[POLL] Figs vs Builds: what floats your boat?

[Solo]

I've come to the realization that I buy sets more for the figures in them than the vehicle or playset itself. A combination of limited display space, different taste than the designs, and wanting to MOC more has led me to this habit, and with Bricklink being a better source for specific part needs I rarely grab a set just for the bricks. So really, the most defining feature of new sets is what new figures are available in it.

For example, I'm wicked excited about the Hoth set since the troopers are sporting new goggles and the TaunTaun is long overdue... and while I laugh at the catapult feature I probably wont even build it. Likewise, Home One is choke full of sweet minifig goodness and the control room is sort of an afterthought. On the flip side is the incredible looking Dropship/Walker behemoth that only includes a couple battlepacks worth of the clones I don't like... so I'm not even considering it unless I see it hit deep clearance.

I know that everyone's tastes varies, and people buy and build for loads of different reasons. What I'm interested in is which facet of a set makes you more willing to buy it: the mini figures, or whatever you get to build (even if just for parts)?

[liquidcross]

For me, it's primarily the set itself. I see the figures as an added bonus.

However, the big exception to this rule is battle packs. Those are clearly bought for the figures, as the ships/parts/whatever they come with are usually seem to be a cheesy afterthought.

[Drock]

Definitely for an holistic like of the vehicles. I'm not really into minifigs. But I still have all the ones that have come from sets.

[BigBenKenobi]

I'm with liquidcross on this one. For me, it's all about the set for sure. If I like the ship in the movie, I'm pretty likely to go out and get it if I can. And I really do enjoy building my sets as well. But then again, I do complain about sets when I don't agree with the number of minifigures included or excluded from the set...And yes, the battlepack are an exception for me as well. I've been going with 4 of each battlepack with the exception of the Assasin Droid Battle Pack because I've always wanted an army of stormtroopers, clone troopers, etc.

[Andi]

For me it is mostly the minifigs. If the set looks good as well, or gives good ways to display the figs in/on/at than I buy and build the set as well. If not I consider getting the figs only (for example as magnet, keychain etc.)

[kelano28]

All about the build for me...

Don't get me wrong, I love the minifigs and will usually purchase sets knowing I want them. However, a satisfying build such as the Trade Federation MTT, or surprisingly The Twilight will soothe my Lego needs like nothing else.

While I love the Hoth Rebel Base minifigs, I gotta say the build was weak (aside from the snowspeeder of course). I would greatly prefer something more solid and interesting to build.

As said before though the battle packs are the exception.

[Crusader]

Tough call. Minifigs are insanely cool, and certainly good ones often sell a set for me. But in the end, my decision making rests more on the rest of the set. Just picking a few random sets as examples: I passed on the latest Obi-Wan Starfighter even though it had the excellent Mr. Fisto in it, and I did so because I couldn't justify a duplicate fighter for just one fig. However I like the new V-19 simply because it's a cool ship that's well designed, despite there only being one fairly unexceptional fig in the set. Finally, the appeal of the latest Death Star set is all the great scenes you can recreate. 24+ figs are very, very nice, but I would have bought the set without them too.

But as I said, it's a close call. Many of the upcoming Classic Star Wars sets have many cool figs that I want too, and as with Don, the figs are more exciting than the sets.

[thepatient]

When it comes right down to it, when its Star Wars I want sets for the minifigs. That determines the order I end up buying my sets. The only exception to this is the new "old" Y-wing. I don't really want the minifigs with it , but I do want the ship itself. After reading about Y-wings in the DK Cross-sections book, I really wanted this Y-wing.

More times than not, lately, I place the minifig with like minifigs and display the craft on it's own. I would have to say the same with the Indiana Jones line too. I like the builds too though. When ever I take a peek at E-bay I'm tempted to buy only the minifig that hasn't made it into my collection. Then I realize that I really want the rest of the set too.

The opposite is the case with the City line. I've never bought a City set based on the minifigs. It always has to do with building or vehicle.

[meeotch]

When it comes to choosing what to purchase, it's always based on the set and not the figs. When I desplay the sets, the figs are just kept inside the sets where they are pictured on the boxes. However, most of my smaller ($50 or less) sets are from the Clone Wars era, so I have all the figs and ships actually set up for a huge dogfight / ground battle, and I realized my clones were vastly outnumbered by my droids, so I did get 3 more Clone Walker BPs to help even it out. Also, the Sandcrawler was (for me) a special surprise in the fig department, so I recreated (as best I could) the scene of Lars haggling with the Jawas for R2 after the other astromech droid broke. So, after that experience, if I passed a set that had not only a great build (which I felt the Sandcrawler was) but awesome displayability due to the minifigs, it would probably jump to the top of my "must-have" list.

