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League of Legends: Annie Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Feb 022012
 
Annie, the Dark Child
Annie, the Dark Child

Annie, the Dark Child has a varied assortment of dresses in her wardrobe: a few are based on classic literary works while others could simply be considered costumes. Her pet, Tibbers, is also never far from her pyromaniac self and she usually suits the bear so that their styles match. If you want to know more about Annie’s clothing whims then check her review.

Goth Annie
Goth Annie Splash Art Goth Annie Model
Category: Exclusive (Digital Collector’s Pack)
Price: 975 RP (If you own the rest of the bundle’s content)
Concept: Annie as a gothic lolita and Tibbers as a rag bear. New flame colour.
Model: Major model changes for Annie, new textures for her teddy bear and minor model changes for Tibbers.
Particles: New purple flames for Disintegrate, Incinerate, Molten Shield, Summon Tibbers, her auto-attack and Tibbers.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The background is mostly inexistent thus leaving an absent setting. At best, it could be Annie’s room due to the papers on the wall and floor around her. Fortunately, the Tibbers incantation fills enough space with the arching bear and purple magic; still, the emptiness behind is evident. Then, it’s a pleasant surprise to find that Annie’s portrayal is so good: the pose, lines, shading, everything is excellent. Well, most everything. It’s a little too dark, especially as the background doesn’t provide much contrast, but a glance at her purple eyes or the folds of her dress makes a strong argument. Shading is soft and delicate which makes each texture interesting to look and believable.
Sadly, an update changed her once evocative moody visage for a happy face that doesn’t suit the gothic style as well. The forelock is shorter, the grimace is changed for a smile and the eyes surrounded by dripping makeup and the forelock’s shade become bright, open and clear. It’s obvious that such happiness doesn’t fit the pervading mood.
In the end, this piece is a largely great portrayal floating in an empty space which isn’t bad but not as good as it should be.
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: Goth Annie is a nice addition for devoted Annie fans. The new model is well done and while Annie looks more like a punk lolita the concept is effectively brought to life; in no small part thanks to Tibbers. The bear’s rag doll look is spectacular even though it’s mostly textures; which says a lot about quality over quantity. Additionally, the purple flames are a nice extra to finish this skin in a good note. As Goth Annie is included in a bundle it’s a skin that doesn’t qualify for sales. Regardless, if you own the contents of the bundle 975 RP is a reasonable price. In the end, you get a nice look that while similar in spirit to her classic one manages to stand on its own.

Red Riding Annie
Red Riding Annie Splash Art Red Riding Annie Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP (Legacy Skin Project)
Concept: Annie dressed as Red Riding Hood.
Model: Major model changes for Annie plus new textures for her teddy bear and Tibbers.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: In a bleak forest a little girl picks apples with the help of her teddy bear. Sounds sweet, doesn’t it? But, Annie isn’t that kind of girl. That may explain the almost ethereal blurriness of the forest; though her next apple looks quite clear. The rest of the background consists of a huge Tibbers that suffers from diffuse colours and viscous flames. At least Annie looks quite good in her bright anime style. The depiction isn’t completely faithful to her actual appearance but it surely looks nice and leaves a good impression. Still, it’s quite noticeable the difference in quality between Annie and the rest; as if two artist were commissioned. In the end, it’s a piece with a good idea behind it that struggles due to its uneven quality.
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: Red Riding Annie’s recognizable red clothes consist of a nice dress, shoes and hood along a basket on her back. As a little girl’s look is good but fans of Little Red Riding Hood will be the ones enjoying her look the most. The new model effectively turns Annie into Red Riding Hood but unfortunately Tibbers only gets a new fur colour. It would’ve been great to see him taking on the role of the lumberjack, as he’s always helping Annie, but that’s not available; even the granny or wolf would’ve been appropriate. Regardless, if you like Red Riding Hood this is a great skin to get when available. Besides, even if you aren’t a fan of the story it’s a certainly suitable and appealing look for Annie at a low price.

