Friday Publisher Preview: Feelin' Crabby

We've needed a giant crab figure for a long, long time. Nice work, Erik!

(Like I'd say anything negative when you're in that mood.)

I love both minis.

Get well soon, Erik!

Well this set continues with a 100% strike rate for me. I have waited for a giant crab for a very long time, and here he is; and a common! Looks like he will be a very nice mini indeed. Now I just need the large version, hint :)

That ray is a piece of art. Beautifully(?) realized figure, great colour scheme, excellent sculpt, fantastic rarity. Win! Again as always I hope they translate from digital, but if the last set is anything to go by Deadly Foes will be a huge success.

Hope your feeling better soon Erik and thanks for taking the time to do a blog this week.

Delightful Smiling Shadow of Flight! ^_^

Yes! Crab!

Ah, the dreaded L-bend clear post. As much as I like the Ray, I foresee this breaking just as often as my Mothman. Maybe the size of the post between a Medium and Large sized figure will make all the difference.

The larges have a much thicker post and they're secured to the base better now. The one on the dire bat from rusty dragon (I think) has had no 'breakage' issues, and I can't say I've been particularly delicate in handling them.

You can include me among the people who are thrilled with both minis! I've been using a repurposed Monsterpocalypse mini for a giant crab for a long time, but this one looks a lot better. And the Flying Ray looks awesome too! A very useful mini. And others have said, I hope it's more Dire Bat than Mothman.

I hope you feel better soon, Erik.

Looking forward to this set.

I need many many crabs. Love both of these guys.

The Crab looks cool, even if the picture from page 50 of the Bestiary is better.
But i suppose the pincers are open a little more and bigger than you can see from the front and we also need "Coconut crabs" (small) and "Rock Crabs" (large) in the future. ;-)

The Cloaker looks incredible!
The only thing i can see that is "better" in the illustration on page 47 are the teeth, but that is very minor, as the mouth is not big enough to swallow a mini.
This is also a mini, where it makes absolute sense to use a clear plastic post, which is rare for a PFB mini (which is a good thing and separates it further from the D&D line).

If "Monster Menagerie" wouldn't have been used already, it would be an apt name for "Deadly Foes", as it is chock-full of great creatures to combat!
This is my favorite set so far - and we havn't even seen the Hobgoblins, Giants and Celestials you have chosen for us, Erik. :-)

I hope you already feel a little better than yesterday and are fine again asap.
Greetings from Germany, Marco.

Anyone keeping a list of what Mini's have been made for Bestiary 1, or maybe a list of beasts missing a mini for Bestiary 1?

I ask as I believe Erik stated his goal was to have a mini for all the creatures in Bestiary 1.

thanks,

Agrayday

A list of those still to go - just the ones with artwork.

Still a few to go, so the line has some life in it yet if Erik wants to do them all.

The only way that crab could be better would be if it had an optional giant gold helmet for it like the one in Rise of the Runelords.

Pretty good list, Cat-thulhu. :-)

some additions (without art) & corrections:

SMALL:
-Black Dragon
-Blue Dragon
-Green Dragon
-Red Dragon
-White Dragon
-Brass Dragon
-Bronze Dragon
-Copper Dragon
-Gold Dragon
-Silver Dragon
-Eel, electric
-Toad
-Lizard
-Cat
-Familiar Baboon has a pic but is from Bestiary 2 actually.
-rat
-dog, riding
-Poison Frog
-viper
-weasel

MEDIUM:

-"Aasimar" has been done (Nualia from RotR) and there will be one in Deadly Foes (Aram the Golden Heart, Aasimar Paladin)

-Barghest

-Boar

-Dolphin

-Copper Dragon

-Ettercap

-"Ghost" has been in "Undead Horde", even though it is the illustration of another undead from Bestiary 2 or 3.

-"Hobgoblin" will be in DF too.

-Horse, Pony

-Monitor Lizard

-Rust Monster

-Satyr is very similiar to RW#14 Faun

-Shadow

-Worg is very similiar to a wolf.

LARGE:

-Aboleth is HUGE, a large one has been made as "Veiled Master"

-Beetle, Giant Stag

-Pteranodon (reptile, hard to get in the right size and should be on a clear post)

-Ankylo- and -Stegosaurus are Huge

-Tyrannosaurus is Gargantuan

-Black Dragon
-Blue Dragon
-Gold Dragon

-Golem, Clay

-Golem, Wood is medium!

-Half-Celestial Unicorn

-Hyena, Dire

-Herd Animal, Aurochs looks very much like the Catoblepas mini

-Nightmare has been done (RW#44 with Dullahan)

-Octopus, Giant

-Otyugh

-Wolverine, Dire

HUGE:

-Storm Giant (female has been in RotR)

I also expect we will get the
-Astral Deva,
-Planetar,
-Bone Devil
-Erinyes
in Deadly Foes

Huges are a problem at the moment (although that is changing), as are Colossals.

