10305 Lion Knights' Castle 90th anniversary set

[The Stud]

Keeping my thoughts short and sweet: Wow, that's an amazing looking model and a superb minifigure selection! It looks like a super cool display piece from both the interior and exterior. This, the new Galaxy Explorer and 2020's Barracuda Bay together will make for a great display of modern remakes of classic sets. I definitely would like to get this set sometime next year but we'll have to wait and see with all the amazing sets on my wishlist right now. Also, that yellow box is GORGEOUS.

[kalexicon]

Just now, Blazej_Holen said:

It controls the drawbridge I suppose…

One of them controls the drawbridge, but there's a second one, and the portcullis appears to be controlled entirely from small gears on the top. Looking closer at the front of the box, it looks like there's a small dock leading to a side gate with flat gears on the side that lines up with the second knob. That's delightful and great for siege scenes where they have to protect the weaker entrance. This keeps getting better and better; I love that they can't even fit all the features onto the box.

[brimbolet]

It's a good looking set, but with the detailed descriptions, sketches and the rumored 300€+ tag, I knew beforehand I'd have to skip it. And even though the figures are fabulous, I'm honestly not so much sorry about that.

My main complaint is that the castle lacks an inner court to play within. All the parts that are used to gain the imposing hight could have been used fore some small civilian building inside (warehouse for the blue cart for instance).

But I'm really happy for everyone who'll able to get it, Lego certainly has made a very good job here and hopefully some rare parts will be available on P&B next year.

Edited June 18, 2022 by brimbolet

[Sandbag58]

Awesome! So many different bits to take joy in, so many potential comments to make...

However, does the poor, benighted Black Falcon with the large pack remind anyone else of the squires from Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail...?

[Lyichir]

I know everyone's excited about the build overall and the figures, but I'm also excited for what looks like a new 1x4x3 half-arch piece (used to support the floors above the kitchen and mill, among other spots). Will be good on its own or doubled up as a more circular alternative to the classic 1x8x2 arch.

[Blazej_Holen]

2 minutes ago, Sandbag58 said:

Awesome! So many different bits to take joy in, so many potential comments to make...

However, does the poor, benighted Black Falcon with the large pack remind anyone else of the squires from Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail...?

That was my first thought when I saw him. Monty Python reference imediatelly :)

[eldiano]

Perfection, it’s everything I ever wanted and then some!! I’ll be busy re ordering furniture for my other castles on PAB 🤣🤣

[iragm]

40 minutes ago, Triceron said:

The return of the Black Falcon open Conic helms is a nice touch.  I really hope those make it their way to Pick a Brick

Those were there a couple months ago, but are out of stock now.  Element 6349967

They were already in black from a recent Harry Potter chess set.

[Black Feather]

For me, the greatest LEGO set of all time.  Hope is available for long time so I can get multiple copies.  Will definitively buy on day 1.  Funny thing people worrying about if they would use stickers on the shields.  For the yellow castle shields, the original were stickers.  So will awesome to have a printed version.  I think the chance of any stickers in this set are close to zero.  I can see why they are delaying PAB/B&P now.  With this set there so parts I want so much.  Not sure where to start.  And I already spend so much on parts.  Going to be eating lots of beans and rice.  That’s all I can say.

[TeufelHund]

Loving the castle but a bit disappointed Lego seem to have made over half the knights female. I guess there is a wizard included so you could argue it’s a fantasy set and you can just swap the heads out but frankly I would have preferred traditional smiley faces rather than this nonsense.

I guess we can be grateful they didn’t go with fleshy figs because then the queen would no doubt have been black!

Edited June 21, 2022 by ZCerberus
This post has not been edited- a warning has been issued based on this content.

[TeriXeri]

It's probably just me, but those 3 kids could easily be imagined as far ancestors of Robin,  Clay and Ava from Nexo knight based on hairstyles/faces.

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by TeriXeri

[Lion King]

First, Lion King’s Castle, then Lion Queen’s Castle, and now this Lion Kings’???

Don’t get me wrong - I kinda feel disappointed that there is no Lion King minifigure in Series 23 but on the bright side, I’m okay with Lion Queen. 

