Icons of the Realms Buying Guide: How to Start Your Collection

Quick answer

Start with a booster brick if you want a broad mix of prepainted miniatures for encounters, or choose a themed set box when you need specific characters or a lower entry price. A brick gives you the most variety per dollar, while a smaller set lets you test scale and paint quality before committing. Buy one product, play with it, then expand based on what your table actually needs.

Starting an Icons of the Realms collection can feel like a big decision, especially when you see booster bricks, themed sets, and single figures side by side. The good news is that you do not need a perfect plan. You need a clear first purchase that matches how you play.

This guide gives you concrete decision rules for the D&D Icons of the Realms line. You will learn how booster bricks differ from set boxes, when a smaller set makes more sense, and how to avoid buying miniatures you will never put on the table. Every recommendation is based on the actual products and facts available, not on hype.

Understand what you are buying

Icons of the Realms is a line of prepainted D&D miniatures. That means the figures arrive painted and ready to use, which saves you the time and materials of painting them yourself. The trade-off is that you cannot customize the paint job, and the paint quality varies by figure. If you enjoy painting, Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures are a better fit; if you want to open a box and play, Icons of the Realms is the practical choice.

The line is sold in a few formats. Booster bricks contain multiple booster boxes and are designed to give you a spread of miniatures from a set. Set boxes, like the Strixhaven Set 2, group a smaller number of figures around a theme. Single miniatures are also available, but they are best for filling specific gaps rather than building a whole collection.

• Prepainted means table-ready, not display-grade. Expect tabletop quality, not competition-level paint.
• Booster bricks are random by design. You get variety, but not a guaranteed specific figure.
• Set boxes and singles are the way to target a character you actually need.

Booster brick or themed set?

A booster brick is the fastest way to build a broad collection. The D&D Icons of the Realms: Return of the Dragons – 8 Ct. Booster Brick updates all 44 miniatures from the original Tyranny of Dragons set, including kobolds, bugbears, orcs, and giants. If you are preparing to run that campaign or you want a deep bench of monsters for many sessions, a brick gives you the most figures per purchase and the widest range of creature types.

A themed set box is better when you already know what you need. The Strixhaven Set 2 includes figures such as Lorehold Student and Prismari, so it fits a magic-school campaign or a specific encounter. You get fewer figures than a brick, but the contents are more predictable and the entry price is lower. If you are starting an Icons of the Realms collection on a budget, a set box is a sensible first step.

• Choose a brick when you want variety and do not need specific figures.
• Choose a set box when you need a themed group or want to test the line first.
• Do not buy a brick hoping for one exact miniature. Buy it for the mix.

How to plan your first three purchases

A practical sequence is: one set box, then one booster brick, then singles. Start with a set box to confirm you like the scale and paint style. If it works for your table, add a booster brick to cover common monsters and NPCs. Finally, use singles to fill the specific gaps that remain, such as a particular villain or a player character stand-in.

This order keeps your spending tied to actual play. Many new collectors buy a large brick first, then realize they mostly needed a handful of creature types. Buying in this sequence also helps you avoid duplicate figures, because you learn what you already own before expanding.

• Track what you own in a simple list or photo. It prevents duplicate purchases.
• Buy for the next session, not for a hypothetical future campaign.
• If you also paint, keep a few Nolzur's figures on hand for custom characters.

Scale, storage, and table use

Icons of the Realms miniatures are designed for D&D tabletop play, so they work with standard grid maps and most terrain systems. If you use terrain, check that your tiles and the miniatures' bases fit together before buying a large set. The WarLock Tiles: City Sewers Core Set is an example of terrain that pairs with miniatures for encounter building, but it is a separate purchase and not required to use the miniatures.

Storage matters more than most new collectors expect. Prepainted figures can chip or bend if they are tossed in a loose box. A simple divided case or a few small bins by creature type will protect your investment and make session prep faster. If you want to keep paint intact, avoid stacking heavy figures directly on top of each other.

• Store by creature type or campaign role so you can find figures quickly.
• Keep the original packaging for any figure you might trade or sell later.
• Do not use foam inserts that press hard against thin weapons or wings.

When to add unpainted miniatures

Icons of the Realms covers most monsters and NPCs, but it will not cover every player character or unique villain. That is where Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures come in. They are unpainted, primed, and ready to paint, with deep cuts for easier painting. A Bullywug or a Halfling Male Rogue can fill a specific role that no prepainted set includes.

The trade-off is time. You will need paint, brushes, and a little practice. If you want a custom look or a character that does not exist in the prepainted line, unpainted is the right call. If you want to play this weekend, stick with Icons of the Realms and add unpainted figures later as a side project.

• Use prepainted for monsters and NPCs you need in volume.
• Use unpainted for player characters and unique story figures.
• Primed and ready to paint means you can skip the priming step.

Decision rules for your first Icons of the Realms purchase

• If you need many monsters for a campaign: Buy a booster brick. The Return of the Dragons brick covers 44 updated miniatures including kobolds, bugbears, orcs, and giants, which are common enemies in low- and mid-level play. Best value per figure when you want variety.
• If you need a specific theme or a lower entry price: Buy a set box such as Strixhaven Set 2. It groups figures around a theme and costs less than a brick, so you can test scale and paint quality first. Best for targeted campaigns and first-time buyers.
• If you need a specific creature that is not prepainted: Buy a Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures figure. They are primed and ready to paint, with deep cuts for easier painting, so you can fill gaps the prepainted line does not cover. Best for custom characters and unique monsters.
• If you already own a broad collection: Buy singles to fill specific gaps instead of another brick. Check your inventory first to avoid duplicates, and only add a brick when you genuinely need a large batch of new monsters. Avoid duplicate purchases by tracking what you own.

Product facts that affect your decision

• D&D Icons of the Realms: Return of the Dragons – 8 Ct. Booster Brick: This set updates all 44 miniatures from the original Tyranny of Dragons set, including kobolds, bugbears, orcs, and giants. If you plan to run Tyranny of Dragons or need a wide range of classic monsters, this brick gives you a deep pool of creatures in one purchase.
• D&D Icons of the Realm: Strixhaven Set 2: This box set includes figures such as Lorehold Student and Prismari. A themed set like this is a lower-cost way to test the line or to support a magic-school campaign without buying a full brick.
• D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures - Bullywug: Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures come with highly detailed figures, primed and ready to paint out of the box, with deep cuts for easier painting. This is the right choice when you need a specific creature that is not available prepainted, or when you want to customize a figure for your campaign.

Who should start with Icons of the Realms

Best for

• Dungeon Masters who need a ready-to-play mix of monsters and NPCs
• New collectors who want prepainted D&D miniatures without a painting hobby
• Players running published campaigns like Tyranny of Dragons or Strixhaven

Not for

• Painters who want full control over color and detail, who should choose Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures
• Collectors who only want one specific figure, who should buy singles instead of a booster brick
• Shoppers looking for display-grade statues rather than tabletop miniatures

Start with the format that matches your next session, not the biggest box. A set box is the safest first step, a booster brick is the best value for variety, and singles or unpainted figures fill the gaps later. Buy one, use it, then expand based on what your table actually needs.