Rock Raiders Rock Raiders was a theme introduced in 1999 and discontinued in 2000 . It is based on space travellers / miners trapped on an alien planet . It consists of eight main sets , four promotional sets and three Minifigure - based sets , and also a video game based on the theme for both and . Details . The eponymous Rock Raiders were a team of miners that searched for energy crystals in the underground . They had several specialized mining and transport vehicles at their disposal , and were based at various locations around Planet U , where they processed rocks to extract the powerful Energy Crystals with their refinery stations . During their excavations , they would occasionally encounter Rock Monsters ( included in two different sets ) , Slimy Slugs , and numerous other monsters , who would often attack the Rock Raiders or their bases , usually for Energy Crystals ( although some , like Spiders and Scorpions , were merely aggressive towards the Raiders ) . This was the third theme ( the first was Time Cruisers and the second was Adventurers Egypt ) whose Minifigures were individual characters with names . The setting had several elements that were reprized , and also somewhat further developed , in the Power Miners theme ten years later , such as the occurrence of Rock Monsters and collection of crystals . Here , the Rock Monsters had just minor appearances and were not named characters , merely bearing the name " Rock Monster " . Rock Raiders introduced also several new pieces , such as the chrome drill , blade saw , hollow boulders and an electric light - producing cannon piece that served as a laser cutter . The sets of the first wave , which were also the only ones of the theme that appeared in the catalogs , all included Rock Raiders comics . The models and minifigures of the respective set the comic was included in played a major role in the story . Story . The Rock Raiders were travelling on their spaceship , the LMS " Explorer " , mapping the whole Galaxy . They had just finished their journey and were headed home , when they drifted into an asteroid field . The ship was badly damaged and , to make matters worse , a wormhole caught the ship in its gravitational pull . The fuel supply was drained in the failed attempt to escape , and the LMS " Explorer " was flung into a distant Galaxy . They found themselves around Planet U , a planet rich in mysterious Power Crystals . They sent down Rock Raiders to mine it , and found vast amounts of Energy Crystals to power and repair the LMS " Explorer " , but they also encountered many alien creatures . The team would endure numerous hardships to obtain the Crystals , but they eventually triumphed , and successfully gathered enough Crystals to return home . The three books further expand on this story , as well as the missions from the games . Rock Monsters are subterranean beings made entirely of rock with glowing red eyes . They feast on the energy crystals used to power Rock Raiders vehicles and are not aggressive unless their crystals are stolen . They are the most common enemy . The best way to kill them is with a Laser Beam . They appeared in " LEGO Island 2 " on Adventurer ' s Island , where they would throw rocks at you in the biplane game . Several more were later seen orbiting OGEL Island . Creatures . Rock Monsters are theorized by Docs to be remnants of an ancient civilization . When the Rock Raiders first saw them , they assumed that they were statues built by that civilization . However , after seeing their activity , Docs came to believe that they may have devolved from an advanced civilization . Ice Monsters are subterranean lifeforms composed of solid ice and have glowing blue eyes . They too feast on crystals and can be found in icy areas beneath Planet U . In the Rock Raiders game , they are more aggressive than Rock Monsters but not as strong . The best way to kill them is with a Laser Beam . Ice Monsters make few appearances in the NTSC PS1 game . Ice Monsters do not appear in any of the sets - the closest thing is an unpainted Rock Monster prototype . The Rock Raiders have encountered fights between Ice Monsters and Lava Monsters , however ; sometimes Rock , Ice , and Lava monsters work together . Lava Monsters are subterranean creatures formed from molten lava and sport glowing yellow eyes . They can be found in the underground molten lava caverns on Planet U . In the Rock Raiders game , they cannot be killed instantly , and the best way to dispatch them is with a Freezer Beam . Lava Monsters do not appear in the NTSC version of the PS1 game . Slimy Slugs are very large slugs , often smaller than Rock Monsters ( although some rather large Slugs have been found ) . They are large and are green with faint spots . Slimy Slugs eat crystals . Slimy Slugs can also be found on Ogel Island in " LEGO Island 2 " , and push the player back when the player runs into them . In the Rock Raiders PC game , Slimy Slugs cannot be destroyed , and will drain energy crystals from existing buildings . The best weapon to use on them is a Pusher Beam . Bats appear in the Windows video game . They scare Rock Raiders , and cause them to drop whatever they may happen to be carrying . Spiders appear in the Windows video game . They randomly emerge when Rock Raiders are drilling . They cause the Rock Raiders in the area to slip and drop whatever they are carrying but are otherwise harmless . Spiders appear in the Rock Raiders PS1 video game . Unlike the small variety , these are aggressive , and will attack Rock Raiders . They can also spin Large Webs that only the Loader Dozer or the Pusher Beam can clear . There are prototypes of them lying unused in the PC Game ' s files . Purple Scorpions are huge , about the size of Small Diggers . They will attack nearby Rock Raiders . They only appeared in the PS1 game . Three shots from a Pusher Beam will eradicate them . Green Scorpions are very similar to Purple Scorpions , but they prefer to not attack directly ; rather , they stand at a distance shooting plasma globules from their claws at the Rock Raiders . They only appeared in the PS1 game . Three shots from a Pusher Beam will do away with them . These massive 6 - legged creatures lumber through the underground passages of Planet U . Although they do not attack , they can do a lot of damage , albeit unintentionally . There are 2 types : a cracked - looking light - brown type that moves slowly and spends most of their time slumbering , and a smaller metallic - looking red type that can scuttle faster than most vehicles can move . They only appeared in the PlayStation game and the book High Adventure Deep Underground . The only way to remove slumbering Rock Whales is to use a Pusher Beam to move them into water , causing them to merge into the ground and form a bridge . The moving variety are too fast to use a Pusher Beam on . Books . Three Rock Raiders books were released in various formats : " Rock Raiders - An Interactive Puzzle Storybook " , " Race for Survival " and " High Adventure , Deep Underground " . Original Plans . The Ultimate LEGO Book contained concept art for LEGO Rock Raiders on pages 30 – 31 , showing how the theme developed over time . The original plans were vastly different A piece of concept art showed : Other pictures in the book included : Had the theme been more successful , these elements might have been reconsidered .