Hero Forge is without a doubt one of the top 3D printing character and model designer tools. However, due to the additional capabilities they provide, several other platforms might be considered the best Hero Forge alternatives.
What is Hero Forge?
Hero Forge is a website that allows you to create personalized miniatures and statuettes for tabletop RPGs. You can stop rummaging through poorly stocked shops or sifting through low-resolution picture galleries in search of the ideal miniatures as now you can create one from scratch. Hero Forge began as a Kickstarter campaign, when the business funded more than $3 million for its business endeavor. Since its first start, it has grown in popularity, with thousands of individuals visiting the website every day. With its custom miniatures and statuettes, as well as user-friendly character configurators, Hero Forge ushered in a revolution in customization technology and 3D printing. It’s a well-known tool for making 3D miniatures that are unique to every class and race. It is equipped with the best and most up-to-date 3D printing technology, resulting in unrivaled quality, a beautiful interface, and an unparalleled user experience. It excels on humanoid figurines of player characters. You can make a lizard-man character, but there are no possibilities for making a unicorn. Besides that, it has an endless list of amazing features, such as face expressions, hairstyles, various stances, fighting weaponry, and the ability to choose your gender.
Is Hero Forge Worth It?
The figurines are of excellent quality. They appear to be well made and provide a wide range of alternatives. The one critique about the company is that when you select Premium Plastic in the creation tool, it makes no notice that your mini may have nubs or rough spots where spurs have supported it. This notification is only available on their website’s materials page. Only the possibility of faint layer lines is mentioned in the construction tool. Overall, Hero Forge is a fantastic platform that is always releasing new designs and refining their resources. Hero Forge is a wonderful maker if you want to use a miniature for a long period. It’s expensive for a miniature if you only use it for a single gameplay.
Best Hero Forge Alternatives You Should Know
However, if you are dissatisfied with its features and general performance, below are some comparable Hero Forge alternatives. Their penchant for creating and designing 3D printed miniatures are not to be looked down upon. These platforms are capable of meeting your needs to the best of their abilities while without breaking the bank. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the best-rated, most-effective, and least-expensive Hero Forge rivals.
1. Anvl.co
If the above-mentioned Hero Forge does not meet your needs, you might want to try Anvl.co. It’s simple and clear user interface ensures a pleasant experience while creating 3D minis. Anvl.co is a platform for customizable 3D printed figurines, similar to Hero Forge in principle. It appears to be a newcomer to the market, since the first mention of it dates from late December 2018. It offers stl files at a far lower price than Hero Forge, but those discounts come at the cost of a much limited modification toolkit and the necessity to address mesh issues yourself. While a startup will almost certainly be unable to compete with Hero Forge’s apparel and goods, Anvl.co does an excellent job of providing a diverse range of portable things. Its outfit selections, on the other hand, are severely limited, making the execution of a character concept incredibly challenging. Anvl.co, on the other hand, has a larger variety of beasts for your character to mount. It’s also a good alternative to Hero Forge’s more cartoonish look. The option to customize the character postures that Anvl.co provides is the element that gives it the most promise. It has a set of sliders that allow you to bend and pivot your arms. Unless you’re using the default A-pose, though, the sliders usually control how much your arms overlap into the figure. This function is severely limited due to poor implementation of the rotation mechanics and inconsistencies as to whether the motion is local to the joint or global, and may only be used infrequently to solve clipping difficulties caused by employing specific objects with particular postures. They put forth a lot of effort to create a collection of gorgeously sculpted male and female versions for each race. Moreover, because of their all-new emotion sliders, you now have a lot more influence over your characters’ personalities and facial expressions. They’ve also fully redesigned their fundamental character model to have far more realistic dimensions and natural postures while yet maintaining the durability needed to print on practically any 3D printer.
2. Eldritch Foundry
This tool is noted for its customization, 3D character development, and modeling capabilities, making it a great and affordable alternative to Hero Forge. It has a user-friendly environment that may aid in the seamless creation of miniatures. It comes with various pre-set and original character designs, as well as a large selection of attire, look, and postures to pick from. You can construct and customize your 3D miniatures for $35 with this excellent Hero Forge alternative. You may use it to express your creativity and share your creations on social media sites such as Facebook and other social apps. Eldritch Foundry’s UI is clean and intuitive, although it might need some more effort in certain areas, such as along genre lines, templates, and so on. There are a lot of choices available, however certain categories have a bizarre style about them, which will likely diminish if Eldritch Foundry remains around and offers more possibilities. The platform was founded on Kickstarter about a year ago and already produces excellent products. They have some issues with the user interface and the diversity of certain options, but for a relative newcomer to the industry, they put up a great showing and inspire hope that they will continue to improve.
