Of all games ever to capture the hearts of outcasts, misfits, and ne’er-do-wells around the world, none has had an impact as powerful as “the world’s greatest role-playing game”: Dungeons & Dragons. An iconic game featured in numerous shows, popular podcasts, and movies, including the recent star-studded blockbuster, Honor Among Thieves, Dungeons & Dragons celebrates its 50th birthday this year. To celebrate, miniature maker Wizkids has announced their biggest booster set so far, slated for release this July, with 60 figures featured throughout Dungeons & Dragons’ 50 years of history.
The D&D Icons of the Realms: 50th Anniversary Booster Set includes modern pre-painted 5e versions of various D&D monsters alongside their classic 1e versions, the latter of which features monsters never before recreated as minis or even in color. You can pre-order booster packs, each containing one large mini and 3 medium or small minis, here, or even supercharge your collection with the $200 booster bricks, which contain 8 booster packs with random minis.
Among the iconic characters to be featured are 1e and 5e versions of the resurgent Vecna, who recently regained his popularity owing to his appearance as the central villain in the fourth season of Stranger Things. You can also collect multiple versions of the spider queen herself, Lolth, who comes in her spider 5e incarnation and her 1e drow form. And there’s the 1e Eidolon from the iconic cover art of the 1e Player’s Handbook.
Check out side-by-sides of these retro and modern incarnations here:
“The 50th Anniversary Booster Set has become a passion project for the entire D&D community to enjoy,” said Joseph Nuzzo, senior product producer at Wizkids. “Whether you have been playing D&D for 50 years or you just had your first session, there is a miniature in this set for everyone to get excited about.”
Alongside the booster set, Wizkids will also debut the Classic Red Dragon Boxed Miniature for $29.99, which can be pre-ordered on IGN Store. This classic D&D monster, featured on the cover of the original 1977 Dungeons & Dragons: Basic Set has all the same cartoonish goodness from the days of your basement-dweling youth, and stands nearly 5 inches tall with a 75 millimeter base, covered in the creature’s coveted loot. Booster Sets are also available for preorder on DNDMini.com and at local game stores.
There are 10 secret rare figures in the 50th Anniversary Booster Set. IGN is thrilled to announce two of these figures: the Green Knight and Blue Wizard. Along with the Classic Red Dragon, fans can use these two figures to recreate the iconic cover of the 1977 basic set.
Travis Northup is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @TieGuyTravis and read his games coverage here.