How are zombies seen on senses and sensors?

[darthauthor]

Imagine a zombie is in hiding or disguised in environemental armor or even just dressed in clothes, a coat, and such.

Can a Dog Boy or Psi-Stalker sense them?

Asked another way, "Do are zombies detectable as supernatural creatures?"

Sense Evil?

Sense Magic?

Presense Sense?

Read Aura of a zombie? (What they had when they were alive? No aura?)

If a CS SGT is using infra-red googles do zombies give off bodyheat?
Room Temperature (kind of making them infra-red camo)?

If a psychic used telepathy on a zombie, while the zombie was disguise so the psychic didn't know it was a zombie, are their any thoughts?

Psychic power of Empathy?

[ShadowLogan]

I am going to base this off the Wizard Invocation Ritual "Create Zombie" product, there is some indication in WB30 of "Zombie Plagues" which might have completely different answers (IINM this is a connection to Chaos Earth's Resurrection SB, a book I don't have so I don't know how those Zombies work).

Taking them out of order:
re: "Read Aura"
Yes, everything has an aura ("All things, organic and inorganic, have an aura"-RUE pg175 for See Aura Psi Power). Now will that aura come across as "ZOMBIE!!!!", probably not, but it should certainly come across as unusual for a humanoid.

re: "Sense Magic"
Yes, they would qualify as enchanted.

re: "Sense Evil"
No. The Zombie (and Mummy and Golem) while they might be considered to be supernatural, I don't think they qualify as having an alignment since they are magical "robots".

Re: Bodyheat
It is unlikely they give off bodyheat.

Re: Telepathy & Empathy
The magical Zombie is described as "Most psychic and magic powers have no effect, only energy". This would seem to rule out Telepathy and Empathy since they do not qualify as "energy" based. Though I would argue there are powers/spells that will still work indirectly (drop a magical wall on them, sure it might not do damage directly, but it will still immobilize them for example).

Even if you wanted to argue for wiggle room based on the phrasing a magical Zombie it has "little emotion", so Empathy likely won't pick up anything unless it is in an emotionally stimulating position.

Re: Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers
I'm not sure. Technically they don't have any PPE to detect (based on their description stats) which would be a no (text specifically states high PPE for beings). However, they also technically qualify as under a long duration effect (and the ritual itself is high PPE) which would be a yes.

[darthauthor]

Thanks for the reply ShadowLogan,

I did mean Rifts Earth Invocation Zombie.

Good Guy/Bad Guy Necromancer vs the CS patrol hunting them situation.

I wanted a fair and intelligent ruling on whether or not a CS psi-stalker/Dog Boy/psychic would detect them (when and how). The details are everything in the justification.
Of course, it works BOTH ways.
I rule that zombies (without direction besides the basic order to kill that guy or the Dead Boy/Dog Boy over there - finger point) are easily fooled by camo, disguise, fall for traps, etc.

BUT where there are a lot of people sneaking around ones own teammates can and occationally do get mistaken for the enemy. The Navy Seal Joko called it "Blue on Blue" because mistakes happen and guys don't want to announce their position to everyone who could be around to ID someboyd who "might" be the enemy.

SO the question becomes how easy is it to ID a zombie when everyone is playing hide and seek and destroy. Especially if the Necromancer is clever and has even turned former Dead Boys into permanently dead and zombies.

Its the player or me as the GM explaning/justifying what the senses, optics, psionics, etc CAN and can't do UNDER the CIRCUMSTANCES.
NECROMANCER tells the zombies what to do over a radio in the zombies helmet. Plays them like chess pieces while observing the situation from a state of simple INvisibility (Bone of Invisibility).
So yeah, the necro shows up in a couple of ways but I didn't know how to resolve how the Zombies do.

Do you think it is the same for Animated Dead?

[darthauthor]

My simple Summary:

Can a Dog Boy or Psi-Stalker sense them?
NO. No PPE. No Magic. No Psionics

"Do are zombies detectable as supernatural creatures?"
NO

Sense Evil?
NO

Sense Magic?
NO

Presense Sense?
NO

Read Aura?
YES

Infrared?
NO

Telepathy?
NO

Empathy?
NO

[Library Ogre]

Imagine a zombie is in hiding or disguised in environemental armor or even just dressed in clothes, a coat, and such.

This becomes a big difference.

