Bones 6 Enthusiasm and Commentary

[Olaf the Stout]

21 hours ago, Disciple of Sakura said:

We've only a week left in the campaign, but we're just over a million. I feel like this campaign just isn't exciting me like prior Bones kickstarters, and everything seems to be moving slower. I may be remembering wrong, but I'm feeling like this is lacking something. Maybe it's just because I have so many miniatures now? I dunno.

I feel like this one has been lacking in bigger minis. That is what I was looking forward to, but there hasn't been as many of those types of minis so far.

[Sirithiliel]

We have 1 big mini: chaarondar the cruel 

 

Anniversary dragon too, once it is unlocked 

 

Everything else of any substantial size is bundled into core set or expansions 

 

Maybe it is that reaper just doesn't think they sell well enough to do anymore. But it's definitely lacking in the bigger mini department compared to other KS

Edited April 25, 2022 by Sirithiliel

[WhiteWulfe]

Moderately surprised I'm not quoted as a naysayer for Bones 5 core.  Didn't regret it then, still don't.  There were a number of sets that caught my interest, but the problem was it was only a handful of minis in a $50 set that I'd want, so for most of them I just went "when it hits retail assuming they're in stock for more than thirty seconds I'll pick them up", and have also switched to the philosophy of assuming things won't hit retail since we still have plenty from Bones 4 that hasn't reached retail yet. 

 

For the average person, sure the core set looks good - there's just nothing in it that really truly catches my eye, and I'm not going to get a bunch of things I have literally no interest in just to say get those newts. Way too much is emphasis seems to be on "cram as much as possible into the core set" while there seems to be very little attention given to expansions or standalone big models.  We've had names of six encounters teased, but only one actually revealed so far, and I'm still waiting on more info regarding Hakir to see whether or not I'll pledge more for it. 

[Sirithiliel]

Yea I would say a big focus of this Kickstarter has been expansions. Other Kickstarters they spread more variety around, but this one has been expansion after expansion and not many unlocks other than core set and expansion 

 

 I wouldn't be as unenthusiastic if the add ons we WERE getting weren't more basic monsters we have gotten tons of every Kickstarter, while the interesting new things are pushed into the core

 

I do not need more bugbears, demons, hellborn, orcs or gnolls. I'd love to get those Newts. 

 

I'm still on for just the owl bear encounter and the anniversary dragon, there just isn't enough pull in any of the expansions or the core set for me

 

Note: I am NOT saying it's bad for everyone,or that you shouldn't like this KS. If you do that's fine. But for many of us this hasn't been a great KS so far 

[ksbsnowowl]

1 hour ago, Nunae said:

I felt like they said 3 inch (as opposed to 2 inch). I also like her at that scale.

You would be wrong. I’ll have to hunt down the April 7th Reaper Live to get a clip, but…

 

On 4/7/2022 at 6:41 PM, ksbsnowowl said:

Ron said Shimmerscale is on a 4” base and will be about 7” tall. Will be on par with Diabolus and Cinder? Retail about $30?

Now, maybe Ron misspoke, but he absolutely said it. 
 

Edit: Update #18:

 

 

Edit 2: Timestamped to where they talk about it. 
 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ev1zHPp_O-Y&t=3950s

Edited April 25, 2022 by ksbsnowowl

[ced1106]

15 hours ago, strawhat said:

I work exclusively with the MSP, not that I'm of such a skill level that it would make much difference (and, if I were, I would probably know how much water/medium to add to things where they needed to be...), but I'd like to be aware of the change.

 

I work exclusively with what's on sale 🤑 so have similar shades in different consistencies. What I've found out is that this isn't a bad thing, since you can use thicker paints for basecoating, thinner paints as color-matching thinner, etc. Craft paints are for terrain, but I tried filling a GW pot with red craft paint (the previous paint was red and dried out, of course), and, with thinner, didn't notice any change in my painting (advanced tabletop, mostly basecoat and wash for gaming rather than display). I've also found that some color primers work fine as basecoat. (Styrelrez or however it's spelled Ebony Skin is a very good brown to start with, Metal can be applied directly, and Neutral is a good khaki. Other colors I don't really recommend.) Only drawback is that I've bought so much paint that I don't think I really saved money. 🤪

 

Still waiting for more mini's in the core. CMON's prices are around 150 mini's for $100 + shipping, and this include some larger mini's and a game. Retail is also competitive for sets, though I never see bulk Reaper. Haven't missed Bones V. Still have plenty of mini's to paint from Bones I-IV, CMON's Massive Darkness and Zombicide: Black Plague, Archon, KDM, Mantic orcs and undead, etc. etc. Who remembers the Stephanie Law Dark Sword KS? 😄 

Edited April 25, 2022 by ced1106

[Looter]

59 minutes ago, YronimosW said:

The 3" base looks fine to me - I know the long-time Reaper backers as a rule demand MOREBIGGERDRAGON, but that dragon looks fantastic to me, as-is - that's a great size for gaming!

