Which really irritates the living h outta me!! Thanks for your thoughts guys. I totally agree with you. I just bought 2 acid beetles and a scarab swarm from Reaper for the Lair of the Laborers. I just wish I had the time and skill to paint all my Reaps. If WOTC allowed Reaper to put out "offical" D&D minis, I would support Reaper all the way and forsake WOTC's mini-line.
What they need to do is release the minis as singles with a different base color that is illegal for D&D miniature game play...Maybe sell them without the cards. I'd pay $3-5 for a large figure, and would probably buy 50 of the things from the different sets. But Hey, I'm not the customer they are looking for...
Why do the large figures havs a 1.5 inch base instead of a 2 inch base? The mediums have a 1 inch base, the Huge a 3 inch base. The smalls seem to have a 3/4 inch base, but you get to much less than that I guess and the figures fall over maybe?
ASEO out
Which really irritates the living h outta me!! Thanks for your thoughts guys. I totally agree with you. I just bought 2 acid beetles and a scarab swarm from Reaper for the Lair of the Laborers. I just wish I had the time and skill to paint all my Reaps. If WOTC allowed Reaper to put out "offical" D&D minis, I would support Reaper all the way and forsake WOTC's mini-line.What they need to do is release the minis as singles with a different base color that is illegal for D&D miniature game play...Maybe sell them without the cards. I'd pay $3-5 for a large figure, and would probably buy 50 of the things from the different sets. But Hey, I'm not the customer they are looking for...
Why do the large figures havs a 1.5 inch base instead of a 2 inch base? The mediums have a 1 inch base, the Huge a 3 inch base. The smalls seem to have a 3/4 inch base, but you get to much less than that I guess and the figures fall over maybe?
ASEO out
Either that or the minis would be so light you could swallow one a foot away just by inhaling...
Screw the mini game... Freaking wrackspawn and that stupid possessed looking elephant in Deathknell!! Ok- I'll take a couple a breaths! (Breeeeathe) I'm ok now.
Anyone working on lists for the next installment(s) in the Age of Worms?
Looking to start AoW in the next few months so I went mini shopping. We have a guy who has every WoTC mini. He's spent thousands to get them all over the last two years. But for the ones he doesn't have I went to Milennium Games & Hobbies in Rochester, NY.
Found the elusive Reaper Beetle swarms.
Found a Reaper "Wolf Pack" with three wolves.
Found a Reaper "Haunt" for Alaster Land, a real nice ghost mini. With an elongated mouth as if moaning or screaming, and the fact that it's rising from a cloud makes it seem a little more ethereal and spooky. I might just break it's head off and glue it back at an odd angle.
Also got a "Bugbear Trooper" and a "Slaughterpit Zombie Gnoll" from the now defunct Chainmail line from WoTC. I liked the Slaughterpit zombie because it *looks* like an experiment. Two heads and four arms make it look even more unnatural. To keep it fair the extra hands may not do anything since it's not "completed" but it'll look cool as hell.
Also got a "Bugbear Trooper" and a "Slaughterpit Zombie Gnoll" from the now defunct Chainmail line from WoTC. I liked the Slaughterpit zombie because it *looks* like an experiment. Two heads and four arms make it look even more unnatural. To keep it fair the extra hands may not do anything since it's not "completed" but it'll look cool as hell.
Could it function as the monster from the end of Three Faces of Evil? Just give it a different spin - some sort of hideous, malformed construct of undeath.
Hmmm... I only have the first installment (#124) and am still waiting on the next two episodes (#'s 125 and 126).
If there is some kind of hulking monstrosity, this thing might work. Thanks for the heads-up.
I'm not sure what encounters are coming so I'm not looking for those mini's just yet. BUT... as I said, I've got a guy who has every friggin' D&D mini and THEN some (he just told me he's got over 1,400). He's on the trading boards and e-bay all the time.
I'm not sure what encounters are coming so I'm not looking for those mini's just yet. BUT... as I said, I've got a guy who has every friggin' D&D mini and THEN some (he just told me he's got over 1,400). He's on the trading boards and e-bay all the time.
