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DND with Minis vs. Theater-of-the-Mind

Playing D&D is great fun, and I have been adventuring with my friends for many years. We have always played the game around the table with just our character sheet, notes and dice. The DM might have a hand drawn map, but for the most part all encounters are just described in what is called the Theater-of-the-Mind style of play.

TotM can lead to confusion. “Wait, how many goblins are left?”, or “I said I was hiding behind the pillar!”, or the classic: “I didn’t ask you how big the room is–I cast Fireball!” Many of the rules in D&D are very tactical in nature. Players are aware how many feet they can move per turn, their weapon ranges, what the bonuses are for 1/2 or 3/4 cover, and are constantly peppering the DM with questions to clarify the described situation. Miniatures solve many of these issues.

With terrain and miniatures, it is very easy to see who is in the area of effect when the Fireball spell goes off. Miniatures provide clarity vs. chaos, save time and avoid unnecessary arguments.

Theater-of-the-mind may be great for most D&D encounters, and some players think that playing with minis will make the game feel too much like a boardgame. This is a valid. If the Dungeon Master gives a great description of the boss encounter, it can really come to life in the players imagination. However, what gets imagined is going to be slightly different for each player….

This party of gnome adventures is exploring the room, when behind them they hear the scrape of stone on stone…

The Dungeon Master says, “You turn and see a large mountain troll, with a stone axe”. As a player you may wonder what a mountain troll looks like, or how big it is relative to you; whether you should start running or draw your sword.

The DM says, “roll initiative” ominously, as he places the mountain troll mini onto the table. The players eyes go wide. They see it’s size. The immediate, visceral understanding of the threat is an “oh $#!%” moment.

Don’t just describe the threat. Make them feel it…

The moment you place that troll on the table, the game’s tension skyrockets. It is no longer an abstract concept; it’s a physical problem they need to solve. Miniatures are not mere game pieces, but are tools for creating sharper, more dramatic, and more memorable stories at your table.

These are all miniatures and terrain that I have sculpted, and are available in my shop

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Basic Dungeon Blocks

Maybe you are a “Theater of the Mind” player that has avoided using minis and terrain… Sometimes there just isn’t room on the table for terrain. I see very impressive 8′ long tables with thousands of dollars worth of Dwarven Forge tiles, and while it looks awesome, it just isn’t going to work for a group of players at the kitchen table.

While a dry-erase mat is a good compromise, it lacks the appeal of seeing your carefully painted minis in their natural setting–the Dungeon. I felt there was a need for something small and simple, that would allow the DM to quickly layout the map for a combat encounter or boss battle. That led me to creating these Basic Dungeon Blocks. You arrange them and stack them just like children’s toy blocks!

They are simple building blocks based on a 1″ cube. There is also a game mat made from 6″ tiles, so that you have a gridded surface to build and play on.

Using these building blocks, you can quickly layout the dimensions of the room or corridor. How many times have you had a player insist that they weren’t in the room when you asked their character to roll a saving throw? Having some terrain and minis avoids confusion and allows the DM to be clear with the obstacles that the characters are facing.

There are a variety of Blocks, stairs, arches, doorways (with working doors), pillars. Even curved blocks for building a sewer–Or a Dwarven Skatepark! And because they are based on 1″ cubes, they can also be used with ANY other terrain system (such as PuzzleLock Dungeon II) to customize an area.

The files for this set are available on Cults3D

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Exclusively at Cults3D

For 3Dprintable files of my work, I have decided to sell the exclusively on Cults3D. I have been on there since they first started, and I think that it is the best platform.

Here are some facts about Cults, from their website:

  • Created in 2014, Cults is the 1st independent platform in the 3D printable files market (we do not belong to a group).
  • Today, we have 11.1 million international makers members registered on our platform.
  • We welcome more than 5,000 new members every day.
  • The platform currently hosts 2.07 million printable designs and a community of 176 thousand designers specialized in 3D printing.
  • Our platform is visited more than 200,000 times per day and we have an audience of 7.3 millions visits per month.
  • We have 55.4 millions page views per month and 3.2 millions unique visitors.
  • We are translated into 7 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, and Simplified Chinese.
  • The geographic breakdown is as follows: 50% Europe – 40% America – 10% Asia & Oceania.

I have tried other platforms, like DriveThruRPG and MyMiniFactory, but they do not have the same reach and visibility as Cults, and it just made sense to me to have all of my STL files in one location.

