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League of Legends: Ashe Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Mar 082012
 
Ashe, the Frost Archer
Ashe, the Frost Archer

Ashe, the Frost Archer is one of the classic original champions. As an example of the Freljordian spirit, when her arrows reach her target they gift a bit of the tundra with their touch. As a veteran of many battles, Ashe knows how to adapt to each battleground. Her skin roster is quite varied and also represents the several stages of past skin development. Her skins are not only varied in the amount of work they have but also in concepts. If you want to know more to better choose how to outfit League of Legends’ prime archer, check this skin review.

Freljord Ashe
Freljord Ashe Splash Art Freljord Ashe Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Ashe dressed in white clothes with blonde hair.
Model: New textures for Ashe’s clothes, hair, bow, quiver and arrows.
Particles: New white particles for Frost Shot, Volley and Enchanted Crystal Arrow.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: Freljord Ashe’s splash art is quite good but leaves the feeling that with the great technique used more could’ve been achieved. The background offers a great panoramic view of the Freljordian landscape. However, it’s mostly empty and the few trees that are visible a little more than a stroke of the brush. Ashe looks great, shooting an arrow, but without context it ends up being just a pose. Nevertheless, the delicate delineation of her dress, the well placed reflections and the flying of her locks make for an outstanding portrayal. Freljord Ashe is a good piece but it leaves the feeling that it can be excellent but, sadly, isn’t.
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Conclusion: The splash art is much more impressive than the skin itself. That’s not to say that Freljord Ashe looks bad, because the new colours suit her rather well. However, while Freljord Ashe’s colours make it visually stand apart from Classic Ashe, there isn’t anything else. Except for inconsistencies, as her in-game quiver is coloured in Classic’s brown while it’s depicted white in the splash art. Therefore, Freljord Ashe may only appeal to those that want to see Ashe blonde and dressed in pristine snow white. Overall, it’s just a re-texture, a good and simple one; recommended for dedicated Ashe fans.

Sherwood Forest Ashe
Sherwood Forest Ashe Splash Art Sherwood Forest Ashe Model
Category: Regular
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Ashe dressed in green with brown boots and a wood bow.
Model: New textures for Ashe’s clothes, bow, quiver and arrows.
Particles: New light green particles for Frost Shot, Volley and Enchanted Crystal Arrow.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The splash art does much more than clearly represent Ashe’s three-dimensional look. This piece shows Ashe in action, offering a dynamic setting, a dramatic pose and all of it at a believable level. The background is as relevant in the piece as is Ashe. The excellent lighting, the abundance of tones and the reflections bring the woods to life. Ashe portrayal is awesome, not only does she shine with the sunlight but her clothes show different kinds of folds, reflections and textures according to the material. Sherwood Forest Ashe is a great piece with a quality few others can equal; definitely one of League of Legends’ best.
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Conclusion: This skin is an alternate colour scheme for Ashe and nothing else. While differences with Classic Ashe do exist they aren’t very pronounced. If you want more green and brown on Ashe it delivers; but that’s all. Sherwood Forest Ashe is just a simple re-texture and better suited for dedicated Ashe fans.

Woad Ashe
Woad Ashe Splash Art Woad Ashe Model
Category: Regular
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Ashe resembling a Pict archer.
Model: New model for Ashe, and her bow. New textures for her quiver and arrows.
Particles: New light green particles for Frost Shot, Volley and Enchanted Crystal Arrow.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: Woad Ashe is piece that looks simple at a glance but that has lot in display. The background is well displayed even showing the texture of the tree’s bark. The sunlight reaches Ashe through the trees and makes her quiver and hair glow. Ashe is very nicely portrayed, from the complex arrangement of her locks to the seams of her trousers. Special mention deserves the inclined angle at which the piece is painted which provides a peculiar perspective of the scene. Woad Ashe may appear simple but it’s a splash art with a lot of detail and stands proudly among League of Legends’ best.
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Conclusion: Woad Ashe is almost a full re-model of Ashe but what really makes it interesting is how different it makes her look. Not only does the new style fit her but it is also well done. The complexity of her clothes and equipment works in tandem with the tattooed skin to provide a distinctly unique and appealing Celtic archer appearance. On top of that, the light green particles round up the colour theme. For this price, there’s absolutely no reason for any Ashe fan to skip Woad Ashe. If you aren’t a fan but want a cheap and nice skin for Ashe, Woad Ashe is the one for you.

Queen Ashe
Queen Ashe Splash Art Queen Ashe Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Ashe wears a queen’s dress and crown while wielding an engraved bow.
Model: New model for Ashe and her bow. New texture for her quiver and arrows.
Particles: New white particles for Frost Shot, Volley and Enchanted Crystal Arrow.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: Queen Ashe is a magnificent depiction of Ashe where she eclipses all other parts of the piece; which is both a good and a bad thing. On the one hand, the background is rather good: an ice fortress with surrounding mountains. On the other hand, there’s a clear difference in quality between background and foreground. Furthermore, the background is effective but definitely simpler that Ashe. She looks amazing thanks to awesome shading and excellent use of reflections. Moreover, while she does pose it shows a natural stance for her which is greatly improved by the flowing hair and dress. All things considered, Queen Ashe provides an incredibly good portrayal of Ashe but a frame that leaves a little to be desired.
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Conclusion: Queen Ashe is an elegant skin that marries a good concept with a good execution. A dress can be considered impractical for an archer but there’s no doubt that Ashe looks delightful in it. The new model is very elaborate and has nice detailed textures that show folds and embroidery. Moreover, as Ashe walks the dress clearly shows her steps and trails behind her; which adds a sense of elegance to her movement. From the engraved bow to the lavishly decorated dress, Queen Ashe is a very good looking skin that clearly elevates Ashe’s look; the white particles are just icing on the cake. Few champions can look majestic, Queen Ashe is one of them.

Amethyst Ashe
Amethyst Ashe Splash Art Amethyst Ashe Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Ashe puts on an amethyst engraved armour and wields a complex reflex bow to shoot arrows with gem tips.
Model: New model for Ashe, her bow and arrows.
Particles: New light purple particles for Frost Shot, Volley and Enchanted Crystal Arrow.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: This piece is a very nice representation of Ashe that suffers from a few inconsistencies. To start with, the gem background is detailed without taking relevance from Ashe. Her amethyst armour is nicely drawn with good use of lighting to reinforce the gem’s dim glow. The arrows new design isn’t portrayed well but the bow is well depicted even though the perspective makes it look a little small. All things considered, a good piece that could’ve been much better.
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Conclusion: Amethyst Ashe is quite a change for Ashe: short hair, body armour, reflex bow, small quiver and gem-tipped arrows. This skin changes everything and, fortunately, the changes are also pleasing to look at. Ashe’s amethyst based look puts the gems at the forefront without overloading the design. Moreover, the new particles provide a nice finishing touch to the amethyst theme. The balance between looks and realism may be subjective but the conclusion is that Amethyst Ashe is a great skin for Ashe players.

