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Dragon Sorceress Zyra Judgements.

Sexy Jack Rabbit·2/23/2017, 1:58:51 AM·14 votes·19,332 views

To start off with, I want to say thanks to Skin team for FINALLY making a Zyra skin after so long. I'm 100% NOT in the boat that this skin should have been a legendary and I'm 100% happy to pay for a 1350 skin of this quality. I would rather she receive a lot more skins of varying quality before she is given a Legendary skin. I like options, and I don't like being FORCED to pay out $20 because the champion is lacking in skins.

Now before anyone jumps on me by saying "Well if you like it some much! Why are you judging it? It just came out!!" well that is actually the point of the PBE. Skins are put out on the PBE first to be criticized and judged before release and for changes to perhaps be made. Here are mine;

**Zyra Model: **

  • Currently I'm very happy with the model. It's very elegant, and at the same time creepy and intimidating without being over-complex. I'm going to address the elephant and in the room and address it plain and simple, Zyra is a sexy champion, created during the time when every female champion riot made at C+ Cup titties. Whilst it is not part of her theme it IS part of her aesthetic, and currently none of her skins actually capitalize on this. She is fully clothed in SKT, Haunted and shows little in her Fire skin. It's nice to see a skin that changes that. That being said, I hope the splash-art doesn't just focus on her sex-appeal. I like a good splash-art to have a little bit on everything.

Passive Seedlings:

  • Currently the eggs/seeds look very boring and somewhat lack-luster. Call me spoilt, but Zyra's seeds are often quite detailed. It'd be nice to see something akin to cracks along the eggs or some more detail.

  • Alternatively, leave the eggs as is, but when you spawn plants, make the eggs crack open.

**Q: **

  • Currently very happy with this ability. I have minor concerns in regards to the dark purple being visible in teamfights however.

**E: **

  • Honest improvement over even her classic. I have no worries this ability will be clear in teamfights. I think even classic Zyra's E could learn from this. The Aesthetic is fitting.

**R: **

  • Unfortunately I was none to impressed with these VFX. For an Ultimate it comes across as lack-luster, it also looks far to similar to her classic. Due to the weight of creating the VFX I doubt and excessive amount could be done to change it pre-release, but I would at least like to see some re-texturing done. It's rather boring, and after years of playing Haunted and Wildfire, I've come to expect more impact in the VFX of Zyra's ultimate. Bring more colour into it, or perhaps look into adding wings alongside the tails.

**Plants: **

  • My biggest upset in the skin personally. It's not in regards to the models, in fact I really quite like the plant models. My main upset is with the projectiles. I understand the skins team wanting to keep with the purple colour scheme, but seeing her Dragons shooting some sort of purple goo, over actual fireballs, really shoots me as non-fitting to the skin. She is DRAGON Sorcercess, and atm the purple projectiles really get me as being something fitting to a Void skin (which a lot of people have already likened this skin too anyways). If I were too choose any aspect of this skin to be changed, it would be for the Plant Dragons Projectiles to be made a lot more "Fireball" and a lot less "Magic goo". I think even using the blue colour used very briefly in her ultimate knock-up, or by her _ Vine Lasher _ plants.

**To summarize: **

  1. Seeds/Eggs need more detail, or a spawn animation
  2. I have clarity concerns for Q.
  3. Ultimate could use some touch-ups, but nothing major.
  4. Plant Projectiles need major changes. They dont' shoot me as baby dragons, but rather as Scalie Void creatures with their current focus on purple. I love the see their projectiles changed to either an Orange or fire-style Blue.

That's my overall judgement of the skin. I really like it and I really appreciate the skins team for FINALLY making a Zyra skin. I think Riot has done a very good job with the skin so far, and it only need go for some small QoL changes to make it better.

EDIT: Tried to include pictures but I can't seem to get it to work, if anyone could help me work on a fix that'd be appreciated.

30 Comments

Riotmoonstones2/23/2017, 9:45:49 PM5 votes

Hey Jackalopeer!

