Never has there been a more perfect combination than Dungeons & Dragons with LEGO® bricks. The iconic table-top RPG celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and as part of the celebrations, LEGO Ideas launched a challenge in 2022 to create a LEGO set inspired by DnD. The winning fan design was The Dragon’s Keep: Journey’s End by Lucas Bolt aka Boltbuilds. That set has now become Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale and ahead of its release on April 1st, here’s an early look at this incredible new addition to the LEGO Ideas line-up. Let’s roll a 20 and let the questing begin.
Product Details
Set Name: Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale | Set Number: 21348 | Pieces: 3745 | Theme: LEGO Ideas
Number of Bags: Bags x 33 + loose elements | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 Characters: elf wizard, dwarf cleric, gnome fighter, orc rogue & Dragonborn Alax Jadescales | Insiders QR: Yes | Fan Designer: Lucas Bolt
RRP: £314.99/$359.99/359.99€/499.99AUD/469.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from April 1st
Dungeons & Dragons is a rich tapestry of adventures which countless players have enjoyed since it was conceived in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Over the past 50 years, the world of DnD has grown to include movies, cartoon series and video games. It’s also permeated into popular culture, with elements of DnD featuring in Stranger Things, Futurama and Community, to name but a few. Now LEGO sets can be added to the mix. Some of the rich history of DnD is covered in the set’s instruction booklets, alongside details on the set’s characters and creatures.
The set is built in sections, which makes it easier to move around and access the various nooks and crannies dotted around the build. Your LEGO DnD quest begins with the excellently named tavern, Inn Plain Sight. This small building is a colourful place for adventurers to stop and rest. The two-floor tavern has a lot of additional weapons, along with other goodies to aid in your campaign but you may wish to skip stopping for the night as upstairs is home to some iffy-looking furniture. Both the bed and the chest are Mimics, a legendary DnD creature which disguises itself as an inanimate object. There’s even a picture on the wall, with features a minifigure-style image of the set’s fan designer. Although a small part of the build, you can access it a little better by taking it apart or popping off the roof.
After recharging at the tavern, it’s time to head out into the meadow, which is the largest area of the set in terms of its footprint. The sections feature a lot of detail with a grassy area, surrounded by a crumbling castle wall and a small dungeon chamber. The castle wall can become a perch for the dragon but it also connects to the tower and larger dungeon, which forms the next part of the build. This particular section of the build is packed with nods to DnD. Blue tentacles emerge from the water and an Awakened Tree. Inside the dungeon, you encounter a pair of Myconids which make use of the new character bodies from the DREAMZzz sets. Plus the oozing Black Puddings and a Gelatinous Cube, which is a transparent cube, which can absorb organic matter. It’s even joined by a baby version. You’ll notice plenty of things hidden in this part of the build, all these random little things can be used as you play the DnD campaign based on the set. The meadow can connected to the tavern by a couple of Technic pins.
The final section of the set includes a larger dungeon, which forms the base of a castle tower. This is another big part of the set and is also split into different sections, so it can be accessed and moved a little easier. Compared to the rest of the set, the larger dungeon is quite sparse, but this allows you to add one of the set’s numerous creatures such as the Beholder or Displace Beast. A staircase spirals up to the tower above, which uses the unique step elements and this is the first time I’ve used them in a set and they have perfectly slotted into the surroundings. Even though the set allows access to the interior areas, it doesn’t have a ‘backside’. If you’ve built a modular building, you’ll notice the sides and back are normally rather plain. But in this set, even though this set has less detailed surfaces, there are still little cracks and other details to be found.
The tower may have seen better days, but it still includes plenty of fun things to discover including an altar featuring the Orb of Dragonkind, an Arcane Workshop and a green dragon egg, flanked by green flamed candles. Spells are an important part of DnD and they are included as a series of 1×2 printed tiles. Although small, fans will be able to decipher what they represent. These are all important aspects of the companion DnD campaign, which can be accessed for free on DnD Beyond. The exterior of the tower is full of subtle detail, there’s colourful glass topping the doors and gems hidden in the walls. One thing I love is how designer Mark Stafford has woven the crumbling castle’s battlement into the rocky walls and plants. They bring the set to life and it doesn’t feel unnecessary just to bulk the set out.
Dungeons & Dragons has a rich and lengthy history which could suggest it’s a niche subject and thus the set might not appeal to everyone. Despite all the fun Easter Eggs and references to the game’s lore, even if you have no interest in DnD, this is a pretty impressive set. It wouldn’t look out of place next to a castle or some of these other sets. Yes, it has a high price point, but unlike most other sets, it was decided to make this the ultimate celebration of DnD. The price was dictated by the final model and honestly, it’s certainly worth it.
But the building is just part of this impressive set, it also includes six characters and an array of creatures, which I’ll cover in the second part of this review, alongside a look at the bonus items which will launch alongside the set in April.
The LEGO Ideas Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale set will be available for LEGO Insiders on April 1st, then everyone else from April 4th. LEGO Insiders will also be able to get a free LEGO D&D Mimic Chest Dice Box GWP between April 1st – 7th. You can also use Insiders points to get a physical copy of the LEGO D&D Red Dragon’s Tale campaign book. Look out for a closer look at both of these bonus items soon.
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This set was provided to BricksFanz.com by the LEGO Group for review purposes. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Wizards of the Coast. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
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