Irelia is a really good example of a champ who suits 750 RP skins

Abyssphere·May 21, 2015·11 votes·2,382 views

The Order of the Lotus Irelia skin is such a prime example of how to do a 750 RP skin well. You took a champion with very light particles and gave her a skin tier that suits her, only giving her a particle on her R because obviously it features her weapon, which is a changed model. If this was a 975 RP skin it would almost certainly suck because it's really hard to give a champion like Irelia noticeable particles so that the skin feels worth it. But 750 RP fits perfectly.

Can we get more 750 skins for champs who actually naturally fit the tier? After the Syndra fiasco it feels like skins like this (another example, the Sivir, Nautilus and Warwick skins recently) should be complimented for making sense. Certain champs just better fit into certain price tiers and I'm glad Irelia got a great skin that is just right for her.

19 Comments

RiotmoonstonesMay 21, 20156 votes

Hiya!

Glad to hear you're happy with upcoming skin content! I actually don't play Irelia, but I'm tempted to learn her because of her new skin. ^-^

We're still working out the best way to approach 750 RP skins. I think your examples are perfect in identifying some of the stronger skins - Sivir, Naut, and Warwick, as well as one that some players weren't as big of a fan of - Queen of Diamonds Syndra.

I think that particle heavy champions aren't out of the question for 750 RP skins, since in some cases, it totally makes sense. Urf the Nami-tee is a good example, since her base particles fit in really nicely with the new skin's thematic.

Colgate GatorMay 21, 20155 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot KateyKhaos,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=Nm8teuEG,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2015-05-21T16:40:51.117+0000)

Hiya!

Glad to hear you're happy with upcoming skin content! I actually don't play Irelia, but I'm tempted to learn her because of her new skin. ^-^

We're still working out the best way to approach 750 RP skins. I think your examples are perfect in identifying some of the stronger skins - Sivir, Naut, and Warwick, as well as one that some players weren't as big of a fan of - Queen of Diamonds Syndra.

I think that particle heavy champions aren't out of the question for 750 RP skins, since in some cases, it totally makes sense. Urf the Nami-tee is a good example, since her base particles fit in really nicely with the new skin's thematic.

Save from the "Omg u use broken champs u sux" flaming, Irelia is a blast to play with!

Also now I'm onto you, if you don't deliver her pool party skin...I'll most likely do nothing, but you will have to live knowing you broke my heart!

KüramaMay 21, 20151 votes

Lol this.

Linna ExcelMay 21, 20151 votes

Ahri's particles probably don't have to be changed for a 750 skin as midnight shows.

KüramaMay 21, 20151 votes

OMG THAT SPLASH ART FOR IRELIA.

Now I have to buy it.

AbyssphereMay 22, 20153 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot KateyKhaos,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=Nm8teuEG,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2015-05-21T16:40:51.117+0000)

Hiya!

Glad to hear you're happy with upcoming skin content! I actually don't play Irelia, but I'm tempted to learn her because of her new skin. ^-^

We're still working out the best way to approach 750 RP skins. I think your examples are perfect in identifying some of the stronger skins - Sivir, Naut, and Warwick, as well as one that some players weren't as big of a fan of - Queen of Diamonds Syndra.

I think that particle heavy champions aren't out of the question for 750 RP skins, since in some cases, it totally makes sense. Urf the Nami-tee is a good example, since her base particles fit in really nicely with the new skin's thematic.

You're right with the last point, I should have clarified! I think particle-heavy champs absolutely can get lower tier skins, you just need to be a lot more careful with the skin concepts you choose. Nami's April Fool's Day skin is a really good example because it's the same Nami, just dressed in a funny costume - there isn't much of any reason to expect new particles and honestly it'd be difficult to think of Urf-themed particles for most of her abilities. 750 RP is a perfect match. But when it comes to "fantasy-changing" skins, particle-heavy champs do tend to need the higher tiered skins because their base particles can clash with the new model if unchanged.

A good example of that is looking at the two Marauder skins - Warwick's model changed hugely to make him really sinister but because he has so few particles and what he does have are really ambiguous particles, there was no clashing. Ashe on the other hand got a lot of negative reception because she was still shooting standard frosted Freljord arrows despite now being an evil crusader. Then you can look at the Order of the Lotus skins - Irelia is perfect for 750 for the same reasons Warwick was good with Marauder, but Karma suited 975 for the same reason people thought Ashe deserved to be a higher skin tier.

ModAcademy KaynMay 21, 20154 votes

The Syndra mains are still salty (Or atleast I am) after that Fiasco.