STL files are used to 3Dprint miniatures and terrain at home on a personal 3Dprinter. For physical minis and figurines, those are available from my Etsy Shop.

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How big are they?

I’ve added these dimensioned drawings to all of the miniatures in my shop, because there can be a lot of confusion about scale when it comes to miniatures.

D&D is nominally 28mm scale, but what does that mean when it comes to miniature gnomes? The grid for D&D is 1″ squares, and each square represents 5′ (60 inches). So the actual scale is 1:60.

A 6′ tall (72″) human would be 1.2 inches (30.5mm) at this scale. Because of the history of wargaming, some people would measure from the bottom of the foot to the eyeline (ignoring hats and helmets) and see that is was around 28mm, while others might measure the whole figure and see it around 32mm…However, the true scale for the game is still 1:60

A Gnome is only around 3′ tall in D&D, and a Gonk Gnome maybe 2′-3′ which will mean that they are a lot shorter than a human. At 1:60 scale, a gnome might stand between 15-18mm tall (not including his cap)! A Gonk would be a little shorter, about 12-15mm without a cap.

Now what gets confusing is the “Scale creep” where the miniatures started getting bigger, and called “28mm Heroic”–which itself is not actually any scale! and then the oversized minis started to be called 32mm scale. And since the advent of 3Dprinting, the sizes of the minis has gotten all over the place!

This is the reason for the dimensions in my shop. The 28mm D&D is the default, which is true to 1:60 scale to match the grid. I am also selling the 32mm Heroic size (which is 125% of the original), and a Display/”Box Art” size which is 200% of the original–This is for miniature painters, and collectors who want to be able to see more details, rather than for playing the game.

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Dungeon Vibes, Miniature Painting

When I painted my PuzzleLock Dungeon, I simulated torchlight with drybrushed oranges and yellows. In the same way, I wanted to give a “dungeon vibe” to these minis by painting an undercoat to simulate torchlight. This is a variation on zenithal highlighting.

Starting with a black primer over the entire mini, then came back with a blue-gray ambient light which is drybrushed on top. Since the idea is to give it an ambient occlusion, I payed attention to the angle of my brush, leaving the underside and recessed areas black.

Next I used some oranges to start simulating the torchlight. I chose one side/direction for the mini which would be accented with torchlight, and carefully drybrushed the areas that would be hit by this light. Using the handle of the brush as the direction of the light, I was able to see where the light would hit, and where it would falloff.

I started with a pretty deep orange, and then added a little yellow to it as I went back over the areas that would be closest to the light. When I painted the actual torch, I went another shade lighter by adding more yellow, and finally white.

Here I’ve repeated the same steps on a larger figurine

I painted the colors in thin layers, allowing the underneath colors to influence it. The only place the color is almost the pure hue is on the bright side closest to the torchlight. The colors on the far side end up a bit muted and darker.

I used a wash of Army Painter Soft Tone over the paint job, which darkened the colors even more in the recessed areas.

Overall I am happy with the way it turned out. Even the minis not carrying a torch have one side accented with the torchlight, and they all fit together naturally as the under painted lighting ties them all together.

Give this a try on your next group of adventurers! Let me know what you think in the comments.

These minis and figurines are available in my Etsy shop. If you would like to 3Dprint them yourself, the STL files are available at Cults3D.

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Gnomess Rogue

She is a little cutpurse female gnome that I sculpted for my Etsy shop. I offer her painted or unpainted, as a D&D sized miniature, or display sized–even Garden sized!

Are you a discerning gamer who demands the best? Do you want to take your tabletop experience to the next level? Look no further! My handcrafted gnomes are designed to bring a touch of magic to your game, with intricate details and textures that will amaze your players.

By choosing my gnomes, you’re not just buying a miniature – you’re making a statement. You’re showing that you have an eye for quality, a passion for the game, and a desire to create an unforgettable experience for your fellow players. My gnomes are not mass-produced or generic; each one is carefully crafted with love and attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect is a delight to behold.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a gamer looking to upgrade your game, my gnomes are the perfect choice. They’ll add a personal touch to your game, spark conversations, and inspire new adventures. So why settle for ordinary when you can have extraordinary? Choose my gnomes and elevate your game to new heights! #GnomeMiniatures #TabletopGaming #MiniatureCollectors #GamingWithStyle

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Hand-Painting and Size Options added to my Etsy shop!

Now when you buy one of my Gnome miniatures on Etsy, you can choose between 3 size options, and whether you would like it unpainted, or hand-painted!

