What Didn't We get for 3.5 Miniatures?

[Angel Tarragon]

I like the idea. Especially with the "retired" skirmish figures. I have repainted / remodeled a few of the DDM figures.

 

[megamania]

The cheap camera I have won't take good photos.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I especially like the promo repaint.

Well WotC did do a repaint of a BLUEspawn Ambusher so it wouldn't surprise me (and yes the repaint was also blue). Really, who fell asleep at the wheel on that one?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

While the rust monster would have been nice to have from an RPG standpoint, DDM is a minis game. How would a rust monster work with the minis rules? Extra damage against constructs? Figs with Iron or Steel in their name? Those appearing to wear metal armor? I can only imagine the debates that would cause.

From what I had heard RPG players made up more of the market for D&D minis than skirmish players. As such WoTC, if they wanted to sell more minis, should cater to that market. This means making a Rust Monster if RPG players want one.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

They need to cater to both markets. (Actually there is a fair amount of crossover too, so it's not as though they are entirely distinct).

Let's imagine that the skirmish game accounts for 30% of their sales both through skirmish only players (I know a few) and players like myself who would probably buy much fewer minis and/or would probably buy more of their minis from different companies if they were not skirmish players. (I have no idea if that is the case or not, but I do know that skirmish utility has a noticable impact on the secondary market even if it is still primarily driven by perceived RPG value). If that market falls off or dries up they are down a significant portion of their miniature revenues. They need to keep the 70% happy, but they can't afford to write off 30% of their sales.

As to the question of a rust monster, for skirmish it would probably just be another useless creature that wouldn't see the light of play. The champion of Eilistrae previously mentioned isn't bad, but she hasn't caused many arguments for the past two years if only because her stats aren't good enough for top level compeititive play. That is annoying but it wouldn't kill the game. On the other hand, as a role-player, it would annoy me. I think rust monsters are a terrible monster both in concept and design. And it's not as though the miniature would be usable for anything else. Give me an astral stalker or Dwarf with hammer #5 instead any day. At least I have uses for those minis.

From what I had heard RPG players made up more of the market for D&D minis than skirmish players. As such WoTC, if they wanted to sell more minis, should cater to that market. This means making a Rust Monster if RPG players want one.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Templetroll]

We need a flumph!