What the actual Frog is this thing? Well, aside from being my first submission for the Monster MayHem ’23 painting challenge, it’s something called a Chaos Toad Savage. In response, you might say something like this:

Firstly, dumbass. I can read. I saw that name up top in the header of the post.

Secondly. That doesn’t exactly explain what the hell a “Chaos Toad Savage” really is. Or does. Or why. Where it fits in. Or to what. Capiche?

Well, I mean.. it’s a Reaper model, innit? We all know that Reaper produces several genres of models – Sci-Fi/Chronopia, Modern, Licenced Pathfinder Fantasy, “Generic” Fantasy – leaning hard into “Not-D&D” models, and then batshit random models.

I figure that this thing fits into one of the last two of those categories. Given it’s rather large size, I don’t feel like it’s a “Were-Toad”, and I can’t seem to find something like a “Dire Toad” in D&D. If any of the more D&D-knowledgable readers out there recognise what this thing is supposed to be, please speak up and I’ll adjust the post! 🙂

edit – thanks to reader Xander for pointing out that the model is most likely a “Slaad” proxy – which is kinda embarassing for me – not because I know much about D&D but because I have a couple of unpainted Slaad models here, one of which is even next to the painting desk. Thanks again, Xander! 🙂

As far as the painting, this model was originally assembled, based and spray-primed over a year ago for this very challenge, though the 2022 edition. So a few days ago I decided to get rid of the thing by painting it out of the plastic storage tub and off the desk. I took a look at some pics of toads and settled on the kind of mottled look. Not bad for a first attempt at something like that, though I can see where I’d do some of it differently next time.

Which is really the biggest use (for me) of these random models – low-stress experimentation of new ideas and techniques and patterns. What will I actually use this thing for? Uh… the best thing I can think of is as “something Nurgle” in either Sigmar or 40k.