Dungeons and Dragons (Subtheme)

STK408777 — The box for Battle for the Underdark, the D&D Master Set.

The Heroscape Dungeons and Dragons subtheme was a line of Heroscape products themed after Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy roleplaying game created by Wizards of the Coast. It was produced from January to November of 2010, when Heroscape was discontinued entirely by Wizards of the Coast. It consisted of the Battle for the Underdark master set, as well as three expansion waves: Champions of the Forgotten Realms, Warriors of Eberron, and Moltenclaw's Invasion.

History[]

In January 2008, Heroscape was moved by Hasbro to ownership by Wizards of the Coast, producers of popular roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons and collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering.^[1] After overseeing the release of Wave 9: Blackmoon's Siege, as well as creating Special Release of reprinted figures Wave 10: Valkrill's Gambit, they pivoted to creating Dungeons and Dragons themed content for the remainder of Heroscape's production run.

In November 2009 it was announced that they would begin with a Battle for the Underdark Master Set, which would be released on January 4th, 2010.^[2] It was followed by three further expansion waves, each consisting of existing figures from D&D's miniatures line, given Heroscape bases and rule cards. Just prior to the final release of Moltenclaw's Invasion in November 2010, Heroscape was discontinued completely by Wizards of the Coast in an effort to 'focus on their core brands', a choice met with much grief on the part of the Heroscape fandom.^[3] Heroscape would remain off the shelves until its eventual attempt to crowdfund a revival with the Heroscape: Age of Annihilation Vanguard Edition, and after the failure of that campaign, its subsequent revival by Renegade Games Studios in 2024.

Gameplay[]

[See Heroscape Gameplay][]

Retail Releases[]

Battle for the Underdark Master Set[]

This was the smallest Master Set to date, with 10 figures and 50 terrain pieces. It features a band of heroes to replicate a D&D adventuring party, with a set of connected missions to form a 'Dungeon Crawl' to fight the young black dragon Othkurik.

Wave D1: Champions of the Forgotten Realms[]

This wave of twenty figures in four expansion packs included Heroes of Faerun, Glaun Bog Raiders, Fury of the Primordials, and Warriors of the Ghostlight Fen. It notably includes Estivara, who in the D&D portion of canon plays an important role in Valkrill's backstory.

Champions of the Forgotten Realms in the package.

Wave D2: Warriors of Eberron[]

This wave of twenty figures in four expansion packs included Golem and Wyrmlings, Veterans of the Last War, Ogre and Goblins, and Heroes of Khorvaire. In this wave and the following, they moved from using Heroscape's traditional beveled bases to smaller, flat-sided bases that correspond with the D&D RPG's creature sizing conventions.^[4]

Wave D3: Moltenclaw's Invasion[]

This wave of eighteen figures in four expansion packs included Bugbears and Orcs, Icewind Scourge, Heroes of Fallcrest, and Valkrill's Legion.

Maps & Scenarios[]

Battle for the Underdark[]

The Battle for the Underdark box set came with a four-room campaign adventure, which you could build in its entirety if you bought four copies of Battle for the Underdark. This 'Campaign Mode' would be used by following Dungeon Adventures River of Blood and Shadow Cavern, with detailed rules on keeping track of your adventuring party from session to session.

Ancient Sanctum Room 1: The Lair[]

Basic Game: Ambush
Master Game: Dungeon Adventure 1 - Ancient Sanctum Room 1: The Lair

Ancient Sanctum Room 2: Drow Ambush[]

Master Game: Dungeon Adventure 1 - Ancient Sanctum Room 2: Drow Ambush

Ancient Sanctum Room 3: The Portal[]

Master Game: Dungeon Adventure 1 - Ancient Sanctum Room 3: The Portal
Master Game: Crazy Troll

Ancient Sanctum Room 4: The Ancient Sanctum[]

Master Game: Dungeon Adventure 1 - Ancient Sanctum Room 4: The Ancient Sanctum
Master Game: Marked for Vengeance

Online-Exclusive Battlefields[]

Two more Dungeon Adventure campaigns were published. River of Blood required a Battle for the Underdark box set and the entire Champions of the Forgotten Realms set, and went into more detail regarding the existence of Valhalla's Underdark. The Shadow Cavern campaign which required a Battle for the Underdark box set and the entire Warriors of Eberron set, went into more detail regarding the existence of Valkrill and Vydar's betrayal of the Alliance.