I want to build the maps and figures with the 3D printer. The map bricks can be used again and again, but I'm stuck on the question of how often a monster occurs. For example, in the Dragon of Icepire Peak adventure, Orcs appear in the Dwarven Excavation quest. According to the stats in the Encounter Tool, a simple orc is not very strong. When the players later level up, do the orcs level up as well?
3D printing the orcs with high details already takes over 60 hours, and I would like to paint them as well. But if the basic orcs just appear at the beginning of the first adventure and not later, it would be way too much effort.
So my question would be, if I put so much time and effort into the design of the monster figure, can I use these figures later on, or are they flash in the pan?
It really depends on a few things. Are you going to be DM'ing regularly, so you'll get use out of them in other campaigns? That's a really big factor. The other is how much do you enjoy designing and painting them? If it's fun for you, then it's fun for you whether you use them or not.
Personally, I wouldn't do custom printed minis for generic bad guys. You can get crates of them premade online for fairly cheap. You don't get the fun of painting them, but if you're DM, you probably have to spend a lot of time prepping for the session already, so why add more to your plate. I'd save the custom jobs for the PCs and major recurring NPCs. Then, if I had time, I might do an orc here or a goblin there, and build them up over time.
I have over 800 minis all 3d printed (I have some store bought minis also.... but not very many) I have printed out just about everting you can imagine needing for d&d, orcs, trolls, goblins, giants, dragons, tons of NPCs, and custom minis for all my players PCs. I reuse them all the time.
I am curious what kind of printer you use. I have a Elegoo Mars 2 (cost about $199 USD) and it will print about six to eight 28-32mm scale orcs in about two hours.
I have the Prusa Mini, I love it, but it is so slow XD
I scale the minis to 170% but I put them on a 35 mm base, than they fit better on the 130% field.
I print the figueres with 100% infill, 0,1 mm layers and 0,25 mm nozzle. 6 figures need about 62 hours ... but they look awsome XD
The base I print direktly with the figure is just 1 mm high. But I print a second base with the colorFabb Bronze fill, a heavyweight Filament, in the high of 4 mm and I glue them together and than you have a real good heavy feeling figure.
Back when I just had a filament printer, I'd print only the most important bosses. My campaign had a lot of humanoid baddies, so I got to reuse them a ton. Now that I have a resin printer, I can go nuts if I want to - and usually still don't. I tend to like using d6s for multiple enemies since "I'll hit 2 with my main attack and 5 with my offhand" is much easier than "that guy with the blue base, and that guy over there." Then again, I mostly DM online, so my players can't exactly point to the one they mean.
I usually only paint very important NPCs and my players' minis. I love painting, but I ain't got time to make a bunch of random encounters monsters look cool.
It feels like a toolbox problem. One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard was from Adam Savage. The first time you buy a tool, buy a cheap or second hand one. If it breaks due to use, replace it with something higher cost, higher value.
The same feels true for minis. If you were for example to get the Campaign case it's not as showy, but if you find you're using the same token over, and over again then that is the sign to 3D print a mini. If you only use it once a year, maybe it's not worth printing it. Of course, the campaign case might not be for you so you might want to look into cheap minis, but hopefully the point makes sense still?
Could you post a link where you can buy cheap figures? All the ones I have found are quite expensive.
I guess cheap is a relative term, but have you checked Amazon? There’s big packs of them. You don’t quite get a choice in what’s n the pack, but they’re not too expensive.
It really depends on a few things. Are you going to be DM'ing regularly, so you'll get use out of them in other campaigns? That's a really big factor. The other is how much do you enjoy designing and painting them? If it's fun for you, then it's fun for you whether you use them or not.
Personally, I wouldn't do custom printed minis for generic bad guys. You can get crates of them premade online for fairly cheap. You don't get the fun of painting them, but if you're DM, you probably have to spend a lot of time prepping for the session already, so why add more to your plate. I'd save the custom jobs for the PCs and major recurring NPCs. Then, if I had time, I might do an orc here or a goblin there, and build them up over time.
I second this. Once you make them, they're yours and unless you plan on using them repeatedly (or even selling them), they'll collect dust. This is why I don't normally purchase figures unless if's for something major or I'm going to use the settings again. Generic stuff can be purchased easily. Save the 3D printing for more customizable characters like one of your own that you'll want to use in multiple campaigns.
Damn bro. Don't use an FDM to to do mini's. Spend a couple of hundred bucks on a resin and print dozens. I usually put them at night and by morning they are done. I've got dozens and dozens. Monsters don't take too long too paint because they are generally two or three colours. PC characters take much longer because of the detail. Use the FDM for terrain and buildings.
It really depends on how many campaigns you do in the future. You can get a lot of mileage out of orcs in a fantasy world for future campaigns especially if you homebrew in the future.
