Set Review: 70790 Lord of Skull Spiders

[Hapori Tohu]

I've heard rumors that people have been enjoying our Bionicle 2015 reviews, so why not give you another? Today we're taking a look at 70790 Lord of Skull Spiders, the only bad guy who gets his own set in the first wave. Will this creepy-crawly lure you with its gold mask and wrap you up in its web? Or will you use your elvish blade and phial of starlight to fend off its attacks (oh wait, wrong theme!)? There's only one way to find out - you'll have to read on!

 

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[Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)]

The relative lack of playability in the set is unfortunate, but for someone who mostly buys sets for MoCing purposes like me, the parts alone look like they could make it worthwhile anyways.  

[Toa Chuck]

While the overall product seems a bit lackluster, I am still definitely getting him for his awesome parts. Six glatorian necks? Eight translucent technic beams??? Six of those great beast claw things? Plus those two new technic pin types? I'm sold.

[Ballom Nom Nom]

Wow, I didn't know that they had made the second new pin type. That one looks just as useful as the first! Hopefully they will be included in a number more upcoming sets.

 

Overall for the set I agree that it's a bit lackluster, with the main draw being the gold mask (which looks awesome!).

 

~B~

[Toa Smoke Monster]

I've been waiting to get more info on this set, and this review certainly answers some of my questions on it.

 

It definitely doesn't look as solid as the Toa or Protectors. The blue pins in the back stick out a lot, while its legs look bare in the middle of them. And its a shame its action feature isn't that good.

 

All that being said, I still think this is a neat set that I may still get after I get Tahu and a couple other sets first. Thanks for the review! 

[Lyichir]

The second new pin you mentioned is BRAND new, and extremely promising. What's the printing like on his faceplate? Any metallic or fluorescent printing?

 

I'll have to see how I like LOSS... your review seemed awfully critical, and it seems as if you were surprised by aspects of the set I had been familiar with for a while, like his minimal poseability, which I can't view as a con since I built a spider MOC earlier this year with full articulation and he was a royal pain to pose due to all his legs moving around. Or the exposed Technic beams and handle, which I think look fine, akin to many classic Rahi. The fact that his legs don't grip with enough force to easily remove masks IS a significant problem, but even if it can't knock off masks it seems like it could be plenty menacing descending on a hapless Toa or Protector or even grabbing them from behind. I suppose I'll see... at worst, he's still more interesting to me than the similarly-priced Nui-Rama, and as you said, he has a FANTASTIC part selection.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Lyichir

[Bambi]

The name of the set sounds almost like an Indiana Jones movie.

But anyway, not sure if I'll be picking this one up. I've already got six Visorak... But this one does look kinda cool.

And as always, thanks for the review!

Edited November 14, 2014 by Bambi

[Aanchir]

I am disappointed that the playability isn't more impressive, though I do like the aesthetics, so I don't feel like the function-over-form approach hurt it tremendously. If only that function had been a little bit more polished.

 

For reference, the Dark Stone Grey 3M pin with 1M axle is a 2014 part that's already appeared in more than twenty sets, but the Black 3M pin with 2M axle appears to be brand-new. When in doubt, it never hurts to search the Element ID from the back of the instruction manual in the Brickset database!

 

And yeah, I have to agree with Lyi that the limited posability might not really be a con. A model with more than four legs and full articulation can be a nightmare to pose. Having just one independent joint in each leg seems pretty much fine to me.

 

EDIT: Just watched the review. The function may not work great for grabbing but it certainly LOOKS great!

Edited November 14, 2014 by Aanchir

[Nescent]

This was always the set I was least excited about, but those new technic pieces are gorgeous...that actually makes me pretty excited to buy it. I also think he looks really cool and spiderlike, and the orange is nice.

[believe victims]

Glad to see some of my criticisms echoed. One thing I dislike is how boxy it ends up looking. The plating on its back is the only shaping it gets, and it really doesn't get enough of a spider-like shape across to make up for the boxy, gappy body. The 2001 Rahi did a much better job with shaping with Technic pieces IMO. I also still despise the printed face.

