
• Blocking Movement: A complete barricade stops movement, forcing Zombies to pile up. A single barricade blocks half-street Zones and doors, but full street Zones or double doors require two complete barricades.
• Line of Sight: Barricades do not block Line of Sight; you can shoot over them, and Zombies can see Survivors.
• Destruction: Barricades are only destroyed during a Zombie extra Activation (due to a card or shortage of miniatures). When an extra-activating Zombie is in a barricaded zone, it spends its entire activation destroying the barricade, and the token is removed entirely.
• Breaking: Survivors can spend an action with a door-opening weapon (like an Axe) to deliberately break a barricade.

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Ultrared Mode: Beyond the Red Level

The Ultrared Mode allows Survivors to continue advancing past the maximum Red Danger Level, gaining more experience, additional skills, and access to powerful Ultrared Equipment.

• Experience Reset: When a Survivor first reaches the Red Level, the experience tracker is reset to zero, and any surplus XP is carried over. The Survivor remains at the Red Level and keeps all their current Skills.
• Gaining New Skills: On their second trip up the experience track (or subsequent trips):
  • They select any remaining skills tied to the Blue, Yellow, Orange, and Red Levels.
  • Once all their base skills are chosen, they select a new skill from any Zombicide skill list (excluding bracketed starter skills) upon reaching the Orange and then Red Levels again.
• Ultrared Equipment: These cards are shuffled into the Equipment deck and can only be used by Survivors who have reached the Red Level. Any Survivor, regardless of level, can discard an Ultrared Equipment card for an immediate gain of 5 Experience Points.

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Companions: Allies in the Fight

Companions are friendly non-player characters who join a Survivor’s team, offering powerful support abilities at the cost of the Survivor’s actions.

General Rules

• Acquisition: Companions are acquired by a Survivor spending an Action to take a Companion token, which grants the Survivor 5 XP and the Companion’s Equipment card, making them the Companion’s Leader. A Leader can control up to two Companions.
• Status: A Companion is a Survivor who always stays in their Leader’s zone, does not have an inventory, and is defeated and removed after taking just one Wound.
• Actions (Instructions): Companions have no actions of their own. Their Leader must spend one of their own Actions (that is not a Free Action) to give the Companion an Instruction, such as:
  • Using an active effect listed on their card.
  • Getting in or out of a car/helicopter (Companions take up a seat but cannot drive).

Dog Companions

Dog Companions are a special type of ally with their own unique traits and abilities, and a Handler can potentially lead a whole pack of them.

• Passive Traits: Dogs have the Low Profile, Slippery, and 3 Zones per Move skills. They move freely with their Handler when in the same zone. They grant their Handler the +1 die: Melee Skill (this bonus stacks with multiple dogs).
• Dog Instructions: Handlers can spend an Action to instruct a Dog to:
  • Move (up to 3 Zones).
  • Perform a Melee Attack.
  • Search (Dogs can only Search once per turn, and they can hold the one Equipment card they find).
  • Make some Noise.
  • Get in or out of a car (Dogs do not occupy a seat).
• Item Handling: A Dog can only hold one item it has found via a Search and can only give that item to its Handler.
• Experience: Any XP earned by a Dog’s attack is gained by the Handler.

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The Players’ Phase: Survivor Turns

The Players’ Phase is where Survivors take their turns, starting with the player who holds the first player token. Players activate their Survivors one at a time, in any order they choose. Every Survivor begins their turn with three basic Actions at the Blue Danger Level, which can be supplemented by any Free Actions granted by skills or Team Actions.

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Core Survivor Actions

Movement (Move)

To move from one Zone to an adjacent one, a Survivor must spend one Move Action. Movement is generally restricted by map features: you cannot move through external building walls, closed doors, or closed fences.

