History Main / EliteZombie

** There also are several kinds of undead that aren't particularly strong but have unusual abilities. The crypt thing is a smart skeleton that can teleport other people. The eye of fear and flame is a smart skeleton with two magical gems placed in its eye sockets that give it fire-based and fear-based attacks. The slaymate is an UndeadChild that boosts the power of necromantic spells cast near it and so is very sought out by necromancers. The painspeaker is a smart zombie that can harm other creatures using its voice. Morhgs are a smart skeleton with that can paralyze enemies by lashing them with their tongues.

** There also are several kinds of undead that aren't particularly strong but have unusual abilities. The crypt thing is a smart skeleton that can teleport other people. The eye of fear and flame is a smart skeleton with two magical gems placed in its eye sockets that give it fire-based and fear-based attacks. The slaymate is an UndeadChild that boosts the power of necromantic spells cast near it and so is very sought out by necromancers. The painspeaker is a smart zombie that can harm other creatures using its voice.

** There also are several kinds of undead that aren't particularly strong but have unusual abilities. The crypt thing is a smart skeleton that can teleport other people. The eye of fear and flame is a smart skeleton with two magical gems placed in its eye sockets that give it fire-based and fear-based attacks. The slaymate is an UndeadChild that boosts the power of necromantic spells cast near it and so is very sought out by necromancers.

* ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}'': The Flood start out pretty simplistic, but even in their most basic forms they are fast, have whip-tentacles to inflict heavy melee damage, and barely enough intelligence to operate firearms. As the infestation spreads, the Flood begin building new bodies out of pure Flood biomass rather than infesting pre-existing lifeforms. These "Pure Forms" can shapeshift between several different forms: a stationary living turret, FragileSpeedster, and a MightyGlacier. As the overall Flood infestation grows in size, the HiveMind also starts getting smart... really smart. Like "outsmarting A.I.s designed to coordinate entire galactic war efforts" smart...

* ElementalZombie- When the undead are not merely shambling corpses, but wield elements such as fire or ice.

* '''Screamers''' - Their specialization is to [[EnemySummoner call out]] to any other zombies around, usually via screaming or screeching. They are usually less physically threatening than other zombies, having disabilities like the lack of arms or bound ones (usually a straitjacket), thus forcing them to rely on their calls to defend themselves. Their screams can occasionally [[MakeMeWannaShout cause damage]].

* ''VideoGame/NotDyingToday'' have its share of unique, powerful zombies, from GiantMook zombie quarterbacks, to [[MakeMeWannaShout screamer zombies]] whose skulls are grafted with loudspeakers capable of damaging you by shouting, zombie nurses holding syringes which can paralyze you, flamethrower-wielding zombies in {{Hazmat Suit}}s, insect-headed zombiemen with an OverlyLongTongue capable of ensnaring you from a distance, and gigantic zombie behemoths larger than you.

[[folder:Film]]

** The Tank (pictured above) is a Brute, and the Witch is a Trap Zombie with a characteristic crying, extremely dangerous when provoked. Both are the [[BossInMookClothing toughest enemies of the game]].

* '''ALL''' the zombie enemies in ''VideoGame/RemorseTheList'' are far stronger and deadlier than common depictions of the undead. Even the weakest of them can tank plenty of punishment, and the flavors went from Boneless Zombies who slithers on the floor like snakes, only to move lightning-speed at you, to the Wall Zombies who's embedded on surfaces (like their namesake) but can spit acid as a ranged attack, to ''flying'' zombies and other enemies.

* ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPart2'' introduces Shamblers, which release a huge cload of spores if Ellie or Abby get to close and have a devastating ram attack, and Stalkers, a midway evolution between Runners and Clickers that don't make sound and can quickly sneak behind you. In addition, Bloaters are now far more rare and appear as fully-fledged boss fights; the first one Ellie encounters is in a flashback where Joel is drawing all the aggro, but [[spoiler: she encounters another one in a Seattle arcade which does not go down easily]]. Then there's the [[spoiler:[[KingMook Rat King]], a huge shuffling amalgamation of infected stalking the hospital's lower levels that Abby has to face off against which makes Bloaters look harmless]].

** '''Cyber-Zombies''' - A more technological subcategory of the enhanced zombie. Basically a regular zombie put into the chopshop and grafted with various mechanical gadgets, computer implants, bionic limbs, and integrated weaponry. May or may not include [[PoweredArmor machine assisted limbs]] (or replaced with [[ArtificialLimbs cybernetics]]), [[ArmCannon arm cannons]], [[BladeBelowTheShoulder sharp metal claw blades]], [[BrainComputerInterface chipped brains]], [[ElectronicEyes bionic eyes]] (that may or may not [[EyeBeams shoot lasers]]) and many other augmentations. Said machinery may be the reason why it's animated in the first place. The operator may have died or was killed, leaving only their mechanical half to drive the body around like a grotesque meat puppet. Other times corporations are responsible for making these abominations (either through captured "wild" zombie or intentionally infecting a test subject) for their own nefarious purposes.

->''"TAAAAAANK!!!!!"''
-->-- '''Everybody''', both in-universe and out, in a ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' game.

* ''Manga/IAmAHero'' features pretty much all of these at some point or another. There are fast infant zombies, a pregnant woman later dragged along by her infant after her death, fast "combat-type" zombies, [[spoiler:FleshGolem style brutes, smart zombies that have some of their sanity kept intact to achieve a goal, and Human Zombies who have human level intelligence coupled with super strength and speed. Enormous Flesh Golems called Hives begin to form later, and the series has at least one Horde Master, although she is short-lived]].
* ''Manga/CellsAtWork'' depicts pathogen shifts by making virus-infested cells mutator zombies. Influenza-B causes standard zombies, but if they shift to type A or C, they grow CombatTentacles and/or bigger muscles.
* ''{{Manga/Hellsing}}'' has a short-lived appearance of soldier zombies. According to the manga's vampire rules, ghouls are vampire victims that don't qualify for conversion into new vampires, and often are just shambling, brain-dead symptoms of a vampire attack. However, a pair of early arc villains figured out how to suit up their ghouls with tactical equipment, steel shields and submachine guns. They were still dumb as rocks -- only able to walk, shoot, hold their shields and refrain from eating humans immediately -- but two busloads of them were enough kill all the armed soldiers at Hellsing HQ.

* ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' similarly uses ''dead superhumans'' who on top of retaining all the powers they had in life are also granted an equivalent to Green Lantern ring powers as well as high regeneration that makes them hard to keep down.
* Rapunzel fights one of these in ''ComicBook/SnowWhiteZombieApocalypse'' in the form of [[spoiler: a Big Bad Wolf Zombie with a granny zombie inside.]]
* In ''ComicBook/ZombiesChristmasCarol'''s bad future, with the majority of undead converged into a single mind, Scrooge becomes the zombies' leader.
* In the ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' story arc "Judgement Day", the Judges are fighting off a ZombieApocalypse of regular flesh-eating zombies who can be easily mowed down, only being dangerous due to their vast numbers. The necromancer who is controlling them later crafts a group of muscular zombie mooks who are far more durable and dangerous, making mince meat of much of Judge Dredd's strike force.
* ComicBook/{{Crossed}}: the common infected are basically barely-sentient psychopaths that will torture/rape/murder anything in their paths. Nevertheless, there are cases of infected that retained human level intellect while still being thoroughly evil and sadistic. The best example is probably "Smokey" who appears in the "Quisling" arc. A large, bald infected wearing a firefighter's jacket, hence his moniker, he was able keep other crossed of his band on check and was smart enough to plan the launching of a nuclear arsenal of a military base in Florida.
* In the chilean comic ''Zombies en la Moneda'', none other than [[spoiler: UsefulNotes/AugustoPinochet]] ends up transforming into an elite zombie. He is very intelligent -he even becomes the new president of Chile- he has an almost-normal appearance with no signs of decomposition, he can apparently control other zombies and he is very strong and resistant.

* ''Film/ZombielandDoubleTap'' introduces these. First, an inversion with FatIdiot zombies even less intelligent than regular Zombies, who are called Homer (after [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]]). Then there's smart zombies called Hawking, named after Stephen Hawking. Then there's the Ninja zombies, which are an offshoot of smart zombies, and are stealthy. Later in the film, we see Terminator zombies, which are abnormally tough and able to survive multiple gunshot wounds, and appear to be physically stronger as well.
* The horrible rat-monkey/Freudian symbolism giant mother zombie in ''Film/{{Braindead}}'' counts for this.
* The ''Film/{{Doom}}'' movie had three possible outcomes. If you aren't awesome, you become a zombie. If you're awesome but evil, you become a monster. If you're awesome and good, you just become ''more'' awesome.
* In ''Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDeadNecropolis'', there are two of these [[spoiler: who turn out to be the main character's parents]]. The male has miniguns for arms, while the female has circular saws for hands.
* The movies based (loosely) off ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' follow in the footsteps of the games, but the only true elite zombies would have to be the ones locked in the crate outside Las Vegas in ''Film/ResidentEvilExtinction''. The [[Film/ResidentEvilApocalypse second film]] also features zombie children, and a few Mutant Zombies appear throughout the franchise.
* In a mild example, one character in ''Film/CockneysVsZombies'' has a metal plate in his forehead due to an old injury. When he gets zombified and the other characters try to shoot him in the head, the bullets just glance off the plate. [[spoiler: They deal with him by sticking a small explosive in his mouth and blowing his head to bits.]]

* In ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'', there are three types of zombie. The shamblers are your normal, slow-moving walkers straight out of the ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'' or ''Series/TheWalkingDead'', with the added weakness that they dry out and desiccate in the desert heat of UsefulNotes/LasVegas. Above them are the alphas, who can run and retain enough intelligence to [[ItCanThink organize]] and [[ItsPersonal show some measure of emotion]], functioning more like SpaceOrcs than traditional zombies. Finally, the [[MonsterLord alphas' leader]] Zeus is an escaped military experiment who is stronger and smarter than all the rest. His bites turn people into alphas, and he retains enough intelligence to know to put on a metal helmet to deflect headshots. And Zeus' Alpha "Queen" can be pregnant.

* In ''Literature/{{Masques}}'', Aralorn faces undead who can talk, in the voices of the people they once were. This is highly unusual, as the standard zombie in that setting is very dumb, has no memory of the human being it was, and the pre-improvement zombie wasn't even able to carry out orders. [[spoiler: The ae'Magi has made some improvements. He can even ask the undead who once were Aralorn's friends about her weaknesses]]
* The spy thriller/zombie apocalypse novel ''Patient Zero'' features generic Muslim terrorists planning to destroy western civilization by infecting the president of the United States and members of Congress with the zombie plague, while giving themselves an improved version that gives them all the advantages of zombiedom without turning them into homicidal flesh-craving lunatics.
* The [[spoiler:Zombie UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex]] from ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''. In the Dresden-verse, a zombie's power is proportional to A. how much of the 'original' is left, and B. its age. Most of the zombies in ''Dead Beat'' are, at most, 100-200 years old or so. To fight back, Dresden animates [[spoiler:Sue, the T. Rex skeleton in the Chicago museum, which is one of the most complete Rex skeletons in the world, and 65 million years dead.]]
** All zombies in the Dresden-verse have superhuman strength and endurance, as Harry explains that there's not much point in working powerful and illegal dark magic to create a dead guy that shambles around in the vaguely pathetic fashion of a typical movie zombie.
** Humans are preferred for zombies because they tend to make better zombies than animals, but it's Black Magic on the highest order. Like, chop your head off highest order. Hence why the bad guys might not consider [[spoiler: Sue]] in favor of human corpses.
* ''Literature/TheRadiantDawn'' is chock full of them. "Cavaliers" are the name given to the sergeants, Horde Masters who ride on undead animals into battle and act as conduits for Aaron's psychic control over his horde. "Flesh golems" are Brutes, monstrous creatures created by magically stitching together pieces of many corpses. Then there are the necromancers, Enhanced Zombies that can open portals to summon in undead and cast offensive spells, along with Aaron and Stacie Murphy themselves.
* ''[[Creator/PermutedPress Day By Day Armageddon]]'' has ''much'' deadlier zombies nicknamed 'The Talented Tenth' by Kilgore (Due to 1 in 10 typically being one). They're the result of people killed by nuclear fallout rather than bites and in addition to a body that won't rot (since it's too radioactive for bacteria to break it down), the radiation has preserved their muscles and higher brain functions meaning they can run and possess some reasoning abilities like tracking, playing dead, ambushes, and using weapons. Also, since they're radioactive, merely getting too close to one can result in radiation infection, death, and reanimation as ''another'' Tenth.
* In ''Literature/WorldWarZ'', the crew of a nuclear submarine fears the creation of Elite Zombies in the event of a nuclear war, because of the effects that radiation-induced mutations could have on creatures incapable of being killed by them. The trope is [[AvertedTrope averted]] in the actual plot, however.
* In ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'', Kalad's Phantoms (animated skeletons encased in ''stone statues'') are The Brute to the regular Lifeless.
** Alternately, Lifeless could be regarded as Smart Zombies in their own right, since the chief advantage they have over other Awakened constructs is the ability to take orders and react to their surroundings. Most Awakened items just follow whatever Command they were given during the Awakening.
* There are several undead in "Literature/TheForsakenChildren", including smart zombies, zombies that can teleport as a cloud of ash, zombies that use sea fauna as makeshift armor, etc.
* In ''Literature/NightOfTheAssholes'', [[spoiler: Asshole!Todd]] claims that some assholes are more advanced than others and are acting as leaders in the new world order. Since some of the assholes seen have been MasterRace proponents and [[spoiler: UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler]], this is likely just him being an asshole by acting superior.

