So there’s Ben’s – sitting on the tarmac and waiting for his Gen Con plane to take off for Indy. Suddenly! A shot rings out. A window breaks. A maid screams. Well, ok – maybe not that dramatic. Still, that’s kinda what it felt like when he flipped to full page print ad for Dungeon Crawler Minis in this year’s Gen Con Guide. More pre-painted miniatures debuting at Gen Con 2012?! Is this advertisement for real? Let’s investigate.

Obviously Gifted Vision isn’t a manufacturing juggernaut like Paizo/Wizkids so there’s no 45 fig debut set. Still, it’s worth noting that their 12 inaugural pieces is actually giving you more new miniatures than Wizard of the Coast released for all of
Dungeon Command in 2012 (remember Ben said NEW minis). You might ask, “How is that even possible?” Easy…never doubt the hunger and passion of the little guy and our beloved, free capitalist system.

It’s simple really. You see an opportunity to make a great product. You find a group of guys to share the risk. You roll the business plan dice and bam! A great product rises from the plastic ashes.

And that’s just what you will find here. Twelve pre-painted miniatures that serve distinct RPG needs with the majority of the sculpts susceptible to the doubles-are-a-good-thing rule of thumb.

Let’s look at these new 25mm miniatures in three fun categories:

Townsfolk-ish
You can never have enough NPC pedestrians:

• Beggar: Fits great in a street setting or as an old witch storyteller
• Merchant: Perfect as your wares shop owner
• Scamp: Street pickpocket or message bearer
• Seductress: A little too friendly tavern patron
• Wood Coffin: All’s well that doesn’t end well

Grabby Goodness
Long-reaching, mindless foes in a naughty nature setting:

• Kraken Tentacle: Nice liquid inhabitant
• Grappler: Evil wizard’s helping hands
• Otherworld Arm: Un-expectant riser from the earth
• Plant Vine: Sudden uninvited swamp obstacle

Animalistic Undertones
Three creature comforts to get you in beast mode:

• Giant Ant: These creepy critters ain’t no picnic
• Mastiff: Loyal companion thick and through
• Raven: Quote ‘em if you got ‘em

And here’s the best part: you can still get your hands on these beauties by hopping over to Auggie’s website. Don’t let price be a concern either. Individual figs go for a very reasonable $2.99 each. A few even come in $9.99 groupings.

More miniatures are planned but only if market demand supports it. So, this is Ben imploring you to support Gifted Vision so we can see more of their outstanding craftsmanship in the months to come.

Hey! While you’re there, be sure to take a gander at Auggie’s other unique wares. Ben was especially fond of the Podium with Open Book piece.

Questions to Ponder: What’s your favorite mini of the bunch? What pre-painted figure do you want Gifted Vision to make next? Which miniature could you do without? Which one would you buy the most of?

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