Ben’s RPG Pile took a turn for the very bestest…thanks to another successful trip to the holy land that is called Gencon. With feverish unpacking/sorting and daily UPS drops, it seemed best for this week’s entry to just give a couple sneak peak photos of the many glorious reviews to come.

Fabulous finds came from Wizards of the Coast (minis mania, my friends), Lifelike Little Landscapes, The Army Painter, Arena Gear, Hirst Arts, Miniature Building Authority, Chessex, Paizo, Dark-Platypus Studios, XDM, and many, many more.

All of these items are eventually utilized in our monthly game sessions and then reviewed in this blog and via recorded game footage on www.Justin.tv/bendbuddy.

Ben can’t wait to show you each kick-ass-eth piece from the pile of goodness. Stay tuned!

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Tiamat – a mere puppy dog. Eye of the Beholder – nothing but a harmless admirer. The real enemy of any gamer is actually good ol’ fashioned sleep (especially at Gencon). We would game 24/7 if those pesky z’s wouldn’t get in the way.

No worries fellow dice rollers because the crew over at Zizazz has developed their own tasty energy mix. They concocted four zesty flavors including Pom Mango, Lemon Raspberry, Tangerine and Cherry Lime (Ben’s personal favorite).

Only epic level characters should attempt a whole pack though. Half a dose does the body just fine. ZizZazz has a great Twitter presence and fun giveaways so be sure to take a moment to follow them. You can even go to their website for a free sample pack.

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Buildings are a finicky accessory. You strike gold in these architectural finds or you just simply swing and miss. As a result, Ben seems to get these brick and mortars products in bunches.

So, imagine Ben’s arcane delight when he stumbled upon the works of Pegasus Hobbies and in particular, the looming and mysterious Wizards Tower. This magician’s lair is the California shop’s crowning achievement. It’s beautifully painted and chalk full of detail awesomeness (including the crooked smokestack, iron-clad door, steep stone steps and tiny shudders).

The website leaves a little to be desired but honestly, when is a gamers’ life ever in order? Don’t tease Ben though – the outdated products and broken images gotta go.

Watch for more of Pegasus’ products in future pile reviews. They got some great stuff (if you know where to look).

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Few events crack the suspense barrier like a party opening a new-found dungeon door. The group braces for battle and assumes the worst. You can cut the tension with a bastard sword.

And just like that…the moment disappears. Ben equates this adrenaline rush to that brief moment of silence by the crowd when baseball player delivers his pitch to the plate.

With so much excitement at stake, finding and using the right door is critical. Ben ensures a full arsenal of doors is always at the ready. Is the door steel, stone or wood? What types of markings are on the door (writings or pictures)? What is unique about the door (lion’s head, scorch marks, dried blood)?

Luckily the crew over at Hirst Arts has given us the tools to do it right. Ben utilizes essentially three different molds: Cavern Accessory Mold #85, Cavern Floor Accessories #282, Water Cavern Wall Mold #81. After that, it’s just how fancy and creative one can get with his paint jobs.

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