* ''Series/AllOfUsAreDead'': Gwi-nam, Nam-ra and Eun-Ji retain their sentience, have SuperStrength, SuperToughness enhanced smell and hearing and don't have to worry about being attacked by regular zombies, however they still have urge for flesh (although it can be controlled, and human flesh isn't necessary) and can spread the virus, although anybody they infectturn into regular zombies.
* ''Series/{{iZombie}}'': Most of the named zombies shown in the show so far are of the "smart" variety. Their personality is largely unchanged from when they were alive, but they have to eat some brains once in a while to maintain their higher brain functions, lest they degrade into a typical [[Creator/GeorgeARomero Romero]] zombie. As demonstrated with a friend of Liv's, going without brains for about six months turns a "smart" zombie into a mindless one permanently. All "smart" zombies try to maintain TheMasquerade by clipping their fingernails short (to avoid [[DeadlyScratch scratching]] and infecting anyone) and generally avoid sex with humans (fluid transfer can also lead to infection). They usually apply make-up every morning and dye their hair (zombies have white hair and an extremely pale complexion) to pass for a human. Liv is an exception in that she keeps her white hair and pale looks, simply claiming it's her new lifestyle. A side effect of eating brains is a temporary transfer of memories, skills, and personality traits of the deceased to the zombie. This usually lasts either for about a day or until a new brain is consumed. This can either be funny (e.g. Liv becoming overly maternal after eating the brain of a woman who has just given birth; Lowell becoming gay for a day) to disturbing (e.g. Liv becoming a remorseless sociopath after eating the brain of a hitman). Additionally, adrenaline can also cause "smart" zombies to go into "full-on zombie mode" (or "[[HulkingOut rage out]]"), during which their eyes go red, their strength increases, and they act feral. This is why Lowell no longer performs in public, as going on stage gives him a typical adrenalin surge, which can end badly with a whole room full of cheering brains.
* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' for the most part does not feature elite zombies, but during Season 3 (in which Rick Grimes and the other survivors go to a prison), they encounter zombies wearing riot gear.
* ''Series/ZNation'' seems to enjoy this trope. You've got glowing, radioactive zombies; zombies that are hopped up on meth, enhancing their speed and aggression; "Blasters," which emerged in the wake of a nuclear explosion and are faster, stronger, and smarter than their brethren; odd plant/zombie hybrids called "Phyto Zombies"; and various flavors of zombie/human hybrid. [[TheImmune Murphy]], who was given an experimental vaccine that renders him immune to the virus, eventually starts to develop zombie-like characteristics while retaining his intelligence, along with with the psychic ability to control nearby zombies. He rarely gets the urge to bite people, but when he does, they don't die; instead, his bite transmits the vaccine, making others into hybrids like himself. These hybrids can be controlled like any other zombie, but their behavior varies. When Cassandra was bitten, she became feral and would often stand on all fours, growl, and sniff people like a dog. A group of humans given a "cure" synthesized from Murphy's blood gained superhuman durability and could survive any wound that didn't destroy the brain. After Murphy impregnates a human woman, she gives birth to a monstrous baby whose cry summons nearby zombies.

* ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'' [[Recap/LegendsOfTomorrowS5E12IAmLegends "I Am Legends"]] has this as a DiscussedTrope. During a ZombieApocalypse, some soldiers mistake the Legends for zombies and shoot Ava in the head. The Legends try explaining that they're ''not'' zombies, but then Ava (having drunk from a chalice of {{Immortality}} earlier) stands back up, and the soldiers decide they're dealing with a new breed of zombies that are immune to headshots. When the Legends point out that, unlike zombies, they can talk, the soldiers just conclude, "The super zombies have become sentient!"
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' features undead giants as heavy infantry in the [[BigBad Night King's]] army, and eventually [[spoiler: an undead dragon]].

* There are many, many different varieties of zombie and other undead in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Justified by the fact that they're basically magical constructs pumped up with [[PowerOfTheVoid bad energy from the Negative Energy Plane/Shadowfell]].

** And then there are monsters like [[DracoLich undead dragons]]. All the power of a dragon with none of the squishy weaknesses of the living! (Of course, ReviveKillsZombie is still an option...)
** The Bleakborn, or Moil Zombies from TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms is a particularly nasty variant of this. It often lays dormant, albeit obvious due to the frozen appearance of the corpse. The problem is its Heat-Draining Aura ability, which deals 2d6 Cold damage to every living things per turn while healing the zombie for the same. This aura also makes it immune, and in fact ''healed'' by fire attacks. And even if you take it down, the Aura will remain active as an attempt to heal itself, and given enough time and living creatures to drain heat from, it will stand back to its feet.

** There also are several kinds of undead that aren't particularly strong but have unusual abilities. The crypt thing is a smart skeleton that can teleport other people. The eye of fear and flame is a smart skeleton with two magical gems placed in its eye sockets that give it fire and fear based attacks. The slaymate is an UndeadChild that boosts the power of necromantic spells cast near it and so is very sought out by necromancers.

