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League of Legends: Swain Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Sep 132012
 
Swain, the Noxian Grand General
Swain, the Noxian Grand General

Swain, the Noxian Grand General is a man surrounded by stories. Some say that a pact exists: a great price for unconceivable power; but that’s little more than a rumour. It’s said he knows what’s coming. What is clear is that in any battlefield, even the political, power is necessary to weather any storm. Whether braving the cold winds of the northern front, buccaneering along the seas or displaying the whole extent of an unknowable magical prowess; Swain knows how to adapt to the environment. Some remember him calling for Beatrice; a name with a mysterious meaning. Read this skins’ review and learn if there’s more to see beyond the stern visage of the Noxian Grand General.

Northern Front Swain
Northern Front Swain Splash Art Northern Front Swain Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Swain dressed in a cold weather military uniform and ravens as white owls.
Model: Major model changes for Swain, moderate model changes for his raven form and new model for his ravens plus new glow for his left arm and frozen breath.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack, joke, taunt and recall.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: New sounds for Vision of Empire and Nevermove plus some new voice-over quotes.
Splash Art: Blurry but with the feel of blizzard the snowy mountains are all the background we find. It’s a backdrop, sure, but minimal and more filler than context. It’s clear that Swain is the only relevant figure.
Swain’s portrayal emphasises his gritty, veteran style. His face, scarred by many battles, is at the forefront surrounded by the pristine equipment to brave the harsh climate. The military regalia is glints on her hat but looks dull on his shoulders. The fur of his coat looks sketchy and strikes as artificial and thready. The torso shows good shading but the leg is diffuse. The frozen arm also appears a bit dull and the exterior of the coat is flatout blurry. As we can notice, the central area is sharply depicted while the outer areas are unnecessarily diffuse. The perspective adds dramatism but eschews a clear view as well as Beatrice.
It only takes a glance to notice how straightforward and simple this splash art is. There’s no context, just a background and the portrayal, in its uneven grace, is all there is. It’s also clear that Swain shown in a way to make a good first impression but at the expense of disappointing with the lack of depth. The basics are, more or less, covered but barely.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Army clothing while only coat and hat make any reference to rank looks like kind of practical approach that the Grand General would take. Northern Front Swain doesn’t look impressive but doesn’t want to. In fact, the light colours are what catch the eye the most. Still, there’s more to see like the subtle camouflage pattern of the coat or the frozen breath of Swain. The hair may be a bit too long but the beard and eye-patch aim at displaying Swain like a rugged veteran of many battles; one that hasn’t lost the knack or the inclination to be ready for any battle. The glowing light arm stands out against the dark armour but can mesh with the light-coloured coat. It’s a nice balance that makes the dichotomy interesting. It should be noted that he looks a bit too modern for displaying magical powers, though.
The particles embody the frosty feel of the skin though most of them are simply re-coloured to match. Some ice shards are added to make the ice touch on impact more obvious though it’s not always easy to catch given the speed at which it happens. The result is rather monotonous but gives actions a consistent feel to represent the theme.
Sounds are even shier than particles. On top of the classic effects, Vision of Empire and Nevermove add a frosty sound. The rest of keep their classic sounds which aren’t out of place but notoriously lack a proper icy touch.
All in all, it’s obvious that Northern Front Swain is chained to classic and a victim of its price tier. Perhaps if it were a 975 RP skin the execution would’ve showed a more ambitious angle. Regardless, it does a rather good show within its limitations. Even if the changes can seem shallow at times, the result is certainly appealing. As a look at a potential future where Swain has seen more battles, paid the price for them, yet retain his style adapting to new challenges, there’s an interesting backdrop to draw from.

