Storm King (Varian Wrynn) by BroToys - **1/12(ish) Scale | Third-Party World of Warcraft Figure Review**
There are moments in collecting when an action figure teaches you something.
Sometimes it teaches restraint.
Sometimes it teaches regret.
And sometimes—very rarely—it teaches you lore.
This one taught me who the hell **Varian Wrynn** is.
Image: box back with small white safety text, choking-hazard warning, recycling icons, “Made in China,” “© 2024 BROTOYS FIGURE STUDIO.
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## I Didn’t Know Who the F Varian Was
Let’s get this out of the way first.
For reasons that now feel almost ironic, **World of Warcraft was never my thing**. Teenage-me actively avoided it out of pure contrarian spite. I remember my best friend Mike telling me:
> “Why aren’t you into WoW? It’s got dragons, swords, heroes, sexy elves—literally everything you like.”
And I shrugged.
“It’s too popular. The story’s too complicated. I don’t want homework with my fantasy.”
Image: box front featuring a yellow-and-navy lion head emblem. “STORM KING” printed vertically in light blue. “AGES 18+” in white at corner.
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I liked **Conan** because you always knew he was the hero and the story ended when the blood dried.
I liked **Dragonlance** because you knew who the good guys were and who needed killing.
I loved **D&D** for the same reason.
Game of Thrones. Diablo. WoW.
Too many names. Too many timelines. Too much lore stacked on lore stacked on lore.
If you can’t explain your world, your characters, and what they *do* in one paragraph, I’m bored. I’m here for **quick, simple pleasure**, not a master’s degree in Azerothian history.
Which is my long-winded way of saying:
**I had no idea who Varian Wrynn was—and wouldn’t have cared—until this figure landed on my shelf.**
Education through action figures: **to the win.**
Image: box left showing “GB-001,” a small photo of an armored warrior with white fur trim, and “BRTOYS 112 SCALE COLLECTIBLE FIGURE.”.
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## Who Is Varian Wrynn? (The Short, No-Homework Version)
Varian Wrynn is the **High King of the Alliance** in *World of Warcraft*. A warrior-king in the most classic fantasy sense—steel first, crown second.
He’s defined by:
* Brutal physical strength
* Tactical battlefield leadership
* An iron will and unbreakable honor
* A tragic arc that ends in **self-sacrifice**
His weapon, **Shalamayne**, is a legendary blade that can split into **two swords**, allowing Varian to dual-wield. He’s not a spell-slinger or trickster—he’s a frontline executioner who leads from the front.
In short:
He is **exactly** the kind of character action figures were invented for.
Image: A close-up of a fantasy warrior figurine wearing ornate silver-and-gold armor and a red hood trimmed with white fur. The figure has pale skin, black shoulder-length hair swept to one side, light-colored eyes, and a neutral expression. The armor includes engraved gold borders and decorative raised patterns on the chest and shoulders, with additional white fur trim near the shoulder area.
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## Storm King… Yeah, I’m Calling Him Varian
Officially, this figure is called **Storm King**.
Unofficially? Let’s not play dumb.
If it looks like Varian, vibes like Varian, and carries Shalamayne—it’s **fucking Varian**.
And honestly? I don’t mind the third-party rename at all.
Image: Another close-up of the same fantasy warrior figurine’s head and upper chest. The image is noticeably out of focus, so the facial features are blurry, but you can still make out pale skin, black hair, and a red hood with thick white fur trim. Part of the silver-and-gold armor is visible at the lower right, with engraved gold edging.
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I have zero loyalty to Blizzard or whoever’s sitting on the WoW licenses. If BroToys can give me a shelf-dominating warrior king while companies like NECA, McFarlane, Hasbro, and Mattel have failed to do so for years, I’m not saying no.
Because even if you don’t care about WoW lore (hi, me), **WoW character design absolutely slaps**: oversized armor, heroic silhouettes, savage detailing, and pure fantasy excess.
Image: A close-up of the figurine’s armored arm and shoulder area. The armor is metallic silver with ornate gold trim and engraved patterns, and there’s a thick white fur cuff around the upper arm. A maroon/red fabric cape or hood fills much of the background, with a bit of brown strap and dark sleeve fabric visible near the elbow.
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Some characters need context to sell. Hobbits? You need the story.
WoW or Diablo characters?
Don’t know.
Don’t care.
Here’s my credit card.
Image: A close-up side view of the figurine’s upper body: layered silver armor plates over the shoulder and upper arm with gold, engraved trim. A thick white fur cuff wraps around the arm. Black hair is visible at the left edge, and a maroon/red cape with a purple lining shows underneath near the bottom.
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## Scale: This Boy Is BIG
Storm King is advertised as **1/12 scale**, but let’s be real.
