What is Your Favorite Lord of the Rings Set?

[Deathleech]

So with the LotR theme done (or close to it besides some "fun packs" through Dimensions and the slim possibility of an Ideas Minas Tirith), I thought it would be nice to see which set people like the most. Why do you like that particular set? Is it the minifigures, the build, the scene it's based on, or what?

Edited May 2, 2015 by Deathleech

[Balbo]

Very interesting topic

It's really hard to choose just one set because most of them (especially the ones from the first wave) were nearly perfect. For me, my favourite LotR set is the Battle of Helms Deep. It was my favourite castle from the trilogy and since I first saw the movie as a young boy more than ten years ago, I tried to recreate that battle with the bricks I had. So it was really something special for me when that set was released in 2012.

The set is great in my opinion because it features nearly all important scenes from the battle, the minifigure selection with armoured Theoden and Haldir is very nice and the size of Helms Deep is appropriate, too.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Balbo

[Regenerate builder]

This is a difficult choice because LotR is my favorite Lego theme as well as my favorite movies. I really like all the sets so much. I also MOC though, so when it comes down to choosing one set, because of the peice count, color, and how iconic it is, I chose 9474 Helms Deep. However, even though the minifigures included in the set are awesome I wish Lego included a couple more. Close runner ups for me are Tower of Orthanc and Pirate Ship Ambush.

[Eru Magnus Valar]

LOL, I thought oooh that is easy; set #79003 Bag End, and then I thought: hold on (facepalm) that is not an 'LOTR' set, but a 'The Hobbit' set. Now it is much harder. Tower of Orthanc or Helm's Deep. This is almost impossible. I guess Helm's Deep or maybe not!? I cannot choose between them. I'll sleep on it, and vote tommorow. Actually a lot of the smaller sets are also really nice such as: The council of Elrond; Shelob attacks; and Wheathertop.

Yep, must sleep on this.

ps.

Interesting topic.

[Dhivael]

Tough call. Voted Tower of Orthanc because it was an amazing DTC set, but I bought like 4 copies of Helm's Deep and that is one of my favorite Lego sets of all time.

[dgherko]

The tower is one of the best sets of all time not just from LoTR. I think it is right up there with the yellow castle 375

[Balthazar]

The Battle of Helm's Deep, of course!

It really looks like a MOC. And I especially like Theoden and Haldir minifigures.

[kreimkoek]

Council of Elrond gets my vote. It captures the atmpsphere of the scene very well and gives us two unique minifigures for a reasonable price.

[Blakstone]

The two main contenders are great; however I voted for Uruk-Hai Army. I recently built my last copy (4th) as I needed some pieces. I loved every minute of the build. It was all great.

[Mr. President]

I voted for Helm's Deep, which was certainly the most spectacular Lord of the Rings set but could also be adapted for use with other castle/fantasy factions and themes - add some relevant flags and pennants on the walls and it looks fine as a redoubt for Lion Knights, Black Falcons, or almost anyone.

My second choice (and in truth, I almost voted for it) was Council of Elrond. It did seem an odd fit among the rest of the theme, most of which was highly action-oriented, but it captured that feel of elven-ness very well. I'm thinking of using its pieces with ones from the new Elves theme to make something.

[AFOLguy1970]

This was a difficult choice. I gave the edge to Orthanc due to its size and overall design. I almost voted for Helms Deep with its great assortment of minifigs in addition to capturing a scene well without breaking the bank too much. It is also easy to understand the votes for Council of Elrond. Even though some people might think it was not necessary and perhaps took the place of something important, it had some great elements, and at the time, it was the only way to get Elrond without having to hunt down the Gamestop version. That Elrond remains one of my favorite minifigs as he is himself a favorite among Tolkien characters. Getting Arwen was also nice.

[Steckley]

I voted for Helms Deep because the size of the finished model impressed me, and I wasn't expecting that. So often I find their large sets a bit underwhelming but this one did not disappoint.

I recently bought the Tower of Orthanc but haven't built it. I might change my vote once I do, based on what I've seen about that set, but I only like to vote for sets I have personal experience with.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Steckley

[Captain Dee]

I'm no fan of LOTR but I bought several different sets for their parts and minifigs. The Council of Elrond is easily my favorite. I like all the architectural elements, the vegetation, the overall color scheme and yes, the minifigs. The elaborate printing on Elrond and Gimli in particular is very nice. And of course Arwen made a nice addition to my enormous collection of printed-dress slope-brick female figures. The set wasn't cheap but it didn't stop me from buying... several!

Edited May 4, 2015 by Captain Dee

[Hive]

Helm's Deep is brilliant, but Council of Elrond is a close second. The parts and colours in that one are amazing, and it's the only LEGO set I own 3 of (with the exception of impulse sets).