Heartseeker Ashe
Heartseeker Ashe Splash Art Heartseeker Ashe Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Ashe dressed in Cupid-styled clothes for Valentine’s Day.
Model: New model for Ashe, her bow and arrows.
Particles: New particles for her abilities and auto-attack.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New tinkling sounds for Volley and Enchanted Crystal Arrow.
Splash Art: A garden of diffuse heart-shaped bushes with an emerging heart-based throne seems like a fitting setting for a Queen of Hearts. The background doesn’t reveal much more than that, sans a heart-smitten barbarian enchanted by an enticing lady, but it suffices. The centre of the piece is Ashe and with due reason: she looks suitably lovely with a good balance between appeal and playfulness. The superb shading goes a long way in depicting every texture as unique and the result is certainly eye-catching. Nonetheless, the colours feel a bit too saturated, though it works for the better, but the bow appears a touch dull in comparison; despite the meticulous design. All in all, even if the background lacks some force Ashe’s portrayal is one of the best in the whole of League of Legends and makes this a very attractive piece.
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Conclusion: As a Valentine’s skin the theme behind Heartseeker Ashe is clear and eloquent. However, what appears in the game pales in comparison to the great presentation laid by the splash art. The vivid and detailed portrayal makes promises about Ashe’s look that the three-dimensional model simply can’t fulfil. Even at a distance it’s plain to see: high heels, metallic bow, hair curls, lively textures and bright colours are all absent. Instead we find a duller, simpler aspect that clumsily resembles her charming depiction. Having accepted that, what we are left is a whimsically dressed Ashe that struggles to be appealing. At a glance it carries the elaborate design of Amethyst Ashe but without the elegance and class. Instead, it resorts to playful grace that approximates a warrior Queen of Hearts. The new particles, sounds and recall further the theme but can only do so much to salvage it. The result is a skin that disappoints initially but that offers a lot of additions to compensate. Heartseeker Ashe isn’t a bad skin and if you like an infusion of hearts it will deliver. Sadly, it also walks in its splash art’s shadow.

Marauder Ashe
Marauder Ashe Splash Art Marauder Ashe Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Ashe as a leather-clad bandit.
Model: New model for Ashe and her bow.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: Somewhere, armoured bandits attack. The intensely diffuse background makes identifying the setting almost impossible. Is it the outskirts of a town or a desolate road? Much is suggested but nothing is stated.
Ashe shoots a frosted arrow in the air which looks small and weak; even the blurriness doesn’t convey speed. She also struggles to escape from said blur. Her upper body is clearly shown with attractive shading; even if the bow isn’t fully displayed. Her lower body, though, as well as her cape lack definition. At least the dark helmet gives her an air of mystery.
Warwick, despite standing in the foreground, shares the same problems: clear upper body but diffuse legs. On top of that his right arm, and also tail, are blurred even though they aren’t so far back. The fact that his fur is also diffuse doesn’t help matters. Fortunately, his dented armour is detailed and catches the eye, despite his unassuming stance.
All in all, this is an uneven piece with arbitrary use of depth of field. The way the blur is used conveys neither distance nor speed and merely occludes parts at random. The composition is good: bandits on the attack. However, that idea is only suggested, like the background, and the potential story remains undeveloped.
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Conclusion: Dark armour and a red cape turn the Frost Archer into a figure that inspires dread in her opponents. The winged aesthetic with sharp ends provides the armour a gloomy style that can feel simple. While the cuirass has some nice decoration both arms and legs appear plain and uninteresting. Besides, the fur around her neck doesn’t help keep the dark aesthetic. The helmet isn’t bad but its wings can be impractical much like the fact that it’s more of a faceplate that ignores the rest of the head and ends up looking like a mask. Again the white hair doesn’t help but it’s understandable even if it could’ve been better used.
The design of the bow manages to captivate with sharp, curved lines and measured highlights. The cape’s pattern is also attractive as well as her quiver and even arrows with asymmetrical tips. Nonetheless, the armour seems a bit conservative, never feeling as enticing as the rest of her gear. Add to that the fact that the skin, unlike cheaper options, lacks a new colour for her particles and we are left with a product that tries to appeal but that doesn’t go far enough to do so.
In the end, Marauder Ashe is a good skin but it’s not at the level of her alternatives. The dark aesthetic is unique and attractive but it doesn’t feel developed enough.

PROJECT: Ashe
PROJECT: Ashe Splash Art PROJECT: Ashe Model
Category: Legendary
Price: 1820 RP
Concept: Ashe as a cybernetic bow-woman.
Model: New model for Ashe and her bow. New glow for her bow and glove plus new glow for her new transparent cape. Also, combat hood which toggles when 2400 units away from friendly turrets or base, and new glow for her hood visor.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack, recall, joke, dance, death.
Animations: New animations for her abilities, auto-attack, critical hits, standing idle, walk, emotes, tower channel, death, respawn and recall.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack, recall, death and hood toggle. New voice-over and quotes for her abilities, beginning a match, placing wards, buying items, getting kills, destroying towers, using a health potion, leaving friendly territory, taunting certain champions and death.
Splash Art: The schematics of a cyborg and the detailed profile of another. A location on the globe and further details about the mission. The screens show information projected by the scout unit creating a virtual briefing room for the cybernetic bow-woman. The city barely insinuates itself behind with its moody neon lights that glow on the buildings and shine on the floor. The context is quite interesting and deeper that merely placing Ashe inside a lab. Even though the city struggles behind, its secondary relevance is understandable: there’re far more important things than the dystopian scenery of everyday life.
Ashe’s portrayal follows suit with more blue tones; which makes the piece a bit monochromatic. The pose is interesting though many details are omitted due to the chosen composition. Her legs are a draft behind the large bow, her cape barely suggests its presence and fails to effectively show its translucence as the city disappears on that area. Ashe’s face is occluded but the visor is relevant as it’s used in-game. The rest of the body has precise lines and really good shading, like the bow. The complex design makes her appearance interesting but, that aside, there isn’t anything else to break the blue homogeneity. The virtual projections also look rather solid and don’t glow with a proper artificial light. For that reason, they seem like just another piece of the bow, helmet or synthetic body.
All added together, this is a fantastic splash art with a great setup and an appropriate depiction of Ashe. There are some issues in her portrayal that reduce the impact of her appearance. Besides, the restricted colour palette doesn’t let the colourful city to break the boring monotony of blue tones. Regardless, with a few fixes it could approach the elite of League of Legends’ best splash arts. It may not currently do so yet it does befit a legendary skin.
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Conclusion: The idea of a cybernetic archer isn’t the most natural as a longbow is innately cumbersome; especially if it doesn’t fold over itself for transport. Besides, the advantages in the design of more modern ranged weapons help to improve the user’s aim. A cyborg could get away with that if there are specific benefits to such a choice and that’s exactly what PROJECT: Ashe intends. The synthetic enhancements are the ones responsible for giving Ashe a new identity. Her body is either improved by an electronic suit or fully transformed or even replaced by artificial substitutes. Her familiar face follows the trend by showing an artificial eye or, at least, a portable scope. Her white hair has a new style but the human side is still recognisable. Also, it’s not clear how deep the cybernetics go though it’s not a main concern. What is an issue is the restricted colour palette which limits her whole appearance to blue tones. Even the hues show conservative contrast which makes her look homogeneous and too monotonous despite the exterior design.
It should be noted that the model of her longbow stands out due to the articulated limbs and compound manufacture. The string is nowhere to be seen but in the future such propelling measures are evidently obsolete; just like arrows aren’t visible either. The adaptation is also finely applied to her hawk spirit now called Avarosa. It effectively tranforms into a drone with a supportive AI that appears not only in Hawkshot but in her joke and dance. The presence of such a complement helps define the identity of the skin.
The combat hood and cape also contribute. The cape is added to a couple of extensions on her back, flowing very gently with every move. It’s a pleasing effect that works in combination with the combat hood. The hood automatically toggles when on enemy terrain and goes off when in a friendly region. The visuals and sounds are appealing and add that scout angle to the cyber-archer. The fact that the hood can’t be toggled by the player can make it feel imposed and potentially be distracting. Perhaps the auto-on should be optional. If both hood and cape could be toggled at the whim of the player, like DJ Sona’s transformations, it would add a small but welcome customisation aspect to the skin that would make it unique in the whole game; but, sadly, that’s only a wish.
The particles insist further with blue tones. The polygonal shapes make them stand out from the familiar classic feel. The auto-attack adds circles when each arrow is shot which is a great touch to make her most used activity special. The arrows stand out because they look different but their simplistic design disappoints: they are just a rectangle followed by smaller siblings. It’s far from the best way of showing virtual ice. Frost Shot and Hawkshot show virtualised particles for the snowflakes that indicate Frost and the revealed terrain; a subtle yet appealing touch. Enchanted Crystal Arrow is a letdown. The shape and surrounding effects are different but it doesn’t communicate the theme well. Not only its decorated and fragile arrow doesn’t fit the PROJECT style but it also fails to differentiate itself from the classic ability due to the similar shape and colour. The explosion on impact also strikes as simple with the use of concentric hemispheres with only a single circle as an added effect.
The sounds for the abilities rely on sharp, cutting slides of crystal that seem to slice more than freeze. Nonetheless, they feel unique with both auto-attack and Ranger’s Focus being notably satisfying. Volley has too brief a sound that starts soft but ends in an abrupt blow. Hawkshot also sounds brief but the energy effect is nice. Enchanted Crystal Arrow surprises because of how short and simple it sounds. It starts with a fitting slide of shards but ends in a dull, blunt explosion. It disrupts the virtual feel natural to the theme.
The animation efforts seems unevenly distributed. Ashe’s auto-attacks and Ranger’s Focus have distinct poses for each attack. The dance is a fantastic touch that surpasses its limited use due to how well it marries the futuristic aspect with appealing and funny moves. The recall is mostly a daring display of style that only says that Ashe is a fancy archer. The standing idle pose also nicely stands out but the rest of activities fail to distinctly reflect their new style. That’s also the final nail in the coffin for Enchanted Crystal Arrow which doesn’t impress in any aspect, animations included.
Adding everything together, PROJECT: Ashe is a skin that may initially appear as forcefully adapted yet manages to combine the cyberpunk and archer identities into a single whole. It’s not a particularly consistent whole though. While the skin doesn’t actually remind of classic there are some similarities. Worse yet may be that the uneven implementation of model, particles, sounds and animations doesn’t always reflect the theme as it should. That’s particularly notable in the ultimate but there are many other examples. Ultimately, PROJECT: Ashe is an appealing skin with much to offer but always brimming with potential either unexploited or ineffectively delivered.