Annie in Wonderland
Annie in Wonderland Splash Art Annie in Wonderland Model
Category: Legacy, Legendary
Price: 1820 RP
Concept: Based off Lewis Carroll’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Annie is dressed as Alice and Tibbers as the White Rabbit.
Model: Major model changes for Annie, minor model changes for her teddy bear and major model changes for Tibbers.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: There isn’t much of a setting to look at. A few giant mushrooms, tendrils and a dimly green sky. At least there’s a lot of Tibbers and Annie to see; mostly the former. For Annie being the central figure she’s relegated to a side while Tibbers’ giant frame and grin take centre stage. Tibbers’ portrayal is detailed with nice shading but colours that are too saturated so that he appears fuzzy or waxy; especially in comparison with Annie. The pocket watch is a fitting addition and the opening zip atop his head helps add some dynamism to his depiction; something that the timid, solid flames can’t effectively do, even if their light is nicely spread over his side.
Speaking of Annie, her bright colours, sharp lines and anime-like style attracts attention despite being pushed to a side; though she looks unusually apathetic. The elaborate skirt is a good match for the florid flames and even the Cheshire cat rucksack gathers its share of the spotlight. What strikes as strange is that her hair appears too flat like her face and her legs, despite guessing that they could be bent at the knees, are placed in a strange configuration. Regardless, even if her anime style contrasts with the rest of the piece Annie manages to carve a spot for herself.
All things considered, this is a good piece with too brief a setting but lots of the main characters. There’s a certain uneven feel to their portrayals yet it’s a fine presentation card.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Let’s forget, for a moment, the flames that Annie wields. As far as looks go, it’s a reasonable and lean model for Annie that effectively captures the essence of Alice’s look. On the other hand, Tibbers is forcefully stuffed into a rabbit suit; which isn’t any different from Annie’s usual treatment of the bear. Tibber’s suit looks fine, with visible patches, seams and a zipper which realizes the bear costumed as the White Rabbit. Moreover, Annie’s rucksack and teddy bear are also nicely adapted to reflect the Cheshire cat and the White Rabbit, respectively. Consequently the skin, in looks alone, is quite good. However, the flames are a necessary evil that doesn’t make much sense considering the source material. Furthermore, aside from the re-models, there aren’t any further changes; which are to be expected considering its former legendary label. In conclusion, it’s an appealing re-model for Annie but not a true legendary skin in any sense. However, if you catch it on sale then it’s not a bad option for Annie’s fans.

Prom Queen Annie
Prom Queen Annie Splash Art Prom Queen Annie Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Annie as a Prom Queen with Tibbers as her Chaperone.
Model: Major model changes for Annie, new textures for her teddy bear and moderate model changes for Tibbers.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A simple stage with a wooden floor, a big curtain, some bands and a label with a title that is anyone’s guess. Except for some confetti and a sad mummy to a side there’s nothing else to see. Said character looks dim and relegated despite a good portrayal which makes him a relevant and interesting addition. Overall, the setting is fitting but strictly to the point.
With his big frame Tibbers fills most of the available space but also unnecessarily takes the centre of the stage. His depiction doesn’t economize details though elements can be rather inexact; like his bowtie. The shading is attractive which makes the textures of the clothes and hat vivid but the fur is too fuzzy an affair, to the point of feeling sketchy.
Almost timid, with a gentle and unassuming stance Annie stands by Tibbers’ side. Her anime style is attractive and separates her from the rest of the piece. The lines are clear, the colours soft and rather precise and she looks recognizably herself; except for her missing frown. Her Tibbers-bear does look simplistic in comparison though especially because of the shading. Her golden hair stands out due to the vibrancy and how suitable a frame it is to her unusually gentle expression.
On the whole, this is an effective splash art. It sets the stage with a direct setting but adds a little reference to make it more attractive. Tibbers receives an uneven depiction and Annie’s is rather appealing though she’s pushed to a side of the piece. Still, it all works well to present their new style.
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: Prom Queen Annie is a skin that at a glance looks good but has a few issues worth addressing. Firstly, Annie looks very nice in her little princess dress and tiara; the concept is surely delivered. Nevertheless, the skin borders on making Annie an attractive tween, which isn’t uncommon nowadays, but that doesn’t and probably shouldn’t suit Annie’s little girl persona. Additionally, the skin would’ve certainly benefitted from more work being placed on Tibbers. It seems as if the idea was to fully dress Tibbers with a suit but for some reason he’s left with a waistcoat, a bowtie and a hat. In the end, it’s not a bad skin as it manages, barely, to leave Annie as a little girl and pass Tibbers as her zealous guardian. Regardless, it’s a skin with questionable connotations and while it offers quite a bit for its price it may not be something for everyone.

