Pigraven's page

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Bed:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The headboard and outside footboard both have designs carved into them. The bed is sculpted so you can see a few ripples here and there from the blanket. The pillow looks great atop the outer bed cover and the bedsheets. What a great sculpt for such a simple item.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The paint job is simple yet so good. It's honestly one of the better looking Dressing pieces out there. I've got no complaints with this paint job.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
If you use these, you'll definitely want to pick up some extras. They look great, and you can customize your tavern scene with extra beds.

I'm slowly warming up to Dressing pieces. I've thrown a couple of the pieces from the last set into a campaign. Without a doubt I'll be using all the dressing pieces from this set. These beds go a long way towards that step. I tend to make overnight encounters a somewhat frequent thing in my campaigns, even when the group stays at an inn. I'm pretty excited to set up a set of rooms with beds in them to flesh out my concepts with a three-dimensional feel.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
If you don't plan on using the dressing or setting up your tavern scene, you don't need this.

However, the bar set and pieces like this bed look great enough that even if you don't plan to utilize them in a campaign, you can still set one up in diorama form.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Barrel:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The sculpt on this is surprisingly great. I thought, with it being so small it might not turn out that great. I was wrong. You can clearly see from the sculpt that this is a wood crate. You can see the splinters and little breaks here and there in the boards. The steel band is also well sculpted.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The paint job is simple yet so good. It's honestly one of the better looking Dressing pieces out there.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
If you use these, you'll definitely want to pick up some extras. They look great, and you can customize your tavern scene with barrels anywhere you want.

I'm slowly warming up to Dressing pieces. I've thrown a couple of the pieces from the last set into a campaign. Without a doubt I'll be using all the dressing pieces from this set. These barrels go a long way towards that step.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
If you don't plan on using the dressing or setting up your tavern scene, you don't need this.

However, the bar set and pieces like this barrel look great enough that even if you don't plan to utilize them in a campaign, you can still set one up in diorama form.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Ranzak the Goblin:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
Without a doubt, this is one of the best looking sculpts I've ever seen for a Small-sized miniature. The goblin himself is well sculpted, with discernible toes on his foot. Despite the small size, the tunic is sculpted such that it shows off both his cross strap and his sash. The small short sword is sized just right for him. The face is properly sculpted and deep enough to allow for a spectacular paint job. The parrot on his shoulder is big compared to him, but it works for his size.

I've always stated I'd rather familiars and other small animals be scaled slightly larger if it allows for a better paint job. This proves why I think it makes sense. Heck even the feathers on the back of the parrot are individually discernible.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
An excellent sculpt allows for an excellent paint job. We get that here, with a great palette of colors, and a remarkable application of paint. The grinning face is brought to life by white teeth and deep set red eyes. Even his parrot has eyes that you can clearly see. The tampo of the skull & crossbones on his cap is just icing on the cake.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
This is my favorite small piece in the set. He might even be my favorite goblin that Paizo has done. If your'e running a campaign with pirates, or just want this guy to show up in your pub or tavern, this piece is for you.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
Paizo continues to up the ante in regards to their flagship Goblins. Even if you're not big into Goblins, consider this little fellow. If you're going with the general tavern theme of the set, this guy makes a perfect piece to flesh out fellow patrons.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Quivering Cube:

Quality of Sculpt: 1 out of 2 Stars:
This has been excellently reviewed by others, so I'll keep this short. The sculpt is great. I especially love how it appears to be moving. Still, I agree that it's slightly too small. Normally I don't worry too much about exact measurements, but this one sort of bugs me, what with it being so iconic. While technically these Cubes can start to shrink if it goes too long without organic material to consume, that doesn't apply here; the bones and other goodies in his center show it isn't starving yet.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
I like the darkness of this guy. He's translucent enough to see what's inside, but not so much that you see it all on first glance.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
I like this piece better than the old WOTC-made Gelatinous Cube. It looks great and the stuff trapped inside is great. I don't have a problem with it not being made as a piece you can open, but I understand how others might.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
Do you want a reasonably priced Cube? You'd better pick this one up. The old D&D version is close to $50 on some third party sites.

However, there is another Cube out there that I like better. It's really clear and heavy, and sold separately. I think one of the guys that posts on this site sells them. If you can only have one, buy one of his. It doesn't have a base, but it is slightly bigger.

For those who wish their Cubes opened, my guess is the Gelatinous Cube that D&D inevitably puts out through Wizkids is a better bet.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Orc Rider On Dire Wolf:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
A very well sculpted piece. The dire wolf looks great, with great looking sharp spikes on its back. Fur can be tricky, but it's very well sculpted on this piece. The wolf's face is great, with teeth barred and ears slightly back, as if about to charge into battle. I like the tail sticking out like it is, adding more length to the piece. The Orc on top is also well sculpted. They did a great job on his front armor and clothes. Even the bracers are well done. I love the sword pointing straight out, as if commanding his troops (or mount) to charge. Even the ripples in the standard look great, giving it the appearance wind is blowing through it.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
I've got no paint problems with mine. In fact, it's one of the better painted pieces in the set. Even the tampo looks great on the standard. The face isn't the best out of all the Orcs I've seen, but I still think it's very well done.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
I love the look of this piece. I love the uniqueness of this guy on this mount. Has there ever been an Orc mounted on a dire wolf before in miniature form? I can't recall. Either way, this piece looks great. If you use Orcs in your campaign, I would imagine this piece would be very useful for you.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
I don't see how you pass on this guy if you use Orcs in your campaign. He's pricey, but he just screams LEADER! He'll be leading the charge on many of my Orc encounters from now on. Pass on him at your own risk!