Championship Ashe
Championship Ashe Splash Art Championship Ashe Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Ashe wearing heavy armour and an ornamented longbow.
Model: New model for Ashe and her bow plus new animated, floating wings.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: Mysterious and mystical the temple is lit by dim rays that compete with wind and snow. The architecture shows simple and practical designs. Two hooded figures holding luminescent crystals flank the one in the centre. In general terms the background provides a setting but little is said. Some things are insinuated and there’s mystery in the cold air but nothing concrete is stated which would prompt more than conjecture.
Ashe stands in the middle with body surrounded by encroaching darkness which is only dispelled by the light; which conveniently lands on her cleavage, a coincidence of course. Metal shows good shading but dark colours which conceal the design of the plates as well as the, otherwise, colourful look of armour and bow. Ashe’s skin and hair is delicately depicted but everything around her enchanting features struggles to impress. The magical arrow glowing in the darkness manages to capture attention easily. Its translucent, ethereal appearance against the glowing bowstring is a good explanation of its nature as well as the lack of a quiver; something which in-game isn’t as well resolved.
All added together, we find here a splash art with potential. There’re many elements that are of interest but end up being suggestions with little specific to state. Even the portrayal of Ashe feels uneven as well as a little more than a display of her look. As presentation card this is a piece that works but there’s always the wasted potential lingering all over it.
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Conclusion: Heavily armoured and with a clear magical angle Championship Ashe presents the Frost Archer as a fantastic bowwoman. The armour, for the most part, seems practical enough within the presented fantasy. That is, everything is stylised but within reason so that plates don’t obviously get in the way of normal movement; though they do seem rather large and heavy. Of course, there’s a healthy dose of cleavage necessary to show that all that armour doesn’t affect her womanly attributes; the easy access to her heart is only a bonus. There’s also the fact that plates look simplistic as only the vambraces and spaulders seem to have a specific design. The boots are particularly strange as they look as if she’s wearing shoes with a low heel over them. There’s a regal aspect with regards to the golden tiara or crown, tipped with a gem and the gold-lined longbow with a wing-like design. Truth be told, the new longbow looks much more interesting than the plain plates of the armour. Perhaps the floating wings are to add an extra touch to her look. With a clear magical approach to them they join the glowing arrows as the mystical element which is subdued though relevant to the skin. In general, Ashe looks like an unnecessarily and bulkily dressed archer that, ultimately, puts more importance in form rather than function.
Particles are mostly based on the addition of golden feathers; which are weakly connected to the wing-like longbow and floating wings. Auto-attacks see Ashe picking arrows from thin air because she lacks a quiver which stands out in a bad way. The golden-tipped, blue arrow followed by a blue trail surrounded by golden feathers is quite attractive, though; the classic frost much less so. Ranger’s Focus keeps the attractive golden feathers but they are few in quantity so the thick, simple, oval arrows disappoint in consequence; the release of golden feathers on attack is a nice touch. What doesn’t let down is the glow of her wings when the maximum stack of Focus is reached or the faint yet appealing golden glow and lines of her longbow’s grip. Volley, unsurprisingly and understandably, echoes auto-attacks but with thicker, silver arrows followed by crystal-blue trails; golden feathers are few though. Hawkshot sees Ashe release a crystal white bird followed by a subtle tail of golden lines and feathers. The explosion releases golden feathers all around which reminds more than a bit of the classic version. Enchanted Crystal Arrow follows the regal tendencies with a golden arrow surrounded in a swirl of blue. The explosion is a simple, glowing hemisphere with few golden feathers. Frankly, for an ultimate, it’s rather underwhelming.
Sounds take on a more mystical tune dropping the pretence of ice even if it’s still present. Auto-attacks have a softer sound than Classic though similar with a slight glassy sound. Reaching the maximum of Focus stacks produces a soft sound of scratching metal. Ranger Focus’ attacks start with a subtle crystal tone and the familiar yet soft multiple stabs of the flurry of arrows. Volley has a high-pitched, crystal-like sound for the arrows in flight with a thump for their impact. So far, it’s all mystic crystal which, albeit consistent and suitable, it’s also subdued. Hawkshot gets a new eagle cry, which would suit Classic just as well, which explodes in a familiar but softer twinkling. Enchanted Crystal Arrow has a rotating, crystal tone for the arrow in flight which ends in a somewhat dull hit with a weak glassy touch. As an ultimate, even if the effect fits, it could and should’ve been more distinct.
Her recall seems to be quite inspired by Heartseeker Ashe; too much. Shooting an arrow up to produce an exit sounds interesting and fitting. Stabbing the ground with the longbow to produce a throne of gold and silver while her floating wings rotate around not so much. Regal it surely is but as she sits and crosses her legs the Heartseeker influence supersedes the royal angle. Eight arrows hitting down on the back of the throne is a flashy display of marksmanship which perhaps suits this stylish Ashe.
Overall, Championship Ashe is a different yet familiar Frost Archer. She gets a royal-inclined fantastic approach that puts her as a heavily geared up archer with magical, crystal arrows at her disposal. The idea is good but perhaps it tries to join too many facets into a single identity. Maybe more focus on a magical archer or a heavily equipped archer or a Queen archer would’ve netted a better result; the last one already covered by Queen Ashe. The combination is appealing but none of these aspects ends up being developed enough to reveal all of its appeal. This means that Championship Ashe is an attractive skin but one that tries to do too many things at once; including raising money for charity. At least this last objective is worth pursuing so it can be taken as a plus.

