About Our Products

Physical Minis Starting at $19.99 - Digital at $7.99

Hero Forge® offers a wide range of materials for all your miniature needs. Our Base Plastic and Premium Plastic are great for those who want to paint their miniatures, while our Color Printed Plastic offers a fully color miniature without the need to paint. We also offer Digital STL options for those who want to print their own miniatures at home, and even 3D Virtual Tokens for use on Virtual Tabletops.

Plastic

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Our Plastic miniatures are an acrylic plastic coated with gray primer. This material is light and rigid with light print layer texture. Compared to our Premium Plastic, detail is slightly softer. It is suitable for tabletop play and for painting. This material is 3D printed using a Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA) printing technique, where a liquid resin is hardened layer by layer using UV light. These layers are printed at 100 micron (0.1 millimeter) layer thickness. Figures are printed with small support sprues which support overhangs and recessed detail during the printing process. After the print is finished, the sprues are manually removed. The plastic is rigid, though fine wire-like details should be handled with care.

Our Plastic miniatures may have small rough spots, nubs, or scoring where the support sprues have been removed, and some faint layer lines. This can result in some inconsistencies in the overall finish.

Premium Plastic

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Our Premium Plastic is our highest detail plastic option. It is a slightly glossy, opaque black color. This material is ideal for users who want the highest fidelity for their original 3D design. It is suitable for painting, for high quality display pieces, and for gentle tabletop play. This material is 3D printed using a Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA) printing technique, where a liquid resin is hardened layer by layer using UV light. These layers are printed at 50 micron (0.05 millimeter) layer thickness--twice the Z-resolution of our $19.99 plastic option. Figures are printed with small support sprues which support overhangs and recessed detail during the printing process. After the print is finished, the sprues are manually removed. The plastic is slightly flexible, though fine wire-like details should be handled with care.

Our Premium Plastic miniatures may have small rough spots, nubs, or scoring where the support sprues have been removed, and some faint layer lines. This can result in some inconsistencies in the overall finish, though these are usually indistinct after painting.

Color Plastic

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Our Color Plastic is printed using a color “inkjet” 3D printing technology, mixing a range of color materials on the fly to achieve vivid colors and clean gradients. This technology employs water-soluble support material, which means no supports or sprues are required during the printing process. The plastic is slightly flexible, though fine wire-like details should be handled with care.

Note that our design tools render at a much higher detail level than can be captured on 30mm scale model, so some fine details like a character's eyes or iris may be indistinct in the final print. While visual effects like shine and reflection are dynamically rendered in the character creator, they will be printed as non-metallic, matte textures in the final model. We switch to flattened, non-dynamic lighting when this material is selected in the Buy menu: this flattened render is representative of the actual color surface that will be reproduced during the printing process, replicated to the best of the abilities of, and within the limitations of, current color 3D printing technology.

Color prints are coated in a color-protecting sealant, which can fill in and soften some fine recessed detail; however, many details are more vivid and visible due to coloring and shading being accentuated by the model's color texture layer. This material is ideal for users who want a full color miniature without picking up a paint brush. It is suitable for high quality display pieces or for gentle tabletop play. This plastic is somewhat less durable than our other plastic materials. Some layer lines will be visible on the surface of the figures, especially in strong direct light.

Painted Plastic (Available exclusively to Kickstarter Backers)

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Our Painted Plastic miniatures are printed in high-definition, SLA plastic with similar detail and durability to our Premium Plastic material, then your color design is reproduced by hand-mixing paints and applying them using traditional miniature painting techniques. This material is ideal for users who want a full color, hand-painted miniature without picking up a paint brush. The material is suitable for high quality display pieces or for gentle tabletop play. The plastic is slightly flexible, though fine wire-like details should be handled with care.