Well, hey, I'm willing to buy some off of him but I'm not paying the "typical market price." All these websites and what not out there are seriously overcharging considering what you get. But a Dire Boar and an Owl Bear would be awesome for like $5 a piece. Heheheh.
But one can dream.
Ah yes Waa.. But these dreams are crushed, shattered, annihilated when confronted with the debacle of finding older WOTC minis... for less than 10 bucks even... Ain't gonna happen. They've got us by the nads dude.
I just bought 2 ogre magi, 2 spiked devils, and a chained devil from Angelfire... all for the wonderfully low price of 80 bucks. I bought over 20 boosters of Deathknell, and not once did I pull a beholder or an ettin skirmisher out of the packs!
The Chraal (Angelfire 37/60 uncommon), perhaps? It matches in size and colour but only has 2 arms...
This size is right but the arms would have a great intimidation factor for all of the players and I was hoping to keep it in. Was wondering if Erik Mona used minis for his campaign and if so what did he use?
The Blue Slaad (Giants of Legend 41/72 R) will challenge my Players tuesday evening. Two arms only but very intimidating!
Ever considered getting a DUNGEON exclusive mini made, for those creatures that either first appear within your pages, or the great/strange villians that WotC will never make a mini for.
Are things like the Aspect property of WotC, and thus can only be made by them, or are they available to be made by any mini company should sush a company want to make that figure?
Anyone know how much it costs to make a plastic mini from scratch the way WotC does it?
If you were able to get custom minis of beings that appeared in DUNGEON, What figures would you like to have?
ASEO out
If you were able to get custom minis of beings that appeared in DUNGEON, What figures would you like to have?
Hmmmm... I'd have to say a Gelatinous Cube. I especially like the picture in the monster manual with the half eaten armored guy and the loot floating in it. There's got to be a way with the plastic models to have a clear (or at the very least translucent) figure.
Since we're in the Age of Worms board a Wind Warrior or two would be nice.
I love the huge minis too because even though they're larger, they don't scrimp on the detail. That being said I'd like to see the huge ulgurstasa that's coming in a few episodes.
I traced out a 3 X 3 inch clear plastic box formerly used to store paper-clips, put a skeleton mini (base cut off) inside, shaped the box cautiously with a lighter (a good tool to repair broken minis by the way...) et voila: my first selfmade and (very) improvised huge gelatinous cube!
In general I would prefer more large creatures as uncommon minis and more usefull creatures as common minis. Therefore I was pleased to see (and buy!) Troll Slashers (uncommon) and Kobold Soldiers (common) in the recent Angelfire Boosters. Hopefully this is a new WotC-Miniatures-Merchandise-Trend...
Good Gaming
Being a miniatures gamer (Warhammer, Necromunda), I always like to see new models for a varierty of reasons. That said, I want to see a new range of Huge models, but someday I'd also like to see the next size up. Yeah, you heard me!
The cost of production on the D&D Minis? It has to be pathetically low. They're using plastic for one, which is dirt cheap, and they're also having the stuff produced and, I presume, painted in Asia, which probably means it costs them like 1¢/hr/person. If that sounds mean, I'm just exaggerating the reality of it. Ah, America...
Now, it's entirely possible that through paying their concept artists, regular artists, sculptors, games designers, package designers, and paying for the full-color, glossy cardboard boxes, cards that coincide with the minis, and all the overseas shipping involved that the production cost per model goes up a bit, but I'd be willing to gaurantee they make a killing on every box sold. It certainly doesn't cost them any more to MAKE rare figures, but they can turn that around and create this stupid demand that makes individual figures (used or sealed) rediculously expensive.
I hate collectors.
I bought over 20 boosters of Deathknell, and not once did I pull a beholder or an ettin skirmisher out of the packs!
I got an Ettin Skirmisher in my first box. MUWA HA HA HA!
*cough*
It certainly doesn't cost them any more to MAKE rare figures, but they can turn that around and create this stupid demand that makes individual figures (used or sealed) rediculously expensive.
And they don't even benifit from the high prices they drive because those are resale prices with the seller, and not WotC getting the profit.