Cosmic Queen Ashe
Cosmic Queen Ashe Splash Art Cosmic Queen Ashe Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Ashe as monarch of the cosmos.
Model: New model for Ashe and her bow. New animated glow for her cape and bow and new animated halo.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack and recall plus processed voice-over.
Splash Art: Space, constellations and some asteroids: the background is certainly sparse. However, what little is visible provides a context for the Cosmic Queen to appear in all her glory before her subjects. The style reminds of pulp magazines with use of light proper of 80’s covers. Sans nostalgia there’s not much content but there surely is appeal.
Ashe appears in shades of blue and a bit of bronze to decorate her and her bow. This dark and subdued colour scheme contrasts the bright and colourful in-game look. It fits the feel of the piece but isn’t a good representation of how the skin looks. The same happens with the nebulous formations all over Ashe’s body: that’s not present in-game. What few glows are there also don’t match the in-game eye-catching visuals. Regardless, it’s certainly an evocative portrayal that could be an alternative, grim take on the Cosmic Queen. It’s a pity then, that certain areas, like her legs are noticeably sketchy and diffuse.
Therein lies the problem, this is a splash art with lots of personality. It does a lot with what little it has but what it does isn’t a good reflection of what appears in-game. With some extra polish this could be a wonderful piece provided faithfulness to the three-dimensional counterpart isn’t required.
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Conclusion: In spite of the splash art’s sombre take on Cosmic Queen Ashe the skin is quite colourful, bright and eye-catching. The model is mostly blue with some gold highlights and more decoration around the head; it almost seems to be framing her cleavage. The hairstyle, hood and frame give a somewhat exotic regal treatment over the plain suit. This could appear simple but the glowing cape, halo and bow provide an unmissable visual spectacle that fits the monarch; though only the cape has a cosmic touch. The bow is very nicely designed with a central design of three circles with three openings of which the central one shows a glowing arrow. There’s a magical feel present that can’t be ignored.
Particles are divided by two dominating designs. Auto-attacks, Ranger’s Focus and Volley present colourful glows and trails with numerous sparks which remind of the classic design but with a much more florid and elaborate feel; which does fit the model’s colour scheme. Hawkshot and Enchanted Crystal Arrow are different in the sense that they clearly display constellations. The Hawk Spirit looks simple but the constellation is a great addition. The ultimate can feel simple in approach but is a relevant design with a constellation arrow and several more in its trail and impact. Perhaps a touch of comet would’ve helped to make it more fittingly eye-catching but it’s a good choice.
Sounds strike as rather simple for the insistent visuals. They are made of arrays of high-pitched twinklings with a rather homogeneous approach; even the ultimate. Truth be told, the straightforward design can feel underwhelming in comparison with the elaboration visible. Still, it’s appropriate support even if simple.
The recall is a great addition to the theme: Ashe, her bow and arrow become a trio of constellations. This is a clear and appealing representation of her theme that is as visually meaningful as it is attractive. A slight problem: the portion of cosmos which represents Ashe obstructs the respective constellation while being less interesting and fitting.
For a Cosmic Queen, Ashe seems unusually colourful and vibrant. Given how bright the skin can be it can feel overloaded in visuals to the point that the grim approach of the splash art can feel refreshing. Regardless, there’s no doubt that there’s a lot of visual splendour on sight. It’s all due to the particles and we are talking of nothing elaborate but there’s always something that catches the eye. If you like all this visual intensity then this is a rather attractive skin. There’s a lot to see to the point that it can tire so in that case you may want to simply consider the skin good but too loaded.

Conclusion

Ashe’s skins represent the several stages of skin development in League of Legends’ and their quality is directly tied to them; at least in this case. Earlier skin changes like Freljord Ashe and Sherwood Forest Ashe are simple and may interest only dedicated fans.

Woad Ashe is a nice compromise between cost and detail while Queen Ashe provides a nice and well executed concept. Amethyst Ashe offers quite a sophisticated design but the icing on the cake is, suitably, Heartseeker Ashe with its profusion of hearts.

Thus, the recommendation follows a similar trend: if you want detailed and sharp looks for Ashe, there’s nothing better than Amethyst Ashe. Heartseeker Ashe instead emphasises her particles as her aspect is simpler and more fanciful.

Queen Ashe is a nice and elegant alternative though its concept isn’t as radical; in comparison to other skins. Woad Ashe is also recommended as it offers a very distinct and nice look for Ashe at an affordable price.

For a look that inspires dread in enemies the choice is Marauder Ashe. The skin has some nice designs but the theme doesn’t feel completely implemented. It still is unique and attractive but also not on par with her other options.

The legendary choice is PROJECT: Ashe. The cybernetic take on the archer is actually effective yet also uneven. In every transformed area there are changes that don’t reflect the theme well and some flat-out disappoint. The skin does have some great touches that contrast its shortcomings yet are adversely affected by them. Overall, it’s an appealing skin but one that doesn’t realise its full potential.

Championship Ashe is an interesting skin with several facets which end up being underdeveloped. There’s magic, heavy gear and royalty to like but none of these aspects ends up showing all the appeal they have. The result is attractive, nonetheless, but the lack of focus doesn’t do the skin any favours; raising money for charity does, though.

Cosmic Queen Ashe is a skin full of visual splendour and all of it is owed to the eye-catching particles. No other area insists on attention like the particles to the point that they can feel tiring. That could be a problem if you prefer sober designs. If not, Cosmic Queen Ashe is a skin that catches the eye and never lets go.

  109 Responses to “League of Legends: Ashe Skins’ Review”

  1. Amethyst should be 5 stars. It’s an amazing skin.

  2. According to the soon-to-be release Darius patch, this review would need a rework also… Maybe.

    • Definitely maybe? New Ashe, new review; choices: to update or not to update…

      • I would say “update”… But that is entirely your choice, obviously.

        If you want a look at the skins before release in action, here they are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk6tXILYrWQ

        Amethyst Ashe appears to include some particle changes.

        • More than an update it’s a new review that we’ll gladly do. Of course the idea of throwing away a full article isn’t exactly appealing.

          Indeed, Amethyst Ashe is receiving new purple particles due to fan demand. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the idea of making Enchanted Crystal Arrow freeze enemies got enough fan support.

          • That would have been amazing, but at least Ashe got improvements rather than… you know… nothing at all. (like Soraka)

            I’ll be waiting for that new review for Ashe. Keep it up!

        • Here it is. Hope you enjoy it!

          While Enchanted Crystal Arrow doesn’t freeze enemies at least it looks quite pretty now. The changes to Frost Shot and Volley are also nice.

  3. I particularly like Queen Ashe, mainly because her walking animation doesn’t look like a washing machine just spinning left and right, (like with Divine Soraka).

    While many people say that her default skin is the best out of the lot, i really enjoy Queen Ashe personally.

    Woaf ashe looks awesome too, it’s a nice detail that her arrows in normal auto-attack look like wooden arrows.

    • The skins’ re-textured arrows are very nice, though in the actual auto-attack they all look the same. Still it’s a nice touch.

      Queen Ashe is a skin that stands apart because of the dress: it completely changes the way Ashe looks. While now Divine Soraka may not compare to Queen Ashe both skins are quite special because of this.

      On the topic of Woad Ashe, it was good and now it’s even better. Now she looks more aboriginal and less like a dark elf which helps the overall style of the game be unique. It’s certainly a very well thought and executed skin.

      • Divine Soraka does not compare to Queen Ashe “for now” at least, since apparently Riot is remodeling Soraka now. They even said they might release a new skin for Soraka and everything, i do hope that’s true.

        Back on-topic: Woad Ashe reminds me to Sivir but with bow and arrow, which is awesome. And i agree, Woad Ashe is a well executed skin all things considered.

        • Indeed, Morello confirmed that the Soraka visual upgrade would include a new skin as well.

