WizKids Gargantuan Tiamat Review Impressions
When i have my first look at the latest premium figure from WizKids, the evil five-headed Dragon Queen Tiamat, I couldn’t help but laugh at what appeared to be an absurdly large figure – the first 3D rendering showed it positively dwarfing a 12 oz soda can. What I wasn’t expecting was that it (a) would really dwarf the coke can and (b) be one of the most impressive central miniatures I’ve seen in a long time.
WizKids recently joked that “push things by calling it mini,And I wasn’t kidding. The “mini” really lives up to its gargantuan size rating; Weighing in at over five pounds, the base on which it rests is eight inches wide (that’s 40 feet in D&D tabletop rules), which is twice the recommended size for a “gigantic” creature. The tallest of its five heads measures approximately eight inches tall, and its wingspan increases in height to just over 14 ”and an impressive 28” wide at its furthest point. If I were a player in a Tyranny of Dragons campaign (the latest official D&D adventure module featuring Tiamat prominently), I’d probably have a minor heart attack if my Dungeon Master thwonk‘threw this giant on the table.
The detail work on each of the heads is magnificent, both in its molding and in the manual paint job. The demonic orange glow around the eyes of the red and blue dragon heads is a particularly nice detail, though each head, as well as the finer work around the bony spurs and claws on each limb, looks pretty cool right out of the box. own.
What is a bit disappointing about this exceptional model is that the press fit joints (sometimes called “friction fit”), in this case where the wings and tail meet the body, do not line up 100%, at least on the item we receive. The tail has a ≈1mm gap between the sections, although there are some details at the bottom of the joint that help to mix the pieces. There are also some visible mold lines on his torso that were not sanded off prior to painting, although they are practically unnoticeable without a very close inspection.
The wing joints, however, are a bit more difficult to miss, as although the front of the wing (which would be Tiamat’s “shoulder”) fits perfectly and looks great from the front and the sides, the back of the wings does not lock completely. instead. They are safe and in no danger of falling, but the space between the torso (particularly on the right wing) is quite noticeable. We tried to force it into place following the manufacturer’s advice, but all it did was poke a hole in my wrist; it was nothing serious, but be careful: this Dragon Queen is pointed!
All that said, however, when you step back more than a foot away, which we can reasonably expect to be the players at the table or the people admiring you on a shelf, the piece as a whole is just enough impressive enough to outshine its flaws. Whether it’s a scary new collectible to add to your screen, or if you manage to keep it hidden from your players, the Gargantuan Tiamat will be a spectacular reveal during your final battle.
The Realms Miniatures D&D Icons – Huge Tiamat
The Gargantuan Tiamat retails for $ 399.99 and can be found on amazon to the WizKids store, DnDmini.com or purchased directly from WizKids Official Site.
JR is a senior producer at IGN, you can follow him. On twitter for more video games and tabletop role-playing shenanigans.
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