Like expired cartons of ice cream, zombies come in many flavors. Here is a list of some of the most common zombie tropes and how to best survive each!

1) Generic Zombies

The “walkers,” “biters,” or “shamblers” are the classic zombie archetype, first popularized in George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” series. These undead masses are slow and unintelligent, typically roaming aimlessly until they detect the scent of the living. With a rotting skeletal structure and a taste for flesh, they are a bit like an apocalypse force of nature—a relentless and unending tide.

How to Survive:

Fortify Your Position: The age-old advice of finding high ground and boarding up your hideout still stands. Remember, they might be mindless, but they can still claw and bite their way through most barriers given enough time.

Silent Locomotion: Since they’re attracted by noise, moving quietly is your best defense. Consider materials like felt or leather for footwear, avoid clanking gear, and be as taciturn as possible.

Stamina is Key: Keep moving and stay ahead of the horde. You’re not fighting them, you’re outlasting them. Stopping to rest is when compromising situations arise.

Melee Weapons: If you get surrounded, you’re zombie chow. However, in a “1v1,” or depending on your competency with your weapon, even a “1 versus a small handful” is a manageable feat. No need to waste ammunition on shambling meat sacks in small numbers.  

2) Runners

These zombies are the upgraded versions to their slow, plodding bretheren. No longer confined to a shuffling gait, these zombies can sprint, climb, and leap. They were first introduced in “28 Days Later,” leveraging the ‘rage virus’ trope to create a new level of terror. Swift and aggressive, runners demand a higher level of physical fitness from potential survivors.

How to Survive:

Speed and Agility: Cardio has never been more important. Competency in sprinting, parkour, and a deep pool of stamina will keep you one step ahead of these flash-eating athletes.

Quick Thinking: Your head is going to need to be as quick as your feet. While their lumbering counterparts may allow for some time to put a plan together, with Runners your ability to make smart split-seconds decisions will be the difference between life and death.

Isolation: Runners often travel in packs. Keeping away from populated areas is a good call, as it decreases your chances of a quick and deadly surprise encounter.

Ranged Weapons: Whereas beating a small group of limping walkers with a baseball bat is a plausible victory, that is not the case with Runners. Runners are as fast as any human, they feel no pain, and they are singularly and rabidly focused on breaking you open like a pinata. If you think you can handle a group of them in close-ranged combat without suffering so much as a single bite, good luck. The better, sane option would be to mow them down with ranged artillery. If that is not feasible, hide!

3) Voodoo Zombies

Voodoo zombies come from the spiritual practices of Haiti. They are reanimated corpses, but not due to a contagion or apocalypse—they’re the result of necromancy. These zombies serve as undead slaves, devoid of free will and often under the command of a bokor, a voodoo sorcerer.

How to Survive:

Cultural Awareness: Knowledge is power. If you find yourself in a voodoo zombie scenario, understanding the relevant folklore and practices can mean the difference between being in control and being controlled.

Protection Charms: Many belief systems offer protection through charms, talismans, or chants. Even if you’re not a believer, it can’t hurt to have a little something extra on your side.

Negotiation: Sometimes, understanding your enemy is the key to survival. If you know what the bokor wants, you can try to keep one step ahead and protect your free will.

4) Ghouls

Ghouls are more akin to creatures of paranoia than the zombies we’re familiar with. They often date back to Arabian mythology and are thought to be shape-shifting demons that consume human flesh. In more modern storytelling, ghouls have become associated with the living dead.

How to Survive:

Overcome Despair: Ghouls are known to lurk in graveyards and other places of death. The name of the game with these creatures is as much about mental resilience as it is physical.

Knowledge is Survival: Understanding where to find them and under what conditions they appear is a crucial first step in staying under a ghoul’s radar.

Cunning over Might: Ghouls are typically smarter than your average zombie. Crafty tactics and traps will serve you better than attempting a head-on fight.

5) Brutes

Some zombie stories eschew the undead’s typical lack of physical prowess by introducing the “brute” or “tank” zombie. These are essentially super-zombies—enhanced individuals drastically increased strength, aggression, and a canny ability to use it to their advantage.

How to Survive:

Weaponry: Melee weapons and even smaller firearms might not cut it. You need heavier artillery, designed to take down opponents with a lot more muscle mass. Think shotguns, hunting rifles, or even explosive devices.

Team Tactics: If you have to engage a brute, do it with a well-organized team. Flanking or distracting tactics can level the playing field against one of these titans.

Armor Up: Since these zombies have more strength and resilience, consider your own protection. Armor, whether makeshift or standard, can help keep you in one piece when facing off against a brute.

6) Animal Zombies

Zombified animals have a special place in our nightmares. From “zombears” to “zombeagles,” infected non-humans can make surviving the apocalypse a whole different kind of challenge.

How to Survive:

Heightened Awareness: The element of surprise is not on your side when it comes to animal zombies. Always be aware of your surroundings, and never turn your back on a seemingly docile bird or pet on its last legs.

Know Their Habits: Animal behavior is your first line of defense. While a zombie elephant might be intimidating, it probably won’t lurk behind your kitchen door.

Specialized Equipment: Dealing with different species might require different methods. Be ready with tranquilizers, animal control poles, or even predator calls to distract or redirect the zombified wildlife.

7) Pukers

This particular zombie type, often associated with popular video games, has an unusual approach to overwhelming its prey. Rather than biting, pukers—also known as “vomiters” or “spitters”—project their infectious material over a distance.

How to Survive:

Stay at a Distance: A puker can turn a corridor or open space into a danger zone with their projectile ability. Keep your distance and find a way to incapacitate them before they have a chance to use it.

Hazard Gear: If you know you’re heading into a puker-frequented area, stock up on protective gear like masks, goggles, or even full-body suits.

In the end, whether you encounter the slow rot of classic zombies or the harrowing speed of the rage-infected, one thing’s for certain—your wits are your greatest weapons. Adaptability, knowledge, and preparedness, not just in physical survival tactics but in understanding the unique landscape of each zombie variety, are your best chances in the terrifying dance of life and undeath.