The D&D scenario Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is a low-level heist style adventure designed to ease players into the Forgotten Realms and familiarise the party with some of the more colourful creatures that lurk in Waterdeep, aka The City of Splendours. Waterdeep is meant to be one of most cosmopolitan cities in D&D canon, so the adventures set their tend to be wild and memorable.
Wizkids have thoughtfully produced two sets of pre-painted miniatures to accompany the Dragon Heist book (and add flavour to any Waterdeep campaign). Set One is comprised of characters of potential villains; all larger than life types who can become the Big Bad End Guy for your D&D party.
Notably Set One features the Beholder, Xanathar. The quirky flying eye-ball monster is smaller than your average beholder but it also happens to be a deadly crime-lord. Think Jabba The Hutt, but with tentacles that can shoot magical eye-beams. The model is fun, if a little goofy, and the eye-stalks are all pointed at one thing, as if Xanathar is really paying attention to you. The box also contains Sylgar, the Beholder’s beloved pet fish. It’s held in a impressive looking goldfish bowl, of course. Woe betide any hero who decides to abscond with that bit of treasure however.
Aurinax is an adult male golden dragon who likes to use magic to transform into mortals. The set gives us the dwarven form, who is ridiculous looking elderly dwarf. It’s a very nicely done piece and wields a very well realised dragonstaff. Ammalia Cassalanter is a highborn lady who wields incredible magical power and is utterly evil, dealing with the darkest of magics. The model is well designed take on the character, right down to the huge hand-fan and massive bustles.
The set includes Ammalia’s husband, Victoro. He’s depicted here as a renaissance era duellist and the model is done very well, with an eye to being used as something else in other games. Great as a villain or character piece, and we were impressed how well the moustache was painted on.
Manshoon is a powerful wizard and agent of that most sinister of conspiracies, the Zhentarim. Depicted generating magical energy from his hands and accompanied by his pet flying snake, this is a nicely sinister piece.
Also holding their ‘pet’ is the Mindflayer Nihloor. The brain-eating monster can be a key villain in the game, as this kind of monster is incredibly dangerous. He cradles a weird brain with legs thing called an intellect devourer. It’s a fun if odd piece.
Finally we get Jarlaxle Baenre, a dapper drow who fancies themselves as Lord of the pirate town, Luskan. He’s meant to be an icredible schemer and swordsman. The model does him justice, making him look both heroic and untrustworthy.
Set Two is comprised of potential allies, including the mechanical sword’s man Nimblewright and the surprisingly competent wizard, Barnibus Blastwind. They are seven models in total in this set and it has more utility; with the exception of Nimblewright these pieces are normal enough to be used as proxies for other characters.