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such well-written feedback. I'll do my best to address and explain the points you've made. :)

**Zyra Model: ** Currently I'm very happy with the model. It's very elegant, and at the same time creepy and intimidating without being over-complex. I'm going to address the elephant and in the room and address it plain and simple, Zyra is a sexy champion, created during the time when every female champion riot made at C+ Cup titties. Whilst it is not part of her theme it IS part of her aesthetic, and currently none of her skins actually capitalize on this. She is fully clothed in SKT, Haunted and shows little in her Fire skin. It's nice to see a skin that changes that. That being said, I hope the splash-art doesn't just focus on her sex-appeal. I like a good splash-art to have a little bit on everything.

I do agree that Zyra is a sexy champion, and I think it can be a fine line to walk between sexy yet still keeping it classy. IMO, her splash has a happy mix of both sexy, but also showing that she's a strong character. You'll be able to check out the splash a bit later this cycle, as we're finishing up with polish at the moment!

Passive Seedlings: Currently the eggs/seeds look very boring and somewhat lack-luster. Call me spoilt, but Zyra's seeds are often quite detailed. It'd be nice to see something akin to cracks along the eggs or some more detail. Alternatively, leave the eggs as is, but when you spawn plants, make the eggs crack open.

IMO, I don't think it's fair to 1:1 a new skin to prior skins, especially when the thematics are so different. There is detail to the eggs, but it isn't as prominent as other skins. If you look closely, you'll see baby dragons inside of the eggs!

As for the eggs cracking, we didn't want to make it look like we were squishing baby dragons, which is why the eggs aren't cracking open. The thematic is also built around fantasy, so what may be normal in every day, may not be appropriate in a fantasy realm. Seriously, though, do you really wanna hurt baby dragons? D:

Currently very happy with this ability. I have minor concerns in regards to the dark purple being visible in teamfights however.

We haven't received any serious issues surrounding internal gameplay tests, but I'd be happy to take another look.

Honest improvement over even her classic. I have no worries this ability will be clear in teamfights. I think even classic Zyra's E could learn from this. The Aesthetic is fitting.

Sweet deal!

Unfortunately I was none to impressed with these VFX. For an Ultimate it comes across as lack-luster, it also looks far to similar to her classic. Due to the weight of creating the VFX I doubt and excessive amount could be done to change it pre-release, but I would at least like to see some re-texturing done. It's rather boring, and after years of playing Haunted and Wildfire, I've come to expect more impact in the VFX of Zyra's ultimate. Bring more colour into it, or perhaps look into adding wings alongside the tails.

This part of the kit was the most difficult to work with because we had some gameplay restraints. The ability can become super busy super fast. Our original design was wayyy too busy, and we had to reel it back in. I'm talking tails and wings everywhere, to the point of having no idea what was happening in a team fight. Our solve for this was to better align it with the base, and while it may not be over the top bright and colorful, it's much more appropriate for gameplay.

The flip side of this is, we also didn't want to make it too visible because that could also give the Zyra player a disadvantage.

You're correct that there isn't much we can change at this point, but we've added a bit of particles to the beginning and end of the cast, to try to spruce things up a bit.

Plants: My biggest upset in the skin personally. It's not in regards to the models, in fact I really quite like the plant models. My main upset is with the projectiles. I understand the skins team wanting to keep with the purple colour scheme, but seeing her Dragons shooting some sort of purple goo, over actual fireballs, really shoots me as non-fitting to the skin. She is DRAGON Sorcercess, and atm the purple projectiles really get me as being something fitting to a Void skin (which a lot of people have already likened this skin too anyways). If I were too choose any aspect of this skin to be changed, it would be for the Plant Dragons Projectiles to be made a lot more "Fireball" and a lot less "Magic goo". I think even using the blue colour used very briefly in her ultimate knock-up, or by her Vine Lasher plants.

For context here, fire isn't her source of power, which is why there aren't fireballs. It's a fantasy skin, and a bit more magical.

To summarize:

1.** Seeds/Eggs need more detail, or a spawn animation** - We may be able to adjust the texture a bit (this feedback was mostly brought up because of a similarity to Atlantean Syndra orbs), but the eggs do have a spawn animation; they pop up.

2. I have clarity concerns for Q. - I'm going to take another look at these, and we'll discuss again if there are any concerns that arise.

3. Ultimate could use some touch-ups, but nothing major. - Aside from slight polish, we aren't intended on more changes for this skill, for the reasons I've listed above.

