If you are someone who plays League of Legends, you probably know one of the main draws the game has. Whether if we want to talk about the gameplay or the champions, those are valid answers, but for others: It is all about those skins. It is a tactic that League of Legends has perfected over the last couple of years of not only having to brand new champs for players to purchase but also to change up the look of your favorite champions. Of course, when you have 150 playable characters, it can be difficult to keep up all of them, and they might not see a new skin for years on end. And by years, we are talking about more than just three. With the recent set of skins covering Spirit Blossom, one champion finally got a new skin after over 1,500 days: Kindred.
Source: League of Legends
Now the thing about that for a moment: If you are someone who does use Kindred and wanted to give her a special-looking skin, you were literally waiting four years before this finally arrived. And the sad truth is that she was actually the champ with the 3rd longest time to go without a new skin. Today, we are going to look at the other ten champions that all have gone over 1,000 days and still have not had the same love given to them and explore why exactly there may be an issue with designing a skin for them. Which champions will hopefully see a skin next? Let’s explore the options.
Also, in fairness, before we start, Cassiopeia was also a part of the “1,000 Day Club,” too, when she too also got a Spirit Blossom skin too.
Why does it take so long to make a new skin?
So before we explore those ten champions, let us first ask: Why is there seemingly no priority to get them a new skin? Are they not as popular as other champions?
…
Ok, being a bit blunt here, but you get the point. If you have a good chunk of players using characters like Miss Fortune, Lux, and Ezreal, it is understandable that they would get a priority of getting new skins. Hell, those three also have “Ultimate Skins” too (which, if you’re not aware, are skins so special, they change just about all aspects of the character). So it is understandable then that the more popular characters do get more skins than those who might not see as much focus on them. Another reason would also be how long they’ve been in the game too, as some of the older champions might not see a new skin unless if they happen to get something like a visual rework or an overall rework (such as what we saw with Fiddlesticks and Volibear).
Thankfully, during the 10th-anniversary stream, Riot did confirm that a good chunk of neglected champs will be getting some skins at long last. And who were they?
Out of all the champs that got their name called out, the majority of them did see a new skin after years of neglect. And they did admit that it is because of the support of fans buying skins of the more popular champs, that other champs like Ornn (seen in the thumbnail who is also apart of the 1000 day club) can finally get a brand new skin. The ” Elderwood ” skin has not been released yet, but at least his second skin is still on standby.
Skarner: The Crystal Vanguard (April 2015)
So if you clicked on the video, you probably noticed Skarner was the first name to appear. It almost seems hilariously cruel to consider Skarner is not only the champ who has gone the longest without a new skin but for it to be over five years. How can a champion go so long without a new skin?
Well… he is (for all intent and purposes) a giant crystalline scorpion. So you can probably guess that designing a skin for Skarner might be a challenge. The challenges to designing a skin for him would mainly circulate around his tail being able to drag around opponents in directions they don’t want to go and covering himself in crystal to give himself a protective shield and a short boost in movement speed. His most notable skins so far include turning him into a tank with chainsaw arms and a giant desert scorpion.
Considering he did get a confirmation on getting a new skin, it is only a matter of time before he gets one. The only question now is just trying to figure out what form that skin could take. Perhaps he could join Ornn with an “Elderwood Skin,” but considering he does already have one similar with the Earthrune, that might not be the case. Still, Skarner is very much long overdue for something new to his name. Let’s hope it does come sometime soon before he goes 2000 days with no skin (Currently over 1900 days).
Shyvana: The Half-Dragon (May 2016)
Shyvana is in a unique position. It wasn’t that long ago when Riot did put a vote to see which characters would get a rework. While Fiddlesticks and Volibear won it, Shyvana was right behind them. So, of course, that meant the next character would get a rework would be… Dr. Mundo (the one who came in last). Someone play the sad trombone for Shyvana since even Nocturne got to new skin last year and another this year.
So perhaps after Mundo’s rework (sometime in 2021), maybe Shyvana will be next, but that might not be for some time. The main thing we need to consider about Shyvana is how you create skins for her and when she turns into a dragon. Of course, in this current age of League of Legends, where you can have characters in multiple forms, this isn’t too uncommon (especially considering how we will look at a similar champion later on). Shyvana though will likely become the next champion after Skarner to not see a new skin for the longest time, and it will be a shame that she will likely fly under the radar for many more months to come before she finally gets her time to shine.