I would think that they could tap into that market by selling singles themselves at reasomable prices and making the profit based on volume of sales instead of random packaging and hoping that people keep buying and buying until they get the rare mini worth all the points.
Would the mini game actually suffer if everyone could field the same army because the figures were avaliable as singles?
ASEO out
@Waa- you lucky #$%^!! Actually if look on the back, the minis are made in China. So, yeah, we're being financially raped. More hugies would be nice, like some more dragons.
They're already previewing some of the minis in the Underdark boosters at the D&D Home site.
@ASEO- A Dracolich would be nice for Dragotha.
As far as the mini game suffering, beats the pants outta me, but it may. Talking with a Mechwarrior enthusiast, he said that for a while, almost everybody fielded artillery units because they could kick the crap out of the Mechs 'afore they got close to use their guns. I don't know if the same problem is applicable to the D&D mini game if they started selling singles.
Hi Robert, Lisa, Vic, Gary and all others "involved" in it!
Talking about Age of Worms Minis Suggestions...
What´s wrong with the "Dungeon/Products/Adventure Path Miniatures/Three Faces of Evil - Link"? (Maybe everything is fine and it´s a problem with my pc?).
Is "Adventure Path Miniatures/Encounter at Blackwall Keep" on its way, soon?
Sorry if this topic is already handled elsewhere - couldn´t find it - and a big THANKS to all of You.
Hi Robert, Lisa, Vic, Gary and all others "involved" in it!
Talking about Age of Worms Minis Suggestions...
What´s wrong with the "Dungeon/Products/Adventure Path Miniatures/Three Faces of Evil - Link"? (Maybe everything is fine and it´s a problem with my pc?).
Is "Adventure Path Miniatures/Encounter at Blackwall Keep" on its way, soon?
Sorry if this topic is already handled elsewhere - couldn´t find it - and a big THANKS to all of You.
It's not just you, most of the links are dead. I posted once about this and got a reply saying they'd be fixed. Sadly...well you know the rest.
Being a miniatures gamer (Warhammer, Necromunda),
Necromunda was a truely inspired game. Especially when it dawned on me that one of the players I was gaming with was winning consistently. At that point I realized that the game was actually amazingly skill based. For the longest time you think your playing some miniture game which is mostly about luck - if both players think that then its more or less true...but once you begin to really figure out the skill aspects it becomes clear that teh player that makes the better moves and most effectivly utilized his skills and weapons generally wins the match.
Sure there is the odd time when the Juve takes out two veteran fighters that both jumped him in hand to hand combat or the heavy bolter takes out half the enemy gang firing on full auto when it needed a freaken 7 to actually manage to hit. Still I'd say 80% of the games are decided by the player that simply plays a better game presuming anything resembling similier power levels between gangs (and you don't face ratskins in some redicously hostile environment like pitch black cavern).
Now that Paizo is selling "Critter Packs" of D&D minis, why not make up some with AoW themes? After all, judging by the number of posts in the AoW forum alone, it seems to be more popular than Shackled City (they could also make critter packs for that), & I'd wager that a large percentage of dungeon's readers are playing it, & many of those would purchase such packs. I know I would.
Being a miniatures gamer (Warhammer, Necromunda),Necromunda was a truely inspired game.
I don't neccessarily want to keep any off-topic talk going, but yeah... I manage a regular group of Necromunda players here in San Francisco. It's slowed down a little these last few weeks, but one Sunday night (from 7-10) we got in like 12 games. And, while the game really does rely more on tactics, set up, use of skills and equipment, and cunning, there are also times when a game ends in less than 15 minutes because of scenario conditions! "My first turn! Here we go... OK. I shoot the Water Still. I need a 5 to damage it? I rolled a 6. It's over? Oh. Wanna play again?"
i just scored a beholder! had to share
ME TO! those are so cool.
I don't neccessarily want to keep any off-topic talk going, but yeah... I manage a regular group of Necromunda players here in San Francisco. It's slowed down a little these last few weeks, but one Sunday night (from 7-10) we got in like 12 games. And, while the game really does rely more on tactics, set up, use of skills and equipment, and cunning, there are also times when a game ends in less than 15 minutes because of scenario conditions! "My first turn! Here we go... OK. I shoot the Water Still. I need a 5 to damage it? I rolled a 6. It's over? Oh. Wanna play again?"Being a miniatures gamer (Warhammer, Necromunda),Necromunda was a truely inspired game.