Frostfire Annie
Frostfire Annie Splash Art Frostfire Annie Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Annie and Tibbers dressed to survive in Polar weather with cold flames.
Model: Major model changes for Annie, new textures for her teddy bear and moderate model changes for Tibbers. New flame colour.
Particles: New blue flames for Disintegrate, Incinerate, Molten Shield, Summon Tibbers, her auto-attack and Tibbers.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: In the distance, a gate surrounded by the blue outlines of trees aims at inspiring some mystery. The smoke curtain works with that vision despite being a distant, weakly presented suggestion. Unfortunately, the rest of the background isn’t as ambitious and is content with adding just some ice around the dynamic duo we have before us.
Speaking of whom, Tibbers fills the most space and his cotton body made of thick brushstrokes has a feel that is interesting yet doesn’t really fit the depiction of white fur. The wool cap and scarf look flat like cotton fabric and the outline doesn’t communicate his proportions correctly. For example, his left thigh seems too stretched so as to bend like it does, the body is too small and divided in two while the arms look stubby.
Annie’s depiction is nice but also has some problems. The fur in her clothes looks like cotton as well and the boots appear too thick around the legs. The proportions are acceptable though her left arm appears too short, her dress solid like a plastic cone and her rucksack tiny. The wild hair suits her well and her anime face makes the most of that style appearing playful and full of delight at the ice magic; even if it seems out of tune with the rest. The spell being cast doesn’t look like the blue flames it should resemble and despite the bright display it’s a rather chaotic affair.
All things considered, the piece has a fitting childlike feel with the conjunction of Annie and Tibbers going on a snowy adventure. The Snow Queen air of the background is too thin and despite having a tiny degree of ambition it mostly fills space. For all its uneven quality this splash art manages to provide a reasonably useful portrayal of its characters but the uneven presentation prevent the good parts of the piece from shining.
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: Frostfire Annie is the skin that goes above and beyond to provide more than is usually expected. Annie’s warm clothes are certainly well done as they look practical and well decorated with snowman faces. Still, her exposed legs seem peculiar as wool stockings would’ve complemented and suited the look quite well. Tibbers doesn’t change as much as in other instances but the fur cover along with the scarf and cap clearly get the point across. In spite of the nice look, the real star is Annie’s and Tibbers new cold flames. The blue colour adds an attractive new visual style that furthers the theme and also gives the skin a distinct identity. All in all, if you like Annie then Frostfire Annie is a great choice.

Reverse Annie
Reverse Annie Splash Art Reverse Annie Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Annie and Tibbers switch places; at least, as far as a wardrobe allows and Annie’s teddy bear is changed for an Annie doll.
Model: Major model changes for Annie and Tibbers plus new model for her teddy bear.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: This piece has an evident comic style that actually suits its subjects rather well. The background is just a hint of a cave in a forest; with some luck. Still, the stars are Annie and Tibbers and they are nicely outlined; even though Tibbers only has three claws per paw. The shading is a little rough but works to an extent. Nevertheless, its quality isn’t homogeneous as the lower body of both Annie and Tibbers look a bit diffuse. On top of that, they appear much leaner and more expressive than usual which isn’t bad for a spotlight but leads to a little disappointment when facing their stern faces in-game. All things considered, it’s a rather nice portrayal that needs some sort of setting to make more sense.
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: If you ever wanted to play with Tibbers instead of Annie then this is as close as you can get. Annie’s bear suit is simple but effective: the fur stitches, feral bear expression and zipper finely deliver the theme. Besides, the Annie doll that she carries is a great touch to make the theme believable. Moving on to furrier subjects, Tibbers looks as ridiculous as he could; which doesn’t seem unexpected considering Annie’s whims. The clothes leave little doubt about who Tibbers is replacing but at times it seems too exaggerated. All things considered, Reverse Annie offers a clever and attractive concept added to a good execution so Annie fans will find little to dislike and much to appreciate in this skin; except for the price.

