We interrupt our regularly scheduled Red Rover terrain programming to joyfully bring you a long-awaited pre-painted miniatures review. Our monthly character sacrifices to the RPG Gods apparently worked because for the first time in 16 painful months, we have new boxes of finely made miniatures to unwrap. Hazah! Join Ben as he shares his take on Pathfinder’s inaugural set.

Editor’s note: this post will unavoidably draw comparisons to the Wizards of the Coast’s own miniature line. It’s not done with any negative intent. Ben is a super fan of WotC’s work and has collected every darn mini they’ve ever created. However, for the first time, we have choice and that my friends, is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Let’s start with where to buy these little bundles of happiness. Pretty much every website is selling cases ($189.99) and bricks ($49.99) for the same price. Certain singles are hard to find right now with a few full sets dropping in and out on eBay for about $163-ish.

Packaging is quite robust so environmentalists of any sort may want to skip this paragraph. Each random mini is firmly packed in its own box – creating a mountain of garbage. It’s incredibly rare to get a bent Pathfinder miniature – yet often a frustration of the old days. However, gamers with little ones of their own will cringe at the sheer amount of waste from the opening of one brick.

Now let’s talk about the actual material. Pathfinder minis definitely seem to be made out of a slightly different substance and consequently, feel a little lighter – certainly in an attempt to keep their production cost down. They feel good in your hand and so far, are holding up well to being stuffed in a box for storage (but a weapon snap can still happen). The bases on some of the small to medium figs are unique in that it’s not a direct connect to the circular base. Instead, the feet are actually on their own plastic circles which in turn, are glued to the final bases. This assembly method is probably a wise attempt to stop that dreaded slump. Sure, it looks different but worth the minor sacrifice if it truly keeps Ben’s monsters upright.

While the set is a tad small for a debut (Harbinger opened with 80 minis in 2003), 40 is still a decent number and is actually 45 if you count the starter set and the dragon promo fig. It took Ben 5 bricks to get a full set but that didn’t bother him at all since the monster types and commonality were well planned. Ben actually bought six bricks in all – more than enough for a full set but he was eager to get doubles in all of these categories:

• Goblins and Orcs
• Skeletons, Mummies and Zombies
• Town Guards
• Lizard Men
• Spiders, Snakes and Rats
• Wolves
• Spectres and Gargoyles

The quality and attention to detail in the set is immediately apparent, particularly in the faces. Really tiny hands or amazing technology has produced amazing facial detail. Gone are many of the common blotches or dot splotch effects. The quality bar has definitely been raised. You also will be quick to admire their new spin on old monsters like the Troll, Orcs or Goblins. They got a tad Cartoon Network with the Ogre and Manticore there could be some staying true to the brand intent there (at least we hope that’s the excuse).

Ben also applauds the innovation of interchangeable weapons as shown in the Frost Giant’s mighty ax or huge sword. This will only get more interesting in future sets.

So here we go with our traditional miniature set top and bottom five. Drum roll, please.

Ben’s RPG Pile Top Five:

• Giant Caveweaver Spider (the red back design is primo)
• Human Ranger (great pose and face)
• Spectre (best all-round mini)
• Human Rogue (no denying the cape sculpt)
• Goblin Warrior (The teeth say it all)

Ben’s RPG Pile Bottomfeeder Five:

• Vampire (more like master butler)
• Manticore (Wizard of Oz cowardly lion face)
• Gnome Fighter (dear god)
• Lizardfolk Champion (more like king of the losers)
• Ogre (your Greant Aunt Ruth wearing a moving vest)

There it is. The bar has been raised! More so, Pathfinder might get one more set in (a heck of a head start) before Wizards even re-enters the miniature arena in July with Dungeon Command: Heart of Cormyr. Its first set since September 21, 2010. We’re entering the renaissance miniature days. Good times…good times.

What a glorious digital age us gamers live in these days! We can play actual D&D games in real-time with friends all over the country, build our D&D characters online (be gone errata supplements) in minutes, and download RPG eBooks in a seconds. But most of all – we have YouTube. An ever-growing video library filled with terrain inspiration and game enhancing ideas.

