Elkhorn is another of the small stature figures from the LJN Dungeons & Dragons line — he was first wave, 1983. My first Elkhorn was pulled out of a bin of toys a friend was getting rid of and there is something really appealing about the heft and movement of his sculpt, which contributed to moving my casual interest in D&D toys to a more completionist footing.

I like the atypical choices for a dwarf. For starters, I always thought Elkhorn would be a better name for a ranger or elf. For next, he comes with a sword instead of an axe or a hammer. I also think his shield is not particularly “dwarven” to me. And he’s got a blue beard! All these things come together to make a toy I really like.

As of this writing, the NECA Ultimates version of Elkhorn is in pre-order and I am psyched to see how it turns out! (Spoiler: really well)