New D&D Warduke Action Figure from NECA (First Look)
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This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons and to celebrate Wizards of the Coast has been partnering on a ton of new tie-in products. One of the many items on offering is the recently announced D&D Warduke action figure, which is designed by high-end collectible toy maker NECA.
Warduke also happens to be a fitting choice to ring in the golden anniversary of D&D as the legendary arch-villain has been around almost as long as the game itself, first appearing on the cover of Dragon Magazine back in 1978, and later snagging his own toy, a guest star on the 1980s D&D Saturday morning cartoon show and as an antagonist in various D&D game supplements over the years.
So is NECA’s newest Warduke action figure worth picking up? Below we break out all the details.
What is the new NECA Warduke Action?
The new Warduke action figure is part of NECA’s Ultimate line, which brings to life some of the most popular characters from film, television and pop culture. This particular figure (which was announced via NECA’s Instagram account) is 7″ tall and actually based on an existing Warduke figure that was originally released back in 2021.
This new 50th anniversary version is an updated version that features a new a retro paint style, a new longsword with attachable green flame effect and an updated retro package design. In other words, it’s more or less the same design, with only a few minor adjustments.
Notably, this isn’t the first time the iconic villain has scored his own toy. In fact, Warduke action figures were first produced in the early 1980s as part of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons toyline and are now sought after on on eBay and the secondary collector’s market.
How much are the new NECA Warkduke action figures?
The new Warduke retro figure will retail for $29.99 USD, which is comparable to the previous version (which now retails for around $49.99 USD). Like other NECA figures, these are meant more as high-end collectibles than something that’s meant to be played with (although we didn’t wouldn’t blame you if you want to take him out of the box and get him hacking and slashing).
When will the new NECA Warduke action figures be available?
The figure was officially released on March 14th, 2024 for the Walmart Collector Con, the annual online collector’s event hosted by the retaiiler. Notably, the figure will likely soon be available online via Amazon and other ecommerce, as well as brick and mortar toy stores (although you may want to check with your local store to see if they’re able to get you one).
Who is Warduke?
Warduke is a chaotic evil human warrior, bounty hunter and assassin who has appeared in various Dungeons & Dragons game materials and related products since the 1970s. The character first appeared in cover art to Dragon Magazine #17 which was published by TSR in 1978 (although he is not named and does not appear inside the issue). Warduke would later appear in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons toy line back in the early 1980s before snagging a guest star in several episodees of the popular Dungeons & Dragons Saturday morning cartoon. In 1983, he would also appear in the D&D module The Shady Dragon Inn.
Over the years, the character would go continue to appear in various other toys and products, including coloring books, stickers, miniatures, a Halloween costume and even a Funko Pop. In 2003, he would be added to the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons as part of the Greyhawk campaign setting. In 2021, he would also appear for the fifth edition of D&D as an NPC in the campaign sourcebook The Wild Beyond the Witchlight.
Final Thoughts
It’s great to see the legacy of Warduke live on with NECA’s new action figure. It’s also fitting that the legendary horned horror himself would help ring in the 50th anniversary of the world’s most popular role playing game. If you’re interested in getting your hands on your own Warduke figure, you can order it now from Walmart.
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Lacy Curran is a Staff Writer who lives in Boston, Massachusetts where she studied theatre at Boston University (something that’s been incredibly helpful as a Dungeon Master). She’s been playing D&D for over 10 years (starting out with 3rd Edition). Her favorite D&D campaign setting is Ravenloft and her favorite character to play was a Half-Elf Bard named Eshara who enjoyed starting random bar fights and smashing lutes over goblins’ heads.
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