Future of D&D Miniatures

[Dausuul]

Don't make assumptions on the secondary market based on Amazon & Ebay speculators. Those yahoos just spout prices at 2-4 times the going rate in hopes of finding someone desperate.

Here are the recent completed ebay auctions. Solid prices but that dragon is only $400 for the fool soon parted with his money.

16 Bids $165.00 4/11/2010 21:23
19 Bids $160.00 4/11/2010 19:10
1 Bid $150.00 4/7/2010 16:22
20 Bids $137.50 4/1/2010 19:31
23 Bids $180.00 3/30/2010 19:11
Buy It Now $160.00 3/30/2010 12:40
35 Bids $172.38 4/7/2010 10:15

Those who want one, I think Games Plus still has one in stock.

I now feel a bit less silly about shelling out $75 retail for mine...

 

[Kunimatyu]

For those just looking for a decent big dragon, the Gargantuan Blue Dragon is still cheaply available - I got mine on Amazon for $26 last week with free shipping.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

For those looking for a big(ish) dragon- without the $100+ price tag- take a look in your local toy stores. Schleich and McFarlane toys make certain models that would work just fine, as does Safari Ltd. and other companies do as well.

 

[DaveMage]

The Orcus mini is a no sale for me because Orcus is size Large in the edition I play. (I probably could have gone for Huge as that how it is in the Tome of Horrors, but Gargantuan? Forget it!)

 

[Jeff Wilder]

For those looking for a big(ish) dragon- without the $100+ price tag- [...] Schleich and McFarlane toys make certain models that would work just fine

I bought four McFarlane dragons for about $12 each a couple of years ago, and I've so far used two in a couple of the most memorable encounters of my last campaign. (By contrast, I haven't used any of my WotC Icon dragons yet, though my buddy did use the blue and black dragons for his Age of Worms campaign.)

 

[coyote6]

I wrapped up my campaign with a fight against Ashardalon, so I definitely got to use my colossal red dragon. The players' reactions when I put it on the table were rather amusing.

I've also used the gargantuan black dragon (a couple of times) and the gargantuan white; I didn't get the blue one until not too long ago, so I haven't had a chance.

I have some McFarlane dragons, too; a coworker was briefly running an Internet collectibles store, so I got a good discount on 'em.

Hmm, all of a sudden i'm thinking the superheroes in my M&M game need to face a whole flight of dragons one of these days . . .

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My WotC dragons are still in their boxes.

Personally, I'm definitely not above using toys- besides some McFarlane, Schleich and Safari critters, I've even got a Chtulhu plushie that may someday find its way to the hex-map.

PS: you guys who want some unusual "giant sized" critters may REALLY want to look at McFarlane's Warriors of the Zodiac series- I bought Taurus- or even certain anime minis.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Yeah, Warriors of the Zodiac are pretty rad, particularly Ares and Taurus - great devil and Baphomet stand-ins, respectively.

The "Nightmares of HP Lovecraft" Dagon figure is also amazing for this, but a leetle hard to find....

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I would say the number of minis that you bought is quite small (only a hundred or so by the looks of it). If WotC are trying to target that sort of gamer with their DDM's I think that they are going to fail as the sales numbers will just be too low.

So I would say that you are not in their target market for DDM.

Olaf the Stout

It seems to me that WOTC is tying to attract the game-centered user now, though I do not see that being very successful.

In my case, I consider myself a game-centered user, and bought about 10 packs of miniatures total, of the last 5-7 sets, and then bought a bunch of loose miniatures online to a) give me more miniatures that could be used for player characters, and b)give me more large and huge miniatures.

So ten packs, and maybe 40 online loose miniatures, plus a game shop visit that gave me another 30 or so.

The last set I bought one booster, and got lucky with the single uncommon I wanted, so I only got one booster.

The next set might be much the same. One booster for fun, and if I like enough pieces, an online order of a few specific things.

I also bought the Blue Dragon, but have no need or Orcus (never much liked him anyway) or the Beholder set.

If they are gonna try to go with a user like me, it is not gonna be pretty.

 

[thalmin]

Those who want one, I think Games Plus still has one in stock.

Sorry, it's gone.