Today, we look at another smallish Ninjago set: 71815 Kai’s Source Dragon Battle.A couple of weeks ago, I took a look at Young Riyu. While a fun set, it felt like it was lacking something.
The 4+ Ninjago set Kai’s Source Dragon brings us four minifigures, a 4-winged Wyvern (technically, as there are only two legs), some entrapping vines and a cannon.
At $AUD39.99/$USD37.99/€37.99/£31.99, it is a bit more expensive than other smaller sets in the Ninjago Dragons Rising range this year. Let’s take a look and see what it has to offer:

The Elements

The set has 120 pieces, including four red/orange dragon wings. There are some distinctive legs previously used for mechs, robots and AT-STs. This is the first time it they have been used as legs for a creature.
There is a warm gold upper head and a dark red jaw.
There are several plates, clips and curved slopes in red as part of the dragon. Meanwhile, the inhospitable landscape and wolf warrior’s cannons are full of bright reddish violet and transparent bright bluish purple highlights. The opalescent purple rock element has a certain magical air to it
The Wheels on the cannon are relatively uncommon, having only appeared in 3 other sets over the last few years. Finally, there is a 2x6x1 1/3 brick with shooter and a projectile to use.

The Minifigures

The set has four minifigures: Climber Kai, Wyldfyre, the Wolf Mask Claw Warriors, and the Wolf Mask Guard with the hood.
Kai is wearing glimpsing gear, with additional rope printed on his torso. He is wearing dark red and gold pauldrons. He carries two katana and can sheath them in the back of the pauldron element. Kai’s double-sided face has been seen many times before, with the bandaid over his left forehead and a scar over his right eye on one side, while he is seen with his dragon-rising Domino mask on the other.

Wyldfyre has an updated look this year – she now wears a dark red tunic and pants with a green sand trim and gold decoration at the front of the neck. On the back of her tunic is a spiral-shaped flame with Ninjago letters reading WF! On the back, she wears dark tan spiked shoulder guards. Her single-sided face print looks angry, with bushy red eyebrows. She has a new wig element, with the top hair swept back and tied up. She carried a katana.

The Wolf Claw figures have been seen previously: the warrior also carries a new multicoloured sword – titanium grey with a transparent red trailing edge. The guard carries a pearl grey spear.

The Build

As a 4+ set, the build is quick and simple: the dragon’s body is quickly built up using curved slopes and wedges. The tail is attached by a technic pin, allowing it to rotate, while the body of the tail is a dark red 12 stud-long flap, secured by a click hinge. The dual pairs of wings on the dragon are quite effective.

The Dark red legs have their studs covered by round plates, while wedge plates and ‘rock plates’ are used to give the foot a more organic feel. A burst of transparent orange and violet flame completes the creature.

An 8×8 rounded plate is used for the ground or small landscaped areas with purple and violet rocks. Some black tree roots are attached to clips, while the section is topped off with the violet foliage elements. Roots of the tree fit snugly around a minifigure, keeping it trapped in position.

Finally, We completed some fire bursts as well as the cannon: small and large wheels around the 2×6 shooter brick.

Closing thoughts

Overall, this is a small fun set. In Australia, I think this set is pretty reasonably priced, but perhaps less so throughout the rest of the world. That said, if we compare it to the Young Riyu set that I looked at a few weeks ago, it was significantly cheaper, but felt as though it was missing any opportunity for action – the dragon was smaller, only 3 minifigures and no landscape or cannon. That said, as the creature has only 2 legs it might more properly be considered to be a Wyvern, rather than a dragon.
While our villains are recurring figures from other sets, Kai and Wyldfyre are both new with this wave – and impressive upgrades on the previous versions.
It might not be your first choice if you are looking for an amazing building experience. However, I think it’s pretty good as an inclusive, dragon-based playset. Perfect for a present! I’m happy to give it 4 out of 5 arbitrary praise units. If I were in the USA, UK or Europe, I would consider it to be less valuable and drop that to 3/5 AUPs.

I’m looking forward to getting to the larger sets in this wave of Ninjago soon, but if you are considering this set, it is priced at $AUD39.99/$USD37.99/€37.99/£31.99 and is available now. If you are interested, consider using our affiliate links: the Rambling Brick might receive a small commission and it will cost you nothing.
What do you think of this set? Is it one you would take a look at? Why don’t you let us know in the comments below.

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Until Next Time,

Play Well!

This set was provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes. All opinions are my own.