 

 

Not to be a wise guy, but both paint sets are "Master Series Core Colours Paints" - it's right there on the images.  According to Reaper in Update 39:

• Q:  WhiteWulfe 1 day ago  "Moderately surprised to see the paints are for the MSP line and not Bones... Or are the two lines being merged despite their differences?"
• A:  ReaperRonCollaborator 1 day ago  "Right. We're merging the two lines into one...Master Series Core Color Paints. Or, just Core Color Paints."

 

 

I'm guessing it's something that hasn't gotten an official announcement (yet), but is expected to happen by the time this KS fulfills.

 

They both look like fine paint sets, I'll be grabbing both unless they drop so many things I can't resist by the end of the Kickstarter that I have to pick and choose what is within my budget, and the paints get left out.

 

 

Kind of weird to me with seemingly half the backers complaining that the lack of waves gives them no reason to back early insisting they'll wait for the end of the Kickstarter to decide if there's anything they want to back for, that most everyone seems to be taking that to mean that the Kickstarter has already ended in disastrous failure and that all the people who are going to back it have already backed it.

 

There's more than one reason to think that meeting or exceeding past Kickstarter numbers will be a big challenge for Reaper in a post-COVID world, but the Kickstarter is hardly over - there's just no incentive to back before the final day of the Kickstarter, which is traditionally when a lot of backing has happened anyway even when there were waves and disposable income to spare. I'm sure Reaper really hoped to have a lot more unlocked earlier in the Kickstarter, but we can expect to see a lot of items unlocked by the last day of the Kickstarter when the backers waiting for the last minute come in, as they have in the past - it's just a question of how many, compared to previous Kickstarters.

 

 

 

If you think you'll want a Core Set and see a good deal for it, grab it.  I see people in every Kickstarter kick themselves later for passing on the Kickstarter prices, and then finding the prices later only getting higher and higher.  It's an inflationary market - the prices will never be this low again.

 

And I wouldn't turn up my nose at this Kickstarter's core set, either - lots of great stuff in there, no matter what the nay-sayers are saying.  Check out what they were saying in the last two Kickstarters - and no doubt before them, too:

  Reveal hidden contents

Bones 5:

• JDizzO:  "I think [Bones 5] will be the first time I don't get a core set, not that anything is wrong with it. I just am a bit more picky..."
• Pegazus: "...Currently only want 30 out of the 95 items in the [Bones 5] core set..."
• Bane Of Humanity:  "...The [Bones 5] Core set - This looks like I will be cherry picking out of here. There are a lot of good hero minis but the monsters Im not a fan of..."
• Arkady:  "...I for one am honestly not super keen on yet another Bones core set..."
• wdmartin:  "...but I don't think I can really justify pledging for a [Bones 5] core set when only a small fraction of it really appeals..."
• Knight of the Dinner Table:  "...The [Bones 5] core set is not really very interesting for me..."
• Thrym:  "...I currently own SO MANY player character miniatures that I don't pledge directly for the [Bones 5] CORE Set anymore...."
• Loim:  "...and I hope there will be a way to take certain pieces of the [Bones 5] core set , as I don't want all of it...."
• Glitterwolf:  "...I have such a backlog that I have become very selective and therefore find the [Bones 5] core set and most of the expansions not worth it for me..."
• Nunae:  "...the core set might be weak to some. I‘m only on my 2nd kickstarter and I‘m already a lot more picky. The [Bones 5] core set doesn‘t feel as amazing value if you don‘t have use for every single figure..."
• Inarah:  "...I have so many random figures I'm just not sure of the [Bones 5] core set at this point..."
• Argentee:  "...But after 4 core sets I'm running out of justification for 'big collection of random minis'..."
• ced1106:  "...I'm not "hating" the [Bones 5] core set or expect Reaper to "cater to my every whim", but I'm not as enthusiastic as I was for it compared to previous Bones. The Bones V core set isn't as focused as Bones IV and other Bones cores for generic fantasy adventuring...."
• Skallabjorn:  "...I have such a backlog that I have become very selective and therefore find the [Bones 5] core set and most of the expansions not worth it for me..."
• Inarah:  "...We looked at the [Bones 5] core set and decided to pass on it..."
• Hikikomori:  "...I'm still on the fence about [Bones 5] core set vs selected extras..."
• Kendal:  "...The [Bones 5] Core set and the Daimyo set don't have a strong attraction from me, the dark depths, greek odyssey and brinewind have potential, but I doubt they'll be completed goals..."

