D&D General WizKids Announced Details for 50th Anniversary Icons of the Realms Miniature Set

WizKids released images and opened pre-orders for the Dungeons & Dragons Icons of the Realms: 50th Anniversary miniature line.

The line-up of random figures includes 50 pre-painted miniatures in both their original 1st Edition and current 5th Edition incarnations to celebrate the history of the iconic characters and monsters. There’s also 10 “secret rare chase miniatures” in the series that have yet to be announced. Each random booster includes 1 Large miniature and 3 Medium or Small miniatures available for pre-order for a retail price of $24.99 with an expected Q3 2024 release.

The set’s exclusive stand-alone mini is a red dragon as depicted on the cover of the 1977 Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set sitting on a pile of treasure. This pre-painted miniature is a stand-alone product and is not randomized, available for pre-order for a retail price of $29.99 with an expected Q3 2024 release.

Also as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, WizKids also has a new entry in the Replicas of the Realms line. The Red Dragon Wyrmling is a 1:1 scale pre-painted foam figure at 2 ½ feet tall with a “sweet looking face and adorable pose”, according to the description. This figure is available for preorder for a retail price of $649.99 with an expected Q2 2024 release.

 

[beta-ray]

We have some older discussion about this here:
https://www.enworld.org/threads/d-d...0th-anniversary-booster-set-july-2024.702171/

 

[Olaf the Stout]

That red dragon reminds me of the dragon from Shrek.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

There’s also 10 “secret rare chase miniatures” in the series that have yet to be announced.

Let's see ...

1-3) Demogorgon, Orcus and Yeenoghu seem like locks.

4) The somewhat derpy 1E beholder would be a good choice.

5) Maybe the Paladin from A Paladin in Hell.

6) And if he's in, Emirkol the Chaotic seems like a lock.

7) A 1E rust monster.

8) I'm not sure if the wizard sitting on the d6 from first few pages of the PHB would be iconic enough to merit a miniature.

9) The 1E wererat is also extremely distinctive.

10) And someone from a classic module, maybe Lareth the Beautiful, or someone else from the Moathouse, wearing the distinctive Elder Elemental Eye tabard.

EDIT: The wizard from Erol Otus' cover of the Expert box is probably a good candidate as well.

 

[Distracted DM]

I have too many minis already, but this is tempting.

 

[jgsugden]

Let's see ...

1-3) Demogorgon, Orcus and Yeenoghu seem like locks.
...

Do they really wish to undercut sales of their expensive $80 versions of these minis?

I don't think this is it, but I could see all 10 being interpretations of famous NPCs that use famous D&D people from the last 50 years as inspiration.

Gary Gygax as Mordenkainen, Dave Arneson as "The Dungeon Master from the animated series", Ed Greenwood as Elminster, Matt Mercer as Henry Crabgrass, Andy Collins as Regdar, etc...

 

[teitan]

As I started on BECMI, I can't wait for 50th anniversary Aleena, Bargle, and a full set of Elmore dragons!

Have you checked out Dark Sword miniatures?

 

[teitan]

Do they really wish to undercut sales of their expensive $80 versions of these minis?

..

in a random booster series? Yes.

 

[jgsugden]

in a random booster series? Yes.

Why? Why put equivalent miniatures into the secondary market that can be purchased for less than the $80 it takes to buy your big expensive ones? Why anger retailers who get 'stuck' with the product already on their shelves when demand for them drops? Why cut off future orders of those more expensive miniatures?

 

[teitan]

Why? Why put equivalent miniatures into the secondary market that can be purchased for less than the $80 it takes to buy your big expensive ones? Why anger retailers who get 'stuck' with the product already on their shelves when demand for them drops? Why cut off future orders of those more expensive miniatures?

They have before. One is random with zero guarantee you get it the other you grab a box. They have 2 Demogorgon already. It isn’t competing and some of those are now older. Plus 1e Demogorgon, orcus etc are not at all like 5e. Orcus doesn’t have a skull head for example and DG is lithe and both are a lot smaller.

 

[jgsugden]

They have before. One is random with zero guarantee you get it the other you grab a box. They have 2 Demogorgon already.

We have 4 Demogorgons: A Large Aspect of Demogorgon that was in a randomized DDM set in the early 2000s, a boxed set Demogorgon that came out in 2017 in a non-randomized fashion, a Medium sized Demogorgon that was a preorder incentive for the same boxed set, and then the non-randomized one released in 2022 that sells for about $80. This is not an example of what you propose - the only randomized one came 20 years ago. Further, I don't believe the 2017 is still being produced and sold in stores.

It isn’t competing and some of those are now older. Plus 1e Demogorgon, orcus etc are not at all like 5e. Orcus doesn’t have a skull head for example and DG is lithe and both are a lot smaller.

We've had three Orcuses (Orci?). A Large Aspect of Orcus from the DDM line in 2004 (same set as Demogorgon), then the Gargantuan in 2010 and the Gargantuan (really just Huge rather than Gargantuan) one in 2021. Again, this is not an example of releasing a randomized figure with a fixed premium figure still in the market.

The three figures discussed above (Demogorgon, Orcus and Yeenoghu) are in current release in a non-randomized - and expensive format. They will not cannibalize those sales by including them in a random booster situation. They might do something like a medium or large 'Aspect of' miniature, or priests of these creatures, or different versions of Demons that take on the look of their Demon Prince masters ... but that is about it. You will not get a huge version of any of these Demon Princes in a booster setting anytime in the next 5 years.