Yes—but only when the miniature is designed and oriented for an FDM/FFF filament printer. You do not need a resin machine for usable D&D or wargaming figures. A 0.25 mm nozzle, fine layers, PLA and a support-conscious pose can produce convincing 28–32 mm characters for normal gaming distance. “No supports” is the stricter part of the question: a closed pose with a broad base may print support-free, while raised weapons, capes, chins, overhanging arms and floating accessories generally require a few supports or a model split into several pieces.
What you can realistically expect from filament printing
FDM (fused deposition modeling), also called FFF (fused filament fabrication), builds a miniature one layer of molten plastic at a time. Every new line must rest on a previous line, a bridge, or a surface the printer can reach without hanging in mid-air. That physical constraint—not the slicer brand—determines whether a pose can be printed without supports.
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A filament printer can make durable gaming pieces that survive regular handling. At tabletop distance, the result can be very convincing, especially after priming and painting. Resin remains the better choice for tiny facial features, individual fingers, hair strands and display or competition pieces because its layer and pixel resolution preserve details that a filament nozzle cannot reproduce reliably. FDM/FFF will not retain every detail visible in a high-resolution sculpt, but it is not automatically unsuitable for miniatures.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Prusa Research reports that even a hobby machine such as a stock MINI can produce convincing tabletop figures with one change: a 0.25 mm nozzle. The same guidance describes PLA as widely available, offered in many colors and easy to print without a special process. Liquid-resin handling, washing and curing are unnecessary when you choose filament.
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FDM and resin at a glance
| Consideration | FDM/FFF filament | SLA/MSLA resin |
|---|---|---|
| Fine detail | Good for gaming distance with careful settings; tiny faces and fingers are softened | Usually superior for display-level facial and surface detail |
| Support-free printing | Possible for suitable poses; overhangs and islands still control the result | Supports are commonly needed for many orientations and must be removed |
| Material workflow | Dry filament, print, then clean up and paint | Liquid resin requires washing and UV curing after printing |
| Handling | PLA is a practical choice for pieces that are picked up during games | Finished resin parts can show fine detail but may be more vulnerable to brittle thin features |
| Typical 28–32 mm print example | About 2–3 hours for one figure, depending on size and support volume (Prusa Research, 2020) | Not stated in the cited material |
Which miniatures can print without supports?
Choose the sculpt before changing slicer settings. A model created for FFF/FDM usually has thicker limbs, a stable pedestal or base, and hands or weapons positioned at printable angles. A generic resin sculpt may contain thin, isolated details that leave the filament nozzle printing into empty space.
Good candidates for support-free FDM
- Closed or relaxed poses with arms close to the torso.
- Figures with both feet, a scenic plinth or a wide integrated base touching the build plate.
- Bulky characters, robots, monsters and busts whose major surfaces rise gradually.
- Weapons held close to the body rather than extending horizontally.
- Accessories that are thick enough to expose a meaningful cross-section on each layer.
Poses that usually need supports or a split model
- Raised swords, spears, staffs, wings or gun barrels that begin as isolated islands.
- Cap or cape hems projecting horizontally from the body.
- Chins, noses, hands or elbows that hang below a larger mass.
- Floating familiars, straps, hair tips and other disconnected details.
- A single thin accessory that forces the nozzle to dwell over one tiny feature.
UltiMaker’s general FFF guidance puts ordinary self-supporting overhangs at about 45 degrees, with basic bridges up to roughly 10 mm often printable without support. Prusa’s documentation describes clean overhangs commonly around 45–60 degrees and notes that some newer systems can reach about 75 degrees with suitable cooling and settings. Treat these as starting ranges, not guarantees: filament, nozzle, cooling, layer height and the specific geometry change the limit.
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Use the right nozzle and layer height
For 28–32 mm gaming figures, a 0.25 mm E3D-compatible nozzle is the most direct detail upgrade cited by Prusa Research. The smaller opening improves X/Y precision for eyes, belts, armor edges and other narrow features. It also deposits less material per line, so the same model takes longer than it would with a standard larger nozzle. Confirm that the nozzle matches your hotend before ordering; “E3D-compatible” is not a universal mechanical fit.
Start at 0.07 or 0.1 mm layer height on a profile intended for your printer and nozzle. Fine layers reduce visible stair-stepping on sloped armor and faces, but they increase the number of layers and therefore print time. A 0.1 mm profile is a sensible first calibration; move to 0.07 mm when the machine is mechanically sound and the extra time is worthwhile.
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What 28 mm and 32 mm mean
Prusa Research explains that 28 mm and 32 mm tabletop figures are effectively the same approximate 1:56 scale. The difference is the reference point: some manufacturers measure to the character’s eye line, while others measure to the top of the head. Check the seller’s measurement convention when you need a force that matches existing miniatures.
A support-free printing workflow
- Select an FFF-friendly STL. Look for “FDM,” “FFF,” “supportless” or “print-in-place” descriptions, or choose a closed-pose figure with a broad base. Do not assume that a file advertised for resin will work unchanged on a filament machine.
- Load the model in your slicer and inspect the preview. Scroll through every layer. The first line of each feature should touch the bed, a previous layer or a legitimate bridge. Watch for isolated islands under weapons, chins, cape edges and hands. An island means the print is trying to start in mid-air and needs a new orientation, a support or a model edit.
- Install and calibrate the fine nozzle. Fit the 0.25 mm nozzle, then verify first-layer height, extrusion calibration and the nozzle diameter selected in the slicer. A mismatched diameter can make walls too thin or cause over-extrusion.