• Leaving a Populated Zone: If a Survivor attempts to leave a Zone containing Zombies, they must spend one extra Action for every Zombie present in the Zone.
• Entering a Populated Zone: The Move Action immediately ends upon entering any Zone that contains Zombies, even if the Survivor has a skill (like Sprint or Slippery) that would typically allow them to move through multiple Zones in a single action.
• Exiting the Board: Leaving the board via a designated Exit Zone requires no Action and is performed at the very end of the Survivor’s turn after all other actions are complete. Once a Survivor has exited, they are permanently removed from the game and cannot perform any further actions.

Searching for Equipment (Search)

A Survivor may perform a Search Action to draw a card from the Equipment deck, but only if they are in a Zombie-free Building Zone (indoor alleys count as street Zones and cannot be searched).

• Search Limit and Inventory: A Survivor is limited to one Search Action per turn, even if a skill grants them a “Free Search Action.” After searching, they can choose to either place the drawn card in their inventory or immediately discard it, and they are then free to reorganize their inventory. Remember, you can freely discard cards from your inventory at any time to make space.
• Car Search: Cars can be searched as long as the Survivor is in the same Zone and there are no Zombies present.
  • Police Cars: Can be searched multiple times until a weapon is found (discarding non-weapon cards). A drawn “Aaahh!” card will immediately spawn a Walker and interrupt the search.
  • Pimpmobiles: Can be searched only once per game for a unique, powerful weapon.
• Deck Exhaustion: If the Equipment deck runs out, the discard pile is reshuffled to create a new deck. Wounded cards, Pans, Molotov, and Pimpmobile cards (Ma’s Shotgun, Evil Twins) are excluded from this reshuffle.
• Important Discard Rule: Discarding a card can only be used for one effect at a time (e.g., you cannot discard an Ultrared card to prevent a Wound and gain 5 XP simultaneously).

Opening a Door

To open a door, a Survivor must spend one Action while holding a Melee weapon with the “Open a door” symbol. This requires no attack roll.

• Noise and Spawn: If the weapon used is noisy, place a Noise token in the Zone. Opening a building door for the first time triggers a Zombie Spawn throughout all connected rooms of the entire building. For each room (Zone), a Zombie card is drawn, and the appropriate Zombies are placed.
• No Re-Spawn: Once a door is opened, subsequent openings (even if it was locked again by a game effect) do not trigger a new Zombie Spawn.

Reorganize/Trade

Spending one Action allows a Survivor to completely reorganize the cards in their inventory. Simultaneously, the Survivor may exchange any number of cards with one other Survivor in the same Zone. The other Survivor gets to reorganize their own inventory for free. Trades do not need to be equitable.

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Combat and Vehicle Actions

Combat Actions (Ranged and Melee)

• Ranged Combat: Use a Ranged weapon to shoot at a single Zone within the weapon’s range. It is crucial to remember you are shooting at the Zone, not individual Actors; the Targeting Priority Order will determine which enemy receives the hit. Ranged Combat at Range 0 still counts as a Ranged Action.
• Melee Combat: Use a Melee weapon to attack Actors in the Survivor’s current Zone.

Objective and Switch Actions

• Take or Activate an Objective: Spend one Action to claim an Objective token or activate a specific object, with effects detailed in the Mission rules.
• Pull a Switch: Spend one Action to pull a switch, which typically opens/locks doors or rotates security gates (effects are Mission-dependent). Switches are often linked to a colored Objective; the first Survivor to pull the switch automatically takes the linked Objective for free.

Noise Action

• Make Some Noise!: Spend one Action to purposefully draw the attention of the undead by placing a Noise token in the Survivor’s Zone.

Vehicle Actions (Cars and Helicopters)

Car Actions

• Get In/Out: Entering a car costs one Action and requires an empty seat (driver or passenger) in a Zombie-free Zone. Exiting the car is free of restrictions.
• Drive: The driver can move the car one or two street Zones per Action (Mission-permitting). Driving is not a Move Action, so it ignores normal movement penalties, such as spending extra actions to leave a Zombie Zone, and the car’s movement is not restricted by movement-related skills. Driving the car acts as an attack against all Actors in the Zones it passes through.
• Stash Equipment: Spend one Action to store any number of Equipment cards from your inventory into the car, or to retrieve any amount of stashed cards from the car into your inventory.

