LEGO Reviews Icons10305

Lion Knights' Castle

Name: LEGO Lion Knights' Castle 10305
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 10305
Rating: 4.82 (856 reviews)

89 · HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: A20224,514 pcsHigh agreement · 94%

Expert reviews

6analyzed

Owner ratings

856

Consensus

BUY

BrickScore

Highly Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"With a BrickScore of 88.5, Lion Knights' Castle earns its Highly Recommended tier as a generational set that reviewers from Jay's Brick Blog to everyday owners have called one of the best LEGO sets ever made, a Castle theme celebration that is worth every penny for those who can reach the $399.99 price."

Lion Knights' Castle is regarded by reviewers as the definitive modern LEGO Castle set, a landmark release that unites Lion Knights, Black Falcons, Forestmen, and a cast of 22 minifigures in one sprawling, detail-packed build. Jay's Brick Blog declared it an instant all-time favourite, and owner scores back that up: 4.82 stars across 856 ratings with a 95% recommendation rate. The build experience score of 88.0 and design aesthetics of 86.7 are among the highest in the Icons theme, though value-for-money at 59.8 reflects the significant $399.99 price tag that some buyers consider $50-80 too high. Critics and owners are aligned: this is one of the best LEGO sets ever released, if the budget allows.

Where to Buy

Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Max Profit Opinion PREMIUM

Is this a smart buy? BrickPicker's data-grounded investment verdict.

Unlock the Max Profit Opinion: our stance (buy / accumulate / hold / pass), the reasoning, the exact data behind it (eBay + BrickLink comps, CAGR vs MSRP, our retirement model), and whether the reviewer community agrees.

Unlock with Collector or Reseller

LOVED (8)

01Exceptional building techniques throughout, including clever angled walls and a balcony that unfolds into a catwalk bridge
0222 minifigures representing three classic factions (Lion Knights, Black Falcons, Forestmen) plus peasants and royalty
03No stickers anywhere on the set
04Fully operational counterweight drawbridge and quick-close portcullis mechanisms
05Extensive interior play spaces with hidden rooms, trap doors, a market stall, weapon racks, and a secret Forestmen hideout
06Multiple Easter eggs and callbacks to classic Castle heritage, including micro-built 375 Castle and printed shield homages
07Dual instruction booklets allow two builders to work simultaneously
08Includes exclusive pieces: dark orange horse, medium nougat cow, dark green trees, and Queen Lionne's paper cape with Lion Knights sigil

CRITICIZED (6)

01Price of $399.99 considered steep by multiple reviewers, with some estimating it about $50-80 overpriced
02Wizard Magisto lacks printing, leaving him visually plain compared to the rest of the figure lineup
03Exterior is heavily grey and green from certain angles, with less visual color pop than some earlier Castle sets
04Only one horse included despite the castle's scale
05Some pre-built/molded pieces frustrated purists who would have preferred individual bricks
06Flags cannot all be positioned pointing the same direction

What reviewers are saying

"10305 Lion Knights' Castle has instantly become one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time."

Jay's Brick Blog

"What I personally do care about is a good building experience with neat features and mechanisms that make me want to actually play with the models I've just built. And the Lion Knights Castle is that kind of a model for …"

Tiago Catarino

"It's finally here, the winner of the 90th Anniversary fan vote to revive a classic theme from LEGO's past."

Rebrickable Reviews

"It looks awesome, has tons of details and playable functions, has a literal army of minifigures, and it's truly massive."

RacingBrick

"The minifigures are also a pretty solid win. Even with a high degree of repetition in part selection, each figure does feel like a unique individual, and there are plenty of new prints to add to the exclusive feel."

The Brothers Brick

"It sold out like that in about a minute."

DG Bricks

"it's fully closed up all the way around and it's also able to be completely opened up I'll be showing you all those views in the interior stuff as well"

JANG's LEGO Reviews

"a very very cool set the lion Knights Castle"

Wolf of Bricks

Ecosystem

6080 Lion King's Castle — Shows how far printing standards have come; comparison of Lion Knights minifigures from original vs 10305 demonstrates massive advancement in detail and printing technology.

