Hasbro Dungeons & Dragons

Is there a single major 'generic' toyline on the shelves at all?  There's lots of evergreen low-cost stuff out there like Chap Mei and Lanard's offerings but are there any lines they show off at the Cons and Fairs and whatnot?  Any of them that go for more than one wave/year?

Nah, I mean, I admit, I don't think this would happen. But I don't think it would be a failure if it did, either.  

Ultimately the figures would have to be really good, period. With licensed, popular IP you can make meh figures that will still sell because people will buy it just to have a character they like, or to complete a set. 

I was drawn into Hasbro's GI Joe line with no affinity for the IP, or military figures in general. But they were super well executed, super fun, have big load outs of accessories, great articulation, and the price is right. I think those factors are what generated a lot of the energy around that brand. 

I see people buying NECA's DnD figures similarly. There are some huge Strongheart fans out there, but how many vs how many people are picking him up as a generic knight, Zarak as a cool goblin, and Elkhorn as a cool retro dwarf?

@hopethisworks  I think what it comes down to is still the 'generic' aspect that's probably most appealing to a lot of gamers (myself included - I've banged on about this with some video game lines as well) isn't appealing to collectors in the 'pop culture' space. When you see those shelves behind streamers or whatever, it's not usually 'generic knight figure from Incite' or 'generic knight figure from Palm Empire.'  It's 'big statue of Link' or 'dragon Flemeth' or 'angry dad Kratos.'

I.E. named characters that people have connected with.

I'd also say that it would be a huge misreading of the situation to see the success of NECA's figures as a win for generic fantasy. In fact, it's the opposite; it's just MORE proof that we're currently living in the '80s Nostalgia Generation of toy collecting. People don't buy Strongheart because they want a knight figure (that's why they buy Mythic Legions). They're buying Strongheart because they have fond memories of the old D&D toys even if they don't actually care specifically about the characters and never played the game.

Generic D&D figures would struggle to capitalize on what is probably the biggest element of modern toy collecting; nostalgia for either characters or old toys.

Compare G.I. Joe to Valaverse. Named characters in iconic looks. Took a hard fall early on for NOT being in 'nostalgic-enough' threads. Blew up in popularity when they course corrected to 'updated vintage toys.' Is Valaverse, with generic soldier dudes no one has any connection to, ever going to outsell Joes? No. It's not. I don't think that's controversial to say. Names and nostalgia are driving toy collecting right now, even if that sucks for some of us that would like certain things to happen.

I don't mean this to come off as talking down to anyone or just shitting on ideas and making anyone unhappy. This is just how I see the reality of the market. I can't stress enough that I don't -like- that it's this way.

I believe there's enough of an aesthetic difference between a "medieval warrior" and a "fighter" (fer instance)  to hold its own identity. Add in "adventuring gear" instead of just weapons and I think you have a distinct line. 

The comparison to G.I.Joe is that they could just serve as fantasy archetypes like Dwarf Cleric or Human Bard in the same way Snake Eyes was a Commando and Tripwire an EOD tech.

Then data scroll on the back can give their names and personality for those who care, and an ongoing Boom Studios comic can build out the lore for each added character. 

If they really got creative they could come with a code to download the figure’s character sheet, levels 1-18. Or create a build-a-module. But yeah, I don’t think Hasbro would get that interesting. But then again, Wendy’s created their own DnD module.  And it’s all their own IP. 

But yeah, I mean, I wouldn’t hang on the term generic too much, these would be branded DnD up the wazoo and you could mix in named characters, monsters, whatever, into a wave. You could do different sub classes to create variety and make it more on brand, a rogue that’s an arcane trickster vs an assassin, for example. Spell effects, magical items, and so on could all be from the Player’s Handbook and DMG. Haslab for a dragon. And yeah, adventuring gear is mandatory. These MFers need some rope. 

Posted by: @theknightdamien

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@hopethisworks  I think what it comes down to is still the 'generic' aspect that's probably most appealing to a lot of gamers (myself included - I've banged on about this with some video game lines as well) isn't appealing to collectors in the 'pop culture' space. When you see those shelves behind streamers or whatever, it's not usually 'generic knight figure from Incite' or 'generic knight figure from Palm Empire.'  It's 'big statue of Link' or 'dragon Flemeth' or 'angry dad Kratos.'

I.E. named characters that people have connected with.