Bilgewater Swain
Bilgewater Swain Splash Art Bilgewater Swain Model
Category: Regular
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Swain outfitted as a pirate and ravens as colourful parrots.
Model: Major model changes for Swain, minor model changes for his raven form and new model for his ravens plus new glow for his left arm.
Particles: New particles for his joke.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: Some new voice-over quotes.
Splash Art: The suggestion of great heights is given by the perspective and emphasised by the blur but the distance isn’t that great to justify the latter. In spite of how diffuse the background is the ship with its torn sails with cannons shooting at an unseen enemy is a good context.
A couple parrots, not entire normal flank Swain who appears all too passive but dashingly so. The portrayal is all about style so that the flamboyant pirate can have show how cool he is. The left arm glows with magic power but the hand looks plastic. The right arm is omitted; which makes one wonder how is Swain holding himself to the mast so as not to fall. Perhaps he’s balancing himself, given the stylish approach of the portrayal, but that is starting to enter the land of exaggeration. The shadows on also seem too pronounced making Swain’s colours duller than they need to be. Even though the perspective offers a rather god view at his look the lighting seem uneven and whimsically distributed.
In spite of some inconsistencies, this is an effective splash art. There’s room for improvement but the basic are covered and an extra dose of style is added without compromising clarity. While there’s room to develop the scene further it’s a good glimpse at Swain’s former adventures in the high seas.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: With a youthful but firmly Pirates of the Caribbean feel Bilgewater Swain is a skin that looks the part. The model is heavily stylised making for a flamboyant pirate with a touch of Captain Sparrow but with a more stern and practical demeanour; which fits Swain very well. The coat, lined in gold, and the lack of visible scars speak of a successful pirate but the magical arm may explain what’s behind the success. Speaking of which, the new colour for the glow is red enough so that the classic particles don’t strike as out of place. However, there’s a mismatch between the two. The trousers and boots are simple, deceptively so but admittedly functional.
Overall, this is a good re-model, mostly, that envisions Swain as a fictional pirate. It has a clear fantasy angle taht can remind of Jecht in its style: strong but with good looks. In a way, it could be a look back at Swain’s early years when he was making a name for himself and deciding what to so with his life in the high seas. It’s a bit of a guess yet, given the skin’s name, it delivers what it promises.

Tyrant Swain
Tyrant Swain Splash Art Tyrant Swain Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Swain wearing a majestic armour and coat plus ravens as regal, demonic ravens.
Model: Major model changes for Swain, minor model changes for his raven form plus new glow for his eyes and left arm. New model for his dancing cane and ravens.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack, joke, taunt and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for Vision of Empire, Nevermove and recall plus processed voice-over plus some new voice-over quotes.
Splash Art: Let’s get straight to the point: this is Sauron. The cathedral or temple behind doesn’t say much because it’s simply not allowed to. The corpses being drained of life which is concentrated into a spiralling ball of energy is all that matters; perhaps there’s one ring there. Some extra magical effects and feathers here and there the setting is devoid of life, much like the corpses.
Swain’s Sauron-styled portrayal is eye-catching no doubt. It’s also derivative and not very clear about his actual look. The glowing hand and energy conceal much of his armour but it has to be admitted that the lightning is evocative and attractive. The reflections on the plates make the effect believable but feathers and cloth seem largely unaffected which makes a strange, unrealistic discrepancy. Wings extended but too dark to have any personality end up filling up the piece. The sharp, vertical lines of the armour are emphasised to give a semblance of height and sharpness. Unfortunately, the feathers and clothes look dim and sketchy which leaves the depiction feeling quite uneven.
All added together, this is a splash art that goes straight for the throat. While the approach is familiar the result is certainly eye-catching. Sadly, it’s also patently uneven. The balance of light and darkness is unrealistic and so the piece ends up not being as believable and evocative as it could’ve been; even if there’s enough of both.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Human: Tyrant Swain gives the Noxian Grand General a powerful and dignified style that casts all doubts aside about his strength. The attire covers him completely removing all traces of expression or humanity from him. There’s only metal and magic to be seen; whether in his glowing eyes or arm. To be fair, the look is clearly based on Sauron. There’s also some familiarity with regards to Mordekaiser but with a more royal style. Perhaps the feathered coat gives a more overt raven reference as well as the armour designs yet it’s a subtle effect.

Raven: Swain’s raven form is a balanced act of monster and human traits that make very clear the potent magic at his disposal. The peacock-like feathers of the semi-translucent wings give a proper spectral feel to the form. The raven head with many eyes is a great nod to the ravens that still fuel his power; hand talons would’ve been icing on the cake. Actually, the raven head is such a great touch that the classic incarnation should’ve used one too. Still, the result manages to have a good balance of dark power with a distinct bird motif.