Most certianly this is true. In our old campaign we eventually ammassed a tome of house rules lovingly reffered to as Codex Necromundus that had (among many other things) rules fixing the varous scenarios - Ones where you destroy things can be either nearly impossible or outragously easy depending on the gangs involved.
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I've just registered to had my tuppence worth, not about Necromunda (which I've played in the past, its pretty cool) but about wind warrior miniatures.
I was actually getting ready to convert some plate-wearing GW high elves, but fortunately (and I mean fortunately...) my local GW didn't have any of the right models in. So I visited the local games store in stead to trawl through their mini racks.
The very first thing I looked at were Rackham cynwall construct warriors, and they're perfect for wind warriors! The models are armed with two swords, ther legs are covered in floaty robes, and the construct bodies look enough like plate armour that its a plausible match. They're actually the first Rackham models I've brought and painted and I'm really impressed. I've actually gone back and picked up a pack of plate wearing knights, no idea what I'll use 'em for, but there was a sale, and they looked funky...and I suffer from figmentia :)
Just re-read the above and discovered it sounds like advert...I don't work for Rackham, honest :)
Cheers
Ukos
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I have a rather controversial request to make of Messrs Mona Jacobs et al.
I am preparing to run Whispering Cairn. The decision to run the adventure "now" comes as a result of a commitment to do so that arose on a thread on ENWorld where many DMs committed to do so for the purpose of sharing the experience of running the same module with other ENWorlders.
Anyways...
I have at least two of every single D&D Miniature from every D&D miniature set to work with in putting together the minis for the Whispering Cairn's encounters.
Even still - I can't do it. Some of the encounters selected are simply too *odd* to have a D&D mini that fits the bill.
I guess - in the end - that's my problem.
But given that there are 440 individual miniatures in the D&D mini line right now with another 180 to be released during the next 9 months or so...
Isn't it possible for the designers of the Age of Worms series of modules to be required to use monsters for which there are official D&D minis? Or - at the least - reasonable facsimiles thereof? If not a requirement, than a strong bias for such an encounter choice if the matter is ever in debate?
In the past, I can well understand how such a request would be seen as highly controversial. But if by the end of Age of Worms publishing cycle there are 620 individual minis to choose from as possible critters in the official D&D mini lines, surely this is a wide enough variation that this would not unduly impinge upon the creativity of designers?
I expect this request will be met with some controversy and active resistance from others, but I ask it nonetheless. Especially as the future would indicate an even stronger association between the RPG and the D&D Mini lines, this topic is absolutely certain to be raised with Paizo at some point in the near future.
Why put off till tomorrow what you can argue about today? :D
Have a good time at Gencon and I look forward to a response when you get back from Indy.
I have a rather controversial request to make of Messrs Mona Jacobs et al.
I am preparing to run Whispering Cairn. The decision to run the adventure "now" comes as a result of a commitment to do so that arose on a thread on ENWorld where many DMs committed to do so for the purpose of sharing the experience of running the same module with other ENWorlders.
Anyways...
I have at least two of every single D&D Miniature from every D&D miniature set to work with in putting together the minis for the Whispering Cairn's encounters.
Even still - I can't do it. Some of the encounters selected are simply too *odd* to have a D&D mini that fits the bill.
I guess - in the end - that's my problem.
But given that there are 440 individual miniatures in the D&D mini line right now with another 180 to be released during the next 9 months or so...
Isn't it possible for the designers of the Age of Worms series of modules to be required to use monsters for which there are official D&D minis? Or - at the least - reasonable facsimiles thereof? If not a requirement, than a strong bias for such an encounter choice if the matter is ever in debate?
In the past, I can well understand how such a request would be seen as highly controversial. But if by the end of Age of Worms publishing cycle there are 620 individual minis to choose from as possible critters in the official D&D mini lines, surely this is a wide enough variation that this would not unduly impinge upon the creativity of designers?