FrankenTibbers Annie
FrankenTibbers Annie Splash Art FrankenTibbers Annie Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Tibbers becomes Frankenstein’s Monster while Annie steps in as the bride.
Model: Major model changes for Annie, minor model changes for her teddy bear and major model changes for Tibbers plus electric sparks for Tibbers’ screws.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The background is so diffuse that it seems to be missing, and in practice it is, so there isn’t much of a setting to speak of. It could be said that there’s a dark tower watching the roof that holds the, now, former corpse that has become FrankenTibbers; but that’s the imagination working not the background. Tibbers is unevenly depicted: his fur and stitches look fantastic and the shading is really good. However, most of his body is concealed by the lightning flash; which makes for a too simple yet still humorous portrayal. The simple Tibbers does allow the focus to be centred on Annie but as an essential part of the concept it’s a letdown. Fortunately, Annie looks great: fine lines and exquisite shading make for a fantastic portrayal. The fire on her hand could look better, brighter and flaming, but is acceptable while her stockings and shoes seem a little sketchy. To sum up, there are good ideas in this piece but remains an extremely uneven portrayal of Annie and Tibbers; it certainly needs more polish to excel.
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: FrankenTibbers Annie puts the little girl in the shoes of Frankestein’s bride; though with a more childish style. The clothes and rucksack look alright but seem rather normal for a monstrous bride; even the arm bandages don’t deliver the concept well. Still, the hair is eloquent enough to present a child version of the bride due to the iconic white lightning streaks. On the other hand, Tibbers hulking figure is a great fit for the Monster. His unrefined movements and brutal attacks added to the stitched body and tattered clothes make for a great look. In addition to this, the electrically charged bolts on the sides of the head are a unique touch. Sadly, FrankenTibbers Annie is no longer available but it remains an appealing homage to classic horror stories and films.

Panda Annie
Panda Annie Splash Art Panda Annie Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Annie as a pyrotechnics expert and Tibbers as her pack panda.
Model: New model for Annie and Tibbers. New flame design.
Particles: New particles for Disintegrate, Incinerate, Molten Shield, Summon Tibbers and her auto-attack.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New recall sounds.
Splash Art: The background of this piece is missing so there is no setting to speak of. Tibber’s hulking frame fills enough space so that the piece doesn’t seem empty but it’s hardly enough of a replacement. Still, he’s rather well depicted: his fur and stitches look fantastic and the shading is excellent. Then, it’s a pity that his lower body is so blurry. While it does allow the focus to be centred on Annie it seems unnecessary; she should grab attention by herself and she does. Annie looks great: soft, shiny hair, folded clothes and a choice of colours that makes her look believable; it’s a great portrayal. The fire on her hands doesn’t look convincing, it’s too subdued, and the trousers are a bit diffuse but it’s a subtle complain. On the whole, it’s an amazing portrayal of Annie and Tibbers but as a splash art it feels like it needs something more.
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: Panda Annie is a skin with a unique and attractive identity. Annie’s dress is nice but sober and her hair is tied with buns that cleverly resemble bear or panda ears. The particles are modified to give a fireworks feel but they still look like flames; just more stylized, solid and with more smoke. Colourful fireworks would’ve definitely been more interesting to watch but in this case the flames remain yellow. The recall is a really good touch to the point that one can wonder why Classic Annie didn’t receive it instead. The point is that it feels very natural for Annie as she could be hugging any kind of bear so it doesn’t seem really related to the theme. Maybe if she lit some fireworks it would seem more distinct. Conversely, Tibbers receives a fantastic new model that exposes the fireworks theme really well and perfectly displays a panda. All things considered, Panda Annie is a skin with a good concept and execution but while the additions are fine they seem like they could’ve exposed the theme much better. There sure is enough panda in the skin but the fireworks feel lacking.

Sweetheart Annie
Sweetheart Annie Splash Art Sweetheart Annie Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Annie dressed in red and gold heart and Tibbers as a Carebear
Model: New model for Annie and Tibbers.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The prevalent fuzziness of the whole piece can be considered a stylistic choice. However, more often than not, it doesn’t improve the depiction. To start with, the background is barely identifiable and only the floor near Tibbers displays any detail; though not much. The almost invisible appearance of Amumu in a monochromatic corner is a clear example.
Annie looks much better but only her upper body. In that area, the fine lighting and soft colours provide the portrayal with an apt vintage air. That air is shared by Tibbers who looks photorealistic but also suffers from a blurry body and legs.
Back to Annie we find that the clothes look somewhat solid and her rucksack foggy yet it gets worse. Her legs are deformed as they try to conform to the perspective and on Annie’s right her skirt is suggested. The same could be said about the subtle flame on her left palm. Nevertheless, more than a hint it gives the impression that someone ran out of space.
In the end, the watercolour style of the piece is a great choice that brings something new to splash arts and sets a clear and appealing identity. Unfortunately, the uneven quality of the depiction is a great disappointment that wastes the clever conception.
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: With extensive use of hearts and red hues Sweetheart Annie is to become an option for Valentine practitioners. Annie’s look is colourful and detailed but also complex to the point of resembling Rococo art. Between the heavy makeup, elaborate hairstyle and multiple layers used for her dress Annie can seem overloaded with elements.
So far it’s mostly a change of look but Tibbers also joins the party. He appears as if escaped from a Carebear cartoon. His design is simple but also attractive thanks to the soft aesthetic that, fortunately, depressurizes the visuals.
The balance isn’t the best as Annie is a little girl covered in decoration and Tibbers is large and simple. Yet, it works to define an identity and the result manages to be appealing. Therefore, fans of Annie looking for a sugary style for her, will find this a good even if oversweet option that shouldn’t be ignored.