(Edited to add numbers)

1. Can a Dog Boy or Psi-Stalker sense them?
2. Asked another way, "Do are zombies detectable as supernatural creatures?"
3. Sense Evil?
4. Sense Magic?
5. Presense Sense?
6. Read Aura of a zombie? (What they had when they were alive? No aura?)
7. If a CS SGT is using infra-red googles do zombies give off bodyheat? Room Temperature (kind of making them infra-red camo)?
8. If a psychic used telepathy on a zombie, while the zombie was disguise so the psychic didn't know it was a zombie, are their any thoughts?
9. Psychic power of Empathy?

1&2. Yes. They are supernatural creatures or creatures of magic, as are all undead.

3. Probably not; it doesn't have any intention, just following orders.

4. Yes. They're under a magic spell.

5. Yes. They have a supernatural presence.

6. It will inform the psychic that the zombie is under the influence of magic and that they are not human.

7. If they're in a coat, they'll be oddly room-temperature. If they're in enviro armor, everyone is room temperature.

8&9: Most psionics don't work on zombies. I'd have it seem like they have a Mind Block up

[drewkitty ~..~]

Answering the questions when talking about zombies created through the magic spell 'Create Zombie'.
yes, they are magic.
Yes, as active magic.
They are SN creations/constructs.
Yes, they are SN.
Yes, they are made of magic.
No, they are not alive. It is Undead.
Everything has an aura. It would read as undead or magic.
No Body heat.
Depends on the GM if undead have thoughts.
They would have no emotions.

Now Zombies from the DR game or the ones in the 'Land of the Damed' book two of the PF game's game books, might have different answers depending on the details of their existence. (IOW you would have to read the descriptive text of each to suss out the answers for each.)

[darthauthor]

I may be getting things out of order.

Let me straighten things out.

ON RIFTS EARTH and ONLY on Rifts Earth. AND NOT Dead Reign

A Necromancer has cast the ritual spell to create a zombie (the invocation spell).

They clean up the corpse and put them in a Dead Boy MD Armor suit.

So I will make up a situation.

The zombie in Dead Boy armor is escorting the Necromancer (in disguise as a CS officer or prisoner) who is faking their arrest

1. Can a Dog Boy or Psi-Stalker sense them using:
A: Sense Psychic and Magic Energy?

B: Sense Supernatural Beings?

2. A psychics psionic power of Sense Evil?

3. A psychics psionic power of Sense Magic?

4. A psychics psionic power of Presense Sense?

5. A psychics psionic power of Read Aura of a zombie?

6. Infrared vision?

7. A psychics psionic power of telepathy?

8. A psychics psionic power of empathy?

If I am reading the responses right the consensus is:

1. Can a Dog Boy or Psi-Stalker sense them using:
A: Sense Psychic and Magic Energy?
YES
B: Sense Supernatural Beings?
YES
2. A psychics psionic power of Sense Evil?
NO
3. A psychics psionic power of Sense Magic?
YES
4. A psychics psionic power of Presense Sense?
YES
5. A psychics psionic power of Read Aura of a zombie?
YES and with armor they look like ANYONE else who is wearing the same armor.
6. Infrared vision?
IF wearin armor - Room temp.
In the flesh - room temp.
7. A psychics psionic power of telepathy?
NO
8. A psychics psionic power of empathy?
NO

These answer make a BIG difference if the Necromancer is supposed to know that a zombie is detectable (can be sensed) using sense supernatural or magic. The Dog Boy at the check point is going to know the humaniod in Dead Boy armor is a touch magic/supernatural and sound the alarm.

[Grazzik]

This is a good summary, but I'd suggest a couple things.

First, while the psi power of Empathy would likely be ineffective in the scenario posited, in an encounter that brings the psychic into close proximity to the zombie and able to do or ask something that ordinarily would trigger an emotional response, the absence of an emotional response would indicate something amiss requiring further investigation.

Second, it's up to the GM depending on the flavor of the game, but the intent of an order given by the zombie's master could be underlying the zombie's actions... something of a moral transference if you will... Order a zombie to do an evil act and the zombie's nature compelling it to carry out the act might trigger the sensing of the master's original evil intent. That said, I've always found the general fuzzy nature of the sensing psi powers which prohibits pinpointing sources more trouble than it's worth as a tactical power, though it can add good atmosphere to a scenario.