[Deathleech]

Hmm... interesting results so far. I thought Helm's Deep would be the hands down winner but Orthanc is slightly edging it out atm. More surprising is how many people are bringing up Council of Elrond as their second favorite set considering that set seems to catch a lot of flak amongst AFOLs

Personally, I really like Shelob Attacks and think that set gets over looked a lot. Of course I love Helm's Deep, but Mines of Moria is another favorite. The build isn't terribly interesting but it does include 4 exclusive minifigures plus an exclusive big fig. I would have to say my favorite is Uruk-hai Army though. It is one of the only really useful army builders we got in LotR with 4 Uruk-hai included. Plus it has a main character who is easily used as another common soldier and the build is pretty decent.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Deathleech

[Eru Magnus Valar]

Yep I voted for: Helm's Deep. A nice big castle, which I thought was an interesting build (although I think that is true for all LOTR sets). King Theoden is very beautiful minifig, one of my all time favourite castle minifigs, and so is Haldir. Four Uruk-hai including the Berserker, of a total of eight minifigures plus a horse, and a Lego castle (even though it is licensed) that is very different from all other Lego castles.

As I already mentioned I also like Council of Elrond a lot, as well as the Shelob set, and Wheathertop. I decided, as this poll is simple and straightforward with only one choice, not to vote for Tower of Orthanc simply because I feel I should limit myself to all the sets I have build, and Tower of Orthanc is the only one I have not build yet, and is still sitting in its sealed box. But even if I had, Helm's Deep contains more interesting minifigures, yet the structure itself as a building might easily sway me to change my opinion had I already build Orthanc to vote that the best set of the bunch.

As Deathleech also mentioned, Mines of Moria is also a really nice set, though mostly because of the minifigs. The build was good but somehow left something to be desired, I ended up buying Mines of Moria twice because of the green Orcs, and the cave Troll.

How about another poll on your favourite LOTR Hobbit minifig; your favourite Elf minifig; your favourite Orc minifig; your favourite human and/or wizard minifig?!

(I just lumped the two wizards and humans together, even though wizards in Tolkien's universe are not human but angelic beings).

Edited May 4, 2015 by Eru Magnus Valar

[fred67]

I'm going to have to go with Helm's Deep, also, because I don't have Tower of Orthanc (and likely will never be able to justify the price in my mind).

The real problem is that most of the sets really weren't that great.... too many play features, too lacking in great models... I'd argued for years that LOTR was a viable theme, but really - and I know it's a tired and debatable argument - the theme should have been geared more for adults. The Hobbit movie, compared to LOTR, was much more geared for kids (just like the books were supposed to be), but the LOTR would make spectacular vignettes, but not play sets. I get it - LEGO is for kids, but I don't think it was a realistic expectation from TLG, and it apparently didn't do nearly as well as it should have (from anecdotal evidence).

I also like the Pirate Ship Ambush, but that's mainly because I'm into ships, too.

I removed the play features from the sets I got. I was sure I'd have to get them all when they were announced... I'm actually relieved they weren't that good (especially the Hobbit sets) and it saved my wallet a lot of cash.

[mike_mcbam]

I went with Orthanc, since of the sets I own that is definitely the most impressive, despite objectively being little more than a stack of black pieces. I'm seeing a lot of love for Helm's Deep though, one of the few sets I don't own, since I've only recently emerged from my dark age. I've been eying it up on Bricklink, which would result in a price of an extra 50% vs the the original RRP, plus shipping, Is it still worth it even at that price?

[Blakstone]

I think so. I haven't inbox Orthanc yet, but Helms Deep is one of only a few sets that I will never break down. It looks best to me with two Uruk-Hai Army walls attached: one on each side of the drainage piece.

[mike_mcbam]

I think so. I haven't inbox Orthanc yet, but Helms Deep is one of only a few sets that I will never break down. It looks best to me with two Uruk-Hai Army walls attached: one on each side of the drainage piece.

Thank you. As for extending it with Uruk Hai army, that is the ONLY other set I don't own, a couple of polybags aside, and those are also about 50% above the original RRP on BL. I'm going to have to bite the bullet sooner or later, and prices aren't going to go down. From what I've heard here I'll end up with some pretty bad non-buyers remorse if I don't pull the trigger.

Edit: Also, I feel the same about Orthanc, pretty much all my other sets will be getting parted out, or at least disassembled to free up space, eventually. I don't see that happening with the tower, but it conveniently has a rather small footprint whilst still being an impressive model.

Edited May 6, 2015 by mike_mcbam

[Deathleech]

Helm's Deep, Tower of Orthanc, Uruk-hai Army, and An Unexpected Gathering are all must haves from the Lego Middle-Earth universe (as evident by this poll).

[Mott the Brick]

I give Shelob Attacks my vote. The spider is quite impressive and you can get the two main Hobbits plus Gollum. Helm's deep does come as a close second and Attack on Weathertop could've been better but it's still a runner-up for me.

[J031 Ty3r]

I have to say Uruk-hai Army just because of the pieces and minifigures it comes with

[SimonJC]

This was really hard, I went with attack on weathertop though.

For me, it just represented the scene so well, and had such great details and features. I also loved how it opens up. And the minifigs....

[HawkLord]

I went with Weathertop because of the figure selection and the reasonable build. It relays an important scene and it has the new Lego horses (which I was thrilled with). My second vote world have been for Gandalf Arrives, because that scene was so iconic.