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Silver Dragon:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
This is one of the better sculpted dragons out there. If you're going to make your dragon stand on the ground, you need to make sure you sculpt him with enough personality (and skill) to allow for a masterful paint job. This piece does just that. The reason he's so well painted is because the sculpt allows for it. The wings are fantastic and full of definition. The tips on the wings are sharp and deadly. He is sculpted to look exactly like a lawful good silver dragon should look: sleek and elegant.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
As others have pointed out, the paint job here is a great example of how less is more. How do you make a metallic dragon look good? Make him shine like metal. How do you emphasis is wing tips? Paint them a nice black. No blotches, no drips, nothing negative.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
I own quite a few silver dragons, going as far back as the old WOTC-made miniatures. I even own a couple dragon toys from other hobby companies, like Papo. I can honestly say this is my favorite looking Silver Dragon. They somehow manage to give him a level of shading without dampening the metallic shine. Incredible!

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
Dragons are common again in miniature form. Silver Dragons are Lawful Good, so often times, your party won't be fighting them. Still, they make excellent NPC types. And hey, it's a dragon!

Some prefer their dragons in flight. I don't have a preference, although I'm glad that Wizards makes their dragons in-flight pieces. It balances out really well with these grounded dragons that Pathfinder puts out. I actually prefer the look of most Pathfinder dragons over their counterparts at WOTC, and the Silver Dragon is no different.

If you're looking for the best silver dragon out there in miniature form, this elegant piece is the one for you. Despite how great it looks, you can probably pass if you're not a fan of dragons, not sure you'll use one that likely won't fight against a group of good characters, or simply prefer your dragons in a flying pose.

He's up to $10 cheaper on some third party sites, so you might check there first.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Half-Elf Enchanter:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
It's really nice to see miniatures that aren't bogged down with thousands of items. This sculpt is very well done, and also very open, thanks to his pose. Because there is less to work with overall, what is there needs to be very well done on a rare miniature. That's the case here, as the sculpt itself is really well done with the pants, boots and front of his coat. His face is also sculpted well, giving him a bit of a haughty look to him.

I like the rod, as it can pass for a rod, wand or conductor's baton.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The color application is rather fantastic. I'm as equally impressed with his pants as well as his high boots. The white frock on his shirt is great, as is the gold lapels on the front of his coat. The color scheme with the hair is great, and there is no obvious run-on, drips, or other blotches anywhere on my piece.

A great face on this guy, with eyes, nose, mouth and ears all clearly visible and well done.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
This is definitely one of the better Half-Elf miniatures, and a top-five noble miniature, too. The color choices (purple and gold!) really fit the look of this character well. He screams haughty, high-elf or half-elf noble or lord.

Bonus points for being a discernible Elf. You can clearly see his pointy ears, meaning you can use him as an Elf or Half-Elf. Good looking Elf miniatures are somewhat of a rarity in the Pathfinder Battles line.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
Do you want a high born noble or lord? A male miniature that can easily pass as either an elf or half-elf? Do you just want the lead musician in a lord's personal band? How about a haughty NPC elf with a smug smile about to surprise everyone by dropping a spell on the enemy (or the party) with his wand? Are you playing a spoiled brat PC still capable of getting the job done in the magic department? There are so many different ways this guy can be used, I don't think I'd pass on him.

Don't sleep on him. He's already gone from some of the third party sites, so if you want him at an affordable price, make sure you catch him when Paizo puts him back up for sale.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Half-Elf Bard:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
A somewhat cluttered sculpt, as many medium rare pieces tend to be. However, the quality of the clutter is very well done. The sword hilt is very discernible. The sword strap between her breasts is discernible. Even the buckles on the straps of her bodies are sculpted well enough to be visible. The violin is well done, as is the placement of her hands on the instrument. I really like the simplicity of the bow. Instead of trying to go overboard making a spectacular bow, they kept it simple. It works.

Moving down the body, the wrinkles of her breeches are evident and well sculpted. The sculpt of her boots is some of the best I've seen on a medium miniature. The tip of her coat ends and you can clearly see her breeches, and then her boots. It's a small thing, but very well done.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
My piece does not suffer from any runs or blotches. In fact it's one of the best painted pieces in the entire set. The face, in fact, is one of the better female faces I've seen on a Battles piece. Sadly enough, the sculpt has the bow blocking most of this well-painted face. Oh well.

If this piece suffers from anything, it's the colors used. Again, some drab colors keep this from being a standout piece of the set. It's nowhere near as drab as Cayden Cailen's.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
This is definitely one of my favorite Half-Elf miniatures, and a top-five bard miniature, too. The appeal is perhaps dampened a bit from the color scheme, although it fits the theme of the piece well enough. She's a confident musician, not a cocky, garish character.

Bonus points for being a discernible Elf. You can clearly see her pointy ears, meaning you can use her as an Elf or Half-Elf. Good looking Elf miniatures are somewhat of a rarity in the Pathfinder Battles line.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
Do you want a instrument-playing bard? A female bard miniature that can easily pass as either an elf or half-elf? Do you just want the lead musician in a tavern band? How about an NPC Bard loyal to a high lord but willing to help your party? This miniature can serve any one of those rolls, and more.

Don't sleep on her. She's already gone from some of the third party sites, so if you want her at an affordable price, make sure you catch her when Paizo puts her back up for sale.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Goblin Vulture Pilot:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
Every part of this piece is very well sculpted. The pose of both the vulture and the goblin are great. You can clearly see the feathers on the outstretched vulture wings, both on top and underneath. The goblin's scarf is sticking straight out, as though caught up by the wind. The goblin is holding a bomb in his right hand and a splash weapon (potion) in his left hand. Both items are very well crafted and easily discernible. As with other Pathfinder goblins, the face on this little guy is very well sculpted, allowing for a very distinguishable expression.

This is a great example of the type of well done sculpt that sets up a great paint job.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
A very well painted miniature. The precision of the sculpt allows for the painters to really take advantage of the different layers of surface area, and the ones who painted mine did not disappoint. They even managed to get some shiny armor in there, adding to the appeal of the character.