 

On the other hand, it seems like an excellent parts pack for things like Glatorian necks, those translucent beams, all kinds of pins, and those beams with the balls in the middle, among others.

[Bfahome]

Now I can't see those big printed side fangs as anything other than angry anime eyes.

 

Then again, facehugger.

[Black Six]

The second new pin you mentioned is BRAND new, and extremely promising. What's the printing like on his faceplate? Any metallic or fluorescent printing?

The spider web details on the 'cheeks' are metallic silver. The rest is pretty normal.

[Volitak_Boxor]

I'm probably going to want to grab this set, just because I'm a sucker for gear functions.  Swinging arms are great, but other functions are even better.  I don't really mind the handle coming out the back end, because to me it's really reminiscent of the Nui-Jaga, with their similar handle-trigger arrangement.

 

I haven't bought any new Technic sets in years, so I'm surprised at how many new little connectors there are.  Longer hybrid pin-axles, pin spacers, a pinhole with a pin on the side...  These could really come in handy.  Too bad it'll probably take a bunch of sets to amass any significant quantity.

[Click]

Well, now we know why the angle on the box art is so terrible: the Lord of Skull Spiders is a box with legs sticking straight out. Not much to offer in the aesthetics or playability department, and so I wouldn't even consider it if it wasn't such a great parts pack. Still, I have my priorities, and this isn't one of them.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

Man, this set apparently didn't quite catch on as much as TLG was probably expecting,

 

i just hope it's not too much of a loss in sales though.

[END]

This is pretty much "The Lord Of Technic Parts Packs". From just seeing pictures in the past and hearing about the play features I had a 0% chance of buying this but after this review that has risen to a 25% chance just for the parts.

[The 1st Shadow]

Those pin/axle pieces...  I'm tempted to buy this one just for the parts.

[Torran]

I mean, maybe if you consider the handle as the abdomen of the spider? ...Still, I see more a parts pack than a set to stay on the shelf. Thanks for the review!

[Munty]

What they couldn't use a Bohrok faceplate to give it an actual Abdomen? This is a really ugly set, it makes me long for 2015 Onua it's that unpleasant. Gappy, blocky and not even remotely a spider by the way...

 

Skull Spiders? Four legs = not spiders...

 

LOSS? Six legs = Also not a spider

 

It really sho uld be called the Lord of Skull Mites as none of these things are cool enough or scary enough to be classified as spiders. Really don't like that printed faceplate, seems to show a lack of effort on TLG part when compared to composite heads on many older sets. Roodaka, Dume, Krekka, Sidorak, all great composite heads and not many pieces. They could've tried harder with this set surely? I wonder if initially it was planned as a titan but then reduced to make it more affordable (and thus more saleable) as I could see this being MUCH more impressive in titan form. Kind of like the opposite of Takua and Pewku

 

Those two pin designs look amazing, I've never seen either of them as I'm a bit of an old school purist but I'd love to have a few of them. I literally just last week needed to join one pin hold and two axle holes together. This would have been perfect!

 

I'll still be getting this set because I'll be getting them all, but this is my least favourite and honestly I'll be very surprised if I keep it build for more than a few days. I'm not very ecited about the protectors either but at least they're kind of companions for the Toa, the LOSS just seems unnecessary. And hideous... And fairly pointless...

[Iblis]

What they couldn't use a Bohrok faceplate to give it an actual Abdomen? This is a really ugly set, it makes me long for 2015 Onua it's that unpleasant. Gappy, blocky and not even remotely a spider by the way...

 

Skull Spiders? Four legs = not spiders...

 

I don't think those molds have been used in years? (& if they haven't been used in how long I think they have; they don't have them anymore ^{[Although why they would eve throw out a mold...]})

I will accept SS not having more legs as I feel they would have been to crowded &/or too big to act as a 'mask' — which I actually like.