I'd also say that it would be a huge misreading of the situation to see the success of NECA's figures as a win for generic fantasy. In fact, it's the opposite; it's just MORE proof that we're currently living in the '80s Nostalgia Generation of toy collecting. People don't buy Strongheart because they want a knight figure (that's why they buy Mythic Legions). They're buying Strongheart because they have fond memories of the old D&D toys even if they don't actually care specifically about the characters and never played the game.

Generic D&D figures would struggle to capitalize on what is probably the biggest element of modern toy collecting; nostalgia for either characters or old toys.

Compare G.I. Joe to Valaverse. Named characters in iconic looks. Took a hard fall early on for NOT being in 'nostalgic-enough' threads. Blew up in popularity when they course corrected to 'updated vintage toys.' Is Valaverse, with generic soldier dudes no one has any connection to, ever going to outsell Joes? No. It's not. I don't think that's controversial to say. Names and nostalgia are driving toy collecting right now, even if that sucks for some of us that would like certain things to happen.

I don't mean this to come off as talking down to anyone or just shitting on ideas and making anyone unhappy. This is just how I see the reality of the market. I can't stress enough that I don't -like- that it's this way.

I think you're largely right about the nostalgia factor, but I would argue that Joes are punching well above their weight for replicable reasons.

If you use BBTS's "Best Sellers" drop-down menu, G.I. Joe is the first brand listed. They have hardly any film or TV presence, yet they're above Marvel, Star Wars, TMNT, etc. I haven't purchased any G.I. Joe figures, but I've been damn tempted several times, and I'm decidedly not a military guy. A few times for fodder and a few times because Hasbro's G.I. Joe team is putting out some of the coolest shit on the market. Sure I know Snake Eyes, Stormshadow, Sexy Cobra Librarian, and Metal Mask Man, but I'm interested because the Snow Guy looks sick and comes with a ton of great shit. If Hasbro put out D&D-themed figures at G.I. Joe-quality with a ton of accessories, people would buy them.

I don't think I'll win any friends by saying this, but Mythic Legions are mid. (You can fight me on that, but the articulation is subpar at best.) Plus, they're 7". There aren't any high-quality 6" fantasy figures on the market. They wouldn't sell Marvel Legends or G.I. Joe Classified numbers, but I think they could more than support their own weight. Throw in some Baldur's Gate characters and the likes of Warduke and you've got a successful line on your hands.

Posted by: @hopethisworks

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I wouldn’t hang on the term generic too much, these would be branded DnD up the wazoo

That's fair, but I only mean generic in ways that non-D&Ders would see them. 

You and I might see a gnome bard, but the normies could still be drawn to this little goblin minstrel with its big lute and magical music effects.

I don't know if I'd say they are mid, but they are definitely their own thing. I love my Mythics but part of the reason is the lack of 1/12, well made fantasy figs. 

I just realized too, duh, as far as customization goes - Hasbro has been putting out build-a-figures for years, which are essentially pop apart figures. Hands, heads/neck, arms, legs, torso being able to come apart like a build a fig opens up a lot of options, although it would be unusual.  

@adrienveidt Absolutely, there are major generic toy lines that grace the shelves and even make appearances at Cons and Fairs. While these may not always steal the spotlight, they do have a dedicated fan base. Speaking of evergreen offerings, I had a remarkable experience exploring a big toy store in New York, where I discovered a wide array of unique and classic toy lines that have stood the test of time. They often feature toys that go beyond a single wave/year and are a fantastic addition to any collection. If you're curious about exploring more of these enduring toy lines, largerthanlifetoys.com is a great place to start your journey.

Posted by: @pongee234

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@adrienveidt Absolutely, there are major generic toy lines that grace the shelves and even make appearances at Cons and Fairs.

I can't think of any such things.  Not even the Big Two Chap Mei and Lanard show stuff off at Fairs/Cons.

Animated series 2 on clearance at Target.com

I just bought Sheila to complete the team from Target for full price. I was surprised they were clearances already. So do I buy it again and save $14 by returning other?

Thwipp!

Just bought the Cavalier for 17 bucks on targets site, will pick up tommorw. gonna repaint with the dark blue on the arms and legs. stay tuned.

The Doric owlbear was 14.99 on Amazon earlier today, but it's back to 29.99 now (still a good deal from the original 44.99 retail for that big hunk o' plastic).

Wow, Cavalier is awesome, he is my favorite persona on the cartoon. He gave me the feels when i opened the box BUT you know me, already started to re-paint him. looks way better. pics coming. the shield is gonna be hard to repaint cause its that super glossy/slippery paint, ugh.

Sidenote: Just saw the Beholder from funko, not that bad. since its just a round ball body doesnt even look like a Pop.