D&D Miniatures becoming less random in 2009

Anyone watching the collectible games market over the past year has noticed a distinct trend toward reducing the randomness (note our lack of a Best Collectible Game in this year’s Ogre’s Choice Awards). Now, as has been speculated since the game’s inception, Wizards of the Coast plans to release some fixed sets and mostly-randomized sets for D&D Miniatures starting next year. According to an announcement yesterday on the WotC website (also copied below), the current format of fully randomized boosters will end after next month’s Demonweb expansion, and be replaced by lines of D&D Heroes and D&D Monsters. Each D&D Heroes pack will sell for $10.99, and contain 3 figures, all visible in the package, and 3 unique power cards with new class powers. The first D&D Heroes releases will be six different Player’s Handbook Heroes packs – “iconic player character races and classes described in the Player’s Handbook and Player’s Handbook 2 core rulebooks.” The D&D Monsters line will start with Monster Manual: Dangerous Delves. Starting at $14.99, D&D Monsters packs will offer 5 figures at a time – 1 visible and 4 others, plus stat cards – drawing from a 40 figure set. Both lines will launch Spring 2009. Currently, the lack of any stat card mentioned with the Heroes sets has D&D Miniatures skirmish game players worried WotC might not continue supporting those rules, but even if this is true, it would be a simple matter to post a free download to remedy the problem. Read the full announcement below for more details.

Wizards of the Coast news announcement follows:

10/21/2008: D&D Miniatures Changes Announcement

We have received a tremendous amount of feedback from fans regarding the D&D Miniatures line, and have made some exciting changes for 2009. Here’s what’s coming to a shelf near you!

Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures – Player’s Handbook Heroes

More than anything else, D&D players have been asking us for more PC (player character) minis. The D&D Heroes line features high-quality miniatures representing iconic player character races and classes described in the Player’s Handbook and Player’s Handbook 2 core rulebooks. Now players will be able to find the miniature that best represents their PC, and Dungeon Masters can use these figures to represent non-player characters in their adventures.

Launching in Spring 2009, the first D&D Heroes series features six different packs (18 figures total):

• Martial Heroes 1
• Martial Heroes 2
• Arcane Heroes 1
• Arcane Heroes 2
• Divine Heroes 1
• Primal Heroes 1

Each package contains 3 PC minis: 2 males and 1 female, and 3 unique power cards featuring brand new class powers. All three of the figures in the package will be visible so you’ll know exactly which pack to pick for your game.

The D&D Heroes will be refreshed regularly in order to continue to deliver new PC options to players. There are two series scheduled for 2009 and three scheduled for 2010. MSRP $10.99.

Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures – Monster Manual

Also new to the 2009 lineup are Monster Manual themed releases. These sets are designed to be what every Dungeon Master (or D&D enthusiast) needs to create riveting adventures and exciting encounters at all levels of play.

Releasing in Spring 2009, the first D&D Monsters set is called Monster Manual: Dangerous Delves. This will be a 40-miniature set containing both medium and large sized figures. Each semi-randomized “booster” box contains 5 minis: 1 visible figure, 1 rare figure, 1 uncommon figure and 2 common figures, as well as full-color D&D Dungeon Delve stat cards for each miniature. MSRP $14.99.

Upon the release of D&D Monsters and D&D Heroes, we will no longer package the D&D Miniatures line in its current configuration (fully randomized booster packs and huge packs). This means that November’s set – D&D Miniatures: Demonweb – will be the final release sold in fully randomized booster packs.