Mage Knight 1.0
WizKids' classic collectible miniatures game — pre-painted plastic figures with combat dials, deep tactical play, and a community keeping it alive 25 years on.
"The game that got me into tabletop wargamming and the hobby as a whole."
What is Mage Knight
Mage Knight is a collectible miniatures game first released by WizKids in 2000. Pre-painted plastic figures sit on weighted bases with rotating combat dials — as a model takes damage you click the dial, and its stats degrade in lockstep with its wounds. The game launched the “clix” genre and dominated tabletop in the early 2000s.
The original line ran through 2008 across more than a dozen sets — Rebellion, Lancers, Whirlwind, Sinister, Unlimited, Conquest, Dungeons, Pyramid, Dark Riders, and more. WizKids has periodically revisited the IP (most recently with Mage Knight: Resurrection on Kickstarter), but this page covers Mage Knight 1.0 — the original tactical CMG.
Why play it now
Twenty-five years after launch, Mage Knight 1.0 still rewards tactical study in a way few miniature games do. Action economy, threat ranges, target priority, and the unique combat-dial design create a depth that holds up against anything modern. Used figures are cheap on the secondary market, the rules are free, and the community kept the tournament scene alive long after WizKids stopped supporting it.
If you like crunchy positional play and the OOP-collectible thrill of tracking down rares from 2003, this is worth your time.
How to start
After Stormfox, the fastest path is:
- Build a list using the Army Checklist for a balanced first force.
- Track down the figures via the Meta Checklist for what you actually need for competitive play.
- Read Shakti’s Strategy & Tactics once you’ve got a few games under your belt.
Strategy guides
Fundamentals
The basics — read these first
Tactics & Strategy
Advanced play
Attacking By Numbers
Combat statistics and probability analysis
Threat & Counterthreat
Target priority and threat assessment
Killing Uniques
Tactics for dealing with unique figures
Shakti's Strategy & Tactics
Comprehensive skirmish tactics
Shades Melee Swarm
In-depth guide to harassment tactics
Tournament Meta
What the championship scene looks like
Community
The active Mage Knight 1.0 community mostly lives on Facebook:
If you like Mage Knight 1.0, try
Other games in the directory that scratch the same itch.
Videos
More on YouTube →Start here
What to buy, what to read, and how the game actually plays.
Warriors of Athena Figure List
Complete figure list for Warriors of Athena organized by category
Mage Knight Metals Checklist
Complete checklist of Mage Knight metal miniatures
Mage Knight 1.0 Resources
Archived strategy guides, army builders, and community resources for Mage Knight 1.0 collectors and players
H0urg1ass's Army Checklist
Quick reference checklist for building Mage Knight 1.0 armies
H0urg1ass's Army Theme Guide
Guide to basic unit types and major army themes for Mage Knight 1.0
Attacking by the Numbers
Statistical analysis of attack values, defense values, and combat probabilities in Mage Knight 1.0
Guide to Maiming/Killing Uniques
Tactical guide for dealing with major unique figures in Mage Knight 1.0
Bakerkenn's Guide to Movement and Positioning
Essential tactics for movement, base positioning, and firing arcs in Mage Knight 1.0
Shades & Melee Swarm
In-depth guide to using Shades for harassment in melee swarm armies in Mage Knight 1.0
Shakti's Strategy & Tactics Guide
Comprehensive guide to skirmish tactics, strategic concepts, army building, and figure evaluation in Mage Knight 1.0
Stormfox's Newbie Guide to Mage Knight
Classic strategy guide covering action economy, army building, and special abilities for Mage Knight 1.0
Threat and Counter-Threat
Strategic analysis of target priority, threat assessment, and why big uniques attract harassment in Mage Knight
Mage Knight 1.0 Meta Figure Checklist
Complete checklist of figures needed to build tournament armies from 2002-2003
Mage Knight 1.0 Final Meta
Mage Knight 1.0 Army Lists from 2003
