The good folks at Savage Crucible were kind enough to send over sample graphics from Wave 1 for review, and I’m excited to check out some interesting-looking expressions ahead of pre-orders for Wave 2. and customization. Let’s take a look at the deadly lizardmen in Crucible of Savagery!
The box has a nice big window and some cool detailed art on the side. When I received the shipping box it was on white shipper and looked great. I wish I had taken a photo. My favorite part of the packaging is the world map illustrated on the insert. Also included is a trading card with RPG statistics, which also adds to the world-building.
The figure comes with a weapon and two sets of alternate hands (claws and grips). The hands can be swapped easily, and the grip provides a good grip on the weapon.
The weapon is a super interesting design, based on the jaws of a giant predator and finished with a metal handle and blade at the tip. I love the detailed sculpting of the cracks and streaks on the teeth, and the paint has a nice wash that brings out all the textural detail. I think he could use it in any direction and you’d either get hit with teeth or a blunt stick mixed with a sliced metal tip.
This guy is beautifully sculpted, with so much variation in pebble texture and strong yet soft muscle structure. The head has a great vibe that reminds me of the Jurassic Park Raptors, so that’s why I might want to see slightly bigger teeth, but the little guy there would make sense for a lizard man.
Articulation is also excellent, and I was particularly impressed with the range of motion of the ball joints at the waist and mid-torso. The double elbows and knees are somewhat similar to some NECA figures, where the elbows and knees are a separate piece that can swivel and hinge to the bicep and forearm or thigh to calf. They end up with their elbows bent about 90 degrees and their knees almost kicking themselves in the butt. I also really like the hinged pecs. Unlike most hinged pecs that are fixed in the center, these hinge from the front, thus allowing the biceps to cross the pecs better than most pec hinges and allowing both hands to hold the sword. This is something that many fantasy figures today cannot easily do.
Savage Lemurians have:
- Rotate/hinge shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, tail and ankles
- Articulated pecs, chin and toes
- Ball and socket waist, mid-torso and head
Notably, the joints feel solid, tight, and move well.
The paint is pretty crazy, with a variety of patterns on the body, subtle transitions between colors, and eye-catching black stripes. The eyes are nice and there’s a little dry brushing on the loincloth to bring out the details.
Overall, this is a super solid monster figure that moves well, looks great, and is a lot of fun. He stands approximately 7 inches tall, so he can work with many different series, such as Legends, Classifieds, and Mythic Legions. I think he’s a little short for NECA D&D, but it’s a creature, so I think it can be fudged. I’m kind of kicking myself that I didn’t grab a couple of the slate figures to go with the other lines, but I’ll be figuring out the pre-orders for the second wave, which includes Barbarian characters, Beastmen, and evil-looking knights. Data for the first wave seems pretty scarce at the moment, although I’ve seen some on AliExpress. Savagecrucible.com Wave 2 pre-order deadline is August 16th.
Thanks to the Savage Crucible team for sending this figure. I apologize for being late. Unfortunately, Fwoosh crashed when I was getting ready to review this guy, and when we got back, he was drowned in a sea of new releases. However, as the sold out inventory shows, it doesn’t look like you need my help selling these products!
