"Is that a dragon wrapped in a bandolier and toting an assault rifle?"
That was my first thought as I opened the preview box of Starfinder Battles: Planets of Peril, a new figure line from WizKids. Like the usual lineup of Dungeons & Dragons minis, this set represents the broad spectrum of player and NPC races seen in the Starfinder tabletop RPG. But it's precisely because of its Starfinder theme that Planets of Peril has some of the most colorful, grotesque, and downright bizarre creatures I've ever seen.
I have a very basic understanding of Starfinder thanks to the single-player Alexa version. In that version, I got to be a bug cleric who carried his larval son around in a tube. So I was aware of some of the weirdness involved in Starfinder's setting. I knew that it took medieval fantasy tropes and put them in space, with a dash of sci-fi swashbuckling for good measure. But since Alexa gave me a purely auditory experience, I haven't seen much Starfinder art. Planets of Peril changed that and made me aware that sometimes bears carry giant hammers so they can fight floating shrimp things.
I was relieved to see that my bug cleric was included in all of his slimy glory. Next to him is another example of the frightening monstrosities one apparently encounters in the average Starfinder game.
What's awesome about the Planets of Peril series is that it doesn't just limit itself to creatures. Being a sci-fi game, Starfinder lets you pilot mechs and build your own starship. Since tabletop ship battles are such a part of the game, Wizkids included starship minis in the Planets of Peril set. Here are a few of the different ship classes from the set:
Starfinder Battles: Planets of Peril is now available online or at your local game store in blind boxes worth $14.99 a box. There are also two premium sets that feature well-known heroes and villains of the setting. A third premium set, going for $59.99, gives you all the props needed to set up a space station docking bay. Think metal barrels, crates, and a jeep with trailer attachment. I used some of it to set up a battle scene so you can see it in action.
Tabletop RPGs are in a renaissance right now, and it's allowing other games besides D&D to take the spotlight. Starfinder is a great one for getting your group into a sci-fi setting, as it has similar rules to D&D but also throws in exciting new ideas. Now that Starfinder has minis, it's the perfect time to try and convert your D&D group. At least until Spelljammer gets a 5E release.