Particles have an interesting design where the main colour is bright and the highlights are black; as if they were chromatically inverted. The result is of a slight, unnatural look that suits the dark style of the skin very well. Sure, for the most part, they are simply re-coloured. Impacts explode in feathers, reinforcing the bird motif, and there are spectral flames added to some effects but the general design is more than familiar. Vision of Empire also brings to mind Sauron as the demonic eye has much in common with his famous, all-seeing eye.
Sounds are disappointing. For the most part, the classic aural landscape is intact. Vision of Empire adds an eerie metallic whisper, Nazgûl-like, on top of the classic sounds. Nevermove, adds a noticeable metallic clank when an enemy is rooted; which makes the effect easy to distinguish. The general feel is the same which even if suitable is nonetheless disappointing. The processed voice-over adds a supernatural echo to heighten the dark feel.
The only new animation is the recall: a show of dark power that is more show than dark. Contrary to the former version of the skin, which had a new walking animation for Swain and his raven form plus new animations for his attack, Nevermove and Torment, there’s nothing else of note. This is a wasted opportunity to better define the identity of the skin, something which was done before and is sorely necessary in the current version.
When all is added together, we find that Tyrant Swain is a skin with quite an interesting and fitting concept; even if overly familiar. The execution, doesn’t really do it justice. There’s too much reliance on the classic base and too little advantage taken from the demonic raven aesthetic that is thinly explored. For the price, a deeper implementation is expected as the result seems unfinished.

Dragon Master Swain
Dragon Master Swain Splash Art Dragon Master Swain Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Swain as a half-dragon sorcerer.
Model: New model for Swain, his raven form, his ravens and walking cane plus new glow for his left arm.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack, joke, taunt, respawn and recall.
Animations: New animations for Demonic Ascension, Death’s Hand during Demonic Ascension, respawn and recall.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall. New processed voice-over and new quotes about dragons.
Splash Art: In terms of setting we don’t have much to see. There’s some sky, a rock for Swain to stand on and the dragons to circle around but that’s it. Actually, even if the sky shows some dark clouds which may foretell ominous events the only real feature of the background is the numerous, identical dragons flying around; they may be considered wyverns for their lack of front legs. Through sheer numbers the idea of a Master of Dragons is conveyed, no doubt. The dragons’ design is nothing new but their familiar outlines and scaly bodies and faces are eloquent enough. There’re even some sparks here and there to subtly reference fire but the effect seems unfocused and weak. Unfortunately, no dragon escapes from a certain degree of fuzziness. For all the detail their scales hint at their skins seem unnecessarily softened instead of showing their rough surface.
With so many dragons in sight Swain has little room to show his new look. It also doesn’t help that the portrayal is quite uneven, looking dull everywhere the light doesn’t directly shine on. The cape, despite the wasted right side, manages to display its florid design but it’s exaggerated to the point that it feels misguiding. There’s a clear difference between the eye-catching elaboration of the piece and the serviceable simplicity of the in-game model. There’s also the fact that the side view gives the armour a strange, unnatural shape which also prevents a proper look at the complicated design; again more complex that in-game. Of note is the wing protruding from his back, which is forced to appear as it wouldn’t normally be visible unless looking at the back. Also, the left arm seem quite solid and scaly unlike the lava seen in-game. Actually the portrayal doesn’t manage a faithful or even useful representation of how the skin actually looks.
In the end, the Game of Thrones inspiration with a splash of high fantasy, Lord of the Rings flavoured, is difficult to ignore. In the process of adding style, clarity is sacrificed to the point that the splash art serves as a rough guideline of the skin’s actual look. There’s some use and there’s some style to the piece. However, the end result is so uneven in all areas that it seems unbecoming of what should be a grand demonstration of dragon mastery.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Human: wearing bronze-ornamented armour, a cape made of large scales and a helmet with horns the look is rather stereotypical. The fantasy aesthetic also reminds of any high fantasy elf but wearing dragon armour. The message is clear: we have a dragon warlock that is full of power as eyes and lava arm demonstrate. However, the classic design is noticeable and what departs from it merely reaches into the derivative. This results in a model which is good and that’s as much praise as can be given considering how unoriginal it is.

Raven: clearly, this is the dragon form. Still wearing armour, with a translucent arm that seems to have transformed into a shaped flame and a body of a humanoid dragon this is where the skin stands out. Fine, originality isn’t one of the strong features but the dragon form lives up to the expectation set by the skin. If we expect a dragon breathing fire then the skin, mostly, delivers; at least in the ultimate.

