Weekly Set Review: Dark Dragon's Den

[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 6076 Dark Dragon’s Den.

Dark Dragon’s Den, released in 1993, is a rock fortress for the Dragon Masters. The set features a large cage for the dragon, Majisto the Wizard, two knights, a soldier, and accessories.

[Dragon Master]

My first real castle. I still have it (well not the first but one I recently purchased)! I love this set.

Who cares about all the BURPS! I certainly don't. The set serves it purpose well. A den for the Dragon. I absolutly love it.

Dragon, Cape, Dragon Master, Knight, Guard, Majisto, Wizard Accesories, Bird.

What more could you want?

Bye,

A very proud Dragon Master

[Loneranger]

I never got this set, even though I wish I did,

LR

[Barbapple]

i always loved this set! my freind got it. I didn't.

[Teh Stud]

The minifigs in this set are nice. That's about the best thing I can say about this set. It doesn't live up to the glory years of castle.

Check out the notes on this set from Lugnet:

Paul Gyugyi: "Not the best looking, but layed out nicely for play."
Ed "Boxer" Jones: "considering all the BURPS, its a good design"
Jean-Marc Détraz: "MISB 4 sale"
Eric Joslin: "BURP-o-rama!"
Kevin D. Salm: "BURP Castle--Yuck!"
Chris Maddison: "Plenty of BURPs!"
Johannes "Jojo" Koehler: "<Burp-o-rama> is the most brilliant statement throughout the member comments on Lugnet "
Danny Sullivan: "Low rating a culprit of the price point, I imagine."
Aaron J. Muhl: "When Lego castle hit rock bottom...."
Ros C. Rabara: "I was expecting better than this"
Peter Hinkelmanns: "yet another ugly "castle""

[lemon_squeezer2]

Aaron J. Muhal: "When Lego castle hit rock bottom...."

Ohh, I wouldn't say that

Well,this certainatly isn't the prettiest castle I've ever seen, but its preety nice overall. I actually like burps, lately I've been trying to expiriment with them as a foundation for a castle. As for people who say it's ugly, I think they are missing the point. This is not really a "castle", but rather a portion of a mountain with a cave in it. It erves its purpose and if you can find it at a discount, its a good deal.

[wlister]

Agreed, this set was a great find at a discount. As with all of the Dragon Master sets, the design was a bit lacking, but in terms of functionality, it was one of the better sets.

Compared to the way the Fire Breathing Fortress was slapped together, this set really stands out as the least rotton of a poorly thought out line. Sure it was made with burps, but as others have said they have their place in building.
Majisto's Magical Workshop may have been a better parts pack, but the Dark Dragons den fulfills is purpose better. There wan't much magical about that workshop.

In all I'd give it a 6/10, but that is high praise conpared to my ratings for the other Dragon Master sets. Sorry DM, I always thought the Dragon Master sets were a little poorly designed. I don't mind most of them for parts packs though.

Will

[TwoTonic Knight]

Check out the notes on this set from Lugnet:

This thing is such a piece of junk that I won't even consider buying it and is one of the few sets that I haven't written a comment for the Lugnet data base simply because it has never crossed my mind to consider it. Awful design coupled with the ugly Dragon Master figs. The stuff of nightmares!

[Mani]

Never got this set, but it's really cool. Although the design isn't the best (but what the heck is wrong with the design of the Fire Breathing Fortress?), there's really nice pieces. Nothing's as good as a dragon.

[the_great_one]

is this just me, or does it look odly like the Fright Knights mountain fortress.....


TGO

[coyote]

Well, I bought it in 1993. It was perhaps not the best set ever, but it was not as bad imo. I like how it was built for the minifigs - nearly every part of the structure could be reached by the knights, everywhere are ladders and stairs.

I also like(d) the great playability, especially the interior of the cave, the top of the cave and the hidden BURP-entrance on the right side (frontview) gave that bulding a certain D&D-feeling

The only thing, I really dislike is the big gate. Don't get me wrong, it fits in the design, but in terms of playing ... I just disliked it then.

All in all, great pieces (pun included) and a set not being just another castle. It gives a far more spectrum to the castle world: We now have secret dragon caves

[Troy T. Moore]

The set itself has certain deficientcies, as has already been pointed out. But I like it for a different reason, it is the Christmas present I got from my wife the first year we were married

[LEGOFREAK]

I never got this set for a couple of reasons, (ok - mostly money ) but I wanted it when it came out. I like building on BURPs, and if you disguise them they dont come out so regular. I also wanted the brown portcullis.

There are arguments for BURPs and against, but really, it's all a matter of opinion, and you know what they say about those!

I have to say that if the set were to be rereleased I probably still wouldn't get it for the simple fact that my tastes have changed. But as has been pointed out, for what it is.... a dark dragons den... it is perfect.

and besides.. look how happy it made DM and Troy?


freak

[Mani]

I know I'll sound like an idiot, but...what is a BURP?

[Webrain]

Hi Mani

I know I'll sound like an idiot, but...what is a BURP?

BURP = Big Ugly Rock Piece

Now my review

6076 came out in 1993 (deep in my dark ages)

1993 TLC invented:
Dragon Master Theme, the Green Dragon, Merlin/Majistos (including the white beard & wand), rectangle and triangle BURPs, clear orange fire, Bushes, Red head horse covers, brown arches, Dragon helmets & the fancy halberd.

Did I mentioned that this set had it all? probably today all of those parts more or less are available but when this set came out all of them were new.

Beside it's one from two sets (6087) that can be refered to as BURPvillie.
I think that set was actually better then 6082 (the real Dragon Master castle) casue it included 2 knight's (I never understood why 6082 had only one knight???).

I never had that set, always wanted it, I built it from parts I had (more or less) but maybe I'll have it very very soon. Number 1 in my must get list.
Overall great set 9.5/10.