The other option you can use to continue having them be relevant and feel you're getting your money's worth is just to include them not as the big bad enemies, as the party gets stronger orcs/goblins can become amazing grunts to add to an encounter perhaps led by an evil wizard that normally would require some minions to make for an interesting encounter.
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Hello everyone!
I am about to play the first round of DnD, as DM.
I want to build the maps and figures with the 3D printer. The map bricks can be used again and again, but I'm stuck on the question of how often a monster occurs. For example, in the Dragon of Icepire Peak adventure, Orcs appear in the Dwarven Excavation quest. According to the stats in the Encounter Tool, a simple orc is not very strong. When the players later level up, do the orcs level up as well?
3D printing the orcs with high details already takes over 60 hours, and I would like to paint them as well. But if the basic orcs just appear at the beginning of the first adventure and not later, it would be way too much effort.
So my question would be, if I put so much time and effort into the design of the monster figure, can I use these figures later on, or are they flash in the pan?
It really depends on a few things. Are you going to be DM'ing regularly, so you'll get use out of them in other campaigns? That's a really big factor. The other is how much do you enjoy designing and painting them? If it's fun for you, then it's fun for you whether you use them or not.
Personally, I wouldn't do custom printed minis for generic bad guys. You can get crates of them premade online for fairly cheap. You don't get the fun of painting them, but if you're DM, you probably have to spend a lot of time prepping for the session already, so why add more to your plate. I'd save the custom jobs for the PCs and major recurring NPCs. Then, if I had time, I might do an orc here or a goblin there, and build them up over time.
I have over 800 minis all 3d printed (I have some store bought minis also.... but not very many) I have printed out just about everting you can imagine needing for d&d, orcs, trolls, goblins, giants, dragons, tons of NPCs, and custom minis for all my players PCs. I reuse them all the time.
I am curious what kind of printer you use. I have a Elegoo Mars 2 (cost about $199 USD) and it will print about six to eight 28-32mm scale orcs in about two hours.
@ Xalthu
Could you post a link where you can buy cheap figures? All the ones I have found are quite expensive.
@ Sisonek
I have the Prusa Mini, I love it, but it is so slow XD
I scale the minis to 170% but I put them on a 35 mm base, than they fit better on the 130% field.
I print the figueres with 100% infill, 0,1 mm layers and 0,25 mm nozzle. 6 figures need about 62 hours ... but they look awsome XD
The base I print direktly with the figure is just 1 mm high. But I print a second base with the colorFabb Bronze fill, a heavyweight Filament, in the high of 4 mm and I glue them together and than you have a real good heavy feeling figure.
Back when I just had a filament printer, I'd print only the most important bosses. My campaign had a lot of humanoid baddies, so I got to reuse them a ton. Now that I have a resin printer, I can go nuts if I want to - and usually still don't. I tend to like using d6s for multiple enemies since "I'll hit 2 with my main attack and 5 with my offhand" is much easier than "that guy with the blue base, and that guy over there." Then again, I mostly DM online, so my players can't exactly point to the one they mean.
I usually only paint very important NPCs and my players' minis. I love painting, but I ain't got time to make a bunch of random encounters monsters look cool.
I know this doesn't have the same effect but I'd seriously consider the Campaign Case in this scenario: https://dndstore.wizards.com/us/product/770146/dd-campaign-case-creatures-digital-plus-physical-bundle
It feels like a toolbox problem. One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard was from Adam Savage. The first time you buy a tool, buy a cheap or second hand one. If it breaks due to use, replace it with something higher cost, higher value.
The same feels true for minis. If you were for example to get the Campaign case it's not as showy, but if you find you're using the same token over, and over again then that is the sign to 3D print a mini. If you only use it once a year, maybe it's not worth printing it. Of course, the campaign case might not be for you so you might want to look into cheap minis, but hopefully the point makes sense still?
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I guess cheap is a relative term, but have you checked Amazon? There’s big packs of them. You don’t quite get a choice in what’s n the pack, but they’re not too expensive.
I second this. Once you make them, they're yours and unless you plan on using them repeatedly (or even selling them), they'll collect dust. This is why I don't normally purchase figures unless if's for something major or I'm going to use the settings again. Generic stuff can be purchased easily. Save the 3D printing for more customizable characters like one of your own that you'll want to use in multiple campaigns.
Damn bro. Don't use an FDM to to do mini's. Spend a couple of hundred bucks on a resin and print dozens. I usually put them at night and by morning they are done. I've got dozens and dozens. Monsters don't take too long too paint because they are generally two or three colours. PC characters take much longer because of the detail. Use the FDM for terrain and buildings.
It really depends on how many campaigns you do in the future. You can get a lot of mileage out of orcs in a fantasy world for future campaigns especially if you homebrew in the future.
The other option you can use to continue having them be relevant and feel you're getting your money's worth is just to include them not as the big bad enemies, as the party gets stronger orcs/goblins can become amazing grunts to add to an encounter perhaps led by an evil wizard that normally would require some minions to make for an interesting encounter.