You'll be impressed with the goblin's face, his red eyes (that match his scarf), and the two items he has in his hands. The vulture, too, is very well painted. The beak doesn't bleed onto the face, and you even make out the vulture's eyes on this piece.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
This is without a doubt one of my favorite miniatures in The Rusty Dragon Inn set. I'm not sure if it's the great sculpt and paint job, the concept of a goblin bomber on a vulture, or both that does it for me. Regardless, one of my favorite pieces.

As for usefulness, I'm not sure how you don't find use for a piece like this. Goblins as bombers is actually a common thing in Pathfinder. Adding one that can take to the skies on a vulture against your party is just icing on the cake.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
If you like monsters, get this guy. Heck, even if you are a bit fatigued from all the goblins that Paizo puts out, I still recommend this piece. We've got a cool looking goblin riding a mount in an earlier set. We don't have an airborne goblin, to the best of my knowledge.

Even if all you want is a vulture, you can pull the goblin off its back and voilà, you've got yourself a vulture.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Cayden Cailen:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
Another rare piece. This sculpt is really good. The strength of this sculpt his pants and belt. He's items everywhere, and the sculpt allows them to be easily painted. Even the tunic is well done. Like with some of the other miniatures, you can clearly see the foam from his drink. I especially like the way he's pointing his sword, as though challenging some other patron of the tavern that has aggravated him.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The paint job is also very good on here, in terms of application. The face is extremely well done when compared to humanoid faces from previous sets. Even the hair shows off his brown locks really well.

The major drawback here is the drab colors used. Because this is more an aesthetic issue than an actual paint application issue, he still retains a full score in this category.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 0 out of 1 Star:
As mentioned, the drab colors sort of hide how well this character is painted and the excellent sculpt below the waist. If you're not really worried about that, and instead want this guy to flesh out your tavern scene, he's worth getting.

Unlike some of the other NPC types in this set, this guy isn't needed for an actual tavern or bar scene. Still, he can definitely add some flair to the room. With his sword out the way it is, he can also doubles up as a combat-ready NPC or even a PC. In that regard, the mug in his hand most likely becomes a potion.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
As another reviewer mentioned, this guy is definitely not bad. In fact, the sculpt itself is actually very well done for a medium piece, rarity or not. But thanks to drab colors, the best of this guy is lost to the casual glance.

You won't won't be unhappy with the purchase, but if you're cherry picking only those that you actually need, you can pass.

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Bartender:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
Given that this is a rare piece, I definitely expect a good sculpt. This is a great example of the type of sculpt that can be simple yet so well done. Her apron is discernible from her skirt. Both of these cloth types are discernible from her pants/leggings. You can see the ripples on her apron and the skirt, helping to give it a three-dimensional look. Her left arm is holding a tankard of full of bubbly ale--and you can see the bubbles on top of the tankard! Her right arm is holding a cloth rag; the cloth rag has ripples, too, adding to the three-dimensional look. Her hair is well done, too. The sculpt allows for thick, visible strands of hair.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
The paint job is pretty important on this one. As others have noted, the way the colors are clearly defined yet work well together make it very appealing to the eye. Best of all, the colors used and shading techniques applied really allow this piece to stand out for such a small thing.

The face is smiling, and you can see her red makeup. The eyes are there and placed appropriately on the face. Even the nose is well done. The face is not as good as most of those you'll find on the Iconic Sets, but that is too be expected. It's better than most human faces, definitely.

It looks like Paizo is learning how to really utilize the scaled-back steps to make better looking pieces. While a couple of the early sets were well done, when pieces from that set weren't well done, the results were horrible.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
She's a bartender. She can also be using as a serving girl. She's not really fit for combat, but as a rarity, you really needn't worry about that.

The stark contrast in colors used on this piece work really well, especially since they naturally go well together.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
Like other single-occupation NPC types, you're either going to need a bartender or not. Some miniature users don't even set up miniatures indoors during their indoor encounters. If that's you or your group, then you just don't need her. But if your'e the type that likes to set up combat anywhere using miniatures, be it indoor or outside, you'll want this young lady.

A rarity not just in this set, but other lines out there as well. Once she's gone she'll be hard to find for an affordable price on the singles market. Snatch her up when you can!

**Special Note For Anyone Using My Review**
1. I review individual miniatures based on their quality, not what I think their rarity slot should be.

I've seen a couple reviews that, after praising a piece with a solid sculpt and paint job, knock down the rating a couple stars seemingly because they feel it would fit a better rarity slot. That is nonsense to me. I don't think it helps anyone looking at reviews trying to determine the actual quality of a piece in hand. I keep that type of conversation reserved for Erik's weekly Friday Preview blog or the review of the set as a whole.

2. For those new to pre-painted miniatures, please understand that no piece is going to look as close to quality as the digital 3D render. It just isn't going to happen. Think of the renders as what to expect conceptually. But in practice digital renders don't have to deal with real world techniques such as shading, washing, and other methods used to make a miniature look more than just a shiny cartoon once it is on the table. **

My Official Grade For Dancing Girl:

Quality of Sculpt: 2 out of 2 Stars:
There isn't too much to this piece. The girl appears to be in mid-motion, and the quality of details in the sculpt reflect it. Perhaps most impressive is that you can clearly make out both her belly button AND the small of her back. There are some layers to her dress, too, that help make this a more believable piece.

Quality of Paint Job: 2 out of 2 Stars:
This miniature doesn't suffer from the issues that Paizo humanoids from previous sets have. When you look at her face, you can clearly see it, complete with acceptable eyes, nose, and mouth. The rest of her body is well painted, too. She is somewhat simple in color scheme, though the colors are appealing to the natural eye.

If I were to point out any flaw I notice in the four I received in my case, it would be a slight blend of coloring between the gold and flesh tone of the character. Gold is much more appealing on darker skinned individuals than lighter shades of people, so this isn't really a fault of the paint.

