Recently, I carved out some time to rewatch the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Luckily, The Fellowship of the Ring was available on YouTube TV but I did have to shell out $3 via Amazon Prime to rent each of The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Solid investment by the way.
Back in the early 2000’s, the Lord of the Rings franchise was a cultural phenomenon. Collectively, the three films netted nearly $3 billion dollars at the box office, a rather impressive haul considering the budget for the Fellowship of the was a mere $92 million. Nice return on investment there Peter Jackson!
Anyways, LEGO obviously gave this franchise the attention it deserved, releasing more than a few epic sets. Who wouldn’t want to recreate the Battle of Helm’s Deep? There’s a lot to love with the LOTR franchise. Legolas. Gandalf. Saruman. Frodo. The One Ring. Middle Earth. Aragorn. Orcs. All the memories.
Do yourself a favor and grab one of these sets. Since they’re no longer being produced, you’ll pay more than retail (sometimes a lot more) to take one home. With no further adieu, I give you The 25 Best LEGO Lord of the Rings sets. Always keep in mind though, one does not simply walk into Mordor.
1. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE BATTLE OF HELM’S DEEP 9474
Feast your eyes on the LEGO Battle of Helm’s Deep, the most impressive Lord of the Rings LEGO set that was ever produced. Admittedly, I debated between this and the Tower of Orthanc for the crown of the best LOTR LEGO build, but while this one was almost 1,000 pieces smaller than the Tower, it just spoke to me. You can’t really go wrong with either of the two, but Helm’s Deep just felt a little bit more fun. Remember when King Theoden thought the fortress wouldn’t fall? If it weren’t for the late arrival of Gandalf and Erkenbrand, Aragorn and all the good guys would have certainly been destroyed.
The fortress itself is obviously the best part of this set. Aragorn, Gilmi and other minifig are included. There’s even a ladder, just like one that the Orc army flung against the wall in an effort to break through. If you’re anything of a skilled builder, this one should take you right around 4 hours to complete. 1,368 pieces in total, and the final set looks absolutely incredible. LEGO nailed it with this one.
2. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS TOWER OF ORTHANC 10237
The Tower of Orthanc, in all of its beauty. This thing is truly, a work of art. The staggering 2,359 piece is the largest in the entire Lord of the Rings LEGO collection, and is just about the coolest LEGO tower you can find anywhere. Coming in just over 2 feet tall, this thing stands at 28” and makes a statement. Maybe that statement is actually just, “I’m a huge Tolkein nerd” but that’s okay, isn’t it?
The LEGO Tower of Orthanc has 6 detailed floors, all leading up to Saruman’s throne room. Not only do you get the bad man Saruman himself, you also get Gandalf, Grima Wormtongue, a giant Eagle, the Orc Pit master and a Uruk-hai. Not to mention all of the various pieces you’ll build into each floor of the Tower itself. If you’re like me, you’re having a hard time not pulling the trigger and dropping several hundred dollars on this giant Lord of the Rings Tower. Even Darth Vader would have to admit he’s impressed with what Saruman did with the place. Really nice decorating and dark wizard accents all the way around.
3. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE HOBBIT DOL GULDUR BATTLE 79014
Another LEGO Battle scene from Lord of the Rings? Sign me up. The Dol Guldur Battle set is 797 pieces, almost all of which is dedicated to the fortress. In my humble opinion, LEGO knew exactly what they were doing when it came to these sets. There’s something that’s just utterly satisfying about building what feels like a partial castle as you set up an army to defend itself from the most despicable army invaders that Tolkien could imagine in the Uruk-hai.
Did I mention that a Gandalf minifig comes with this one? As if you needed another reason. Going for roughly a third of the cost of the Battle of Helm’s Deep set, this one is a good investment.
Looking for Lord of the Rings LEGO set featuring an impressive, near absurd dragon? Look no further. This is the one. The Lonely Mountain LEGO build features 866 pieces of straight fire bricks, none more significant than Smaug, the giant dragon that Bilbo had to outwit.What comes with this one? In addition to a giant version of Smaug, the set of course includes a Bilbo Baggins minifig and 4 other small dwarves. Not to mention, there’s a lot more going on with this one.
If you’re a real fan of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, would your collection honestly be complete without this one? The internet has spoken, and this version of Smaug is one of the coolest LEGO dragons ever produced. You and I both know, this one is a must have.
