Last winter, I was sent some Dungeons and Dragons figurines http://www.gamerdad.com/blog/2021/12/04/dd-plushies-cuddly-deadly/ from Wizkids with one key component: they weren’t plastic miniatures, they were stuffed “animals.” A year later and the stuffed line of toys/collectibles (Phunny Plush by Kid Robot) continues, expanding into the Pathfinder and Critical Role brands.

I was sent a large, 13” plush of the famous dark elf, Drizzt Do’Urden and his celestial pet panther, Guenhwyvar. One of the most famous (and recognizable) characters in D&D, Drizzt comes off pretty well as a “stuffed animal.” He’s well made and I especially appreciate the blue piping on his panther. However, due to all the accessories, he is definitely more on the “collectible” side of things than the “huggable” side.  The generous 13” size will take up a good chunk of shelf space but this whole line of “plush” toys really does put a fun tongue-in-cheek spin on what can otherwise be a slightly “serious” hobby.

In addition to Drizzt, I was sent several smaller plush-dolls based on the Critical Role D&D live play franchise. These are much smaller and while they’re still well-made their size and proportions (doll-like) put them solidly into the “collectible” category for me. There just isn’t enough squishable-quotient there to qualify for a true stuffed toy. These are going to mostly be of interest to fans of the weekly Critical Role live-play game, although they do display some more non-traditional D&D race/body types. More Critical Role themed plushes are expected to release in the spring.

Coming down the pipe in the future are a couple of dragons (red & blue) and fans of the recent break-out PC RPG, Baldur’s Gate III, will be happy to know there is also a mind-flayer in the pipeline. (My understanding is that all three are supposed to be released in December 2023.) From my previous experience with the Snowy Owlbear and Beholder, I expect these to be more of a cuddly-collectible hybrid – cuddlible perhaps?

The next two soft and squishy plushies are taken from the Pathfinder (competitor to D&D) RPG and should also be out by the holidays. A robot and snow-leopard-ish kitty look to both be particularly cuddle-able.

Back in August, at Gen Con, Wizkids had several more plushes on display including a Gelatinous Cube and the fat-dragon Themberchaud – both prominent in the recent D&D: Honor Among Thieves movie. Their “rotund” shapes rates them much higher on the squishable quotient. I have to give props to the Gelatinous Cube as the dissolved skull on its inside even glows in the dark.

Verdict

These all are far more collectible than they are cuddly. Uber-fans of D&D or Critical Role may try to get their youngling(s) interested, but I don’t see them becoming a bedtime favorite.

As collectibles, they are very well done, and not all that pricey (for a collectible – $35 for the big guys and $17 for the smaller ones.) They would work great as a gift for a fan or for someone looking for a more non-traditional looking stuffed doll/animal.

Tags: Game Reviews, Misc, Unplugged