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Weapons Cactus
About this class
THEME
The Cactus is the garden’s natural deterrent. They don’t seek
out the fight — they make the fight come to them and then make
it hurt for every zombie that does. Reactive Volleys are the
class’s heartbeat: a parallel action economy that fires
independently of the Cactus’s own spotlight. While other plants
wait for their turn, the Cactus is already punishing every
approach, every swing, and every adversary careless enough to
attack an ally within range. The Cactus’s design philosophy is
territorial — they own the ground they stand on, and anything
that enters it pays a price.
PLAYSTYLE
The Cactus is a zone-control class with an unusual rhythm. Their
best rounds are not their own spotlight turns — they’re the enemy
team’s turns, when Reactive Volleys fire back at every Melee
approach and every ally attack. During their own spotlight, the
Cactus is often setting up for the enemy’s next move: entering
Bristled Stance (Thornwall), activating Territorial, or
positioning for Spine Surge. Prickly Defense means consecutive
Melee attackers pay escalating Stress costs — the Cactus becomes
more expensive to fight the longer the enemy commits to engaging
them.
Spine Surge is the class’s tempo-shifting Sun feature — once
active, every enemy attack roll within Close range triggers a
free spine volley. Against a horde of adversaries, this can fire
four, five, or six times in a single GM turn. Pair it with
Bristled Stance or Bloodletting for maximum output.
Domains
Starting stats
Hope feature
Class features
-
Reactive Volleys
Your spines are always ready to punish any zombie that dares to
advance or attack. You can fire spine volleys as reactions in the
following situations:
• When an adversary moves into Melee range of you — fire a spine
volley at them as a reaction
• When an adversary within Melee range makes a successful attack
against you — fire a spine volley at them as a reaction
• When an adversary within Close range attacks an ally — spend a
Stress to fire a spine volley at them as a reactionEach spine volley is an attack roll using Finesse against the
triggering adversary. On a success, deal d6+2 physical damage
using your Proficiency.You can use Reactive Volleys a number of times per rest equal to
your Instinct modifier (minimum 1). Protecting an ally with
Stress still counts toward this limit -
Spine Release
When a Reactive Volley successfully hits, clear 1 Stress — the
release of a spine volley relieves the physical tension built up
in your body. -
Territorial
By spending 1 Reactive Volley use, you can claim the area within
Very Close range as your territory until your next rest. While
territory is claimed: you are immediately aware of any creature
that enters your territory — the GM must tell you when something
approaches; creatures cannot approach your territory undetected;
the GM cannot use an ambush move that originates within your
territory
Class items
- A belt of sharpened spine ammunition
- A worn leather journal of battle observations
Character questions
Background prompts
- Every inch of ground matters to you. What was the territory you failed to defend and how does it haunt you?
- You have hurt people who didn't mean you harm by being reactive too quickly. What happened and how do you carry that?
- The zombie horde has learned to be wary of getting close to you. What is the story they tell about you?
Connection prompts
- You have walked into my territory without warning and I almost hit you. What were you thinking and how did we resolve it?
- I protected you with a spine volley at exactly the right moment. What were you doing and what was the cost?
- You have seen me hold a position alone against overwhelming numbers. What did you think was going to happen?
Subclass cards
Printable via header menu
THORNWALL
Foundation
Thorn Sentinel: You gain additional uses of Reactive Volleys per
rest equal to your Proficiency (total per rest = Instinct
modifier + Proficiency). Additionally, when an adversary marks
a Hit Point or becomes Vulnerable or Restrained while within
your Close range, you can immediately fire a Reactive Volley at
them without consuming a use
Bristled Stance: As an action, mark a Stress to enter Bristled
Stance. It lasts until you move or the scene ends. While in
Bristled Stance:
• Your Reactive Volleys deal +1d6 damage
• Adversaries trying to move into your Melee range must succeed
on a Reaction Roll (13) or stop just outside your Melee range
THORNWALL
Specialization
Briar Patch: As an action, place a magical briar patch within
Close range. The patch fills an area within Very Close range.