Helicopter Actions

• Get In/Out: Similar to a car, but requires a pilot or one of three passenger seats to be empty in a Zombie-free Zone. Getting out of a flying helicopter is only possible for Survivors with the Fast Roping Skill.
• Take Off or Land: Requires the Helicopter Pilot Skill and an Action spent on a designated Zone (like a Helipad).
• Flying: The pilot can move the flying helicopter one or two Zones per Action. Flying is not a Move Action and ignores all obstacles, including walls and Zombies. Critically, Survivors inside a flying helicopter cannot interact with, or draw Line of Sight to, Actors outside, and vice-versa. A flying helicopter is always considered to use the Loud Skill last in a round.
• Companions and Vehicles: Companions require an additional Action from their Survivor to enter or exit a vehicle alongside them, and must occupy a vacant seat (except for Dog Companions).

Do Nothing

A Survivor can choose to prematurely end their turn by selecting the Do Nothing action, forfeiting all remaining Actions.

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The Zombies’ Phase: The Undead Activation

After all Survivors have completed their turns, the Zombies take their two-step phase: Activation and Spawn.

Step 1: Activation

Each Zombie (except Runners who get two) gets one Action, which it uses for an Attack or a Move. All Attacks are resolved first, followed by all Moves.

Attack

Any Zombie in the same Zone as a Survivor performs an Attack, which is automatically successful (no dice roll needed).

• Wounds and Loss: A successful Zombie attack forces the Survivor’s player to choose and discard an Equipment card, which is immediately replaced by a Wounded card. A Survivor with two Wounded cards is eliminated.
• Sharing the Pain: If a Survivor is eliminated or if the Zombie inflicts more Wounds than necessary, any excess Wounds are dealt to other Survivors in that Zone, with players choosing the distribution.
• Group Attack: All Zombies in a Zone with a Survivor will Attack, regardless of whether a few of them are enough to eliminate the target (a “feeding frenzy”). However, this frenzy only occurs after all Survivors in the Zone have been killed, preventing remaining zombies from wasting attacks if other Survivors are still alive.

Move

Zombies that did not Attack will use their Action to move one Zone towards their target.

• Target Selection:
  1. Visible Survivor: If they can see a Survivor, they move toward them.
  2. Noise: If multiple visible Survivors are in different Zones, they move toward the noisiest group (counting each Survivor as one Noise token).
  3. No Line of Sight: If no Survivors are visible, they move toward the Zone with the most Noise tokens. They always attempt to take the shortest route, acting as if all doors were open (though locked doors still block them).
• Splitting: If multiple shortest routes exist, or if different target Zones have the same noise level, the Zombies split into groups of equal numbers along all routes.
  • Abominations never split; the first player decides their direction.
  • To ensure equal split groups, extra Zombies may be added (Fatties do not get extra Walkers when added this way).
• Runners’ Second Action: After all Zombies complete their first action, Runners activate again for their second action, either to Attack or Move.
• Running Out of Miniatures: If a group splits and there are not enough miniatures of a required type to complete the split, or if Zombies are placed and miniatures are unavailable, the missing miniatures are skipped, and all Zombies of that specific type on the board immediately receive an Extra Activation.

Step 2: Spawn

New Zombies are introduced into the board at the designated Spawn Zones based on a dice roll.

• Dice Roll: The number of dice rolled is based on the number of Survivors who began the game (Companions do not count).
• Card Draw: The rolled dice are assigned to Spawn Zones based on the numbered Spawn locator tokens. One Zombie card is drawn for each die assigned to a Zone, starting with the lowest numbered Zone and proceeding clockwise.
• Danger Level: The line of the Zombie card corresponding to the highest Danger Level of any Survivor currently in the game determines the number and type of Zombies that spawn.
• Special Cards:
  • Extra Activation: No Zombies are placed; instead, the indicated type of Zombie receives an immediate extra activation. (These cards are ignored at the Blue Danger Level.)
  • Manhole/Bed: No Zombies are placed in the current Zone; instead, the specified Zombies (Crawlers for Beds) are placed in all Manhole or matching-colored Bed Zones on any tile that contains at least one Survivor. If miniatures are insufficient to fill all manholes/beds, an Extra Activation is resolved.
• No Spawn Locator/Colored Zones: Zones without locators receive a single Zombie card per Spawn Step. Colored Spawn Zones (e.g., blue or pink) require a specific trigger (like taking a matching Objective) to become active before they begin spawning each round.