 

LOSS? Six legs = Also not a spider

 

Really don't like that printed faceplate, seems to show a lack of effort on TLG part when compared to composite heads on many older sets. Roodaka, Dume, Krekka, Sidorak, all great composite heads and not many pieces. They could've tried harder with this set surely? I wonder if initially it was planned as a titan but then reduced to make it more affordable (and thus more saleable) as I could see this being MUCH more impressive in titan form. Kind of like the opposite of Takua and Pewku 

 

I agree, although I suspect you've answered this as well; originally planned to be a Titan, thus a ^(more) printed head, & loss of legs.

 

Those two pin designs look amazing, I've never seen either of them as I'm a bit of an old school purist but I'd love to have a few of them. I literally just last week needed to join one pin hold and two axle holes together. This would have been perfect!

 

I'll still be getting this set because I'll be getting them all, but this is my least favourite and honestly I'll be very surprised if I keep it build for more than a few days. I'm not very ecited about the protectors either but at least they're kind of companions for the Toa, the LOSS just seems unnecessary. 

 

Honestly I'm excited about this set still, just because of it's pieces, the Lord of Skull Spiders (145 pieces) pretty comparable to the Nui-Rama (138 pieces) for getting Technic (& other) pieces and both were/are $15 US

 

I rarely keep any sets standing around for long, but I think this one will be reassembled a lot less than others. Still a good piece mine (which is a opinion very dependent on peoples present collections; mine is essentially non-existent [for my intents & purposes]).

 

I suppose it makes a few parallels with Krekka for me; gappy, lacking pieces in place, but still a good piece mine, ^{only decent villain of it's wave - but LoSS is cheating here (I like the SS, but they are discounted on size),} and generally not very popular.

[quitefair]

Literally only the lower joints are moveable... but depending on the price where I'm from it's very tempting to get it just for the parts. Love how they've brought back the little teeth-like pieces from the Barraki though, I always liked how they added to a set. Also that golden mask is exciting. (I came in late - started seriously collecting in 2005 - so I missed the whole 'Race for the Masks', this is like a second chance at that for me  )

 

Still not a huge fan of the stickers, but I like how they've turned a chest piece into the spider face. 

 

Overall, I like the look of it (transparent orange Technic pieces??? oh my gosh) but I like my BIONICLE playable, so this is probably a set I'll pass on. 

Edited November 14, 2014 by quitefair

[masterchirox580]

Yeah I'll get it anyway, but I must admit the set looks unfinished to me, I mean all those wide gaps in the build, I keep thinking there's missing pieces.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

Oh my Mata Nui... those new pin/axle combos have me staring in amazement. I'll be picking one of these up eventually. Also, the open ball joints of the mini HF torso on the back could be used to fill it in more, which I'll do as soon as I've returned my kicking function.

[Adventurer]

Shame it's not that great - particularly the functionality. I was hoping this one would be one of the better sets since it's the largest new "character" and the most unique looking of the sets. Still looks kind of cool, but yeah not entirely sure I'll end up getting it. May depend on how big it is in the story.

[Black Six]

Still not a huge fan of the stickers, but I like how they've turned a chest piece into the spider face.

There are no stickers in this set. The chest piece is printed.

[user-402520536]

Yeah, when I saw the new pin my mind screamed "Where the Karz has this part been the last 5 years!?!?!?!?" I mean, seriously.

[Zidonaro]

Maybe he would be cool back in 2001 as a Rahi, but not these days. Way too simple.

[KopakaFan116]

I love this new set. Although the set itself suffers from lack of playability, it has lots of useful parts, it looks like.

[Zeddy]

To be honest I was a little creeped out by the set because spiders aren't my favorite creatures world, so that's a good thing, I guess? As much as I'd like not to have a giant spider-shaped set hiding somewhere in my room (even though it only has six legs), the fact that it comes with the "gold" skull spider mask compels me to buy it... I must have all the gold masks

[Aanchir]

Maybe he would be cool back in 2001 as a Rahi, but not these days. Way too simple.

Simple? Really? I'd say this is one of the most complex sets of the year on a structural level. Certainly more complex function-wise than anything I've ever come up with on my own.