So what makes a good RPG video these days? Well, certainly to each his own but here’s a taste of the recipe Ben tries to follow:

• Video Editor: Pick out a good software program (iMovie works great)
• Steady: Run stabilization thru your video editor and use a mini tripod
• Close-ups: Zoom in tight on the objects and avoid lengthy wide shots
• Lights: Shoot in a bright room and avoid shadows/glare
• Sound: Smatter in audio effects and music for fun
• Angles: Place the camera above focal point or to the left of the item
• Outline: Jot down chronological talking points before recording
• Length: Use 10 minutes as standard length (20-plus try as a podcast on iTunes)
• Chapters: Create title cards to break the content down into digestible sub groups
• Focus: Stay on topic and leave out rambling commentary
• Respond: Reply (in a professional manner) to viewer video comments
• Closing: Create an end card noting where else you can be found

And every video should get better, right? Ben’s earlier flicks are pretty rough but were necessary in the channel’s evolution. Believe it or not, it’s enjoyable to learn new video skills. Also, make topics unique whenever you can. Regurgitating existing community content often gets lower interest. Mostly, Ben likes to shoot how-to topics (to give back to the community) and built-out game boards (to be different).

So let’s talk video content. What can you create or subscribe to?

• Terrainaholic: A terrain legend and class-act in the community
• Wizards of the Coast: The Penny Arcade D&D games are classics
• TerranScapes: Great how-to terrain guy
• Woodland Scenics: Some fun tutorials on rocks and water effects
• Obsidian Painting: Cool paint tips
• BlueWarGaming: Love their mini basing tricks

Of course, Ben is just scratching your screen’s surface. There’s an immense amount of helpful game content at your fingertips. Try common industry search terms (Dungeons and Dragons, tabletop terrain, miniatures, or mini painting) and see what comes up. Oh and maybe while you’re at, you might consider giving little ol’ Ben’s RPG Pile channel a try.

Editor’s Note: Three cheers to Enygma for this week’s letter suggestion.

Questions to Ponder: Did you ever make a RPG YouTube video? How about your own D&D channel? What inspired you to do so? Want to share some of your favorite gamer clips? How do you use YouTube to help your weekly game?

Ben Top Tube Picks: Make a Miniature P1 and P2 | Character Deaths

Great Mordenkainen’s ghost – the letter “x” is no easy RPG word! Let’s put a playful spin on this week’s entry and go with “extra” but lose the “e” so we can stay classy. This way we can answer the question, “What xtra stuff does Ben have on the Pile that he can share with y’all?”

Let’s start off with this Star Wars miniatures set that Ben nabbed at Gen Con a few half moons back. A tiny booth had a bag of minis and claimed the troublemakers were perfect for any D&D game. The vendor wasn’t kiddin’ – this mish mash group was divine. Plus, WotC’s latest online builder makes monster creation a snap (but the lack of a jpg export feature is still sorely missed).

As many of you know, this whole letter spiel was inspired by the A to Z manuscript but were you aware that Goodman Games has a plethora of books in this genre?!

• The Random Esoteric Creature Generator: tons of trait ideas
• PC Pearls: wide variety of character/NPC inspirations
• GM Gems: lots of reference materials for the inquisitive DM

Better yet, you can grab them for your iPad over at DriveThruRPG for around 4 bucks apiece or you can certainly go the classic paper route on Amazon.

Just as a wine connoisseur occasionally splurges on a particular vintage so shall an RPG officiando spend a few more shekels on an exquisite piece of terrain. Ben reached out to his favorite Thomarillion painter, Yansolo Minis, for this immaculate Living Mirror piece. Sometimes a guy just wants to treat himself, ya know? And yes, Ben is the fairest of them all:)

Let’s close out the week with some artistic glee. Since comic brick and mortar stores are going the way of the compact disc, it’s time you get familiar with the IDW Comic Book Reader iPad app. You can instantly download titles for your viewing pleasure. It’s cheaper (shipping costs more than the digital $1.99 comic itself), easier to obtain (no drive and park) and eliminates bulky storage (now sits on your device).