Overall appeal and usefulness: 1 out of 1 Star:
She isn't as striking as other common human females, but she doesn't have to be. She's a simple dancing girl there for entertainment of patrons, not much else. She'd work just as well as a dancing girl anywhere, be it in a court for a high lord or a traveling band of gypsies.

My Advice For Cherry Pickers:
This is a pretty straightforward piece. You either need her for your collection or you don't. Unlike other NPC types in this set, finding a use for her outside of entertainment might be tough, unless you make her an undercover monk or something.

There aren't too many of these types in previous sets or even in lines from other companies, so grabbing at least one of this piece might not be a bad idea.

There are no major quality control issues to speak of, so if you have the means and the need, she's a definite buy.

Once again, Cat has beat me to the punch with his excellent review. It says all it needs to say about all the necessary things.

Here's a couple thoughts to go along with it:

As quality has steadily improved, so have certain expectations. Keep them in check. For those of you that remember the issues from before, much of that is held in check with this set (and the Dungeons Deep set).

With realistic expectations in mind, none of the figures in my case had BAD faces. There were some with JUST OKAY faces, but none that struck me as Poor. This is a first for me, as I've had at least one straight up BAD face in every previous release. Usually the problem faces are humans and dwarves. The JUST OKAY faces are human and dwarven, but still a slight step up.

Ironically, the worst figures in the set are the two replacements they included for poor pieces in another set (the king, and Feiya the Witch iconic). I didn't include them as part of my official Rusty Dragon Inn star rating.

There was some inconsistency on a couple of the pieces, but the offense was so small for mine I'm not going to take off for it. No miniatures were missing pieces. The bendy weapons, for the most part, were under control.

In-hand miniatures will NEVER match up with digital art for the piece. If you expect it to do so you're never going to be happy. Digital art gives us a good idea of what the piece is striving for, not how it'll look exactly. Digital art also tends to be more colorful, as it doesn't have to take into account shading, washes, etc.

As Cat pointed out, these pieces are for those not willing to paint their own. Could I probably do a better job? No. I'm horrible at painting. Have I seen re-paints of Pathfinder Battles figures that look much better than the official factory release? Sure. Is the person that did the re-paint also painting hundreds of the same pieces at a time? Probably not. The moral of this exercise is to reinforce Cat's point regarding expected quality of the set.

Instead of reviewing each piece here, I'll stick with a short review on each piece in the singles section of The Rusty Dragon Inn. It sounds like Paizo is going to be opening some more boxes and releasing some more of the rare pieces that are out of stock. I'll make sure to review those throughout Sunday (Jan. 24th) for those trying to decide which pieces to purchase.

*BONUS* I got every piece in the set all in one case. This set is so good that I seriously suggest you purchase a case yourself, if it is within your means.

***Special thank you to Paizo for continuing to make sure all the pieces in the set can be obtained with the purchase of a case. True, once in a blue moon this doesn't happen, but your system is set up to do so in most case. It's a far cry from certain competitors, where the purchase of a case doesn't even attempt to net the buyer a full set. I (and I'm guessing most others) buy miniatures to use at our table, not go chasing after each piece like it's a chase piece in an action figure set. So again, thank you.***

As Cat said, there must be a major difference between each wave of this set. While not perfect, these are in line with the other three sets.

I'm not going to go over each piece. Cat's review sort of touches on everything about the pieces worth discussing, in my opinion.

More importantly, those choosing not to purchase these based on pictures are losing out.

Sometimes photographs don't do a piece justice. When photographing a tiny piece of plastic up close, the features aren't going to be as flattering as they would be from a distance. For example, at least the last two Pathfinder Battles releases, many of the close-up pics of each piece had me worried. And yet when my case actually came, I was overwhelmingly happy with the quality.

This has been the case for many of the Pathfinder Iconic pieces, too, including this set. After reading the negative reviews and seeing some pics of the pieces, I was worried. And yet, when my Set #4 got here, it was close to a home run for me.

I'd venture to say that two things are happening:
1. There is a major difference in quality from the first to the second wave.

2. People are reviewing these based solely on some bad pics, even when they don't actually have the set itself. Bushtroll, for example, stated "these are just from the pics", which might mean he didn't even have the set in hand when doing his review.

I urge everyone to ignore any review (in this hobby or elsewhere) of a product by somebody that doesn't actually have the product in hand. There is a major difference between being disappointed with the pictures of a product and the actual product.

I've learned to do this in other hobbies, too. I collect statues, mostly from companies like Sideshow, XM, Tweeterhead, Pop Culture Shock, and others. Recently, Sideshow released a Power Girl statue (from the DC comics line). The pictures on their site of the actual piece look pretty bad. I've been collecting long enough that I was originally turned off from the piece solely based on the pictures. But after watching numerous YouTube videos once the piece was released, I changed my mind. Most videos made it a point to clarify that the piece was much better looking in person. The piece looked better in video than the pics, but I was still concerned. I bought it anyways, and it's actually one of the better pieces the company has put out in the past year.

I consider the first set of Iconics a fraction better than the other sets. But this set--at least the one in my hand--is on par with the other pieces in terms of quality.

If anyone is interested, I'll try and do a video to show the pieces from different angles.

Finally, let me urge Paizo to take better photos of their pieces once they are in hand. The Sideshow statue I previously mentioned is about 22" tall, and even that looked bad in pictures. Many of these photos I've seen on here of these much smaller pieces are more a turn-off than incentive to buy.

Final Grade:
I'm going to give this set 4-1/2 stars.

I can't say the quality is as flawless as the first set in this line, but it's as close as set #2 and #3. I agree with Cat regarding the "overcrowding" of weapons and items. It works in the art, but doesn't translate as well in-hand.

I'm going with five stars, but consider it a 4-1/2.

I just received my Iconics Set #1 in the mail.

Wow! As anticipation for these kept growing, I continued to become more skeptical that they could fulfill expectations. My skepticism was unwarranted, as all six pieces look great.

