Heroes & Monsters Preview

Friday, September 9, 2011

We're only a month away from the release of our very first prepainted miniatures set, Beginner Box Heroes! Production samples of the actual final miniatures arrived in our offices last week, and everyone here was absolutely amazed by the quality WizKids was able to put into the models. People are going to flip out when they see the intricate patterns on the back of iconic cleric Kyra's cape or the fine details of iconic thief Merisiel's armor. I know it's difficult to believe until you're actually holding the minis in your hand, but a lot of folks here at Paizo—no strangers to prepainted miniature collecting—have called these the best-looking prepainted miniatures they have ever seen.

Very soon, we will be posting high-quality photos of the production samples so you can see these beautiful miniatures yourselves. Also very soon, we will be posting details of how you can subscribe to our ongoing miniatures line, Pathfinder Battles, and how you can preorder or subscribe to make sure you have a chance to get the exclusive limited-edition Huge Black Dragon special miniature that crowns our first full set of Pathfinder Battles miniatures, Heroes & Monsters.

Until then, I thought I'd tide you over with a look at digital renders of two of the nastiest critters in the Heroes & Monsters set, the Lich and the Medusa! WizKids is presently working on making these digital renders into molds from which the production minis will be cast. The final colors on the models themselves will look a little more "realistic" than the images you see here, but the outlines of the figures themselves and the general color scheme are right on the money.

Stay glued to the Paizo Blog for regular updates and image reveals of the additional miniatures in the Heroes & Monsters set, and order or subscribe by October 1st to make sure you get a chance to purchase the Huge Black Dragon!

Until then, feast your eyes on these treacherous bad guys, but do yourself a favor and don't stare into the eyes of the Medusa!

Erik Mona
Publisher

More Paizo Blog.

Nice.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

They look pretty cool and as much as I would love to order these and get a dragon. It is just sadly way outside my budget at this time. :(


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I want that medusa!


If the rest look as good as the lich (provided he stays pale and non-dark grey), I might grab some boosters and I don't even use miniatures. I just hope that the heroes will be rare; nothing would suck more than investing two hundred bucks only to end up with forty Lems...and no lich in sight.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

They look really great - but I also think, they are way to expensive for random miniatures ...

The Exchange

I have the perfect character to use that Lich for... :)

Liberty's Edge

Now you've piqued my interest sir!

If the details on Kyra's cloak are truly as impressive as the paint masters at Gencon suggested?

Then it will be Wile E Coyote jaw-drop-to-the-ground time in RPG land.

Eledriel, I get your concern about cost, but if the paint quality is truly as good as the paint masters promised? By comparing Pathfinfer Battles minis to WotC's D&D Miniatures (any set, any time, any figure) you are not comparing the same product; it is like apples and oranges.

The sculpts may well have been as good in the Dragon Queen/ War Drums era of 3.5 plastic minis (the rares were pretty damn good in those D&D sets, imo), but the paint jobs are not even remotely comparable. It's like trading water for whiskey. Whiskey flat out costs more $$.

Even some of the best WotC paint jobs (Elminster was the high water mark in all of the D&D minis sets for humanoid figs, imo) don't compare to what we saw at Gencon.

IF the paint jobs are as good as promised, that is.

*crosses fingers*


I'm not seeing anywhere to subscribe. I see the preorder...but no subscription..? Is that still in the works?

Mmm plasticrack, how I've missed thee.

Contributor

Irnine wrote:
I'm not seeing anywhere to subscribe. I see the preorder...but no subscription..? Is that still in the works?

The tech team is busy workin' on putting the dire ducks in a row for the subscription deal. I'm sure we'll make an announcement once it's available. :)

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Steel_Wind wrote:

Now you've piqued my interest sir!

If the details on Kyra's cloak are truly as impressive as the paint masters at Gencon suggested?

This is one instance where I think the production run is even better than the paint masters. The back of Kyra's cloak is absolutely incredible.

Scarab Sages

Curses... I thought I was over the prepainted minis thing...

Liberty's Edge

Images look great.
Hmm, I doubt staring into the medusa's eyes will be much of a problem.


Oh, the Lich looks great!

Although I am not sure on the Medusa. Where I like the body and white gown and hair, the face seems too serene. Her mouth is small and compressed. Kind of like “Ho-hum”. Also, not sure if it’s the lighting when the digital of the mini was taken, but it’s hard to see the detail on the snake.

I may be reading too much into it with her mouth, but the Medusa just doesn’t seem ‘scary’ at all.

But huge thumbs up on the Lich!


I love the medusa. I might give her some lip gloss, but I think she looks awesome. I'm not as big a fan of the lich, but he still looks cool.
Can't wait to see more, and to hear about the dragon deal.


Githzilla wrote:

Images look great.

Hmm, I doubt staring into the medusa's eyes will be much of a problem.