InphernalMay 21, 20152 votes

being stuck in a low skin-tier is a bad thing because it signifies bad and inflexible design and cheaper skins are intentionally lower in quality due to time spent designing/creating the skins as well as subtle techniques used to devalue the skin such as lots of browns/low contrast between colors. A good design is flexible and has many available places to add significantly more thematically diverse designs while maintaining the silhouette and identity of the character. A good example of this would be the champion Nautilus

AbyssphereMay 21, 20155 votes

{quoted}

being stuck in a low skin-tier is a bad thing because it signifies bad and inflexible design and cheaper skins are intentionally lower in quality due to time spent designing/creating the skins as well as subtle techniques used to devalue the skin such as lots of browns/low contrast between colors. A good design is flexible and has many available places to add significantly more thematically diverse designs while maintaining the silhouette and identity of the character. A good example of this would be the champion Nautilus

I think unflexible design doesn't necessarily signify bad design on a champion. It's just a thing that happens with champs whose skills are almost entirely melee-based or generally lacking in particles. Naut is a good example of a champ who can get lots of different skills because his E and R are both ranged, particle-heavy abilities, and his shield obviously has some too. But Irelia has a steroid, a dash, a melee-range ability and one ranged ability with particles. It's just kind of natural that it's hard to make skins of 975+ tier for her, no?

It's not great for a champ to be stuck in a low (or high) tier because obviously it limits options but I'd rather a variety of well-made 750 skins for champs like Irelia than a really poor attempt at giving her a 975+ skin that will just end up disappointing everyone because she is at the end of the day poorly suited to a skin with particles.

RiotmoonstonesMay 21, 20159 votes

I wouldn't necessarily say Ireila is stuck in a low-skin tier setting. While yes, she is particle light, that certainly wouldn't mean that a higher priced skin tier is out of the question for her.

For example, if we made Pool Party Irelia, we could change her weapon to be more of a pool toy - which could mean different attack sounds. Attacks could have splash particles coming off of them. I'm not saying this is the best idea for her, but I think you get the idea.

I think a higher skin-tier is entirely possible for every champion, it just depends on the thematic, and if the theme is a good fit for the champion we're looking to work with.

I agree that Nautilus, while an interesting model, can be used in several different thematics that are unique in their own ways.

Colgate GatorMay 21, 20153 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot KateyKhaos,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=Nm8teuEG,comment-id=00000001,timestamp=2015-05-21T16:33:45.080+0000)

I wouldn't necessarily say Ireila is stuck in a low-skin tier setting. While yes, she is particle light, that certainly wouldn't mean that a higher priced skin tier is out of the question for her.

For example, if we made Pool Party Irelia, we could change her weapon to be more of a pool toy - which could mean different attack sounds. Attacks could have splash particles coming off of them. I'm not saying this is the best idea for her, but I think you get the idea.

Rito pls, Pool party Irelia nao.

KüramaMay 21, 20151 votes

Yes.

AlphaKappaPikaMay 21, 20153 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot KateyKhaos,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=Nm8teuEG,comment-id=00000001,timestamp=2015-05-21T16:33:45.080+0000)

I wouldn't necessarily say Ireila is stuck in a low-skin tier setting. While yes, she is particle light, that certainly wouldn't mean that a higher priced skin tier is out of the question for her.

For example, if we made Pool Party Irelia, we could change her weapon to be more of a pool toy - which could mean different attack sounds. Attacks could have splash particles coming off of them. I'm not saying this is the best idea for her, but I think you get the idea.

I think a higher skin-tier is entirely possible for every champion, it just depends on the thematic, and if the theme is a good fit for the champion we're looking to work with.

I agree that Nautilus, while an interesting model, can be used in several different thematics that are unique in their own ways.

Umm are you unofficially confirming new pool party skins? POOL PARTY YASUO WITH A POOL NOODLE SWORD PLEASE!!! (pool party zac anyone?)

Vistha KaiMay 21, 20154 votes

Laundry Day Yasuo was promised back in his AMA Q_Q

qetzelMay 21, 20152 votes

I disagree. There are undoubtedly some Syndra players who for whatever reason are not comfortable spending more money on a skin than the lowest tier. We shouldn't ignore them.

Reaper ReviewMay 21, 20152 votes

So, wait, we're saying Syndra having one 750 skin is a fiasco when Ezreal exists? He has seven different skins all priced at 750 or lower, despite having no shortage of particles to do things with. He even has a skin in the same set that we're raising an uproar about Syndra over.

AbyssphereMay 22, 20154 votes

[{quoted}](name=Naut A Liss,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=Nm8teuEG,comment-id=0005,timestamp=2015-05-21T22:36:15.387+0000)

So, wait, we're saying Syndra having one 750 skin is a fiasco when Ezreal exists? He has seven different skins all priced at 750 or lower, despite having no shortage of particles to do things with. He even has a skin in the same set that we're raising an uproar about Syndra over.

The Ezreal situation is awful too, I can't comprehend why they decided he needed more skins with his base particles. But at least his particles are generic enough that this skin, while a poor choice for someone with so many low tier skins, doesn't clash horribly with his abilities. Syndra isn't so lucky.