- Use PLA as the baseline material. PLA is broadly available and generally forgiving. Dry the spool if it has absorbed moisture, because wet filament can create bubbles, stringing and weak-looking surfaces. Keep temperature and flow values specific to your printer and filament; there is no universal profile that is safe to copy.
- Orient for surfaces and overhangs. Keep the face and other prominent details away from likely support contacts. Rotate the figure so broad slopes face upward and overhangs stay near the tested capability of your machine. The orientation directly changes support location, print time and surface finish.
- Decide whether “zero support” is actually safe. If the preview shows every layer grounded, bridged or within your tested overhang range, disable supports. If you see an island or a long horizontal projection, add minimal tree or organic supports under that feature rather than risking the whole print.
- Protect the first layer. Tiny feet have little contact area. Check that the sheet is clean, the nozzle is not damaged and first-layer calibration is correct. Add a brim when feet lift or when the base is narrow; a brim uses extra material but can prevent a many-hour failure.
- Print slowly enough for detail. Keep outer walls conservative and maintain strong cooling for small overhangs. Small layers give the nozzle little time to move heat away, so adequate cooling is more important than copying a fast general-purpose profile.
A single 28/32 mm figure can take approximately two to three hours, depending on its size and the amount of support. The fine-nozzle route improves detail but lengthens the job, so print one calibration figure before committing to a full squad.
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When splitting the model is better than supporting it
Support-free printing does not require every miniature to be one piece. Prusa’s modeling guidance recommends dividing a model when that creates better orientations and fewer supports. A torso, head, arms, weapon and base can each be positioned so their largest surfaces build upward naturally. After printing, glue the pieces together and fill or sand the joint if it will remain visible under paint.
Useful split locations
- Separate a sword, staff or rifle from a hand when the weapon would otherwise be a long horizontal overhang.
- Print a cape as a separate panel so its broad face can lie against the bed.
- Detach a scenic base from a figure when the base shape dictates a poor angle for the body.
- Split a large monster at the torso or waist when one orientation creates a deep underside.
Add alignment keys or flat mating surfaces in a modeling program when possible. A clean joint is easier to hide than a forest of support scars across a face or armor plate.
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How to minimize support scars when supports are unavoidable
“No supports” is not a quality goal if it produces sagging undersides or detached parts. Use the smallest support strategy that protects the geometry.
- Place contact points on the back, underside of a base or another area that will be hidden.
- Keep supports away from eyes, facial planes, fingertips and sharp armor edges.
- Use tree or organic supports for isolated weapon tips and cape corners when your slicer provides them; they can reduce the number of contact points.
- Increase the separation between the support interface and the model only as far as your slicer profile allows. Excessive separation causes sagging; too little makes removal damage the surface.
- Preview the complete support structure, not just the estimated material. A support that begins on the build plate but terminates under an unsupported island is not doing its job.
Remove supports only after the part has cooled. Clip the structure close to the model, then trim remaining nubs with a sharp hobby tool. Sanding, filler primer and paint can disguise minor marks, but they cannot restore a facial feature broken away during removal.
Troubleshooting common FDM miniature failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Practical response |
|---|---|---|
| A weapon starts as a blob or appears late in the preview | The weapon is an isolated island or has too little cross-section | Rotate it toward the body, split it into a separate part, thicken it, or add a small support |
| Underside of a chin or cape is melted | Overhang exceeds the printer’s cooling and geometry limit | Use a shallower angle, stronger cooling, slower outer walls or a targeted support |
| Feet lift from the bed | Small contact area, dirty sheet or incorrect first-layer calibration | Clean and recalibrate; add a brim and verify the nozzle and sheet are in good condition |
| Layer lines obscure the face | Layer height is too coarse or the face points into a stair-stepped slope | Try 0.1 or 0.07 mm layers, rotate the face and keep outer walls steady and cool |
| Stringing appears between arms and accessories | Moist filament or retraction/temperature mismatch | Dry the PLA and tune retraction and temperature for that spool rather than using a universal value |
| Thin parts snap during cleanup | The sculpt is too delicate for the nozzle, or supports were attached too aggressively | Choose a thicker FFF version, split the part, reduce contact points and remove supports after cooling |
Finishing a filament miniature for the gaming table
After printing, remove the brim and supports, trim strings and inspect the base for warping. A light sanding pass or filler primer can soften visible layer lines before acrylic painting. Keep aggressive sanding away from tiny details that the 0.25 mm nozzle barely reproduced. If a piece is designed for frequent handling, favor a robust pose and thicker accessories over an ultra-delicate sculpt; the best-looking print is not useful if the first game breaks its sword.
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Print a single test figure in the final material and color before producing a unit. Examine the face, weapon, base adhesion and the underside of every overhang under the same lighting in which you will paint it. Adjust orientation first, then layer height and cooling, and only afterward consider supports. This order solves geometry problems without covering the model in unnecessary support marks.
A simple decision guide
- Need a squad for regular play and can accept softened facial detail? Use an FDM printer with PLA and a 0.25 mm nozzle.
- Have a closed-pose, broad-based FFF sculpt? Try a support-free print after checking every slicer layer.
- Have a dramatic pose with raised weapons or floating parts? Plan on a few targeted supports or split the model.
- Need display-quality eyes, fingers and tiny surface textures? Resin will usually deliver finer detail, although it is not required for playable miniatures.
- Are the feet tiny or the base narrow? Correct first-layer calibration and use a brim before changing the model.
Filament printing is therefore a genuine option for tabletop miniatures without resin, and sometimes without supports. The deciding factor is the sculpt’s geometry: keep each layer grounded or within your printer’s tested bridge and overhang limits, use a fine nozzle and thin layers for detail, and accept supports or part splitting when the pose cannot physically build itself.
Quick Recap
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