Pathfinder Battles Preview: A First Look at Rise of the Runelords

Friday, January 27, 2012

These last few weeks it’s seemed like even the weather has been conspiring to delay a big preview of Rise of the Runelords, the next set for our Pathfinder Battles prepainted miniatures line. I snuck an image of the shaggy Yeti in last week’s preview blog, but until today, the stars have not quite been right to begin our previews in earnest.

No longer! The Runelords have been slumbering for too long, and they demand to be unleashed upon the world! Our long wait is finally at an end, and I’m ready to blow the lid off the first batch of preview images from this upcoming set!

WizKids is still finalizing the specific details about when specifically the set will release, how it will be packaged, and how much it will cost (which is why we haven’t posted a product page yet). Yesterday, we finally revealed the first Pathfinder Battles Encounter Pack, Champions of Evil, which features repainted figures from Heroes & Monsters in a convenient non-random format. You know exactly what you’re getting in this new set of 6 miniatures, which includes three Zombies, an Evil Cleric, a Succubus, and the evil Scarlet Gargoyle. The whole pack ties into our Free RPG Day adventure, Dawn of the Scarlet Sun, which releases in June. If you haven’t seen the Champions of Evil sculpts and paints yet, hop over to the product page and check them out! They’re really cool!

You know what else is cool? The Human Ranger from Heroes & Monsters! This guy is probably my favorite player character-appropriate figure from the first set, but thanks to a series of mix-ups we never managed to reveal a good picture of him here on the blog. Because I’ve been promising it for a couple of weeks now, I thought I’d sneak him in here, even though he’s not a Rise of the Runelords miniature.

Heck, if you like the way this figure looks, you can order him directly as a single. While you’re doing that, feel free to browse the other Heroes & Monsters singles to fill out your collection or simply pick up your favorites from the set without worrying about the randomness of individual boosters.

But you didn’t come here for Heroes & Monsters images. You want the new, fresh meat. You want RISE OF THE RUNELORDS!

And I am here to deliver. This first batch focuses on paint masters of several creatures from the first half of the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path, which releases in June as a deluxe hardcover Anniversary Edition that compiles all six adventures and key associated material from Paizo’s very first Adventure Path. We’re thrilled to get a chance to go back to where it all started, and update everything to the new Pathfinder RPG rules.

We’re also thrilled to be working with WizKids to present prepainted plastic miniatures to support the campaign. The full set includes a nice mixture of “generic” creatures drawn from the campaign’s encounters as well as specific NPCs from the adventures themselves.

One of the greatest encounter areas of the campaign’s first installment, Burnt Offerings, is the goblin enclave of Thistletop. While the goblins themselves will appear in a future preview blog (and there are some really awesome ones in this set), today’s preview starts with a look at some of the locale’s other denizens.

Up first is the Bugbear Hero, a common figure that represents the bruiser Bruthazmus, the bodyguard of the adventure’s arch-villain, Nualia (more on her in a future preview). Of course, when you’re talking about a bugbear that wears a necklace of elf ears, “Hero” is a relative term!

Up next is the fiendish spirit of Thistletop, the evil Malfeshnekor! This uncommon figure comes on a Large base, and towers over the goblins who honor and fear him.

On your journey back to the town of Sandpoint from Thistletop, be sure to watch the skies for this screeching Harpy, a common figure. This Medium creature has beautiful wings, nasty claws, and sharp teeth. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

One of the coolest things about the Rise of the Runelords set for those of us here in the Paizo offices is that it offers us the first chance to create prepainted miniatures of creatures that are uniquely “Pathfinder”. Here we have a common Sinspawn, the servitor slaves of the ancient Runelords, stirred once more to life with the reawakening of Runewells all over Varisia.

Speaking of sin, check out this amazing fiend we like to call the Treachery Demon! If you thought the Ettin from Heroes & Monsters was big, you’re going to choke when you see this titan hit the table. I have a new-ish GI Joe action figure on my desk, and the Huge Treachery Demon towers over him. It probably goes without saying, but this guy is a rare.

Speaking of rares, check out this Young Red Dragon! As a Large figure, this guy looks down on your player characters with childlike innocence, ready to engulf them in its fiery breath! The sculptors perfectly captured the likeness of this dragon’s illustration. The only thing that makes me happier than this dragon is the OTHER dragon in the Rise of the Runelords set, who is even BIGGER and even AWESOMER.