* TabletopGame/D20Modern source-book D20 Apocalypse introduces the Viral Deathspawn template. Viral Deathspawns can [[ZombieApocalypse infect others with the zombie virus]], and they actually only have a -2 intelligence modifier. It mean your average zombie has an IQ a bit below the human average.

* ''TabletopGame/AllFleshMustBeEaten'' contains rules for many different zombie scenarios, with a chapter devoted to customizing the undead. The various settings and fiction pieces in the book include zombie dogs and cows, intelligent zombies, and zombies that can control the weather and/or other zombies.
* ''TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis'' has the zombie lords -- animates with intelligence that can telepathically coordinate normal animates. Three or four of these working together can field a virtual army of the undead capable of coordinating their attacks for maximum effectiveness.

* In ''{{TabletopGame/Nechronica}}'' the players take on the role of Dolls - undead girls capable of thought and feeling - and fight against the Necromancer and his minions, even though it is the Necromancer who created the Dolls in the first place, as simple amusement or decoration for this rotting, undead world.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Zombicide}}'', the Walkers are your typical, slow-moving zombies. Then, there are the [[{{Kevlard}} Fatties]], who are basically Walkers, except they can take way more punishment. The next steps up are the [[MightyGlacier Abominations]], which are basically tougher, slower Fatties; and the Runners, who are fast versions of Walkers. The Toxic City Mall expansion adds toxic zombies, who are divided among the four categories and release a cloud of toxic gas upon dying, causing injuries to every survivor in the same area as them unless they have a skill making them immune, or are carrying a gas mask. The Prison Outbreak standalone expansion adds Berserker zombies, who are also divided in the four aforementioned categories. Berserker zombies are zombies who are ImmuneToBullets and can only be hurt in close-quarters combat.

** Aberrants can be nearly any type listed above and then some, such as one that stalks a person they were close to in life, and another whose Blight grows into the ground and shoot up at anyone who comes too close.

* ''{{VideoGame/Decision}}'':

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' features zombie soldiers as one of its most common Goomba-type enemies. They vary across games, but are mostly seen as former UAC security or space marines, resurrected by demonic spells or simply possessed while alive.

** ''VideoGame/Doom3'' has your fair share of Romero-esque zombies, that normally originate from civilians. Then you step up to the Z-Secs, the zombies of possessed security guards and marines, which can run, communicate and fire guns. There's also the Chainsaw Zombie, which is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin and is encountered exceedingly rarely, with its first appearance being solely to give the Marine the chainsaw.\\

* ''VideoGame/NotDyingToday'' have it's share of unique, powerful zombies. From GiantMook zombie quarterbacks, to [[MakeMeWannaShout screamer zombies]] whose skulls are grafted with loudspeakers capable of damaging you by shouting, zombie nurses holding syringes which can paralyze you, flamethrower-wielding zombies in {{Hazmat Suit}}s, insect-headed zombiemen with an OverlyLongTongue capable of ensnaring you from a distance, and gigantic zombie behemoths larger than you.
* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' is one of the {{trope codifier}}s due to the many, many horrible monsters spawned from the T-Virus, the most notable ones being Lickers and Tyrants. Perhaps the most literal are the Crimson Heads in the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil1 REmake]], which mutate from regular zombies that you "killed" but didn't either burn or decapitate. For an exact listing by subtype:
** Animal Zombies, predominantly Zombie Dogs, are recurring elements throughout the series, even going so far as to show up repeatedly as bosses. Their abilities range from inflicting DeathOfAThousandCuts to inflicting damage-over-time effects to being a straight-up FragileSpeedster GlassCannon, depending on the species.
** The Feral archetype is also extremely well-represented, courtesy of the many Hunter variants, the Crimson Head, the Chimera, the Licker, the Brain Sucker and the Drain Deimos. All are notably tougher than the average zombie, do a lot more damage, and most of them have the ability to close on the player very quickly. Although with the exception of the Crimson Head, most of these aren't zombies at all, but living, genetically-engineered {{Bioweapon Beast}}s.
** The Whopper, Shrieker and Bloodshot from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' are examples of the Brute, Screamer and Feral respectively. Whoppers are lumbering bullet sponges, Shriekers invigorate the zombie horde around them, and Bloodshots are quick, tough and agile.
** The Ganados from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' are Smart Zombies, as are the Afflicted from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations2''. All make use of melee (and thrown) weapons and crude tactics.
** The Regeneradors and Iron Maidens of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' are, as the name suggests, Regenerator types. Unless you use a special weapon mod to target their weak points, they will soak up massive amounts of ammo, including repeatedly growing back limbs & heads and filling in torsos.
** The J'avo from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' are a very dangerous cross between a Mutating Zombie and Zombie Soldier. Already equipped with guns, they can develop unique mutations that enhance mobility, defense and offense options.
** Enhanced Zombies include the Bandersnatch, the Jabberwock, and pretty much all of the non-Animal Zombie bosses.
** Sploders from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations2'' are a classic Boomer type zombie, with no real attack beyond self-detonating to kill the player.
** The Leech Zombies from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil0'' are a weird combination of Brute (very tough to kill, high damage) and Boomer (explode on death), with an extremely long ranged melee attack thanks to their elastic arms.
** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'' has "Ivy Zombies", corpses reanimated by G-virus-infected flora. They are an Enhanced type of zombie that are largely impervious to nearly all forms of damage. It's possible to knock them out by inflicting enough damage on them, but they will continue to get back up. The only way to permanently defeat them is to [[KillItWithFire Kill Them With Fire]].
** The "Ghost Survivors" DLC from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'' has a unique variation of zombie for each campaign: ''No Time To Mourn'' has toxic zombies that can inflict poison through bites and release clouds of gas when killed, ''Runaway'' has "Pale Heads" that can regenerate most damage except for [[BoomHeadshot cranium-destroying headshots]] and [[KillItWithFire fire]], and ''Forgotten Soldier'' has armored zombies that are impervious to damage inflicted anywhere except for small unarmored parts of their body. The unlockable campaign ''No Way Out'' forces players to deal with all three of the above.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' had normal shambling headcrab zombies... but that wasn't enough. So ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' introduced Fast Zombies, headcrab zombies with super speed and LeParkour abilities, and Poison Zombies, another variant that could soak up over three times as much damage as a standard zombie and throw poison headcrabs at you. Standard zombies also like to play dead (giving them traits of Possum zombies) and have some enhanced abilities compared to normal humans, including greatly enhanced strength, resilience, and durability. Standard zombies can soak up as much damage as a fully armored soldier, can come keep coming at you after being cut in half (indeed, some zombies seem to do this intentionally so they can catch prey in the vents) and in various scripted sequences are seen doing stuff like killing humans in one hit and tearing through solid concrete.
** ''Opposing Force'' also introduced a larger, stronger version of the headcrab zombie called a "Gonome", that could throw acid, soak up twice as much damage as a standard zombie, and sprint. Zombies made from former soldiers can also soak up more damage than standard zombies, but it's hardly noticeable.
** ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'''s episodes had the zombines, headcrabbed Combine soldiers equipped with body armor who could use grenades. They could also sprint, unlike normal zombies.
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' has them in the Special Infected, whom you can actually play as. They include:

* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'' has nothing but zombies as enemies, so naturally some of them have special abilities to mix things up. Several of them just have armor for added toughness, but there's also zombies with pole-vaults and pogo sticks to jump over your defenses, miner zombies who can tunnel under them, a dancing zombie who can summon backup dancer zombies, a Zamboni-driving zombie that freezes the ground behind him, among other things. The most elite of zombie mooks, however, is the huge, mighty Gargantuar who smashes plants in one hit and hurls imps into your defences. To top it all off, the final boss is [[spoiler:a mad scientist zombie piloting a giant robot zombie.]]
** The sequel, ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies2ItsAboutTime'' takes this to [[ExaggeratedTrope extremes]]. There you will encounter zombies with torches which burn your plants, zombies rolling barrels (with zombies inside of them), zombies who releases flocks of chickens (these are zombies too), zombies driving [[ItMakesSenseInContext giant, robotic football helmets]], wizard who turn your plants into sheeps, zombies with surfboards (using them as weapons, of course), zombies riding dodos, Franchise/IndianaJones zombies using ropes, rappers who spins microphones to kill plants, cavemen with rocks tied to their fists, and the list goes on. And of course, every world has their own variation of Gargantuar.
* The Undead Scourge seen in ''VideoGame/WarCraftIII'' and later ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. The first units you fight are usually skeletons, zombies, ghouls and the necromancers that raise and control them. Later, you face [[FrankensteinsMonster abominations]], [[GiantSpider crypt fiends]], [[BlackKnight death knights]] and [[AnIcePerson frost]] [[DracoLich wyrms]].
** The Forsaken in World of Warcraft are basically a whole playable faction of Zombie Persons. They don't actively try to eat people, but they have no problem eating humanoid corpses to heal themselves.
* Crazy Monkey Games' ''Zombie Horde 2'' has Gunarms — armored zombies with built-in ranged weapons.
* The "ultimate zombie" from ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness''.
-->'''Aramis:''' ''The fists of a Dark Karate master... The legs of the fastest demon in the Netherworld... The brain of Mahogany, a famous sorcerer... The iron body of Hercules... [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And a]]'' '''''[[RefugeInAudacity horse wiener]]!'''''
* ''VideoGame/TimeSplittersFuturePerfect'' has several different types of zombies. There are some that are on fire and will burn you if you fight them in melee range, there are some that can run at damn near lightning speed, and there are some that ''shoot lightning'' at you. Later in the second zombie-themed level, you enter the lab where the special zombies were made and can experiment on giving two subjects these abilities as well as many others. If you give them every ability at once, they'll just explode.
* In ''VideoGame/LandOfTheDeadRoadToFiddlersGreen'', "evolved" zombies are equipped with melee weapons, have more health, and cannot be decapitated or dismembered (thus no one-shot kills by headshot). The game also mixes things up with crawlers, vomiting zombies, exploding zombies, and screamers.

