WizKids Conjures Up Another Epic ‘Classic Monster Collection’ Of Miniatures
by Anton Kromoff
Welcome to the table,
It’s no secret that the Classic Monster Collection is one of my favorite things from WizKids. There is something deeply nostalgic and fun about them. It may be the large window box displays, or the covers that emulate the classic Monster Manual. There’s also the fact they come packed with a collection of really cool Dungeons & Dragons miniatures sculpted and painted in the style of their original designs from the early days of the hobby.
These sets are truly special. In just a few short weeks, we will be seeing the launch of the newest offering in this collection, D&D The Classic Collection Monsters : S-T. The image below is of the cover for the A-C collection. These covers stay the same across the sets with only the text changing. That’s part of their charm. They look stunning on the shelf next to your vintage D&D books.
This upcoming collection of S-T has some of my favorite monsters inside.
The sculpts are fantastic. The Satyr is one of the most table ready minis I have seen come out yet with a really fun dynamic paint job that makes this perfect for so many table encounters. The hair and fur play off each other well. The spear is solid. The body sculpt speaks to body styles that you do not typically see on the cover of fantasy novels and I love it.
The collection contains a Salamander, Satyr, Shambling Mound, Stirge, Treant, Troglodyte, and Troll.
I’ve spoken many times before about how Trolls are some of, if not my favorite, monsters in D&D. The classic muscular, monstrous version of these regenerating creatures speaks to a primal fear, and showcases WizKids sculptors’ skill in capturing these timeless horrors in the most radical ways.
The old school Salamander also blazes to life in this set. The energy in this sculpt is so cool. You could see this tabling as part of an adventure through cursed forges or wandering the elemental planes of fire.
One of the most worrying of classic monsters for me is the Shambling Mound, mostly due to its ability to soak lighting damage. This sculpt of the classic version brings back a ton of memories of hours spent around the gaming table over half empty pizza boxes and cans of soda, while navigating forest mazes made of dry erase marker on brown vinyl battle maps.
These classic collections do such a great job of bringing the old to the new, and not in that weird gatekeeper way, but in a way that allows new people at the table to experience versions of these timeless terrors at the TTRPG table.
You can pre-order at this link or pick up in store later in February 2025.
Until next time, these sets look so rad on the shelf or at the table. I can’t speak highly enough about them. We are living in a world where everything feels very difficult right now, if little bits of painted plastic bring you joy, then please, find the joy where you can.