Hopefully, if and/or when she does get her rework, we can see a few of her existing skins get visual updates too. Just like…
Kayle: The Righteous (August 2017)
So out of everyone on this list, Kayle does not really need to see a new skin anytime soon. Why would this be if the last skin she got in League of Legends was about three years ago?
Back towards the start of 2019, there was a special rework done for Morgana and Kayle. Both sisters got updates to their playstyles within Summoner’s Rift, and all their skins got to get special changes too. For Morgana, she got to spread her wings and let her dress flow out to flow more. And for Kayle, she was not only able to fly more gracefully in the air, but she could now transform herself three times throughout matches.
Between her new updates and how her skins had so much love and focus (including becoming the lead female singer to a heavy metal band), you’d think she would see plenty of skins over the years. But funny enough, Morgana got the latest skin, while she got left behind. But considering everything she got in her visual update, she is honestly better off than everyone else on this list. Just like Fiddlesticks, she made off like a bandit when she got her rework.
Azir: The Emperor of the Sands (January 2017)
As strange as it may sound, Azir seems to have the most assets Riot would have to design for out of the ten champions we are discussing. Besides the champion himself, he can summon up his Spearmen to attack on the emperor’s behalf, the line of shield men, and his turret that he can summon. That’s quite a bit, to do, and they also have to make the Emperor look like a bird. And yet with between five skins, Riot continues to do wonders with him.
With his gameplay style, it would be fair to think a new skin for Azir would be pretty simple and straightforward. But he remains mostly unvisited in spite of how you had him set up as an undead, Galactic, and “Chinese-like” Emperor. Hopefully, in a year where many heroes who are getting skins after many years, Azir will get one too, but time will tell what he will be in command of next.
Quinn: Demacia’s Wings (February 2017)
Quinn and Valor. A lady and her bird. When designing skins for Quinn, the main thing to consider is how you are not only giving her (and a crossbow) a brand new design, but her eagle can change dramatically too. If you want, Valor can turn into a Phoenix, Snowy Owl, Scarlet Macaw, or even a Dove. It sounds silly, but there are plenty of options we’ve seen from Quinn’s five skins.
Much like Azir, it does feel like a skin for Quinn would be an easy win (apologies for the play on words) mainly how it seems that she is one of the few ladies in League of Legends that hasn’t stepped too far out of the realm of realism yet. Look at any other female champ and how they are either a magical girl, a freedom fighter in space, a cybernetically enhanced being, a popstar, a time-traveling crime fighter, or a cowgirl set within a gothic setting. Do you mean to say that out of all of these settings, Quinn has yet to find herself or Valor in any of them?
Overall, her chances do seem good, but it’s up to Riot when she will get to expand out into another world.
Zac: The Secret Weapon (June 2017)
Oh, Zac… Where to begin with you? Out of all the Champions, we will talk about you are the most straightforward to explain. With our green blob friend, there is actually very little that can be done with him. One main thing is how he could split himself apart and regenerate to get back into the fight if he were to die. He can also stretch out his limbs to slam enemies together, launch himself like a projectile, bounce around, and pick up any chunks of himself that come off.
Because of Zac’s overall design, there’s not much that can be done with him for new skin ideas. The best we got is “Green Zac,” “Purple Zac,” “Blue Zac” (or Pool Party Zac), and then his Chromas that change him into Pink, Yellow, or Orange. Even his last skin in June 2017 was from Team SKT T1 when they won the Season 6 World Championship and turned Zac red. Sadly, his overall design makes him a fairly complicated champion to design skins for.
At this point, we can hope for the best if they keep exploring the color spectrum. Change him black, and he can become an oil monster. Have him glow orange and then turn him into a lava creature. Or heck, some online feel like you can turn him white and come up with a silly idea of turning Zac into a “Stay Puft” Marshmallow-like God. There are some options here, but it might be fair to say Zac might continue going without a skin for some time.
Fun Fact: Had SKT T1 didn’t give Zac a new skin, he’d be right behind Skarner has the champ who has gone the longest without a new skin.