* ''VideoGame/{{Prototype 2}}'' ups this to extreme levels. There are Brawlers, Juggernauts, and the massive sized super fast Goliath who is completely unhindered by his size and is comparable to a bulldozer and a race car. This is pushed even farther as many of the enemies in the game are Evolved, individuals infected by the same virus you are with the same powers. [[spoiler:And there's always Alex himself.]]
* The ''Franchise/DeadRising'' series normally averts this. In keeping with its homage to Creator/GeorgeARomero, nearly all of the zombies are standard shamblers who are easy to defeat one-on-one and rely on [[TheHorde strength in numbers]] to overwhelm the player, while HumansAreTheRealMonsters in both story and [[BossBattle gameplay]] terms. Later games, however, do throw in some exceptions.
** Gas Zombies in ''VideoGame/DeadRising2''. Compared to normal zombies, they're twice as durable, twice as fast, do twice as much damage, are harder to escape from after they [[DeadlyLunge grapple you,]] are immune to [[SmartBomb Queens,]] can scream to draw in more gas zombies to attack, and have a spitting attack that can stun you. They make up about a third of the zombies near the eleventh hour, turning the game from a mindless zombie-killing party into a living hell where keeping yourself alive is a huge chore.
** ''VideoGame/DeadRising4'' introduces Fresh Zombies, created by a sped-up process of zombification that occurs within mere minutes of infection. Compared to normal zombies, "freshies" can sprint, and are very fast, strong, and aggressive.
* In ''VideoGame/DeadIsland'', you encounter some special zombies that are tougher than the average ones, or take some different tactics to defeat, such as Thugs (slow but towering zombies strong enough to send you flying with one punch), Floaters (bloated zombies puking a flammable vomit), Suiciders (kamikaze zombies that explode if you kill them or approach them, also moans "help me" to bait survivors), and Butchers (HP and strength of a Thug, but capable of running and dodging attacks).
** ''Dead Island Riptide'' Adds the Grenadier, an infected scientist that throws exploding body parts at you, the Screamer, a fast zombie with a special scream that stuns you, and the Wrestler, a massive zombie with powerful smash attacks. It also goes FromBadToWorse with a number of ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}''-style KingMook zombie bosses with enhanced health and regenerating health. Imagine a zombie fan who turned himself into a Butcher because he thinks it will save the world, or drug trafficker who had become one of the Infected. They are tougher, faster, deal more damage and that particular zombie's hat is turned up and their weaknesses are turned into strengths.
* ''VideoGame/DeadNation'' has 'em in a similar vein of ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''. There are fat zombies and soldier zombies who take a couple hits to go down, along with morbidly obese "boomers", colossal "tanks", and horde-calling "sirens".
* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', there is a mod called 'Zombie Fortress'. The zombie classes are [[FragileSpeedster Scouts]], [[MightyGlacier Heavies]], and [[GlassCannon Spies]]. Every zombie has a default 'rage' perk that grants them overheal and increased speed, but can only be activated at 80% health or higher. Zombie servers with perks take the abilities a step further and also grant perks to the Survivors.
* It seems that the [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Cordyceps Infected]] in ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'' grow StrongerWithAge. The [[FragileSpeedster most recently infected]] aren't that much of a threat, [[ZergRush at least when not in groups]], but the [[MightyGlacier Clickers]] are older zombies that kill in one hit and take several rounds pumped into them to kill, and don't flinch when shot. [[spoiler:Then there's the [[MiniBoss Bloaters]], which are incredibly old Infected from the original epidemic 20 years ago, and they are [[LightningBruiser faster and tougher than Clickers while also capable of killing in one hit]], and they are the only Infected that have a ranged attack. Fortunately, [[KillItWithFire molotov cocktails and the flamethrower]] are very effective against them.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' has standard shambling zombies, who are the game's weakest enemies. Later updates added elite variations, all of which have a rare chance of randomly spawning.
** Any zombie may be spawned with one or more pieces of armor, increasing its defense, or holding a weapon, increasing its damage output. These may be of any rank, from basic leather armor and wooden weapons to high-end diamond versions, may or may not be enchanted and may be created in any combination. Zombies will likely only have a couple pieces of mismatched armor and a low- to mid-grade weapon at most, but it's theoretically possible (albeit fantastically unlikely) for one to spawn in a full set of enchanted diamond gear.
** Baby zombies are a baby version of any other zombie type with all associated traits and stats, except they are so small they can fit through 1-block gaps, and are 30% faster. They have an unique elite version of their own: some baby zombies will spawn riding chickens (and are appropriately called Chicken Jockeys), which makes them immune to fall damage.
** Zombie villagers can be cured by being force-fed a golden apple while under the effect of a Weakness potion. It takes more or less a day for the cure to finish. Baby zombie villagers also exist, acting like baby zombies and being curable like zombie villagers.
** The third type is the spawner zombie, which only exists on Hard or Hardcore mode; it looks and acts just like a standard zombie, but it will [[EnemySummoner randomly spawn two or three or more zombies]] when near death.
** The fourth type is the husk, a zombie with a desiccated, mummified appearance that only spawns in deserts. They do not burn in the sunlight, and their attacks inflict the Hunger [[StatusEffects status effect]] on players, making you exhaust your hunger bar more quickly than normal. If they drown, they become regular zombies.
** There's also the zombie pigmen found in the nether, which travel in packs, moving faster and hitting harder than most monsters, but [[SavageSetpiece they only attack when provoked]].
** The 1.13 update introduced the Drowned, zombies that spawn in water, make watery gargling noises, and can sometimes carry very valuable Nautilus Shells or throwable tridents. Regular zombies that drown become Drowned instead of dying, "soldier" ones drop any item they picked up before turning (or have a chance of dropping an item if they spawned with it). Drowned can't spawn naturally with armor.
* ''VideoGame/StateOfDecay'' has Screamers, Exploders, Armored Zombies, and the two deadliest zombies in the game, the Feral Zombie and the Juggernaut. The Feral is insanely fast, exceptionally strong, and can instantly kill downed survivors. The Juggernaut is a huge zombie that can soak insane amounts of damage (running into it with your car will do more damage to your car than to it), can charge at high speed, and like the Feral is also capable of dealing out instant-kills.
* ''VideoGame/{{Survivalist}}'' has varying tiers of zombies based on the different strain of TheVirus, all ColorCodedForYourConvenience via their irises. [[spoiler:And then you have the Living Infected, which a combination of Smart, Zombie Person, and an inversion of Possum; they're usually as strong as the highest-tier zombie, and are able to plan, talk, and use weapons.]]
* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' franchise's infested terrans. In the [[VideoGame/StarcraftI first game]], they explode. The ones in ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'' have a ranged attack as opposed to the standard Infested Colonists claws, and Abberations (which fit into the Brute subtype,) are massive, centauroid infested terrans with huge zits all over them. Due to the Zerg Healing Factor, all three also count as Regenerators. ''[=StarCraft=] Adventures'' by ''TabletopGame/{{Alternity}}'' has mutates, which fit into Person Zombies and Test Subject zombies.
* A rare protagonist example, RTS title ''VideoGame/ZombieTycoon2'' features the intelligent leader zombie Archibald Brainhov commanding one of the game's two zombie factions, the speedy, blue-skinned Ferals.
* In ''{{VideoGame/Sonny}}'', '''you''' play as the eponymous zombie, who falls under Zombie Person. More examples appear as you play on.
* ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'''s Zombie Slayer challenge path sets you up as a Zombie Person and Horde Master trying to find the person responsible for unleashing a ZombieApocalypse.
* There are many types of special infected in ''VideoGame/DyingLight''. Firstly, there's the virals (runners) zombies that are capable of climbing objects to reach the PlayerCharacter, large abominations called Goons (that are equipped with a large, melee weapon) and Demolishers (that wears body armour as well) [[UndeadChild child zombies]] called Screamers, suicidal zombies with exposed guts called the Bombers and the annoying, spitting Toads who spew poison from their mouths. The most notable elite zombies in single player, however, are the Volatiles, the game's mascot. These [[LightningBruiser Lightning Bruisers]] will only come out at night and make the streets nearly impassable in the early part of the game. Once you are seen by one, it will scream out to its brethren and ''you will make a mad, frantic dash to the nearest safehouse'' as a group of monstrous pack of beasts are chasing you endlessly. Not to mention that they are also very agile, capable of parkouring over obstacles with relative ease. The rooftops doesn't seems so safe now, is it? [[ExaggeratedTrope Exaggerated]] with the Night Hunter, who appears in the online "Be the Zombie" mode and is a human-controlled character capable of fast-travelling with tendrils and killing human beings in one pounce.
* ''VideoGame/{{Cataclysm}}'' has standard shambling zombies as your most basic monster, but includes more powerful LeftForDead expies, electrified zombies, zombie animals, and just about all the others on the list as enemies, with a few twists:
** All zombies are Regenerators. Do enough damage, and they'll fall down and stop moving. But unless the body is destroyed, after some time they'll get back up. Zombie Necromancers can also quickly heal downed zombies.
** All zombies are also Mutating. Over time, the rate at which standard zombies show up goes down while the rate at which Elites show up increases, until most of the zombies encountered are some sort of Elite. Zombie Masters can cause zombies around them to rapidly Mutate.
** Most of the various Brute types are actually faster than regular zombies.
** Skeletal zombies are the primary Armored zombie - they're covered in tough bone plates that at higher tiers can deflect everything that isn't high-powered weaponry. There's also an enemy called the Armored Zombie, which is a soldier who died while wearing power armor.
** Hazmat zombies do not explode when killed. That honor goes to Gasoline and Napalm zombies.
** In addition to the carnivores listed in the main entry, non-carnivore animals that are large enough, such as deer or moose, can become Undead Animals.
** Ferals are [[TechnicallyLivingZombie Technically Living Zombies]] who are Smart enough to use melee weapons, throw rocks, and open doors. In very rare instances, they still can use firearms that they were carrying when they were infected.
** Another kind of Smart zombie are Zombie Bio-operators, undead soldiers who can still use their martial arts training.
** Shady Zombies are a strange type of Trap Zombie. They're capable of hiding in darkness, and can sneak up on survivors who are trying to use nighttime or shadows to sneak or hide (other zombie types need light to see).
** Shocker zombies were described in older lore as Cyber-Zombies. A human with electrical-powered prosthetics or cybernetic enhancements would become a shocker zombie, with their artificial limbs twisted into a lightning gun.
* Zombies in ''Last Empire: War Z'' are usually your standard zombie, but they can sometimes be randomly encountered as "mutant zombies" that include Brutes. The Speakers summon a horde of random zombies, which include crawlers as well. There is also a building that lets you GMO-ify zombies into SuperSoldiers.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic III'' was ''planned'' to get zombies cybernetically enhanced with chainsaws in the ''Armageddon's Blade'' expansion, but a negative reaction to the science fiction elements in the series going from covert[[note]]hints that in light of the explicitly ScienceFantasy [[VideoGame/MightAndMagic series]] ''Heroes'' technically was a spin-off off pointed towards high tech[[/note]] to overt led to the Forge town it would have been in being dropped. Several of the games did have enhanced zombies of some form, but none really fitting any of the types mentioned above, just stronger, faster versions of the base zombie/walking dead.
* ''VideoGame/MetalSlug 3'' and ''4'' feature various zombie types in the ZombieApocalypse levels, all of which are {{Plague Zombie}}s.
** Standard zombies are "vomit zombies" whose ZombiePukeAttack will zombify survivors as well as the player characters. Among them are [[DeadWeight fat zombies]] that are incredibly resilient, to the point that they can tank a grenade or two.
** Zombie Rebel soldiers are really resilient, sightly faster than the other undead, and attack with a DeadlyLunge that ends in them exploding into infectious vomit.
** Tar Men (named and modeled after the infamous sludge corpse from ''Film/TheReturnOfTheLivingDead'') are the most elite infectious zombie type, they attack faster and are often found in trickier situations that makes them harder to kill. Finally, they throw a huge arc spray of vomit compared to single globs.
** The player characters themselves count too [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie if they get zombified]]. Firstly they stay as smart zombies, retaining their sentience and can fully act under player control (albeit with only standard pistol, no melee attack, crouch, and a very low jump), secondly they become completely immune to conventional damage (but zombifying fluids and boss attacks will kill them), and last but not least, their "bomb" button makes them vomit up a sweeping [[BloodyMurder devastating stream of blood]] that destroys pretty much any non-boss enemy instantly.
** Finally, the most deadly enemy zombie type in the game are the [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Alien Zombie Clones of the player characters]], only found in the final part of the final level. They have a massive amount of health, and they use the same blood vomit sweep that the player characters had as zombies (which doesn't turn player characters into zombies, it just kills/damages and is difficult to avoid).
* A large chunk of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' consists of running into new, more powerful, and increasingly hideous Necromorphs, which are ''weird'' zombies (being corpses reanimated by a hive-minded alien microorganism that mutates them in all kinds of unpleasant ways) but still fit under the archetype. The series contains most of the examples at the top, with the smart zombies being ones who were infected by eating Necromorph flesh out of desperation, the Hunter boss being an experimental zombie and regenerator at once, and brutes, stalkers, spitters, bombs and the like popping up at intervals.
* ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'''s expansion, ''The Old Blood'', features the "stupid" variant of Soldier Zombies, in the form of Nazi Shamblers who died while holding their weapons and are able to spray automatic fire in your general direction, but little else. If you get close enough, they'll abandon it for a conventional melee attack, shared by the rest of the "normal" Shamblers.

