This week, I am working my way through a series of pre-release set reviews. I am super thankful that the LEGO® Group sent me all the new Harry Potter Hogwarts Moment sets. Each set is a buildable wizarding textbook. Opening the book reveals a different classroom from Hogwarts. Yesterday, I looked at the Transfiguration Class. Today, we swing over to Herbology Class (76384).
NOTE: The LEGO® Group provided this set for review. However, the provision of products does not guarantee a favorable review. I will use my usual rating system (click here to learn more) and provide my honest opinion.
HERBOLOGY CLASS (76384) SUMMARY
- NAME: Hogwarts Moment – Herbology Class
- SET #: 76384
- THEME: Harry Potter
- COST: $39.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 233
- MINIFIGURES: 3
- RELEASE DATE: January 1, 2021
HERBOLOGY CLASS (76384) QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 65% (A passable number of bricks and build-time for the price.)
- BUILD: 75% (Nice design, but details are over reliant on stickers.)
- MINIFIGURES: 95% (Nicely designed characters, loads of accessories, and great brick:fig.)
- ENTERTAINMENT: 85% (Great play value for kids, possibly a nice display piece for adults.)
- OVERALL SCORE: 80%
HERBOLOGY CLASS (76384) REVIEW
VALUE: 65%
Like Transfiguration Class, this set costs $39.99 in Canada. However, the kit contains fewer bricks. Consequently, the cost-per-brick is a little worse. Whereas Transfiguration Class comes at $0.166/brick, Herbology Class costs $0.172/brick. Comparatively, my average cost-per-brick is $0.14. The value in this category is merely passable in my opinion. I rate it at 69%.
I assembled Herbology Class in the same amount of time as Transfiguration Class. Therefore, I spent 33 minutes on this build from start to finish. As such, the cost-per-minute for the two sets is the same. Each minute of build time costs $1.21. Again, that is passable, but by no means good. I rate the build time value at 60%. Averaging this score with the value-per-brick score gives an overall value grade of 65%.
BUILD: 75%
In the plus column, there is more going on in Herbology Class than in Transfiguration. The playset still folds into the book. However, in this case, a greenhouse wall divides the scene in two. When you close the book, everything folds into the center as opposed storing on the sides. The design gives the whole set a little more substance despite having fewer bricks.
In negative column, the set relies too heavily on large stickers for details. Plant stickers? Really? There are so many wonderful LEGO® plant elements you could arrange on the walls. Additionally, Herbology Class needs more SNOT (studs-not-on-top) detailing on the walls. Finally, the “pages” of the sealed book look even less like paper than those in Transfiguration Class. So far, the details in these Hogwarts Moment sets are a little lacking.
Overall, I like this set more than Transfiguration Class. However, for the price, the LEGO® Group should include more bricks for built details. I am not a fan of the big stickers. I rate the build experience for this set at 7.5/10 (75%).
MINIFIGURES: 95%
All Hogwarts Moment sets come with three Minifigures. In this case, you get Professor Sprout, Cedric Diggory, and Neville Longbottom. Sprout and Diggory feature all the standard Minifigure parts. However, Longbottom has stumpy kid legs. Though Diggory is meant to be older than Longbottom, I would still much prefer if both had the shorter, moving legs. As it stands, Diggory has them and stands a little taller than Longbottom. Otherwise, all characters have double-sided faces and dual torso printing. Neville and Cedric have identical torsos. While Sprout features two-toned legs, otherwise her design is like that seen in Harry Potter Minifigure series 2. In terms of accessories, you get two sets of earmuffs, a herbology book, two pairs of scissors, a shovel, a small cauldron, two pumpkins, a bucket, and a printed mandrake brick. I rate the character design at 43/45 (96%).
Three Minifigures in a 233-piece kit equates to a brick-to-fig ratio of 78:1. That is excellent. For a kit this size, you are getting a particularly good number of characters. I rate the ratio score at 94%. Averaging this with the design score gives an overall Minifigure rating of 95%. There is no doubt that Herbology Class is great for Minifigures.
ENTERTAINMENT: 85%
So far, my opinion of the Hogwarts Moment books has not changed since I reviewed Transfiguration Class. I think having all four books makes a nice display. However, I will not keep them on display indefinitely. I maintain an AFOL entertainment score of 80%. Similarly, I feel kids will enjoy this set. It has great play value. The book concept is fun, and the Hogwarts classrooms are unique sets that we have not seen many of in the past. Consequently, I rate the KFOL score at 90%. Overall, that yields an entertainment score of 85%.
OVERALL SCORE: 80%
In the end, Herbology Class fares marginally better than Transfiguration Class. In terms of design, this one feels more complete and has more substance. However, it still relies too heavily on stickers and not enough on building. The set needs more bricks for the price point. Subsequently, that would allow for more build time and brick-built details on the back walls. With that said, you get some nice Minifigures and accessories, even if Sprout is not as unique as McGonagall. At 80%, I say this is a solid set. What are your thoughts? Feel free to comment below or reach out social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
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