Here's my grading key for the Iconics releases. This system covers this release and all future Iconics releases.

As a special note, these are primarily based on the six miniatures alone. I have not opened the packet with the six cards, as I do not play the Pathfinder Adventure Card game. I will leave their content and relative value up to another reviewer. I can say, however, that they all appear in good shape around the edges. Mine are not scuffled around the edges, as sometimes cards can be. All six cards are wrapped together in a clear cellophane packet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------
One Star = Packaging and Miniature Selection
One Star = Sculpt
One Star = Faces
One Star = Paint application
One Star = Miniature Cleanliness (Did paint splotch the base, did the wash make colors run, etc.)
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My official review:

----------------------------------------------------------
1/1 Star = Packaging & Miniature Selection
----------------------------------------------------------
The packaging looks great. The box is much smaller than I thought it would be based on photographs. The outside has info about all six characters inside. The box is colorful and very busy all around.

Once you pull the plastic out, it becomes easy to pop out the miniatures from the base without fear of breaking the miniature. This is best done from the bottom, after you've cut the tape holding the bottom of the plastic base together.

For those looking just to remove the cards and keep the miniatures in-tact (perhaps to sell), I suggest opening only the bottom of the box. The cards are sealed and taped to the bottom of the inside cardboard insert.

----------------------------------
1/1 Star = Sculpt
----------------------------------
All six sculpt selections are super choices. The poses are dynamic without being caught too much in one motion. I don't like my PC pieces being stuck in one particular movement, while others don't want their pieces to appear too sedentary on the table. This first line finds a great compromise between the two.

Best of all, the sculpt is so well done from a mechanics point of view that it allows for a great paint job.

------------------------------
1/1 Star = Faces
------------------------------
Human faces have been the bane of most Pathfinder Battles releases to date. Despite the promise this line wouldn't suffer the same fate, many folks have been holding their breath. It turns out we could have kept breathing, as these faces are all spectacular! The photos posted a couple weeks ago on the Friday Reveals definitely don't do the piece justice when compared to holding it in your hand.

Their is clear and distinct definition from the eyes, nose, and mouth. Even in the Sorceress' face, which was a concern for some based on the photos, there is no issue at all. Not only are the facial features distinct, they are well done and easy to make out once you have the miniature in-hand.

----------------------------------------
1/1 Star = Paint Application
----------------------------------------
I can't believe how well the paint job was done on these. They rival many of the best paint jobs I've seen on hand-painted metal pieces. The colors used are great, and show well next to each other. None of the six miniatures I have include any painting overlap, something that can't always be said for the Battles line. The extra time spent on these pieces is obvious, and more than make up for any increase in price.

------------------------------------------
1/1 Star = Miniature Cleanliness
------------------------------------------
Out of six bases, I received exactly zero splotches of paint or plastering on them. The miniatures all appear to have received several washes, but none have muddied the colors at all. This is perhaps the most pleasant surprise in my mind.

It's also worth pointing out that all six of my miniatures look exactly as they should. That is, none of them came with broken or missing parts. That's to be expected in such visible packaging, of course. But it's still great to see that the expectation holds true.

All in all, that is five out of five stars. I can't wait to introduce these to the players around my game table. I eagerly await Set 2 and Set 3.

On a final, personal note, there is Lini, the Gnome Druid. I was not a fan of her first miniature. The paint ran too much on the one I received, and the face looked messed up. This Lini is much, much better than the Legends of Golarion version. This holds especially true in the face. I'm over the moon with this improvement, as I'm a sucker for Gnomes.

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Price vs. Value

I don't factor the price vs. value into my official rankings because the price is different depending on where you purchase them. Shipping and handling, as well as any other taxes overseas purchasers might face also change the cost per miniature. I'll still include my opinion on the prices I've seen, but the variable cost means including it in the final rating would be unfair.

I've seen these sets priced as low as $20.00 and as high as $30.00, stateside. This means they range in price per miniature from $3.34 to $5.00 (US). Considering I'd pay $10.00 per miniature for this quality, I'd say a set is more than worth the cost. Even overseas collectors should consider these a good deal.

And if you are on the fence about buying this set because you really only want it for the cards, I highly suggest you pull the trigger. The miniatures are so well done that surely you can find a way to show them off.

One suggestion is to mount one or two on the dashboard in your car. I rotate Marvel and DC Heroclix miniatures this way. I've been told by several regular riders in my car that they look forward to which miniature will displayed each time they ride with me. I'd be more than willing to add these Iconics to the mix if I wasn't already planning on them seeing heavy use around the gaming table.

I hope this review helps any potential buyers.

I finally received my Reign of Winter case.

For those who know me from the Weekly Previews of the Battles line, it's likely that you realize I'm somewhat easily pleased when it comes to miniature selection choice in each line. But if you look at my review of the Legends of Golarion Battles line, you'll also realize I'm not afraid to be scathing in my reviews of product in hand.

Before I start the actual review, I want to point out a couple things that others may not be aware of if you haven't been following along in the Weekly Previews:

--The drop from 55 down to 45 sculpts wasn't done by Erik on a whim. It was done to help keep overall costs low and affordable for the average buyer.

--The drop occurred somewhere in the middle of the Reign of Winter decision-making process. Originally there were 55 sculpts (or more) that had been decided on and approved, but Erik was then tasked with making some cuts.

--Out of every Adventure Path Paizo has produced, the Reign of Winter line is probably the most inopportune path for such cuts to have happened. The Adventure Path spans regions, planes, planets and even other eras of time.

--For months, many of us in the Weekly Previews had been begging for more animals. This included a desire for some aerial animals, too. While Erik can't please all the people all the time, he encourages feedback on what we'd like to see more of in sets. There are so many things that factor into what is ultimately chosen for a set, and for many of the other sets, animals simply wouldn't work.

