Dear Hasbro: about those minis

[thedungeondelver]

"Miniatures should be random" heh...I hope Reaper never takes that tack! An opaque blister on a $7.99 card that just reads "MINIATURE"

(I know, I know, it's not what the OP meant, but it IS a funny visual...)

 

[werk]

I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this. I love the prepainted minis from WotC. Yes, I know there are finer quality minis out there, but I hate painting minis.

I agree 100%. They could make more money for hasbro selling non-rares in blister packs or even selling all mini's as individuals, but collectables are where the money is...I guess...go pokemon!

And someone need to tell Thurbane to STFU

 

[molonel]

Might I then recommend ...

Auggie's Large List of Large Lots of D&D Minis (at least x10 each)?

Specifically, 10 dwarfs with crossbows for $0.25 each, 10 spearwielding orcs for $0.45 each, 10 halflings with slings for $0.23 each, 10 dwarves with staves for $0.45 each, 10 elves with swords for $0.25 each, 10 armored half-orcs for $0.55 each, and a look through his individual mini prices?

They aren't auctions; they're for sale. Auggie's large lots are generally between $0.25 and $1.00 per mini.

Starting this thread was useful if for no other reason than to learn of this link. Thank you.

 

[Thurbane]

Exactly. If you play D&D, most of the monsters are useful.

Well, actually, I've not found that to be the case, especially since we run a core-only game.

Warforged Samurai Berserker Lieutenants really don't pop up that often in our adventures...

 

[Glyfair]

This law doesn't work well for me at all- I choose Cheap Prices and a Large Range of Figures, but the beholder is still $50!

Nope. If you took the random-packaging option (you specifically didn't choose non-random packaging) then it only originally cost between $1-$2 if it was in your booster. Even if you paid for a booster at today's prices (around $30-$50, IIRC) then you still are only paying about $5 for it.

However, as others have said, you choose the non-random option.

 

[Glyfair]

Another thought. I liked the minis for the Chainmail skirmish game, and was sorry to see it go (still got a lot unpainted), but it serves as a proof for Merric's law. It was a bust because people weren't willing to pay the necessary cost per mini to keep it operational, but when they moved to (relatively) cheep, plastic, and prepainted random minis, the concept exploded.

I'll also note that as large as the market segment that doesn't want to paint miniatures(or just isn't willing/able to), the segment that wants to assemble miniatures is even larger.

While Chris Prama has touched on reasons why Chainmail "failed," I doubt it would have been anywhere near as successful as DDM is now (unless it somehow managed to draw away a large portion of the Games Workshop crowd).

 

[rgard]

You can just go into the store, march up to the DDM section and simply open the box, check out the contents and then decide to either buy it or look in another one and see if thats any better...

Some places don't even object to this either, they fail to understand its random collectable nature and if a sales person does look at you weirdly just say, "I'm just checking to see if I have this one already, the packaging all looks the same to me."

Oh that's evil! First good laugh I've had today. Thanks!!!

 

[Glyfair]

In fact, Paizo's Compleat Encounters range are published under the OGL, so it clearly is possible.

However, they come with a short adventure. I suspect the fine line is that the adventure is published under the OGL and it's packaged with some miniatures (and tiles).

 

[BroccoliRage]

I'm complaining about people who dont grasp business, economics of scale, distribution etc whining when the most advantageous situation to us all is the current one (aside from WOTC becomming a charity). Your "brilliant" ideas would royally hose cheap, nonrandom minis, which are available through the secondary market. So yeah, you dont know what you're talking about, and I'm going to tell you why its a dumb idea, and why you dont want what you think you want (because its going to bite you on the ass). Dont want anyone disagreeing with you? Dont post. Dont want people showing others you have no idea what you're talking about? Definately dont post.

A better analogy would be where you walk into a resturaunt, order a steak. The waiter tells you they dont serve steak, but theres a steak house right next store, and offers you a coupon. You then pitch a fit because you WANT steak, and "cant" get it.



I told you where to go to get them. Others have as well. You apparently are too stubborn to go buy your orcs for 40 cents. Whose fault is that? Do you somehow expect to buy them at the FLGS, in WOTC packaging for less?



See below man.



The situation you want is inferior to the CURRENT situation of buying figures from auggies. If WOTC were selling them as individual packages, he couldnt offer them as cheaply as he does (as commons/uncommons have low value), and the secondary market would largely be destroyed. You'd end up paying MORE. We're living in the age of cheap, nonrandom prepainted minis, and having your cake and eating it too isnt enough for you guys.

Will you be my friend? Bestest?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Starting this thread was useful if for no other reason than to learn of this link. Thank you.

Glad I could help!

I've bought, well, a couple hundred dollars worth of assorted (D&D, SW, and SSB) minis from Auggie in the couple of years I've been buying them. Generally speaking, I buy most of my minis from him as singles rather than from WotC as boosters.

I've had all of one issue in that entire time (he ran out of a large lot of a particular mini I'd ordered; he refunded my money and gave me free shipping on my next order). Auggie's a stand-up guy.

I'm glad I could shuffle some more business his way!