Note that, because paints are mixed by hand, the shade and tone of some colors may differ slightly from your digital design. Also note that some fine detail that is displayed on-site, like eyes and eye color, may be indistinct or absent in the painted figure. Our Hand-Painted Plastic miniatures may have small rough spots, nubs, or scoring where the support sprues have been removed, and some faint layer lines. This is a result of the 3D printing technology employed. This can result in some minor inconsistencies in the overall finish, though these are usually indistinct after painting.

Bronze

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Our bronze material is a rich gold color. Bronze figures are very heavy and the hand-polishing process leaves them with superior smoothness and sheen. Our bronze material captures very fine detail which can include things like bold facial expressions, even at 30mm scale. Polished bronze goes through a multi-step polishing to give it its smooth, glossy finish. This material is ideal for users who want the maximum level of fidelity to their 3D design, strength and durability, and a beautiful, long-lasting model. These minis are made using the lost wax method, where a wax mold is 3D printed to create a cast in plaster. Molten bronze is poured into the cast, and the cast is broken away. This bronze is made up of 10% tin and 90% copper. Once it has cooled, the model is polished until it has a smooth, bright luster. This polishing process provides its smooth finish.

Cast figures must be polished after manufacturing. As a result, some interior or recessed detail may be difficult to reach and can have slightly lower fidelity or smoothness than exterior detail.

STL Download

In addition to physical miniatures, Hero Forge® also offers digital .stl print file distribution. These files can be loaded into your 3D printing software of choice for printing at home. 3D model files are distributed as zipped .stl files with a file size around 5-10mb. They are tessellated meshes which are not rigged for animation. Model files are distributed via your user profile page. They typically arrive within 15-30 minutes of checkout, but please allow for up to one business day: in some cases manual quality control checks are required.

Note that Hero Forge® miniatures are finely detailed scale models. As a result, some home 3D printers do not have the ability to faithfully replicate the level of detail present in the source model or have issues printing thin, free-standing “wire” parts or the thin supports necessary to support a model during the build process. As a result, Hero Forge® does not give any warranty about the models, and does not guarantee that the model will be fit for any particular purposes or be compatible with any specific make or model of printer. If you’d like to attempt printing a sample figure before purchasing, please use one of our two free sample models to try out your home printer, available on your digital orders page or below:

Paladin Example Download
Explorer Example Download

Note that we do not offer refunds or exchanges for digital models.

For more information on our digital download products and images of user prints, check out our digital download information page.

3D Tabletop Download (Compatible with Tabletop Simulator)

In addition to physical miniatures and downloadable .stl files for home printing, Hero Forge® also offers digital 3D asset bundles for use in 3D virtual tabletop applications like Berserk Games' Tabletop Simulator. 3D Tabletop Downloads are distributed in a zipped .unity3d format, include color textures, and are not rigged for animation. Model files are distributed via your user profile page. They typically arrive within 15-30 minutes of checkout, but please allow for up to one business day: in some cases manual quality control checks are required.

Note that some textures and materials may render differently on-site when compared to your virtual tabletop application. Hero Forge® does not give any warranty about the 3D Tabletop Download, and does not guarantee that the model will be fit for any particular purposes or be compatible with any specific virtual tabletop. If you’d like to examine a sample download before purchasing to verify compatibility or rendered appearance, please use our free sample model, available on your digital orders page.


Explorer Example Download

Note that we do not offer refunds or exchanges for digital models.

How to import “3D Tabletop Download” files into Berserk Games’ Tabletop Simulator:

  • While in a game, select the “Objects” tab from the navigation bar at the top of your Tabletop Simulator window
  • In the newly-opened “Objects” window, select the ”Components” option
  • In the “Components” window, select “Custom,” then select “AssetBundle”
  • Place a marker where you would like your model to be imported. This is done by right clicking on your game space. This placement can be updated later.
  • Once this marker has been placed, it will initially resemble a gray cube. Right click to open Custom Assetbundle import settings window.
  • In the “Custom Assetbundle” window, click “Browse Local Files” under “Main”. Navigate to your unzipped .unity3d asset bundle file and click “select.” Choose the “Cloud” option and select an upload location if you are playing online with others. Choose the “Local” option if you are not. We also recommend selecting “Figurine” under “Type.”
  • Click “Import.” If your model has been imported successfully, you will see a “Loading Complete” success message in green.