  • 28mm (D&D)
  • 10cm (4″), Display
  • 20cm (8″), Garden

There are a lot of different designs available, and I’m always adding more. So whether you are looking for a mini for your Dungeons & Dragons character, or you want to make a badass fairy garden, there is a gnome for you!

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PuzzleLock Dungeon II

PuzzleLock Dungeon II is a 3Dprintable terrain system for tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder. Bring your miniatures game to life with this immersive, detailed dungeon.

There are 47 unique STL files in this set. Not just tiles–print entire rooms and corridors! The innovative offset wall design gives you the full grid to play on. The walls are 32mm tall (overall 35mm), so they will not obscure the miniatures. The pieces connect with my original PuzzleLock. No clips, no magnets, they connect like a jigsaw puzzle!

The doorways feature working doors! There is a pin edge to the doors, with corresponding holes in the doorways.

Pillars, stairways and rubble are scatter terrain. Place them directly on top of the tiles to create unique rooms.

There are also many tiles to let you build any room that your dungeon may require.

The entire PuzzleLock Dungeon II set of STL files is exclusively available on Cults3D for only $10.

If you have just discovered PuzzleLock, you might also like to check out PuzzleLock Caves and PuzzleLock Sewers & Undercity!

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Smokin’ Gnome

I was sitting on the edge of the woods, smoking my pipe. listening to the wind in the trees and watching a couple of squirrels. I had work that I needed to do, but I decided that I also needed a break.

That became my inspiration for a new gnome. I did a few doodles and came up with a pose that I liked. I also wanted to have him on a mossy log or branch, so I adjusted the sketch until I had a final concept.

The first thing that I did in ZBrush was to rough in where the gnome would be sitting, and also match the diameter of the base with a 3″ wood base that I planned to use.

I exported my sketch from Procreate with a transparent background as a .PNG file. This allows me to load the image into Spotlight inside of ZBrush and float it above my workspace as a reference, without the background obscuring my viewport. The Stump is drawn with Zspheres to match the sketch.

After converting it into a mesh, I sculpted the wood and extracted some bark. then once that was ready, I masked and extracted the areas that I wanted to be covered with moss. To create the moss texture, I used surface noise and inflate.

I started blocking in the gnome with two spheres and a cone. I used the curve tube brush to draw the legs and arms (you can see the right arm in this screenshot is still just a tube). Those simple shapes are subdivided and dynameshed so that the details can be sculpted. the beard area is just roughed in, because I know I will be building it later.

Here is a closeup of that arm. The arm and hand are finished, holding the pipe. I’ve extracted geometry to make the sleeve. I will use the cloth move brush to shape it before sculpting the details and stitching…

The beard is made using the Alpha curve brush. Each lock of hair is drawn as a curve, with an irregular shaped black and white image defining the cross-section of the lock of hair as it is extruded along the curve. The lock is tapered at one end, and because the stroke is a curve, you can manipulate it, twist it and move it into place before you commit to it.

Here is the model, 3Dprinted in resin. I was very pleased that all of my mushrooms printed and nothing broke off! Printed with Mighty4K using 3DRS Hard Grey resin.

Using an airbrush, I primed the model in black. Then I used grey primer at a downward angle to simulate ambient lighting. The “zenithal” priming brings out the details and will enhance the painting, even though it will be covered.

I have made a step-by-step tutorial, if you are wanting to paint your own gnomes–Here is the link

Here is the finished gnome, enjoying his pipe!

I hope that you enjoyed this look at the process. If you are into 3Dprinting, you can get the STL to print your own on my Patreon. If you would like to just buy the finished figurine, I have them available (unpainted, bronze, hand-painted) on my Etsy shop.

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Girl Gnomes

These are some gnomess miniatures that I made, which you would not be embarrassed to give your daughter for her D&D character. There is no shortage of female character minis out there, but many of them have a “pinup” aesthetic… I’m not against that, but I wanted to make my figures attractive rather than sexy.

The Gnomess Cleric was my first girl gnome,created to go with my other Guardin’ Gnomes.

This Gnomess Warrior has scalemail armor, helm and shield. She also has a Scarlet Johannson smile!

The Gnomess Ranger has studded leather armor, short sword and bow. She is super cute–but I may think so because she looks like my granddaughter!

All of these girl gnomes are available on my Etsy shop. Scales are 28mm D&D, 32mm Heroic, 54mm, 75mm, and 100mm.