4. Plant Projectiles need major changes. They dont' shoot me as baby dragons, but rather as Scalie Void creatures with their current focus on purple. I love the see their projectiles changed to either an Orange or fire-style Blue. Since fire isn't her main source of power, this part of the skin is working as intended, and something the team planned from the beginning of the skin.

Again, I really appreciate your feedback, and while we aren't able to address all of it, I hope at least having some context/explanation helps. :)

Poppystar2/23/2017, 2:32:15 AM4 votes

I agree with the fireballs. That is a good idea.

HRH EdwardLC2/23/2017, 2:18:29 PM3 votes

I agree w/ everything, except I feel like her colours are too dull. I also think they should change the colours on this skin to be more Elder Drake-like instead of Baron/Void-like. Over all so far it seems like a good skin, save for that ULT.

ImgayforJinx2/23/2017, 1:33:09 PM3 votes

The thing that bugs me the most is they give her BLOODY WINGS, but her enhanced movespeed animation is just her regular run. Also the lack of even a slight voice modulation (skins of the same value have done this).

Proxima Midnight2/23/2017, 2:51:57 PM3 votes

As a Zyra main my only problem is that her seeds dont look like the egg from teaser and that her R and death animation have vines. Shes not plant lady anymore. Those vines need heads like the little guys on her E. And thats it. After that skin would be 10/10 imo. Rn is 9/10

VelvetCrotch2/23/2017, 4:08:53 PM3 votes

Well written and very structured. Good job.

But i dont agree with all of them. I do like ure idea of adding "fireballs" and to add more detail to the seeds.

But i disagree with the plants and her models. They look weird af and more ridiculous than intimidating.

And i dont like, they took purple as the main colour for a dragon-themed skin. the vfx look too much void-related.

The only things that look well done are, imho:

Her face

Her hair

Her horns

Her cleavage

and her wings.

a precious small amount for a 1350rp-skin after 3 years for a champ with 3 skins. and no, i dont think i have a bad taste.

x R U K A x2/23/2017, 8:27:08 AM2 votes

About your concerns with her model, while I do agree that her skins don't really show off her skin or sex appeal, the thing with Zyra is that she's like Cassiopeia and Elise, they're the monster beauties. Sure they have DD cups and the perfect face and great curves but they also have a lot of other stuff going on like plants growing on them and scales and what not, but those features give these champions exotic looks and in a way accentuate their natural beauty by putting them alongside unnatural features. Now about the plants projectiles and the seeds, I agree with you on both of them. The seeds just look like weird giant gray grapes and her plant's projectiles look like goop, I don't have a problem with the color but I just wish they at least looked like purple fire instead of purple goop. Personally I was hoping if Riot made a skin for Zyra it would be a more light and happy one that brought out her human side more, but this is just as good and I plan on buying the skin the moment it's released.

Lùmen2/24/2017, 10:01:45 AM1 votes

Plants need to grow wings and have glowy eyes when they are ulted, the ranged ones at least. W looks slimy and doesn't resemble an egg at all.

Dark Dice3/11/2017, 5:35:01 PM1 votes

I also love the dragon sorceress zyra skin, my main complaint with it is that the tail looks a bit too tacked on (doesn't curve or move naturally for a dragon tail) Also the tail looks really bland for being a new addition to the model, I hope at least a scale texture is added to improve it!

x R U K A x2/23/2017, 10:33:57 AM1 votes

This is just something I forgot to address in my first comment but I don't like on her model how from her hips down her skin gets all dark purple red coloration, it looks like she's missing some of her skin.

Vhan87652/23/2017, 5:52:09 AM1 votes

I actually wish the color's on Zyra's model were more vibrant like the rest of the skin's purple shades. She looks way too dull, just really washed out.

Aside from that, I love the skin and am very happy with it's placement at 1350. While I do agree the ult could be better, trying to really mess with Zyra's ult without changing the way it looks too much so it can be used in professional play is a decently hard task. So I would like to see some improvements, but I can understand if it's left where it's at. As for the purple goop the dragons shoot, I personally don't mind that too much either. Just think of them as magical dragons and not traditional ones. Magical dragons and purple goop go hand-in-hand well enough in my book. :D