Category Archives: Dungeons & Dragons Monsters

D&D Monster Manual 7: Wrath of Ashardalon Giant Snakes and Cave Bears

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No updates for a little while. New role at work with increased hours has meant less time for painting, blogging, sleeping, gaming and all of the other stuff that I enjoy. Not to mention the weather has been unsuitable for spraying lately as we slide towards winter here.

I’ve added a new category today. Dungeons and Dragons monsters down on the sidebar, and gone back to rename the D&D-centric posts with the “D&D Monster Manual” prefix, as I’ve done above. I did this because when I was outside a little while ago photographing this update’s models, it occurred to me that I do have quite a few D&D-type monster models, from boxed games like Ashardalon and Ravenloft as well as from Reaper’s Bones campaigns. Since I’ve got categories for all the Warhammer-centric subfactions under the sun (with many more to come) I thought it made sense to do the same for the D&D stuff, even though it’s never been a core game for me and I don’t know what a lot of the stuff in it is properly.

I’ve only done this for the most obvious things, specifically the “proper” D&D models, and Not-D&D models by Reaper. More generic stuff like Elves and Goblins and Skeletons from a dozen different manufacturers in a dozen different styles can just go into their own categories and people interested in those can look in there, but as I get more of the “proper” D&D models done, I thought it worthwhile for these.

So, first up (in post 7 of the series – gotta love retcon edits!) we have the Giant Snakes and Cave Bears from Ashardalon. Neither are super-amazing figures, but they’re still quite nice sculpts, especially in PVC, and as Boardgame Miniatures they are really very good. I understand that they are (or were?) also available as pre-paints from the D&D miniatures game. Again something I’m mostly ignorant about.

Dungeons and Dragons – Wrath of Ashardalon “Snake”

First up, we have “Snake” from Wrath of Ashardalon boxed game. I’m assuming that these “properly” come in several different flavours, but I’m happy to just go with “Giant Snake”. These three have been near-painted for.. well, quite some time. At least a year, and probably around 2-3, when I was really into painting the boxed D&D games’ figures. Finally knuckled down and got them finished yesterday after doing a little on them last weekend. They’re a little bright, and much more on the “fantasy artwork” side than the “realistic” side in their colouration, but that’s ok by me. The important thing is that they look good on a table, and more importantly – are finished.

Dungeons & Dragons – Wrath of Ashardalon “Cave Bear”

Next up we have “Cave Bear”. These were actually painted a year (or two?) ago. Aside from the unfortunate PVC mould lines, these are lovely little sculpts and painted up like a dream. I’ve always been pretty happy with how well they came out, as well. Obviously here I went for more of a realistic feel to the colours, though still keeping it bright.

Dungeons and Dragons Ashardalon figures with Scale reference.

Heartbreaker Chronopia Kilt-wearing Celt-Barbarian guy provides human-sized scale reference. What can I do with these figures aside from roleplaying? I’m honestly not sure. Mayhe they can slip into Kings of War as proxies for units in the “Nature” army. I’d need a bunch more to fill out enough to make up a unit, though. Maybe the bears can join in with a unit of Wood Elf Wardancers and the Snakes can do the same for Witch Elves? Actually, that’s not a bad idea…

D&D Monster Manual 6: Reaper Bones: Not-Intellect Devourer, Not-Grick

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I received my Reaper Bones II Kickstarter stuff a few weeks ago, and while I had a little bit of Buyer’s Remorse at not having purchased a few additional bits and pieces from the campaign, that’s mostly due to having started new projects that things would have worked well for in the time since the campaign ended, and then finally delivered however many months late it was. I didn’t even bother keeping track of that this time around. Overall it’s a solid bunch of models for PVC, and I picked out a few that I thought would make nice, quick painting projects. The first was that Bronze Bull/Brass Bull/”Gorgon” which I asked about recently and just need to finish the final touches on (probably later this weekend). The second and third are these two …thingies.

Reaper Bones 77228 "Cython" (aka Grick)

Reaper Bones 77228 “Cython” (aka Grick)

Reaper Bones 77228 "Cython" (aka Grick)

…don’t worry, it’s only a shower

Reaper Bones 77228 "Cython" (aka Grick)

…and now for your clothes, here’s a pretty flower.

Now, my nerd-background is solidly on the Warhammer/LotR side rather than the D&D side, so when I saw the 03603 “Cython” and 03582 “Mind Eater”, I saw silly-weird Rogue-Trader-esque space aliens, rather than D&D critters, and decided to paint them up in that spirit – somewhat inspired by Cheetor’s Alien Flora and Fauna project (and the fact that they looked like they’d be quick and easy enough). So in the spirit of all that, I thought I’d paint these suckers up.

Reaper Bones 77229 "Mind Eater" (aka Intellect Devourer)

Reaper Bones 77229 “Mind Eater” (aka Intellect Devourer)

Reaper Bones 77229 "Mind Eater" (aka Intellect Devourer)

No relation to the Brain Bugs from Starship Troopers…

Knowing that of course, the things must be some kind of D&D or Pathfinder ripoff, I also asked Tarmor if he knew what these things actually not-are. He informed me that the 03603 “Cython” looks a lot like a Grick from 3rd edition D&D and that 03582 “Mind Eater” is a direct “copy” (ripoff) of an Intellect Devourer from all editions! Tarmor also kindly provided me with a couple of pictures that I then used as paint references. Now that I’ve done the photography, I’ll be adding some Gloss Varnish to the Brain Diner, and these two will be done and dusted.

77228: Chthon, Grick, 77229: Mind Eater , Intellect Devourer, The Mouth of Sauron

The Mouth of Sauron provides Scale.

Since I rarely play D&D/Pathfinder (every few months I play the occasional session run by Orez. I think we’re level 3 or so?) I don’t know when or if these will ever see the table in their “proper” form, much like that not-Purple Worm of theirs (Wow! I just googled “Reaper Purple Worm” and my pic is the first thing in the image search above the actual link to Reaper!)

77006: Great Worm, Purple Worm, 77228: Chthon, Grick, 77229: Mind Eater, Intellect Devourer

A little collection of Reaper’s Not-D&D Monsters

77006: Great Worm, Purple Worm, 77228: Chthon, Grick, 77229: Mind Eater, Intellect Devourer

The Mouth of Sauron provides scale reference.

77006: Great Worm, Purple Worm, Mouth of Sauron

The Mouth of Sauron provides scale for the Great Purple Worms.

Anyway, both figures were reasonably quick and easy to paint, and the various blending of tones was fun and turned out pretty decently as well. Now it’s back to those bloody goblins!