Bones 4:

• NecroMancer:  "...I'm only in for $1 as of now (sorry I know that doesn't help SG) but not seeing much in the [Bones 4] core set that catches my eye as a need..."
• Cyradis:  "...Is it bad that I'm not too enthusiastic about the dragon in the [Bones 4] core set...?"
• Sirithiliel:  "...or getting the whole [Bones 4] core set . While i like dragons, that one isn't quite as exciting enough for me to go in for the full core set..."
• NecroMancer:  "...Still not sold on the [Bones 4] core set..."
• Sirithiliel:  "...the [Bones 4] core set just isn't doing it for me..."
• LittleBluberry:  "...right now I'm thinking that I might still be able to follow through on my intention to not actually get a [Bones 4] core set..."
• Malgus:  "...there are more than enough animals and goblins in the [Bones 4] core set . On to the good stuff!"
• Bane Of Humanity:  "...Does the initial beginning of the [Bones 4] core set seem smaller than before?"
• Sirithiliel:  "...i would've loved something different for the [Bones 4] core set 's 'bad guy mob' though. We have tons of goblins in Bones now..."
• JDizzO:  "...I am sure by the end there will be enough in the [Bones 4] core set to justify getting it rather than piecing it out. Not a fan of 24 goblin sculpts I already have, not to mention I like the sculpts I have already painted better than these..."
• NecroMancer:  "...Maybe I was a little harsh with my comment because there are a couple things I might grab out of the core set if it gets broken up. But I don't game so towns folk don't appeal to me and neither do goblins or kobolds. And I don't really like very many of the core set sculpts..."
• Argentee:  "...I'm not really thrilled that there is [a dragon] in the [Bones 4] core set . I don't use dragons as enemies for my players...."
• Sirithiliel:  "...I like some of the figures in the main [Bones 4] core set , but not enough to warrant spending $100..."
• Ratmaster2000:  "...so far I am holding judgement on the [Bones 4] core set till we see more unlocked. Hopefully one or two more big guys and more interesting things may make me want to stretch 100 bucks out..."
• T'hain Esh Kelch:  "...[a dragon] is certainly not anything that would draw me to the [Bones 4] core set , and I am a dracophilic..."
• Pegazus:  "...I'm not of the opinion that the [Bones 4] core set is filled with crap, just that it's got things I don't want. The goblins being the big push back. But rather than getting worked up over it, I have embraced the Zen of Not Buying the Core..."
• Looter:  "...Oh I am sure there will be some cool stuff added but this [Bones 4] is the first core set I have looked at and said flat out I don't want most of it. That Dragon thing? It is the ugliest dragon I have yet seen reaper make..."
• Looter:  "...In many ways the [Bones 4] core set of this has been very sub par and I look at it now and say 'Oh yay More Goblins, or Oh boy I never wanted Kobolds...'"
• Risible:  "Really not happy about Baba being included in the [Bones 4] core set . Having gotten the core set in the last three Kickstarters I was going to give this one a pass..."

 

 

(And I take it many of them ended up getting the core sets in those Kickstarters in the end when the final stuff unlocked anyway, while others would later regret their decision to skip the core sets!)

 

If you can find a good bargain and are into gaming (especially if you also know others into gaming), grab the core sets. Sell the stuff you don't want later, at a premium if you can (and you probably can.)  At worst, you've got give-way stocking-stuffer gifts for other gamers you know.

 

Bones 6 Core Set is hardly a bust at the moment, and Reaper probably aren't through adding value to it:

 

 

That's...

