Author Topic: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower  (Read 10800 times)

Offline Martin Milner

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4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« on: April 21, 2010, 18:17:11 »


I wanted to get this tower to expand my "Medieval Fantasy" theme, despite reservations about the construction system. As suspected it uses the Clip system.



As designed it is completely non-customisable, and difficult to disassemble once constructed. This limits the number of these towers I want to one, and makes me wonder what Playmobil think German children do with their toys when playtime is over. The major (i.e. only) benefit of the Clip system is that it makes for very rapid construction, with six pieces forming the bulk of the tower: three rock base pieces, the tower body, and two pieces forming the gun platform at the top.

The larger pieces were just rattling loose in the box, resulting in some surface abrasions.  ::)



There are some stickers to put on, ten for the five-sided top platform, the tower door, the gate dragon's eyes and a lava pool at the bottom of the tower.








The castle has four denizens. The leader is the Wizard Benedict, who is not Evil, just misunderstood. A very nice figure, and unusual, with runes playing along his lapels, and a high-shouldered cloak and a two-piece hat.



His lieutenant Gunner mans the dragon-defence cannon on the tower roof, and carries a big sword in a special scabbard across his back.




His second-lieutenant Scout carries a specially-shaped shield and two swords across his back.



Most importantly, he is the rider of Wings, the tower's green dragon. The smallest of the Playmobil dragons to date, about the size of a horse. His wings are fixed but his legs swivel, and his head twists and mouth opens. The neck joint is NOT a ball and socket, thus limiting the head movement. It is not clear to me why they chose this sort of joint. At first I was disappointed at his size, as this is totally unclear from the box and catalogue artwork, but I now see it as a good thing.



Scout lacks a lance or spear of any sort, so aerial battle is not his intention. He is intended to do reconaissance for Benedict, and report back unscathed and unnoticed. The unusual shield shape now makes sense, as it tucks neatly between the dragon's neck and wing.

If I were still a ten year old schoolboy Scout and Wings would be be travelling to school with me everyday in my bag or pocket, and reporting back to Benedict on the evils perpetrated by the teachers.







The bottom of the tower hides a glowing blue crystal, the heart of the dragon, behind a dragon's mouth portal.




Overall the set is well designed, and does what it does very well. It just doesn't quite do what I'd like it to do. I'd like to be able to redesign the tower myself, and that just isn't possible. The current design and figures stimulate the imagination to an extent, and then they limit it.

Set 4835 forms the other major half of the Dragon World theme, and I will be reviewing that soon.

Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2010, 19:22:25 »
Great review Martin!!! Thank you for clearing lots of things i could not cover in my thread!!!
How did you learn the names of the characters????
I really enjoyed Scout and Wings!!! And now that I know what to make with the shield I'll carry them with me everyday to work!!!  ;D ;D ;D
The blue flame i think is called the breath of the dragon...The heart of the dragon is in the other bigger set 4835, a sword and shield embedded on a stone!

Offline Gepetto

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2010, 21:44:14 »
Great review and photos Martin, thank you!!  :wave: I really like the looks of that Benedict figure.

Offline Richard

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2010, 23:28:57 »



I wanted to get this tower to expand my "Medieval Fantasy" theme, despite reservations about the construction system. As suspected it uses the Clip system.

As designed it is completely non-customisable, and difficult to disassemble once constructed. This limits the number of these towers I want to one, and makes me wonder what Playmobil think German children do with their toys when playtime is over.

Overall the set is well designed, and does what it does very well. It just doesn't quite do what I'd like it to do. I'd like to be able to redesign the tower myself, and that just isn't possible. The current design and figures stimulate the imagination to an extent, and then they limit it.




Great review, Martin!

This was one of the sets that appeared to be of great concern to Mr. Brandstätter! He did not seem very happy to learn that it wasn't a SystemX construction set.

All the best,
Richard

Offline Martin Milner

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2010, 23:46:31 »
How did you learn the names of the characters????

Benedict is named in the Nintendo DS Knights game, but the other names I made up for the purposes of this review.  ;) I apologise for not making that clear, as Playmobil characters very rarely have given names.




Great review, Martin!

This was one of the sets that appeared to be of great concern to Mr. Brandstätter! He did not seem very happy to learn that it wasn't a SystemX construction set.

All the best,
Richard

That's very interesting Richard, presumably then Mr. Brandstätter has not cleared and approved the shift from System X to Clip, and is unaware of what his current design team are up to.  :o

This tower bears similarities to the 3665 Baron's Tower set. The difference is that that Steck set could be integrated with other Steck, or the parts rearranged or integrated into a different building, and this can't.

That may seem a good idea for quick profits, but I think in the long term this set will not sell as well as those old Steck sets have, nor have the same resale value.

Offline Lindama

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2010, 10:59:16 »
Fabulous review and photos! Thanks for that.

 ;D
One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.
    Jane Austen, Emma

Linda

Offline Giorginetto

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2010, 12:01:40 »
Excellent review , thank you . To hear these sets get abrasion when boxed as thry  are loose  ( my god !!!  :o :o :o :o) is a worry that will reflect probably on poor sales on ebay for boxed sets. i have a feeling altogether these sets and type of construction will not last very long  >:D >:D >:D >:D
« Last Edit: April 22, 2010, 18:42:06 by Giorginetto »
:knight: Steck is Holy . Bring back more steck sets and its guardians , the Nuremberg Guards :knight:

Offline WarriorOfToys

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2010, 14:05:05 »
Cool review Martin!
I was thinking of getting one of these sets myself, as it does look very intresting.
But I am afraid that I would be limited to getting only one...
Maybe if I didnt want the bigger one I could get two and connect them like the other castle is connected. However, I really do like the figures! (However much I dislike the castle design...)
The cloak on your first luitenant could make some awsome Elf customs. ;)
Steck is BACK! <:>

Offline flatcat

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2010, 14:59:42 »
Excellent review Martin! :)9

I've never really seen this set before but looks rather interesting :)
 

Offline Justindo

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Re: 4836 Dragon World Wizard's Tower
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2010, 23:53:11 »
Thanks for the review, Martin.  I won't be purchasing this set, but I'm hoping to get Benedict from DS to use as a druid.
:egypt: :roman: :viking: :knight: :arrr: :indian: :cowboy: