All Flesh Must Be Eaten vs Cypher System
Compare All Flesh Must Be Eaten and Cypher System side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| All Flesh Must Be Eaten | Cypher System | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Horror, Modern | Universal |
| Tags | Simulation, Modular, Character Building, Roleplay-Heavy | Toolkit, Modular, Character Building, Tactical, Theater of the Mind, Low-Prep, Strong GM Support, Narrative, Character-Driven, Resource Management |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d10 + attribute + skill vs a target number (typically 9). Characters are built with three power tiers: Norms (ordinary survivors), Survivors (action heroes), and Inspired (supernatural powers). The Zombie Master uses a detailed zombie creation system to customize the undead threat for each Deadworld setting. | The GM sets a difficulty from 1 to 10. Skills, assets, and Effort ease that difficulty before players roll a d20 against three times the final rating. Effort costs points from the relevant stat Pool, reduced by Edge. |
| Dice | d10 | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Availability | Free quickstart | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | Proprietary (Unisystem) | Cypher Open License 2026-07-15 |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Commercial publishing allowed — Cypher Open License |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Eden Studios | Monte Cook Games |
| Year | 2004 | 2026 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want a zombie survival RPG with flexible character creation, customizable zombie types, and multiple campaign settings from Romero-style horror to wuxia undead. | Groups building their own fantasy, science fiction, or modern campaigns who want varied character builds and meaningful resource choices with little mechanical preparation for the GM. |
| Highlights | Eleven distinct Deadworld settings in the core book, flexible Unisystem engine handles diverse genres, detailed zombie creation toolkit lets GMs craft unique threats, three character tiers support different play styles | Descriptor, type, and focus choices combine into characters with distinct abilities across different genres. Character arcs award experience for pursuing personal goals and resolving their stories. One-use cyphers rotate situational abilities through play and encourage spending them freely. |
| Considerations | Character creation is point-buy across Attributes, Qualities, Drawbacks, Skills, and Metaphysics, which front-loads a long series of choices before play begins. Combat applies damage multipliers after the hit roll and then subtracts armor, so a single exchange runs through several steps. The book supplies eleven Deadworld settings as construction kits rather than one canonical premise, so a group must settle its own zombie rules and tone first. | Effort and special abilities draw on the same Pools, making stronger rolls compete with other resource uses. Blocking reduces wounds while dodging avoids them, requiring players to weigh armor benefits against mobility penalties. Genre options and focus abilities require the GM to decide which character choices fit the campaign. |