375 Castle — Deliberately references 375 Castle through printed shields in banquet hall and micro brick-built castle model in child's room. Shows heritage connection and celebration of LEGO Castle legacy.

Original Yellow Castle — Part of evolution showcased in instruction manual; reviewer notes they personally received Yellow Castle as a child, making this set a full-circle nostalgia moment and much-needed upgrade.

10223 Kingdoms Joust — Joust had 'festive feel' and 'pops a lot more visually with a lot less' according to reader comment, suggesting Lion Knights' Castle has more grey, less visual color impact from exterior but superior interior and play features.

IconsTier 1Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 8

Avg score

Consensus

BUY

Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

100

BUY

"10305 Lion Knights' Castle has instantly become one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time."

Key Pros

✓This is the Castle set of your dreams
✓Absolutely top-notch building techniques
✓Plenty of minifigures

Key Cons

✕Magisto doesn't have printing
✕Is quite expensive and might be out of reach for some people

READ FULL REVIEW

Tiago Catarino

Expert Video Source

BUY

Key Pros

✓Excellent play features and mechanisms integrated throughout
✓Extensive minifigure variety (21 total) with multiple factions for army building
✓Well-designed aesthetics with good use of profile bricks and window details

Key Cons

✕Wizard minifigure feels lackuster without any print whatsoever
✕10 Lion Knights feels 'a bit overkill' in reviewer's opinion

JUMP TO REVIEW

Rebrickable Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

"It's finally here, the winner of the 90th Anniversary fan vote to revive a classic theme from LEGO's past."

Key Pros

✓Glorious finished castle with exceptional visual appeal and compelling higgledy-piggledy design
✓Excellent build experience across 26 bags with no repetition despite mostly being brick-on-brick construction
✓Similar to modular building sets in sustained interest despite repetitive construction method

Key Cons

✕High price point at $400+ USD (£344.99 GBP) limits audience and accessibility compared to Classic Space anniversary set
✕Not enough references to non-faction Castle eras; would have appreciated Wolfpack minifigure and more Kingdom Knights/Fantasy/Nexo Knights nods

READ FULL REVIEW

RacingBrick

Expert Video Source

BUY

"It looks awesome, has tons of details and playable functions, has a literal army of minifigures, and it's truly massive."

Key Pros

✓Massive presence and scale
✓Tons of details
✓Playable functions

Key Cons

✕Very expensive at 400 EUR/USD
✕High price point even for LEGO standards

JUMP TO REVIEW

The Brothers Brick

Expert Video Source

Key Pros

✓22 minifigures total with 21 exclusive to the set
✓Each figure feels like a unique individual despite part repetition
✓Plenty of new prints to add to exclusive feel

Key Cons

✕Heavy repetition in part selection, particularly among Lion Knights
✕Most Lion Knight faces are common with many prior appearances (only 4 new exclusive torso prints total)

JUMP TO REVIEW

DG Bricks

Expert Video Source · avg of 3

BUY

"It sold out like that in about a minute."

Key Pros

✓Available for 3+ years providing multiple discount opportunities
✓Strong collector interest evidenced by instant Insider Days sellout
✓Significant price appreciation already occurring

Key Cons

✕Those who didn't act on deep discounts missed out and now face $200+ premium over retail

JUMP TO REVIEW

JANG's LEGO Reviews

Expert Video Source

BUY

"it's fully closed up all the way around and it's also able to be completely opened up I'll be showing you all those views in the interior stuff as well"

Key Pros

✓Full 3D build with no camera-unfriendly angles
✓Completely open-able design for exploration
✓Hybrid building techniques feel fresh yet traditional

Key Cons

✕Price point of $400 USD is too high (should be $320–350)
✕Blue color variation inconsistency between pieces (quality control issue)

JUMP TO REVIEW

Wolf of Bricks

Expert Video Source

BUY

"a very very cool set the lion Knights Castle"

Key Pros

✓Very cool set

JUMP TO REVIEW

Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Investment score 83

Buy now (7)Wait for sale (1)

Value drivers

Jay's Brick Blog: Queen Lionne is the primary value driver—exclusive warrior queen character not previously released, with unique torso, printed legs, golden visor, paper cape with sigil, hairpiece and crown. Never before seen in LEGO Castle history.