Particles add a fluid, lava-like feel to the evident classic design. The result is nice, using different colours to add personality to the flames, but more often than not everything looks familiar with just a splash of lava added on top. The fact that the colour scheme is rather limited, added to the familiarity, means that abilities can feel monotonous. Death Hand’s look is particularly strange as it seems to be borrowed from Tyrant. A few highlights are Ravenous Flock: Ravenous’ pull which employs a trail of silhouettes in the pull. The dragons that circle around Vision of Empire’s eye are a good touch to add something new to the classic design. The head added to Nevermove’s returning wave is interesting. A claw would’ve made sense anyway but the head stands out more. It still seems a bit out of place as the skin relies on small dragons and never on a disembodied head. Demonic Ascension only stands out in the model because even if the lava splashes are nice the overall design isn’t much different from classic.
Sounds add a liquid sound to abilities to reflect the lava splashes that are often seen. Regardless, the classic aural landscape remains as can be noticed in Death Hand; for example. There’s a splash to be heard but the eldritch arcs of magic can be clearly heard behind it. The rest of abilities employ the same technique. Demonic Ascension adds a roar to Demonflare’s detonation which is good but the only instance where that is used.
Animations are few but welcome. In particular, Death Hand used during Demonic Ascension shows Swain breathing arcs of lava; so to speak. The intention is commendable but perhaps proper fire could’ve been a nice, albeit small, addition to further the skin’s theme. Demonic Ascension’s new animation seem more in line with adapting actions to the new dragon body more than adding anything novel. The recall is a fine way of demonstrating how integral dragons are to Swain’s power. Perhaps a cape of small dragons seems the work of an illusionist and being teleported by dragons a bit forced but the message comes through.
All in all, Dragon Master Swain feels like a skin made in tandem with the visual upgrade; given the proximity it probably was. This means that it doesn’t feel particularly different to other skins, including Classic. The basic template is visible and the skin struggles to show features that stand apart from what’s familiar. There are some nice characteristics that make the skin interesting but the lasting feel is that depth is sorely missing.

Conclusion

All of Swain’s are quite good. Northern Front Swain is the recommended skin given its interesting concept and good balance of price versus features offered. The frost concept is superficial but present while the adaptation to the cold is done with a few extra touches that make the skin more appealing.

Tyrant Swain is the most elaborate skin but, ultimately, doesn’t manage a well rounded execution of its theme. In spite of the Sauron inspiration the demonic raven aesthetic is attractive but not taken advantage of. This results in a skin that is appealing despite its flaws yet suffers from feeling unfinished.

Bilgewater Swain is mostly a re-model but good one. The youthful Pirate of the Caribbean is ready to make a name for himself with style more than anything else. The skin is certainly nothing ambitious yet it delivers on its promise.

The much awaited Dragon Master Swain is a skin that follows the template laid out by the visual upgrade. There are some interesting features but the classic design is recognisable too often. For all the potential the skin has the implementation can feel shallow. There are things to like in the skin but there’s ample room for more in the spaces filled by the familiar classic design.

  42 Responses to “League of Legends: Swain Skins’ Review”

  1. Hey Zero, I noticed in the Tyrant Swain skin, there’s a new animation for his E. He sort of swings his staff instead of just raising it.

    • Thanks for the information, Tyrant Swain has proved to be a skin with a huge amount of changes.

      We’ll give Tyrant Swain another look as soon as we can.

  2. Would you recommend Tyrant Swain or Creator Viktor? I can’t decide D:

    • They are radically different skins, Tyrant Swain is rooted on fantasy while Creator Viktor is based on sci-fi. To be fair, in this case it would be a matter of personal preference as they are both good skins. Creator is newer and that reflects on its recall animation. Regardless, Tyrant has a very nicely animated raven form.

      You could always wait until they go on sale and get two for the price of one; it just takes patience.

  3. There were rumors of a DragonMaster Swain skin coming out, I really believe it’s the next god-tier skins alongside sg udyr and pulsefire ez, Holding on to my RP for the glorious day it comes out. XD

    • That’s a skin that has been all but confirmed but that simply keeps not coming. At the very least it’s suppossed to be legendary but the reality is that it should be implemented at its best and then priced accordingly. Let’s hope that when it does finally arrive it doesn’t disappoint or we’ll unleash Beatrice on their poor souls.

  4. There is a mistake in the skin list where the Tyrant Swain is shown as a 3-star skin but in the detailed skin review as a 4-star skin.
    your welcome 😉

  5. im not the biggest fan of tyrant swain. the splash art just seems to odd for me, it reminds me of pyrimid head from the silent hill franchise in a way.
    in game looks just “meh” to me i own both northern front and tyrant and i seem to lean towards northern front a lot more. beatrice as an owl and the giant white owl creature he turns into just seems more appealing to me then tyrant.

    the one thing i will give tyrant swain though is his W animation, it just looks so cool compared to the other skins.

