Upcoming Changes to D&D Minis Line

[GMforPowergamers]

I have to wonder what the complaints would sound like if I picked up a new mod H-10 Secrets of the Schouls, and in it there was a section, "the following dungeon tile sets where used to make all of the combat terrain not counting the double sided poster we gave you that is for 3 encounters" then listed 3 diffrent sets, the last one out, the one before it, and one not out until the next month... followed by "We also used X Y and Z minis from the last set, and A B and C minis from the current set, and M N and P minis from the set due out in a week"

Imagin the claims the critics would give "The whole mod is one big advertisment" and "They only used X monster becuse it was rare to make us by more" or even worse "I refuse to buy this garbage becuse they are trying to tie in products I don't use"

 

[S'mon]

I agree that Chris's "Goblin Pack 1" idea, of minis packs integrated with adventures seems like a very good idea. They did this with the Dungeon Tiles packs in the Dungeon Delves, and it certainly got me looking to buy Dungeon Tiles sets I'd not otherwise have considered. And a set of 3-5 nicely painted Uniques for a module could sell decently, too. I don't have Keep on the Shadowfell or 4e Village of Hommlet, but still know about Irontooth and Lareth the Beautiful, and their names on a minis pack would have some pulling power.

 

[Zaran]

2) Folks whom don't buy the figures anyway often are the ones complaining the most

I would buy their minis if a) I could see what I was buying. and b) they had what I was looking for. DnDs minis haven't completed these two things since the 90s.

Random hidden minis will never get me to purchase them. I rather make my own on torn pieces of paper. As for PC minatures, I would pay 100 $ to get my own character concept made as a minature. Their latest attempt at making PC minis was sub par to other mini manufacturers. What they should have done is focused on the non-standard races like tieflings and dragonborn that they invented so we would have to buy their minatures instead of other lines.

 

[Chris Knapp]

Imagin the claims the critics would give "The whole mod is one big advertisment" and "They only used X monster becuse it was rare to make us by more" or even worse "I refuse to buy this garbage becuse they are trying to tie in products I don't use"

They aren't doing it now? Every single product so far has the last page and/or back cover telling you that you need minis.
The options now are:
1. Buy random boosters until you get what you want/need.
2. Buy from 3rd party market for singles.
3. Say"F it, I'm using tokens/existing minis, etc.

This would just be an option 4. Breaking them into manageable, semi-affordable sets allows the customer to say, "OK, goblins & orcs are affordable & useful to me, but I already have a large dragon, who cares if its red, not white."

 

[Ktulu]

While I did buy most (possibly all) of the PH heroes, I did dislike most of them. Often, it was one mini out of three that got me to purchase them.

My suggestion would be as above, but with some changes:

Each box of "orcs, goblins, whathaveyou" should also include a map/tiles and a small delve, making it sort of a mini module with...well, minis.

Also, for the mega-adventures, include the named NPCs (ala Skallmad, irontooth, etc.. and 1-2 of the unique monsters that might show up. Could easily include special tiles that the mega-adventure points out (altars, walls, etc..)

Each could be priced about $20, and would likely see 1-2 purchases from DM's, easy.

You could do this with the PH races, too, giving each of the most recognized archetypes: "eladrin swordwizard/swordmage", Spear fighter, tempest fighter? invoker?

Each race pack could come with some racial or class feat/power cards, if they so chose, along with an encounter detailing what a combat against an adventuring party of said race would be.


Both players and DM's might pick up the racial ones, as players, in my experience, often tend to stick with the same races in character building (have one player who's played an elf in nearly every game we've ever ran, some do dwarves, etc..)


Just my thoughts..

 

[Dice4Hire]

Sorry, but, that dog don't hunt.

Yes, I agree that your proposal will not hunt at all. Making a set of miniatures for EVERY adventure? Dungeon does 2-3 a month, add in the APS, and such and that is a ridiculous mount of sets, then add in all the figures that would be the same for different adventures and you are talking massive overlap on the actual figures.

Unless we get a company that can sculpt an paint on demand, this idea is jsut not gonna work. Any company that tried would go under almost immediately.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

While a boxed set of mini's designed to complement a specific adventure (or AP) would be neat, I agree that it would be too expensive. If they broke it up into sets, as in, for adventure X, you need the following mini sets:
Goblin pack 1
Goblin pack 2
Orc pack 1
Undead pack 2
Dungeon Classics pack 3
and 1 large white dragon single.

This would allow other adventures to also also use Goblin 1 or Orc 1, while adding different sets as necessary, reducing the duplicates you'd get after buying different full boxed sets.

I'm not a collector of minis at all, having always been happy to use my handful of 25 year old metals and a bunch of buttons or something. But if minis were sold like this, I'd be MUCH more likely to pick up a couple sets now and then.

 

[Festivus]

I missed something. Which "basic box sets" are you referencing?

I think these ones:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Game-Dungeon-Dragons-Roleplaying/dp/0786934093/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264455617&sr=8-5]Amazon.com: D&D Basic Game (Dungeon & Dragons Roleplaying Game: Core Rules) (0653569012214): Wizards of the Coast: Books[/ame]

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Basic-Game/dp/0786939443/ref=pd_sim_b_1]Amazon.com: Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game (2006) (Dungeons & Dragons Game) (9780786939442): Matthew Sernett: Books[/ame]

Which came with a rulebook, adventure, about 16 minis, and 4 double sided 10x10 game boards that fit together to make a dungeon.

The black dragon set was far better in my opinion, but both were well done enough to run several hours right out of the box as well as make your own adventures up.

 

[El Mahdi]

deleted

 

[JoeGKushner]

Making the adventures smaller would also go a long way in 'fixing' this issue.

Remember, the old Giants series started off with an eight page adventure.