Unique miniatures can really set the stage for a great Dungeons and Dragons session, so we were naturally drawn to these brilliant, handmade, handpainted wooden DnD minis by amateur woodcarver Johnny Layton, 44.
There’s something so satisfyingly geometric and tactile-looking about them, which helps us to really picture playing with them at the table. Perhaps they wouldn’t fit in a grimdark DnD campaign full of character death and misery, but they’d definitely be ideal in a more wholesome, family-friendly game.
Layton created this adventuring party with three DnD classes, a Ranger, Wizard, and Fighter (Knight). He tells Wargamer his plan was to make something that would inspire others to jump into the woodcarving hobby.
“I love wood carving and I want to make it more accessible to folks,” he says. “In the digital age we spend too much time not working with our hands or using our imagination.”
The human characters are great, of course, but the best model in this collection of figures has got to be that adorable DnD dragon. The only problem with it, is that it would have to be an NPC. There’s no way I’m slaying an animal with such a happy face, and those big eyes. It’s like Toothless from How to Train your Dragon, but with more golden retriever energy.
Layton says his plan is to use the models as decoration, rather than in a real DnD game, posting online that he made them for his book cases. But he says, “I think Woodcarving, as a hobby, can have a lot of overlap with DnD, especially if you get into carving your own miniatures for characters and campaigns.”
If you want to have your own handcrafted minis, Layton’s message is to get out there and make them yourself. “It’s time,” he writes. “There are few hobbies as affordable to start as whittling or woodcarving, and the amount of cool stuff you can make is as limitless as your own imagination.”
All you need is the right wood and the right knife. Oh, and a carving glove – don’t work without one of those, unless you want to be making some unfortunate saving throws.
For more Dungeons and Dragons news, follow us on Google News. And to increase your tabletop expertise, check out our extensive guides to all the DnD classes and DnD races.