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Combat

When a Survivor performs a Combat Action (Melee or Ranged), they roll a number of dice equal to the Dice value on the weapon’s card. A roll that is equal to or higher than the weapon’s Accuracy score is a successful hit.

• Dual Wielding: If the Survivor has two identical weapons in hand that both display the Dual symbol, they may use both weapons simultaneously for the cost of a single Combat Action. The dice and damage values of both weapons are combined. For Ranged Combat, both weapons must target the same Zone.
  • Example: If a knife gives a bonus to another melee weapon held, this bonus applies to the matching knife in the other hand, effectively increasing the dice rolled by two (one bonus for each weapon).
• Assigning Hits: All successful hits must be assigned to an enemy target (Zombie or rival Survivor). You cannot choose to hold back or refrain from killing a target.
• Damage: Each hit inflicts the Damage value of the weapon to a single target.
  • Walkers and Runners are eliminated by Damage 1 or more.
  • Fatties require Damage 2 or more. A weapon inflicting only Damage 1 cannot harm a Fatty, regardless of how many hits are scored.
  • A-Bomb Abominations can only be killed by Molotov cocktails or equivalent effects.
  • Overkill: A single hit can only eliminate one target. Any excess Damage is wasted (e.g., a Damage 2 hit only kills one Walker, not two).

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Melee Combat

A Survivor with a Melee weapon (max Range ‘0’) attacks Actors in their current Zone.

• Target Selection (Melee only): In Melee Combat, the Survivor chooses how to divide their successful hits among all possible targets (Zombies and rival Survivors) within their Zone.
• Note: A Melee attack only affects Actors in the Survivor’s Zone; it does not harm teammates in the same Zone unless the player explicitly assigns a hit to them (such as in Competitive Mode).

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Ranged Combat

A Survivor with a Ranged weapon (max Range ‘1’ or more) shoots at a single Zone they can see that is within the weapon’s Range.

• Range: The weapon’s card shows a minimum and maximum range (Min−Max). A minimum Range of 0 means the weapon can shoot into the Survivor’s current Zone (this is still a Ranged Action).
• Line of Sight (LoS): Ranged attacks follow normal LoS rules, which are generally limited inside buildings to adjacent Zones sharing an opening, but treat street Zones and indoor alleys as open spaces.
• Shooting Through Occupied Zones: When shooting at a distant target Zone, you ignore all Actors in the Zones between the shooter and the target. This means you can shoot over or through zones containing both Zombies and Survivors without harming them. You can also shoot at another Zone even if there are Zombies in your own Zone.
• Targeting Priority Order (Ranged): When firing a Ranged weapon, the shooter cannot choose the individual targets hit. Hits must be assigned to Actors in the targeted Zone according to the priority order:
  1. Survivors (excluding the shooter).
  2. Walkers.
  3. Fatties and Abominations.
  4. Runners.
  • All targets of a lower priority must be eliminated before hits can be assigned to the next priority level. If targets share the same priority, the players collectively choose which figures are hit among them. This means any Ranged attack into a zone with a teammate (other than the shooter) will hit the teammate first.

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Weapon Special Rules and Handling

• Reloadable Weapons: Certain weapons (like the Double Barrel or Mac-10) require spending one Action to Reload them between shots within the same game round. All such weapons are automatically reloaded for free during the End Phase of the round. A single Action can reload two identical Dual weapons.
• Equipment Effects: Items like the Flashlight and Plenty of Ammo are always in effect whether equipped in hand or not. Weapons (including the Molotov) must be equipped in hand to be used.
• Creating Improved Weaponry: Combining specific Equipment cards (e.g., Glass Bottles+Gasoline for a Molotov) does not cost an Action. The new weapon card replaces the components. The Molotov instantly kills everything in the target Zone, including Survivors and Abominations, but is then discarded for single use. The Sniper Rifle allows the shooter to choose their targets, bypassing the normal Ranged Targeting Priority Order.