Consider trying these killer RPG comic book series:

• Dragon Age: Looks very promising
• Dungeons and Dragons: Ben’s absolute fav
• Dark Sun: The setting is the bomb
• Legend of Drizzt: Just cause we love Mr. Salvatore

See?! Just look at all that Xtra D&D stuff just lying around your lair. Don’t forget to dig deep from time and time and utilize everything in your arsenal.

Questions to Ponder: What is resting on your shelf that hasn’t gotten any love in a long time? How come? Have you tried any of those comics? What do you like/not like about them? Ever used a Star Wars mini in a D&D game…which one?

Truth be told certain monstrosities in one’s D&D game often come down to a single descriptive term…vile. And it’s fair to say many a gamer could point to some clear commonalities. Read along as Ben pulls a few examples off the Pile to illustrate the point.

Body Stacks: Heaps of decomposing bodies are always a clear giveaway. But piling them on a moving war wagon is the cherry on top. The boney flatbed is an added creepy bonus.

Possible Quest: You must intercept this killing caravan and bring evidence back to the local magistrate so justice can be served.

Multiple Craniums: Lots of heads on a single monster torso means numerous attacks against your clearly innocent party. Take this toothy sea monster for instance. Image this sucker emerging to the river and not asking for permission to come aboard?

Possible Quest: Remove the mystic sea creature from a vital town river in exchange for a gold reward.

Slimy Tentacles: Sticky limbs trying to rein you in are the epitome of vile. Even better, have those tentacles always spring from your terrain so that the group never sees the real face of its enemy.

Possible Quest: Mineral-rich caves are suddenly off limits as several mining crews have disappeared from their posts. Find the source of the threat and eliminate the danger.

Hold on now. How did these miniatures come to be, you ask?

Ben often trolls the weekly blog circuit for new DIY projects. He found a comprehensive article from TheSheDM that outlined all the steps to making your very own tentacle miniature.

When attempting to re-create someone else’s amazing work, Ben tries to put his own artistic spin on the piece. In this case, Ben used Gale Force Nine wood bases and utilized a fiery brimstone flock mixture to match the tentacles’ boiling lava pit home. For monster stats, he gave these suckers a reach of 2 and a potential grab attack.

Disease-carrying Vermin: A couple Giant Rat packs from Reaper’s Legendary Encounters series is a lock for this letter. The tiny claws, jagged teeth and deplorable pink tails – ugh x 3. Certainly any things that crawls and bites qualifies but there’s just something about those rats coming from the tiniest of places.

Possible Quest: Something has polluted the town’s water supply. Your party must hope into the sewers and flush out the problem.

So yes this term maybe too subjective to the average gamer but these particular traits seem true. The only question remaining is what ya gonna do when the next vile thing comes to a deep dark place near you?

Questions to Ponder: What’s the most vile thing you’ve encountered? What in particular made it so nasty? What type of terrain suits this fugly stuff best?

Make your own tentacle minis

Let’s take this letter marathon to another level with a deep, dark look at the underworld. Stay close to Ben and see what happens when you go down under…into the earth that is (ya dirty birdie).

Caverns pieces are your core component of the underworld. Thankfully, you have two industry behemoths to choose from in Dwarven Forge and Hirst Arts. And better yet, the pieces intermingle better than wood Elves and tall trees. But Ben – please, tell us more.

Dwarven Forge has built a dynasty off its unmatchable quality and detail. And it’s never more apparent than in their cavern series. Ben’s already done a nice review here but this stellar series is worth another mention. As the scenario calls for it, Ben gleefully chooses from a slew of interchangeable pieces from all five sets. The Chasm Set is particularly hallowing with its array platforms and stalactites.