--Early in the Reign of Winter Previews, Erik mentioned that there was a high concentration of animals in this set, in part because it was the first Adventure Path line they had done in awhile that he felt he could drop in more than one or two animals. This was a chance to give us aerial animals such as the Raven, Owl and Falcon, in addition to some ground creatures. Erik stated early in the Preview process that he could have easily added a handful more animals to this set, had the line been large enough. This was BEFORE the cut was made (or at least announced), so it’s reasonable to think there was an animal or two among the ten miniatures that were cut.

--Erik has stated that while he won't necessarily shy away from adding a relevant (to the Adventure Path) animal or two to future sets, this is likely the highest concentration of animals we'll be seeing in an Adventure Path for the near future. Somewhat similar comments were made about demons during the Wrath of the Righteous Previews, and the Reign of Winter line is completely devoid of such creatures.

--The very nature of Battle Lines that follow Adventure Paths are tricky. While part of the goal is to appeal to those that run these lines, a blind eye cannot be turned to all of those DM's that don't run the path. Instead, many of us prefer to buy these lines for the different monsters and cool-looking NPC/PC-types to add to our collection.

--The Wolliped. In every single Battles Line, Erik gets to choose one creature or character found somewhere throughout the Adventure Path that appeals to him. This is often a creature that looks unique and isn't as well known to most players or DM's that aren't as familiar with the source material. While the creature CAN play a major role in the line, there is no actual requirement that it does. In this particular case, the Wolliped is found on page 90 & 91 in the fourth book of the Reign of Winter Adventure Path (The Frozen Stars). For those uninitiated with the creature, I suggest looking into it. They can be used as animal companions for PC's, in extra bonus for certain PC's.

I wanted to get all of that out of the way first. While they aren't meant as excuses for any disappointment as far as miniature choices are concerned, I feel it's important to at least understand why some of the choices have been made.

For the purpose of this review, I've discounted entirely the actual selection of miniatures chosen for this set. When I was going through the source material before any previews had been shown, I came up with over 90 characters that would have made sense for this line. Add in the fact that Wizkids wanted changes made in the middle of the process, and I feel like the selections here are solid all around.

And finally, one last issue of note. This is for those who are generally unhappy with the amount of animals in this set. Or perhaps those that would like to see more of a certain creature or type in future sets. Please come join the conversations we have in the Weekly Previews thread every Friday. The best way to get what you want is to have your voice heard. And in this case, one of the best places to do that is in the aforementioned thread. We've been discussing how best to incorporate iconic fantasy creatures of Tiny or smaller stature, such as Tiny Fey, into the Battles Line. (These present a challenge from a logistics point of view). We've also been discussing how best to include Huge-sized creatures as future product, and which creatures of said size make the most sense to make. There have been some requests for more Fey, more Plant creatures, etc. Maybe you want to participate in these discussions, or perhaps you feel there is a particular creature or NPC/PC that screams “MAKE ME A MINIATURE”. Regardless, please come join us…we’re all good people and love a good conversation and healthy debate.

Now on to the actual review:

No Battles Line review is complete without first commenting on the faces of Medium-size Humanoids in the line. It seems to be Wizkids/Paizo's kryptonite. These issues have been pretty well documented for the last few Battles lines, and there is a major issue in this release, too.

--Feiya, the Iconic Witch, has a horrible face. Others have commented, so I won’t get into it.

--Russian Machine Gunner - Yikes. This soldier's face is WRECKED. I received five of these in my case, and on every single miniature, the face is HORRIBLE. Between being applied on wrong areas of the sculpt or simply suffering from major smudge issues, all these faces are horribly, horribly done.

Between these two miniatures, I have to knock off a star.

Now here are some standouts:

Small size Miniatures:

--Owl – While I perhaps understand some of the less than enthusiastic reactions to the amount of animals found in the Reign of Winter line, I don’t think it should taint the review of the actual miniatures themselves. In truth, all the small animals are well done. If you’re buying piecemeal, buy with confidence. The owl is perhaps the best, but maybe only because there were a few more patterns to paint on him than the other animals, yet they still got him right. I find it fascinating that on a common miniature of small size, they were able to correctly detail and paint the underside of the feathers, giving the creature a feel of true authenticity and added depth. And don’t forget, Owls generally operate during the night, so this adds extra versatility to any night encounters your party will face.

--Raven – At first glance one might not consider this miniature anything special. Except for the beak, it’s all black, as most ravens tend to be. But if you look at it closely, you’ll realize that much like the Owl, there is clear depth shown along his feather line. Also, this Raven is not only the smallest of the animals in the Reign of Winter line, but he is of Tiny size. This means he matches up with his size description in the Familiar section of the first Bestiary. Ravens appear everywhere in fantasy, and the Reign of Winter path is no exception.

--Falcon – Perhaps the simplest of the three small aerial animals in this set, the falcon is still well done. Like the other birds, there is clear definition of feathers along his wings. One nice thing about this miniature is that because it’s basically just one color, and you get a few in a case, it’s easy to paint into a Hawk or some other big bird familiar/companion that better suits your need. Having a bird stretched wing-to-wing in a flying pose that can represent either type is extremely nice to have for the gaming table.

--Fox – I was worried about the fox. I was so unhappy with the shoddy work on the Snow Leopard from the Legends of Golarion set that it had me nervous for this fox miniature. As it turns out, I shouldn’t have worried. The fox is very well done for a common miniature. The facial features are great, and there is a distinct white underbelly, as found on most foxes. Perhaps the best part of the miniature and the most underrated aspect are the ears. The back of the ear is the same reddish-orange hue of hair that covers most of the fox. But the front part of the ear shows the white tufts with a very thin border of black. When set down on the table, the black provides enough contrast to pull the eye towards the face.