[darth jason]

To me its a package deal I have bought sets mostly for the vehicles but lately the figures have edged out the vehicles in swaying me one way or another(i.e. count dooku's solar sailor). However this is a vote so I'm going to have to lean towards the figures at this point in time.

[TheThrasher]

I have kind of a double sided opinion. I love to see what design for a vehicle or other object that LEGO makes, but I also love getting the nice new shiny figures. But it really depends on the set itself. For example, I'm only getting Home One for the figs (love the Lando), but I'm getting the new Vader's Tie for the set, even though the Vader is new, it doesn't catch my fancy. If I really had to choose though, I would say I by a set for the figures. Thats what ties a set together. I probally wouldn't buy a set if it didn't come with minifigures, one reason I'm going to skip out on the mid-size Falcon. Also, LEGO seems to really be improving on there figures (some CW figs aside), so its making it easier to buy only for the figures. But its not like I just buy a set, put together the figs and forget about the rest. I always build the entire set, its just that the figures are a real selling point for me.

[Monkfish]

Half and half.

For licensed themes, I only buy the sets for the 'figs. I do build them, but only to enjoy the build.

But for unlicensed themes I generally buy them for the models (which still only stay up for a few days unless it's City).

[drfeelgood]

I buy for the set. The figures are a bonus. Home one will be an exception as i have no interest in the green A-wing or the landing platform, however i do like the squid guy and the actualy white control room. Lego does seem to focus quite heavily on minifigs now. I just hope this anet leading to higher prices (no doubt is) Id be happy with 2 figs per set to be honest

[Darth Jokar]

Hello everyone! Im new here just wanted to say whats on my mind. iv been here a few times but never joined, to day i was bored. So i decided to join hope you dont mind. Well back to topic i buy a set for both reasons. So i really didnt vote on this one. You guys have great day.

[Teekay]

Build by a smidge. Sometimes I will buy a set for the minifigs, and not really the build (an example would be Count Dooku's Solar Sailor, which, BTW, had a surprisingly nice build). But usually, I want the vehicle. For example, if LEGO came out with a TIE Fighter in the grey, with a TIE Pilot, would you buy it for the TIE Pilot, or the Fighter. Same thing with the new Falcon. I just want the ship, it doesn't matter that there are no minifigs.

~Sam (Teekay)

[lordvader208]

Normally, I buy sets for the vehicles and how nice, iconic, or cooly designed the set as a whole is. Usually, the minifig is kinda like a tiebreaker between two sets of similar price that I both like, unless I find a way to get both. For example this year, I was thinking about getting an AT-TE or V-19. Looking at both, sure the AT-TE minifigs are way better, but I bought the V-19 instead because I really liked the looks of the ship (and I have no regrets at all now). This year, I was trying to decide whether I should get the Republic Shuttle or AAT in the future. I'm tending towards the Shuttle because it looks cooler than a tank, even though the minifigs are arguably not as good. I can always just get Yoda from the magnet set.

One time that I really bought a set solely for minifigs was the General Grievous Chase set. The vehicle and Boga are not that great, but the General Grievous minifig sealed the deal

[HothTrooper]

I'm generally buy sets based on the entire set, not just the minifigs or the vehicle and/or building. I tend to display my sets in a diorama-like format, so both the vehicles and/or buildings and the minifigs are equally important to creating a complete scene.

[Darthboba281]

Usually I want a set for the lego figs, but sometimes I see a "Republic Attack Gunship" or a "Republic Dropship w/ AT-OT Walker" and think "Hey, I want the set for the big picture". Also, rarely I want a set for the both builds and figs, like "The Temple of Doom" lego set.

[Darth_Marcon]

Well for me it was an easy call. I don't even look at what figs are on the box when I pick it up. Most figs, unless they have a place to sit within the vehicle are tucked away neatly in a drawer with the instruction manuals and spare parts. I build for display so extra figures standing beside a ship just clutters my shelf. I do understand those that love the figs, but not what I buy/build for.

[harvey_manbird]

I'm definitely more for the ships when it comes down to it. I genuinely enjoy the build when it comes to LEGOs and as cool as the minifigs look they simply aren't enough for me. LEGO is my version of a puzzle (I hate doing puzzles) it's something that I can work on and see a final product out of it. I can see how a lot of those who do MOCs would be into figs more but for people like me who aren't really creative enough to make our own builds, the vehicle is what the set is all about.

In addition to this I have a little bit of a pet peeve when it comes to minifigures, I think they're great for putting in a vehicle but I kind of don't like it when there are random figs included in sets. Don't get me wrong it's cool to get the figs as an added little bonus but there is something that bothers me about have a Jedi Starfighter w/ Hyper Ring and random Kit Fisto. He's a cool minifigure but I just dont know what to do with him, he looks weird just standing next the the set...