You go to order a custom miniature and the shop asks what scale you want. Suddenly there are numbers – 28mm, 32mm, 75mm – and a nagging worry that if you pick wrong, your character will tower over the rest of the party or vanish next to them. This guide clears that up. By the end you will know exactly which number to give.
The short answer
For tabletop play, order 28mm or 32mm – these are the standard sizes that fit alongside most minis and terrain, with 32mm being the slightly larger, modern default. Choose 75mm only when you want a display piece to admire up close rather than push around a battle map. When in doubt for the table, 32mm is the safe pick.
What “scale” actually means
Here is the part that trips people up: the millimetre number is usually not the height of the whole miniature. It is a rough measure of the figure itself, most often quoted as the distance from the base to the character’s eyes for a standard human-sized character. So a “28mm” human is about 28mm to the eyes and a little taller to the top of the head – typically 30 to 35mm overall. That is why a mini can be labelled 28mm and still measure closer to 32mm with a hat on.
This matters because two shops can both say “28mm” and hand you figures that look slightly different. The number is a convention, not a precise spec, so a small size difference between brands is normal.
The three sizes, compared
| Scale | Rough overall height | Made for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28mm | ~30-35mm | Classic tabletop play | The long-standing standard; slimmer, plays well with older mini collections |
| 32mm | ~35-40mm | Modern tabletop play | Today’s “heroic” default; a bit chunkier, so detail is easier to see and paint |
| 75mm | ~75mm+ | Display & collecting | A showpiece for a shelf, not for the battle map; far more surface for fine detail |
28mm vs 32mm: does the difference matter?
For most players, not much – both sit comfortably on a one-inch grid square and read as “a normal-sized hero.” The practical differences:
- Mixing with an existing collection. If your table already runs older 28mm minis, matching at 28mm keeps everyone looking consistent. If you are starting fresh, 32mm is the current default and pairs with most newer releases.
- Painting. A 32mm figure gives your brush a little more room. If you are new to painting, the extra few millimetres genuinely help.
- Presence. A main character at 32mm next to 28mm henchmen subtly reads as more important – some players do this on purpose.
What you should not do is put a 28mm mini next to a 75mm one and expect them to look like they belong to the same scene. They do not; 75mm is a different job entirely.
Do not forget the base
Scale has a companion spec: base size. A standard humanoid mini sits on a round base about 25mm across – roughly one inch – which is exactly why 28/32mm figures fit a one-inch grid so neatly. Bigger creatures need bigger bases: a large creature often sits on a 40 or 50mm base, and a truly huge monster spills across two or more grid squares. If you are ordering a custom creature rather than a humanoid, say what it is – the shop sizes the base to match how it stands on the map. A mismatched base is the single most common reason a mini that is technically the right scale still looks wrong next to the party.
Scale and D&D creature sizes
D&D already has size categories – Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Gargantuan – and they map loosely onto miniature scale and base size. A Medium character, which covers most player heroes, is your standard 28/32mm figure on a roughly 25mm base. A Large creature such as an ogre or a big cat is taller and sits on a 40-50mm base. Huge and larger creatures end up at display scale by necessity, because they simply cannot be tiny. When you order a custom monster, telling the shop the creature’s size category is often clearer than guessing a millimetre number – they translate it into the right height and base for you.
“True scale” and scale creep
Two bits of hobby jargon worth knowing. Heroic scale means the proportions are deliberately exaggerated – bigger hands, chunkier weapons – so details read clearly at tabletop size. True scale means more realistic human proportions, which can look more elegant but shows detail less boldly at small sizes. And scale creep is the slow drift of “standard” minis getting bigger over the years, which is part of why 32mm gradually replaced 28mm as the default. None of this changes your order much; it just explains why old and new minis do not always match.
Which should you choose?
Answer three quick questions:
- Will you play with it on a table? Then 28mm or 32mm. Match 28mm if your group already uses it; otherwise pick 32mm.
- Do you want to display it? Then 75mm (or larger) so the detail is worth looking at up close.
- Both? Many players order the character twice – a 32mm to play and a larger piece for the shelf. If you only buy one, decide which use matters more to you.
For a custom mini, you tell the shop the scale and they build to it. At 3DCentral you can order tabletop 28/32mm figures or larger display sizes across a size ladder from about 4cm up to 13-15cm; our figurine size guide maps those centimetre sizes to how you will use them. When you are ready to order a specific character, the custom D&D miniature service lets you pick the scale, and you can read how the wider custom miniatures process works first.
FAQ
Is 28mm or 32mm better for D&D?
Both work. 32mm is the modern default and is a little easier to paint and see; 28mm is the older standard and is best if your group already uses 28mm minis you want to match. Neither is wrong for tabletop play.
Why do two 28mm minis look like different sizes?
Because the millimetre number is a convention measured roughly to the eyes, not a precise total height, and it varies by brand and pose. A small difference between 28mm figures from different makers is normal.
What is 75mm scale used for?
Display and collecting. At 75mm the figure is far too large to push around a battle map, but the extra size shows off fine detail and painting, which makes it ideal for a shelf piece.
Can I mix 28mm and 32mm on the same table?
Yes. They are close enough that they read fine together, and some players deliberately use a slightly larger mini for a lead character. Mixing 28/32mm with 75mm, however, looks off because the scales are too far apart.
What scale should I order for a custom mini?
Order 28mm or 32mm if you will play with it, and choose a larger display size (up to around 13-15cm at 3DCentral) if it is for a shelf. Tell the shop your intended use and they will recommend the scale.
