What do you like to use?
 

What miniatures do you typically use when running a game? What companies are out there that are producing high quality minis that just aren't getting the attention they deserve?

My group primarily uses Reaper for most of our PCs and major NPCs, but I've recently been interested in finding other brands that are creating good figs that might not be well known.

What lesser known brands are putting out really good minis for role playing and are unique and all that good stuff a player looks for in a mini for his or her own character?

Re: What do you like to use?
 

I kind of like using the figures from a board game called Navia Drapt. Nice detail, some come pre-colored, and some you can paint yourself. As a bonus, the game itself is actually fun.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

The Lego Heroica series of board games. Small-ish Lego critters from other sets. Building small dungeon setpieces out of gray bricks.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

The various paper miniatures on Warehouse 23. I also created blank minis the same size, and put the character portrait on them, for the PCs. Having the PCs minis look -exactly- the way the PCs look is very nice.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

For my space campaign, both Reaper's Chronoscape and Hasslefree Miniatures have the closest to the characters I'm running.
http://www.hfminis.co.uk/

Re: What do you like to use?
 

For fantasy and SF, we use D&D and Star Wars figs. On ebay you can get big lots of common figs since they were collectible.

For other genres we generally use these guys:

http://www.seven-wonders.co.uk/paperfriendsindex.html

Re: What do you like to use?
 

I use Lego minifigs. Some of their useful features:

• They're poseable, so I can easily show postures such as lying down, sitting, or kneeling.
• They're equipable in diverse ways, so I can change orcs armed with spears into orcs armed with axes easily. I can put an ornate helmet on one fig and say, "That's the orc leader."
• When a fighter drops a weapon, I can take it out of the fig's hand and leave it right there on the battlefield where it should be.
• Players can mix and match heads, torsos, legs, hair, and equipment to get exactly the look they want.
• You don't need to paint them, but you can.

But there are downsides too:

• They can be spendy. The minifigs I'm interested in start at around $3 on the secondary market, and get much more expensive for high-demand items.
• Shorter figs, such as dwarves, do not have poseable legs.
• They are a bit too cutesy and toy-like for some people's taste.
• Some creatures or weapons just aren't made. You want a mind flayer or a glaive? Not available, sorry.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

Wow! Tremendous resource, thanks for posting. Bookmarked for sure.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

A couple of plastic pre-paints for the PCs, papercraft minis downloaded for free from assorted places on the internet for everyone else.

I like the ones that are numbered (for obvious reasons: keeping track of which of the dozen attacking goblins was the one who just had his arm cut off...). I also prefer the style that use a monochrome silhouette on the back instead of a full colour image; it makes it a lot easier to determine facing from a distance.

I am considering getting a special mini just for the Ogre Zombie I'm about to hit them with, though. I want that one to carry some shock & awe factor when he arrives on the table...

Re: What do you like to use?
 

Those are lovely...except, what lunatic decided to print the front view on both sides? What do you use to indicate facing?

Re: What do you like to use?
 

I use those for giant characters. I think they're about SM+2 relative to the miniatures that make up the majority of my collection since moving out of my parents' house.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

We just usually write an F on the front.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

Yeah, in our Pulp game which just ended, we found it invaluable. I'm also using it for some Deadlands stuff even though I already have all the official Deadlands cardboard cutouts.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

If you have a lot of money, there's a new service starting up for easy customization of 3D printed minis (they met their $ goals for fantasy, SF, western, modern, and more):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...top-miniatures

Re: What do you like to use?
 

I looked at these earlier, but now
"HTTP Error Code 509
Bandwidth Limit Exceeded
The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to the site owner reaching his/her bandwidth limit. Please try again later."

So here's an archive.org version from 2013 if anyone else wants to see them.
http://web.archive.org/web/201309191...endsindex.html

Re: What do you like to use?
 

There's an Android app called 3d Virtual Tabletop.

Re: What do you like to use?
 

I used Heroclix. Some of them were standard, but my wife modded a couple to suit some of the characters - added a cape to and repainted a Sunfire white and silver for the Arkangel, built a tiny door and laid down sand on half the base for the guy who can dimension from any door into a "Door Desert" pocket universe, that was super cool.