3D Printed D&D Miniatures: Resin Detail for Your Tabletop Hero

Your character has a backstory, a signature weapon and three sessions' worth of bad decisions. What they probably do not have is a miniature that looks like them. Resin 3D printing solves that: a mini of your exact hero, at the right scale, with detail fine enough to paint the eyes. Here is how it works and what to expect when you order one.

Why resin, not filament, for minis

There are two common 3D printing methods. FDM pushes melted plastic through a nozzle and builds the object in layers around 0.2 mm thick. Resin (SLA/MSLA) cures liquid photopolymer with light, with layers as thin as 0.03–0.05 mm and pixel-level detail in the horizontal plane.

For a 28–32 mm figure, the difference is night and day. FDM will give you a recognisable shape with visible stairs on every curve. Resin gives you the clasp on a belt, the individual feathers on a helmet crest, the texture of chainmail. Every miniature at Fantasy Lab 3D is printed in resin for exactly that reason. If you want the full comparison, read FDM vs resin printing.

Scale and size guide

Scale	Human figure height	Typical use
28 mm "heroic"	~30–32 mm to the eyes	Standard D&D and Pathfinder minis
32 mm	~34–36 mm	Slightly larger, easier to paint
54 mm	~54 mm	Display piece, collector's scale
75 mm and up	75–150 mm	Statue-style centrepiece, not for the grid

Base sizes follow the creature's size category: 25 mm for Medium, 50 mm for Large, 75 mm for Huge. We print bases separately when the model allows it, so you can swap in a themed base later.

Getting a model of your character

You have three routes, from cheapest to most personal:

1. Ready-made miniatures. Sites like MyMiniFactory, Thingiverse and Cults host thousands of fantasy figures, many free or a few dollars. Search by class and race ("tiefling warlock", "dwarf cleric") and you will usually find something close. Filter by "supported" or "pre-supported" files to save preparation time.
2. Character creators. HeroForge and similar tools let you build a figure from parts, pick a pose, then export an STL for printing. This is the sweet spot for most players: fully customised, no sculpting needed.
3. Custom sculpting. For a character with unique gear, a homebrew race or a specific pose from your art, a digital sculptor builds the mini from scratch. It costs more and takes longer, but the result is one of a kind.

Whichever route you take, send us the STL file and we will check it for printability: wall thickness, fragile spikes, weapons that need supports. Note that some models are sold with personal-use licences only, which affects whether a studio can print them; see licences and commercial use.

What "detail" really means on a resin mini

Resin printers work at 0.03–0.05 mm layer height, and the light source has a pixel size of roughly 0.02–0.05 mm. In practice that means:

• Facial features and expressions are legible at 28 mm.
• Thin weapons such as rapiers and staves print, but they are brittle and we often reinforce or thicken them slightly.
• Fine text on scrolls or shields is readable under a magnifier, which is a fun detail for painters.
• Hollow interiors are possible for larger figures, cutting resin use and weight.

After printing, each mini is washed in isopropyl alcohol, cured under UV light and checked for support marks. Support contact points leave tiny nubs; we sand the visible ones so the surface is ready for primer.

Painted or unpainted?

Most players want to paint their own hero, so we ship grey unpainted minis by default. Grey resin takes primer well and shows detail clearly. If you would rather receive a finished figure, we offer painting as a service: base coats, washes and highlights in a tabletop-ready style, or a more detailed display finish for a centrepiece. Our beginner's guide to painting miniatures covers the basics if you want to try it yourself.

Not just heroes

Once you have a printer in your corner, the whole table opens up:

• Monsters. Owlbears, beholders, a dragon that fills the battle map.
• NPCs and villains. The BBEG deserves a mini that is not a repurposed goblin.
• Party sets. All five characters in a consistent style, a great group gift.
• Terrain and props. Doors, treasure chests, a tavern bar, spell-effect markers.

For a DM running a long campaign, ordering a monster batch before a big arc is a small cost that makes a session memorable.

The price depends on the size of the figure, the resin type and whether painting is included, so we quote each order individually. Single minis are quick; larger batches take longer for washing and curing. We pack minis in foam and deliver across Kazakhstan, with international shipping on request.

Ready to order?

Send your STL, a HeroForge link or a description of your character through the contact form and Fantasy Lab 3D will reply with options and a quote. You can also DM us on Instagram @fantasylab3d.almaty.