Worried about new minis?

[smetzger]

Why would you think the bases won't fit? The miniatures are the same as the Chainmail figs and the original D&D miniatures. So why would a miniature of a character like that human wizard with goggles (Which is being remade in this line) have a larger base than necessary?

Just because the bases are round doesn't mean they won't fit. There'll be 3 base sizes. I forget the measurements, but one will be for Small creatures (The base for which was used by the Gnome Infiltrator and Halfling Sneak among others in Chainmail), the standard base, and one for large creatures (Used by the bigger stuff in Chainmail, like ogres).

1) I no longer trust WOTC to do things right, they didn't even get the scale right in their promo blurbs.
2) The round bases for other plastic minis are too big, both Hero Clix and Mage Knight are too big.
3) From the pictures I have seen, the bases look too big to me.
4) The Original D&D minis had/have square bases, so a change has been made here. When changing from square to round you have to make the base smaller, if its going to fit in the same 1"x1" grid.

 

[Drkfathr1]

Quality issues and random packing aside, does anyone think that maybe this is a bad idea for WOTC to be putting all their eggs in one basket again?

It seems like the revised core books and many of the products coming after are really geared towards this new line of miniatures. What happens if the whole line goes into the dumper like Chainmail?

I know many think these will sell like hot-cakes and become the next "big" thing, but what if they don't? How much of a hit can WOTC take right now? They've already slashed their R&D department and scaled back on their product lines. How much more can they cut?

Not trying to sound like doom and gloom here, and I know D&D will survive, and I also know there are plenty of companies and designers out there to make up the slack, I just hate to see WOTC make another BAD decision right now.

 

[Greatwyrm]

It seems like the revised core books and many of the products coming after are really geared towards this new line of miniatures. What happens if the whole line goes into the dumper like Chainmail?

I'm not worried about the RPG end of it at all. If the minis line takes a dive, there are still plenty of alternatives, even if the new books are geared towards minis. Plenty of people, not necessarily in this thread, have complained they don't want minis at all. They'll keep playing. People like me who use whatever happens to be handy (dice, M & Ms, US Govt. issue counters) will keep playing too.

As far as the minis lines. If they do die, I hope whoever at WotC that's making decisions gets the hint that minis isn't where they belong. Otherwise, I hope they make a ton of money with them. They won't get much, if any, from me, but that's beside the point.

All in all, I'm not at all worried about the future of D&D. Between the SRD and new products like Mr. Cook's Arcana Unearthed , D&D is essentially a self-perpetuating monster. Kinda like the computer Richard Pryor built in that one Superman movie...

 

[Drkfathr1]

How true!

 

[kenjib]

Not so sure. They could easily package similiar groups and sell the more rare figures in varied groups. ie. orcs, gobbies and hobbies in an 8 pack, ogres and giants in an other etc.. monsters that often come together would be set standard packages.

You'd then package the more exotic monsters in variable packages. Ie mind flayer + drow + digester in one set while the beholder + vampire + digester would be another. You'd make packages that have the more common "rares" and each package would have 1 or 2 truly rare monster like a digester. This way the customer could chose which package to buy.

That's a great idea. I agree that this would be best for the consumer, if not for WotC. If they did this I might actually buy some of them. As it is, I won't. I don't have enough disposable income to throw at stuff where I don't even know what I'm getting, and whether or not *any* of it will be of use to me.

 

[Darius101]

I think if they go with random packaging of the monsters and characters as has been discussed, then the line will flop quick.
If on the other hand they go with $.50 a blister of even $1 a blister to get what you can see then they will have a winner.
as a DM I want what I want for my game. If I see I need a giant then I don't want to have to spend $20 getting three packs and maybe not even getting what I want or need. None of the hobby shops in my area split booster packs for any of the figure lines.

My friends and I already trade Mageknight mini's so that I can have monsters I want rather than monsters and character I don't. They easily break off the bases and can be put on pennies or washers with a little glue.

Darius

 

[KnowTheToe]

I am going to try them, after all I skipped mage knight because there would not be enough direct translation to D&D. With these even if I don't get the moster I want, I may get one I need for my next adventure. I won't throw down big cash, but I will buy a few up front.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I think if they go with random packaging of the monsters and characters as has been discussed, then the line will flop quick.
If on the other hand they go with $.50 a blister of even $1 a blister to get what you can see then they will have a winner.

=friendly jibe=
Why stop there? They should charge $.25 a blister. No, wait--how about a penny? And they should allow each customer to custom-design the figures, down to the type of jewelry and style of hair cut. As a DM, I know what I want--and if I want a blind half-drow/half-dragon monk/blackguard with bracers of armor, a three-section staff, and a mohawk, then WotC should darn well produce and sell me that.
=/friendly jibe=

WotC's random packaging strategy allows for a greater variety of miniatures, including unusual creatures. How? Because instead of taking inventory risk on a hundred individual skus (each of which must be stocked individually), WotC--and it's retail outlets--need only stock 2 skus: the starter and the booster. This strategy lets WotC create seldom-used but miniatures such as Hound Archons, Medusae, Beholders, and whatnot.

This is especially great for dirt retailers. Instead of having to buy in 10 packs of Elf Rangers, 10 packs of Gnome Sorcerors, 10 packs of Displacer Beasts, 10 packs of Paladins, and 10 packs of every other figure in the 80-figure release (and having to devote valuable shelf space to these 800 packs of figures), a retailer can simply order 20 packs of each of the starter and booster packs. Much easier. And it completely elminates the problem of being sold out of Paladins but overstocked in Gnomes.

Realize that many figures are sold in "assortments"--you can't order *just* 10 paladins, you have to order 10 of everything in the product line. This creates a nightmare for retailers since obviously not all figures will sell at the same rate. WotC's plan completely eliminates this problem.

Where does this leave us gamers? Much better than before. If you're a D&D RPG player, and you buy the figures for this new D&D Miniatures game, well hey--each D&D Miniatures figure can also be used in D&D RPG (each figure comes with a card that lists stats for both games). If you want to buy just a single, specific figure, then do so--eBay and dirt game stores are your source; most common figs will probably sell for around... (drum roll) $.50-$1.00! Exactly the price you wished for above.

(source: the price of Mage Knight commons at my local dirt hobby store)

So be of good cheer. D&D Miniatures is a fun game, and it'll be real boon for D&D RPG gamers.

-z

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Where does this leave us gamers? Much better than before. If you're a D&D RPG player, and you buy the figures for this new D&D Miniatures game, well hey--each D&D Miniatures figure can also be used in D&D RPG (each figure comes with a card that lists stats for both games).

So I buy a booster, get home, open it up, and find... nothing I want.

If you want to buy just a single, specific figure, then do so--eBay and dirt game stores are your source; most common figs will probably sell for around... (drum roll) $.50-$1.00! Exactly the price you wished for above.

E-bay: Add shipping.

Dirt Game Stores: Hope to get lucky.

I just don't see the upside of this.

 

[Pants]

4) The Original D&D minis had/have square bases, so a change has been made here. When changing from square to round you have to make the base smaller, if its going to fit in the same 1"x1" grid.

Chainmail used circular bases.
If these bases are the same size as the Chainmail bases, then there will be no size issues.
Hell, I like the circular bases better, makes it easier to reposition them on the grid.