Week 2 of the Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece countdown begins with some attitude. This guy gives the impression that he knows what he wants. Which makes sense. He is a lich after all!

I chose this mini because of the work that went into the figure’s head. This isn’t just a standard set of assets and design tools we’re looking at. The designer, Aidan, needed to build 2 separate figures in place them within each other in order to stack the features we see here. It’s a common practice, but not an easy technique to master. It requires a lot of tedious manipulation of the overlaying figures in order to achieve the desired look. Aidan put the time in, and I respect that. That’s why Dracolich warlock is number 7 in this week’s Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece lineup

Today’s Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece combines dynamic movement, excellent asset manipulation, and masterful use of the color palette in order to make the countdown. You don’t see poses like this employed very often. There are quite a few action oriented positions available on the Hero Forge platform, but they are a little tricky to work with. You really have to have the right design in mind in order to make proper use of oppose depicting motion.

I hope you brought some coin because a ferryman rows into the number 5 slot this week. This highly dynamic and complex creation came from the mind of Krissmack. This miniature masterpiece could not of been created without the use of 2 figures, and anyone who’s ever tried to manipulate multiple figurines within the Hero Forge platform knows that it is no easy task. It’s a highly tedious and time-consuming endeavor, but it also renders dynamic and interesting minis! It’s clear this designer put energy into this highly imaginative creation which is why it made it onto this week’s Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece Countdown.

This magnificent monstrosity made it onto this week’s Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece Countdown because of its exquisite detail. Springing from the mind of DigitalDeth, Gaj appears to be some kind of hideous crustacean bound in an exoskeleton. This miniature required layering multiple figurines within the platform, tedious manipulation of assets, and an eye for detail.

I found Gaj to be an excellent piece that would fit it home in any seafaring or sea themed DnD mission or campaign. Because of the exceptional quality and how easy it would be to employ this figure in the proper setting, I felt this monstrosity needed to be included in this week’s countdown.

We have yet another Miniature Masterpiece that employs 2 figures in order to create one miniature. The “Mech Suit” and the goblin needed to be created separately then positioned around each other. The goblins hands needed to be meticulously placed so that they appear to be gripping the horns on the primitive and magically augmented automaton. That is no easy task to accomplish. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the exceptional work performed on the figure’s coloring. The colors are natural and well blended, and the iridescent green coming from the skull’s mouth could only be accomplished with heavy manipulation of the Hero Forge color palette. All in all, this is an excellent example of what someone can do within the platform if they are dedicated and meticulous.

This week’s Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece countdown number 2 slot finds itself filled with an exquisitely designed nightmare. This hulking monstrosity splattered in blood, wears the bones of its fallen enemy’s like armor. This could easily be a high general in a necromantic army or even the big bad at the end of a campaign! This is also another mini that requires 2 figures in order to complete. The heavily layered detail and multitude of assets can’t be accomplished with a single figure within the Hero Forge platform.

Even the mask, as simple and as direct as it may seem, possesses numerous elements and a variety of angles that can’t currently be found in any single helmet asset. Dragonzzilla needed to layer too figures directly over each other and experiment with various helmets in order to find a pair that complemented each other well. His efforts did not go in vain or unrecognized. His attention to detail and meticulous approach to expressing a horrifying scene is why Skalthe made it to the number 2 slot in this week’s Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece Countdown.

Yes, this is a Hero Forge Miniature. Did you think that all Hero Forge Miniatures were based off of a humanoid figure? Because if you did, you were right. This Eldritch Cannon is a humanoid figure! That’s right, this cannon was designed by manipulating the figure until all the human features were completely hidden.

The creator (who goes by the handle IamSposta) used every creative tool in the toolbox to design a figurine. The wheels of the cannon are in fact shield assets. Which means the human figure required four arms. Four arms that needed to be disguised and given an inorganic and mechanical appearance. An excellent use of Hero Forge’s color palette made that possible. The pose of the figure combined with the type of clothing and shading completely hides the human’s legs and head. Then the machine gun asset was added to its back.

This creation checks all 3 of my boxes in terms of what I’m looking for in a Miniature Masterpiece. IamSposta obviously employed highly innovative techniques when designing his Eldritch Cannon. Manipulating a figure to this extent requires patience, mastery of the tools provided by the Hero Forge platform, and dedication. Creating this miniature was tedious work, but the end result was clearly worth the effort. And finally, this Miniature Masterpiece not only presents exactly as the designer intended (there’s no ambiguity as to what IamSposta was trying to do here), but it also fills a gap in the TTRPG miniature space. There are miniature cannons for sale, but there are no platforms that allow you to design custom artillery in this manner. Though the Hero Forge tools weren’t strictly meant for this type of work, clearly they can be employed to fill that gap.

IamSposta shows us how to do it in this week’s number 1 Hero Forge Miniature Masterpiece.

A few other highly creative techniques were used to completely disguise a humanoid figure in the guise of a rolling steam punk cannon, but to really understand what IamSposta did, you’ll need to open this figure up in hero Forge and tinker with it yourself. Playing with the tools offered on the platform really is the best way to understand how they work, but pulling apart what others have done goes a long way in expanding your understanding of what is possible.

All of these figures can be found on the Hero Forge public library, or by clicking on the links I’ve provided. If you’re interested in creating your own figurines, I suggest checking out these miniatures and gaining a better understanding of what innovative manipulation of the tools can produce.