28mm and 32mm are the tabletop standards for D&D, Pathfinder and Warhammer-style play, measured base-to-eye, while 75mm is a display “showcase” scale built for painters and collectors rather than the game grid. Choose 28/32mm for gameplay and a 1-inch grid; choose 75mm for a shelf centrepiece with maximum detail.
If you have ever ordered a miniature online and found it dwarfed (or dwarfing) the rest of your party, you have run into the scale question. At 3DCentral, we run a 200+ printer farm right here in Quebec, so every custom mini you order is printed domestically, priced in Canadian dollars, ships fast across Canada with no customs surprises, and is backed by a real EN + Quebec-French team. Before you commit a concept to plastic or resin, here is exactly what each scale means and which one fits your table.
What does “mm” actually mean on a miniature scale?
The millimetre number is a height measurement, not a width or a ratio. The catch is where the hobby measures from. The long-standing convention is to measure from the bottom of the feet to the eyes of an average standing human figure, not the top of the head. A 28mm figure is roughly 28mm to the eye; a 32mm figure is roughly 32mm to the eye.
Measuring to the eye is deliberate. A tall helmet, a plume, a wizard’s hat or a crest could otherwise add several millimetres and make two comparable models look like wildly different “sizes.” Eye-level measurement keeps a bare-headed rogue and a helmeted knight readable side by side. You will occasionally see vendors quote mm-to-top-of-head instead, which is why a “32mm” mini from one shop can look identical to a “28mm” from another. Always check which reference point a seller uses.
In real-world ratio terms, 28mm lands around 1:56 to 1:64 — a five-to-six-foot human shrunk to thumbnail height.
What is the difference between heroic scale and true scale?
Most modern tabletop and roleplay miniatures are sculpted in what the hobby calls heroic scale: a deliberate exaggeration of hands, feet, heads and weapons so the details read clearly at arm’s length across a table. A heroic 28mm figure has chunky hands and a thick sword because a true-to-life sword at that size would be an invisible sliver.
True scale (or “realistic scale”) keeps anatomically accurate proportions. A true-scale 28mm human looks slender and slightly undersized next to a heroic 28mm model, with thinner limbs and finer weapons. Neither is “better” — but mixing them on one table is jarring, so it pays to keep a warband consistent.
Which scale fits D&D, Pathfinder and tabletop play?
28mm heroic has been the backbone of tabletop wargaming since the 1980s and remains the most widely supported size for terrain, movement trays and rank-and-file armies. It is the classic D&D and Pathfinder standard and fits a 1-inch grid square cleanly.
32mm is the slightly larger modern standard that crept in over the last decade. Wizards of the Coast shifted official D&D minis toward this size around 2014, and it is where much contemporary roleplay and skirmish sculpting now sits. The extra few millimetres give sculptors more room for crisp faces, textures and small gear — at the cost of looking slightly tall beside older 28mm collections.
75mm is a different animal: a display or showcase scale aimed at painters and collectors. At 75mm to the eye, a figure is roughly the size of a small action figure — far too large to push around a grid, but a stunning canvas for blending, freehand and a keepsake centrepiece.
Illustrative usage pattern based on hobby convention — most play happens at 28/32mm, with 75mm reserved for display.
How do base sizes map to creature size on the grid?
Scale (the figure’s height) and base size (the disc it stands on) are two separate things. The grid cares about the base. In D&D 5e, one square is 1 inch and represents 5 feet, so bases are sized to creature category:
| Creature size | Base diameter | Grid footprint |
|---|---|---|
| Small / Medium | 25mm (1 in) | 1 × 1 square |
| Large | 50mm (2 in) | 2 × 2 squares |
| Huge | 75mm (3 in) | 3 × 3 squares |
| Gargantuan | 100mm (4 in) | 4 × 4 squares |
Note the overlap that confuses newcomers: a 75mm base (Huge creature footprint) is not the same as a 75mm-scale figure (a display-height sculpt). A Huge dragon at 28/32mm scale can sit on a 75mm base; a 75mm-scale hero stands on a small display plinth. Always separate “how tall is the sculpt” from “how wide is the base.”