5. LEGO THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED GATHERING 79003
Since you’re here, you obviously know the difference between The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Well, at minimum you know that they’re different books, albeit connected in their storylines. Since The Hobbit was naturally given its own set of feature films, LEGO knew they could sell another handful of sets. Honestly though, I’m not even mad about this one. An Unxpected Gathering LEGO set is 652 pieces, a decent build by any measure. The set includes minifigs for Bilbo Baggins, 4 dwarves, and a rather badass version of Gandalf the Grey. The scene is of course, Bilbo’s hobbit home in the shire. If you’re looking for a Hobbit-themed set that includes both Bilbo and Gandalf, this is absolutely the one you want.
6. LEGO THE HOBBIT THE GOBLIN KING BATTLE 79010
The Goblin King Battle LEGO set is another LEGO build from The Hobbit, featuring 841 pieces. There’s a point in the book where Gandalf has to rescue the dwarves inside a cav, as they’d been imprisoned by the evil Goblin King. This set comes with Gandalf, 3 dwarves, the Goblin King, a Goblin scribe, and two Goblin soldiers. It’s actually pretty well done by LEGO, considering the dark representation of the scene. Skulls, bones, and all that are included… if you’re into that sort of thing. I certainly wouldn’t give this set to a young child, but for older kids and maybe-creepy adults, it’s simply perfect.
7. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE MINES OF MORIA 9473
Remember when Gimli suggested the Fellowship take a shortcut through the Mines of Moria so they could visit his cousin? Gandalf’s face said it all; he wanted no part of that plan. Turns out, Saruman sent an ice storm that forced them off their original path (through the mountainpass) so they ended up having to go through the Mines of Moria anyways. What awaited them was nothing short of a disaster. First was the giant octopus, followed by an orc army and their cave troll, oh and not to mention the fact that Gimli’s cousin (and his entire crew) had already been wiped out. We haven’t even discussed the Balrog, which was a disturbing demon that ended up plummeting down into the shadows along with Gandalf.
Anyways, enough about that. LEGO has given us a pretty wicked set featuring the Mines of Moria. 776 pieces of sheer horror, including Gimli, Legolas, Boromir, Pippen, two Orcs and the Cave troll. Imagine if they had included the Balrog in this set, that would have been epic. Regardless, there’s a lot to like about this one.
8. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS PIRATE SHIP AMBUSH 79008
If you blinked while you were watching the Return of the King, you might have missed the Pirate Ship. Honestly, it wasn’t huge part of the movie, but the designers at LEGO seem to be fascinated with Pirate Ships in general. But who cares, right? This 756 piece LEGO Pirate Ship is actually one of my favorites, and I haven’t talked to a single person who isn’t a fan of this one. Minifigs of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli take the stage for the good guys, while battling the Army of the Dead, and two Orcs as well.
LEGO wants there to be absolutely no confusion though: this pirate ship under no circumstances is capable of floating.
9. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS BATTLE AT THE BLACK GATE 79007
What do you get when you combine LEGO with one of the coolest battle scenes in all of The Lord of the Rings? I give you, The Battle at The Black Gate.
This 656 piece set comes with a badass version of Gandalf the White, Aragorn, the Mouth of Sauron, and two Orcs. Most importantly though, is the LEGO recreation of the Black Gate itself. If you wanted a LEGO with impressive detail on the spikes, a door that opens and closes, a catapult, and a secret entrance, then this is the one for you. Although there’s a lot of awesome sets on this list, this one might just actually be the best value for your money. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the coolest looking LOTR builds you can buy.
10. LEGO THE HOBBIT THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES 79017
You had me at giant crossbow. That’s all you need to know about this one. The Battle of Five Armies LEGO build isn’t the biggest, but definitely is deserving of your attention.
The 472 piece set comes together nicely, featuring Thorin Oakenshield, Gwaihir the Giant Eagle, a bridge that blows up and most importantly, the Orc battle machine.
I’d probably drop $100 on the battle machine / giant crossbow by itself. But if that wasn’t enough, you also get Legolas, and a handful of other minifigs to complete your battle scene. It’ll set you back a decent amount money, but can you put a price on a giant crossbow? The answer is no.
11. LEGO THE HOBBIT LAKE-TOWN CHASE 79013
There’s lot to like about this LEGO set from The Hobbit, featuring the Lake-town Chase scene. It’s a decent size at 470 pieces, complete with Bilbo Baggins and 4 other minifigs.