She's a variant Medusa: You're actually only safe if you can keep looking in her eyes. ;)

Liberty's Edge

I like the look of these two, but perhaps the medusa's eyes/face should stand out more. The lich looks neat! No complaints there. Can't wait to get my boney little fingers on these new toys!
I know it’s a question you may not want to answer (or may have answered elsewhere) but when roughly can we expect these to start shipping?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Attic whisperer wrote:

I like the look of these two, but perhaps the medusa's eyes/face should stand out more. The lich looks neat! No complaints there. Can't wait to get my boney little fingers on these new toys!

I know it’s a question you may not want to answer (or may have answered elsewhere) but when roughly can we expect these to start shipping?

The only answer can really give is they don't know.

It'll be shortly after they arrive in the warehouse, which is supposed to be in Mid December, but that depends on when they leave the factory in China, if there are problems with th boat acroos, when they get the docs to allow for delivery, if anything goes wrong with that, and in this case, wether everyting goes to Wizkids first then over to Paizo, which is another potential delay.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Erik Mona wrote:
Steel_Wind wrote:

Now you've piqued my interest sir!

If the details on Kyra's cloak are truly as impressive as the paint masters at Gencon suggested?

This is one instance where I think the production run is even better than the paint masters. The back of Kyra's cloak is absolutely incredible.

When we got the paint masters before Gen Con, I thought Kyra's cloak featured some of the best details I'd ever seen on a prepainted mini... but yes, WizKids really has improved on that since Gen Con. We'll post some new photos soon.

Liberty's Edge

Vic Wertz wrote:


When we got the paint masters before Gen Con, I thought Kyra's cloak featured some of the best details I'd ever seen on a prepainted mini... but yes, WizKids really has improved on that since Gen Con. We'll post some new photos soon.

I am trying to retain a healthy level of skepticism about all of this.

That said, my excitement/optimism level concerning the production run paint job is now beginning to nose into the orange/red threat band in my "wallet emptying alarm meter".

:D

Scarab Sages

While like that these two monsters are included in the set, I'm not so excited by the lich. Maybe it's just that it's a computer sculpt, but it looks kind of cartoony, not as withered and desicated as a lich might look. Still, very interesting.

Liberty's Edge

Wow. When I heard they would be painted very good, I thought more alon the lines if having the paint where it belongs, and not having the silver of the armor on the face (or something like that), like it has been with the WotC minis...
But after seeing those two...wow! I never would've thought it would be THAT good! I really hope its not only those two for promotion reasons, but that the whole production line looks this way.
Awesome stuff for pre-painted minis!!!


The Medusa miniature looks very impressive (although I do wish they'd use the name gorgon rather than medusa if she's supposed to be a memeber of a race rather than a unique monster :) ). The lich is posibly a little too cartoony for my tastes. So far this set looks quite interesting.


Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
annoyinglizardvoice wrote:
The Medusa miniature looks very impressive (although I do wish they'd use the name gorgon rather than medusa if she's supposed to be a memeber of a race rather than a unique monster :) ).

That shipped sailed back in 1st Edition. And confirmed already in Pathfinder when they printed Gorgon (bull-thing) and Medusa in the Bestiary along traditional RPG lines.

But call her what you want in your games, I'm just looking forward to getting the mini.


That's the best version of Skeletor I've ever seen. ;)


These look GREAT!!!

I think the Lich looks fine.

December can't come quick enough. I can't wait to open my case.


It's very possible I've missed seeing some information somewhere, but as far as I can tell the offer on the table is: spend $275 in the next three weeks for a [hopefully] complete set of figures that haven't been listed anywhere, much less pictured (with few exceptions), in order to get a shot at spending an as-yet-undisclosed amount of money to buy another figure no one has seen?

I really have a hard time seeing that as a good deal. I get the need to do random packs, but generally you have an idea of what might be in those packs, so you can gauge whether it's worth the risk the cost of the pack represents. You look at a checklist of 40 creatures, decide you can use most of them, you buy the pack because the odds are in your favor.

I'll be buying these figures a few at a time after I've seen a list, and may have to get some in aftermarket.

Liberty's Edge

Damon Griffin wrote:

It's very possible I've missed seeing some information somewhere, but as far as I can tell the offer on the table is: spend $275 in the next three weeks for a [hopefully] complete set of figures that haven't been listed anywhere, much less pictured (with few exceptions), in order to get a shot at spending an as-yet-undisclosed amount of money to buy another figure no one has seen?

I really have a hard time seeing that as a good deal. I get the need to do random packs, but generally you have an idea of what might be in those packs, so you can gauge whether it's worth the risk the cost of the pack represents. You look at a checklist of 40 creatures, decide you can use most of them, you buy the pack because the odds are in your favor.

I'll be buying these figures a few at a time after I've seen a list, and may have to get some in aftermarket.

I doubt this will make a difference but you'd only pay $233 because of your AP subscription.

Scarab Sages

annoyinglizardvoice wrote:
I do wish they'd use the name gorgon rather than medusa if she's supposed to be a member of a race rather than a unique monster :)

Oh, hell, yes.

Khalkotauroi unite!
Reclaim your heritage!

Scarab Sages

In response to the many comments, here and elsewhere re painting quality;

For those who say the colours are a little flat, these are digital images for the sculpting process, and I trust Wizkids to do a decent job.