Hextech Annie
Hextech Annie Splash Art Hextech Annie Model
Category: Promotional (forge 10 gemstones or reroll skin shards and permanents in Hextech Crafting)
Price: Not Applicable
Concept: Annie as a magic-infused engineer and Tibbers as her magic-powered, mechanical automaton.
Model: New model for Annie and Tibbers. New flame design.
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: The background reveals little about the setting. Perhaps a few buildings on the left, an inclined surface on the right and some sort of wood platform beneath them. There’s also rubble in good quantities from the magical display. Fortunately, the stars of the piece do look quite good. Maybe taking a cue from FrakenTibbers, Annie makes a display of all her might along her terrific creation.
Ladies first, Annie’s display is actually quite good. It’s approached as the usual overflowing discharge of overwhelming power. However, the lines are sinuous in a playful and appealing way while the colours are smoothly spread to highlight the soft texture of each surface; even when it wouldn’t necessarily be so soft. Regardless, the portrayal captures the use of great power at the hands of a bright child. With the fine lighting and detailed clothing this infant manages to make people pay attention to her.
Tibbers stands beside her creator. The depiction also shows good use of lighting and detailed surfaces but there’s a thin layer of mist over some areas that make them duller than they should be; after all they are sharing the spotlight. The fact that his lower body is completely occluded is understandable given his size, to a point. However, when we also add that the design seems chaotic and convoluted in the chosen perspective, despite making sense, it means that we have a portrayal with some flaws.
Adding it all together, we find an ignored setting that the background doesn’t even try to explain; it just fills space. Tibbers makes an uneven apparition but Annie’s conventional presence is effective. Thus, it’s a good plash art, with some issues, but that works to catch attention; mainly for Annie.
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 StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Following on the footsteps of FrankenTibbers Annie changes electricity for pure magical power and brings her Hextech creation to life. Her colourful dress presents the union of magic and technology quite well while respecting her classic design. Flames are now produced by a mechanical, powered glove, the rucksack turned engine may well be her energy source, her ears-hairband turns into cute yet effective goggles and her clothing is as feminine as it is practical. Even her teddy bear takes on mechanical characteristics. Without a doubt much work has gone into integrating the hextech theme into Annie and it certainly has paid off. The result is as attractive as it is effective at representing a hextech engineer.
In that regards, the new Tibbers is truly a mechanical wonder. The artificial bear not only matches Annie’s golden-blue colour scheme but also makes for an eloquent argument on the advantages of hextech technology. The bulky bear appears powerful enough to move with a certain degree of agility and the asymmetric design of his body catches the eye while also contemplating the needs of engineering. He surely appears as a foe that can resist much damage and answer in kind to an enemy that will surely be dazzled by its fabulous, detailed design.
The particles follow suit with a visual complexity of their own. The symmetric structures based on geometric shapes give some order to the chaos, as mechanics are expected to, without diluting the perceived power. The flames transform into carefully guided magical energy making for a different yet familiar approach to burning adversaries. The new sparks added to Tibbers are icing on the cake that, despite their simplicity, further define the unique personality of the skin. The new sounds also give a different feel to the magical energy though there’s nothing particularly noteworthy; except some clanks here and there. The recall is simple but effective combining Annie’s identity with the hextech theme.
All things considered, Hextech Annie is a wonder of a skin. While not on the level of the most elaborate skins, it would comfortably fit at 975 RP, everything that is changed about the skin works to define its identity in an attractive way. There’s always room for improvement but Hextech Annie demonstrates that something excellent can be done when there’s the will. The question isn’t whether you should get Hextech Annie but how long will it take you to gather those ten gems to finally get this wonderful skin. If there’s one skin worth farming for then this is it. Conversely, if instead of playing the game and unlocking the skin for free you want to buy it with RP it can prove too expensive. Keep in mind that it’s an excellent skin for a price equivalent to 975 RP but spending more than that is unjustified.