Of course, you can always swap ready-out-box-dollars for a me-time-hobbiest-investment. Hirst Arts give you immense artistic freedom and personal pride with its own set of cavern molds. If you’re planning on making a large environment, you can even craft your own custom unique molds to speed up the factory production line. You can even pick between a traditional cavern and rock formation.

Even more helpful, the Hirst Arts forum community will inundate you with countless inspirations. This sacred ground is a weekly bookmark stop for Ben as he trolls for new ideas and innovations.

Of course, the proof is in the (ogre) pudding:

• Enter at your own risk and always innovate (by jbmallus)
• Explore the unexplored (by dukedreal)
• Meet in the middle (by caveman)
• Avoid the flames and look around those corners (by starmaster)
• Swab the deck with Pirate Isle Platforms (by Dungeon Brawl Gaming)
• Notice the transition from stone to cavern (by Ghalgor1)

Quick tip: don’t feel like you always have to wall the entire cavern game board. Intermixing walls here and there can sometimes give you more playable combat space.

Ben has many underworld inhabitant favs such as hyenas and bats but you’ve got a host of miniature monster options.

While going underground certainly isn’t meant to be a playground, the right terrain can be a difference maker here. Ben encourages hobbyists everywhere to dig deep and put forth a cavern encounter to remember.

Questions to Ponder: Do you have a favorite cavern-setting D&D module? What was your roughest underground encounter? What’s the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word “cavern”. Got a favorite cave dweller monster?

Read the entire Transition thread | Read the entire Lava Cavern thread

Ah yes…statues – mythologies’ imperfect storyteller. Is it any wonder why RPGers are so quick to form bond with these hard, cold wonders? Join Ben as he grabs a chisel and carves out their rightful place in his Pile.

Most sculpture situations will require you to go into Frankenstein-mode: a snip here, a dash of glue there. Just be sure to utilize some Hirst Arts terrain blocks for the statue base and sprinkle in some well-placed flock for a chipped stone effect. You’ll be quite pleased with the results. Dreamblade minis like the Pearlthorn Gargoyle or Saint of Roses are also awesome choices.

WotC has a couple grab-and-go options with the daunting Stone Golem (Giants of Legend, #4) and the Animated Statue (Desert of Desolation, #2). These are worth keeping in your DM tackle box.

Sometimes, a hobbyist just needs a creative nudge. And that’s where the Hirst Arts picture message board comes into play. Guys like Caveman have posted legendary work for all to see. He’s utilized yard sales and old discarded minis to produce some jaw dropping statues. Ben visits this picture treasure trove on a weekly basis.

Gen Con is another motivation mosh pit. With iPhone in hand, Ben is always snapping pics for future reference. That’s where he got turned onto that old weathered look. So much so that he found a pro painter to paint up a variety of cheap pieces he nabbed from an exhibit hall vendor.

For one-off’s, Ben secured a few Grim Reaper-style statues from Pegasus Hobbies to keep at arm’s length. Mage Knight even had a few in their old accessory packs. And of course, your local gaming store’s bit box always has some discarded figs for you to go all Geppetto on when the time is right.

Maybe a gamer’s affinity for statues stems from the original Clash of the Titans movie and Hera’s talking head. After all, there’s no arguing with the Gods.

Questions to Ponder: How do you interact with and utilize statues in your ongoing D&D games? Ever use them as a rally point on a map, a salute to a fallen hero, a surprise attack or a speaking encounter?

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This week’s alphabet entry just so happens to fit perfectly with the rest of his ongoing RPG series. But which definition of puzzle is Ben picking?

No, it’s not puzzle in the traditional sense of perplexing challenges that rake one’s D&D brain. Rather, Ben has gone literal this week with actual, physical puzzles. Here’s how.

Ben’s game group is currently adventuring through part two of three of the Keep on Shadowfell module series (which is amazing). After a bit of a thud going from H1 to H2, Ben wanted something much more memorable as the group transitions out of Thunderspire Labyrinth and into Pyramid of Shadows (H3). A great module transition is a true mark of a good DM.

