Things are moving fast and furious on the Pathfinder Battles front, with the Rise of the Runelords set moving ever closer to its August release. We're currently designing the packaging for the set, and I can say with confidence that we will be posting full product release details such as price and product configuration in next week's preview blog.
Before that happens, though, we've got one more standard preview, and in honor of the gremlins who have kept some of the details secret and prevented us from posting the product pages to date, I've decided to dedicate this week's preview blog... TO EVIL!
First up this week we have the ancient lich Azaven, a key villain from the second half of the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. Some of you may remember Azaven as Kazaven, his original name. We changed it in the upcoming hardcover collection of the campaign to prevent confusion with the dragon Kazavon from Curse of the Crimson Throne and Varisia's Kazaron River. I still remember the day five years ago when the Adventure Path staff realized it had used three nearly identical names in less than a year, and the new edition of the campaign was the perfect chance to make this minor change to clear up any lingering confusion.
Azaven's name may have changed, but he's still as treacherous and imposing as ever. This rare miniature has a cool crown and a gnarled staff. With pallid skin and a scraggly beard, Azaven represents a lich that hasn't quite rotted away to a skeletal state like the one in Heroes & Monsters. I think the two of them make a nice team, and I'm sure your players will too!
The image shown here is a paint master. The final production miniature will have additional painted detail on the hem of his cloak.
A lich not evil enough for you? How about a half-demon filled with the pure evil of the Abyss? Did I mention she's quite the looker? This gorgeous Alu-Fiend figure is a common, because you "get" to fight a bunch of them in the Rise of the Runelords campaign. They make great minions for the Succubus from Heroes & Monsters.
This is one of those miniatures that you can't believe is a common when you hold it in-hand. The detail on the open hand, the face, and the back of the outfit is just breathtaking, and I'm not just saying that because this figure is a serious hottie.
Last up this week is the Yeth Hound, a traditional canine foe with a long history in mythology, fantasy fiction, and fantasy gaming. Yeth Hounds are particularly honored allies of the twisted aasimar villain Nualia we showed off a few weeks ago, but they also make devastating enemies in their own right.
They're common, making it easy to build an encounter with a pack of these fearsome creatures.
So that's it! The last preview before you can click through and start ordering these miniatures directly off the product page.
Thanks for being patient with the product details. It's almost impossible to believe, but there are still several awesome minis we have yet to reveal. Be here next week to be among the first to see the next batch!
My first reaction was "We had a lich and a succubus in the first set! What gives?"
But I love the lich. The fact that he isnt a skeleton and looks like an old king with a beard. I think this guy has just become my favorite lich miniature ever.
As for the Alu Fiend...I think I would have minded less if there wasnt a repainted Succubus in that upcoming encounter pack.
So we now will have 3 different succubus minis.
If there needs to be hordes of common ones in order to run Rise of the Rune Lords I guess I understand.
And as for the Yeth Hound...AWESOME!!
A monster from the 3rd edition Monster Manual that was never made in over 20 DDM sets. I LOVE seeing monsters that never have been made before. Bravo.
So we now will have 3 different succubus minis.
If there needs to be hordes of common ones in order to run Rise of the Rune Lords I guess I understand.
Is there any story behind the white cloud bottom vs. clear plastic
Not really, though I think there may be more drybrushing on the white to give it a bit more depth on the final figure, like what we did with the Succubus.
All of the clear minis need to be on molds with other clear figures, and I think we wanted to save the clear "slots" in this set for something a little more fantastic.
I'm diggin' it. :) I love new and different figs. Much as I love me some skeletons and orcs, I've -got- plenty of those; the unusual and compelling is what I'm looking for now.
And halflings. Nobody ever makes enough good halflings.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Deluxe Comics, Battles Case Subscriber
The Lich King could definitely proxy for any evil king. It looks to be well designed.
A Horde of Succubi....that is both a frighteningly scary and intriguing thought all at the same time. I like it! This Alu-Fiend may be hotter than the H&M Succubus.