I expect this request will be met with some controversy and active resistance from others, but I ask it nonetheless. Especially as the future would indicate an even stronger association between the RPG and the D&D Mini lines, this topic is absolutely certain to be raised with Paizo at some point in the near future.
Why put off till tomorrow what you can argue about today? :D
Have a good time at Gencon and I look forward to a response when you get back from Indy.
So to make a long story short... You're requesting that some AOW minis be made by Paizo? :P
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No. I am requesting that when it comes to designing the adventures, the monsters the designer selects be from a pool comprised of creatures and villains which have been released or will soon be released as offical D&D minis. (remember - three more mini expansions will be released duringf the course of time left for AoW to be completed in Dungeon).
Essentially, wherever there is a choice for the designer, choose a creature that has a corresponding official mini already.
The corresponding miniature need not be a perfect match at all times. But in the vast majority of cases it should be a very decent stand-in.
Include the mini suggestion in the stat block - final line, by name and mini set #.
Example, from Whispering Cairn, Area 5:
"Miniature: Timber Wolf, Deathknell, 27/60 (C)"
Include the mini suggestion in the stat block - final line, by name and mini set #.
Example, from Whispering Cairn, Area 5:
"Miniature: Timber Wolf, Deathknell, 27/60 (C)"
Only real downside to this is the fact that a) not everyone can afford to have 2-3+ of every D&D Miniature, and b) most of the over 400 figures are out of production because of some asinine decisions by Wizards of the Coast, a company that for all intents and purposes should have stayed out of the miniatures world. (Granted, the good D&D minis are truly good, but the execution of the entire line is just bad.)
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True. But you don't need every one of them - just the ones necessary to run the given module :)
As for the miniature lines themselves, I expect that we have a difference of opinion on how they have been handled. These are niche products targeted at a niche audience which have extremely significant setup costs in terms of both molds and painting tools. Most especially, the molds have a limited number of minis which can be manufactured from each before it must be replaced at a very substantial cost.
In order for the line to work as a profitible product - they need large production runs - not small ones and must invest in molds on a wise basis.
It comes down to what Merric B cites as his law of miniatures: "Non-Random Packaging, Cheap Prices, and a Large Range of Figures: Choose two."
He happens to be right.
True. But you don't need every one of them - just the ones necessary to run the given module :)
As for the miniature lines themselves, I expect that we have a difference of opinion on how they have been handled. These are niche products targeted at a niche audience which have extremely significant setup costs in terms of both molds and painting tools. Most especially, the molds have a limited number of minis which can be manufactured from each before it must be replaced at a very substantial cost.
In order for the line to work as a profitible product - they need large production runs - not small ones and must invest in molds on a wise basis.
It comes down to what Merric B cites as his law of miniatures: "Non-Random Packaging, Cheap Prices, and a Large Range of Figures: Choose two."
He happens to be right.
The two chosen factors for the law of miniatures by WOTC is cheap prices and a large range of figures? What upsets me the most is its rather difficult to get the rarer minis, whether they be from sets currently in stock or from factory retired sets and the prices merchants are selling them for are outrageous.
Do you have the inside scoop on mini production? Are there going to be two more mini sets after the Underdark boosters in November that you're aware of?
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There are 4 for D&D scheduled in 2006 according to Gaming Report (announced at GAMA's last show if I recall correctly).
Underdark is next.
After that, the next is War Drums in early March. The sets after that I don't know what the name or theme is but the third is scheduled to be released in late June/Early July (when AoW ends).
Yeah. A lot of rares are expensive to acquire. But it's basically $300CDN for a full set and raft o commons and uncommons - 240 minis in all.
On a price per figure scale - that isn't that bad. (Compared to Warhammer - it's dirt cheap actually.)
Still - doesn't matter how you rationalize it - if you don't have the money to spend on it - you don't.
The problem is that it was marketing genius on the part of WotC. It's a COLLECTIBLE mini game. That means that they have to give a reason to collect them: limited release and random packaging.
