This query is out of curiosity only as I have never competed and don't plan to start.
I am about to start a Pilipili Daimyo and I am replacing the sword blade with a homemade aluminium one. This got me thinking, if I entered it in competition would it have to go in the converted/ scratchbuilt class? Is a figure that is modified even in a minor way excluded from the " from the box" class?

As I say just curious but intrigued to know.

Bill

Changing a weapon blade because the original isn't good enough for you shouldn't be an issue as it isn't a big part and I'm guessing you're mimicking the original anyway.

And truthfully, it's unlikely once paint is on that majority of judges will even notice and over 90% of the bust will be out of the box anyway.

And like Nap about. I'm interested to see it as it's not one I know and have a soft spot for samurai.

Here it is.

Ah yes, I know the one. Rare to see it.

Replacing the katana blade won't get you disqualified. I know someone who did that on another bust for an IPMS competition.

It is very rare for a figure with additions or conversions be ejected from a stock figure class. These classes are judged mostly on the quality of painting and assembly (eg no gaps, mould lines removed, no glue marks, figure settled into the base etc). Entering a figure with minor improvements or conversion to a converted/scratchbuilt class will do less well because here the sculpting/converting work carries higher marks.
When judging a converted/scratchbuilt class and faced with an entry with only minor conversion, I have on several occasions, taken it over to the stock painted class judges to ask them if it it would get a better award in their class. If they say yes I hand it over to them.
I find it reprehensible when judges disqualify entries. People do put things in the wrong classes sometimes and it can, on occasion, be because they can't be bothered to read the rules, but it doesn't take too much effort for a judge to move the piece to the correct class.

Thank you all for your clear and concise answers. This forum really is the fount of all knowledge. Looking forward to putting some faces to names at Bugle Call.

Bill

I don't think there's anything wrong with replacing one blade with a better homemade one. Sometimes it could be to your benefit when it comes down to your model vs another when you have accurized the blade and the other guy didn't. I would write down the change on the form.
OOB means just that. You use nothing but what came in the box. And in IPMS competitions if the blade was replace then it's no longer OOB and would probably be moved from the OOB category into another. But in all honesty OOB categories are few and far between.

All busts must compete in one and only class dedicated to busts IMHO

Yeah, replacing the sword blade would not get you moved from our (that is, the MFCA) Painters division into the Open division.

Prost!
Brad

Just remember that IPMS is three-quarters PMS.

Prost!
Brad

But how do you judge historical busts against fantasy busts?

I've seen what happens when non-fantasy or non-historical judges asses the opposite subjects. It's not pretty. Even worse is scale modellers judging fantasy painting.