BDD01 - Dungeon Adventurers Boxed Set

Sculptor: Michael & Alan Perry, Aly Morrison, Bob Naismith

This set of 9 models (Armoured Fighter, Unarmoured Fighter, Magic User, Cleric, Thief, Elf with Sword, Elf with Wand, Dwarf, and Treasure Chest) was designed to provide a novice D&D player with the basic character figures needed for play. It was a good selection of models, but strangely lacking a Halfling character, and without any female adventurers! Note that these figures were sculpted with integral metal shields instead of the plastic ones supplied with the later blister pack range.

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  Dungeon Adventurers Box. Art by John Blanche

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  Unarmoured Fighter. This is a Barbarian-type character, unarmoured and wielding a broadsword and a wooden shield. He carries a good range of adventuring gear, including a hand axe, a shortbow, a quiver and a leather sack. He wears fur-lined boots and a horned, fur-trimmed skullcap.

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  Cleric A with Cross. This Cleric figure wears a plate armour breastplate over his simple robes, and a hooded cowl conceals his helmeted head. He carries the usual stock of adventuring gear, including a backpack, rope, lantern and pouches. In his right hand he holds a studded ball-mace and his left hand holds aloft his holy symbol, a jewelled cross.

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  Cleric B with Ankh. This remodelled version of the BDD1 Cleric was identical to the earlier version with the exception of 2 details. Firstly, the cross was removed and replaced with an ankh, an ancient Egyptian symbol of sanctuary or protection, and secondly, the head of the mace was slightly altered.

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  Dwarf. The Dwarf character wears a chainmail shirt and a round, horned helmet. He wields a simple battleaxe and carries a sack, coil of rope, 2 oil flasks, a crossbow and a quiver of bolts.

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  Elf with Sword. This is the first of two Elf Characters in the set. This one wears a long robe under a fine chainmail shirt. He wields a longsword above his head and holds a crescent-moon mystic symbol in his left hand. He also carries a mace, a coil of rope, a sack, a belt pouch and a scabbard for his longsword.

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  Elf with Wand. The second Elf wears a full suit of chainmail under his tunic and long cloak. He holds a slim longsword in his right hand, and aims a wand in his left. He wears a helmet, has a shield strapped to his left arm, and also carries a bow, a satchel and has a scroll tucked into his belt.

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  Fighter. This is a Fighter character, wearing plate mail and armed with a longsword and small shield. He is loaded down with adventuring gear, and carries a backpack, coil of rope, waterskin and various other pouches and flasks.

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  Magic User. This is an archetypal Wizard character, wearing long robes, a fur-lined cloak and a broad-brimmed hat. He holds a simple wooden staff in his left hand and carries a long dagger sheathed at his belt.

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  Thief. This Thief figure is armed with a shortsword and a dagger, and he wears a leather jerkin, low boots and a cowled hood. He carries the usual array of adventuring equipment on his back.

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  Treasure Chest and Lid. The Treasure Chest was supplied as a two-piece casting with a seperate lid. It appears to be of wooden construction with metal reinforcing and decoration. It contains an assortment of coins and baubles, as well as a magic scroll and a small snake!

Notes : At some time soon after release of this set, Cleric A was remodelled for unknown reasons. It is possible that TSR or Citadel reacted to complaints from Christian groups who were not happy to see the cross used on fantasy figures, or perhaps the cross-bearing cleric was difficult to cast accurately. Whatever the reason, this variant was replaced by the version B. Interestingly, the box art was also changed, front and back, to reflect the inclusion of new non-Christian model.

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