 

I don't quite understand why so many people are bothered by this set aesthetically. He may not function as well as I hoped, but I still think he looks great. The printed chest plate makes an awesome face in my opinion (shame the eyes aren't fluorescent; the LEGO Group DOES have fluorescent red inks...), and the shape doesn't seem nearly as boxy to me as it does to other people.

 

And as for the number of legs, I think it's stupid that people are even complaining. Nobody ever complained about Ussal Crabs or Nui-Jaga or Nui-Rama not having the right number of legs as far as I can recall, even though none of them ever did. Every single one of us learned how many legs spiders are supposed to have in elementary school. I get that. But on a fantasy creature that simply happens to be called a spider, that rule is no more mandatory than any other bit of biological trivia.

 

On a certain level, it would be like nitpicking Pokémon because they aren't perfectly accurate to the creatures they're based on. Oh no, Butterfree doesn't have six legs like a real butterfly! Pikachu doesn't have whiskers like a real mouse! Meowth stands up on two legs instead of walking on four legs like a real cat! What a travesty!

[END]

 

Maybe he would be cool back in 2001 as a Rahi, but not these days. Way too simple.

I don't quite understand why so many people are bothered by this set aesthetically.

Its looks due vary a bit from the aesthetic style of the other sets. This can be a pro or con depending on taste. It also is more gappy and incomplete looking than the other sets.

[Ballom Nom Nom]

LOSS? Six legs = Also not a spider

Hey, at least we're getting two more legs than the Visorak had! It's slow progress.

 

~B~

[END]

 

LOSS? Six legs = Also not a spider

Hey, at least we're getting two more legs than the Visorak had! It's slow progress.

 

~B~

 

Where visorak ever called "spiders" specifically? 

[Ballom Nom Nom]

 

 

 

LOSS? Six legs = Also not a spider

Hey, at least we're getting two more legs than the Visorak had! It's slow progress.

 

~B~

Where visorak ever called "spiders" specifically?

I don't really have a specific source, but I definitely recall it coming up somewhere in the story. Besides, they were web-spinning Rahi, and were explicitly spider-like.

 

~B~

[Bfahome]

Skull Spiders? Four legs = not spiders...

 

LOSS? Six legs = Also not a spider

No BIONICLE "spider" set has ever had more than six legs.

[xccj]

The overall set does look a bit mediocre, but I'd get it for purely the parts, which is seems to have a good selection of.  Excited for that new 1 part rod, 2 part axle piece for sure, really liked the other one that was introduced last year.

 

[Munty]

And as for the number of legs, I think it's stupid that people are even complaining. Nobody ever complained about Ussal Crabs or Nui-Jaga or Nui-Rama not having the right number of legs as far as I can recall, even though none of them ever did. Every single one of us learned how many legs spiders are supposed to have in elementary school. I get that. But on a fantasy creature that simply happens to be called a spider, that rule is no more mandatory than any other bit of biological trivia.

On a certain level, it would be like nitpicking Pokémon because they aren't perfectly accurate to the creatures they're based on. Oh no, Butterfree doesn't have six legs like a real butterfly! Pikachu doesn't have whiskers like a real mouse! Meowth stands up on two legs instead of walking on four legs like a real cat! What a travesty!

 

The Nui Jaga weren't scorpion, Nui-Rama weren't flies and Ussal crabs... Well I guess they kind of were crabs but the point is Visorak were never called spiders so they could have as few or many legs as they wanted. Technically, I only raised this point as a petty nitpick because the number of legs these has really doesn't make me like it any less. In fact I think si legs is plenty as it most probably WOULD look crowded with more like others have said. 

 

Also, the real defence against the 'it's not a spider' argument is that the LOSS is never actually called a spider... It's the Lord OF the Skull Spiders... Anyone read Lord of the Rings? Sauron wasn't a ring, just the lord of them... Although in this instance we now have to berate the skull spiders themselves (who definitely ARE called spiders) as they have even fewer legs than LOSS. The Fikou spider is another instance of this rule buing broken but those little guys are just so darn cute they can go by whatever name they want

[believe victims]

I don't quite understand why so many people are bothered by this set aesthetically. He may not function as well as I hoped, but I still think he looks great. The printed chest plate makes an awesome face in my opinion (shame the eyes aren't fluorescent; the LEGO Group DOES have fluorescent red inks...), and the shape doesn't seem nearly as boxy to me as it does to other people.

