All Flesh Must Be Eaten vs Shadow of the Demon Lord
Compare All Flesh Must Be Eaten and Shadow of the Demon Lord side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| All Flesh Must Be Eaten | Shadow of the Demon Lord | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Horror, Modern | Fantasy, Horror |
| Play Style | Horror, Simulation, Modular, Character Building, Roleplay-Heavy | Dark Fantasy, Grimdark, Fast Sessions, Beginner-Friendly, GM-Friendly |
| 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. | Roll d20 + modifier vs. target number 10. Boons and banes (d6s) add or subtract from the roll, canceling each other out. |
| Dice | d10 | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Community | Medium | Medium |
| License | Proprietary (Unisystem) | Forbidden Rules SRD |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Eden Studios | Schwalb Entertainment |
| Year | 2004 | 2015 |
| 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 who want fast, dark fantasy with streamlined d20 mechanics and a sense of impending doom. |
| 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 | Fast character creation, quick sessions, single boon/bane mechanic replaces most modifiers, 11 levels keep campaigns short |
| Considerations | System shows its age compared to modern horror RPGs, supplements are out of print, rules can feel dated in places | Dark horror tone limits genre range, setting tightly coupled to core rules |