3. Desktop Hero
One of the finest substitutes to Hero Forge is this one. It’s a one-of-a-kind service for printing the finest tabletop models. With this tool, you can either choose a pose from the service or download one from the library and use it in your tabletop figures. From $3.80 to $5, you start designing your perfect mini. In comparison to other services, the fees are fairly modest. Online printing might be far less expensive than printing at home with this company. In Desktop Hero, you may pick any design for your mini, just as in Hero Forge. More importantly, it is possible to print it for a cheaper price tag.
4. Hero Mini Maker
With its own features and services, Hero Mini Maker is an excellent competitor to Hero Forge. It comes with a simple and user-friendly interface that offers not only easy functioning but also a pleasant and enjoyable experience. It brings your creativity to life and aids in the creation of fantasy 3D figurines. You may select from hundreds of premade style pieces. It contains a massive library with possibilities for both female and male body parts, clothing, and outfits, as well as a variety of unique weapons. Knees, shoulders, brows, hips, and facial features are just a handful of the body parts that may be customized. Additionally, you may create fantasy sculptures and miniatures by selecting from a vast array of helmet styles, weapons, caps, and masks. Once you’ve completed your design and want to make minor adjustments to its final appearance, you may do so quickly by selecting an appropriate choice from the collection.
5. PCGen
The best part about this free Hero Forge substitute is that it is completely free of annoying bugs. As a result, you may build whatever design you want without being distracted by external factors. It is a java-based tool that can assist you in doing certain difficult tasks while constructing models. It comes with a number of customization options. Moreover, it has a lightning-fast response, so you are unlikely to face any interruption. There is no pause to wait for the tool to appear on the screen. Once you’ve met all of the prerequisites, it finishes the models in seconds. It comes with a number of useful features for your design. The sole disadvantage of this service is that it is limited in terms of personalization. However, every free service comes with a price. Its price is limited customization.
6. Creature Caster
For a variety of reasons, Creature Caster earns a spot on this list of great alternatives to Hero Forge. The tool is well known across the world for its capacity to produce high-quality resin figurines and statuettes. It has evolved through time, and each Creature Caster design is the epitome of superior quality and sophisticated ideas.
7. Thingiverse
Another amazing Hero Forge option is Thingiverse, where you may try your hand at designing customizable 3D miniatures. It has a lot to offer, while not being feature-rich and detailed like Hero Forge. The platform emphasizes 3D models and action figures with varying levels of intricacy and size. You may quickly build and customize your 3D miniatures that perfectly represent your initial thoughts thanks to its easy interface and flexible design. You may use it to create the character’s emotions, position, and face, as well as weaponries, accessories, and armors, making it a great free Hero Forge competitor.
8. Cults
You have another independent Hero Forge substitute to choose from. This website is a well-known 3D model marketplace with a large collection of over 65,000 designs and a shared platform for both creators and printers. The website has a user-friendly interface and is rather uncomplicated. Cults offers various iconic collectibles such as Batman Batarang Flexi and other figurines. Apocalyptic X-men 3D print models and other recent ones are among them. Cults is a fantastic source of popular action figures and 3D models in general.
9. MyMiniFactory
You can’t afford to skip on this substitute of Hero Forge. It includes a large collection of 3D models, many of which are printable. Various figurines from popular franchises like Pokémon can be found here. This fantastic Hero Forge alternative provides you access to incredibly detailed action figures and pop culture characters. The majority of the model is free to use, however, some may have a price tag.
10. Gambody
Gambody is the last option of Hero Forge on this list. This amazing company has a huge selection of items ranging from $1 to $45. Its massive collection of highly realistic 3D models includes starships, dioramas, mythical creatures, and other popular characters, among other things. Lastly, it provides you with the option of printing.
Conclusion
The Hero Forge alternatives listed above are the finest you can find online. If you’re a miniature designer, you should utilize Anvl.co to make your own or someone else’s 3D miniature with a variety of customizations.