Tiago Catarino: Queen minifigure with exclusive leg element and lion knights cape with logo; also strong demand from multiple factions (Lion Knights, Forest Guardians, Black Falcons, civilians) for army building

Exclusivity

Jay's Brick Blog: LEGO.com and LEGO Stores exclusive initially (August 2022). 4,514 pieces makes it a flagship set. 22 minifigures, many with exclusive printing and designs.

Tiago Catarino: Standard retail release; no LEGO or retailer exclusivity mentioned

Resale

Jay's Brick Blog: Strong aftermarket growth expected. Commenter states 'I sure hope this will increase in value at an insane level the coming years' and reviewer notes it's 'not a purchase, but an investment instead; it will always be worth at least the purchase price.' Large piece count, exclusive minifigures (especially Queen Lionne), and limited initial distribution suggest strong collectibility.

Rebrickable Reviews: Strong collectibility expected given its anniversary status, limited production window, and appeal to both Castle theme enthusiasts and general adult collectors. However, the $400+ price tag may limit initial demand.

Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (22)

Lady of the Brave Lion Knights

$14

Black Falcon - Male, Pearl Dark Gray Detailed Legs, Black Neck Protector, Backpack

Peasant - Female, Dark Green Skirt, White Headdress

Black Falcon - Male, Pearl Dark Gray Detailed Legs, Black Helmet with Eye Slit, Black Plume

Lion Knight - Female, Light Bluish Gray Helmet, Flat Silver Visor, Red Plume, Flat Silver Armor

Forestwoman - Red, Green Hat, Red Feather, Quiver

Lion Knight - Female, Flat Silver Neck Protector, Quiver, Freckles

Forestman - Red, Green Hat, Red Feather, Quiver, Moustache

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Horse in dark orange color
Initially thought to be first appearance but was actually first seen in 60327 Horse Transporter. Still notable for Queen Lionne's exclusive barding.
Queen Lionne's exclusive paper cape with Lion Knights' sigilValue
Unique printed paper cape that 'elevates her to a whole new level of awesome' and distinguishes this character from other medieval minifigures.
Black Falcons horse bardingValue
Second horse barding in set after Queen Lionne's; 'looks immaculate' and reviewer is 'Very, very, very happy with the Black Falcons barding.' Re-introduction of horse barding element overall is significant.
New dark green trees
Introduced in this set; used to create foliage and Forestmen tree with black trunk and bark; contributes to 'wonderful organic and whimsical feel.'
Medium Nougat Cow
New color; first seen in 60346 Barn & Farm Animals. Part of animal collection adding life to peasant/marketplace areas.
Multiple building techniques for cunning anglesValue
Reviewer was 'particularly impressed with the techniques employed to get all these cunning angles done.' Uses mostly 'old school LEGO bricks with some absolutely genius techniques' rather than heavy Technic elements. Techniques throughout create castle's impressive exterior angles and interior complexity.

What Owners Say

Widely regarded as one of the best LEGO sets ever made, the Lion Knights' Castle earns extraordinary enthusiasm for its ingenious building techniques, hidden features, working mechanisms, and deep nostalgic resonance, with price being the only meaningful complaint.

COMMON PRAISE

+Exceptional, clever building techniques that repeatedly surprised experienced builders throughout the build
+Rich hidden features and Easter eggs including secret rooms, a working drawbridge, portcullis, and trapdoor
+Outstanding minifigure count and variety, including exclusive capes, fabrics, and a queen with helmet
+Strong nostalgia for classic 1980s-90s castle sets combined with modern design innovations

COMMON COMPLAINTS

−High price point is the most cited concern, though most owners conclude it is ultimately worth it
−Large sections of flat grey exterior wall feel plain and under-detailed relative to the rich interior
−The ramp to the drawbridge is described by some as too small and too steep

hidden featuresnostalgic castle themeclever building techniqueslarge minifig countdisplay and play

Buyer Ratings

LEGO.com4.8

392 reviews

86%