Standing around **7.5–7.6 inches tall**, this version of Varian is:
* Taller than Mythic Legions humans
* Bigger than Conan
* More massive than Thor
* Thicker than Xesray Gladiators
Image: Two fantasy figurines standing on a tabletop.
Front figurine: a pale-skinned, black-haired warrior in ornate silver armor with gold trim and white fur accents, wearing a blue-and-white tabard and a maroon cape. He holds two large swords, and there’s a gold staff or crest rising behind him with a red gem shape near the top. The base has a gray rock and a patch of translucent yellow-green “effect” material.
Back figurine: a knight in chainmail with a bright blue cape, holding a sword, and wearing a helmet with gold wing-like decorations and a dark blue-and-gold crest. A brown horse figure is partly visible behind this knight.
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Even if you give him “Mythic Legions scale math,” he’s still enormous.
If you’re a hardcore Varian purist, this might sting.
Me? I’m not married to the lore.
What I see is a **hulking, armored, kingly Storm Lord** commanding my shelf. A seven-foot warrior isn’t unrealistic—he’s just not canon Varian size, and that’s fine by me.
Image: Two action figures are posed on a tabletop in front of a printed backdrop with a pale cityscape.
Front figure: a pale-skinned, black-haired armored warrior with a stern face, wearing ornate silver armor with gold trim and white fur accents, plus a blue-and-white tabard and maroon cape. He’s holding two swords, and a gold staff-like ornament with a red gem shape rises behind his left shoulder. He stands on a base with a large gray rock and a patch of translucent yellow-green effect material.
Back figure: a tall, very muscular, bare-chested man with orange-tan skin, short curly red hair, and a full red beard. He wears a green skirt-like garment, a belt with a round buckle, and strapped sandals/greaves, with his arms crossed over his chest. A brown horse figure is partly visible behind him.
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## Body & Construction
This figure feels like a **tall, generic male buck** under all that armor and cloth. Where the armor doesn’t cover, you can feel it:
* Slim torso
* Surprisingly skinny legs
* Almost Barbie-Ken proportions hiding under fabric pants
It’s clear BroToys relied on the armor, soft goods, and fur to sell the bulk—and visually, it works.
Image: A close-up of the figurine’s shoulder armor: a sculpted silver lion head pauldron with gold accents and ornate gold edging. A thick strip of white fur trim runs along the edge of a maroon/red cloak behind it. The lighting is strong and creates a dark shadow across the pale, blurry background.
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## Articulation Breakdown
Let’s be honest: this is where compromises happen.
**Head & Neck**
* Ball-jointed head
* Good tilt and rotation
* Ponytail is removable and pops off easily
**Torso**
* Diaphragm joint with surprisingly good crunch
* Ball joint at the waist
* Decent side-to-side tilt despite armor
Image: A very close-up view of the figurine’s maroon fabric cloak/hood. The cloth texture and stitching seams are clearly visible, including a folded flap across the back. White fur trim peeks out along the edge near the left side. At the bottom edge, part of the silver-and-gold shoulder armor is visible.
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**Arms**
* Ball-jointed shoulders
* Bicep swivel
* Double-jointed elbows, but **do not reach 90°** due to gauntlet sculpt
* Wrist hinge and swivel
Image: A close-up of the figurine’s back/side: maroon fabric cloak with visible stitching and folds, plus a white fur trim edge. A rectangular book is strapped to the cloak—gray “metal” covers with two brown band-like edges and a raised emblem in the center. Part of the ornate silver-and-gold shoulder armor and a bit of black hair are visible near the top-left.
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**Legs**
* Ball-jointed hips
* Thigh swivel (hidden under fabric pants)
* Double-jointed knees, limited by boot sculpt
* Boot swivel
**Feet**
* Limited hinge
* Minimal ankle rocker due to heavy boot design
Image: A close-up of the maroon fabric cloak spread across the frame, showing the cloth weave, wrinkles, and a stitched hem along the top edge. On the left, the strapped book is partly visible, and below it three silver sword blades extend downward with engraved swirl patterns. At the upper left corner, a bit of silver-and-gold armor with a white fur cuff is visible.
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In short: the articulation is there, but **heavily restricted by armor**. Two-handed sword poses are basically off the table—but thankfully, Varian usually wields Shalamayne one-handed anyway.
This is a **display-first figure**, not a fidget toy.
Image: The armored warrior figure is shown from head to knees in a dramatic, dark photo with strong light from the right. He has pale skin and dark hair, and he’s posed with his left arm raised and hand open, as if casting a spell or reaching forward. He wears ornate dark silver armor with gold trim and several tufts of white fur at the shoulders and chest, plus a bright blue tabard with a lighter border down the center. His legs are in dark pants with silver-and-gold armored boots. The background is mostly shadowy, with a faint, blurry printed scene behind him.
