yani

Y'know, I think you hit it right on the head. We are afraid of change.

It was those D&D minis that got me into painting minis! My DM has a whole box full of em, but it was my frustration at trying to find the perfect mini to represent my half-elf sorceress (it ended up being a ghostly wraith that was the best representation) or for my Star Wars noble (it was a twi'lek on a pole!!) that brought me to mini painting. However, they're excellent for i-need-a-new-character-quick situations, or for pulling out NPC figures. Our DM actually uses dice for masses of enemies.

I picked up a wooden spool roll (a cylindrical shaped thing) from Hobby Lobby for a couple of cents and stick Tack on the top. It works good for me.

I think that 4e is more aimed at bringing in the younger kids into the fold of D&D rather than get the established players to adapt to a new system. The strategy seems to be aligned to this fact: the kids today are savvy about WoW and other MMORPGs. There's a need for the interweb, interactive environment. The oldies who have grown up with the game tend to stick with the one that they like best - whether it be AD&D or 3.5 or anything else. They would be more reluctant to move over to another system where they would have to, essentially, re-learn the concept of D&D. Of course, there will be the fanboys who buy every book out there and will buy 4e because it is new and improved. Essentially, they are looking at bringing in a new market rather than rely on the old market. I, for one, will be very interested in purchasing 4e and playing it. Whilst I don't agree with their scheme of releasing the good stuff piecemeal over the years so as to force players to purchase the new book so as to take advantage of the choices, I haven't been in the D&D world long enough to have amassed a collection of books. I am very willing to start from the start and follow the journey through this new version.

I love how you got the tail/spine to shine like that.

I'll agree with what everyone else has been saying. But I'll throw in and say that detail is something that I like to see, something that makes it unique and different. Hair, for some reason, is a big thing for me. I can't stand the big puffy 80s-esque hair that I see on some sculpts, whether it be male or female.

Wow. I can't stand widescreen resolutions. Makes me look fat :p

Tieflings. Sorcerors or wizards that aren't carrying swords or wearing armour Street-rat type youths where their gender is unknown (because what streetrat girl would flaunt her assets? That's just asking for trouble!) More monsters!! Figures that have more features that aren't normally found on caucasians, like big afro-like hair, dreadlocks, full lips, etc. A bald woman in robes that doesn't have a manic grin on her face :)

Epiphany for me. I use a plastic tree, so I don't have to worry about the tree dying on me, but after a while I get over the whole holiday thing.

I'm going to attempt to make it :) For the weekend perhaps, I gots to save up all my vacation time for my wedding in November.

Actually, from Miniature Giant, I got free shipping :) But that's because I chose the regular method instead of priority. That's a good place to start - they offer paints and the Reaper brushes too. I actually took advantage of eBay and purchase a whole lot of paint for a very cheap price. That's another option. The Learn to Paint Kits are good too - I got a bundle of them for christmas and breaking it open I noticed a good selection of paints and brushes.

Left-handed people are sinister! I would wait until 4.0 actually comes out. I'm a little sad they haven't included Barbarian in the core books. But they have said something about when a sorceror discharges her magic, she gets surrounded by it. E.g. if she sent off a fireball, she gets encased in fire and hurts nearby enemies too. THAT would be a cool effect.