Iambrick Arboreal Keep Review – Fantasy Diorama Build

It was time to try a different brand, so I started browsing for something outside my usual picks and came across Iambrick. I hadn’t heard of them before, but a few of their fantasy and castle-style sets immediately caught my eye. Rather than jumping straight into one of their larger builds, I decided to start smaller with Arboreal Keep.

The set presents a ruined stone structure overtaken by nature, crowned by an imposing tree-like guardian, complete with twisted branches, leaf detailing, and the remains of an unfortunate fallen soldier below. It’s a strong fantasy concept and one that stood out instantly.

I’ll be honest though. When I first saw how many leaf elements and small parts were involved, I did wonder if this was going to be one of those builds that looks great but is fragile, fiddly, and frustrating to put together. So the question was whether those concerns were justified, or whether even a smaller company like Iambrick could pull this off properly.

Set Information

Pieces: 942
Price Paid: $25.76 (AliExpress)
Official Price: $42.99 (Iambrick official store)

Instructions & Bags

The set comes with a compact instruction booklet and is split into three main stages, each with a small number of numbered bags. Each stage contains several inner bags, but everything is clearly grouped and easy to manage.

At first glance, the instructions looked like they might be tricky. They highlight the build area rather than each individual piece, with surrounding parts faded out. However, once I got started, this turned out not to be an issue. The steps are logical, and the colour callouts are explained clearly. For example, darker browns appear almost black with white outlines, but this is noted in the instructions so you know exactly what to look for.

I used a reading light while building, which helped, but overall I didn’t run into any confusion or make any mistakes.

Brick Quality

Iambrick use GoBricks, which immediately sets expectations in a good way. Clutch power is consistent, colours are solid, and connections feel secure throughout the build. Even with the amount of small detailing and layered elements, nothing felt weak or brittle.

This was especially noticeable when assembling the Arboreal Guardian itself. Sections locked together cleanly, and parts didn’t loosen as additional layers were added. From a brick quality perspective, this felt completely on par with other GoBricks-based brands I’ve built recently.

Bag 1: The Ruins & Base

The first stage focuses on building the ruined stone base and surrounding terrain. This section immediately sets expectations for the rest of the build. There are a lot of small elements, but rather than feeling excessive, it signals that proper detailing is coming.

The curved stone steps were a highlight here. The techniques used are clever and genuinely useful for anyone interested in building MOCs. I also liked the way the skeleton was handled. Instead of using a standard skeleton minifigure, it’s built from individual parts, which fits the scene much better.

There are some excellent details throughout this section: the partially buried doorway, scattered foliage, mushrooms, and spine-like elements all help sell the atmosphere. A small hidden feature lets you push a branch with a butterfly on it to reveal a concealed treasure chamber, which is a fun touch without feeling gimmicky. Two flame elements at the stairway entrance add a bit of atmosphere as well.

Everything here comes together cleanly and quickly, and it’s a very satisfying start.

Bag 2: The Arboreal Guardian Body

The second stage builds the main body of the tree guardian. This was the part I expected to be the most troublesome, but it turned out to be anything but.

The internal structure is solid, with parts layered in a way that locks everything together firmly. The leaf elements are placed thoughtfully, and the branch-like feet are particularly well done. Nothing felt loose or unstable while building this section, and progress was smooth throughout.

Bag 3: Head, Arms & Accessories

The final stage covers the head, arms, and accessories. The face is clearly defined when building it up close, though from a distance it can be a little harder to read. It works, but this is probably the one area where the design could have been pushed a bit further for better visual clarity.

The arms are excellent. The hands look great, and the chains integrated into them add character without overcomplicating the build. There’s also a sizeable staff built from tree elements, complete with a lantern. This can either be held by the guardian or mounted to the side of the ruins using a Technic pin, which gives you a bit of display flexibility.

Articulation is very good. The legs bend at two points, including the knees, and both the head and torso have movement. When mounting the guardian to the base, each foot is secured with a Technic pin. I had no parts fall away when attaching the arms or legs, and everything felt properly supported.

Build Quality & Stability

Despite the organic shapes and heavy use of small elements, the build is put together very well. Parts are layered and interlocked in a way that gives the structure real integrity once sections are complete. Nothing felt loose during the build, and when attaching the arms and legs to the guardian, I didn’t have any pieces fall away or shift unexpectedly.

This is clearly a display-focused model, though. If handled roughly or picked up without care, some of the finer leaf and branch elements could come away. Treated as intended, however, it feels stable, secure, and far more robust than I initially expected.

Minifigures

There are no minifigures included in this set, but that feels entirely appropriate. This is more of a fantasy display piece than a character-driven scene, and the guardian itself is very much the focal point.

Pricing and Value

Value is where this set really shines. I paid $25.76 (approx £19.00) for just under 1,000 pieces (from AliExpress), which is excellent by any standard. Even at Iambrick’s official price of $42.99, it still represents good value for the level of detail and the quality of the build.

Where to buy

Iambrick sell their products directly through their official website, and their sets can also be found via third-party sellers on AliExpress.

Iambrick has kindly provided an exclusive discount for our readers. You can use the code THERIGHTBRICK to get an extra 5% off. This stacks with their current 10% site-wide sale, bringing your total discount to 15%.