How does scale affect price, detail and material choice?
Bigger is not just bigger — it changes everything downstream. A 75mm display piece uses far more material, takes longer to print, and demands a material that holds crisp detail at size. The honest trade-offs:
| Factor | 28mm | 32mm | 75mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Gameplay, armies | Modern RPG play | Display, painting |
| Fits 1-inch grid | Yes | Yes | No |
| Detail visible | Good | Better | Maximum |
| Material use | Lowest | Low | Highest |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Low–mid | Highest |
| Typical material | Resin / fine FDM | Resin / fine FDM | Resin (detail) |
Volume scales with the cube of height, so a 75mm sculpt can use several times the material of a 28mm one — the single biggest driver of price difference.
For fine facial detail and sharp edges, high-resolution resin is the usual pick at every scale, and it is essentially mandatory at 75mm where the eye sees everything. Quality FDM can do clean 28/32mm gaming pieces at lower cost. At 3DCentral we match the material to the job and show you a preview for approval before we print, so there are no surprises in the box.
So which scale should you order?
If the mini will see the table, order 28mm to match an existing classic collection, or 32mm if you are starting fresh or want the most modern detail. If it is a hero portrait, a campaign trophy or a gift to be displayed and admired, go 75mm and let the detail sing. Mixing scales in one warband looks off; mixing a 75mm centrepiece with a 28mm army on a shelf looks intentional and great.
Ready to bring a character to life at the right scale? Our custom service is AI-assisted and human/artist-finished from your concept — you describe the hero, our dual Tripo + Rodin engine drafts it, our team refines it, and you approve a preview before a single gram of material is printed. Start your build on the custom D&D miniature page and pick the scale that fits your table or your shelf.
Frequently asked questions
Is 28mm or 32mm better for D&D?
Both work for D&D and Pathfinder. 28mm is the classic standard with the broadest terrain and army support and fits a 1-inch grid perfectly. 32mm is the slightly larger modern standard (Wizards of the Coast shifted official minis toward it around 2014) and offers more room for fine detail. If you are matching an existing collection, pick 28mm; if you are starting fresh, 32mm gives you the most detail.
Do you measure a miniature to the eye or the top of the head?
The long-standing hobby convention measures from the feet to the eyes of an average standing human figure, so a 28mm mini is about 28mm to the eye. This keeps helmeted and bare-headed figures readable side by side. Some vendors quote height to the top of the head instead, which is why scales can seem inconsistent between shops — always confirm the reference point.
Can you use a 75mm miniature for tabletop play?
You can, but it is not designed for it. 75mm is a display or showcase scale aimed at painters and collectors, roughly the size of a small action figure. It is too large to maneuver cleanly on a 1-inch grid and uses far more material. Use 75mm for a hero centrepiece or gift, and 28/32mm for actual gameplay.
What is the difference between a 75mm scale figure and a 75mm base?
They are unrelated. A 75mm-scale figure refers to height (a display-size sculpt). A 75mm base refers to base diameter — the 3-inch disc used for Huge creatures on a D&D grid. A Huge dragon sculpted at 28/32mm scale can sit on a 75mm base, while a 75mm-scale hero stands on a small display plinth.
Why do larger miniatures cost more?
Volume grows with the cube of height, so a 75mm sculpt can use several times the material of a 28mm one, plus longer print time and usually high-resolution resin to hold detail at size. That material and time difference is the main driver of price between scales. At 3DCentral you approve a preview before printing, so the cost and result are clear up front.
Should I choose resin or FDM for my miniature?
It depends on the scale and the level of detail. High-resolution resin captures fine facial features and sharp edges and is the usual choice at every scale — and effectively mandatory at 75mm, where the eye sees everything. Good-quality FDM can produce clean 28/32mm gaming pieces at lower cost. At 3DCentral we match the material to the job and show you a preview to approve before we print, so you know exactly what you are getting.
