For the Love of Fright Knights!

Bear · Post by **Bear** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:04 pm

Fright knights seems to be by far the most bashed classic castle theme around, by far I might add. This thread is just to show those poor Fright Knight souls some love, and not for debate or bashing.

I love the concept of a Lego witch. I also thought recently of picking up some Fright Knights as kind of a Vampire faction type thing.

timber_wolf899 · Post by **timber_wolf899** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:08 pm

minifigs were nice, and i actually like the 6097. It is a neat change from the typical wall and courtyard catle. This is more a fortified manor or great hall, which encouraged kids to think outside the box when building.

I wonder if the same designers worked on fire breathing fortress.

wunztwice · Post by **wunztwice** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:10 pm

Well, I must admit, I think KKII is the most bashed LEGO castle theme ever, and while the fright knights do seem to lack alot of what made other castle themes great, they did give me the fluer-de-leis torso!

Sir Kohran · Post by **Sir Kohran** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:22 pm

The Fright Knights weren't inherently dreadful. They just weren't very good. The sets were goofy and rather poorly designed, and looking at them again it's fairly unsurprising that Castle ended one year later.

Bear · Post by **Bear** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:02 pm

The 2 larger sets are some of the best parts inventories around. Sure the Magic Manor is full of BURPs and LURPs, but who doesn't love rocks? I also loved the look of the Bat Lord's Castle. Although small it looked like a well fortified stronghold.

When I was in my mid-20's it was Fright Knights that brought me back to Lego (only to leave again when it was Castles last year for a long time to come)

Post by **Bruce N H** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:16 pm

Fright Knights get a bad rap for the Bat Lord's silly helm and Willa, but otherwise the figs are really good for army building. I particularly like this torso:

I can't say I'm a fan of the set designs, though.

Bruce

MarioDAlessio · Post by **MarioDAlessio** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:08 am

My only gripe with the fright knights is the over use of Batlord and Willa and that the Batlord shell impulse sets were not as well thought out as the standard line.

I consider that Lego castle torso design reached a high point between Dark Forrest/Fright Knights and KK1 that has stilled not been equalled, I am appalled that castle Lego now produces non-printed blank torsos for knights and wizards.

As with torso design set colour combinations of Dark Forrest/Fright Knights and KK1 were very advanced in comparison to what came before(standard grey and black mostly).

The Fright Knight range has one of the best castle impulse (army builder) set of all time in my opinion.

http://www.classic-castle.com/sets/archives/6004.html

A fully equipped generic looking solider with great torso design, 2 or 3 spears depending on your luck and two shields.

Mario

CVfan13 · Post by **CVfan13** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:39 am

Yay, finally some Fright Knight love.... I for one have always kept a special place for them in my heart, as they were my introduction to Lego Castle, and Lego as a whole actually. The figures are quite nice, and believe or not, Willa the Witch is one of my all-time favorite Lego figures. The sets, while not your typical design, do provide lots of playability, decent pieces, and capture a certain Gothic, frightening, Halloween-ish feel. For that, I find them very memorable, and I'm proud to own them all.

The_Hun · Post by **The_Hun** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:26 am

As I've already said elsewhere: while I don't particularly like their set design, Fright Knight minifigs rock! There are no less than four very useful generic torsos in this one theme, plus the first Lego witch. And think of the red horse barding!

Tower of Iron Will · Post by **Tower of Iron Will** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:46 pm

The sets I'm not so crazy about but the figures are very usefull.

The Willa figure to me is a classic Drow(Dark Elf) design with the black and red with a spider brouche. Perfect.

Her face is hard to use but that can be easily swapped out.

The bat lords I split into to "Bat" factions, one with the orange/black torso and black bat helm and the second with the gray bat helm with the black and gray armor torso. I like to think of these two factions as of the Drow(Dark Elf) race as well. They kind of give a "Transylvania" vibe to them.

The Fleur De Lis torso is another human faction. So, out of the Fright Knight line I made four different factions. It took some time to figure them out in this order but now am very pleased with it. I think its fine that some don't like them, keeps the price lower on Bricklink.

-Tower

CVfan13 · Post by **CVfan13** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:14 pm

Her face is hard to use but that can be easily swapped out.

I often end up using it for an elderly peasant woman in desperate need of a good dentist.

The bat lords I split into to "Bat" factions, one with the orange/black torso and black bat helm and the second with the gray bat helm with the black and gray armor torso. I like to think of these two factions as of the Drow(Dark Elf) race as well. They kind of give a "Transylvania" vibe to them.

Have you ever tried cutting the wings off the bat helm? Pretty good for an executioner, or something, that way.

The Fleur De Lis torso is another human faction.

I often use that one for priests, friars, monks, and other Holy people. Also good for making zombies and undead villagers.

Post by **Athos** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:14 pm

I like the Fright Knights (even Willa and Basil). Though the set designs were pretty poor (with the possible exception of the tower).

Steve

Quickblade22 · Post by **Quickblade22** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:00 pm

I'm a fan of the idea, but not the set design. They are my least favorite classic theme, but that's like picking your least favorite character of the Fellowship, to me

I hate the Basil face. I have recently begun to customize the torso's since I'm not a fan of them. I was using them as a group of people under the rule of a warlord theocracy. Way before the new line came out, I had Basil with powers over the undead. I aplaude the attempt of TLC to make this faction. It seemed to me like the designers and bosses had big differences when this theme was made. Great potential, but limited creativity. I would have changed the look, but not the idea.

natelite · Post by **natelite** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:54 pm

CVfan13 wrote: Have you ever tried cutting the wings off the bat helm? Pretty good for an executioner, or something, that way.

that's a pretty good idea. without the wings, the helm is actually quite good. it even has a stud at the top for plumes or other moc. makes a good viking helmet too.

Bear · Post by **Bear** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:15 pm

natelite wrote:
CVfan13 wrote: Have you ever tried cutting the wings off the bat helm? Pretty good for an executioner, or something, that way.

that's a pretty good idea. without the wings, the helm is actually quite good. it even has a stud at the top for plumes or other moc. makes a good viking helmet too.

I really don't understand why you would want to cut the bat helmet. I think it is a very menacing looking helmet. It's perfect for a clan leader, strong arm, or evil royal guard character.