Thx for your great list, Cat-thulhu,
i am not at home and couldn't have written everything you already did. :-)

PS: You are correct with the dinos, same goes for some animals.
Those are very cheap to get in the right size as toys.

It should also be noted that the old D&D Minis are very much still present on the secondary market (although some could use an update for reasons of Pathfinder-specific appearance, or limited supply/high price).

For example, I suspect we won't be seeing new dark creeper or darkmantle minis any time soon.

I wouldn't really consider Nualia to be a good substitute for a generic aasimar, what with the demonic claw and black sword. Aram Golden-Heart is far closer, but I'd like the Bestiary art to get a mini too. ^_^

It should also be noted that the old D&D Minis are very much still present on the secondary market (although some could use an update for reasons of Pathfinder-specific appearance, or limited supply/high price).

For example, I suspect we won't be seeing new dark creeper or darkmantle minis any time soon.

Yes, some are so cheap, easy to get and good looking, that Erik will never make them.

Hyena or Monitor Lizard - i got a dozen of each.

Also some have been made in the D&D line recently that look exactly like the pictures in the Beastiary, like the Ettercap.

Then there is the issue of generic animals like dinosaurs or crocodiles, orcas, elephants. There are cheap minis in just the right size that can be used with or without huge bases from the Bestiary Boxes.

Also: companies like Schleich, Safari and some others make great Phoenix, Hydra or Dragon minis that are somehow exactly the right size.
They even have some that are very close to Linnorms.

That said, we still need the tiny, small, medium and most large minis of all sorts of creatures and some huge special monsters like the Aboleth, Froghemoth.

I am still missing about 30 creatures from the Bestiary (1). ;-)

I wouldn't really consider Nualia to be a good substitute for a generic aasimar, what with the demonic claw and black sword. Aram Golden-Heart is far closer, but I'd like the Bestiary art to get a mini too. ^_^

You are right about Nualia of course.

More tengu would be good - in fact, all of the Dragon Empires races could use more minis, especially as they're still PFS-legal for the foreseeable future. (Getting geniekin at some point would be nice too.)

I just happen to like the Bestiary aasimar in particular. ^_^

More tengu would be good - in fact, all of the Dragon Empires races could use more minis, especially as they're still PFS-legal for the foreseeable future. (Getting geniekin at some point would be nice too.)

I just happen to like the Bestiary aasimar in particular. ^_^

I agree, it´s quite good, as is the Tiefling.

There are some exceptions, like the Ankheg, where Erik used better Artwork.

An opposite case is the Yeti - the artwork on page 287 looks much better than the RotR mini, but that again is the exception.

The crab is great.

They should do a repaint in another color perhaps blueish green.

I suspect the Crab mini will actually be hard to get even though itbis a common. It justbseems like one that will be hoarded by everyone, since multiples can definitely be used in encounters and we don't have anything like it yet.

I like the Flying Ray, but I can't tell yet if it is a decided improvement on the Lords of Madness Cloaker Ambusher. It does look geared to do a little more damage when it engulfs its prey, with it's spikes, musculature and fangs. I like that it is suspended in the air gliding towards its victim, although I suspect that large peg will be the subject of dislike by some.

I think it may be the first peg that people will accept, it works on this one. I like it more but that's because I expect it will not have such a warped base and it has that gliding in on you feel. Again expectations based on a digital but I'm hopeful

I just wish someone would bust out the spell research rules and come up with a useful "mini levitation" cantrip so we could be shot of these flying pegs for good! The obvious solution :-)

Something something weak point something something massive damage

Not a fan of the ray mini. 1. Those types of minis never stay on their base; and 2. It's similar to other minis and I just don't think it's a very good mini.

Rest of set looks good so far.

A list of those still to go - just the ones with artwork.

** spoiler omitted **

Still a few to go, so the line has some life in it yet if Erik wants to do them all.

Thanks Cat-thulhu for typing that list up, I really appreciate that, and thanks for the updates Marco! :)

I just really want some Linnorms, Morlocks, Satyrs (DnD has no good satyrs), some of the plantlife beasties, assassin vine, that giant man eating flower, etc...

It would be really great to get more NPC's of different areas of culture.

Cat-thulhu wrote:

A list of those still to go - just the ones with artwork.

** spoiler omitted **

Still a few to go, so the line has some life in it yet if Erik wants to do them all.

Thanks Cat-thulhu for typing that list up, I really appreciate that, and thanks for the updates Marco! :)

I just really want some Linnorms, Morlocks, Satyrs (DnD has no good satyrs), some of the plantlife beasties, assassin vine, that giant man eating flower, etc...

It would be really great to get more NPC's of different areas of culture.

Plant creatures are probably the most under-presented minis.

The only plant i have lots of is the D&D Shambling Mound.

