Wizkids range of sprue-based hard plastic kits is an interesting new direction for their Dungeons and Dragons models. The majority of Wizkids out put are soft-plastic pre-painted pieces that are difficult to modify. The Frameworks range are hard plastic, un-painted and unassembled. Let’s take a quick look at some of the monster models in the range.
Night Hags are powerful fiends from the lower planes, capable of casting horrific magics. They’re the witches from fairy tales, down to the inhuman appearance and boiling cauldrons. The kit comes with two sprues; one hard grey plastic and the other is translucent. The latter consists of a variety of energy effects; arcane bolts, boiling potions and a steam-like creature that’s meant to be coming out of the cauldron. The model itself is a hunched and eerie figure and the kit has a load of accessories, everything from a plate of food to a bag of gold. This is a fun set with a lot of options, including a cute ginger-bread man for that proper fairy-tale feel.
The Drider is half-spider, half-drow centaur like monstrosity, favoured by the Demonweb goddess, Lolth. It’s the sort of thing that would give Drizzt himself pause. This is a fiddly and complicated kit, as you’d expect from a multi-limbed monster. It’s fun to put together but does require patience and some experience putting models together. The drow half is well-sculpted and they are multiple weapon options. It also comes some cute extras, including a little spider pet.
Orcs are standard monster in D&D. The Orc Barbarian kit is a single sprue set, with options including a treasure chest, pick-axe, shield and a head with really silly antler horns. It’s a really easy build and a stoutly sculpted orc. It’s a solid kit with lots of options.
A similarly single sprue kit is the Mind Flayer, the squid like brain-eating monsters that inspired the horrors from Stranger Things. It’s a delicate looking piece that’s surprisingly sturdy. It comes with an intellect devourer (a brain on legs) and other little squid-like bits of detail.
The Minotaur is a two sprue kit and this is solid looking, traditional style Minotaur. Like the others, it has a fixed pose with various options to aid in converting. It’s easy to assemble and the two available heads are either ‘huge horns’ or ‘belowing’. We also get two axe options and they’ve really leaned into the labyrinth here.
Overall this is a very promising range. You will absolutely fill you spare parts/bits box with extra modelling options if you use these models, and they’re great for hobby modellers who also like D&D.
