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In 2022, D&D’s Icons of the Realms minis have sets coming out for Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, Fizban’s Treasure of Dragon, & Critical Role.
Miniatures have been a part of Dungeons & Dragons since the earliest campaigns. Figures representing heroes and monsters were used to dramatize combat and clarify the layout of a battlefield.
The toy manufacturer WizKids currently holds the license for the official D&D minis, selling them under the Icons of the Realms imprint. The first IotR set was released in 2014 as a tie-in to the Tyranny of Dragons campaign, and since then, the sets have been getting increasingly detailed throughout twenty different core sets. Now, 2022 is looking like it will be the best year yet for fans of D&D miniatures, bringing some of the best monsters in the game to life, and even introducing new sets for Critical Role.
Core Sets: Van Richten’s Guide To Ravenloft & Fizban’s Treasure Of Dragons
WizKids has announced the release of two IotR sets this year, based on the two best sourcebooks from 2021. The first of the two sets, Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, is based on Shadowfell’s iconic horror setting, introducing figures for the lycanthropic Loup-garou, the twisted Starspawn Emissary, and the humongous Zombie Clot, among others. Several classic NPCs are connected to the cursed Ravenloft setting, among them the infamous wizard-king Azalin Rex, who has been part of the game for decades. While many past IotR sets were sold in booster boxes that each contained four randomized figures, VRGtR’s boosters can contain either four or five miniatures (with at least one larger-sized mini included in the boxes with fewer pieces).
The other set announced for 2022 is Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, which is currently scheduled for March. Some of the figures that have been leaked include a Dragonblood Ooze, a Dragonbone Golem, and a variety of what appear to be both Dragonborn and Draconian figures. Additionally, the set will offer two massive premium miniatures sold separately that highlight two of the most popular monsters introduced in FToD: the Dracohydra and Elder Brain Dragon.
Compared To Older Icons Of The Realms
The first WizKids miniatures were unimpressive by modern standards. As the quality of plastics, printing and paint jobs have all improved, newer miniatures have become much more detailed. This has resulted in some stunning pieces that can make for truly memorable use in campaigns.
Unfortunately, some of the figures in VRGtR seem more in keeping with the quality of sets from a few years ago. While most of the monsters are quite impressive, a handful of them have smooshed plastic features and underwhelming paint. By contrast, last year’s undead-themed set Boneyard is arguably the better set for horror monsters. FToD will not be out until March, but it has teased art depicting digital renditions of seventeen figures for the forthcoming set, suggesting that these may be the most detailed and colorful miniatures yet.
Classic Monsters, Important Characters, & Critical Role
In addition to randomized booster packs, some WizKids minis are clearly labeled and allow buyers to know exactly what they are getting. These showcase fan-favorite characters and monsters and can contain multiple miniatures or a single signature piece. For example, the Sahuagin Warband released in January and the upcoming Grung Warband each include six individual pre-painted enemies for adventurers to fight. By contrast, a new miniature came out for the classic villain Juiblex, the Demon Lord of Slime and Ooze, a towering twisted many-eyed horror that lives up to its name and retails at $69.99. Even more impressive, this September will see the release of the legendary Tarrasque. Standing 15 inches tall and nearly a foot long, it will sell for $400, making it quite an expensive collector’s item.
Finally, Critical Role just published seven separate sets of pre-packaged minis, showcasing the heroes and monsters of Matt Mercer’s beloved Exandria campaigns. There is even a figure of the legendary DM included in the Characters of Tal’dorei set. 2022 is a great year for fans of miniatures.
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