Adversaries within or moving through the patch must make a
Reaction Roll (13) or mark 1 Hit Point and become temporarily
Restrained. The patch lasts until the end of the scene or until
you place another one. You can have one active briar patch at
a time
Vigilant Spines: Your Reactive Volleys can now also trigger when:
• An adversary tries to leave your Close range
• An adversary uses a magical ability within your Close range
When triggered by either of these new conditions, Spine Release
clears 2 Stress instead of 1
THORNWALL
Mastery
Forest of Spines: Once per long rest, mark 2 Stress to grow a
forest of massive spines from the ground around you. Until the
end of the scene:
• All adversaries within your Close range count as in a Briar
Patch (per Briar Patch's effects)
• Whenever an adversary marks a Hit Point within your Close
range, you can immediately fire a Reactive Volley at them
without consuming a use
NEEDLESHOT
Foundation
Long Range Volleys: Your Reactive Volleys and spine attacks can
now target adversaries within Far range (instead of being limited
to Close/Melee). Additionally, when you make a spine attack
against a target at Far range, gain +1 to your attack roll
Blood Spines: When you make a spine attack (Reactive Volley or
your primary spine attack), you can mark a Stress to add +1d8
damage on a successful hit. Once per long rest, you can mark a
Hit Point instead of a Stress to add +2d8 damage on the hit
NEEDLESHOT
Specialization
Specialty Spines: When you fire a spine attack, you can choose
one of the following specialty effects. You can only apply one
specialty per attack:
• Piercing Spine — Mark a Stress. Attack ignores resistance and
gains +1 to the attack roll.
• Toxic Spine — Mark a Stress. On a hit, the target also marks
a Stress.
• Heavy Spine — Mark a Hit Point. On a hit, the target must
succeed on a Reaction Roll (13) or be knocked back to Far
range.
Hone the Pain: When you mark a Stress or Hit Point voluntarily
on your action, gain a +1d4 bonus to your next damage roll this
scene. This bonus stacks up to a maximum of your Proficiency and
clears when you make a damage roll or take a rest
NEEDLESHOT
Mastery
Bloodletting: Once per long rest, mark 1 Hit Point and 2 Stress
to enter Bloodletting until the end of the scene. While in
Bloodletting:
• All your spine attacks (Reactive Volleys and primary attacks)
deal +1d10 damage
• You gain advantage on attack rolls against targets within Far
range
• When you successfully hit with a spine attack, you can mark a
Stress to immediately fire a second spine attack against the
same or a different target as part of the same action
Cactus
THEME
The Cactus is the garden’s natural deterrent. They don’t seek
out the fight — they make the fight come to them and then make
it hurt for every zombie that does. Reactive Volleys are the
class’s heartbeat: a parallel action economy that fires
independently of the Cactus’s own spotlight. While other plants
wait for their turn, the Cactus is already punishing every
approach, every swing, and every adversary careless enough to
attack an ally within range. The Cactus’s design philosophy is
territorial — they own the ground they stand on, and anything
that enters it pays a price.
PLAYSTYLE
The Cactus is a zone-control class with an unusual rhythm. Their
best rounds are not their own spotlight turns — they’re the enemy
team’s turns, when Reactive Volleys fire back at every Melee
approach and every ally attack. During their own spotlight, the
Cactus is often setting up for the enemy’s next move: entering
Bristled Stance (Thornwall), activating Territorial, or
positioning for Spine Surge. Prickly Defense means consecutive
Melee attackers pay escalating Stress costs — the Cactus becomes
more expensive to fight the longer the enemy commits to engaging
them.
Spine Surge is the class’s tempo-shifting Sun feature — once
active, every enemy attack roll within Close range triggers a
free spine volley. Against a horde of adversaries, this can fire
four, five, or six times in a single GM turn. Pair it with
Bristled Stance or Bloodletting for maximum output.
Domains
Resilience + Spike
Starting Evasion
9
Starting Hit Points
6
Class Items
- • A belt of sharpened spine ammunition
- • A worn leather journal of battle observations
Cactus’s Hope Feature
Spine Surge : Spend 3 Sun to supercharge your spines for a burst of reactive power. Until the end of the scene, every time an adversary within Close range makes an attack roll — whether against you or an ally — you can fire a spine volley at them as a reaction without spending Stress or counting against your Reactive Volley limit
Class Features
Reactive Volleys
Your spines are always ready to punish any zombie that dares to advance or attack. You can fire spine volleys as reactions in the following situations: • When an adversary moves into Melee range of you — fire a spine volley at them as a reaction • When an adversary within Melee range makes a successful attack against you — fire a spine volley at them as a reaction • When an adversary within Close range attacks an ally — spend a Stress to fire a spine volley at them as a reaction Each spine volley is an attack roll using Finesse against the triggering adversary. On a success, deal d6+2 physical damage using your Proficiency. You can use Reactive Volleys a number of times per rest equal to your Instinct modifier (minimum 1). Protecting an ally with Stress still counts toward this limit
Spine Release
When a Reactive Volley successfully hits, clear 1 Stress — the release of a spine volley relieves the physical tension built up in your body.