“Awesomer.” That non-word is probably the best summary of the entire Rise of the Runelords set. We’re enormously proud of the final figures in Heroes & Monsters, but WizKids really upped their game with this second set. Every single mini in this one is a winner, and we haven’t even shown you some of the absolute coolest miniatures in the set yet!

But we will.

Starting next week!

Erik Mona
Publisher

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Tags: Pathfinder Battles
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Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Takei: Oh my

Sovereign Court Owner - Enchanted Grounds, President/Owner - Enchanted Grounds

Awesome, indeed!

The Glabrezu has me giddily excited. And no "wave." (-;


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

The Sinspawn is awesome, and so is the Glabrezu. The old one from Wizards always looked a bit goofy.

Hm, where did that harpy come from?

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Harpy: "Awwww who needs a hug?"

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

And all my money drains away into the sucking vortex which is plastic crack.

Liberty's Edge

I'm really liking the color schemes.

If the treachery demon is meant to be a glabrezu, is it on a huge base?


Other dragon? Bigger? Awesomer? wooOOoo!!

Contributor

Pygon wrote:
If the treachery demon is meant to be a glabrezu, is it on a huge base?
Erik Mona wrote:
Huge Treachery Demon

Yeah.

(Capitalized references to sizes are 9 out of 10 times references to size categories)

Liberty's Edge

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:
(Capitalized references to sizes are 9 out of 10 times references to size categories)

Ah, guess I should have read through it more than once. I only noticed the first mention. Thanks!

Sczarni

Slightly off topic, but has it ever been explained or inferred as to what the relationship between the sinspawn and the caulborn is?

They have such strange forms, but in such similar ways, that one seems to have evolved from the other?

edit: Oh, absolutely love the set ... all about RotRL this spring.

Dark Archive

*sigh* *Ups subscription to 3 cases.......*

*Begins the plan to take down the entire White Castle restaurant chain*

You pushed me into this Erik Mona!!!!!


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

So I can get a bugbear, an evil monkey demon thing, a glabrezu, a red DRAGON(!) and another dragon to be named later?

I have a big, juicy Lion's Tap burger with fried onions waiting for you Erik.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

The Glabrezu is amazing. I always hated the red waving DDM one. I know the paintjob we will end up with wont look as good as the picture but the sculpt has me drooling.

So this new set will have more minis, and have Huges in it? I know I cannot help myself. I MUST own a case....but I dread and fear how much this case will cost. And if one case isnt enough to get the entire set I'll really cry. I just aint that rich.

Forgive my ignorance...but I havent read RotRL yet. Is Malfeshnekor a Barghest or is he a unique Pathfinder thing?


A case will likely be $250. I am also waiting to find out if multiple cases will be needed to ensure a full set.

Yes. There are Small, Medium, Large, and Huge minis in the set. The Special mini offered to those who purchase a case is Larger than huge, but smaller than Colossal; which leaves Gargantuan. Eric Mona leaked on a prior blog that one of the minis in the set is a Huge White dragon. I can't wait to see that one!

I believe that Malfeshnekor is a Barghest. He looks like a Barghest, anyway.

My question is: What is with the Harpy's hands? She looks like a petite woman with Shaquille O'Neal's hands on her. She could Palm a Basketball (or an adventurers head).


I am confused. Is the Rise of the Runelords miniature run going to be another random pack assortment like Heroes and Monsters? Or is there going to be a some effort made that a large purchase, like 1 or even 2 cases, is a complete set of minis for the scripted encounters?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Jason Grubiak wrote:

The Glabrezu is amazing. I always hated the red waving DDM one. I know the paintjob we will end up with wont look as good as the picture but the sculpt has me drooling.

So this new set will have more minis, and have Huges in it? I know I cannot help myself. I MUST own a case....but I dread and fear how much this case will cost. And if one case isnt enough to get the entire set I'll really cry. I just aint that rich.

Forgive my ignorance...but I havent read RotRL yet. Is Malfeshnekor a Barghest or is he a unique Pathfinder thing?

He's a specific greater Bargest, with class levels I believe

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16

So is the Treachery Demon a lesser Shemhaizan Demon? Looks just like it, but 'hemhaizans are gargantuan.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Aaron aka Itchy wrote:


My question is: What is with the Harpy's hands? She looks like a petite woman with Shaquille O'Neal's hands on her. She could Palm a Basketball (or an adventurers head).