--Goblin Alchemist – Paizo has forced me into liking Goblins, and now I’m a sucker for them. After seeing this guy in the Reign of Winter Adventure Path, I realized there was no way that beautiful artwork would go unnoticed by Erik. He didn’t let me down, and this product in hand doesn’t, either. There is plenty going on here for such a little guy. My favorite thing is that his face maintains the unique Pathfinder Goblin look, while the skin color matches that of the Snow Goblins.

Medium size miniatures:

--Pale Tower Guard – I think I’ve seen some negative comments about this figure. I’m not sure why, as I feel like he’s the best-looking guard to date in the entire Paizo line of miniatures. There is clear definition to his armor, and the colors on my pieces haven’t bled into one another or anything. The crossbow on his back is great, and the big tower shield in his left hand is very nice. His faceplate is fine, and his two eyes are very discernable, if you’re looking at him for that purpose. For my table, he’ll likely serve as the go-to tower guard for any campaign. This guy is no Knight of Ozem or Eagle Knight Officer.

--Commander Pharamol – One of my favorite pieces in the entire set. There is a lot going on with this guy, but the detail—both sculpt and paint—do his illustration justice. Perhaps using him as a Triaxian isn’t your cup of tea. But he’s so well done and can easily pass as a catfolk ranger or something along those lines. His face is well done, and there is no paint overlap anywhere on the piece I received.

--Ratibor The Bold – I’ve seen a couple knocks on him, but every version I received in my case was just fine. His beard is fine and isn’t smeared all over his face. His eyes are accountable and aren’t too far apart. The body of this medium miniature is very well done, and there is no paint smear or overlap as a result of the various items on his belt. His shield doesn’t have any design on it, so perhaps that will bother you, perhaps not. I don’t mind a shield design when well done, but I like having a miniature without an insignia on the shield, so I can use him for more generic purposes in my campaign. In addition to the axe in his hand, this guy has a bow on his back and a quiver of arrows on his side, so you know he’s ready to fight. Buy this guy with confidence and don’t look back.

--Winter Guard Falconer – This character meets my expectations. I was worried he’d be too much to fit on one medium, non-rare figure. He’s not, as his miniature proves. The body of the miniature, including his gear is well done. The face and helmet look good, and I have no problem with his facial hair. If he has one weakness to him, it would be the falcon perched on his arm guard. It doesn’t look horrible or even bad, just not as well detailed as the stand-alone falcon miniature. Put simply, the falcon is no less detailed than the cat that accompanied one of the feamale pieces a few lines back.

--Dragon Legion Dragonrider – This guy makes for a fine soldier NPC or a possible PC piece. He’s a Triaxian, so despite his humanoid shape, his face is more blue-ish/fur-like. Everything about him is well detailed, including the face. His helmet covers a decent part of the outside of his face, but the rest of his face is clear. Unless you look closely, his mouth is a bit hard to make out. However, there is clear definition to be seen there, it’s just all one color. His armor is fine, and there is no overlap of paint anywhere on the pieces I received. If you’re looking to build up a race of Triaxian, or perhaps name them something else in your own campaign, this guy is a great place to start.

--Drakelands Barbarian – This is another of my favorite pieces in the entire line. She’s definitely one of my favorite miniatures. I’ve received a handful of this girl, and there are no imperfections anywhere on any of the pieces I received. Her armor is clearly defined and well painted. Her shield is well done and you can see the grooves in it that make it look like a wooden shield. Her sword is straight and not bendy. Her cloak is phenomenally done. The quiver on her back is evident, despite sharing the same color (but not texture) of her cloak. Her gloves match well with the purple tunic. If you look close enough you can clearly see how the tunic would be underneath her armor. Her face is sculpted nicely and you can clearly see her teeth. If you’re looking for a proxy for a catfolk barbarian, then look no further. I suppose she might even pass for a female barbarian, if you don’t focus on her for too long. I will say that when combined with the other Triaxians in this line, a DM can put together a solid encounter group of a unique type of humanoid for his or her campaign.

--Cesseer of Ning – I’ve seen a few complaints about this piece, but I don’t remember why. The piece I got has no paint issues, and her sculpt is very well done. She obviously works as a Triaxian monk, but can easily pass as a catfolk rogue. While I typically like my PC’s and NPC’s grounded, this works well for anyone that likes action poses. As one should expect, the detail on this piece is great, and you can clearly see the individual lines of her wrappings. There isn’t much else to say, though she’ll be a fine addition to your Triaxian encounter group. Buy her with confidence.

Large size Miniatures:

--Trolls – Both the male and female are absurdly well done, both in detail and paint job. I haven’t had any issues with them, although I’ve seen a few complaints of paint overlap from other people. Still, I received four or five of each in my case, and I didn’t have a single issue. I’m a huge fan of trolls, and these frost trolls are no exception. If you’re buying what you need piecemeal and you like Frost Trolls, then don’t pass on either of these.

--Catoblepas – This creature is excellent. His sculpt is well done and the paint job, while basically just a couple colors, is well applied. You can see the muscles in his body, and his mane is fantastic. His face is surprisingly great. His tusks are well done. I’m pretty sure this is the first Catoblepas in PPM form, and he does not disappoint.

--Wolliped – Whether or not you’re glad they included this creature in the set or not, it’s a well-made miniature. He’s a big, solid piece of plastic, much like the Catoblepas. This gives him that feel that he’s a big, strong creature capable of surviving any artic area.

--Winter Wolf – Another of my favorites in this set, I finally have a winter wolf that I like more than those found in previous lines from other companies. His mane is great, and the fierceness of his face makes it clear he is a creature to be reckoned with.

The four Rare Large sized miniatures are all great, and definitely worth the purchase.

What happened to Paizo miniatures? Unlike some others out there, I felt by and large that the paint jobs on some of the more recent releases were good (but not great), while the sculpts continued to get better and better. While the Skull & Shackles set contained some troubling painting jobs, the sculpts were great and more than made up for them.

And then came this set, Legends of Golarion.