But since they use the monsters and art familiar to the roleplaying game us roleplayin' gamers are trying to get our hands on them as well. This drives up the demand and with limited supply... gotta love the economics of it all.
Or in most cases HATE it...
The problem is that it was marketing genius on the part of WotC. It's a COLLECTIBLE mini game. That means that they have to give a reason to collect them: limited release and random packaging.
But since they use the monsters and art familiar to the roleplaying game us roleplayin' gamers are trying to get our hands on them as well. This drives up the demand and with limited supply... gotta love the economics of it all.
Or in most cases HATE it...
Exactly. And, being a long time miniature painter/modeller/gamer, I'm well aware of the ins and outs of the production process. I also know that it is vastly cheaper to produce plastic miniatures than metal ones. And, unless logic does not apply, flimsier plastic is probably cheaper than sturdy plastic (like in GW's plastic kits).
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"Exactly. And, being a long time miniature painter/modeller/gamer, I'm well aware of the ins and outs of the production process. I also know that it is vastly cheaper to produce plastic miniatures than metal ones. And, unless logic does not apply, flimsier plastic is probably cheaper than sturdy plastic (like in GW's plastic kits)".
Look. I don't mean to slap you down here - but you are just WAY OFF on this. The consumable material in a plastic mini is far less than traditional lead or lead pewter, yes and shipping costs by weight are less too - but that's it.
Consumables does not equal costs of good sold - and it's not even close.
The molds are vastly and I mean V-A-S-T-L-Y more expensive for plastic minis. Lead and Lead Pewter miniatures or spin cast molds is a production process for hobbyist level material.
Injection plastics is a few orders of magnitude more expensive.
A line of plastic molds for an XP is about 2 million dollars for a limited run. At least - that's the cost here - costs in China may be less - but not THAT much less.
The capital outlay and programming costs for the paint production line is very hight tech & worth more than the cost of the foundry and all the molds in inventory of just about any given manufacturer you wish to name. That's a pretty firm cost as the Chinese would have to import that tech.
On top of that, There are consumable costs to run it, variable costs for production staffing and fixed costs for setup, per miniature.
That does not touch packaging and assembly - both of which are not inconsiderble.
You are not just a little bit wrong here - you aren't even close.
There are 4 for D&D scheduled in 2006 according to Gaming Report (announced at GAMA's last show if I recall correctly).
Underdark is next.
After that, the next is War Drums in early March. The sets after that I don't know what the name or theme is but the third is scheduled to be released in late June/Early July (when AoW ends).
Yeah. A lot of rares are expensive to acquire. But it's basically $300CDN for a full set and raft o commons and uncommons - 240 minis in all.
WOTC sells the boosters at 12 cases a box. Do you mean in order to get the whole set like that of Angelfire for example, you have to be willing to purchase 30 cases?
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WOTC sells the boosters at 12 cases a box. Do you mean in order to get the whole set like that of Angelfire for example, you have to be willing to purchase 30 cases?
More or less, yes. You can join the D&D Miniatures Buyer's Club and get a guarateed set of 60 plus all commons and uncommons. I would suggest D&D MBC is your best bet.
But on your own - yes - at 24 rares a set, 2.5 cases (case=12) is about right. Typically, you will be still missing a few rares (1-3), but will have 7-9 rares as "doubles" for trade material to fill those in. Most of the general encounter material used for RPG play is in the commons and uncommons - and you'll have a LOT of each of those minis for gaming use. With Angelfire, WotC produced 8 large uncommons in the set. Those are *really* useful - so getting, say, 6 Troll slashers will be important for gaming use.
You can sell some of your rare "doubles" on ebay if you are so inclined to claw back some of your money. Beholders from Deathknell were going for about 20-25 when the set first came out. We had five of them and could easily have sold three. While the guys who collect em don't sell their rares - there are other guys I know of that do. So yes - all-in, about $300CDN or $260USD or so for a given set? About that.
You need to take a long view and buy in the volume that brings the average mini cost to about $1.20 or so. When you look at it that way - that's cheaper than pewter and they are pre-painted and don't get scratched up or become dust magnets as metal mins do.
