Here is what the staff looks like in the movie though, which the LotR sets are based on.

I kinda agree with you there, Deathleech. I think the LOTR sets are based on the movies and this set is proof you could say. Gandalf arriving in his cart isn't really elaborated on in the book, but in the movie it's the starting scene. But yeah, the staff does look like the one for the LOTR book cover.

@Deathleech, nice idea, consider it stolen... and as you say a pity they didn't do this themselves as it does look ALOT better than a simple long stick.

It contains a number of nice pieces, but just seems as it it was designed by someone 'trying to be clever' rather than creating an actual solid build. I also wonder why they used 2 1x2 plates instead of just using 1 2x2 plate in a couple of places? I can understand this in a larger set that might already have a large number of 1x2's, so it's easier to stick in a few more than add a different part. But does anyone know why TLG do this? It just seems like an attempt to inflate the piece count.

Love the new horse mould though.

I think the 'ineffecient' use of parts usually stems from being easier to produce certain parts in bulk. For instance, if Set X needs a 1x4 plate in dark tan, but Set Y is already being mass-produced with gazillions of dark tan 1x2 plates, they'll go for the latter because it's more economical to produce.

Here is what I did.

This looks like a simple but nice way of making the staff look more similar to the one Gandalf has in the movie. The staff Gandalf has in the LOTR game looks simple enough and should be possible to make in Lego form with the right pieces:

Edited August 25, 201212 yr by Ferrik

Great review! it is very well detailed and I also love your comic part. The set is small but luckily, it has several accessories. Thank you for pointing those pieces.

Thanks for the review!

I love this little set, but thought it needed a little spicing up so I paid a visit to my local Lego store for a baseplate and some greens.

Thanks for the review!

I love this little set, but thought it needed a little spicing up so I paid a visit to my local Lego store for a baseplate and some greens.

That looks great. The flowers add much-needed colour.

If it was 9.99 I'd have said average. 12.99 for what it is leaves it barely Below Average, only worth it for the horse and Gandalf. Gandalf doesn't even have Glamdring, and the Frodo minifigure is pathetically without accessories - sure, it's movie accurate, but it's a stupid scene to choose for a set then, especially because the cart is too small for them both to sit on it. We would have been better off with a 12.99 of Gandalf the Grey, Shire Frodo and Shire Sam with some Bag End accessories from the discussion of the One Ring - perhaps a table and hearth to fill out the Bag End set they were already planning for the Hobbit lineup.

Edited September 11, 201212 yr by Darth Caedus

First off, solid review of an in my opinion nice litte set. The minifigures are solid, the new horse is great and I really like the cart (also, quite a bit of accessories for a small set like this). It does feel like the book should have been depicted to be in Frodo's hands rather in the cart since he was reading one in the movie, though.

Second, I don't think it's such a stupid scene to make a set off; Gandalf's arrival is an important (and somewhat iconic) scene and the set does a good job depicting it, it's an overall good choice for something of a 'starter set'. Yes, maybe it could have had a third minifigure, but it's really nothing that in my opinion makes this set worse (and if they would have included Sam or Bilbo, it would have been a bit of a stretch since they weren't introduced yet at the point this scene happens).

Edited September 14, 201212 yr by DarkFader