There are already a couple other reviews, and they highlight the worst: terrible paint jobs and horrible sculpts.

The other reviews are definitely worth reading, and they highlight issues in such terms that I feel like those other reviewers have probably been around pre-painted plastic miniatures longer than I have. If I could say one thing about those reviews, it is that they are simply too kind. Based even on the quality of past Paizo pre-painted minis, these deserve only one star.

I actually like the characters that were chosen for this set. Perhaps they aren't the most popular names out there, but as they are rather eclectic, in theory it would have allowed me to use some monsters I've never had in my campaigns before. But due to the poor quality, I really don't think I'll use but more than a handful of these minis. It's a shame.

WizKids has always had a bit of a shady reputation in my opinion. A buddy of mine collects many statues and busts (Superheroes, etc.), and the WizKids ones range between top-notch and worst ever. I don't know what the deal is over there, but I can only assume the painters suffer from some form of schizophrenia.

One thing I was super excited to do with the Legends of Golarion set was drop some big money to build up my collection of several of these characters. For example, I was eager to purchase multiples of the Bugbear Warrior (outside the handful I received in the case I purchased). When combined with the other Bugbear sculpt from the other set, these would have made great miniatures for early level encounters in my campaigns. But the sculpt on these are average at best, and the paint job doesn't do anything to salvage them.

As mentioned in one of the other reviews, nearly every medium-sized miniature in this set has a horrible paint job, and blotchiness is just the beginning. If you were hoping to stock up on a number of different human soldier-based miniatures from this set, just forget it now. Be it the Eagle Knights or the Knight of Ozem, these human medium sculpt and paint jobs are exceptionally bad.

I'm especially disappointed in this set because I really feel like future Builder Series will look to lean heavily on these sculpts (especially the Kobolds, Orcs, Bugbears and maybe even humans, like Soldiers). All I can say is that if and when that ends up being the case, there is a re-paint job for every single miniature used from this set.

These snow leopards are juvenile. I was hoping to purchase a few extra, as I'm putting together an entire snow/winter-based continent for one of my campaigns. Instead I'll just keep the ones I received in the case I bought and make do.

I ordered a case of Wrath of the Righteous from a website, but I think I'm going to go ahead and cancel it and just wait until the release of the set. That way I can buy individual miniatures as needed, and only if the reviews out there make it clear the line has shown clear improvement in the paint jobs. This line is so horrible, however, that I'm just not sure I can even have hope of improvement. By and large, these are hands down worse than nearly any of the D&D sets released last decade.

****************

I just looked over each miniature again, after taking a short break from writing this review. They are so disappointing that I'm pretty sure I'd give it half a star on here if that were possible.

Barring a miraculous turnaround on the Wrath of the Righteous set this December, I think I'm pretty much done with WizKid-made Paizo Pathfinder miniatures.

****************

If anybody is interested, I can do a YouTube review of this set, so that everyone can see how terrible each particular miniature is. That way you will get a better idea which ones might be worth purchasing individually from one of the many websites out there. In the meantime, if you just have to have some of these monsters for your campaign, I suggest looking at other sets first, or simply waiting for the next Builder series (and the inevitable re-paint jobs those will come with).
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UPDATE 10/18/13: I just read the most recent review, and I'm curious as to whether or not the reviewer has ever purchased previous pathfinder miniatures. Perhaps I should have made clear that my comparison for this particular set is against Pathfinder Battles sets of the past. If you compare the average medium-sized miniature from this set against one from Heroes & Monsters, Rise of the Runelords, Shattered Star, or Skull & Shackles, the discrepancy in paint jobs is very apparent.

The sculpts themselves are solid, but that has never really been an issue for any of these Paizo miniatures.

In my opinion, Paizo makes some of the most beautiful Large-sized sculpts out of all the pre-painted minis out there. While I wouldn't consider the sculpt of the large miniatures in this set up to par with their previous work, they are still very solid. Some of them, like the Djinni one of the other reviewers mentioned, are clearly better than others. The Marid and the Gorilla King are two more that clearly stand out as head and shoulders above the rest. The paint job on a majority of the large-sized creatures is solid, too. This should be expected, as there is more surface area to get it right.

While I've always considered the medium-based Paizo miniatures from other series to generally be the weakest when it comes to paint jobs, they've always been much better than the ones that Wizards of the Coast came out with a decade ago. There have always been exceptions, on both sides, of course. But by and large, I'd always choose a medium Pathfinder mini over one from WOTC. This is the first set from Paizo where I can honestly say that just isn't the case.

In each particular set that Paizo has released so far, there always seems to be at least one or two miniatures that just aren't on the same level as the others from the set. Often times it's a paint issue, and you sort of scratch your head and wonder what happened. But despite the issues there, it's not been enough to diminish an entire set. The medium-sized miniatures from The Legends of Golarion line are different. While there is still the obvious painting mishap found on one or two, the job on the others is so underwhelming that it's tough to say "well I didn't just waste my money".

If I get some time this weekend, I'll do a YouTube review of this line, with close-ups of each miniature from all angles. I'll be sure to include plenty of comparisons to miniatures both from the previous Paizo lines and to the older D&D miniatures. Perhaps that will make things more clear for anyone still on the fence about this set.

As I said, I'm a huge fan of what Paizo has done with their minis. Their lines are a bit more expensive than WOTC's were when those first came out, but I've not minded because the quality was significantly better on these ones. The drop off in quality here with this most recent set is unacceptable; at this point, these miniatures should only be getting better, not worse.

I've been excited for what seems to be a rather break-neck speed (relatively speaking) in miniature sets being released over the last 16 months (and counting). I've even cut costs from my personal budget in other areas of my life so I can afford at least one case from every new line coming out. But I won't throw good money after bad product, and if the paint quality doesn't improve with the upcoming Wrath of Righteousness line this December, I'll just assume that Paizo has scrapped their once-proud standards and is attempting to take us all for a ride.