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Post by bleedscarlet on Jan 4, 2018 11:31:41 GMT
Hopefully none of my players end up here. I'm a long ways away from this encounter, but because it's going to be the capstone for this arc in my campaign I want to make sure I get it started early.
I am having GREAT difficulty finding a proper Ancient Dragon miniature that's A) not absurdly expensive and B) not evil. Anybody got any ideas out there?
I want a golden dragon ideally, and I initially thought I'd just get a red dragon and go from there, but the more and more I look into it the more unsatisfied I am with that option.
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Jan 4, 2018 12:22:52 GMT
If you don't want to go with a recolour of a "evil" dragon ( reaper bones, ashardalon, etc ) then I think your best bet may be the toy marked. Schleich does a range of dragons - but they are every bit as expensive as "proper" minis, though the tend to look less evil. I would just head down to the local toy store and browse. edit: or maybe this? www.amazon.com/Mojo-Fun-Golden-Dragon/dp/B01NASND5U/
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Post by sgtslag on Jan 4, 2018 14:24:42 GMT
I have to disagree with guppy : Safari Ltd.'s Dragon toys are very affordable, and they come fully painted from the factory. Many of them are directly usable, without any painting, while others can easily be re-painted for use in D&D games ( see my blog for examples: "Swamp Dragon", re-painted as an AD&D Copper Dragon; a "Golden Dragon", re-painted as an AD&D Bronze Dragon). I own several of their toys, which I use, unaltered, in my fantasy games, as they are close enough without modifications, to what I need, per the 1e/2e Monster Manuals. Their toy dragon models, which I've used, have ranged from $14.99 - $20.99, and they come fully painted! Reaper, and their like, all come unpainted... For more money! For even larger Dragon models, I would suggest searching Amazon.com's web site. They used to sell various Dragon decorations, in much larger sizes than I found elsewhere. They used to have a Black Dragon decoration, which was curled up, sleeping, and it was around 1.5-2 feet long! It was also a dead ringer for the 2e Black Dragon. Unfortunately, it was over $30, and just too big for my needs -- it is also no longer listed. Cheers!
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Post by erho on Jan 4, 2018 15:07:10 GMT
SgtSlag, thank you for that link! theres some pretty B'Dass dragons there!
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Jan 4, 2018 16:27:21 GMT
You are of course free to disagree with me, but I feel that I should point out that I wrote Schleich not Safari . Their dragons retails for ~330 DKK ( about 45$ ). Don't get me wrong it's very large "Mini" and solid durable construction that will stand up to all but the most extreme torture - but I sense that's now what the OP was going for
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Post by sgtslag on Jan 4, 2018 20:15:55 GMT
Apologies. Missed the Schleich. I think I own some of their toy dragons, but I'd have to look carefully. Schleich produce some superb animal "toys", which I've pressed into service for my fantasy games. They do tend to be higher priced, compared to Safari Ltd. I bought some Halloween rubbery Bats, to use as aerial cavalry, for my Caesar 1/72 scale Goblins. The rubbery toy bats worked, but they looked pretty much like cheap toys... I found a Schleich Fruit Bat, which was superb, from the factory -- no painting required, fantastic sculpting, size, and design -- made of firm plastic. I did a test fit, with one of my finished Goblins: success! Now I just need to mount the Schleich Bats, on the pin-based mounts used for the rubbery bats, and re-mount the Goblins onto them, as well. Another project I need to finish in 2018... By the way, shop around. I picked up my bats at a toy store, in Germany, for around $7-$9 each. I paid roughly 1/3 of what Amazon is asking for them. For my bases, I used a 3" steel, straight, sewing pin, Hot Gluing the head to a square base, in a vertical position. I bent the pointed end of the pin, 90 degrees, so I could drive the pin point into the body of the bat. This allows me to rotate the bat, easily, on the pin, to put it into a banking turn, as desired. Great fun. Goblins chucking burning Molotov Cocktails, while riding flying Giant Bats, is a sight to see on a battlefield! It's even worse if they're attacking your troops! But it is, ohhh, so much fun, if you are the player controlling the Goblins... Played a 2e BattleSystem ( AD&D mass battles game) with the Goblin Giant Bat Aerial Cavalry. Was quite a site to see them clustered around an infantry unit of Humans. The carnage was not terrible, but it was quite fun, and memorable, even though they were the cheap rubbery bats. Really looking forward to playing with the excellent Schleich Fruit Bats, next time... Again, I apologize, guppy , for my misreading of your post. Cheers!
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Post by adamantinedragon on Jan 5, 2018 5:42:39 GMT
I used to see both Schleich and Safari dragons in craft stores in the States like Michaels, Hobby Lobby and JoAnnes. At Michaels and Hobby Lobby you can usually use a 40% off coupon on one to get it at almost half price. I purchased several that way.
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Post by margaret on Jan 5, 2018 5:43:55 GMT
bleedscarlet, I don't know where you live, but here's a tip if you are in the USA. Michael's craft stores sell Safari dragons, although the models available vary by store. You can download their free app and get a 40% or 50% off coupon every week. Using the coupon will reduce the price of a $15 dragon to $9 or $7.50, a much more affordable price. The dragons are EXTREMELY sturdy. A lot of the factory paint jobs are lovely. And they are easily re-painted if you really like a particular model but want it to be gold. I don't think I have ever seen these at Joanns, which has a similar weekly coupon. You might find them at Hobby Lobby, which also has a weekly coupon.
They are pretty big, which I think dragons should be. But if you need a specific size, they might not be what you are looking for.