You can't really tell from the photo, but she has long, gnarly fingernails that make her hands look bigger than they are.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

C.J. Stott wrote:
I am confused. Is the Rise of the Runelords miniature run going to be another random pack assortment like Heroes and Monsters? Or is there going to be a some effort made that a large purchase, like 1 or even 2 cases, is a complete set of minis for the scripted encounters?

Ummmm... both?

It's going to be a random pack assortment, but as with Heroes & Monsters, we're going to try to get you an estimate of how many cases you'll need to buy to more or less ensure* a complete set.

* Not a guarantee, but we'll try real hard to make it as easy to collect as possible. Look to Heroes & Monsters for an idea of what we're shooting for.

Grand Lodge

Malfeshnekor is a Advanced Greater Barghest, no class levels.

Also, I dont remember my PCs encountering harpys, a glabrezu, or a large red dragon in any of the first three books of RotR. Either you guys are seriously redoing the AP, or this set isnt just for the first three books.

Please tell me this set isnt just for the first three books. :P

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

The Treachery Demon is a treachery demon, from the Pathfinder Bestiary (where he goes by a different name).

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Aaron aka Itchy wrote:
A case will likely be $250.

It's a bit too early to making statements like that. *We* don't know yet, so we know *you* don't know yet.


Erik, These look great. I am concerned about your statement It probably goes without saying, but this guy is a rare. Does this mean I will get 3 in a case like Seelah or Ogre? That would be great! I only got 1 Orc Warrior and that is a "common." Not so great. This has been addressed in other threads but rares don't actually seem all that rare. Is that going to remain the case with future sets?

Also, Is there a chance we'll get new variations of skeletons and goblins and zombies and "common" monsters that GM's need more of?


godsDMit wrote:

Malfeshnekor is a Advanced Greater Barghest, no class levels.

Also, I dont remember my PCs encountering harpys, a glabrezu, or a large red dragon in any of the first three books of RotR. Either you guys are seriously redoing the AP, or this set isnt just for the first three books.

Please tell me this set isnt just for the first three books. :P

Thanks for the info on Malfeshnekor.

Well it was confirmed that Huge White Dragon and Yeti are also in the set...so it definitly isnt just the first 3 books.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Tell me more about this new-ish GI Joe on your desk...

Scarab Sages

These look f*ing awesome

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

No, no, no. This PREVIEW largely focuses on stuff from the first three books, but as you note, some of the bigger stuff near the bottom of the preview is from later in the Adventure Path. Rise of the Runelords will cover the entire Adventure Path.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Ianal wrote:

Erik, These look great. I am concerned about your statement It probably goes without saying, but this guy is a rare. Does this mean I will get 3 in a case like Seelah or Ogre? That would be great! I only got 1 Orc Warrior and that is a "common." Not so great. This has been addressed in other threads but rares don't actually seem all that rare. Is that going to remain the case with future sets?

Also, Is there a chance we'll get new variations of skeletons and goblins and zombies and "common" monsters that GM's need more of?

The Large "rares" in a case will likely be repeated, since there are, generally speaking, fewer larges in a brick than medium boosters. I've brought WizKids attention to the case-cracking thread here, but I honestly don't expect major collation changes between the sets to kick in this rapidly.

That said, those fine details have not been decided for Rise of the Runelords yet, so I don't want to share my assumptions that I may later have to revisit.

As for the "common" creatures, this set includes several more goblins, but does not include any skeletons or zombies. There are a few other "regular" undead coming, though.

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Is there any particular reason you are calling the demon a "Treachery Demon" instead of a "Glabrezu Demon?"

Not that it matters much; the mini will look the same. I'm just curious.

The Exchange

Now I'm annoyed that our gaming group has already done RotRL. These are SWEET!


These look great, especially the young red dragon, yeti and treachery demon. I'm a bit torn now since I'm really keen to see the white dragon and the other figures which are going to be revealed. But I avoided looking at any images past the first reveal for Heroes & Monsters and really enjoyed that I was seeing a lot of the figures for the first time when I opened my brick... Not a bad problem to be given though!

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Ryan. Costello wrote:
Tell me more about this new-ish GI Joe on your desk...

It's a Zartan from the latest batch of releases. I collected GI Joes as a little kid, and keep looking at them when I go to Target. I haven't really been tempted to buy any of them for more than a decade, but this latest batch is celebrating some kind of anniversary (30th?), and so they're revisiting some of the classic characters.

I got Zartan and a Cobra soldier, and they both look pretty awesome.

