http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mi/20080508a

 

The rumbling you hear in the distance is something Huge coming your way.

Against the Giants will be our third foray into Huge miniatures. For this set, we've once again reexamined how figures are distributed across the rarities. As in War of the Dragon Queen, there are six uncommon Huge figures and six rare Huge figures, with a rare Huge being found on average in one out of three boosters.

We've changed how the other figures are distributed, too. In addition to the 12 Huge figures in the set, there are 18 rares, 21 uncommons, and 9 commons. In a single booster, you'll find one Huge figure (uncommon or rare), one non-Huge rare, three uncommons, and three commons.

As you might expect, Against the Giants contains a few giants and titans, all found in the 4th Edition Monster Manual. Previews of 4th Edition have mentioned the relationship between giants and titans, so for our first preview, you get to see two uncommon creatures linked to the ground beneath their feet.

Earth Titan

Formed from the elements, giants helped the primordials shape the world in the old times. The first giants were the titans -- huge, roughly shaped humanoids whose appearance clearly shows a link to the primordials and their elemental origin. Formed from the bedrock of the world, the Earth Titan is one such titan.

You've seen this guy's little brother a few times before in the D&D Miniatures line -- the Hill Giant. Now meet the Earth Titan, the lowest-level titan in the new Monster Manual. More monstrous than the hill giant, the Earth Titan is a great example of how giants and titans work in the new edition. Titans (and to some extent giants) have a supernatural look that makes these creatures stand out as something more than just a big person.

This is also the first chance that players have to see how higher-point play works in the new D&D Miniatures battle game rules. The Earth Titan's card is a gold color, making it instantly stand out as something different -- something only for epic battles. There are 13 creatures in Against the Giants that are only playable in formats with more than 200 points.

The Earth Titan is on the lower end of the cost scale for Huges, which for this set average to about 199 points.

Dwarf Warsword

The dwarves were also forged from bedrock, but their creator was the god Moradin. Like their stature, their power was small. Shortly after their creation, the dwarves were enslaved by the giants. During the fight between the Immortals and the Primordials, the dwarves fought their giant oppressors and were freed from a life of enslavement. Dwarves have long memories, and to this day, they despise giants and titans.

The Dwarf Warsword is one miniature with a ton of uses. When I first saw him, I thought he was a dwarf rogue. He works as a player character, a mugger in a town encounter, and he could even make a passable ranger.

In the miniatures game, this creature is hard to ignore. His damage output is pretty scary. Against a bloodied opponent that has already damaged him, the Warsword swings for 40 points of damage before adding any champion powers. If your opponent chooses to ignore him, they're in for a world of hurt. He's another creature with the Defender ability, making him a creature you want to deal with first.

Over the coming weeks, we'll preview 16 figures from the upcoming Against the Giants expansion. Next week, we'll look at two miniatures that will be useful to represent player characters in 4th Edition games.

It might be an epic (the extra mini for 500 play) not a snurre type. I hope. I dont want to see minis that are both epic/non epic go away. (mutters these strawas are getting heavy on my back).

The dwarf is pretty cool for a dwarf. Like the look. Conviluated abiltyies keep coming though 'Against a bloodied opponent that has already damaged him' soon will need a spread sheet to track damage done to whom by whom in this simpler game.

The earth titian is very blah, not something I'll want more than a token 1 of. Mountain troll would of been easy sub for it etc. Sure it's heavey to be the one chosen to throw off cherry picking.

Sad that there is no stat cards shown. That didn't last long [):]

New distrubution seems good plan. Happy to get rid of a common, despite that uncommons are harder to collect in huge  set. I wonder what price packs will be though, and I hope to all the powers in the multiverse that there is not another nightmare artwork linked screw up.

Notes: that it has always been possible toget two rares in a huge set

I like both of these minis.  I think the Earth Titan can sub in for quite a few different monsters.  I think he makes a fine Huge Earth Elemental, despite the fact he has a face.

 

Olaf the Stout

Useful enough uncommons. Whether the titan gets used as a huge earth elemental proxy or as an actual titan it will still be very RPG useful. I am glad to see the titans will likely all be uncommon since odds are they will be the only huges I'll really be interested in. Hopefully all four elements will be covered. I'd be quite curious to see what an air titan would look like. Would it be an ice creature or a living storm.

Don't really need more dwarves but I do welcome new non-heavily armored ones to some extent. At least it isn't a common since I'll only really want one. I'd be more interested in some non-heavily armored dwarf women though. Something along the lines of a rogue or a wizard like we saw in the races and classes preview book.

Ok Preview.Â

Earth Titan is awsome.  Looks like a beast.Â

Dwarf, well looks ok.Â

But no stat cards was a little disappointing.Â

6 Boosters to a Case