It is good to see a Yeth Hound in miniature. That is one fearsome looking pooch.
I'm a little conflicted...."hmm minis of monsters we already have" versus "yeah but these looks even cooler than the ones in the first set!!!". But variety has always been good, so I can dig it in the end.
The yeth hound, on the other hand...I dunno, makes me think of Mr. Bigglesworth.
Not sure how I feel about the really, really stereotypical "Hot girl with wings" minis in all these sets, or the language being used to describe them. >.>;
Not sure how I feel about the really, really stereotypical "Hot girl with wings" minis in all these sets, or the language being used to describe them. >.>;
::shrug::
They're sex demons who trade on their looks and guile to lead folks into temptation.
Not a lot of beating around that particular bush.
That said, with two Succubi and an Alu-Demon, I think we're done with this particular motif for a little while. There's nothing like it in the next set, and while I haven't set the list for the set after that, there probably won't be any winged sex demons in that one, either.
Paizo Superscriber, Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber, Pathfinder Comics Deluxe Subscriber
Erik Mona wrote:
That said, with two Succubi and an Alu-Demon, I think we're done with this particular motif for a little while. There's nothing like it in the next set, and while I haven't set the list for the set after that, there probably won't be any winged sex demons in that one, either.
Wasn't there talk of a June release for this set? I thought it was going to coincide with the hardback release roughly. Guess I will wait till August to start RotRL for my group. So far I am liking what I am seeing from the line though, and Holy Cow the rune giant looks Awesome! :)
(Hopefully I will survive tomorrow night's game when the crew finds out we are waiting for August)I expect they will appreciate the wait when they see all the pretty mini's to decimate :)
Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules, Card Game, Comics, Pawns, Battles Case Subscriber; GameMastery Superscriber
Azaven - Living it. Great sculpt, beautiful(?) colour scheme, probably needs some colour on his beard to set it apart form his face - but then this is a paint master. A grade A mini, well done, again...
Alu-demon - so we had a succubus and a repaint. This is fantastic because it intorduces soem variety. My concern it it may overshadow the succubus ( a long overdue mini that I personally loved) in its' standard. It looks great and the wings look to be shaded this time?
Yeth hound. More like Yes hound. Going to get me some of these. Its a vicious, disturbing looking dog. Personally I was hoping for a hound of Tindalos but this looks great.
Good to hear prices going up on the site soon and I don't find it all hard to beileive great minis still to come. I love this line so far and things are only getting better.
Now... Any chance of a hound of tindalos? Or indeed any other lovecraftian horror in this set (Xin SHalast is just calling out for it). I know we have the brilliant, common, denizens of leng but is 1 or 2 more to much to ask for, surely that not pushing the lovecraft too far? And the hopunds did figure a fair bit in the latter parts of the path didn't they?
Oh yeah and one other thing - wher are the goblins! Stars of the first set, I have a overwhelming need to see the goblins in this one, butfear my mindwill be unable to cope with goblin awesomness (chief of gecko? hell yeah).
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Adventure Path, Comics, Battles Case Subscriber
Dorgar wrote:
Wasn't there talk of a June release for this set? I thought it was going to coincide with the hardback release roughly. Guess I will wait till August to start RotRL for my group. So far I am liking what I am seeing from the line though, and Holy Cow the rune giant looks Awesome! :)
(Hopefully I will survive tomorrow night's game when the crew finds out we are waiting for August)I expect they will appreciate the wait when they see all the pretty mini's to decimate :)
There was a very provisional June date, but not set in stone. It's also worth noting that the hardcover itself has slipped to July
Isn't there rumored to be a goblin dog in this set as well?
Tis' not even a rumor. Erik announced this quite some time ago. Technically there are 2, if you include the fact that there is also a goblin dog mounted goblin commando mini. So, barring any last minute line-up changes, we should be seeing this mini sometime soon.
Erik Mona
Publisher, Chief Creative Officer
Souphin
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