Super Galaxy Annie
Super Galaxy Annie Splash Art Super Galaxy Annie Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Annie as a mecha teleoperator.
Model: New model for Annie and Tibbers plus new glow and flames for her hands.
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: A few aircraft against the night sky and Tibbers, lots of Tibber everywhere the eye can see. The gargantuan robot defies understanding with his size and power. Whoever is in control of such a machine better be very conscious of what they have between hands. Annie will do. The only problem with the imposing depiction of Tibbers is that he’s sunk into a thin fog. The idea is to give a sense of distance due to the enormous size. However, a clearer perspective that emphasized a bottom-up view would’ve made a better job. There’s a bit of that, perhaps, but it’s too subtle and the fog only hinders a look at the spectacular design of the mecha. There’re interesting details in the design to see but only if they were more sharply depicted could they impress as they suggest they can.
Annie is clearly seen and, because of the way the splash art is organized, she actually seems quite big in comparison with Tibbers. Her portrayal is sharp but the blue light seems overused as it not only colours her head but also her torso even under her arms. Besides, the homogeneity given by the intense light added to the cartoony approach of her face makes a contrast with the more detailed lower body. For example, compare her simple hair strands to the visible, detailed mesh of her gloves. From the waist down surfaces also appear simple. There’s the effect from the explosion behind Annie but, caught between two strong light sources she struggles to appear clearly. Still, the holographic projections and decisive yet playful expression of Annie make for a good display of her identity as a mecha controller.
Overall, the composition of this splash art is very good. The background doesn’t provide much of a setting but is filled with a significant and monumental secondary character. The main character offers good context but in both cases the protrayal miss the opportunity of impressing with the details they actually hint at. With more focus on the designs of mecha and suit, this splash art could’ve been captivating yet it’s quite appealing nonetheless.
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: Transporting Annie and Tibbers into a mecha fantasy is an interesting proposition. At a glance Super Galaxy Annie looks quite interesting too and yet, there’s a sense of familiarity that works against the skin. With much to owe to Hextech Annie the skin tends to feel rather similar though more futuristic and still tied to classic. Annie’s model is a good start, as a girl in a hi-tech world she dresses in a suit that still respects her classic dress as the skirt demonstrates. There’s a more stylish hairstyle and goggles but nothing remarkable except for the new particles for her left hand. The right hand shows flames with distinct flowing circles but flames all the same; which don’t fit the mecha fantasy well and have nothing in common with what the splash art hints at. Tibbers is fully transformed into a hulking robot. With a colourful and flashy design, clearly referencing Gurren Lagann, he barely resembles a bear but the flames again betray the classic style. Instead of being surrounded in energy, holograms or circles it’s just flames.
Particles are also in the middle of things. Auto-attacks and Disintegrate have a new, energy projectile design that stands out quite nicely. Sadly, while some lines and patterns are added to Incinerate the ability simply looks like re-coloured flames; all too similar to Frostfire. The design of circles and arrows used for Pyromania is quite distinct and similar to the effect employed by Molten Shield; which disguises the outer flames as energy. The grid-like pattern used by the latter helps the ability fit the theme. Such grid pattern is also briefly used in Summon: Tibbers and Pyromania’s stun which reinforces the theme. Similar designs used between abilities help link them together. There’s also a hard to notice trail for Tibbers and flames that seem re-coloured. Without a doubt, the flames are the weaker aspect and should’ve been turned into some sort of energy or hologram.
Sounds are consistent but quite subtle and homogeneous. They have a vibration underneath what sounds like flame sounds, similar to classic, which is nice but also shy and disappointing. The aural department doesn’t have a distinct element only a thin addition to make the abilities different. Therefore, sounds fail to impress.
The recall, in practice, is a good addition. It’s a traditional and evocative homage to mecha pilots. The problem is that, even if Annie dresses like a would-be pilot that aspect never comes through in-game. At best, she remotely controls her robot; which is actually what the splash art indicates. Perhaps the recall should’ve exposed that aspect instead. The idea of the recall is great, actually, but it simply doesn’t fit the approach taken by the skin.
All in all, Super Galaxy Annie is a skin that might’ve originally intended to display the Dark Child as a mecha pilot but ends up settling for and working better as a mecha controller. The classic base is restrictive in that regard and also obtrusive due to the inability of fully letting go of flames. This is surprising given that some abilities do omit them in favour of distinct energy designs and yet others stay chained to flames that disrupt the appeal of the theme. With more focus and boldness to embrace the mecha concept and more awareness of the limitations of keeping certain aspects of the classic base this could’ve been a great skin. As it is, it’s good but it competes with Hextech in many ways and also doesn’t offers a comprehensive adaptation as it should.

