Using Miniatures.

[amethal]

Normally, when a new set comes out people sell all the commons, and all the uncommons, as sets on eBay. I find its cheapest to buy them this way.

Since I don't play the miniatures game, I little reason to buy rares. Of course, I do anyway - who can resist that trumpet archon ......

 

[Frida]

Dont forget to have a look in toy stores. You can find great looking miniatures of animals that you can use as dire animals and giant vermin and the like.

 

[JoeGKushner]

EM4, the guys who do Crystal Caste I believe it's called, have some prepainted miniatures. They have stuff like undead, gladiators, monsters (beholder, mind flayer, and a few othes in that pack), giants (ogre, hill giant, minotaur), and some adventuring packs.

Dwarven Forge did undead, orcs, and lizard men.

Might be some others out there, but those are the non-random ones I recall off the top of my head.

Oh yeah, Heroscope. If you're just buying them for the game, clip 'em off the base and put them on a standard 1" base.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

You could probably do things cheaply if you are willing to have some patience and willing to drop about 100 bucks.

First, find a site that sells single minis (assuming you are willing to buy the D&D prepainted). Go through there and find ones you would actually use (major bad guys and PCs). Resign yourself that you may have to go on the cheap for the 'hoarde' creatures and get little tokens to represent undead, orcs, etc.

If you can get yourself to a local convention they usually sell the commons REALLY cheap and you could build up a healthy assortment there.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Personally, I found a friend with lots of unused MageKnight minis and use those.

 

[DaveStebbins]

My only experience with buying singles from IconUSA was a bad one, and I have a currently pending/unresolved story, leaning towards not recommending, with Chumba Toys.

Well, over two-and-a-half weeks later and all I receive in response to my weekly e-mails to Chumba Toys is "we're working on it." Additionally, my buddy had to get his credit card company to stop payment when his order was charged but never shipped. So it appears Chumba Toys joins IconUSA on my "Bad Vendors who are either rip-off artists or so bad at what they do that they are more trouble than they are worth" list. Stick with The Card Vault or Popular Collections for dependable singles purchases.

-Dave

 

[JoeGKushner]

And don't forget to check here for miniatures. I've had a few good swaps!