Kalista: The Spear of Vengeance (August 2016)
Poor… Poor… Kalista. While we are going in order of when a champion got their last skin, Kalista actually has it even worse than Zac. For a character who we got back in 2014, she actually only has one other skin to her name (Blood Moon) while the other two are currently in the vault. This means that if we were to take both the Championship and SKT T1 skins out of the equation, Kalista has not had a unique skin to her name for almost SIX YEARS!
But anyway, what can be done with the Spear of Vengeance? Bear in mind that her method of attack is vastly different from everyone else. As she attacks, she can hop to a new position to continue attacking. Chalk that up with a sentinel unit she can summon and how she can link with someone on her team, and she is a champion who is very hard to balance for (let alone design a skin for). She is certainly a handful likely will continue to go unseen for quite some time. Hopefully, as more skin themes open up, Riot will find that one specialty at last to give her something to stylize her with. One can hope anyway…
Singed: The Mad Chemist (October 2017)
Out of all the original champions that were a part of League of Legends since day one, Singed is the only one who you will see on this list. He also joins Kayle in having the most skins out of the ten champs in the “1000 days club” at nine (although half of them are either in the vault or no longer available).
Our chemist has three defining traits to his attire: There’s a shield he has to protect himself (and bash his opponent). Next, the giant jar on Singed back contains chemicals. He can either launch it at opponents to slow them down or to leave a trail with to poison them. Finally, he has his face covered because… well, he knows it’s not best to breathe in deeply the stuff he is tossing out.
Now the skins Singed got over the years do range to a lot of creature places. From one that has him dressed as a Plague Doctor to one where he is a beekeeper (leaving a trail of bees, tossing honey on the floor and even flapping tiny bee wings when he drinks his insanity potion). Even a small nod to Bane from Batman. With Signed getting a visual update in June, it would be nice to consider that he could be getting something new soon, but he does have a nice range of skins already. Still, seeing what else they can do with him would be nice.
Examples online that range from silly to fascinating, included: “Father Singed” with a baby strapped to his back that can blow bubbles. A Bartender Sings skin where he carries a brewery on his back (and tosses flammable scotch). And a delightful Mad Max-like theme where his shield was a car door.
Elise: The Spider Queen (October 2017)
So a few days after Singed got his last skin, that was when Elise got her last skin. Just like Shyvana, we have a character who can go between two forms. Her humanoid form and her “Giant Spider” form. And if you aren’t a Spiders fan, then you will hate it when she can summon even more spiders to her side to attack.
Now considering the circumstances, giving her in the skin should be just as simple, if not, easier than Quinn and Valor. The biggest question to answer here is how exactly you want to design her. She can’t exactly do some of the more “light-hearted” activities as other female cast members. Still, it does seem that considering how she is by all accounts an antagonistic character, she would probably be just another villain in a skin line that already has a dime a dozen. Mind you that if we get another crack at Star Guardian, she could make for a good “Evil Queen” who can transform herself into a giant menacing spider or something, but we’ll have to see what form she takes if that time ever does come.
Viktor- The Machine Herald (October 2017)
Finally, to wrap up this list, we have a character who got his last skin a week after Elise got her last skin. Apparently, October 2017 did mark the last day for a good number of characters getting their last skin…
Viktor feels like someone who should be something like the “Dr. Doom” of League of Legends. He uses a staff to blast enemies with, he has a gravity field to slow enemies down, a death ray from his synthetic arm, and can conjure up an arcane singularity that can chance enemies down.
And yet in spite of all that he has, he feels so lackluster compared to other antagonistic-like characters on the roster. How can you have such a fascinating character design and do so little with him afterward? It becomes even more mind-boggling (or insulting) when you consider how if we take away the skin he got from October 2017, the last skin he got was back in September 2013. Viktor deserves better because he feels like he has the potential, yet he continues to go wasted for so… so… SO! Many Years!
Thank you for reading
Which League of Legends character do you hope to see get a new skin? Is there anyone else who deserves brand-new skin after years of neglect? And which skin themes will we revisit in the future?
And yes, we are stopping just shy of the next character who hasn’t seen a skin in years: Gargas. But sadly, we are short on time, so thank you for reading. Be sure to follow us here at Culture of Gaming for more articles covering League of Legends and other things in the gaming world.
