D&D Miniatures - Thumbs up or down?

[Altalazar]

But they're cheaper than every other similar plastic mini aren't they? I mean they're like 80c per mini?!?!?

Yes, they are cheap - which is why I fail to understand the people who complain about the price - they are DIRT CHEAP. You can buy them like popcorn. What's the problem?

 

[knight_isa]

Let me ask you this - if it wasn't random, if they were metal, and had good paintjobs, would you pay the then-likely $24.99 cost per figure and find it useful? Would you pay $300 to get a single group of orcs to use for initial encounters? Would you even have any money left after that to get any other monsters?

Actually, you can get 5 Crystal Caste pre-painted pewter figs (and 5 d20's) for $20. (Look here) I've seen some of them, and they're FAR better than the plastic mini's I've seen. Of course, they're more expensive (about 3-4x the price of common/uncommon singles), and don't have as great a selection, but it's a far cry from $25/figure.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Yes, they are cheap - which is why I fail to understand the people who complain about the price - they are DIRT CHEAP. You can buy them like popcorn. What's the problem?

Or, more accurately, like popcorn laced with crack. Sweet, sweet crack. I can't tell you how many times I've been thrown out of comic book stores for begging for a enough change to just get one last hit before I give it up for good.

Obviously, they're a *twitch* thumbs up *twitch* from me. *shakes*

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Actually, you can get 5 Crystal Caste pre-painted pewter figs (and 5 d20's) for $20. (Look here) I've seen some of them, and they're FAR better than the plastic mini's I've seen. Of course, they're more expensive (about 3-4x the price of common/uncommon singles), and don't have as great a selection, but it's a far cry from $25/figure.

On the other hand, prepainted, specific minis, like he was talking about, go for around $20-$25 on ebay.

 

[Altalazar]

Actually, you can get 5 Crystal Caste pre-painted pewter figs (and 5 d20's) for $20. (Look here) I've seen some of them, and they're FAR better than the plastic mini's I've seen. Of course, they're more expensive (about 3-4x the price of common/uncommon singles), and don't have as great a selection, but it's a far cry from $25/figure.

Those are impressive looking. They are as good as the best of the plastic minis. They are, of course, also more expensive and there is less variety. So it comes back to the trade-off. I couldn't afford to buy near enough minis at those prices. It is interesting how cheap they are - essentially only a dollar more each for painting. Must be machine, not artist, painted.

But they are still inferior to unpainted, for those who get the most enjoyment out of painting their own figures.

 

[Olive]

Actually, you can get 5 Crystal Caste pre-painted pewter figs (and 5 d20's) for $20.

As you said they don't have a great selction. It's really not a useful comparison. If I wanted dwarves or skeletons, then maybe. Umber hulks? No chance.

 

[Unseelie]

The new minis have caused me to alter a house rule I have. The policy was that the PCs get a one time 500xp award for bringing a painted miniature of their character. I've decided to disallow prepainted minis for that now.

Snerk!

Maybe I'll give the players in my future games 'one free resurection with no XP penalty' for a painted (not pre-painted) mini to make up for the 'The moment you paint a character mini you guarantee that character will die' phenomena.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

They are ok, crappy paint jobs and crappy scaling compared to my Reaper and GW figures. All the Humans save for a few of the "Character" figures have been turned into elves since they are too small to be humans when compared to normal 25-28mm figures. I'd buy more but I still seem to get the same damn orcs in every single stinking box! The old Chainmail sculpt with the 1/2O with a 2h sword and dagger, and the orc with the shortbow. The Axe sisters seem to be quite common as well. None of the stores around here sell individuals and I don't want to spend 5 bucks to have a 99 cent figures shipped to me. So I have bought a few packs but seem to keep getting the same damn figs!

 

[diaglo]

As opposed to expensive plastic???

the quality of the plastic is cheap. not the price.

to me they are overpriced.

i have 14000 lead minis that didn't cost me as much as the 400 plastic ones i just bought.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I like basically everything about the miniatures - price, form, plastic (I hate having to take care of miniatures - I'd rather just chuck them all in a box than have them made of metal for no real benefit), paintjobs (good enough, as good as what I'd do - and the rares and uncommons are quite nice).

I bloody hate the selection available though.

On the one hand:
9 Elves (covering basically every type of elf you could want, from druid to sorceror to barbarian)
3 drow (just for kicks)

On the other hand:
3 halflings (rogue with daggers, rogue with crossbow, cleric - no spellcasters)
2 dwarves (both with an axe and a shield. Whoopee)
2 gnomes (sword and shield and a wizard)
1 goblin
1 kobold

Who the hell wants all those elves??