D&D Minis: What's missing most?

[JoeGKushner]

Heck, as one of the people who'd love to see non-random packs, I'm with those who'd love to see standardized selling.

However, based on the success of random packaging, even from the begining, where they did have planned some themed sets and cancelled them to avoid stepping on their own toes, I cannot see it happening.

I'd also like to see some posters in the boxes. The checklists are nice, but having full illustrations would be great too.

And while looking over the minis, I'm surprised that there's no neutral faction. Admidely, it'd be a small group but as it's using the alignments as factions now, it would fit.

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

Must have a rust monster! I'd buy four or five as I tend to be a sadistic DM...

 

[Kae'Yoss]

General Request

I've seen a few slams and mean comments to people over the whole "non-random" thing, and I'd like to ask for a cease and desist on this. I can appreciate that the opinion has been voiced before, many times, but being spiteful or sarcastic in the response isn't the way to go. All I'm asking is for some empathy on it the next time someone brings it up. Safe to say, the fact there won't be a non-random selection has been brought home pretty clearly in this thread.

Thanks, all.

Sorry if I appeared a bit too harsh. Thing is, these requests have become very frequent (not here, I grant you that, but in the Wizards Minis boards you can set your watch to their emergence): Someone asking for a non-randomized package of elves, orcs, whatever, or completely non-random selling, and bashing the random packing and so on. It can get frustrating, and after the twentieth time, you just can't be bothered to write all that about random packing being too successful, about the secondary market on eBay where you can get most figures en masse and quite cheap, too (except certain figures, of course), and about how those figures would become more expensive with non-random packing.

And while looking over the minis, I'm surprised that there's no neutral faction. Admidely, it'd be a small group but as it's using the alignments as factions now, it would fit.

Well, instead of fighting on their own, they join whatever fits their alignment - so a CN rogue can join CG and CE. True neutrals can even join all factions. So the neutrals are there - they're just not their own faction.

Personally, I don't mind there being "only" 4 factions, as they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Introducing more factions than that would be pretty hard, or they would all look more or less alike. So I'd rather have 4 factions and more figures for each of them.

 

[WizarDru]

As I buy my Underdark figures, I'm really missing something that can easily store these suckers. Using standard storeage bins but find that they're not the most useful things to have in terms of organization.

If I remember tonight, I'll try and take a picture of what we use. If you go to Home Depot, Lowe's or the like, you can find some wonderful portable storage units. While they were probably designed with screws, nails or gaskets in mind, they are simply perfect for storing D&D minis. We have about a dozen (across three sizes) so that we can just reach for the 'orc' case on game night, and get what we need.

Stanley makes some through the ZAG sub-brand:

This unit is good for Huge minis, although we prefer the one without the removable containers.

They also make versions similar to the one on the top pictured here

which has adjustable dividers.

The beauty of these is they work for all sorts of stuff, such as HeroClix, Axis and Allies and D&D minis (although I tend to keep my heroclix in a bin).

 

[JoeGKushner]

I have something similiar to that but find that unless I label the individual components, that it's still a pain in the butt to get to the figures.

Might have to look at it again though as some of those look much more useful than the types I'm using.

 

[WizarDru]

I have something similiar to that but find that unless I label the individual components, that it's still a pain in the butt to get to the figures.

Might have to look at it again though as some of those look much more useful than the types I'm using.

It really depends on how in-depth you want to get. For our use, we separate based on type: elves go here, humans here. Orcs there, reptillian humanoids there. Elementals there and so on. It required effort to actually create and use a system, of course.

 

[Elephant]

No offense, but what the heck does this have to do with the original post? Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, but I'm getting sick and tired of people whining about the random nature of the packs. Haven't people ever heard of ebay? If you don't like buying the packs, you can get exactly what you want from ebay.

Now... back to the forum topic...

I doubt you'll ever see a set that is all large figures. However, the most recent set had at least one large uncommon figure in every box. There were 8 large uncommons in that set. The next set, Underdark, will have the same guarantee. I think that's probably the best you can hope for with regard to Large creatures.

As much as I like monsters, there are a lot of pc classes and races that have yet to be done in minis. I would love to see more of those.

I'm not quite as keen on getting Huge figures as others are, but I can't deny that even if I don't use them for my game... they make great display pieces.

--sam

Ah, yes, Ebay, the place where you pay the price of 3 boxes of minis for a single figure. Yep, great resource.

 

[Storm Raven]

It can get frustrating, and after the twentieth time, you just can't be bothered to write all that about random packing being too successful, about the secondary market on eBay where you can get most figures en masse and quite cheap, too (except certain figures, of course), and about how those figures would become more expensive with non-random packing.

Appealing to ebay as a panacea for curing the ills posed by random packaging really doesn't get you very far. Leaving aside that for many people, ebay simply isn't a viable option (people without regular online access, or younger people who do not have credit cards or other viable means of buying items online), using ebay is, for many people, quite simply a headache. Finding a sale, bidding for the item, exchanging e-mails for shipping, waiting a couple of days to get your product on the faith that the dealer will be honest, and so on. It is so much easier, and satisfying in many ways, to simply pick an item up off a shelf, pay for it, and go home. Telling people "you can always use ebay" is a nonstarter. Most of them don't want to use ebay, or they would be using it already. They want to buy the product they want without having to go through extra hassle.

Prepainted sets of minis were supposed to make it easier for a gamer to use miniatures while gaming. Relying on the cumbersome method of ebay auctions doesn't make it easier to get what you want. It just puts inconvenience in the way of many buyers.

 

[freebfrost]

Ah, yes, Ebay, the place where you pay the price of 3 boxes of minis for a single figure. Yep, great resource.

That's not an accurate reflection. I've purchased a number of rares on eBay to complete my collection and usually end up paying between $5-$12 for them. I've also got one for $2 before.

Its a question of being patient and only paying what you are truly willing to pay, but you *can* get a fair price on eBay.

There are also a number of sellers on eBay who sell rares+boxes - the rare and the box it originally came in, so you get the whole set.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Prepainted sets of minis were supposed to make it easier for a gamer to use miniatures while gaming. Relying on the cumbersome method of ebay auctions doesn't make it easier to get what you want. It just puts inconvenience in the way of many buyers.

Prepainted sets of minis by companies like Dwarven Forge and Crystal Caste are meant to make it easier to use miniatures while gaming.

The D&D miniatures are a game onto themselves.

They are not marketed directly at RPG players. They are marketed at those who like random, collectible products. Those that are using them for other markets are a secondary market. Those who will not buy them randmoly, are a third market and either make do with trade days at conventions, buy them through e-bay, or don't buy them at all.

WoTC is not going to change a process that works for them when other companies have already failed with that rotue.