What are D&D Miniatures?<\/strong> D&D Miniatures are small plastic, resin or pewter figures used to represent characters and monsters in the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. They help visualize where the characters are in the environment during gameplay. Official D&D Miniatures are between 25 and 30mm scale. They are made from plastic or resin. There are many other fantasy miniatures made from other materials and at various scales that can be used for D&D games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most miniatures come unpainted. Painting miniatures is one of my personal favorite hobbies, and many people paint just for the sake of it rather than playing a game with them. I find it very relaxing and rewarding. If you’re not looking to paint minis, there are pre-painted options, painting services, or you can use other stand ins for minis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Benefits of Using Miniatures: <\/strong>The benefits of using miniatures in D&D include much better visualization of gameplay, clearer understanding of where characters, enemies and objects are during combat, better tactical view, and increased immersion in the game’s narrative and environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re playing Dungeons and Dragons in person with a group of people, miniatures can really add a lot to the game. Typically the DM will get the most use of miniatures. You can pull out the big bad monster the party will fight next. Or perhaps a piece of terrain to represent a new area they are coming towards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even for non combat encounters, it’s fun to have a few miniatures to set the scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find fun miniatures from many sources including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Dungeons & Dragons, miniatures offer a visual way to represent characters, adversaries, and environments on a grid-based map, dungeon tiles or playmat. Each square on the map generally represents a 5-foot-by-5-foot space in the game world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can pick miniatures that represent your characters’ appearance and traits and place them on the map to indicate their position. For example, you can find miniatures of Tiefling bards, or Half Orc Paladins, Drow Rangers or anything else you can think of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During gameplay, these miniatures move according to the character’s actions and the game’s rules, especially in combat scenarios. This helps players visualize tactics, spell ranges, and character interactions with their surroundings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While miniatures can enhance immersion and understanding of where everything is in an encounter, D&D can also be played without them using a purely narrative approach called “theater of the mind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Theater of the mind is simply having the Dungeon Master (DM) and players describe the scenario and visualizing it. Here is a quick example<\/p>\n\n\n\n DM:<\/strong> “Dashel sees an orc standing in the distance, he hasn’t noticed you yet”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dashel:<\/strong> “I hold my hand up, signaling for everyone to stop and be quiet”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laurin:<\/strong> “How far off is it? Is there any way I could sneak up to take a better look?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n DM:<\/strong> “Yes he’s about 200 feet away, so a far distance. There is enough cover in the forest for you to try to approach without being seen”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n So you can see how theater of the mind works well, but adding miniatures might make it more apparent and “real”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next up we can discuss things to use to simulate the environment, often called “Terrain”<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you don’t necessarily need terrain, it is helpful to set the scene. A simple table top is fine to place your miniatures on, but if you’re in a forest, some miniature trees really make it come to life. This is where terrain, tiles, and mats come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When planning terrain, consider the setting, environmental challenges, and tactical opportunities. A well-placed chasm or elevated platform can dramatically alter how an encounter unfolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Positioning is more than just placing figures on a board; it’s about setting the stage for the narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Movement in TTRPGs can play a huge role an encounter. Can you reach a monster to attack it, are you in bow range, can you get to a downed companion to heal them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n While dice rolls determine success, miniatures help visualize the action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using miniatures offers innovative ways to track character health and status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re new to TabletopDash, you might not know that I love the miniature painting hobby. I buy Games Workshop miniatures, 3D print miniatures, grab some from a bunch of other sources, and paint them. If you’re looking to get into the miniature painting hobby, have a look at my Start Here guide<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, a lot of times people want pre-painted miniatures. Especially if you’re a DM who has to come up with new creatures constantly and might not have the time to paint every single one. So let’s talk options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A boon for those who want to dive straight into the action, pre-painted miniatures offer a high-quality, ready-to-use option for your gaming sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Icons of the Realm D&D Miniatures<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Townsfolk Minis<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 56 Various Pre Painted Fantasy Minis<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hero Forge Color Printed Custom Miniatures<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fiverr Miniature Painting Services<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Siege Studios Premium Miniature Painting Service<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n They range from very inexpensive to high end painting. Choose what’s best for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the artists and hobbyists like me, unpainted miniatures are a blank canvas. I get to choose color palette, style, and detail. I can try to recreate the box art or search for what other painters did to the model on instagram. Or, I can just do my own thing. I typically do a mix of all three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Games Workshop<\/a> (Note: You can buy directly from Games Workshop<\/a>, but it’s more expensive that way. They offer a 15% discount on 3rd party sites)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reaper<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nolzurs\/Wizkids<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dark Sword Miniatures<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kickstarter<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Loot Studios<\/a> (If you have a 3D printer, this is a great option)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miniature Market<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A budget-friendly and space-saving alternative to traditional 3D models, paper and flat plastic miniatures are becoming increasingly popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How to Use Miniatures in D&D and other TTRPGs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Terrain, Dungeon Tiles, and Battle Mats: Setting up the Environment and Battlefields<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Placing the Miniatures in the Environment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Moving the Miniatures around the Game World<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Combat: Attacking with the Miniatures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Tracking Damage with Miniatures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Types of Miniatures: Pre-Painted Miniatures vs Painting Miniatures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pre-painted miniatures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Pre-painted Miniature Options: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Unpainted miniatures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Unpainted Miniature Options:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Paper and Flat Plastic Miniatures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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