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Car Attack

When a Survivor spends an Action to Drive a car, it performs a Car Attack, running over every Actor in the Zone it leaves, enters, and passes through. This is a unique action, not a standard Melee or Ranged Combat.

• Dice Roll: The driver rolls one die for every miniature in the targeted Zone (including rival Survivors, Walkers, Runners, Fatties, and Abominations, but excluding occupants of any car).
• Hits and Damage: A result of 4, 5, or 6 is a successful hit, inflicting 1 Damage. This means car attacks cannot kill Fatties or Abominations.
• Targeting: Hits are assigned using the Ranged Targeting Priority Order, starting with Survivors outside of any car, then Walkers, then Fatties/Abominations, and finally Runners. Walkers must be eliminated before hits can be assigned to Fatties. The driver gains all XP for Zombies killed by the car.
• Car Occupants: Survivors inside a car can still perform Melee and Ranged attacks normally, but the car offers no protection from incoming Zombie or Survivor attacks.

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Special Game Modes and High-Level Rules

Team Actions

Team Actions allow a team of Survivors to execute powerful combined maneuvers for a single action during one Survivor’s activation.

• Selection and Use: During the Setup phase, each team may select up to two different Team Action cards. During the Players’ Phase, a Survivor can freely use one of their team’s chosen Team Action cards during their activation. However, a team may only use one Team Action total per Players’ Phase.
• Conditions for Use: To use a Team Action, the activating Survivor must select at least one other teammate. All chosen Survivors must be capable of executing the action (e.g., holding a Melee weapon for Charge!). The chosen Zone serves as the action’s starting or ending point.
• Execution: Each designated Survivor resolves the chosen Team Action in an order determined by the players. One Survivor’s action must be fully resolved before the next teammate acts. The activating Survivor then resumes their original activation.
• Action Type: A Team Action is not a Survivor Activation. Survivors only perform the specific action(s) indicated on the card. Skills that are normally triggered during a Survivor’s activation (like +1 Free Move) are not triggered, but other skills can be used.
• Failure and Persistence: If a condition for the Team Action is no longer met during its resolution (e.g., all targets are killed by the first teammate), the action is not cancelled, and the remaining Survivors still attempt to perform the free action.

Specific Team Actions

• Charge! (Requires equipped Melee weapon): Allows a free move and a free melee attack.
  • Option 1: Select a target Zone containing Zombies (or rivals) that all chosen members can reach in a Move Action. All members use a free Move Action to reach it, then perform a free Melee Action.
  • Option 2: Select the current Zone of all chosen members. They may execute an optional free Move Action to leave the Zone, and then all perform a free Melee Action.
  • Restriction: A Survivor in a Zone with Zombies who cannot exit with a single Move Action cannot benefit from the Move portion of Charge!.
• Move! (Free movement): Allows free coordinated movement.
  • Option 1: Select a target Zone that all chosen members can reach in a Move Action. All members perform a free Move Action to reach it.
  • Option 2: Select the current Zone of all chosen members. All members perform a free Move Action to exit the Zone.
  • Restriction: A Survivor in a Zone with Zombies who cannot exit with a single Move Action cannot benefit from the Move! action.
• Shoot! (Requires equipped Ranged weapon): Allows a free ranged attack.
  • Option 1: Select a target Zone that all chosen members can fire at. All members perform a free Ranged Action aimed at that Zone.
  • Option 2: Select the current Zone of all chosen members. All members perform a free Ranged Action, firing at any Zone within their weapon’s range.