Safari does also sell smaller dragons only as a set in a tube. And also the cutest mini dragons you ever saw - also as a set.
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Post by skunkape on Jan 5, 2018 14:42:05 GMT
I have seen those toy animals at Joanns in St. Petersburg and occasionally go through Target looking for creatures. You might also check Target if you live near one.
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Post by bleedscarlet on Jan 8, 2018 17:39:38 GMT
Man you guys are my heroes. Thank you so much!!! I was looking for dragon toys but was pretty unsatisfied with the result. I think I could repaint some of these Safari dragons and get some serious mileage out of it. There's a golden dragon that's going to save the players because they've all been secretly serving her spreading good around the world without realizing it and I want it to be a suitably epic moment when after this long drawn out battle where it looks like they're about to TPK, this gigantic dragon miniature gets plopped down on the board for an epic cinematic. My wife used to work for the local Michaels, and we still have some friends at the checkout counters there....I'm going to make use of some friendly employee discounts soon
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Post by erho on Jan 8, 2018 17:53:53 GMT
Go forth and TPK!!!
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Post by tauster on Jan 8, 2018 19:00:31 GMT
I know this probably isn't what you've been looking for, but it is worth a look or three nontheless: Paper mache dragon (and monster) busts (and bodies). www.youtube.com/user/DanMonsterMan/videosThis guy has perfected the art of paper mache, or at least he is as near one can possibly get to a perfect DIY dragon head trophy. I have one of his books and started collecting the materials necessary last year. Already got those wire hangers, don't throw out any old t-shirts anymore, and the newspaper pile grows at a steady rate. Some day...
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Post by sgtslag on Jan 8, 2018 19:45:13 GMT
I dream of making a 6-foot wingspan, AD&D Black Dragon, complete, in flight, using Dan's techniques... He makes it look easy. He sells his dragon head trophies for around $2k, if I remember right. Amazing work! Wish I had a spare $2k x 5! I'd keep Dan very busy... Cheers!
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Post by DnDPaladin on Jan 8, 2018 21:03:45 GMT
i'll just say this... may it be shleight or Safari, both are still vcery underpaid for compared to the original red colossal dragon that now, due to collectors, cost upward of 120$ !
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Post by bleedscarlet on Feb 3, 2018 20:59:45 GMT
Just thought I'd update everyone here! This is the one I bought: amzn.to/2DYhPIpand now a sizeable Deep Dragon has been created
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Post by sgtslag on Feb 4, 2018 16:09:57 GMT
Nice! They paint up easily. The sculpts are quite good, even when the factory paint jobs aren't. The "Swamp Dragon" is a terrible paint job, IMO, but the sculpting is excellent! I think mine makes a superb AD&D Copper Dragon. These are the best value for our gaming money, I believe. The sculpts may be limited, but the value for our money, is fantastic.
I did a posting somewhere, on some forum, and I posted the Schleich(?) Forest (AD&D Green) Dragon figure in a 3D cavern setup with a bunch of Giant Skeletons, with a comic book text balloon, "Gonna have to do this the old fashioned way...") -- he could not 'kill' them with his breath weapon, as they had no lungs! Still one of my favorite pictures I've posted. The toy is superb, straight from the factory.
I recommend these toys to all of my gamer friends. They are the absolute best bang for your buck. Cheers!
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Post by bleedscarlet on Feb 5, 2018 14:20:48 GMT
I found the model pretty good, a couple issues like makers stamp was hard to avoid, and there weren't really toenails on the sculpt, but for $20 the stock paint was pretty good, except that they made a gold dragon look pretty evil and menacing with the posture and red eyes. I tried painting it right off, it did not go well, I ended up scrubbing it down with acetone and priming it from plastic, and it went far, far better. This paint job was a lot of firsts for me, first time doing a fade transition (purple to black) first time doing actual pupils (dragon eyes are nice and big targets ) and first time scrubbing and painting an already done model. I also experimented with varied varnishes, tried dry brushing matte varnish on the wings after a glossy base to make it look like only the crevices were shiny, which is what I'd imagine would be the case for fleshy wings. All in all, I'm very, very happy with my end result. $20 or so, and this deep dragon will make my december's act 1 climax pretty epic
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Post by bleedscarlet on Feb 5, 2018 14:24:00 GMT
but also now I'm addicted to trying to find bigger and badder miniatures. What's next?
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Post by sgtslag on Feb 5, 2018 15:01:38 GMT
The two I've repainted, so far, were much easier than what you describe: I just painted over the existing paint on both of them. I primed parts of the toys with white Artist's Gesso. I highly recommend this instead of painting over the existing paint. The Gesso will cover the factory paint much better, allowing fewer coats of the desired colors. I sealed both Dragon toys with Minwax Urethane Stain Royal Walnut (aka, The Dip). I believe sealing the paint, is critical, to protect, and preserve, your efforts. If you are not a fan of The Dip, then I would suggest using clear urethane, or full-strength Pledge FloorCare Finish (clear, water-based acrylic, floor clear coat -- 'durable', is an understatement!), available from Wal-Mart. Both will yield a glossy finish, which is easily eliminated with a matte clear coat ( Testor's Dullcote is highly recommended). Cheers!
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Post by bleedscarlet on Feb 5, 2018 17:56:38 GMT
yeah my first pass was painting final base coat right on top of existing paint, it did stick in a lot of parts, but I didn't prime it. When I realized I was having issues, and cleaned it with acetone and that's when I primed it, it went flawlessly.
I've only bothered with varnish thus far, never something as resilient as polyurethane, because I want to keep the option of revising it.
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