Conclusion

Annie sure has an ample wardrobe as she has multiple skins but all of them are simple clothes changes. Nonetheless, there are several good options and interesting concepts to enjoy. The recommended skins are Frostfire and Panda Annie due to their good concepts and satisfying executions. The former shows its age but remains appealing with its modest yet significant changes. The latter is more elaborate and while the fireworks side isn’t as exploited as it could’ve been there’s enough panda to enjoy.

Another skin that is recommended, though its price isn’t of the traditional sort, is Hextech Annie. The familiar concept is presented in a fantastic way thanks to very detailed models with bright colours for both Annie and Tibbers. The particles up the ante with their designs and the sounds round the skin’s personality effectively. It isn’t the most elaborate of skins but everything works together to bring the theme to life. The only question that remains is: how long would it take you to unlock it? Because this is a skin that is well worth farming for but don’t spend more than 975 RP on it.

In some ways competition for Hextech, Super Galaxy Annie is a skin with an attractive concept which the execution is unable to fully realise. There’s a classic base that restricts its ambition and a puzzling reliance on classic elements regardless of suitability or cohesion. It’s a skin with appeal, nonetheless, but also with a style similar to Hextech. For a fan of Annie it leaves the question of whether to pick between these two or simply go for something more distinct and, probably, cheaper.

Still in the realm of skins with less than conventional ways to acquire we find Goth Annie. If you like the content of the bundle or already own most of what it has to offer it can be an interesting skin. The gothic appearance is clear enough and the new colour for the flames keeps the style consistent. There’s nothing groundbreaking but it’s an appealing aesthetic at a reasonable price for the most part.

In the legacy realm, there’s FrankenTibbers Annie. If available, it’s a charming homage that doesn’t do as much as it can with the theme. As a re-model it’s appealing but at its price more is expected; especially as a legacy skin. Therefore, it’s a skin that is worth considering for fans of horror but Annie has better options in her wardrobe.

Fans of Annie should definitely consider Reverse Annie. It offers the unique opportunity of exchanging roles and appreciating Annie’s loving treatment of Tibbers. Without doubt a great concept and an effective implementation. It does show its age but it’s ingenuity is its saving grace.

An option for those looking to add some sugar to the Dark Child is Sweetheart Annie. Her dress is a bit overloaded with decoration but the appearance is nice. Tibbers complements Annie with a simpler but evocative style and together they provide an appealing style. For its price, it’s a fine re-model.

Prom Queen Annie walks the fine line between child and tween; with all the consequences that implies. It manages to present a pretty look for Annie but it probably isn’t as childish as it should. Overall, it can be said that neither ts concept nor execution aren’t the best. Taken for a mere change of clothes, it’s a passable diversion.

Finally, if you are a true fan of Annie you may want to try to catch Red Riding Annie or Annie in Wonderland. These skins offer nice concepts and when on sale the executions, which are limited to simple re-models, are good enough. There’s nothing revolutionary in offer but the fairy tales references offer an attractive side to them.

What do you think about Annie’s skins? Which ones do you use? Which champion’s skins should we review next? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

  88 Responses to “League of Legends: Annie Skins’ Review”

  1. For the goth Annie the color of her flame should be changed to either black or purple it shouldnt be the same color as the classic Annie skin and tibbers fur color should be changed too black or purple it would be awesome if the skin had that added also because i have that skin and I like it besides the color of tibbers and her flames because it’s lame that the only thing different from the classic is just her hair her shoes and her dress

  2. We agree, considering how exclusive the skin is it should provide some extra changes. Even as a change of look, Goth Annie is too similar to Classic Annie and therefore quite disappointing.