But i would love to get PFB minis of
-Assassin Vine
-Basidirond
-Giant Flytrap
-Shambling Mound (more beafy looking)
-Vegepygmies (at least 4 different)
-Violet fungus
-Yellow Musk Creeper

None of the 8 plant creatures from the Bestiary has been made in PFB!

I really dont need the Treant because
-the illustration is bad
-other huge creatures are needed more
-i have the D&D huge mini
-i have the D&D gargantuan mini

Also there are incredible plant monsters in Bestiary 2-4, like the Moonflower to be made.

I'll second that, there are indeed some awesome plants in the other bestiaries that would make fantastic minis.

Vegepygmy and plant monsters are veryuch under represented.

Removed a post. Hey folks, we'd really prefer that blog discussion threads stay about the product/general topic they're about. If you'd like to discuss other lines of minis, feel free to make a separate thread about it. Thanks!

More tengu would be good - in fact, all of the Dragon Empires races could use more minis, especially as they're still PFS-legal for the foreseeable future. (Getting geniekin at some point would be nice too.)

I just happen to like the Bestiary aasimar in particular. ^_^

I second more Tengu and other less loved races. I was disappointed when the Warrior was so similar to the Sneak kenku in the DDM lines. Especially when they had to make a new sculpt to do it! Jakaw Razorbeak has so much more character, I'd like to see other classes / roles filled with Tengu. The same goes for any of the other more obscure races. Let's face it, I can probably cover about any concept of human, elf or dwarf now. Give the other races their turn to shine. Make minis I'd want to use for my character, not some bland minion representative.

I so want a grippli and a kitsune and a wayang. But mostly a grippli........

I rather enjoy the way the flying ray's tail wraps around the post. It's a nice touch.

I must say, I have a soft spot for leshys. Perhaps a future set will have a forest or jungle theme?

I really want a rat folk, I repainted a kobold devilspeaker to do the job but I'd much rather a genuine small rat folk. Besides there is some awesome art for them out there. I'd also sevind a grippli!

And schnappy that's what I was saying before! The post on the Ray is really appropriate, it just works on the mini. Mind you I don't mind them anyway much for variety available in the pose.

Removed a couple posts. Let's please keep blog post threads on the topic they're about. Comments about other miniature lines or sets should really go in another thread.

As the manufacturer is Wizkids and it affects this line's release date, i really don't know where to post this but here.

I don't know how to create another thread and can't find any recent miniature ones beside this one.

If somebody would be so kind to create a thread about "Wizkids minis release dates" or tell me how, it would be much appreciated.

Thx.

To create a new thread about Pathfinder Battles, go here and click the "Add New Thread" button toward the upper right.

To create a new thread about minis that are not licensed by Paizo, go here and do the same.

To create a new thread about Pathfinder Battles, go here and click the "Add New Thread" button toward the upper right.

To create a new thread about minis that are not licensed by Paizo, go here and do the same.

Thank you, Vic.

Looks like Erik is still sick. :-(

Best wishes, Mr. Mona!

I am now calling the missing 16 creature minis:

Common:
-Hobgoblin Lieutenant
-Hobgoblin Seargent
-Cave Fisher

Uncommon:
-Hobgoblin Commander
-Astral Deva aka Messenger Angel
-Contract Devil
-Strix
-Heresy Devil
-Erinyes

Uncommon Larges:
-female Fire Giant
-female Hill Giant
-Bone Devil

Rare:
-Jilia
-Shensen
-Mephistopheles

Rare Large:
-Planetar

I know at least half are right. ;-)

I know at least half are right. ;-)

Do you have a source for this claim? Or is this just a statement of confidence?

Marco Massoudi wrote:

I know at least half are right. ;-)

Do you have a source for this claim? Or is this just a statement of confidence?

Deduction, Watson. ;-)

The (3) Hobgoblins are from the product description.
The last set had 3 Bugbears (4 if you count the large Glutton).

Erik wrote that the set has more "Celestials" and the Astral Deva/Messenger Angel is the most likely, the Planetar is on the cover of AP#108 (Non-Iconics, Huges or already produced minis aside: from the covers of APs #97-108, 6 out of 13 are confirmed to be in this set, the 7 others are probably too).

I wrote a list of 30 minis a while back and Erik confirmed 9 out of those are in this set.
3 of those are yet unrevealed (Erinyes & Bone Devil the most thematically appropriate, them being in HR & HV and Cave Fisher an educated guess).

The product page says this set has giants (plural), so it should be 2 at least. The only large giants from the Bestiary (as most of the creatures in this set are from B1) that have no female version are Fire and Hill Giants (not counting Ogre Mage/Oni as they are Outsiders foremost).

But we will see in the next weeks how many of my 16 guesses are right. ;-)

I hope Erik is well again and has time for another minis preview since we havn't seen one last week.