          We agree that both Woad Ashe and Huntress Sivir share a distinct and well executed aboriginal theme.

          • Too bad that Huntress Sivir is somewhat hard to get. Hard in a sense that the pack it comes with it is not really impressive.

          • The Gamer’s Choice pack, as the other bundles, are worth purchasing only for new players. The more champions unlocked the less benefit they provide.
            Therefore, we agree that seasoned players won’t find them very appealing.

  4. I really appreciate this post. I¡¦ve been looking all over for this!
    Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thx again

  5. ‘woad ashe resembles a tattooed aboriginal archer’

    … that’s not what a woad is! a woad is scottish!

    • We agree with that, woad is used for the Scottish Picts. Still, the look of the skin resembles a tattooed aboriginal or native; which, in a way, is what the Picts were.

  6. The particles are actually different colors for all of these skins now. Sherwood and Woad are green and Freljord and Queen are white.

    • We’ll have to check that then, thanks for the information.

      • Are the particles the same on the “white” vs “green” line of skins (Freljord & Queen vs Woad & Sherwood)? Or are there actually differences between, say, Woad and Sherwood?

        • They seem to be the same. After the visual upgrade the particles were kept the same for all skins available at the time; the only thing that changed was the colour. You could consider it a re-colour of particles. Therefore, Freljord and Queen are white while Woad and Sherwood are green.

  7. Does her ultimate have any changes in her other skins except in the Amethyst one. If so please tell me cuz I dont see them. Might be from my graphics.

    • Yes, her ultimate, Enchanted Crystal Arrow, gets a faint colour change just like Frost Shot and Volley. The colour of the new particles is white with a soft colour hue; except when it’s just white. The difference is definitely subtle but it’s there.

  8. I apologise for writing here about other champ than Ashe but my all time fav Sejuani has no skins review yet and i agree because her skins are quite dissapointing. I do really want to buy one of them. Can you reccomend me which and explain why and are there any changes in her spells in any of the skins Sej has?

    • No problem, as distant relatives Ashe shouldn’t mind.

      The reason we haven’t reviewed Sejuani isn’t due to the quality of the skins but rather due to requests and seasonal events.

      Sabretusk Sejuani has a distinct tribal style while Darkrider Sejuani has a darker and more serious look. As far as we know neither of her release skins alter the look of her abilities. Therefore, the ice powers work better with Darkrider’s theme rather than Sabretusk; though the former looks a bit monochromatic.

      Regardless, both skins look reasonably good and you should consider how much you like the concepts and the executions. As more skins will eventually come be sure that you like the skin enough to use it even after new releases.

      Feel free to ask any further questions you may have.

  9. First off, I want to thank you for these very good skin reviews, I always read them before any skin purchase I make!

    However, I couldn’t help but notice a small mistake about Woad Ashe. ‘Ashe resembles a tattoed aboriginal archer.’ This is definitely not true. Woad is a reference to the typical blue dye (based on the woad plant), used for tattoos by Celtic tribes in ancient times. Celtic warriors wore these tattoos to intimidate foes in battle. Woad Ashe looks in my opinion very similar to the depiction of Guinevere (Keira Knightley) as a Celtic archer in the movie King Arthur (2004). Here you can see picture: http://fr.web.img6.acsta.net/r_640_600/b_1_d6d6d6/medias/nmedia/18/35/25/49/18381623.jpg

    A little remark, but I felt the need to point this out. đŸ™‚

    • Woops I see that someone already made a remark about this. While I understand you see ‘aboriginal’ more like ‘native’, I think Woad Ashe’s esthetics have very little in common with Aboriginal esthetics: dark skin with white or light colored tattoos vs Ashes pale skin and blue tattoos, very different clothing etc…

      • Not at all, glad that you find the reviews useful.

        Truth be told Woad Ashe has a clear Pict archer look that should be explicitly noted instead of using more general terminology. We agree that the review should expose it as clearly as possible and so we have updated it.

        Thanks for the notice.

  10. i really love your reviews but may I ask how come you havent been posting many reviews lately, thanks in advance

    • Glad that you like them.

      That’s because all champions’ skins have already been reviewed. Thus, until new skins are released there isn’t much else we can review. We are still planning other types of content for the site but as far as skins go, there doesn’t seem to be anything left to review; sans the classic ones.

      If you have anything in mind we’d be grateful for your suggestions.

  11. May I ask why Sherwood Forest Ashe is lower rated than Freljord Ashe even though they are both just basic re-textures with low prices and the Sherwood Forest is given a better Splash-Art review?

    • Certainly, that’s because Sherwood Forest Ashe looks too similar to Classic Ashe, the colours aren’t very different. At least Freljord Ashe provides a distinct white that makes it stand out. The splash art is a nice bonus but in-game it isn’t very relevant and the model is the focus of attention. That’s why we put more emphasis on it than the splash art.

  12. Great article! That is the type of information that should be
    shared around the web. Shame on the seek engines for no longer positioning this submit upper!
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  13. IN amethyst ashe her third is light purple right.? i see it cuz i have it xD .her hawk eye.!

    • We didn’t notice any changes but as the particles’ colours are so subtle it’s not something to simply rule out. As far as we know only Hawkshot keeps the same particles across her skins while the other abilities get a subtle tint.

  14. heartseeker ashe pleaseeee đŸ˜€

  15. Hi Zero,

    Thank you for the timely review on HeartSeeker Ashe. It seems like a nice skin and your review is on the mark but it seems odd and a bit sad that they would add a 4 star rated Zero skin to a library that already has 5 star Zero rated skins such as Woad, Amethyst, and Queen. Riot already has 2 quality regular 975 rp skins and Woad and Sherwood arent bad and Freljord has occasional appeal. With 5 fairly nice skins did Ashe really need a 6th?

    Honestly, I might have docked them a star just because I feel that Ashes new skin is not an addition to her library. There are already really good Ashe skins that I dont own and am waiting for a sale to own. And if I was going to spend 975 rp Id get one that you have rated higher.

    From here on out, you cant really do much with Ashe except go legendary or Ultimate. Shes got 975 price point and under skins covered.

    Meanwhile, Rengar has been holding at one skin forever and could use a Heartseeker skin. And I suppose that women are more attractive and sell more skins so they get more made for them but even so, Karma only has 2 skins that you can buy assuming traditional never hits a store again. And her 2 skins arent “special” and she would look good in Red.

    Its a good skin, dont get me wrong. But I dont get it. Ashe already has plenty of skins and some of the best skins in the game especially at the price point where Heartseeker enters. Shes a fairly popular champion but not a hugely popular champion.

    There are probably a hundred champions that had greater need of an addition to their skin library than Ashe.

    And Zero dont you feel that if you are going to throw a skin in the mix to compete with already great 5 star skins like Woad, Amethyst, and Queen Ashe and at the same price point that it should have something incredibly special going for it beyond lovely splash art ?

    Zero, I just dont get it. Its a good skin. Its a nice skin for Ashe. But dont you feel a bit like … yeah Ashe gets another 4 star skin … Meh … yawn.

    In the past few months, Tryn has gotten a 6th skin, Renekton has gotten a 6th skin, Ashe has gotten a 6th skin and everyone of these champions already had at least 1 high rated 5 star Zero rated skin in their library. Sivir also got her 6th skin but even without a skin rated 5 stars, her new snow skin didnt leapfrog the other 5 skins you already have rated 3 stars or above.

    Ahri got her 4th skin which is more sensible but even then Im not sure that it outshines Foxfire. Only Diana got a well needed 2nd skin and even then it sits at the same price point as Valkyrie and you rate it lower than DV Diana which makes me sad.

    I suppose that more people own Ashe than Jinx because of price point differentials but Riot could fix that in a hurry by dropping the prices on champions that have been out for 2 years or more.