* ''VideoGame/MetroExodus'' features Humanimals, a form of TechnicallyLivingZombie descended from irradiated human survivors of the nuclear war. There's not a lot of variation in form, but the ones in the Volga region are led by bigger, tougher "Silverbacks" who fulfill the Brute role, while the Caspian Desert's Humanimals like to play dead or hide in the sand like classic Ambush/Possum types. Meanwhile, all of them fit to an extent into the Smart Zombie role, using rudimentary tactics to hunt humans and having the intelligence to pick up and use objects as weapons.
* ''VideoGame/DeadCounty'' has a huge, hulking brute zombie [[spoiler:who used to be your uncle]] as the BossBattle at the end.
* ''VideoGame/FeverCabin'': In addition to the usual shambling corpse zombies, there's also bigger, stronger, less humanoid-looking zombies that take more bullets to put down.
* ''VideoGame/SevenDaysToDie'': Besides the standard zombies, there are Infected Policemen (who are combination Vomit/Boomer types), Screamer Zombies (ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin), Fallen Soldiers (Armored), and some more unique ones like Burn Victims (who are [[ManOnFire on fire]] and will [[KillItWithFire try to share the "warmth" with survivors]]). There are also some like the Frozen Lumberjack who have higher HP but are otherwise identical to the standard shamblers.
* The ''War of the Chosen'' DLC for ''VideoGame/XCOM2'' introduces the Lost, a neutral faction of aggressive zombies created through alien NBC weaponry during the initial invasion twenty years before the events of the game. Most of them are stereotypical shamblers, but the Dashers neatly fit the Runner subtype while Brutes are, well, [[ShapedLikeItself Brutes]].
* The feral ghouls of ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', though [[TechnicallyLivingZombie Technically Living Zombies]], come in a variety of subtypes that fall in the Naturally Enhanced category due to ghouls being horribly irradiated humans. Most prominent are the Glowing Ones, which glow with intense radiation and can release radioactive blasts to deal damage while healing and even reviving other ghouls around them. As if that wasn't bad enough, the ''Broken Steel'' DLC then added Reavers, ridiculously fast, durable and strong super zombies that have a lethal ranged attack, to boot (they rip out parts of their body to throw at their victims).
* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' thankfully drops the Reavers but piles on loads of nasty replacements. Glowing Ones are back worse than ever, Stalkers fill the Possum Zombie niche, and the top rung of the feral evolution chain is now occupied by the Charred, old ferals covered in thick layers of hardened dirt and cancerous growths that act like natural armor, making them extremely durable. What's worse, these types aren't mutually exclusive, leading to the lovely Charred Glowing Ghoul showing up every once in a while, usually as miniboss at the end of feral-infested dungeons.
* ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}'': The Flood start out pretty simplistic, but even in their most basic forms they are fast, have whip-tentacles to inflict heavy melee damage, and barely enough intelligence to operate firearms. As the infestation spreads, the Flood begin building new bodies out of pure Flood biomass rather than infesting pre-existing lifeforms. These "Pure Forms" can shapeshift between several different forms: a stationary living turret, FragileSpeedster, and a MightyGlacier. As the overall Flood infestation grows in size, the HiveMind also starts getting smart... really smart. Like "outsmarting AI's designed to coordinate entire galactic war efforts" smart...
* ''VideoGame/ZombieArmyTrilogy'' has a surprisingly diverse array of Elite {{Nazi Zombie}}s, each with their own terrible abilities.
** The first type to be introduced is actually ''called'' the Elite Zombie in the original trilogy, but is renamed the Gunner in ''Dead War''. It's a zombified GiantMook carrying a heavy machine gun; slow moving, but requiring the equivalent of ''10 headshots'' to defeat. ''Zombie Army 2'' introduces the Chainsaw Elite, which swaps out the heavy machine gun for a [[ChainsawGood bloodied chainsaw]] and tries to hack the players up in melee. ''Zombie Army 3'' introduces the Fire Demon, which hurls fireballs, can transform other zombies into a faster-moving "burning zombie", and is only vulnerable to damage immediately after using its powers. ''Dead Army'' introduces the Flamer, who carries a flamethrower, reworks the Chainsaw Elite into the Butcher by replacing its chainsaw with an oversized buzzsaw, and drops the Fire Demon.