If you are just buying one-offs, if you stick to commons and uncommons - that's pretty cheap too. You can find commons in volume at 1.00 or less - sometime 30 cents a piece online. It's when you try to one-off rares that the cost per fig starts to go insane.
There are two guys in my gaming circle who have been collecting since Harbinger. They split 5 cases of each XP. On top of that. one of them buys bags of commons from local and online retailers for massed army use as well. We probably have about at least 5,500-6,000 plastic minis for use in our game now.
WOTC sells the boosters at 12 cases a box. Do you mean in order to get the whole set like that of Angelfire for example, you have to be willing to purchase 30 cases?More or less, yes. You can join the D&D Miniatures Buyer's Club and get a guarateed set of 60 plus all commons and uncommons. I would suggest D&D MBC is your best bet.
(Suddenly, the sky opens up, with golden rays of sunshine illuminating the desolated plains) Actually, I've never heard of D&D MBC. Where is this fabled temple of guaranteed mini variety?
(Suddenly, the sky opens up, with golden rays of sunshine illuminating the desolated plains) Actually, I've never heard of D&D MBC. Where is this fabled temple of guaranteed mini variety?The link is here: http://www.miniaturesbuyersclub.com/
Thank you, thank you, and thank you!
Remember the Minis are for the D&D Miniatures Skirmish Game and not for D&D.
Why would you say that? They are for both.
MI
What they need to do is release the minis as singles with a different base color that is illegal for D&D miniature game play...
That really would not effect the price at all.
Maybe sell them without the cards.
I doubt that would affect it much either
I'd pay $3-5 for a large figure, and would probably buy 50 of the things from the different sets.
Since they have started up with uncommon large minis, that is possible to do. There are some good ones, too: trolls, ogres, dire bears, weretigers...
But Hey, I'm not the customer they are looking for...
Don't be so certain. There are literally tons of good minis to be had for a reasonable price.
Why do the large figures havs a 1.5 inch base instead of a 2 inch base?
Large minis have a 2" base.
MI
Only real downside to this is the fact that a) not everyone can afford to have 2-3+ of every D&D Miniature, and b) most of the over 400 figures are out of production because of some asinine decisions by Wizards of the Coast, a company that for all intents and purposes should have stayed out of the miniatures world. (Granted, the good D&D minis are truly good, but the execution of the entire line is just bad.)
Some questions: why are their decisions asinine, in your estimation?
Why should WotC have stayed out of the miniatures business?
Why do you feel the execution of the D&D miniatures line is bad?
MI
The link is here: http://www.miniaturesbuyersclub.com/
Wow. Those guys are damned smart. They are not only providing a good niche service (people who want full sets but need payment plans to pull it off), but they are also making a pretty fat profit. Good capitalism, there.
MI
Some questions: why are their decisions asinine, in your estimation?
Why should WotC have stayed out of the miniatures business?
Why do you feel the execution of the D&D miniatures line is bad?
MI
Asinine might've been too strong a word. When I first found out about the D&D minis (about a month prior to Harbringer's release, if I remember correctly), I thought, "Uh, random? That's silly. In all my years of collecting miniatures for gaming, knowing what I'm going to get was the whole point of buying what I bought!"
A few packs of minis later (at this point, Archfiends was out), I decided random wasn't so bad because I was getting models I'd never thought to use before (and, interestingly enough, still haven't).
However, now the random part is bothering me again. I'm sorry, but I simply have no desire for a wood woad or another dozen spell-stitched hobgoblin zombies.
Well, maybe they shouldn't have stayed out of the miniatures games. Based on nothing other than knowledge that collectible anything catches on at least for a couple years here in the US, the D&D Miniatures seemt to be doing fine; and there are a number of really cool figures. However, there're a lot of long established miniatures companies out there (Games Workshop, despite whatever bad things so many people say about them, Reaper, Rackham, and many more), and they all make a whole lot of great figures perfectly suitable for D&D. What would be really cool is some sort of licensing where these companies could make miniatures of the more guarded D&D monsters (copyrighted/trademarked creatures that otherwise can't be reproduced). Brian Nelson and Jes Goodwin sculpting Dungeons & Dragons monsters? Bring it on!