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Essential tools in my humble opinion:
Clippers
I guess one of those junior saws (was never into chopping up metal miniatures so don't have one)
drill (again optional as you can do perfectly servicable holes for pinning plastic without, I.e. only needed for metal pinning)
Epoxy putty
Sculpting tools or DIY equivs (a flat 'smoother' a sharp 'blade' and a cylinder shaped 'flatener')
Emery boards: a cheap alternative to microfiles and perfectly good for plastic and putty.
Cutting matte (optional depends if you 'respect wood' i.e. don't want to mark your desk)
PVA
A jar of sand.
A stanley blade with parcel tape on the top working as a grip. This is WAY more effective than an exacto Knife! You have to get used to horrible cramp, but once that's overcome it is far more accurate and controllable.
A steel rule for plasticsrd/foamboard cutting.

TedintheShed wrote:Okay, I have to ask this: what do you folks use paper clips for?

Paper clips are used for various things. One of the most interesting is for pinning models (especially metal ones which can be hard to glue). I also use them in place of magnets for smaller models (such as standard infantry) to allow me to weapon swap/etc.

You can also use them to build armatures for sculpture work.

Get the German frames... they are fantastic, easy to handle, very sturdy and under $20 (you don't need more than a 4" throat). I've had the same two saw frames for over 10 years now & they're as good as new. Will probably have/use them till I'm worm food. These are made for professional jewelers who will use them nearly every day of their careers... much higher standard of construction to live up to than anything with the word "hobby" attached to it. Not that a hobby blade won't work at all, but I think you'd find these a big step up in durability and quality.

A GW knight with a long thin blade for delicate cuts.
An old metal handled knife with a short thick blade for brute for cuts (usually metal).
Razor saw
A set of gun files, for all their assorted random shapes.
A couple larger files for larger areas.
A really large wood file for when I want a large area down to a smooth plane.
Some small pliers with no teeth for holding small bitz.
Some big pliers with rough teeth for gripping and tearing parts off of metal figs.
A set of sculpting tools
A GW sculpting tool, which is probably my favorite and most used one
A couple different stitch removers which I use as additional sculpting tools.
Couple assorted small screwdrivers, for when I need to pry something.
Small pin vise which doesn't get much use because I'm lazy.
Safety glasses, make sure you get these.
Wire curler, doesn't get much use.
A nice solid set of metal clippers, another good brute force part removal tool.
Paper cutter for making long straight cuts in plasticard.
Desk vise.
I suppose I should also count my gas stove, as I use that to melt various amounts of plastic for some projects.
Variable speed corded Dremel with a large collection of bits.

I think that's all of it.

Two sprue plyers
Several kinds of brushes

Not a very big tool box is it?