Miniatures, also known as minis or miniature figures, referes to sculpted tokens that represent characters in a role-playing game. 20mm and 25mm are common scales. They come in a variety of formats:
- Metal, unpainted
- Metal, pre-painted
- Plastic, unpainted
- Plastic, pre-painted
- "Flats" or discs
- Cardboard figures, often mounted on plastic bases
Historically, RPGs are descended from fantasy wargaming, a type of tabletop game in which figures represent armies and heroes. The original Dungeons & Dragons described itself as "Rules of Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures," and used a version of Chainmail for combat. However, in subsequent editions, miniatures have been considered optional, though often assumed by rules that rely on positioning. Many games, such as Champions, have often assumed the use of maps and miniatures.