Thus, he created the Barz Brothers Hoard Quest. A dying Norhand Woodsheart tells the tale of a secret treasure stash of three Half-orc brothers. They hid their stolen riches and hired a mage to create a magical map depicting the resting location. The map was torn into pieces and magical constructs were made from them. Paldemar learned of this legend and was magically summoning all the consturcts to Thunderspire. A killed construtct turns back into a map piece. Recover all the map pieces scattered across Nentir Vale to reveal the location of the Pyramid & its treasure.

With an engaging plot in hand, Ben wanted something more tangible and visual on the game table to supplement his new storyline transition. With a cute little daughter addicted to puzzles, the RPG accessory idea was right there for the taking! Ben would create a puzzle map which would only magically reveal the Pyramid of Shadows’ location after all the collected pieces were fully assembled.

The Nentir Vale campaign map from the DMG (pg. 206) made the most sense. Ben is quite fond of the setting and it’s a major area player in this particular module series. Plus, a high res version of the map was readily available on Google Images.

Next Ben popped that map image into Photoshop and made it his own . He added his local Game Store, Gamers’ Inn, as a waypoint on the map for weary travelers to grab a quick pint. A little flair also seemed in order and the Pile logo in the bottom right corner did the trick. Finally, he needed to pick a final puzzle piece that essentially “marked the spot.”

With the final piece of the puzzle in place, Ben called upon Jigsaw2order produce his masterpiece. Options, cost, quality, simplicity to order and customer service were all extremely pleasant. Ben created a 30-piece puzzle with perfect dimensions (8.25in x 11.75in) for a mere $15.95. How can you go wrong?

Ben plans on passing out replica puzzles to each of his gamemates as Xmas gifts at the conclusion of their Thunderspire Labyrinth module in December.

And if all that fun and creativity isn’t enough…Ben and his daughter had a nice little bonding moment when they put this new D&D puzzle together. That’s when you know the idea was pure gold.

Questions to Ponder: What else would make a great D&D puzzle? Would you make one for your game group? What other quest ideas could be used to incorporate puzzle pieces into your campaign?

This week “N” stands for Non Player Characters. That’s right – it’s time to finally step up and recognize the little guys! Your NPCs really do have names, ya know. They have feelings. But yeah, they can die too. Let’s see how Ben invites them into his game.

The printed page is always a great place to start your NPC search. A couple of books come to mind including the amazing the Citybook All-system Catalyst Series. While their format is kinda dungeon-delve-style, all their books are filled with amazing NPC options (like Dr. Gopp and his Traveling Emporium of Medical Wonders). Ben also came really, really close to nabbing the “Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game” book but about a 1/3 of the book was non-D&D related (and concern arose about his Gen Con suitcase weight).

A couple of helpful writer’s block web resources include the WotC NPC Name Generator and of course, Ben’s personal fav – the Instant NPC Names list from the Immortal Chris Perkins.

The digital age brings us FantasyMuse by Rasmus Rasmussen – a kick ass iPhone app that randomly generates NPCs at the flick of a finger. The app randomly generates content for fantasy writers and gamers. It’s certainly worth a download thanks to its character outlines, quick factions and quest seeds. And as a Pile reader, you can win a free copy of FantasyMuse. Just send Ben a tweet using the hashtag #MusingPile before his next blog posting. He’ll randomly pull one lucky winner.

Ben’s group can’t remember jack so they use colorful cards to make NPCs and their impact on the game more productive. Thankfully, Google Images gives you plenty of photo firepower to find the right face (remember – everything is better with a visual). Ben uses the back of the card to note key facts and traits. You can download our PSD template here. GameMastery Face Cards also give you a slick out-of-the-box option. And if nostalgia’s your game, don’t forget to try the ol’ AD&D trading cards (often found on ebay) for an NPC face.

And finally, every NPC needs an eye popping miniature. So with that read, enjoy Ben’s lineup of usual NPC suspects.

Writer’s Note: A special Twitter acknowledgement and writer’s block thanks to David for this week’s letter suggestion.

