Small Miniatures, Big Impact: Disabled Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures Now Available
I keep seeing headlines like, “(Some name) becomes first Black/Latino/etc. (some respected position),” and every time, I think, “Wow, what year is it that this is the first time?” But besides women, disabled people are the largest marginalized demographic in the world. Their “firsts” are still rare. For most of those same positions, “…becomes first disabled…,” hasn’t happened yet.
But we tabletop gamers live in worlds filled with minotaurs and merfolk, halflings and centaurs, so we of all people should have no problem imagining people with diverse abilities in every segment of society. And yet we encounter fewer disabled people anywhere in TTRPG worlds than in executive real-world positions.
We want this year to be “that year” in every TTRPG world where that representation isn’t happening yet, and we want to help you make that happen. To that end, we developed the largest, most diverse collection of disabled fantasy minis ever made, now available as downloadable STLs or printed miniatures.
Fighting ableism with stat blocks
Disability representation in tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) fosters inclusive gaming environments. It creates a diverse and welcoming experience. Disabled miniatures enhance the overall storytelling and offer a more authentic and empathetic gaming experience. By incorporating disabled miniatures, RPGs acknowledge and validate the experiences of individuals with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and breaking down barriers. Players with disabilities can recognize themselves reflected in the game, communicating belonging and empowerment.
I never see my condition represented in any media, and now, I’m in D&D!
A Limitless Heroics backer
Diverse miniatures featuring representative characters also broaden the narrative possibilities within TTRPGs. They allow players to explore different perspectives, experiences, and challenges that disabled characters may face. This not only enhances storytelling but also encourages empathy and understanding among players. This representation promotes dialogue, encourages education, and contributes to a culture of acceptance and respect.
Accessible Conditions
Most TTRPG content is still only available in paper or PDF, two of the least accessible formats for blind and low-vision players, especially watermarked PDF, which screen readers can’t access, and PDF without image alt text, which is common due to all layout software except Adobe InDesign refuses to include image alt text capability. For miniatures, condition rings may be color-coded or use embossed text, which gives the same accessibility issues.
So we offer plain text versions of our products and audio and ePub for most, plus the Lair, our online compendium that’s accessible to browser tools and screen readers and offers the most affordable option to access all of our content.
For miniatures, we’ve included condition monitors as bases that give visual and tactile indications of their meaning, and as bases, they’re easy to use—players just set the mini on the base. The bottom of each base also has a braille label as an additional accessibility measure.