Photo: Paizo/WizKids
Yesterday, Paizo Publishing and WizKids Games announced that they’re releasing a set of pre-painted plastic miniatures for use in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box. Slated for October 2011, this box will be an introduction to the best-selling spiritual successor to the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
It appears that the miniatures won’t be included with the boxed set, which contains everything a group needs to play the game — dice, rulebooks, more than 80 “full-color pawns depicting tons of heroes, monsters, and even a fearsome black dragon.” If the pawns aren’t your thing, the miniatures will be available separately.
No price has been set yet, but WizKids’ popular HeroClix miniatures range from $1-3 per figure and the costs should be comparable. Unlike HeroClix, these minis won’t be randomized, so you’ll know what you’re buying before you plunk down your hard-earned cash.
The introduction of a pre-painted miniatures line is an intriguing move by Paizo, coming just four months after the shuttering of their main competitor’s offering: Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures. For years, Wizards of the Coast offered pre-painted plastic figures, but cancelled the line after the Lords of Madness release earlier this year. No official explanation was given for the decision, but many people assumed it was due to increases in plastics costs and therefore a shrinking profit margin.
Since that point, Wizards has shifted its focus to cardboard tokens. Personally, I’ve found myself torn: I’ve amassed a large collection of miniatures over the years, and while I love the idea that I can fill a box with hundreds of cardboard discs all depicting the specific monsters in my encounter, I still can’t shed my love for the three-dimensional. And don’t even get me started on the idea of mixing tokens and minis together. Yuck.
So, yeah. I’m looking forward to some new options. And with WizKids’ reputation for awesome sculpts and sturdy figures, I can’t wait to buy a set or two for use at my table.
You’ll be able to buy Pathfinder Pre-Painted Fantasy Miniatures from paizo.com and your Friendly Local Game Store starting in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Check out the official press release over on Paizo’s site, including some frequently asked questions about the new product.
