JoeGKushner
Adventurer
Unhallowed Booster Pack
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UNHALLOWED BOOSTER PACK
Wizards of the Coast product number 95790000A
8 random plastic miniatures, $14.99
So you like the iconic monsters that are only found in the Dungeons & Dragons game or you like the iconic characters or you’re like me and don’t have all the time in the world to paint, despite enjoying it. What do you do?
You buy the booster packs and support your plastic crack habit like a good consumer of course.
Two of my friends and I put together and order from the reliable War Store. We got our packs, broke ‘em open, compared and contrasted our various treasures, made a few trades and wept with bitter tears when we realized that even with three of the big boxes, that we didn’t get a complete set of ‘em.
The figures this time around are all over the place. While there are a few monsters that might make up some theme, I’m not so sure it’s as strong as in previous sets. Of the sixty figures found on http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mg/un , I found myself enjoying some of the following:
Beholder Lich: What’s not to love? It’s a monster that’s already so powerful that most players weep bitter tears if they get caught in it’s eyes before melee and yet, it can be made more dangerous through some undead additions.
Blood Golem of Hextor: Hey, what’s not to love about machines that are powered by blood and swing around heavy balls of iron on linked chains to mash their foes?
Bone Naga: My buddy Tom got this one but that’s okay because…
Blood of Vol Divinity Seeker: Now this guy has some weird chain like weapon. Not a figure that I was too impressed with. Tom though, he’s got a character in one of my friend’s Scarred Lands campaign that uses a similar weapon so he had to trade me for it. The networking and socializing benefits of the D&D game continue even when not playing!
Large Ice Elemental: While not something that I think the game needs, it’s a great piece and really different then the old Chain Mail figure.
Devourer: Hey, a monster from the Monster Manual? What next? Striges that are easy to find?
Displacer Beast Manhunter: Another nice figure and another nice ‘reprint’ since we haven’t seen one of these core monsters since the first set.
I could go on about the ones I like, but let me touch one some of the ones I didn’t like.
Dwarf Battlerager: I’m sure that there is some reason we’re getting dwarves whose poses continue to look ridiculous at best and whose utility to RPGers is actually valid.
Devotee of the Silver Flame: The figure is just in a bad pose and is another generic fighter figure. On the other hand, it’s got some ties to Eberron but really, with that pose, it could be anyone.
Torturer: Uh, between this guy and some of the other civilians that WoTC has been packing into the game, I’d ask the designers to focus on the ‘cool’ aspects of the game and I assure you, when I read through the monster manual, I don’t spot Torturer or Drunk Warrior in there.
Overall I found just enough in this set to keep me interested in the next set but the box set does lose a few points for the ever increasing price tag which makes the randomized miniatures less and less appealing, especially as other companies like Reaper and Rackham have their own eyes set on the plastic prize.
________________________________________
UNHALLOWED BOOSTER PACK
Wizards of the Coast product number 95790000A
8 random plastic miniatures, $14.99
So you like the iconic monsters that are only found in the Dungeons & Dragons game or you like the iconic characters or you’re like me and don’t have all the time in the world to paint, despite enjoying it. What do you do?
You buy the booster packs and support your plastic crack habit like a good consumer of course.
Two of my friends and I put together and order from the reliable War Store. We got our packs, broke ‘em open, compared and contrasted our various treasures, made a few trades and wept with bitter tears when we realized that even with three of the big boxes, that we didn’t get a complete set of ‘em.
The figures this time around are all over the place. While there are a few monsters that might make up some theme, I’m not so sure it’s as strong as in previous sets. Of the sixty figures found on http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mg/un , I found myself enjoying some of the following:
Beholder Lich: What’s not to love? It’s a monster that’s already so powerful that most players weep bitter tears if they get caught in it’s eyes before melee and yet, it can be made more dangerous through some undead additions.
Blood Golem of Hextor: Hey, what’s not to love about machines that are powered by blood and swing around heavy balls of iron on linked chains to mash their foes?
Bone Naga: My buddy Tom got this one but that’s okay because…
Blood of Vol Divinity Seeker: Now this guy has some weird chain like weapon. Not a figure that I was too impressed with. Tom though, he’s got a character in one of my friend’s Scarred Lands campaign that uses a similar weapon so he had to trade me for it. The networking and socializing benefits of the D&D game continue even when not playing!
Large Ice Elemental: While not something that I think the game needs, it’s a great piece and really different then the old Chain Mail figure.
Devourer: Hey, a monster from the Monster Manual? What next? Striges that are easy to find?
Displacer Beast Manhunter: Another nice figure and another nice ‘reprint’ since we haven’t seen one of these core monsters since the first set.
I could go on about the ones I like, but let me touch one some of the ones I didn’t like.
Dwarf Battlerager: I’m sure that there is some reason we’re getting dwarves whose poses continue to look ridiculous at best and whose utility to RPGers is actually valid.
Devotee of the Silver Flame: The figure is just in a bad pose and is another generic fighter figure. On the other hand, it’s got some ties to Eberron but really, with that pose, it could be anyone.
Torturer: Uh, between this guy and some of the other civilians that WoTC has been packing into the game, I’d ask the designers to focus on the ‘cool’ aspects of the game and I assure you, when I read through the monster manual, I don’t spot Torturer or Drunk Warrior in there.
Overall I found just enough in this set to keep me interested in the next set but the box set does lose a few points for the ever increasing price tag which makes the randomized miniatures less and less appealing, especially as other companies like Reaper and Rackham have their own eyes set on the plastic prize.
