
- BGG rank
- BGG #635
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Betrayal Legacy
- 3–5 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2018

Rules assistance for Zpocalypse: Zmaster
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zpocalypse: Zmaster is an expansion for Zpocalypse released in 2013 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Julie Ahern and Jeff Gracia and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Tile Placement.
Zmaster adds a fifth player to the Zpocalypse main game as the game master. This new player controls the zombies as they converge upon the survivors, who are trying to protect their bunker. Via zombie upgrades, new mutated zombie miniatures and the Deck of Doom, the zombie master adds new mechanics which spice up an already epic zombie survival game. Choose which scenario you prefer for the style of zombies to combat each game. Zmaster provides rules and mechanics for altering the physics of the game to make it harder or easier, depending on your preferences and style of play. It turns Zpocalypse into the ultimate sandbox for testing out survival strategies and testing out how one would cope with a zombie threat. Game Master mechanics x30 Mutated zombie miniatures Zmaster Rage wheel (Tallies which cards can be played) Mutations deck (Stats for new zombies) Upgrades deck (Makes zombies progressively harder, also used for various scenarios) Doom deck (Actions the Zmaster can use on other players) New Scenarios Cards New Daily Goal Cards Requires the Zpocalypse main game to play
Zpocalypse: Zmaster supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Zpocalypse: Zmaster is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Zpocalypse: Zmaster for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Zpocalypse: Zmaster has a complexity rating of 3.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Zpocalypse: Zmaster belongs to these categories: Dice, Horror, and Zombies. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Tile Placement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Zpocalypse: Zmaster are: Julie Ahern and Jeff Gracia. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Zpocalypse: Zmaster as an expansion for Zpocalypse. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Zpocalypse to use it. Check that your edition of Zpocalypse is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.