I’m so excited about this castle!

[Triceron]

10 minutes ago, DBlegonerd7 said:

First, Lion King’s Castle, then Lion Queen’s Castle, and now this Lion Kings’???

Don’t get me wrong - I kinda feel disappointed that there is no Lion King minifigure in Series 23 but on the bright side, I’m okay with Lion Queen. 

I’m so excited about this castle!

It's officially Lion Knight's Castle, so not King or Queen.

---

So looking at the shields, it looks like there's only going to be 2 classic style Blue Liont and 2 Yellow Lion shields, and one special Lion shield for the Queen.  I was hoping that there would be more Crusader shields in this set, since the original Lion King's Castle had 4 of each color.  Also as others noted, I was a bit surprised the Forestmen don't get a shield in this set, and all use the same torso.  I was really hoping to see a blue collar or classic V-neck variation of the Forestmen torso.  But it seems like the new torso is a mix of the Red collar and V-neck combined, which I don't mind too much.  I guess it makes sense as the old Forestmen will still be considered rare and highly valued.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Triceron

[Shroffy123]

25 minutes ago, TeufelHund said:

Loving the castle but a bit disappointed Lego seem to have made over half the knights female. I guess there is a wizard included so you could argue it’s a fantasy set and you can just swap the heads out but frankly I would have preferred traditional smiley faces rather than this nonsense.

I guess we can be grateful they didn’t go with fleshy figs because then the queen would no doubt have been black!

Why disappointed if some of the fig heads female? Seems your comment is unnecessary seeing how you already know the solution if you are unhappy with the head piece. Just swap it out.

 

And so what if a mini figure is black? Maybe you should keep dumb comments like that to yourself. 

[zoth33]

5 hours ago, mvLego said:

One semi-nitpick: I'm surprised the forestmen shield isn't included (or I've just missed it). I'm mainly just surprised that the printed shield was special made for the gift with purchase set. The optimist in me thinks that surely means there will be more forestmen sets later on...

Keeping on the topic of shields: the queen's shield is fantastic. I'm really liking the gilded border.

If you get this the forestman hideout is a GWP when this comes  out and has those shields

[SirBlake]

Can we please leave identity politics out of this and focus on what is most certainly one of the best sets ever offered? Thanks. 
 

Chiming in on the shield conversation, I hope it will be easy to obtain more. My whole collection consistently features footmen/guards holding a shield. BaP made that relatively easy last year with the Black Falcons. Fingers crossed. 

[zoth33]

2 hours ago, General Magma said:

Wow. Best set of all time. Gonna require an army of those figures as well... I would like it if the Forest Hideout made a return for this so I can get a second one of those, a solid worldbuilding piece for a modern classic castle landscape, add this to the equation, and you're golden... Quite a price tag but it's not 450 and very acceptable for what you get. Super nice. 

Did anyone else notice that the trees here also have black branches? It fits exactly with the Forest Hideout, I just noticed, and that's super cool.

Yes the forestman hideout is returning as GWP when this comes out in August.  Yes I saw the black tree and thought that its a nod to the forestman sets of old.  

 

This set is great.  I like the bardings, shields, new lion knights, animals, all the different figs are great.  I really like that it folds out.  The drawbridge is nice.  So many nice play features.  The design looks great too.  The Queens shield looks fantastic.  Look at all those spruce trees in dark green.  The printed flags.  I would like to see the Queens torso.  

Edited June 18, 2022 by zoth33

[Retrocity]

30 minutes ago, Triceron said:

It's officially Lion Knight's Castle, so not King or Queen.

---

So looking at the shields, it looks like there's only going to be 2 classic style Blue Liont and 2 Yellow Lion shields, and one special Lion shield for the Queen.  I was hoping that there would be more Crusader shields in this set, since the original Lion King's Castle had 4 of each color.  Also as others noted, I was a bit surprised the Forestmen don't get a shield in this set, and all use the same torso.  I was really hoping to see a blue collar or classic V-neck variation of the Forestmen torso.  But it seems like the new torso is a mix of the Red collar and V-neck combined, which I don't mind too much.  I guess it makes sense as the old Forestmen will still be considered rare and highly valued.