    • We agree that Northern Front Swain is quite a good skin but in technical terms Tyrant has the advantage. In addition to this, the new walking animations add quite a bit to Tyrant’s style. Still, Northern Front has a clear identity so it’s also a worthwhile skin. Maybe a future visual upgrade will make things more equal.

      • agree’d, oh quick question, when the new splash arts for renekton and cassiopia come out will you be doing reveiws on them

        • If any skins get new splash arts we’ll surely do. We’re still taking care of the previous splash art update but we’ll try to get to it as soon as possible.

  6. I think in the concept section of Swain’s skins they should mention Beatrice too. In the Northern Front skin she is a snowy owl, in the Bilgewater skin she is a parrot, and in the Tyrant skin she is a more elegant raven (or a demonic swan, I am uncertain).

  7. Hi,

    When will tyrant swain be on sale next? I am in anticipation.

    • Tyrant Swain was last discounted on June 2014. In theory, it shouldn’t reach a year without going on sale but there are some skins that are in that situation, actually. As there aren’t that many 1350 RP its chances are bettter than at lower prices so in a few months it could go on sale.

      As always this is all speculation because with sales nowadays there’s no telling how long a skin could wait to get a discount.

  8. Hey Zero. Just wondering if you’ll include the Raven Form as part of the conclusion for the rest of his skins. Speaking of his Raven Form: what are your thoughts when comparing between the Classic and the Tyrant raven-form designs?(Personally, the Classic looks more intimidating than Tyrant’s because of the more monstrous appearance)

    • When reviewing champions with dual forms we give an overview of each form and a conclusion that wraps everything up. In the case of Swain’s older skins they are merely re-coloured, the textures don’t even try to offer a different aspect within their limitations, for that reason the receive a more traditional review. Regardless, if future skin offer noticeable differences for his raven form they’ll be assessed individually.

      We agree that the classic raven form looks more bestial. Tyrant is something a bit more refined, as is the intention of the skin, though the monstrous aspect is visible. The style of each form seems to fit the skins reasonably well. The older skins are notoriously simple in their raven form but maybe a visual upgrade will eventually take care of it; we can only hope.

  9. Hey! Do you plan on updating this page once the rework comes?

  10. Surrender@20 now :v

  11. Heya, Zero!
    Before you do a complete review after new Swain goes live, I really want to hear your quick thoughts on his post-rework skins.

    From what I’ve seen in the pre-release teasers, all of them REALLY hit the concept and are very well done. Considering Swain only has 3 skins, and two of those are pretty cheap, I believe Riot did a good job making the most out of Bilgewater and Northern Front.
    Tyrant is also gorgeous as far as visuals go, but I’m kinda disappointed in his R form which doesn’t seem nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be.

    But anyway, it’s your opinion that I wanna hear! Which one do you like the most?

    • We are pretty disappointed with the skins after the visual upgrade but that’s been the norm as Riot homogenises and dilutes the identity of all skins with each upgrade. To be fair, Northern Front improved a lot with the new particles and a few extra sounds. It’s probably the best skin. Bilgewater was a mostly a re-model and still is. We aren’t great fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean look but it delivers on the simple premise.

      Tyrant Swain simply got worse. Gone are the new animations for walking in both forms and for abilities and auto-attack. The new Tyrant Swain looks like a Sauron tribute but with a crow aspect. We don’t understand why the skin wasn’t made to better recreate the old style which was very well done; not to say excellent. The new version isn’t bad but isn’t even up to the level expected of a 1350 RP skin. Given that Dragon Master is to released at the same price point it makes one wonder if they wanted to prevent any competition to their new product; nowadays that’s hardly a stretch.

      To sum up, not everything is bad after the visual upgrade but things could’ve been much better. It seems like it many instances they went for the lowest effort necessary knowing that it would be enough anyway. We don’t like that approach which visual upgrades have followed for some time now. There are exceptions as with everything; especially the oldest champions. However, by and large, and upgrade should feel like one in all areas.

      • What do you think about the upcoming Dragon Trainer one?

        • It has some nice features and delivers on the basic premise. However, we don’t find it as going deeper into the theme compared to the release skins. Visual upgrades are notorious for leaving skins more shallow than they were; sans some exceptions. Dragon Master Swain seems to have been cut from the same cloth but released later.

