Having the right miniatures forDungeons & Dragonscan bring encounters to life—but smart Dungeon Masters know they don’t need a miniature for every creature in the Monster Manual. Instead, the best miniatures are the ones that can be reused across different adventures, representing multiple types of enemies with just a little imagination.
A few flexible, iconic pieces can cover everything from early-game goblin ambushes to high-level boss battles. Whether you’re building your first collection or streamlining your current one, here are the best monsters and miniatures to invest in for maximum utility and table presence.
9Goblins
Versatile Troublemakers For Any Low-Level Encounter
The goblin isa staple in D&D, appearing in dozens of adventures as the first real threat to new players. But beyond goblins themselves, a goblin miniature can stand in for kobolds, halfling bandits, or even small monstrous humanoids if you adjust the description a little.
Because they’re small-sized and universally recognizable, goblins remain useful well past level one. Having several goblin minis lets you create ambushes, city gangs, or warbands without needing specific models for every new encounter. They’re cheap, iconic, and endlessly reusable—exactly what a smart DM needs in their miniature arsenal.
8Large Animals
Flexible Four-Legged Monsters
A miniature representing a large, four-legged beast—whether it’s a wolf, bear, or even a displacer beast—can serve multiple purposes across campaigns. Many D&D monsters share similar silhouettes, meaning one ‘wolf’ mini could represent a dire wolf, a summoned celestial lion, or a druid’s Wild Shape.
Investing in a neutral-colored large animal model saves you from hunting down specific minis every time you want to drop a beast into an encounter. It’s particularly useful for wilderness campaigns, city animal encounters, and shapeshifting characters. Large beasts always show up in D&D; having a few is always a good idea.
7Spiders
A Must-Have For Dungeon Crawls
Spiders appear far more often in D&D than you might think—from tiny swarms to massive giant spiders lurking in ruins or jungles. Even more importantly, a spider miniature can easily represent other bugs like scorpions, swarms of beetles, or even driders in Underdark adventures.
Because they cover a wide range of challenge ratings and settings, spiders are incredibly reusable. Their unsettling designs also add instant tension to exploration scenes. Whether your players are battling Phase Spiders or just clearing out a cellar full of pests, a spider mini will always have a place on the table.
6Skeleton
Timeless Cannon Fodder For Any Level
Skeletons are among the most reusable undead miniatures in the game. They appear in classic crypt crawls, necromantic sieges, and cursed battlefields—and because of their humanoid shape, they can represent zombie variants,death knights, or animated bones from almost any species.
Skeleton minis also scale well: a single mini can represent a minor summoned skeleton, a revenant risen from a cursed grave, or even massed armies of the dead. Their versatility in narrative (and ease of painting, if you’re inclined) makes them one of the smartest investments for Dungeon Masters running horror, gothic, or classic fantasy campaigns.
5Archers
Any Ranged Enemy You Need, Ready To Go
A basic archer miniature—preferably one wearing light armor—can represent a staggering variety of ranged enemies. From goblin snipers and elf scouts to mercenary crossbowmen and undead archers, a generic archer mini fits easily into nearly any faction or encounter.
When placed into different settings, the mini’s look shifts contextually: a forest archer becomes a ranger; a grimy city archer becomes a guild enforcer. Players expect ranged enemies in almost every large combat, so having a few archers ready prevents last-minute scrambling for proper visuals.
4Beholder
D&D’s Most Iconic Nightmare
The beholder is a highly specific monster, but it’s so iconic—and so devastating—that it deserves a spot in any serious miniatures collection. Even if you only break it out once per campaign, it creates an unforgettable encounter that the players will talk about for years.
Beyondclassic beholders, the mini can represent death tyrants, hive mothers, or custom eye-based aberrations if you tweak the lore. If you’re going to invest in any one high-level monster miniature, a beholder offers style, challenge, and massive visual impact without needing much explanation at the table.
3Humanoid In Armor
The Universal Enemy Leader
A miniature of a humanoid wearing heavy armor—especially with a helmet or obscured face—can serve as the boss for almost any armed faction. Whether it’s a blackguard knight, a corrupt city captain, or an orc chieftain, a well-posed armored figure fits effortlessly into dozens of different narratives.
Since many adventures end with confronting a martial leader, this miniature sees constant reuse. It’s particularly valuable for emphasizing the threat of humanoid enemies, reminding players that not all big battles involve dragons or demons—sometimes the most dangerous foes are mortal.
2Hooded Spellcaster
The Perfect Wildcard For Villains And Allies
A hooded, robed figure carrying a staff or casting a spell can be anything your story demands: an evil wizard, a mysterious sage, a lich, or even a disguised celestial. Their ambiguity makes them incredibly flexible for both player and DM use.
Because spellcasters often serve as both major bosses and powerful quest-givers, a single good hooded mini can represent dozens of characters throughout a campaign. Having one on hand ensures you’re ready to drop a magical threat—or an enigmatic ally—into the story at a moment’s notice.
1Unpainted Dragon
The Ultimate Boss—Adaptable For Any Setting
Dragons are, unsurprisingly, a huge part of Dungeons & Dragons. But investing in a fully painted, color-specific dragon locks you into one chromatic or metallic type. An unpainted dragon miniature, however, can flexibly represent any dragon you need: red, blue, gold, or even completely homebrewed.
Besides dragons themselves, a suitably large dragon can stand in for wyverns, drakes, dragon turtles, or other high-level flying monstrosities. Having one ready lets you improvise epic encounters without worrying about perfect visual matches, ensuring your climactic battles always have the right gravitas at the table.