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Special Locations and Tiles

Hospital Tiles (1V–6V)

• Indoor Alleys: These areas function as street Zones for all rules: Line of Sight is unrestricted (up to the board edge), and they cannot be searched. Zombies do not spawn here unless the Mission explicitly designates the alley as a Spawn Zone. Cars can be driven into indoor alleys if the car passes through a double door (like those from the Toxic City Mall expansion).
• Hospital Rooms: These areas function as building Zones. Movement is restricted to opened doors, and they cannot be searched (except for Locker Rooms). Opening a room door, or having an open room door when the main hospital door is opened, triggers a Zombie spawn inside that room.

Camp Tiles (7V–9V)

• General: All camp Zones are considered street Zones. Tile 7V is also designated as a Wasteland for helicopter piloting purposes.
• Tents: Tent cards are distributed randomly in designated Zones during setup. A tent is revealed when a Survivor enters it for the first time, triggering a Zombie spawn inside (check for beds, too). Tents block Line of Sight and cannot be searched (except for Administrative and Infirmary tents). Tents cannot be driven through.
• Crashed Helicopter: Any Zone even partially covered by the Crashed Helicopter token cannot be entered or crossed and blocks Line of Sight. No Zombies spawn in these zones. These rules are equivalent to Rubble.

Unique Structures

• Helipad Fence: The helipad is surrounded by a fence. Actors can trace Line of Sight and execute Ranged Attacks through the fence, but they cannot Move or Drive through it. Note that Abominations can still grab Survivors through the fence.
• Event Triggers: These tokens modify Zombie spawning on a tile. A tile with an Event Trigger only spawns Zombies the first time a Survivor enters one of its building or indoor alley Zones at the end of an action. After the first activation, the token is flipped. This spawn replaces the normal building spawn for that tile, which is normally triggered by opening a door. Event Trigger effects can interrupt a Survivor’s action, and the effect is resolved before resuming the action.

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Expanded Player Counts and Competitive Play

Playing with 7+ Survivors

When playing with seven or more Survivors, follow these adjustments to maintain challenge:

• Spawn Rate: Add one additional Spawn token per two Survivors above the sixth (round up). These tokens are stacked on existing Spawn Zones or placed on new ones.
• Starting Equipment: Add an additional Pan per odd-numbered additional Survivor (7th, 9th, etc.) and an additional basic weapon (Axe, Pistol, or Crowbar) per even-numbered additional Survivor (8th, 10th, etc.).

Competitive Mode

This optional mode pits teams against each other in Missions specifically designed for competition. The winning team is the one with the highest total accumulated Experience Points (XP) among all its members (including those eliminated).

• Rivalry: Teams are rivals, and it is a free-for-all, including the ability to attack rival Survivors.
• Conflict Resolution: In situations where the outcome requires agreement between players (like dividing Wounds from a Zombie attack among rival teams or splitting Zombies during the Move step), the First Player decides.
• Targeting Priority Exception: When a Survivor attacks a rival team, the attacker may choose their targets among victims who share the same Ranged Targeting Priority Level (e.g., choosing which Walker to hit).
• Survivor-on-Survivor Damage: When a Survivor hits a rival Survivor, the victim suffers Wounds equal to the weapon’s Damage value and loses an equal number of Equipment cards.
• Bulletproof Vests: Teams receive an equal number of Bulletproof Vest cards during setup. These grant temporary protection against Survivor attacks (not Zombie attacks) and do not need to be equipped. The first Wound from a Survivor is ignored and the Vest is flipped. The second Wound from a Survivor is also ignored, but the Vest is then lost. Any subsequent Wounds are applied normally. Killing a rival Survivor does not earn XP.

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Conclusion

Zombicide offers a fast-paced, cooperative experience where Survivors move, fight, and complete objectives while managing the ever-escalating danger level. To play, players follow the alternating Players’ Phase (taking actions like Move, Search, and Combat) and the Zombies’ Phase (where the horde activates, moves toward noise/sight, and spawns reinforcements). Mastering the detailed Zombicide rules—especially movement costs, Ranged Combat priority, and coordinating Team Actions—is essential for survival against the overwhelming undead threat.