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Hey all,

Join the Classic Castle set review discussion. Please post your opinions on the set play ability, piece selection, design, etc. Which sets stand up to our catapult of critique and which ones crumble in shame!

This week’s set is 79005 - The Wizard Battle.



This 2013 set was the first to include Saruman and also the Sauron's eye Palantir, along with Gandalf the Grey at a pretty cheap price point.

I remember thinking this set looked overpriced and rather lacklustre when it was first released. ANOTHER Gandalf and a handful of black pieces really didn't seem worth it just to get a Saruman... but I eventually got it anyway, since it was the only Middle-earth set that fit into my budget that trip to The LEGO Store and I was very pleasantly surprised.

Don't get me wrong, the set *is* mostly black pieces, and I didn't really want another Gandalf, but at least this Gandalf came with a hairpiece (more useful) instead of a hat, and as too-many-of-a-character torsos go, it's difficult to find one more worth having multiples of than Gandalf's.

And as far as the black pieces go--there are a lot of them. The throne/platform thingy that is the set's build is far more substantial than I was expecting. It has heft, which is not something I have come to expect from licensed theme sets in this size range. And more than just heft, the pieces are varied and useful--especially, I think, for a spacer. Throw in the trans-yellow crystal balls and this set is a candidate for "best Blacktron parts pack of 2013."

Beyond that, the Eye of Sauron head is a nifty piece and Saruman is wonderful (though I have since changed out the peach head and hands for a yellow one, as I have all the Middle-earth characters I've kept built). I also like his staff: it does a good job of capturing the look of his staff in the movies without having gone the pre-moulded route.

All told, my money felt well-spent on The Wizard Battle, even with its elevated, licensed theme price, so I'd call this one a home run.

Like Formendacil, I was pleasantly surprised by this set. Seemed like a great assortment of parts for it's price, and getting a couple wizards is nice.

Not terribly interested in the built-in "action" features and it's rather small so there isn't much else to say.

Like Formey the draw for me with this set was Saruman. But once I bought it, and I got it during my last trip to Disney. It was the only set I bought for myself on that trip. I built it in my room that night and was pleasantly pleased. It was a good solid build. The parts were very good. I like the yellow globes. I love the eye. I didn't even mind having another Gandolf because I only had one before. So overall, I enjoyed this set. I was tempted to get a second, but then talked myself out of it...in favor of other girly sets. Still, overall I think it is a really nice set.

Its too bad Saruman comes with only legs and not the skirt piece, like in Orthanc. The throne is kind of a cool miniature version of Orthanc too. The eye piece is the highlight of the set. I'd like to get a second one, if I can find it on clearance.

Steve

At first I thought this set was going to be not the greatest but ended getting it for the Saruman and was pleased with not the amount of pieces but the design of the set. One the set was bigger than I had thought and it was also a better build than expected. Even at full price it was a good deal and I wouldn't mind getting a second one some day.

Purple Wolf