Castle of the Forsaken Emperor — C · The Brick Drop Score
C
The Drop Score
Castle of the Forsaken Emperor
70678-1 · Ninjago
Early read · 3 reviews
1,223 pieces and seven minifigs for a hundred bucks sounds fine until you stack it against what else Ninjago was offering in 2019 — this castle is mid in a lineup that had better options at every price point.
Is the price fair?F$99.99 for what this delivers is a tough ask — the F grade says it all.
Will you love it?C+Solid minifig count and fun theme carry it to a C+, but don't expect to be wowed by the build.
Holds its value?C-Resale has been flat — this one hasn't found a passionate secondary market.
True ValueF
$278
Street price
$192
Parts value
69%
Ratio
The parts alone are worth about 69% of the street price — the basis for this F price read.
What you get
Plain bricks
$80
Printed & detailcalc
$5
Functional piecescalc
$34
Figures (×7)
$73
Premium you pay
Premium over parts
$86
OverpricedYou're paying well above the parts' value — $192 of parts for a $278 price.
The Full Take
The Castle of the Forsaken Emperor has the bones of a great Ninjago set — a dramatic name, a villain-side aesthetic, seven minifigs — but the execution lands somewhere between 'pretty good' and 'forgettable.' The build is serviceable, not inventive, and the structure reads more like a large playset than something you'd be proud to display. At $99.99 it was already a tough sell when it launched, competing with sets that delivered more for similar or less money. Seven minifigs is a real upside and probably the strongest argument for picking it up. The theme was at peak popularity in 2019 but this particular entry never broke out as a fan favorite. Resale hasn't rewarded patience here either, sitting at a C- on the hold — so buying it hoping the market catches up is a stretch. If Ninjago is your world, it's a fine addition; if you're being selective, there were better castles and better Ninjago sets to chase.