  Reveal hidden contents

• A Lich-King and a skeletal huntsman (sure, we've all got lots of undead figures by now, but probably not many of these characters...)
• A very nice Nightmare
• A great-looking "not-beholder" (would mix well with Denizens of the Dungeon)
• A "not Shambling-Mound" Bog-Thing (would mix well with Brierwood)
• A golem or earth-elemental
• A two-headed troll (would mix well with Denizens of the Dungeon)
• Four mud-men (or lava men, slime-people, water elementals, etc.) (would mix well with Brierwood)
• A were-rat and were-bear (would mix well with Denizens of the Dungeon)
• A cool cat-dragon, a rabbit-unicorn-thing, owlbear hatchling, and a batch of familiars/animal companions (would mix well with Brierwood)
• A vicious-looking panther or other large cat (as an "elven cat"/"fairy cat", would mix well with Brierwood)
• Three excellent witches and a cauldron (would mix well with Brierwood)
• A warg and wolf-pack (would mix well with Brierwood)
• A giant ant infestation
• A few mongrel-folk and a handful of fire-newt lizard-people (would mix well with Denizens of the Dungeon)
• A nice young silver dragon (halfling rider is no doubt optional, but they look great as a team)
• A ready-made four-piece adventuring party (great backup models for those gamers who never have their own adventurers!)
• A nice three-piece adventuring party (again, great backup models for gamers without their own hero minis, and also great for NPCs)
• Five gnome adventurers or NPCs (would go great with Brierwood...)
• Several fine dwarf adventurers
• Several misc. adventurers/NPCs (including great hooded male and female adventurer suitable for rogues, assassins, cultists, mysterious quest-givers and contacts..., as well as evil sorcerers (what sort of fantasy GM doesn't need a sorcerer at some point?), some clerics, wizards, monks....)
• Four town guards
• A dancing devil-girl and four Sophies (make great stand-ins for tieflings, succubi, erinyes, etc.; omit the wings if you must, and they make fine NPCs...)
• Several Brinewind and Dreadmere characters (make great NPCs, adventurers, townsfolk, villains, and more)
• a bazillion zombies
• about 50 bases

 

 

 

That comes out to something like 100 minis (so far, with more on the way), at about US $1.25 per mini, so far - that's not bad, especially considering that price includes trolls, dragons, and other large beasts, and doesn't include the bases (which are a nice "bonus"!)  And that's $1.25 a piece for Bones Black figures - a typical human-sized Bones Black figure in Reaper's shop sells for just about US $6.00 - you're looking at quite a deep discount when backing the Kickstarter, even if you don't want or like half, two-thirds, or even 3/4s of the minis involved!!  The Core Sets always take a beating in Kickstarter comments and enthusiasm threads, but they're nothing to sneeze at, if you're looking for inexpensive gaming minis, and especially if you don't already have a big collecition of minis!

 

I am of the opinion that the core sets were not that great since the price increase.  While there is quite a few figures many of them are useless trash enemies for a campaign and waiting two years for junk I can have printed in the mall on demand is just not really all that interesting.  I don't think the very plain mini's this years core set has is all that interesting as pretty much the standard mage, fighter, rogue, cleric has been one of the most commonly made mini ideas of the last few decades.  

 

I also think it being post-covid has essentially nothing to do with the success of this Kickstarter, as most places that sold the figures individually from other sources are now out of business.  In fact the other myriad list of reasons this Kickstarter is flagging are much more of an issue;

*The extended time of fulfillment.  (Understandable)

*The increased cost (Understandable)

*The lack of large figures (very sad, this is one place where I get those large figures)

*The lack of wave shipping.  (Understandable yet mishandled)

 

The things I do not like about this are few yet important to me:

*I love really big neat things,

*I want more unique figures like the Were-Bear, not things like giant ants which are often able to be found as childrens toys,

*I do not like the big $50 sets with so much large bits of Terrain, this makes it seem like an expensive encounter without the personality of one, or of a small collection of playable mini's and terrain that is possibly not as useful as the small encounter sets from previous Bones launches.

*I want more races like the Were-Bear, the two-headed troll, the salamander people.   Those are just plain new and fantastic.  More zombies, skeletons, humans, elves, dwarves (my favorite by the way) are just not going to cut it anymore.

*Going from the last one more cultures with figures from that culture like the olympus expansion from Bones 5.  That was fantastic.

 

Anyway.  I think we all just want more and better options, not just more of the same we have already gotten.

[Adrift]

I hypothesize that the lack of allowing people to add-on groups from the core set is eating up a significant amount of $$ growth during the KS. If they open that option up during the PM phase, I bet they’ll see a tremendous spike. Good for them in the aftermath, not good for the KS campaign and unlocking more goals. 