    People would buy more skins if they owned more champions so I dont see the downside in doing it. Maybe they need to explore ip sales for older champions.

    Well heres hoping 2014 gains traction and Riot starts making skins for champions that need them instead of pumping out skins for our champions that already own several of them.

    Thanks for your great reviews. Looking forward to your opinion on this issue.

    • Not at all. We agree that there’s a certain tendency to ignore champions with few skins, which are usually unpopular, and instead prioritize popular ones with large wardrobes. It’s particularly problematic because many champions with few skins even have a low IP prize so it’s access isn’t an issue. So, it they had more varied skins they could attract a larger audience. After all, looks matter.

      If a champion like Ashe receives a new skin one would expect it to add something novel with respect to the others but that’s not the case with Heartseeker. The only things that stand out are the new particles, which aren’t re-colours like the others, the new sounds and recall. Still, they aren’t particularly striking.

      Therefore, it seems like modern skins are content with adding more of the same to sexy archer Ashe and brutally angry Renekton. Heartseeker and Scorched Earth, to name the latest ones only, don’t deviate from the direction of previous skins so they struggle to define an identity for themselves. On top of that they need to go above and beyond in features to truly feel special.

      The large cast of champions also doesn’t help as new players would have to either spend huge amounts of money or time to unlock their favourite champions. Maybe in the statistics all looks fine but from the look of someone who wants to start playing the game it’s simply overwhelming. Just open a new account and you’ll get quite a clear picture.

      It’s possible that in 2014 the direction and quality of skins will need to be addressed but also how to make the game more welcoming to new players and more appealing for veterans. Good things have been done so far yet there is a need for change because, overall, there’s a lot that needs to be improved.

    • As a Heartseeker skin, the Ashe one is infinitely better than the older Vayne effort. The recall animation alone is worth the price.

      The Heartseeker theme only works for characters that shoot some form of arrows — so for a male Heartseeker, your obvious go-to champion would be Varus, who is instead getting a skin based on http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3563463 .
      Admittedly Ezrael uses some form of (energy) bow as well, but him going after Taric on Valentine’s Day might not go over well in some of the markets LoL operates in.
      Twitch is another (cross-) bow user that could use some love, as his skins are universally terribad — yet making a plague rat work with the love concept is somewhat far off.

      • You are right that it’s better but to an extent, we still think that Heartseeker Ashe isn’t at the level of other skins at the same price. In particular, the model seems somewhat washed out and while the particles are good they aren’t innovative either.

        It’s probable that for future Valentine’s skins they’ll tackle other concepts like Debonair; in the case of Jayce. We agree that Heartseeker isn’t exactly an idea with great flexibility.

  16. Don’t know whether or not we should point out typos, but I’ll do it anyways.

    “Fleljord Ashe is a good piece but it leaves the feeling that it can be excellent but, sadly, isn’t.”

  17. You know am wondering they might change the textures and particle effects after Season 5 approaches, do you have to reconsider your reviews later on?

    • They’ve already started to update the textures of some skins so that they make a better fit on the upcoming visual upgrade for Summoner’s Rift. It’s mostly a layer of polish but when necessary we adjust the reviews. Although, changes are minor enough that, at least so far, there’s no need to alter the ratings.

  18. Hey Zero I’ve been planning to get an Ashe skin for a while but I’m torn between Queen and Heartseeker.

    Queen I like because it keeps her classic frost theme which appeals to me quite a lot and provides a nice elegant and regal look for her while keeping the ethereal atmosphere with all of the ice particles (idk if it’s like that or other people, this is how I see it)

    Heartseeker I like quite a lot especially the particles (I’m particularly fond of the e) but I don’t like how dull her in game look is compared to the promises made by the splash art. In particular, I perceive her hed as a clunky mess of colour. The particles are stunning though.

    • We completely agree that Queen Ashe has a charm that few skins equate. Indeed, Heartseeker Ashe pales in comparison to the exquisite splash art depiction. The particles are good as you say but sometimes less is more.

      Something in between those skins would be Amethyst Ashe which has a rather nice model as well as particles. It’s not the elegance of Queen nor the particles of Heartseeker but it’s offers a compromise between the two.

      Back to the skins in question Queen is a skin that we certainly can recommend. Heartseeker is a flawed skin which still has its appeal but that can’t hide its inadequacies.

      You sound as if you like Queen more but are tempted by Heartseeker. In that case, you can either wait for a sale and get both for the price of one; or simply the one you like the most.

      We would recommend Queen first and then, if you still like it, go for Heartseeker. There’s really little bad to say about Queen Ashe but Heartseeker has its problems clearly visible. That’s not to say that Heartseeker is a bad skin but we don’t think it’d be the first choice when looking at Ashe’s skins. There’s certainly better.

      • And what about the new Marauder Ash? I was really pumped when I saw the model but now that I know it’s just a remodel and nothing more my enthusiasm died. I think that the dark armour and red cape give off the impression of a dark warrior and it really clashed with the ice particles

        • Well a dark archer that wields ice isn’t that uncommon in fantasy. Even if it’s just a re-model we think that it looks rather nice. The design is elaborate and interesting so it could be a nice skin. If it also adds a few extras it could very well be a great skin. We’ll have to wait and see.

  19. I like the Woad Ashe since it is the only one without a cloak, which makes her look thiner and also with the brown color makes her harder to be found in a battlefield, whereas the white and glowing Freljord Ashe just screams ‘click me, click me!’

    • That’s a good point to consider, even if the hit boxes are probably identical. Nonetheless, as far as looks go Woad Ashe manages to offer a rather distinct and attractive style for quite a low price. It’s certainly an example of how much can be done with little.

  20. now with ashes rework my amethyst skin no longer has that shimmer effect on the bow. dissapointing as that was the main reason i like the skin

    • Actually, that shimmer effect was used for all skins, including classic, to note very clearly when Frost Shot was active. It used to be a glow similar to the one used for her frosted arrows but, at some point, it was changed into that. It did match the colourful Amethyst skin well though it didn’t work very nicely with other more sober skins.

      Ashe now has a perma-slow with Frost Shot as her passive so the effect is no longer used. Still, it could be worthwhile to add a glow, with appropriate colours, to her bow as she gains focus so that you can just look at Ashe instead of looking for a tool-tip. It’s only an idea though. As with all re-works, upgrades and such changes some things get better and others are sadly lost.

  21. I’m not sure but i believe that the Marauder Ashe skin has different particles for her ultimate, it seems more green than blue, but it’s only her ult, but I’m not sure.

    • As far as we can tell Marauder is only a re-model and doesn’t have any new particles. We’ll keep our eyes open just in case; thanks.

  22. Did riot removed the tingling sound on heartseeker ashe q in this update? Does your opinion on ashe skins changes in this update? Is heartseeker ashe a skin worth to own?

    • Sadly, the gameplay update did remove Hearseeker Ashe’s Frost Shot sound. The skin still has enough to justify the four stars it has but removing sounds certainly doesn’t do it any favours. If you like Heartseeker we don’t think that it’s a change that ruins the skin so that it’s not longer worth having. However, we do think that it’s a bit worse because of the absent sounds; they could’ve been added to Ranger’s Focus but they didn’t.

  23. Hey Zero! I love your reviews and I look at them every time I decide to buy a skin. I was wondering whether I should buy Amethyst Ashe or Heartseeker. Ahh, I know Amethyst has a higher rating but man those animations and particles on Heartseeker is messing with me and I can’t decide which skin I want. Amethyst in my opinion is very pleasing to the eye and I love purple this skin is very appealing. Although there are more animations and sounds from Heartseeker. (the visual in game is not the best :\) So which one do you think would be a better buy?

    • Glad that you find the reviews useful.