Note that this description may become out of date with future software updates. Please review custom assetbundle import instructions on Tabletop Simulator’s home page here.

More Materials

Our typical material options represent those that we feel are best suited for production of tabletop miniatures. However, there are countless printers and materials out there with a wide range of mechanical properties, finishes, and prices. We occasionally offer additional and/or experimental materials which can be found by clicking the "Show More" text at the bottom of our material selection tab. Clicking this text will reveal any expanded options we currently offer outside of the norm. We reserve the right to add or remove options from this expanded list at our discretion, without notice. Hero Forge® does not give any warranty about these materials, and does not guarantee that the model will be fit for any particular purposes.

Currently, the "Show More" menu includes the following:

Steel

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Our Steel material is a brownish color with a rough surface similar to cast iron. Though it is less detailed and has a rougher surface finish, steel miniatures are heavy and durable. This material is ideal for users who want the ability to throw their mini into a dice bag for transportation. These minis are created using special 3D printers that bind layers of steel powder together with adhesive. The finished model then goes through a bronze infusion process which replaces the adhesive with metal, resulting in a fully metal product. The material is 3D printed from 420 stainless steel, and is then infused with bronze to finish the print, resulting in approximately 60% steel and 40% bronze composition.

The bronze infiltration varies from print to print, resulting in some variety in coloration, ranging from very dark brown to a lighter brownish gold. Models with large overhangs may require support structures to be printable, unlike our other materials. Additionally, some of our larger "XL" parts are incompatible with the steel manufacturing process due to their size, angle, and weight. The steel option is deactivated and will not be visible when the model design is incompatible.

2X Scale Nylon Plastic

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Our Nylon Plastic material is white and has a porous, slightly rough texture. These models are manufactured at precisely 200% the size of our normal 30mm scale figures. Our nylon plastic prints typically have softer detail than our other plastic printers can produce; however, when printed at this size, fine detail remains easily readable. Note that the porous nature of this material means that it readily "drinks" paint, absorbing and softening the colors, so it is advisable to apply one or more layers of primer to serve as a base coat prior to painting. Note XL figures and XXL/mounted figures are not printable in this material and scale due to maximum size constraints, and it will not be displayed as an option.

Dice and Display Cases

Plastic Dice sets start at $9.99 USD

Metal Dice sets start at $34.99 USD


We offer dice in a wide range of colors and in both metal and plastic materials. Our dice selection is manufactured by Chessex. Note that colors and finishes may vary slightly from their on-site depiction due to variations in manufacturing and monitor calibration settings.

Each dice set includes seven polyhedral dice. Each set includes one D4, one D6, one D8, one D10 (faces 1-10), one D12, one D20, and a D10 “Percentage” die (faces showing multiples of ten from 00-90). Dice feature numeric faces and use underscoring to differentiate between 6’s and 9’s. Dice are size at 16mm - 20mm (5/8 inch - 13/16 inch).

Plastic dice sets come in a rigid plastic display case. The clear plastic of the display case measures approximately 1.5 in. x 1.5 in. x 2.5 in. They are reclosable. The display cases that come with plastic dice sets are made of an acrylic plastic. Cases may be used to store and display dice or, in some cases, Hero Forge® miniatures. Note that some extreme poses or large items may result in your miniatures exceeding the dimensions of the display case. As a result, we offer no warranty that display cases may be for any particular purpose. When using the display case for Hero Forge® miniatures, it is recommended to also include padding, like cotton or badding, to prevent your figure from tumbling freely inside of the case.

Metal dice are cast in pewter and then galvanized to achieve four different finishes. Metal dice sets are shipped in simple plastic clamshell packaging.