Arjo

Looking good, not sure I understood your description though. Is that built from the parts of the set (+baseplate)?

77077 new fortnite set has a cool fig with crown but it will be IP-locked I imagine and therefore not on PAB. Too bad.

I don’t necessarily disagree, as some people do indeed go through the whole process with the single goal to make a profit. However, it takes two to tango and sellers can only achieve what buyers are willing to pay. I have never resold a gwp… but I often end up in the position where I can’t justify opening and enjoying them either because their market value is more than what I would be comfortable paying. In other words, there are sellers out there who would have liked to keep gwp x, y, z but can’t quite justify the luxury when they already are paying too much for a given lego set. different story with the raiders scanning all the beastmasters only to sell them all out at 3x the price…

I didn’t know of the rumoured price point when I posted that message. I only thought that TLG know a cashcow when they see one and the Pearl will probably receive the same price inflation treatment as the Shire. Would be happy to be wrong:)

Balrog as a sticker… this shall not pass! I will cosplay as Gandalf, camp at the lego store, and prevent anyone from even trying to buy this set if it comes to that!!!

Indeed, beautiful… might even have justified the price! As it is though, the costing he indicates on top of that of the set would push it into Rivendell/Barad dur territory which is a non-starter. whomever buys the set will want to work on those trees anyway, probably in a more economical fashion though.

Given the price of Lotr Shire confirmed today… I think the Pearl might be another sucker punch when it comes out…

Purposefully written that way to entice you to open your wallet one more/last time, as in “yes it’s expensive but then I will have them all, can’t skip it when it is the last one to get etc”. or so jaded me thinks:) i like the set very much but don’t think i’ll bite. Trying to slowly but surely go back to my dark ages and live free of my lego addiction!

Gwp priced at 39.99 according to Lego, for ca. 190 pieces and two reused figs… punchy… that to me suggests the number is derived from what they have observed on the secondary market unfortunately.

“FOMO as a hobby” so true… we’re all addicts here, battling our demons for TLG’s benefit.

I remember the fellbeast gwp getting a very lukewarm reception last time around. It surprised me because I kind of liked it. I didn’t squeeze finances to buy the tower (then or now) but when I saw the gwp skyrocket like crazy I admit I had some regrets… now results may vary but who’s to say it won’t happen again? In fact I wonder if that might be a reason why TLG increased the price of the new set.

I like the use of whips on the inside of the door… detail I know, but nice:)

Disney tax not supposed to come cheap… and not sure lotr’s would trump it, but if one compares bag end to beauty&beast castle then one wonders where all that money is going to… it won’t be tariffs in any case so let’s hope it’s a storm in a tea cup and actual prices are closer to initial expectations.

Hi, random question: how many in the lego lotr fandom also dabble in middle earth strategy battle game? The lego sets are so expensive (new and old) I am starting to wonder if mesbg might be a suitable alternative to scratch that itch… or use lego minifigs to play the game as neither are particularly cheap. I guess my question is how many of you have been down both rabbit holes and what do you like best/least in one vs the other. Thanks.

Both would be crazy good… but for me cheaper might be better as I am ever more tempted to go back to my dark ages. I have caught up with the thread but that rumour surfaced when I was trying to stay away from all things Lego so I’m not sure how legit it is.

Guess it comes down to where one lives. I am in a big city and the only shot at finding sought after cmfs right off the bat. It only gets worse after that. I bumped into D&Ds yesterday, scanned them on the off chance I’d finally find a dragonborn… the whole series was there bar for that one fig. No doubt it will be the same for the beast master. It’s not the end of the world but no one should have to fight to get their hands on something as trivial as a cmf without feeding scalpers.

I agree… and have witnessed it myself. You see two types: AFOLs who are respectful of the product and of other customers but are still looking for their favs, and the scalpers which are behaving ruthlessly now courtesy of the scanning apps. Bottom line, it seems impossible to find a wolfpack at random (just like it was for the dragonborn). I have reluctantly installed the app myself, went and queued three days in a row before the store opened, only to find the cmfs ransacked within seconds of the doors opening. I did get a few “vikings” torso from BAM as consolation prize but I think this “market” is as unhealthy as it gets and it took a turn for the worst with the scanning apps drawing in hords of wannabe flippers.

I had written off the botanical garden on expected price alone. After seeing the finished product though, I am quite tempted. It is a double edge sword in that in my mind’s eye I see it and the museum integrated into an “exhibition road” with a nice park to go with it… would be stunning… for whomever has enough space to pull it out. Not my case so I will probably skip it. TLG will keep cranking sets vying for attention and real estate so the FOMO I experienced a few years back coming out of my dark ages is now gone. It is impossible to keep up and there will always be a next best set to help you forget those you left in the rearview mirror. Oh well.

Going to hit the store this pm to try and score a set of 12!

Good to see I am not the only one who didn’t pull the trigger… it’s a useful piece for sure but for the same price you can put together a fully decked out minifig of other designs I like. On a related note, I believe 10320 is retiring by year-end/while stocks last but I have never seen it discounted anywhere.

Not the best to say the least… and prices have increased (at least in my region). I wanted to get a handful of governor’s hats but at 2.50+ each I am yet to pull the trigger.

The same builder?!? Crazy! I didn’t realise when I brought the comparison up. Suffices to say I like his style and choice of theme. He’s basically doing what I wish I could (with more time and talent).

I think repeat participants finding success shows there are talented builders out there who are willing and able to design sets TLG choose to ignore, all things castle being a good example. I am not in the secrets of the gods but my guess is that having “mostly-AFOL-only” large sets on the shelves is not worth the trouble for them when they can lock in 30,000 buyers within a few hours and be done. Even 10305 and its large box struggled to find pride of place in very large lego stores I visited. TLG are producing too many sets these days, even for their own good, as they can’t seem to have enough shelf space for all. Ironic as most of us face the same predicament at home! which brings me back to Tortuga, the width of the set will require a whole shelf for it alone which is an inconvenience. Would have been good to be able to break it down in sections and rearrange. Also, whilst it contributes greatly to the overall visual impact the set has, a substantial amount of bricks will be eaten by the base structure/foundations. Money in the ground literally!

Yes that one! You’re right it might be the backdrop of the render holding Tortuga back, something feels off though I can’t put my finger on it. anyway this program is going to be a challenge to budgets if they have cool (but pricey) sets twice a year!

Nope, the next bricklink designer program which goes for sale in the Fall. I think it’s called “forestmen stronghold”.