I think there are 6 of the classic Lion shields, 3 each of blue and yellow.  Looks like two above the castle gate, two held by knights, and two in the armory. 

Would've been cool to get one of each of the 4 shields from the Yellow castle, maybe they'll save the other for something else eventually.  It does look like there will be a Lion Knight/Crusader's shield with the axes as well, I think that was only on torsos in the past?

 

[Triceron]

4 minutes ago, Retrocity said:

I think there are 6 of the classic Lion shields, 3 each of blue and yellow.  Looks like two above the castle gate, two held by knights, and two in the armory. 

Would've been cool to get one of each of the 4 shields from the Yellow castle, maybe they'll save the other for something else eventually.  It does look like there will be a Lion Knight/Crusader's shield with the axes as well, I think that was only on torsos in the past?

 

I was thinking that but they might be cheating the perspective and tossing the shields from the front into the little armory.  I was thinking about this since one of the horses is shown stabled, and we know there's only 2 horses in the set, so there's some trickery involved with the placement of certain things.  In every shot, you'll only ever see them display 2 yellow shields, 2 blue shields.

I'm hoping it's 3 and 3, but I haven't seen any official shot where we see more than 2-and-2 being used.

Like even this full minifig shot, we see one of the figures holding a banner and it's taken down from the castle.  And we only see 2 yellow shields, 2 Blue shields displayed altogether here.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Triceron

[blueandwhite]

5 minutes ago, Retrocity said:

I think there are 6 of the classic Lion shields, 3 each of blue and yellow.  Looks like two above the castle gate, two held by knights, and two in the armory. 

Would've been cool to get one of each of the 4 shields from the Yellow castle, maybe they'll save the other for something else eventually.  It does look like there will be a Lion Knight/Crusader's shield with the axes as well, I think that was only on torsos in the past?

 

Unfortunately the last classic yellow castle shield is a Red Cross on a white background. I can’t see LEGO including it in any future sets. Religious iconography is strictly off limits. I’m just happy we got the other three designs. This set looks incredible!

[natesroom]

1 hour ago, TeufelHund said:

Loving the castle but a bit disappointed Lego seem to have made over half the knights female. I guess there is a wizard included so you could argue it’s a fantasy set and you can just swap the heads out but frankly I would have preferred traditional smiley faces rather than this nonsense.

I guess we can be grateful they didn’t go with fleshy figs.

I def will be swapping these out to neutral classic yellow faces. No male or female in my land!

Edited June 18, 2022 by natesroom

[BrickJagger]

Don't have much to add that others haven't already set, but this thing looks incredible. Bravo, Lego. With the four sets released in the last year, we've got a proper revival of Castle, complete with two well-stocked factions, a modular-level blacksmith and even something for the Forestmen. If they keep this up I'll be out of things to complain about, so speed the day.

8 minutes ago, blueandwhite said:

Unfortunately the last classic yellow castle shield is a Red Cross on a white background. I can’t see LEGO including it in any future sets. Religious iconography is strictly off limits. I’m just happy we got the other three designs. This set looks incredible!

This set is bringing everyone out of retirement, huh  Welcome back!

[leafan]

My wallet is going to cry, but I have to have this one.

I was a little annoyed at the Forestmen set being a gift with purchase, but I'm hoping that the rumour of it being available in August for the castle release are true so that I can line it up.

The throwback shields are just fantastic, I'm pleased that we'll at last get updated 'crusaders' and it just overall looks like what I wanted.

Any criticism on my part would be nitpicking.

Edited June 18, 2022 by leafan

[RichardGoring]

I also enjoyed how good the set looked in the background during LEGO Con when the presenters moved forward. No camera trickery making you think it's large, just a great, decent sized set.

[Triceron]

I do wonder what the size of this is next to the Blacksmith.

I feel like the Blacksmith is overly large, and as big as this castle is it'd still look 'small' next to it.  I might have to look into raising the base of this castle just to give it some height.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Triceron