Not as awesome as the Treachery Demon, but still good.


Wow, they all look amazing, especially the Treachery Demon and the Bugbear. Can't wait for more previews!

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

You owe me a new set of eyes. Mine popped out of my head to get closer to these beauties on the screen. Holy Treachery Batman!

Spoiler:
Treachery!


These look fantastic. The only observation I would have is that the dragon's underside is a little too pale for my taste. But they are awesome!!!!


The Harpy is from Book 4.

Liberty's Edge

Impressive, most impressive. That whole preview thing distracted me from the forthcoming Skull and Shackles and has me Jonesing for June and the RotRL Hardcover -- Big Time.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Tamago wrote:

Is there any particular reason you are calling the demon a "Treachery Demon" instead of a "Glabrezu Demon?"

Not that it matters much; the mini will look the same. I'm just curious.

IANE, but I suspect that it is so they don't have to slap the OGL on every pack. Everything in H&M and revealed in this post was generically enough named or pulled from mythology that they didn't hit stuff that had been made up by D&D over the last thirtyish years. Glabrezou, not so much...

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Enlight_Bystand wrote:
Tamago wrote:

Is there any particular reason you are calling the demon a "Treachery Demon" instead of a "Glabrezu Demon?"

Not that it matters much; the mini will look the same. I'm just curious.

IANE, but I suspect that it is so they don't have to slap the OGL on every pack. Everything in H&M and revealed in this post was generically enough named or pulled from mythology that they didn't hit stuff that had been made up by D&D over the last thirtyish years. Glabrezou, not so much...

Correct—Pathfinder Battles are not published under the OGL.

Grand Lodge

Wow! What a preview for some five months out before release. Bruthazmus and a Sinspawn would have been a fantastic preview. But then you give us Malfeshnekor, a Harpy, a Glabrezu and finally a Large Red Dragon.....<jaw drops to floor>.....<scramble to restore jaw back to under tongue>.

Later,

Mazra


Damn too bad my players are fighting Karzoug this coming Thursday. I bought 2 cases and got complete sets on both cases. Hopefully you'll have a gargantuan is alli'm sying. I had to buy some Mcfarlane-Conan figues to get big enough stand-ins (and they didint really look good).

The battles encounter pack shows your listening to us and I love this. So I'll start putting away money for 2 more cases, before my wife finds out! LOL!


Vic Wertz wrote:
Aaron aka Itchy wrote:
A case will likely be $250.
It's a bit too early to making statements like that. *We* don't know yet, so we know *you* don't know yet.

Apologies :( I assumed that since Heroes and Monsters was $250/case that this set would be as well. And we all know what happens when you make assumptions...

They get spread around as "fact" by forum posters 3 months down the road.

Sovereign Court

What happens with the Shemhazian, which is Gargantuan in the game? Are there going to be Gargantuan minis?

Sczarni

Aaron aka Itchy wrote:

Apologies :( I assumed that since Heroes and Monsters was $250/case that this set would be as well. And we all know what happens when you make assumptions...

They get spread around as "fact" by forum posters 3 months down the road.

But the fact that the larger set may force larger than one figure per pack, who knows that final cost?

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Bagpuss wrote:
What happens with the Shemhazian, which is Gargantuan in the game? Are there going to be Gargantuan minis?

The Shemhazian, sadly, did not quite make the cut.

Perhaps in a future set!

(There is one Gargantuan coming soon, and I'll bet people can guess what it is!)


At first I wasn't sure about the bugbear. But after taking a close up look, he has a lot of potential. I hope that like with the goblins and orcs, we can expect to see a few more of these guys pop up in future sets.

Six mini's in one review, does that mean the release date is going to be moved up to April? :)

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

I was being extra-generous because I've been pumping up this preview for so long, and the weather cheated everyone out of it last week.

Grand Lodge

Erik Mona wrote:


(There is one Gargantuan coming soon, and I'll bet people can guess what it is!)

Rune Giant?


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Erik Mona wrote:
The Treachery Demon is a treachery demon, from the Pathfinder Bestiary (where he goes by a different name).

Hmm, is there a list somewhere of what monsters do not have "open" names. It would be nice to have a conversion guide for both the Minis and Novels.

That way if I see "Treachery Demon" I can look at the conversion guide and see that: Treachery Demon is found on pg.XXX of the Bestiary

or
Hell Spawn/Fiend Spawn is found on pg.XXX of the Bestiary

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