 

 

Well, your mileage may vary, I guess. To me, the printed face is ugly and flat and the body is boxy, gappy, and unsightly. Differences in opinion are bound to happen.

[END]

 

And as for the number of legs, I think it's stupid that people are even complaining. Nobody ever complained about Ussal Crabs or Nui-Jaga or Nui-Rama not having the right number of legs as far as I can recall, even though none of them ever did. Every single one of us learned how many legs spiders are supposed to have in elementary school. I get that. But on a fantasy creature that simply happens to be called a spider, that rule is no more mandatory than any other bit of biological trivia.

On a certain level, it would be like nitpicking Pokémon because they aren't perfectly accurate to the creatures they're based on. Oh no, Butterfree doesn't have six legs like a real butterfly! Pikachu doesn't have whiskers like a real mouse! Meowth stands up on two legs instead of walking on four legs like a real cat! What a travesty!

 

The Nui Jaga weren't scorpion, Nui-Rama weren't flies and Ussal crabs... Well I guess they kind of were crabs but the point is Visorak were never called spiders so they could have as few or many legs as they wanted. Technically, I only raised this point as a petty nitpick because the number of legs these has really doesn't make me like it any less. In fact I think si legs is plenty as it most probably WOULD look crowded with more like others have said. 

 

Also, the real defence against the 'it's not a spider' argument is that the LOSS is never actually called a spider... It's the Lord OF the Skull Spiders... Anyone read Lord of the Rings? Sauron wasn't a ring, just the lord of them... Although in this instance we now have to berate the skull spiders themselves (who definitely ARE called spiders) as they have even fewer legs than LOSS. The Fikou spider is another instance of this rule buing broken but those little guys are just so darn cute they can go by whatever name they want

 

Unfortunately the actual skull spiders have even fewer legs. 

Not that it looks bad but the scientist in me wants them to come up with a different name. 

[Aanchir]

 

And as for the number of legs, I think it's stupid that people are even complaining. Nobody ever complained about Ussal Crabs or Nui-Jaga or Nui-Rama not having the right number of legs as far as I can recall, even though none of them ever did. Every single one of us learned how many legs spiders are supposed to have in elementary school. I get that. But on a fantasy creature that simply happens to be called a spider, that rule is no more mandatory than any other bit of biological trivia.

 

On a certain level, it would be like nitpicking Pokémon because they aren't perfectly accurate to the creatures they're based on. Oh no, Butterfree doesn't have six legs like a real butterfly! Pikachu doesn't have whiskers like a real mouse! Meowth stands up on two legs instead of walking on four legs like a real cat! What a travesty!

 

The Nui Jaga weren't scorpion, Nui-Rama weren't flies and Ussal crabs... Well I guess they kind of were crabs but the point is Visorak were never called spiders so they could have as few or many legs as they wanted.

 

Let's take a look at the BIONICLE.com lexicon, shall we? "Kofo-Jaga: A small but dangerous swarming fire-scorpion. Nui-Jaga: A giant scorpion Rahi. Nui-Kopen: A giant wasp Rahi. Nui-Rama: A giant flying insect Rahi. Ussal: A tunneling crab used for racing and transport by the Matoran of Onu-Koro." The fact that these Rahi were based on specific types of real-world creatures has never been ambiguous. In fairness, the Nui-Rama's inspiration is less specific than others, but it is still unambiguously an insect Rahi, and there isn't a flying insect in the world just two legs*.

 

And I never even brought up the Visorak, because people DID complain about them not having the right number of legs, and continue to do so. For some reason people consider a spider or spider-like creature's number of legs especially sacred even while ignoring all sorts of other completely intentional biological creative license.

 

*Unless you have a habit of pulling insects' legs off, you monster.