WizKids’ Watchtower is the G.I. Joe aircraft carrier of D&D terrain

When the “new” model of Dungeons & Dragons launches in 2024, one of the additions coming to the seminal role-playing sport’s Dungeon Master’s Guide will likely be bastions — headquarters that teams can decide into for his or her video games. WizKids newest creation, merely referred to as The Watchtower, would match the invoice properly. It’s a modular surprise that places the G.I. Joe aircraft carrier to disgrace.

The plastic terrain set goes up for order on Amazon right this moment. We’ve had it on the desk for a couple of month, and it’s excited nearly everybody who’s had the likelihood to play on it.

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

WizKids has been making licensed D&D bits for years now, together with basic statues like their 12” Githyanki from the cowl of the unique Fiend Folio to their smaller, extremely detailed motion figures primarily based on the basic cartoon. But the actual gem for tabletop followers is their line of WarLock Tiles terrain. The snap-together kits are all appropriate with each other, that means that you may create the whole lot from a medieval road scene to the entirety of the inside of Strahd’s fort. They even made a two-story model of The Yawning Portal (proven above), lengthy the epicenter of adventuring life in the Forgotten Realms.

Photo: WizKids

The Watchtower set, introduced earlier this 12 months, is likewise appropriate with the relaxation of the WarLock product line. While the stills that accompanied the announcement made it look a bit homely, as soon as we acquired the remaining manufacturing samples in hand it’s true potential was instantly clear.

Each ground of the Watchtower is comprised of a handful of curved wall items with a friction match, plus punchouts for the arrow slits. That means you’ll be able to construct the tower as both a sturdy fortress or a run-down wreck. Each ground locks into the one beneath it, in order that they received’t transfer round if somebody bumps the desk. You also can simply raise every ground off to get inside of the one beneath it. The set even comes with free-floating staircases, completely curved to match its round flooring. You can gown it up with pre-painted surroundings kits, like the beds, chairs, and tables in the photograph beneath, or interest your individual with modeling putty and paint so as to add crawling ivy, delicate balconies, or scars from spells solid by highly effective wizards.

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

The base set ($217.49 on sale) comes with three tales plus a ring-shaped picket roof insert and removable battlements, plus a portcullis gate at the backside. Even extra ranges might be added with WizKids non-compulsory Level Expansion ($44.99 on sale), or you’ll be able to spin off a complete different tower — making two barely smaller buildings — with the Tower Parts set ($37.49 on sale). That makes it the excellent answer for teams that wish to visualize and develop their headquarters over time.

My solely criticisms contain the extra refined geometry of the entire factor. Out of the field, the friction match on these components takes some breaking in. You’ll really want to press these arrow slits and battlements into their mounts, as an illustration, to get them to remain put at first, however after some time that’s now not vital. Also, the topper — which incorporates the ornamental arches that maintain up the battlements at the high of the tower — doesn’t align with the arrow slits in the partitions. That means your top-most ground, sitting just under the battlements, should all the time be a solid-walled ground, and never a ground with arrow slits.

For extra on bastions and the way the non-compulsory guidelines might change your marketing campaign, try Wizards of the Coast’s current video explaining how they’ll work at launch in 2024. The crew at WizKids tells Polygon that the Watchtower and equipment are delivery now.

The Watchtower and equipment have been reviewed utilizing retail merchandise offered by WizKids. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These don’t affect editorial content material, although Vox Media could earn commissions for merchandise bought through affiliate hyperlinks. You can discover extra details about Polygon’s ethics coverage right here.