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## Accessories List
Storm King comes with a solid—but focused—set of accessories:
* **Three swords**
Image: Two miniature swords are lying horizontally on a flat, light-colored surface under bluish lighting.
Top sword: dark silver blade with engraved swirl patterns; gold-and-black hilt with a red gem-like detail near the guard and another red gem shape at the pommel; a small dark blue decorative piece sits near the guard.
Bottom sword: similar style and size, with the same dark silver engraved blade and gold-and-black hilt with red gem details; this one has a translucent orange flame-like effect piece rising from the guard area.
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* Full Shalamayne (combined blade)
* Two split swords for dual-wielding
* **Two flame/energy effect pieces** for the blades
Image: A single miniature sword is lying horizontally on a light surface under bluish lighting, with the handle on the left and the tip pointing right. It has a dark silver blade that splits into two parallel blades near the hilt, both decorated with engraved swirl patterns. The guard and hilt are gold-and-black with a red gem-like square at the center and a red gem shape in the pommel. A translucent orange flame effect sits in a circular mount near the base of the blades.
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* **Three pairs of hands**
* Fists
* Gripping hands
* Expressive/open hands
Image: Six interchangeable miniature hands are laid out on a flat surface under bluish lighting, arranged in two rows of three.
Top row: an open, slightly cupped hand; a more open “gripping” hand with fingers curved; a clenched fist.
Bottom row: another open, cupped hand; another curved “gripping” hand; another clenched fist.
All the hands are painted a brown skin tone with lighter highlights on the knuckles and fingers.
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* **Magnetic sword sheath** (mounts to the back)
* **Magnetic hip pouch** (premium, but prone to popping off)
Image: Two small accessories are lying on a flat surface under bluish lighting.
Top: a small rectangular book with gray “metal” covers, brown band-like edges, and a raised circular emblem with curling lines around it.
Bottom: a small brown pouch or satchel with sculpted folds, a strap across the front, and a tiny round button/clasp detail.
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* **Wired hood**
* **Wired cape**
Image: A close-up photo of a fantasy warrior action figure in detailed silver-and-gold armor.
The figure is shown from the side, posed with one arm extended upward. The armor has ornate gold trim and layered silver plates, including a large decorative shoulder piece with a star-like raised design. White fur trim is visible around the neck/shoulder area. The forearm has bright blue wrappings with silver bands, and a small brown pouch strapped on top. A flowing burgundy-purple fabric cape drapes downward. A weapon handle or staff-like piece runs alongside the body near the cape. On the lower right, a bright blue light source with several small LED dots is visible, casting blue light on the figure.
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* **Rock-and-wave diorama base**
Image: A small model terrain piece on a light-colored surface.
It looks like a pile of gray rocks stacked in a rough column on the right, with translucent amber-yellow crystals clustered and spreading outward on the left side. The crystals are jagged and shiny, catching the light, while the rocks have a matte, stone-textured finish with lighter gray highlights.
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* **Extra straps and spare parts**
* **Eye-adjustment tool** for movable eyeballs
Image: A small clear plastic bag containing tiny parts.
Inside are several items: two small dark-gray ribbed pieces (they look like miniature accessories), a beige cylindrical rod, a beige jointed piece with rounded knobs (like a small connector or figure part), and two small black curved hooks. The bag is on a blue-gray fabric surface, with bluish lighting and a shadow cast to the right.
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The magnets feel premium, though personally I still hate magnetic pouches—brush the figure too hard and they go flying.
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## Materials & Presentation
Highlights here are excellent:
* Real fur trim under the armor
* Wired cape and hood for dramatic posing
* Incredibly detailed armor sculpt and paint
* Clean soft goods with good texture
Image: A close-up of the action figure’s back/side showing a large burgundy cloth cape draped behind it.
A silver-gray sword in a sheath runs diagonally across the cape, with engraved decorative patterns and a small brown strap detail near the sheath opening. Part of the figure’s armored arm and gold-trimmed gear is visible near the lower left, including a small orange gem-like detail. On the right edge, a bright LED light panel with several white dots is visible, casting strong light and shadows. The cape’s edge looks slightly frayed or uneven near the lower right.
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The base looks like waves crashing against rock, and I love diorama elements like this. I only wish they’d let you plant Shalamayne into it.
Image: the warrior figure is standing on the right with one foot braced against a gray rock-and-amber crystal formation, lunging forward to the left. His cape flows behind him, and he’s holding a large blade, raised overhead. A sword is strapped on his back.