      You seem to like Amethyst and it surely is a skin with great looks; even if stylized. We agree that Heartseeker’s sounds are nice and so are the particles but a new recall is an extra and not a main feature. We think that overall Amethyst is a superior skin but the difference with Heartseeker isn’t so large that personal preference should be ignored.

      It depends on which theme you like better. Amethyst is a fanasy bowwoman and Heartseeker a heart-styled Cupid reference. We’d recommend centring on the theme and the features you like the most and not to worry about which one offers more. Neither would be a bad choice so choose based on what you like the most. If possible, get the skins on sale as you can save quite some RP and even get both, if you so desire, for the price of one.

      • It feels awesome that you replied. Haha, someone is going to gift a skin to me so no need for me to spend money. I’ll be getting Amethyst, thanks for taking the time to reply. đŸ™‚

  24. Omg . . I was so scared of the seemingly definite average rating for Woad Ashe (My fav skin for her and the very first skin I ever bought (due to being an Ashe main early in my League days when I was just starting out and a good way into my first season.) I love this skin to death because theirs not many skins that portray tattoos really well and as elegantly as they are in this skin (besides Jinx my fav adc and was my adc main after Ashe). I wish more skins like this existed but sadly they are few and far between :/ Oh well, hopefully we can get some more sexy champ skins in the future that have a tattooed theme to them because I would insta-buy them out of sheer Joy. đŸ˜›

    • Woad Ashe has far from an average rating. In fact, it has the highest rating possible at five stars and is one of the best skins that Ashe has available. Overall it does a great job at realising its theme. There should certainly be more skins as good as Woad Ashe. There could also be more variety in themes as skin concepts seem to be a bit repetitive at times.

      • I think I may have mispoke but I think I was trying to say that I was afraid of an average review due to the nature of the skin from others I had read. But I’m glad my fav skin is seen in good light from others as well đŸ™‚
        Speaking on Ashe’s first (Finally) Legendary skin I was a bit more Impressed with just how awesome it felt in game and the aesthetics of the quotes/interactions really made it stand out as a close second favorite skin for Ashe. But, it seems a lot of the more expensive skins see harsher ratings (as they deservedly should given the price increase) I guess I usually initially can’t see anything besides the amazing “looking” skin. I do appreciate the depths of your reviews however, and commend the extensive time and effort that seems to be on display here. Even if I may not agree 100% with all of them đŸ˜›

        • Glad that you find the reviews useful. Ultimately, it’s only our point of view and we can disagree: they are just opinions, none better than the other. At any rate, you should guide your purchases by what works for you; we only provide advice and guidance.

          With that said, some reviews are shorter because the skins are simpler to analyse. That usually happens with older skins but also with new 750 RP re-models. We actually like PROJECT: Ashe but we can’t deny that the skin isn’t at the level we would’ve hoped. Something else we take into account is the long term value of a skin. One trick ponies can be great initially but can get boring eventually.

          That could be said about PROJECT and its auto-hood. In the end it would be nice if you could have some control over it; and also the cape. It’s not something that we see as a flaw but the new hood isn’t as good as it could’ve been given it’s out of one’s control. The rest of the skin we find pretty straightforward also; perhaps too much. This results in a skin that is appealing but that simply doesn’t reach the greatness it could and should.

  25. Ashe new legendary skin! Project Ashe! Please rate that one.

  26. I’m wondering, what are you initial thoughts on Project: Ashe? Since this is the first legendary skin she is getting, there is a lot of hype and it does look like a great skin. With that said, if feels like, compared to other skin alternatives, this skin’s particle effects lack… a bit of power. Particularly the ultimate seems a bit underwhelming, and it feels like just a bit of extra work could make it a must-buy for Ashe mains. What are your thoughts?

    • We agree, it’s monotonous with the strict blue-white colour scheme. Besides, the particles, though more polygonal, they still resemble stylised ice. The cybernetic idea is interesting and works well enough. However, it seems a bit plain. Also, to have some control on the hood toggle would also help make the skin special. If that cape could also be toggled as well as some other little details it could add an air of customization that would make it special. It’s good, but in the end, it feels quite familiar and a bit underwhelming.

  27. Project ashe review?!

  28. Is heart seeker an good skin for Ashe I might buy it

    • It’s a rather nice skin if you like its saccharine concept. The model isn’t as bright and appealing as the splash art suggests but the particles, sounds and recall are well done. It could’ve been better but it’s quite good.

  29. Hello Mr Zero.

    Thanks again for answering my Zombie Brand question back in 2014. I still love his death animation along with his dance and green particle abilities. However, I want to ask another question. I’m having second thoughts on whether or not to buy Project Ashe or Dragon Trainer Tristana.

    One reason being, I have no skin for Ashe so I was hoping to get this one for her. I got hook with the abilities and her dance. Although, they do remind me of her normal colour when using her base skin. The Dragon Trainer Tristana looks cute and friendly as well, but I have her Rocket Girl Tristana skin which is pleasing to look at.

    What do I choose?

    • Not at all, glad to be of help.

      If you are going to get PROJECT: Ashe then you should wait a bit for her early sale. Legendaries, for now, only go on sale once so it would be your chance of spending 1350 RP instead. That said, we found PROJECT: Ashe not as impressive as we expected. It has a nice cybernetic aesthetic and the minimalist take on the auto-attacks is a good choice. However, the skin doesn’t truly feel legendary. In fact, it’s unique feature of an automatic hood is completely out of the player’s control so that’s something you have to put up with despite your preferences.

      It’s a good skin and the most elaborate that Ashe has. However, her cheaper skins are also quite nice. The are certainly humbler, only a new model and new colour for the particles, but also effective and appealing. Whatever you choose, know that it should be a skin that you like. We always recommend to get skins on sale so in the case of PROJECT you have only one chance; unless Riot revises its policy. There’s time so no need to rush the decision. PROJECT is a good skin but is it worth the high price? If you really like it it could be if not, there’re many other options.

      With regards to Tristana we are in a similar situation but Dragon Trainer’s early sale already happened. In this case it’s irrelevant when you buy the skin. What really matter is if you like it. We find that Dragon Trainer is centred on demonstrating the bond between Tristana and her dragon Riggle. That’s actually quite appealing but the problem is that it’s displayed mostly in out of combat animations; like emotes and recall. When it comes the time for a fight, Dragon Trainer functions very similar to other skins but with a cartoony, dragon in hand style.

      Truth be told, Rocket Girl may be still Tristana’s best skin. Surely, the explosions aren’t as impressive as they used to be after the visual upgrade but they are still good. If you have Rocket Girl then you can hardly do better. If you particularly find Dragon Trainer attractive or you are getting bored of Rocket Girl, you could consider getting the skin. However, be sure that you like it enough. Legendary skins are a big expense so it’s always wise to ponder such a purchase. No point in spending a lot for a skin that won’t see much use.

  30. Hello Mr Zero

    Thank you for helping me on saving up for Zombie brand back in 2012. Although, it was been roughly 4 years past, I still thank you for that answer. However, I’m in troubles yet again. I want to buy a legendary skin and I can’t decide on whether or not I should take Project Ashe or Dragon Trainer Tristana. Both are good skins, however, I still can’t figure out which. I already have a skin for Tristana. Rocket girl that is! For Ashe I don’t have one.

    So, what’s your suggestion? Project Ashe? Dragon Trainer Tristana or why not other skins like Snow Bard and Gentlemen Gnar combined~?

    • There’s always the option of buying several skins instead of one expensive skin; like a legendary. We’d be repeating ourselves but it remains true that whether the price is high or low you should buy a skin that you like and will play often. Sadly, being legacy is no warranty of quality. Snow Bard is a nice skin but it owes its complexity to Bard himself more than the scope of the skin. Gentleman Gnar is a fine re-model with some extra touches. It’s probably Gnar’s best skin but nothing groundbreaking.

