First the outstanding Sara Thompson creates a set of rules for combat wheelchairs for Dungeons & Dragons 5E. Now Strata Miniatures, makers of small role-playing figures, has created a line of wheeled fantasy heroes ready to roll into battle, with a portion of all sales going towards Ehlers-Danos Support UK.
I have to admit, it’s been tougher to get into the role-playing mindset since I lost the use of the lower two-thirds of my body in 2018. My wheelchair is a big part of my life, and it’s weird leaving it behind, even on an expedition to the Barrier Peaks or a deep dive into the Tomb of Elemental Evil (yes I am old).
Now I can take my wheelchair with me, or at least a battle-ready fantasy alternative. Sara Thompson, who creates disability content for tabletop role-playing games, has crafted a set of home-brewed rules enabling players to use magical wheelchairs with super-tough wheels, the ability to float (take that, stairs), and other mystical abilities. They are built for comfort, contain plenty of gear storage, and can even be used to attack enemies, just like my real wheelchair. And in case imagining all that isn’t good enough, Strata Miniatures has a set of four miniatures looking suitably fierce in their rolling battle stations.
My personal favourite, and the one I’ve purchased, is the elf rogue. She looks nothing like me, but her sly little grin is all me. I love playing the sneaky rogue in RPGs. I bet her chair has a silence spell of some sort cast on it. Look at those dagger-lined wheels! That is one badass wheelchair user.
I’m also a big fan of the cleric figure, because every cleric I’ve ever known is going to do something stupid and reckless in that wheelchair, and I’m having fun imagining it.
Each of the four miniatures is available for purchase on the Strata Miniatures website for £15.00 ($27) for a ready-to-paint metal and resin figure or £5.00 ($9) for the 3D printer files to make your own. My 3D printer is garbage, so I went for the full fig. As mentioned previously, 25 per cent of proceeds go towards Ehlers-Danos Support UK, a charity that supports suffers from a number of genetic conditions that affect the body’s connective tissue.
My goodness, look at the wheels on the human druid’s ride. That’s so perfect. Check out her little bare feet.
I apologised for being so excited, but this is an exciting thing for people confined to wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Would it be easier if I just played a character with working legs? Possibly, but that wouldn’t be me. I’m much closer to this:
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