Questions to Ponder: Do you have a memorable NPC? If so, what was it about that character in particular that stroke a chord? How do you name your NPCs? How large a role do NPCs play in your D&D game?

Win the FatasyMuse App (remember to use the hashtag #MusingPile)

Ben’s back from vacation so let’s get to it: Land ho! That’s right, RPGers – there’s an earthy foam mass dead ahead in this week’s D&D A to Z installment. What can one do with this relatively inexpensive resource to make one’s game table come alive?

Sadly, Ben and foam don’t get along in the grand scheme of all things terrain. He’s lousy with a hot knife (which usually requires a steady hand). More importantly, he hasn’t learned the proper way to paint the final pieces. Why? No idea but that’s a huge mental roadblock.

Thusly, Ben snags most of his foam from the fine crew over at Arena Gear. For a very reasonable price (typically $5 to $40), their creations are top notch. These guys are a must-see at any convention. Best of all, their products are easily transportable back home.

Plus, you can’t beat Arena Gear’s variety either (which jumped a creative notch this year):

• High level rock formations
• Base level land masses
• Earthy landmarks
• Unique pieces like mountain-side doors
• Magnetized pieces for a variety of uses

Certainly, you can build your own foam library. Material is easy to get either from your local craft store or if you’re a in the right climate, any pink foam insulation will do. Combo that up with DVD and kit from Hot Wire Foam Factory and you’re off to the hobbyist races. Terrainscapes did a great review of all their products here.

In terms of specific applications, Ben’s utilized foam for the Thunderspire’s Slave Pits and the classic Tiefling Ambush Interlude. And as you well know, Ben likes to photograph minis on this stuff for his little ol’ weekly blog.

The ease at which a DM can create depth on his game board is especially appealing. And remember a cardinal terrain rule – everything (and we mean everything) is always better with levels. So grab a chunk of foam and raise your game to new heights.

Questions to Ponder: Was the closing article line too corny? What have you made with foam? Do you use it to base your Hirst Arts floor tiles? Got any favorite foam paint scheme? What brand of paint works best with foam?

Get the Dungeon Alphabet Book

Glory is swell but all that fame doesn’t really pay your character’s (bar) bills. Adventuring really boils down to getting a bunch of stuff. And as the DM, your encounters need items of all sorts. So, let’s take a look at some of your terrain-ical options.

Ben best items’ source comes from the local game store’s bit box. That land of misfit minis is chalk full of itemized dungeon loot. Just eagle eye the appropriate gear and start the snapping and sanding process. Once you removed all the monster’s hands and arms, you’re ready to give them a good painting.

Your weapons arsenal could include a:

• hero’s sword
• sturdy shield
• precision bow
• large ax
• loaded weapons rack

To get your magic on, pick up some pre-casted resin pieces from Itar’s Workshop. He’s got books and bottles of all shapes and sizes. Ben just snagged some cool vases and containers at Gen Con which now gives him all sorts of new magical liquid possibilities.

If you want to roll your sleeves up, the Hirst Arts’ accessories mold (#85) is an item cornucopia. Barrels, chests, pedestals and doors are just a few of the many wonderful things. Of course, nearly every Hirst mold has a useful item within it.

Dwarven Forge is still the market leader in this area with its plethora of accessory sets including dungeon, medieval furniture, tavern and a now out-of-print treasure set.

Finally, who doesn’t love a good random roll to determine a room’s contents? Ben’s game group has a home-brewed Gen Con chart but he raised the bar by creating an even fancier one with Phelanar’s Den. You can download that game sheet and template here. The web also has plenty of resources in this area.

Items have a real place in your terrain. Go the extra mile to obtain some unique flair (13 is the rumored number) and watch how the world around your characters comes to life.

Questions to Ponder: What’s your favorite item find? What do you find the most of? What do you wish you found more of? Is a bag of holding pretty much standard gear in your party? Do you adhere to the weight rules?

See a Dungeon full of items