          None of this would matter if the skin captured the feel of a powerful dragon warlock but there’s too much of classic in the skin. Particles should’ve leaned more towards flames but not even the ultimate does so. The dragon transformation is good albeit, ultimately, essential but there should be more dragon along the master.

  12. An enemy has been SWAIN. ?

    Dragon Master Swain thoughts? 🙂

    • Swain is a friend of all; provided you see things his way.

      We find Dragon Master Swain shallow as if it were a release skin; just released later. The theme lends itself to an interesting transformation but we see too much Classic in the skin. For instance, particles should’ve become flames and fire should appear more prominently. The skin delivers the basics but it should’ve impressed with an execution that went to the core of a dragon warlock.

  13. Hey, when will your dragon master swain review be out? I’ve been checking every day XD great work

  14. Hello,
    Just wanted to say that the link to Dragon Master Swain from the starting page doesn’t send you to his actual skin’s page.

  15. I recently acquired some RP and am trying to decide between Tyrant and Dragon Master Swain. Both of them got the same reviews and seem like decent skins. Northern Front Swain doesn’t really appeal to me.

    • Depends on what you want from the skin. Tyrant Swain is a refinement of Swain with a touch of the old, raven-based style. Dragon Master is something different that does some things well but leans too much on Classic instead of going for a full transformation; as it should. Both are skin with ups and downs. Tyrant may be a better choice for the old Swain player that wants a bit more of the style of yore. Dragon Master is a something that stands apart with a style of its own even it isn’t complete.

  16. Frankly, I am considering my wardrobe choices… My Northern Front outfit is a good choice, if I’m going out in the Frejlord it would seem. I don’t favour my Bilgewater outfit. It does portray my youth really well, but the name “Bilgewater” ruins it because of an old encounter with the known Saltwater Scourge who has an liking for oranges. The ones I do consult LeBlanc with are the Tyrant and Dragon Master. I have yet to decide though. After reading much of your reviews and seeing other league-fellows asking your opinion, I figured I’d ask you myself. So… Which suits the Noxian Grand General more, as an Tyrant or as an Draconian Sorcerer? Choose your answer well or I’ll have Beatrice and her kin pick your eyes out. Mark my words.

    • General, Sir, we would certainly not disappoint. We are of the opinion that Northern Front is a great choice as an alternative to the classic style. Bilgewater has something to offer but it is rather superficial.

      The question between Tryant and Dragon Master is about concept and execution. In concept, Tyrant is closer to the classic design but the high fantasy vein is appealing.The hints at the old raven form make the execution more interesting but there’s too much reliance on the classic persona.

      Dragon Master has a concept that isn’t so tied to the classic and is rather nice. The problem is that the execution doesn’t let the flames and the draconic characteristics to shine. There are a few but they aren’t many.

      This leaves two option that are fine on paper but in practice have some issues. We’d recommend, if we may be allowed, that if you prefer a different version of what’s classically known then Tyrant is the best option. Northern Front is an alternative for a different style that keeps the classic feel. Dragon Master is viable for something different, perhaps more original, though without being as expressive of what it represents as it should.

      Send our regards to Beatrice. We are glad she has her kin to keep her company.

  17. Hello! I come back to lol after a long pause and I saw the news skins for one of my favorite champ in the past. I just noticed but Bilgewater Swain is probably an Easter egg to FFX and the character of Jecht. I don’t know if you noticed this already, if so feel free to remove my comment.
    Have a good day

    • They do look similar as you mention but we perhaps it’s not very relevant to the actual skin. The concept goes into another direction and so does the execution. In other words, the reference is visible but doesn’t seem meaningful enough in the skin considering the direction it took. Thanks for the notice.

      Have a good day, too.

  18. I think Bilgewater Swain deserves a bump in his grade – he features few unique lines to the skin, both at start of game and when attacking Bilgewater champs. For paltry 520 rp that is a very good deal.

    • The value of a few unique lines in the skin may be subjective. We’d say the adaptation has to offer something really special to start thinking about four stars. It’s something to ponder anyway.

  19. Also, for Tyrant Swain, i think in around 30-40 seconds, there is a bit of music played. I think it only plays once in the game, but i think its worth putting that in.

    • Could you be more specific? Is there any resource, like a video, you could point us to? We’d like to know what triggers the music so at to determine if there’s merit in adding it as a feature. Thanks.

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