** Summoners are a lesser version of the Occult General; they lack the warding skulls, but can only be destroyed with a headshot.

** Screamers are one of the variants only found in ''Dead Army''; these are are heavily mutated, blind, [[LightningBruiser fast-moving but exceptionally tough]] undead.

* ''VideoGame/{{Gynophobia}}'': In the "Dead Hunger" video game you play at the start, when you reach the above-ground level, you're constantly pursued by a [=VERY=] big zombie carrying a sledgehammer.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''Literature/TheZombieKnight'' has the zombies all being smart. They look normal, at least until their reaper turns off regeneration to boost their super strength, then skin hollows out, and they look... extra creepy. Also, if the zombies reaper is killed, they lose all higher brain function, while keeping their ridiculous powers, and just want to consume, for a few minutes before death. Cue one turning his legs into makeshift rockets and heading right for a population center.
* ''AudioPlay/WereAlive'' has "runners," "jumpers," "smart ones," "behemoths," and "little ones" on top of the regular "biters."
* ''Website/{{Subeta}}'' has mostly the 'Zombie Person' type. In fact, users can be bitten, which will turn their avatars into one of several types of Zombie Person ranging from standard-looking ones to ones that resemble Venus Flytraps, depending on which type bit them.
[[/folder]]

* ''{{Webcomic/Comc}}'' has Jane, a smart zombie of the zombie person variety. She is in fact one of the smartest characters in the comic.
* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' zombies mostly vary by how much intelligence they've retained. When the heroes made an assault on the zombie base the dumb zombies moved forward in a standard shuffle; the ''smart'' zombies set up an ambush; the ''really'' smart zombies pulled out automatic weapons; and the ''really'' really smart zombies [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere snuck out the back and drove away in the heroes' car]].

** The slaymate is a UndeadChild that boosts the power of necromantic spells cast near it.

** The slaymate is a child zombie that boosts the power of necromantic spells cast near it.

* There are many, many different varieties of zombie in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Justified by the fact that they're basically magical constructs pumped up with [[PowerOfTheVoid bad energy from the Negative Energy Plane/Shadowfell]].

*** And then there are monsters like [[DracoLich undead dragons]]. All the power of a dragon with none of the squishy weaknesses of the living! (Of course, ReviveKillsZombie is still an option...)

* '''Undead Animals''' - The "animalistic" zombie [[RaisingTheSteaks taken to its logical conclusion]]. Usually restricted to domestic animals such as dogs and cats (see: ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' and ''Literature/PetSematary'') and the odd household rodent. Of curious note is that this version tends to be limited to animals one might find around the house, meaning that one is more likely to encounter a zombified dog than they are, say, a zombified chimpanzee. If other animal species are allowed, expect it to be predatory or scavenger species such as wolves, bears, and perhaps carrion birds. Note, however, that a zombified bear would be more of a Brute zombie than a Stalker, and a zombified wolf with enough of its instincts intact might also double as a Screamer, howling to draw in other zombies.

** All zombies are also Mutating. Over time, the rate at which standard zombies show up goes down, until many of the zombies encountered are some sort of Elite. Zombie Masters can cause zombies around them to rapidly Mutate.