Showcase: Icons of the Realm: Purple Worm
Since the release of Dungeons and Dragons in 1974, the dreaded purple worm has been a mainstay in the game’s lore. The ever hungry beast has been featured in novels, board games, miniature lines, and every edition of the game since its first printing. But until recently, most purple worm miniatures have left something to be desired and did not strike the proper fear into players. That has all changed with Wizkids latest offering in their Icons of the Realm: Fangs and Talons: Purple Worm miniature!
Just look at this absolute monster of a “miniature!” Wizkids has really broken new ground with this sculpt representing a D&D classic. The purple worm has a challenge rating of 15 and is classified as a gargantuan monstrosity, for 5e game play purposes. And it is perfect for dungeon masters to use when their players rebel and go off the path you have planned for them. Pretty hard for a playgroup to go explore unplanned locations when there is a bunch of purple worms in the way! Also, “bunch” is the proper term when speaking about a group of worms. Which is way less intimidating than a group of dragons, which is called a “tyranny of dragons.” Regardless, unless your dungeon master is cruel like me, players will likely never encounter more than one purple worm on their quests!
Let me now regale you with some facts about the purple worm, which is a baseline behavior for me at a party or social function. The purple worm is constantly hungry and always on the prowl for food. Again, baseline behavior for me at a party. But unlike me, the purple worm is able to devour an entire horse whole! And Wizkids wanted to show that feature with the scale of this figure and its gapping maw! Just look at the size comparison between the purple worm and Strahd Von Zarovich! To be fair, I’d put my money on Strahd in a fight. But this figure is definitely going to strike fear in players when it hits the boarded due to its size!
Speaking of size, the size of the purple worm cannot be understated. As it burrows through the rock and earth, it will leave behind a tunnel that is 10-feet in diameter. This can make for some interesting moments for your players as they explore the Underdark. A good dungeon master can explain that the adventurers come upon a tunnel that is 10-feet in diameter and its depth escapes the light of their torches. If the players dare to explore, they can be led through the perilous path the worm has cut into the ground. There they will find treasure that the worm was unable to digest and peril from the denizens making their home in the tunnels.
Unfortunately, the purple worm will make short work of solid rock, burrowing and eating its way through large stones and mountains. I say this is unfortunate because it foils my plan of incorporating the 1990 classic Tremors into the game I am running. I so desire to send my play group to the town of Perfection where they have to help an NPC of Kevin Bacon with a quest. As a DM, I take particular delight in the idea of making my players roll acrobatics checks as they leap from rock-to-rock, avoiding dangerous worms in the ground. But unlike the graboids that the brave Sir Bacon fought in Nevada, the purple worm would chew its way through solid stone, rendering their defense capabilities moot.
As you can tell from the pictures, the purple worm figure is incredibly detailed, well painted, and exudes more confidence than someone who just crushed a job interview. But it is up to you to decide if this is the right figure for your collection. In addition to planned game use, the figure looks excellent on display on your desk, shelf, or wedding cake. And as a DM, it is always nice to have a massive monster on hand to create random engaging encounters. Heck, if you need a plot for your next game, go watch the first episode of The Mandalorian Season 2. That episode and this purple worm figure will give you all you need to create an interesting encounter for your players that will probably last weeks!
As always, thank you for joining me this week as I showcase the massive Wizkids Icons of the Realm: Purple Worm miniature! The figure is available now at your local game store with a MSRP of $49.99. I always encourage players to buy products at their LGS, because big box retailers and online stores don’t have tables for you and your friends to play at. So support your LGS if possible, but if you cannot, the purple worm is available online. Stay safe out there and remember that the purple worm is attracted to noise. So keep a lid on your bard, if possible!