Weekly Set Review: Dragon Rider

by **architect** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:00 pm

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 4818 Dragon Rider.

Dragon Rider was released in 2000 for the Bulls. An armed Bull's Knight rides his dragon. This is the only set to contain a silver chrome dragon helmet.

by **TheOrk** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:08 pm

Although I never got that paticular set (or any set with chrome armour) I still say thats it's a great set.

You get a black dragon, which is always useful. You get a Bull soldier with a chrome helmet. My only problem with it is it only comes with a halberd, but thats looked better for a mounted dragon knight anyways.

8/10

by **boses** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:16 pm

I missed out on the Bulls, and therefore I do not own any of their figures or their specific armors...

This set reminds me of a game called panzer dragoon, at least I think that is what the game was called...

I like the chrome helm and bull-horns, I would have armed the rider with a lance though...but none the less this is an excellent stocking-stuffer, no frills but still well executed...

I like the design...10/10, but it is hard to go wrong on such a small set... :wink:

by **Tanotrooper** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:32 pm

boses wrote:I missed out on the Bulls, and therefore I do not own any of their figures or their specific armors...

This set reminds me of a game called panzer dragoon, at least I think that is what the game was called...

I like the chrome helm and bull-horns, I would have armed the rider with a lance though...but none the less this is an excellent stocking-stuffer, no frills but still well executed...

I like the design...10/10, but it is hard to go wrong on such a small set...

Nice set, with chrome helmet. Well, i wont care about chrome in sets when i use my chrome tomorrow :twisted:

The only bad thing, i think is the dragon. I dont care about dragons since their not historic, so i couldnt imagin a war with dragons...

by **CAI** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:39 pm

Cool little army builder. I look at the LEGO dragons as more mythological, so some what useful.

I don' have a chrome helm and would like one for decorative scenes.

Nothing wrong with this little set.

by **The Hordesman** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:40 pm

Better than the batlord version I would say, the only minus here is the halberd, I would prefer a sword or something like that.

by **Nick** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:17 pm

I don't own this set, but it does look extremely good. I like the dragon, as I prefer fantasy castles to historical ones. The chrome helmet is the main piece for which I would get this set. The other accessories are all good - a big oval shield and a big halberd. I would imagine the rider as the chieftain of the bull knights.
I prefer this set to the bat lord's one mainly because of the chrome helmet and the more suitable halberd (the bat lord has a sword).
Of great play value to kids, and of great collector's value to collectors.
10/10 on all parameters.

by **Formendacil** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:43 pm

A bit of an overpriced set these days, thanks to TLC's stingy-ness in handing out chrome helms, but still a good set to get- at least for the chrome helm.

Other than the helm, I don't care too much for this set. I think I remember it retailing for more than the batlord version, and I certainly remember thinking that I liked the batlord version better- with the exception of the chrome helmet, of course.

Parts: 7/10
Playability: 7/10
Figs/Accessories: 8/10
Design (then): 7/10
Design (now): 7/10
Nostalgia: 5/10

Overall Score: 6.83/10

by **Graynar** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:51 pm

Tis is a cool set.
Never saw it in stores however. The shiny helm would look great with my Gold and black ones.

Though not a great armour builder, buy ten of these and get ten dragons.

Oh goody.

Graynar

by **Blueandwhite** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:14 pm

This is one of those sets you either love or hate! There isn't much middle ground here.

For fans of KK, I suppose this guy is great! Ditto for parts collectors and completists. The chrome helm and black dragon are undoubtedly popular. The figure itself isn't that shabby, and if you like the LEGO dragons, this guy is the way to go.

As an army builder, 4818 is overpriced. As a parts pack, it is also lacking. If your looking for a chromed helmet, then its not a bad set. Still, considering the cost of this set, I can only give it a 4 out of 10.

Personally, I found this set to be somewhat overpriced, considering that 4816, 4817, and 4819could all be had for the same price. Those sets come with more bricks and figures than 4818, and are certainly of more value to me. The Dragon, while ok, is not really that versatile (I actually have no real use for it). The figure himself is not unique, nor are any of the parts (except the chrome helmet). This guy just isn't worth $5.

Later.

by **TwoTonic Knight** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:32 pm

Blaspheme. Dragon's belong with the Dragon Masters. It's a cooler looking dragon than the green and red DM version, though. I prefer to give the chromed helmet to my Napoleonic Cuirassiers. As to the set itself rather than the parts: seemed a might expensive for what you got. I got a bunch, but only for 50-60% off.

by **boses** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:57 pm

TwoTonic-

I too find the dragon to be out of place in this set... I think a huge and angry

brahma bull would have been a more appropriate mount- after all the Fright

Knights got "spooky" implements in their designs, and the Dragon Masters got

Dragons in theirs...etc...just a thought... :wink:

200 POSTS!!! CC ROCKS!!!

by **venvorskar** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:01 pm

I like this set for its many uses, and another dragon can't hurt :wink:

. Good cheap source of Cedrick the Bull(If you want him) and bull shields. I even used his helmet for my main RP character.

by **Robin Hood** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:37 pm

A strange, yet very nice set.

For pieces, whats not to like? First and foremost, a chrome helment. Then you have a dragon (if your into them), then you have the guy. I don't care much for the torso, but the head makes a great bad-guy head.

As far as playability from a kids point of goes, this would rank about in the middle. Nothing in it that makes a kid dislike it, but nothing in it to get lots of attention. I think that it was only made so that a dragon could be squeezed into Kk1.

Dan :wink:

by **Kanduu** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:36 pm

Not a bad set, but not the greatest either. I like dragons, and chrome is nice (though I haven't seen it). Really, what else is there to this set?

boses wrote:

I too find the dragon to be out of place in this set... I think a huge and angry brahma bull would have been a more appropriate mount

That would've been funny, but I agree that the dragon is a little out of place.

Weekly Set Review: Dragon Rider

Weekly Set Review: Dragon Rider

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