 

I get that it may also be a logistical nightmare for them during fulfillment, but if it adds a couple $100k to the campaign…

[WhiteWulfe]

What Adrift said is pretty much the same for me.  I'd love several things in the core, and would pay for some of the breakouts if they were actually offered...   But I'm not buying a box where 80% of the things are of no interest to me. 

[haldir]

2 hours ago, Nunae said:

I felt like they said 3 inch (as opposed to 2 inch). I also like her at that scale.

 

It feels like we're back at a more reasonable pace with the unlocks, but I'm also a bit unsure if we will see all the teased encounter sets. The big "wow" pieces aren't as plentiful as some have pointed out, but going through my collection this weekend, I noticed how many of those show-stoppers haven't been released to retail.

Even Bones IV models like the Dragon Turtle, Blacksting or the Roc aren't in the store and that kickstarter has been fulfilled years ago. I also remember Ron talking about the possibilty of the pirate ship never being released to retail.

Maybe those big models aren't a great investment for after the kickstarter? In that case I can totally understand Reaper focussing on stuff they can actually sell, not just ship as rewards.

 

The Roc is out at retail. Pirate ship is only available from Reaper. Now they may have still have had a pallet left of them, but they were selling them at ReaperCon last year.

[Smokestack]

I am waffling, but will likely get the Core set. I didnt get the core in Bones 5... after getting 2 core sets in 1-4. I am really only wanting the core this time because they arent breaking it apart... if they did, I likely would not get the core... I wonder if that is also a factor in their decision. The thought that people just wont get the core if they can just buy the pieces that they want.

 

The one major thing i am missing in this is teh encounters. I thought they were the best part of Bones 5... but we have not had a single encounter and with 4 days, 5? left, it doesnt look like we will get a single one this time. 

 

There is still more than enough in this Kickstarter for me to keep my pledge... but I will admit, i thought about dropping out and backing Anastyr instead. 

[GoldenPiggy]

I fully intend to get the core set.  I can understand those who don't want it because they already have similar miniatures in their collections, but anyone who says it just isn't very good or isn't a good value just looks crazy to me.  There are plenty of things in there I don't really want or need, but more than enough that I do.

1 minute ago, Smokestack said:

The one major thing i am missing in this is the encounters. I thought they were the best part of Bones 5... but we have not had a single encounter and with 4 days, 5? left, it doesnt look like we will get a single one this time. 

Did you miss the owlbears?  This time's encounters are renamed "Legendary Tales," which is not exactly an improvement in naming.  But we do have one encounter set, and we will see if we actually get any more.  I think we will, though I don't know what they are waiting for.

 

[ttuckerman]

7 minutes ago, Smokestack said:

I am waffling, but will likely get the Core set. I didnt get the core in Bones 5... after getting 2 core sets in 1-4. I am really only wanting the core this time because they arent breaking it apart... if they did, I likely would not get the core... I wonder if that is also a factor in their decision. The thought that people just wont get the core if they can just buy the pieces that they want.

 

The one major thing i am missing in this is teh encounters. I thought they were the best part of Bones 5... but we have not had a single encounter and with 4 days, 5? left, it doesnt look like we will get a single one this time. 

 

There is still more than enough in this Kickstarter for me to keep my pledge... but I will admit, i thought about dropping out and backing Anastyr instead. 

Owlbear

[BlackCatHobby]

49 minutes ago, Adrift said:

I hypothesize that the lack of allowing people to add-on groups from the core set is eating up a significant amount of $$ growth during the KS. If they open that option up during the PM phase, I bet they’ll see a tremendous spike. Good for them in the aftermath, not good for the KS campaign and unlocking more goals. 

 

I get that it may also be a logistical nightmare for them during fulfillment, but if it adds a couple $100k to the campaign…

 

I'm not sure if they announced the break-up of the core set in Bones V whilst the campaign was going, I think it came later in the PM. Maybe I wasn't paying attention but I was delighted when I realised in the PM that I could add extras! I think they'll do some break outs but won't announce till after we're done. 

[Guyra]

I think Shimmerscale looks great as a 3" dragon. I think I'd probably get more use out of it in that size as well... That said, still unlikely to get that expansion anyway. 😛 

 

8 minutes ago, BlackCatHobby said:

I'm not sure if they announced the break-up of the core set in Bones V whilst the campaign was going, I think it came later in the PM. Maybe I wasn't paying attention but I was delighted when I realised in the PM that I could add extras! I think they'll do some break outs but won't announce till after we're done. 

 

Oh, that was definitely available during the KS itself. 🙂 (You can actually go to the KS page and see it.)

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Guyra