      If you have the time check what you play and like most in a champion. Consider which concepts you like in skins: sci-fi, fantasy, jokes, events, homages, reinterpretations. Then look for good skins that apply to the aspects that you have chosen. It’s difficult to simply recommend skins as taste is totally subjective. However, if you like what you buy, even if it’s imperfect, then you will enjoy it and won’t regret the purchase.

  31. Hello zero,
    I want to buy a legendary skin but i cant decide which since i main adc and i find it really difficult to decide.. In general i love project skins bcs i find them really badass, i already have project lucian ekko zed and yasuo and i want project ashe too but im not really sure if it’s worth the money since it’s more expensive than the other project skins .. So what do u recommend?

    • PROJECT: Ashe is an interesting skin with a distinct style provided you accept that it has some issues. The skin is uneven with simplistic areas and a disappointing ultimate. If you can forgive such problems the PROJECT style is noticeable and appealing. The main issue is that it’s not effectively delivered in all features. Regardless, it’s a good skin simply not great like a legendary should be.

      We don’t think that PROJECT: Ashe would disappoint but there will be areas that will feel like a letdown. The rough edges can’t be ignored but we don’t see the skin as having such major problems that one would stop playing it. Of course, this is subjective because what’s important to one person may be negligible to another. It’s just our view on the skin.

      Check some videos of PROJECT: Ashe in action. Better to be sure about what you are getting into. Then you can see if you like the skin enough or if you should look for another legendary skin. We’d recommend to buy a skin you really like whether legendary or not. The key is that the skin should be satisfying not carry a label for the sake of it.

      Remember that newer legendaries go on early sale six months after they are released; roughly. PROJECT: Ashe already was discounted but there may be others that you may like and the lower price always helps.

  32. Will there be a Championship Ashe review coming soon?

  33. Championship Ashe?

  34. Should I buy championship ashe or project ashe? I’d like your thoughts please. I do think project particles look really lame, but I hate to pay 1300rp just for the golden ashe chroma. Thought?

    • You don’t have to get the chroma if you don’t want. Also, PROJECT: Ashe is a more elaborate skin being legendary. Championship Ashe is good but we think that while it has appeal it’s a purchase that may be more important for the charity donation than the skin itself. Sure, it’s well done but it doesn’t do as much as it could to be well rounded. Granted, PROJECT also has problems but, being the price so close, you may find more to like in the vast array of features that PROJECT has than in Championship.

      Ultimately, both skins add up pretty closely; that’s way the share the same three star rating. However, there’s a good difference in approach to the adaptation between them. A legendary skin has it’s magic, so to speak, even when not great. Championship is nice but you have to buy it knowing that you like what you get. As the review mentions, it could’ve been more focused to be more attractive.

  35. How can Project Ashe be 3 stars when other mediocre skins have 5 fckin stars ??? Plz explain.

    • If by mediocre you mean skins that are cheaper then you have to consider that we evaluate the value of a skin. If a skin at 520 RP is well realised then it’ll get a good rating. Just because it’s cheap it won’t be a bad option. There’s no doubt that the bar is risen as the price goes up. Therefore expectations for a legendary skin are much higher. After all, what’s the point in getting a re-model at 1820 RP? Price matters because it indicates how much effort goes into the skin.

      We expect a certain quality and features at each price tier. If we ignore price then, sans some exceptions, more expensive skins have a clear advantage simply because they offer more; though not always as well done. However, just because a skin has more features it doesn’t make it good but the amount of effort matters. The price is an effort on the buyers part too so it’s only fair that you get enough for what you pay.

  36. For those who want the Championship Ashe chroma but are unable to get the tokens for it: you’re not missing out on much.

    Sure it’s golden but it’s not like there are any additional effects. It’s just more… yellow. If anything you look more like a glowing target for the enemy since the bright yellow is easy to see whereas the blue blends in the background.

    By the way there’s one thing that is subjectively more preferable with the base Championship Ashe skin, and it’s the hair. The base skin has blonde hair, while the chroma has white hair which makes it less unique since the original skin has white hair.

    Anyway the base Championship skin is a limited-time option for getting blonde Ashe since the Freljord skin is legacy.

    Source: have Championship Ashe with all the extras (icon, ward, border, chroma)

    • Thanks for the information. It’s a pity that textures having so much potential for changing the style of a skin or champion usually end up re-colouring everything. Sometimes it’s not even an improvement which only adds to the mix of feelings about them. At least, Championship Ashe is good enough that it doesn’t need a chroma.

  37. Hi Zero, I need your opinion on this matter.

    Which of these Skins are worth their price? Can you rank them from best to worse and state the reasonings? Project Ashe, Pulsefire Caitlyn, Project Vayne & SG Jinx.

    Which of these skins would you recommend for me? I can afford 2 of them

    IMO

    – Project Ashe > Pulsefire Caitlyn > Project Vayne > SG Jinx

    • We found PROJECT: Ashe somewhat uneven but the skin has appealing features. Pulsefire Caitlyn has a disappointing model but the rest is quite attractive; especially the two rifles. PROJECT: Vayne is very well developed and accomplishes the synthetic feel it aims for. Star Guardian Jinx is also nicely developed with a couple of significant familiars.

      Depends on what you are looking for because Star Guardian Jinx is qutie different from the cyborgs of PROJECT. Pulsefire Caitlyn is hi-tech like PROJECT but with less cyberpunk, perhaps. That said,we find Star Guardian Jinx and PROJECT: Vayne as two of the most well done skins. Pulsefire Caitlyn is also good but you’ll have to excuse the disappointing model. PROJECT: Ashe is a skin that has noticeable ups and downs but is nice if you can excuse its issues.

  38. Hi Zero, I’m thinking about buying an Ashe skin. I really like Championship and Cosmic Queen, but I can’t decide which to buy… which one would you recommend?

    • Championship Ashe is a legacy skin so there will be no discount on it. Thus, Cosmic Queen Ashe has the advantage when on sale. At the same price the truth is that both skins are rather similar in their straigthforward approach. While neither is bad they don’t have any spectacular features to speak of. In fact, we prefer the older skins: cheaper and better realised.

      If it has to be between these two then Cosmic Queen Ashe on sale may be a better option. It’d be cheaper, the concept doesn’t deviate from the royal theme so used for Ashe and the implementation is good enough. Don’t expect anything impressive in either case.

  39. Hii Zero, Cosmic Queen Ashe is on sale for 975 RP, is it worth grabbing?

    • Sorry for the late response. It’s a question that depends a lot on what you expect from the skin. If you expect Cosmic Queen Ashe to actually deliver on its premise then perhaps it’s a pass. However, if good looks are enough then the skin offers quite a good spectacle. We’d recommend to wait for a 50% discount but 975 RP is certainly better than 1350 RP.

  40. Hi! I know I’m probably late to the party, but should I get Cosmic Queen Ashe? It is on sale right now, so I think it might be worth it? I enjoyed so much of Ashe’s skins, but to note, I don’t have any of the “blue themed” Ashe skins.

    Also, thank you for all of your hard work! I have never bought a skin without looking at your review! It\s like my skin bible hehe đŸ˜€

    • Sorry to answer so late. We are glad you find the reviews useful.

      As mentioned above, it depends on what you expect from the skin. If you want Cosmic Queen Ashe to honour its name then it’s not as effective as it should be. If, however, you are content with good looks then the particle work is rather good.

      Not having any blue-styled skin we’d say there are cheaper options if that’s the main concern. In that case, perhaps a regular sale at half price is better or simply another skin. Cosmic Queen Ashe is a skin that it firmly in the middle as it’s good in some areas and not so much in others.

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