Territorial
By spending 1 Reactive Volley use, you can claim the area within Very Close range as your territory until your next rest. While territory is claimed: you are immediately aware of any creature that enters your territory — the GM must tell you when something approaches; creatures cannot approach your territory undetected; the GM cannot use an ambush move that originates within your territory
Cactus Subclasses
Choose either the THORNWALL or NEEDLESHOT subclass.
THORNWALL
Lock down a zone, flood it with volleys, and make it impossible for anything to enter or leave
Foundation Features
Thorn Sentinel: You gain additional uses of Reactive Volleys per
rest equal to your Proficiency (total per rest = Instinct
modifier + Proficiency). Additionally, when an adversary marks
a Hit Point or becomes Vulnerable or Restrained while within
your Close range, you can immediately fire a Reactive Volley at
them without consuming a use
Bristled Stance: As an action, mark a Stress to enter Bristled
Stance. It lasts until you move or the scene ends. While in
Bristled Stance:
• Your Reactive Volleys deal +1d6 damage
• Adversaries trying to move into your Melee range must succeed
on a Reaction Roll (13) or stop just outside your Melee range
Specialization Feature
Briar Patch: As an action, place a magical briar patch within
Close range. The patch fills an area within Very Close range.
Adversaries within or moving through the patch must make a
Reaction Roll (13) or mark 1 Hit Point and become temporarily
Restrained. The patch lasts until the end of the scene or until
you place another one. You can have one active briar patch at
a time
Vigilant Spines: Your Reactive Volleys can now also trigger when:
• An adversary tries to leave your Close range
• An adversary uses a magical ability within your Close range
When triggered by either of these new conditions, Spine Release
clears 2 Stress instead of 1
Mastery Feature
Forest of Spines: Once per long rest, mark 2 Stress to grow a
forest of massive spines from the ground around you. Until the
end of the scene:
• All adversaries within your Close range count as in a Briar
Patch (per Briar Patch's effects)
• Whenever an adversary marks a Hit Point within your Close
range, you can immediately fire a Reactive Volley at them
without consuming a use
NEEDLESHOT
Spend your own health to fuel devastating ranged spike volleys — the more it hurts you, the harder you hit
Foundation Features
Long Range Volleys: Your Reactive Volleys and spine attacks can
now target adversaries within Far range (instead of being limited
to Close/Melee). Additionally, when you make a spine attack
against a target at Far range, gain +1 to your attack roll
Blood Spines: When you make a spine attack (Reactive Volley or
your primary spine attack), you can mark a Stress to add +1d8
damage on a successful hit. Once per long rest, you can mark a
Hit Point instead of a Stress to add +2d8 damage on the hit
Specialization Feature
Specialty Spines: When you fire a spine attack, you can choose
one of the following specialty effects. You can only apply one
specialty per attack:
• Piercing Spine — Mark a Stress. Attack ignores resistance and
gains +1 to the attack roll.
• Toxic Spine — Mark a Stress. On a hit, the target also marks
a Stress.
• Heavy Spine — Mark a Hit Point. On a hit, the target must
succeed on a Reaction Roll (13) or be knocked back to Far
range.
Hone the Pain: When you mark a Stress or Hit Point voluntarily
on your action, gain a +1d4 bonus to your next damage roll this
scene. This bonus stacks up to a maximum of your Proficiency and
clears when you make a damage roll or take a rest
Mastery Feature
Bloodletting: Once per long rest, mark 1 Hit Point and 2 Stress
to enter Bloodletting until the end of the scene. While in
Bloodletting:
• All your spine attacks (Reactive Volleys and primary attacks)
deal +1d10 damage
• You gain advantage on attack rolls against targets within Far
range
• When you successfully hit with a spine attack, you can mark a
Stress to immediately fire a second spine attack against the
same or a different target as part of the same action
Background Questions
Answer any of the following, or create your own.
- • Every inch of ground matters to you. What was the territory you failed to defend and how does it haunt you?
- • You have hurt people who didn't mean you harm by being reactive too quickly. What happened and how do you carry that?
- • The zombie horde has learned to be wary of getting close to you. What is the story they tell about you?
Connections
Ask one of the following, or improvise.
- • You have walked into my territory without warning and I almost hit you. What were you thinking and how did we resolve it?
- • I protected you with a spine volley at exactly the right moment. What were you doing and what was the cost?
- • You have seen me hold a position alone against overwhelming numbers. What did you think was going to happen?
Discussion
Be thoughtful and kind.
Remember to be respectful. Comments are moderated and should add to the discussion.
