Weekly Set Review: The Good Wizard

[architect]

Join the weekly 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 5614 The Good Wizard.

The Good Wizard was released in 2008 for the Crown Knights. It includes a magic wand, table, crystal ball, owl and his perch.

This impulse set was sold in Europe, Canada, and Asia.

[Elephant Knight]

As far as impulse sets go, this one is a pretty meh one. Not much else to say then that. The only thing worth getting would be the fig, and even he isn't that great. I am so glad this is the one that wasn't released in North America.

EKnight

[rogue27]

Cool fig, but the rest of this set isn't very useful. However, it does provide a nice contrast to the witch and associated items from the Castle Advent Calendar.

Really not a whole lot else to say about this. Buy one for the fig, but, assuming you won't need more than one identical wizard, save your quantity purchases for an impulse set with a more generic figure and better accessories.

[outcast]

Meh.

Doesn't even come with a cape. (thank you, giant chess set )

As far as parts go, its alright. Not great but there are a couple of parts I need.
The minifigs okay, but I'm not so sure about the colour.

EDIT: Is it just me, or is the wand way too big for the minifig? It's more like a staff.

[Shroud9]

Join the weekly 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 5614 The Good Wizard.

This impulse set was sold exclusively in Europe.

Well, my catapult of critique falls suqarely upon you!

_Not_ sold "exclusively" in Europe!

Sold all over Asia, In stores from Japan in Fukoka to stores in Seoul in Korea.

And also in limited avaliability in Canada's Tor 'R' Us...

Please correct.


<huggs and Kisses>


lol

[albero78]

I liked that set and of course I bought it.
It's true that apart of the minifig there isn't much, but still some nice pieces like the owl and the sphere.
For sure it is a set you buy once.

[Blue Moon Knight]

I would actually get multiples of this set...

[Athos]

It was nice to get a wizard. I could have done without another crystal ball and another owl. The figure is nice, though I wish they'd have printed his torso.

Steve

[architect]

Well, my catapult of critique falls suqarely upon you!

_Not_ sold "exclusively" in Europe!

Sold all over Asia, In stores from Japan in Fukoka to stores in Seoul in Korea.

And also in limited avaliability in Canada's Tor 'R' Us...

Please correct.

Thank you for the information. This thread has been updated. Later tonight I will update the main page article.

Ben

[Formendacil]

And also in limited avaliability in Canada's Tor 'R' Us...

Alas, however, not in any of the Toys 'r' Uses in my neck of the woods.

--which is not to say that I never got this set. The mass-order the North American CCers did was something I was quite happy to get in on. Because, unlike my brother: I am not:

so glad this is the one that wasn't released in North America.

...because if you didn't want the set, you didn't have to buy it--obviously. Those of us who did want a chance at getting a rather exclusive fig (ie. those of us without money to buy the big chess set and get him that way) rather liked that this impulse set had a semi-unique fig. As a collection of parts, he's not bad--the sand blue torso, while plain, is a plain torso in a fairly rare, and nice, colour. As Lego wizards go, I quite like this guy. He's probably as nice, in terms of design, as the Majisto-fig was, and he's certainly a notch above the 10176. The hat-decals are quite nice, in my opinion, and while he would definitely be improved by a cape, he's not entirely lacking without one.

And as pieces for an impulse-set go, I don't think this is a bad bunch. Of course, no AFOL ever really needs another owl, or crystal ball, or yellow gem--but I think that in terms of impulse set design and/or playability, this one's rather nice. Certainly on par with the Crownie soldier or troll impulse sets.

So, obviously, I rate this set rather high, considering it's an impulse set:

Parts: 8/10
Playability: 7.5/10
Figs/Accessories: 9/10
Design (contemporary): 7.5/10
Design (universal): 8/10
Nostalgia/Personal Bias: 8.5/10

Overall Score: 8.08/10 (B+)

[Username]

I really like this set and am glad I found an overseas seller who had them reasonably priced. Too bad I didn't keep on MISB. While not very useful in bulk, I think it's a cool set that kids (who these sets are designed for) would love to get their hands on.

[DarkTemplar]

It's kinda funny, I actually just bought this set (like 5 mins before visiting the forum tonight) after much though so I can share my thought process.

So as far as wizards go, I thought this one defiantly was more defined as a "good wizard." Where as Majesto always seemed kind of neutral on the good/bad spectrum and all other magical characters since have seemed somewhat diabolical. Also the hat and leg details are very nice, however, it's a little disappointing that the belt on the hat doesn't go all the way around. Perhaps it would have been better if only the buckle was printed. Making the belt 360 degrees around the hat doesn't seem like too much of a challenge though so I figured it's fairly do-able with a bit of paint and careful masking.

The other minor things that bothered me, would be the double beard line resulting from head choice, but I think I'll just throw head from the professor in the Lego adventures series on this guy. The other issue is of course the non-printed torso but the beard does hide the majority of this blank surface so I'd say that's pretty tolerable. Finally this set comes with furniture which seems very incorporable into a castle set or MOC. (vs. hubble bubbles fireplace). Overall I think it's a great little set if you can get it for a good price, and comes with enough elements to allow for playability. I'll give it a 7.5/10!

[DraconisTerrena]

I ordered one of these off of Ebay, mostly for the sake of adding a wizard to the "good" side. The set itself isn't very impressive, but after replacing the wand with a custom staff and giving him a light grey cloak, he turned out all right. It wasn't until after I'd had him for awhile that I realized that he was the first minifig that makes a good Gandalf. Most of the Gandalf figs I've seen out there have some other colors (usually a blue hat). Add a grey cloak and replace the white beard with a grey one, and you're set.

[Count Blacktron]

You can never have enough wizards. The best part about this set it the hat. It rounds the count of my wizard hats of different styles to a total of 9. Pure win.

[Laird Cashman]

Well... I think I enjoy customizing my wizards more than actually getting them in a set, and if this were sold in NA, I still wouldn't buy it. Plus, the wand is terrible. I like using the tall hand-fitting plastic sticks that come in a few sets, cutting them to just below minifig height, connecting a lightsaber shaft to it, and putting a jewel on top of it, rather than having a plain stick-thing.