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## Shelf Presence: The “Holy Shit” Moment
I’ve collected **over 1,000 figures**.
That means I’m jaded.
I don’t get “holy shit” moments often anymore.
This one gave me one.
Image: A fantasy warrior action figure posed upright, standing wide and leaning forward as if bracing for combat. He’s wearing ornate silver armor with gold trim and white fur at the shoulders, a burgundy cape, and blue-and-white tabard panels hanging down the front. His face is human-like with medium skin tone and shoulder-length black hair.
He’s holding a long silver sword angled forward in his right hand; the hilt has gold details and a blue-green gem. Behind his left shoulder is a tall polearm or axe-like weapon with a curved gold blade and a red gem at the top.
In front of him is a large brown horse figure with a black mane and tail, posed as if stepping forward; its lower legs transition to white/gray with dark hooves. A black cable drapes across the horse’s back/side.
To the right is a small terrain piece: gray rocks with amber-yellow crystal growth. The scene is on a tabletop with a gridded backdrop and printed scenery panels behind.
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The armor detail is insane. The paint, the sculpt, the layering—this thing reads more like a **premium statue that happens to move**. Even with the articulation limits, it dominates the shelf in a way very few figures do.
Normally, I’d complain that there aren’t enough accessories or articulation to justify the **$100 price tag**.
Here?
I don’t care.
Image: A fantasy rider scene viewed from the side: the brown horse is in a forward-stepping pose with its mane and tail flowing, and the warrior figure is mounted on its back.
The rider wears silver-and-gold armor with white fur accents, a burgundy cape flowing behind, and bright blue straps/harness pieces around the waist and legs. A large gold polearm/axe with red gem details is visible near the rider’s left side. A black cable drapes across the horse’s body.
On the right side of the scene, a gray rock with amber-yellow crystal growth sits on the tabletop.
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## The Personal Connection
Here’s what really sealed it.
Tall.
Dual-wielding swords.
Heroic armor.
Blue eyes.
Long hair.
This figure looks *dangerously close* to **Pharel Stormblade**, my own fantasy protagonist from back when I tried to publish novels.
Image: The fantasy warrior action figure is posed upright, lunging forward to the right with a wide stance. He’s wearing ornate silver armor with gold trim and white fur at the shoulders, with a burgundy cape flowing behind and a blue tabard panel hanging down the front. His face has a medium skin tone and straight black shoulder-length hair.
He’s holding a large silver-and-gold sword in his left hand, angled upward to the left; the sword has engraved patterns, a circular orange gem detail near the guard, and small red gem accents on the hilt. His right arm is bent with a clenched fist raised.
His right foot is planted on a gray rock-and-amber crystal terrain piece on the far right. A bright LED light near the lower right casts bluish highlights on the armor and crystals. The background is a gridded surface with taped-on printed scenery images.
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Having Storm King on my shelf feels like having an action figure of **my own character**—and that alone makes it special.
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## Final Verdict
Is Storm King slightly overpriced?
Sure.
But it does three rare things:
1. It gave me a genuine **“wow” feeling** again
2. It introduced me to Varian Wrynn—and he’s a damn cool character
3. It feels personal, like it *belongs* on my shelf
Image: Two fantasy action figures are posed as if fighting.
On the left, the armored warrior in silver-and-gold with white fur and a burgundy cape is mid-swing with a large ornate sword; there’s a translucent orange “slash” effect piece curving off the blade. A yellow flame-like effect is also visible near the sword area.
On the right, a second figure is braced low with one hand on the ground, holding up a big round silver shield with a skull-and-horns design. This figure has a bright metallic-blue helmet with wing-like fins, a bare chest with straps, blue textured pants, and black boots. The rocky base with amber-yellow crystal growth is near the right figure.
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This isn’t a perfect Varian Wrynn.
It *is* a perfect **Storm King**.
And sometimes, that’s better.
Image: Two fantasy action figures are posed as if in a duel.
In the foreground/right, a blue-gray armored knight with a purple cape is crouched low, holding a curved sword across the body. The armor has spiked details and light blue accents, and the boots/ankle area look fur-trimmed in a pale tan color.
In the background/left, the silver-and-gold warrior with the burgundy cape and blue tabard is above and behind, lunging forward with a large ornate sword raised. A brown horse figure is partially visible behind him.
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### 🔗 Find More of My Work
Fantasy art, tactile work, figure reviews, and creative chaos live here:
* **johnnytiger.com**
* **tigertactile.com**
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#StormKing #VarianWrynn #BroToys #ThirdPartyToys #ActionFigureReview
#WorldOfWarcraft #FantasyFigures #ShelfPresence #ToyCollectors
#MythicLegions #ArmorPorn #SwordsAndSorcery
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