Perhaps my favorite thing about this set though is the dual-purpose house/prison (what a lovely combination), the armory, and the boat. This is consistently listed as one of the most well-liked LEGO sets produced for this franchise, and it’s easy to see why.
12. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS ATTACK OF THE WARGS 79902
At about the halfway point in The Two Towers, Saruman realized what the Fellowship was up to and sent a handful of Wargs to hunt them down. Inexplicably, the Wargs were actually not as big of a threat as they could have been. Aside from the bit of trouble Gimli had with the Wargs, they were dealt with pretty easily. On second thought, nevermind. I forgot that one of the Wargs actually took Aragorn over the cliff, at which point everyone just assumed he had died and did their best to act really sad. To the surprise of absolutely no one else, Aragorn showed up a little bit later in the movie to help save the day when the Battle of Helm’s Deep was just on the horizon.
Hold on, I’m not even talking about the correct Warg battle. Nevermind. This Attack of the Wargs LEGO set is from the Hobbit. Still cool. I’m confused now.
13. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE ORC FORGE 9476
If the idea of an Orc Forge doesn’t terrify you, then I’m concerned about you as an individual. The concept of an evil army mass producing its own disgusting creatures is concerning, to say the least. Can we just simmer for a second on the fact that the Uruk-hai army was literally being dug out of the ground? This is officially now a horror story, and you can’t convince me otherwise.
The LEGO Orc Forge has every disturbing detail you’d expect, most notably featuring the forge itself featuring the bucket, furnace, and chute. Even a dark army needs its weapons, right? This set is 366 pieces of pure dread. And I for one, am absolutely here for it.
14. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE COUNCIL OF ELROND 79006
The Council of Elrond was among the most significant gatherings in the Lord of the Rings, where the fate of the Ring was to be decided. Gandalf, Frodo, and Bilbo joined Elrond and the other high-ranking elves met to figure out what exactly to do with the One Ring, as brought to them by Frodo himself.
Eventually, they came to the realization that the Ring could not be destroyed unless it was returned to where it was made, that being the Crack of Doom (in Mount Doom) of course. This LEGO recreation of the meeting of the mighty elves features 243 pieces and comes with minifigs of Elrond, Arwen, Frodo and Gimli. While it might not be the most exciting of the LEGO sets, it’s an absolutely essential set to complete your Lord of the Rings LEGO collection.
15. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS DOL GULDUR AMBUSH 79011
Can I interest you in a mobile catapult? Thought so. How about a swinging hammer and some axe traps? Yes please.
As depicted in the Hobbit sequel film: The Desolation of Smaug, the Dol Guldur Ambush was the scene of a pretty important battlefront. The old warrior Beorn is the most important minifig included here, but you’ll also appreciate the armored Gundabad Orcs. What’s better than LEGO sets that depict battles? Nothing. Loving everything about this one.
The best LEGO sets from Lord of the Rings are obviously the ones that focus on an army, or one of the many epic battle scenes. Honestly, LEGO could put fortress wall alongside just about anything and I’d feel obligated to buy that set. The Uruk-hai Army set comes with a detachable catapult, and a hook shooter. Thank goodness. Alright, the set isn’t that impressive in it’s own right, but you should plan on combining this one with the Helm’s Deep set to make for an even grander battle scene. What’s cooler than building a castle and defending it from would-be invaders with a working catapult? This one is pretty sweet.
17. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS ATTACK ON WEATHERTOP 9472
The Ringwraiths are pretty regular nuisance in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, always showing up at inopportune times to wreak some undead havoc. In the Lord of the Rings, Wringraith showed up while the Fellowship was taking a quick rest at the fortress known as Weathertop, at which point of course these obnoxious things would show up. Frodo gets stabbed, all hell breaks loose. Luckily, the good guys came to the rescue and fought them off. Hence, the Attack of the Weathertop LEGO set.
While it’s not the biggest set on the list, it’s one worth owning. Anytime you can get an Aragorn minifig (Frodo and Merry too) along with two Ringwraith, you should probably go ahead and do that. They also threw in two horses, five swords, and the One Ring. Not bad!
18. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE WIZARD BATTLE 79005
What’s the only thing better than one wizard? Two wizards, obviously. Especially when those two wizards need to settle pretty significant difference. Just like in the books (or movie), Gandalf the Grey must face his old friend and mentor Saruman. The Wizard Battle LEGO build is only 113 pieces, but I did mention that this is a LEGO version of two wizards battling right? As if you needed another reason to buy it, the Eye of Sauron sits front and center to witness the epic clash. Which magical old dude with an impressive beard will come out on top? Gandalf, obviously. But in the LEGO version, you get to decide.
19. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS ESCAPE FROM MIRKWOOD SPIDERS 79001
It wouldn’t be Lord of the Rings if there wasn’t someone running away from a giant spider, now would it? Personally, I feel that giant spiders are a tad bit played out. But generally speaking, people are afraid of spiders… so authors like Tolkien and Rowling built more than a few oversized arachnids into the storyline.
Not a huge fan of this set since it’s only 298 pieces, but if for some reason you wanted a Hobbit set featuring the Escape from Mirkwood Spiders, this one is sitting here waiting for you. Honestly though, you can do a lot better.
20. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS MIRKWOOD ELF ARMY 79012
I’m sucker for anything that even remotely resembles a castle. Not only does the Mirkwood Elf Army LEGO set include a partial wall, you get 6 minifigs as well. 3 Elves (2 of them archers), 2 Orcs, 1 Warg, and the man himself, Thranduil. I probably would have bought this set for the archers and wall alone, but they even threw in a flick missile, a weapon rack and a ladder. It’s not a massive build, but it packs a punch for the size. You could do a lot worse than this one!
21. LEGO THE HOBBIT SHELOB ATTACKS 9470
Have you ever been attacked by giant spider? Sounds pretty horrifying. And that’s exactly what is represented in the Shelob Attacks LEGO set from The Lord of the Rings. Frodo, Sam, and Gollum are all here for the fun too. As if that all weren’t enough, Shelob the spider has a string web with a hook. If your kid enjoys playing with this one a little too much, we recommend you seek professional help.
Kidding aside, this is a decent set! As an added bonus, the spider itself could be used to freak out unexpecting parents if you’re into that sort of thing. Spiders are the worst, but it turns out that LEGO spiders aren’t so bad after all.
22. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS RIDDLES FOR THE RING 79000
“It is mine I tell you. My own. My precious. Yes, my precious.” At first glance, this Riddles for the Ring LEGO set looks pretty cool. Even though it’s only 105 pieces, the rock has a front section that opens revealing the hidden ring. And then there’s the two minifigures, which are none other than Bilbo Baggins, and Gollum (of course). If you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings, you know that the ring itself is, well, kind of important. Gollum was beyond obsessed with it, Bilbo ends up with it, and so it all begins. Even though this set isn’t huge, it’s pretty clever and a worthy addition to your LOTR LEGO collection.
23. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS WITCH-KING BATTLE 79015
If it wasn’t already obvious, we’ve officially reached the point where incredibly lame LEGO sets are all that remain. The Witch-king battle set is 101 pieces, and I can’t even think of a valid reason why you would ever want to buy this one. Any LEGO build that looks like it would take about 10 minutes to put together is definitely going to be a no for me. Sure, the Witch-king crown is an exclusive to this set, but again… hard pass for me. Save your pennies for something that isn’t an awful excuse for a Hobbit LEGO set.
24. LEGO LORD OF THE RINGS THE GANDALF ARRIVES 9469
Unlike some of the others on this list, LEGO “Gandalf Arrives” is hardly worth your time. There’s 83 pieces, which is the LEGO way of saying, “this is for decoration” and not really building. Gandalf himself would not be impressed with this recreation. One might just look at this and say, is it really just Gandalf riding a horse cart while Frodo stands there? The answer is yes. That’s all that it is.
You’re better off saving your money and buying one of the bigger sets. Unless, for some reason you wanted a LEGO version of horse pulling Gandalf in a horse cart. Apparently, someone decided this was a good idea? Digs aside, it’s not the worst LEGO out there. It’s just way overpriced for the set itself.
25. LEGO THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY BOARD GAME 3920
While it’s not traditional LEGO in the building sense, this one absolutely needed to make the list. Besides, the other LEGO Lord of the Rings not on this list are the lamest possible ones, including “Frodo in the Kitchen” – yes, I’m serious. Anyways, what we have here is a board game, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
So how do you play? Well, before you get too excited – it’s a memory game, and not an adventure or building game. Basically, you’re searching for missing dwarves, leveraging clues and hints from Gandalf and some of his hobbit friends. Think of it as a configurable matching game. Is it worth the price? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say no, but if you’re into this sort of thing, you might just enjoy it.
Must all good things come to an end? Yes Sam, indeed.
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