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.

 

[teitan]

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.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.

Yes they would because this is a random booster box and they would be smaller minis. You cite WOTC produced minis… Wizkids isn’t WOTC. They pay WOtC. Wizkids is NECA. I never mentioned huge miniatures. I said they would put them in the set as characters. You assumed I meant the big ones. I clearly didn’t. That is on you. Have a great day.

 

[jgsugden]

Yes they would because this is a random booster box and they would be smaller minis. You cite WOTC produced minis… Wizkids isn’t WOTC. They pay WOtC. Wizkids is NECA. I never mentioned huge miniatures. I said they would put them in the set as characters. You assumed I meant the big ones. I clearly didn’t. That is on you. Have a great day.

Wizkids effectively serves as the miniature producing arm of WotC here. Calling it WotC rather than Wizkids was shorthand. You're technically correct - but Wizkids can't produce anything without permission from WotC, so it is still WotC calling the shots in the end. I'm sure they work together on set lists, designs, etc... but if WotC says, "Don't make that mini," Wizkids can't (under the D&D brand - they might produce it in another channel under another name with just enough distinction to be allowed, but that risks them losing the license with WotC).

I'm curious why you're suddenly bringing up the "I never said huge miniatures" now when I've been focused on the size significance for the last several responses I made. It would have been highly relevant before if you agreed with me that there would be no substantially similar miniatures in the boosters.

 

[teitan]

Wizkids effectively serves as the miniature producing arm of WotC here. Calling it WotC rather than Wizkids was shorthand. You're technically correct - but Wizkids can't produce anything without permission from WotC, so it is still WotC calling the shots in the end. I'm sure they work together on set lists, designs, etc... but if WotC says, "Don't make that mini," Wizkids can't (under the D&D brand - they might produce it in another channel under another name with just enough distinction to be allowed, but that risks them losing the license with WotC).

I'm curious why you're suddenly bringing up the "I never said huge miniatures" now when I've been focused on the size significance for the last several responses I made. It would have been highly relevant before if you agreed with me that there would be no substantially similar miniatures in the boosters.

Have a good day

 

[Meech17]

As someone who has only just started toying around with using a grid and minis, I might get one or more of these.

What are the sizes? Are the medium minis your standard size, like what you'd use for a character or NPC? They take up a whole 1 inch square? Then the large are like the 2x2 ones? Or are large the 1in ones and the other ones are smaller?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

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

View attachment 344475​

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.

View attachment 344476​

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.

View attachment 344477​

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.

They want $600 for a toddler worth of painted foam???

 

[darjr]

Lolth again.

 

[Clint_L]

As someone who has only just started toying around with using a grid and minis, I might get one or more of these.

What are the sizes? Are the medium minis your standard size, like what you'd use for a character or NPC? They take up a whole 1 inch square? Then the large are like the 2x2 ones? Or are large the 1in ones and the other ones are smaller?

Yes, the former is correct: although on round bases (usually; always for Wizkids miniatures) a medium miniature takes up a 1x1" square, large 2x2", huge 3x3".

I would be cautious about starting my collection with this set for two reasons:

1. It's expensive, especially considering that the boosters include no huge miniatures. Wizkids has raised the price compared to other Icons of the Realms booster lines.
2. It's two very distinct sets combined, and if you are buying miniatures to use as game aids, as you suggest, it might bother you that your goblins or whatever look like two very different groups of creatures. It certainly would me! That's why I think this set is primarily for collectors (and bless). But YVMV, of course.

If you are just getting into using miniatures for play, and you want them pre-painted (PPM), my recommendation is buying them on the secondary market. They are priced by how much they are coveted and by rarity, which means that if you focus on buying common and uncommon miniatures you can get quite a wide collection of "staples" (frequently encountered monsters, character miniatures, etc.) for far less than buying them through blind booster boxes, and of course you can pick out exactly what you need. For example, some of the older huge miniatures go for just a few dollars apiece (stone giants, etc.).

There are fewer secondary sellers than there used to be, but Kings of Light on eBay has competitive prices and an excellent reputation - note the the shipping price on the first miniature is high, but only goes up fractionally as you add more miniatures.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Yes, the former is correct: although on round bases (usually; always for Wizkids miniatures) a medium miniature takes up a 1x1" square, large 2x2", huge 3x3".

I would be cautious about starting my collection with this set for two reasons:

1. It's expensive, especially considering that the boosters include no huge miniatures. Wizkids has raised the price compared to other Icons of the Realms booster lines.
2. It's two very distinct sets combined, and if you are buying miniatures to use as game aids, as you suggest, it might bother you that your goblins or whatever look like two very different groups of creatures. It certainly would me! That's why I think this set is primarily for collectors (and bless). But YVMV, of course.

If you are just getting into using miniatures for play, and you want them pre-painted (PPM), my recommendation is buying them on the secondary market. They are priced by how much they are coveted and by rarity, which means that if you focus on buying common and uncommon miniatures you can get quite a wide collection of "staples" (frequently encountered monsters, character miniatures, etc.) for far less than buying them through blind booster boxes, and of course you can pick out exactly what you need. For example, some of the older huge miniatures go for just a few dollars apiece (stone giants, etc.).

There are fewer secondary sellers than there used to be, but Kings of Light on eBay has competitive prices and an excellent reputation - note the the shipping price on the first miniature is high, but only goes up fractionally as you add more miniatures.

I agree. However if someone bought the A-E F-? Boxes as a base, I could using these to fill in around a classic collection.

I will buy some of these on the secondary market, I am sure. But I have troops of goblins…I would start over with these or anything…

 

[Stormonu]

As someone who has only just started toying around with using a grid and minis, I might get one or more of these.

What are the sizes? Are the medium minis your standard size, like what you'd use for a character or NPC? They take up a whole 1 inch square? Then the large are like the 2x2 ones? Or are large the 1in ones and the other ones are smaller?

The medium minis are about an inch tall, and have clear or black bases about 1 inch in diameter. The large ones have a 2-inch diameter base, but their height varies quite a bit - usually between one-and-a-half inch tall to a little over two inches tall. There are even bigger ones for giants, dragons and the like and conversely smaller ones for things "smaller than medium" like halflings, gnomes, kobolds, flying cats and other pint-sized creatures (usually on a 3/4 inch base, height varies).

As an aside, while I love my minis, these days if I was getting into grid & mini combats I'd go with acrylic or cardboard tokens. Though 2D, the better ones have die-cut front/back images and end up taking a lot less space than 3D minis - and can be relatively cheaper and surprisingly better looking.

 

[humble minion]

Yeah, I'm DMing tabletop now for the first time in over a decade, and the mini thing is pretty hard to come at. I've got a load of old prepainted minis from the 3e era, so i can cover a lot of the bases for most routine combats, but the price point for more specialised stuff is kinda daunting. I'm running Dragonlance, and I looked into picking up some draconians (because we're going to see a LOT of them) from the recent SotDQ set, but even the uncommon ones on the secondary market are hitting around AU$15 each. Four uncommon miniatures for the price of a hardback book is pretty steep to come at. And I don't want to get back into random booster packs, the sheer waste and useless excess plastic involved really gives my environmental conscience a tough time these days.