Having said that; I wouldn't mind if more figure companies concentrated on a few good base colours, painted very neatly, as I can give them an ink wash myself, repaint a pouch or sash here and there, and do it differently on each one, so as to distinguish them.

For me, 'consistently neat and clear' beats 'slathering multiple coats all over the details' from trying too hard. YMMV.

However, if Wizkids can manage 'consistently neat, and clear, and detailed' then they have managed something that's eluded most figures to date, and they should be applauded (and given money).


thenorthman wrote:


I doubt this will make a difference but you'd only pay $233 because of your AP subscription.

It probably won't make a difference, but it's a good point, and I had in fact overlooked that hefty discount.


All the previews I've seen look really good. Someone mentioned above that some look a bit like "cartoons." I agree to an extent, but I think that's a good thing. They don't look like WotC minis. These are distinctly their own thing, and as a person with hundreds of WotC minis, I'm eager to lay hands on something else. I cringe a bit at the price, not because I won't buy them, but because my budget won't let me buy as many as I'd like!


I wasn't too hopeful about this style of mini, the pre-painted ones have always been a letdown in the past. But I'm starting to come around to these. The cartoony look isn't bad - different, but not bad.


Any particular reason why the blog hasn't been updated in 3 days?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Berselius wrote:
Any particular reason why the blog hasn't been updated in 3 days?

Ever heard of those weekends things they've got in America? They refuse to work and have 2 free days at the end of the week! Blaphsemy against the face of Creator, I say.

Paizo Employee CEO

Gorbacz wrote:
Berselius wrote:
Any particular reason why the blog hasn't been updated in 3 days?
Ever heard of those weekends things they've got in America? They refuse to work and have 2 free days at the end of the week! Blaphsemy against the face of Creator, I say.

Yeah, I better start cracking that whip again. The gall. Weekends! Those don't exist in the adventure game industry. Sigh.

-Lisa

(who just enjoyed a nice 2 day period without work. What do they call those things again?)

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Berselius wrote:
Any particular reason why the blog hasn't been updated in 3 days?
Ever heard of those weekends things they've got in America? They refuse to work and have 2 free days at the end of the week! Blaphsemy against the face of Creator, I say.

Yeah, I better start cracking that whip again. The gall. Weekends! Those don't exist in the adventure game industry. Sigh.

-Lisa

(who just enjoyed a nice 2 day period without work. What do they call those things again?)

Well ok, I guess a weekend off once in a while is ok, just don't make it a habit. ;)

Scarab Sages

Lisa Stevens wrote:

Yeah, I better start cracking that whip again. The gall. Weekends! Those don't exist in the adventure game industry. Sigh.

-Lisa

(who just enjoyed a nice 2 day period without work. What do they call those things again?)

Has your avatar lost its tan?

I remember when it got altered, now you're back to being in the pink.

Soon be Snowpocalypse again!


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Lisa Stevens wrote:
(who just enjoyed a nice 2 day period without work. What do they call those things again?)

A stress induced, medically required "vacation"?

Grand Lodge

As I mentioned in another thread, I believe the Medusa looks great. Will the snake be a separate piece, or will it be a part of the mold? I'm fine either way, just curious for it looks like it could be separate looking at the digital sculpt.

The Lich is different. I am use to the Lich looking well past decay in body and clothing. But that really is old school. A creature as powerful as a Lich could take on just about whatever appearance and dress it desires. With that thought in mind, I like the Lich.

Later,

Mazra


Damon Griffin wrote:
It probably won't make a difference, but it's a good point, and I had in fact overlooked that hefty discount.

Also to be fair, of the total 41 minis, 9 have been both listed and digital renders shown. We also have been told there are (at least) two goblins (which haven't been shown). We also know there's one more of the Pathfinder iconics though we don't know which one. The dragon has been shown in digital sculpt.

Lich
Medusa
Ice Giant
Dire Rat
Vampire
Succubus
Gnome Fighter
Troll
Huge Black Dragon

Of these, none have sucked.

I'm prepared to risk it to keep my per-mini price down.


annoyinglizardvoice wrote:
(although I do wish they'd use the name gorgon rather than medusa if she's supposed to be a memeber of a race rather than a unique monster :) )

Please address your comments to the original creators of the original D&D rules, and make sure they arrive no later than 30+ years ago :P

Medusa is a race of monstrous humanoids in Pathfinder, and that's because it has been like that in D&D for quite some time, too.

Plus, a gorgon is a bull tha can petrify you with the steam coming out of its nostrils (well, at least in PF and D&D it is).

Liberty's Edge

KaeYoss wrote:


Plus, a gorgon is a bull tha can petrify you with the steam coming out of its nostrils (well, at least in PF and D&D it is).

Steam? I prefer to think of that breath coming out of that Steely Bull as just... "Wind" :P


Steel_Wind wrote:
KaeYoss wrote:


Plus, a gorgon is a bull tha can petrify you with the steam coming out of its nostrils (well, at least in PF and D&D it is).

Steam? I prefer to think of that breath coming out of that Steely Bull as just... "Wind" :P

There is something seriously wrong with your internal plumbing.

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