  3. Are u guys updating this review? cuz Annie in game after the visual upgrade has received new particle effects on her other skins too

  4. Update the review please!

  5. Thanks for your work. Please update the reviews because the skins got updated.

  6. The end of the goth annie review is cut off

  7. The conclusion section of Goth Annie needs to be edited.

  8. Love how we have the same opinion on frostfire 😀 i was actually stuck between panda and frostfire the recall was getting to me but i bought frostfire to get a break from the usual annie being related to hot red flames which panda and her other skins have goth is not red however i do not own all of the champions in the bundle yet and the purple color is not as refreshing to look at compared to frostfire another reason why i did not get panda is because the suit of tibbers looks to tight for him :/ and the panda thing does not keep its cute charm yet frostfire gives tibbers a scarf a hat blue body and it looks cute actually XD

    • Glad that you are enjoying the skin. We agree that Panda has an interesting style but doesn’t feel as distinct and different as Frostfire. Additionally, the new colour for the flames is refreshing. Panda is nice but it seems to embrace the fire and pyrotechnics and goad in the spectacle. As always it’s a matter of taste, and, eventually, nothing prevents getting the other skins as they each have their own personality.

  9. Is Annie in Wonder worth the price that its for?

    • At 1820 RP Annie in Wonderland is a grossly overpriced skin that only offers an appealing concept delivered by a few model changes and nothing more. Unless you are a great fan of Annie or Alice in Wonderland it’s better to ignore the skin.

      On the other hand, being on sale the skin becomes more interesting at 910 RP. It would still be far from impressive but model changes alone at that price are acceptable enough. Therefore, if you like the idea of the skin we thoroughly recommend you wait until the sale to get it.

      • The sale already passed so i guess its back to that gross price.

        • You’re right but there’s still hope. Next year there should be another Legacy Vault sale so, if you are patient, you can get it by then.

          Still, there are other great skins for Annie that are more satisfying to play with; like Frostfire. Of course, the other skins aren’t Annie in Wonderland but at such a price it simply isn’t worth it.

          Considering she has so many options you could get some of the other skins while on sale; you may find one you like.

  10. Even despite this awesome review, I couldn’t decide on what skin to get, and I now have Panda, Frostfire and Goth Annie xD

    • I did the same thing with Ahri, got Midnight when she was released, Foxfire when it came out, and Popstar when it came out

    • It happens more often than one would probably like. Still, waiting for sales is a good way to save on RP and also get a lot of skins; it just takes some patience.

      • Patience is something I have very little of, sadly.

        • Maybe you could buy the skins you like the most and wait for sales on the ones you also like but not as much. That way you get the skins you really want but also save some RP on the others. Extremes aren’t always the ideal solution sometimes a balance can net good results as well.

  11. I already have Panda Annie mostly because the concept appeals to me and I have a certain obsession with Chinese/Japanese/Korean themed skins and I like it very much though right now I’m wondering should I get Goth Annie. I like it very much and it appeals to me both visually and in terms of concepts as well as suits my taste but I don’t know if it’s worth 975 rp. It’s not like that’s the first champion I owe 2 skins gor (Guqin and Arcade Sona say hi, as well as Dynasty and Popstar Ahri) but I got all of these while they were on sale.

    • The good news is that there’s no rush because Goth Annie will keep its price as it’s included in a bundle; provided you own the rest of what is offered. The bad news is that it will keep its price as it’s a skin that won’t go on sale as it’s exclusive to the bundle.

      In our opinion, it’s a very nice skin for fans of Annie but there are better options. For instance, Frostfire Annie has similar changes but can go on sale. The question could be whether the Goth aesthetic appeals enough to you to justify spending 975 RP instead of 487 RP.

      If you like Annie a lot and are looking for a dark style for her then Goth is the one. However, it’s not such a remarkable skin that it excels at its price; which isn’t that low to start with. Consider whether you play and like Annie enough to have that many skins. Also, if you would enjoy Goth enough to warrant spending 975 RP or if it would be better to save and instead get a couple of other skins at 487 RP; with enough patience.

  12. I found a typo in Goth Annie’s splash art section, it says “Then, ot’s a pleasant…” while I believe it was meant to be “it”.

  13. Hey Zero,

    I’d like to ask about your opinion on the new Annie skin that’s currently on the PBE. I quite like it though it doesn’t change much. It has a nice look to it.

    • Apparently it’ll be just a re-model. We’ll have to see if there’s something else but if that’s all it seems like it would be good but not much more than that. Truth be told, one would expect the Sweetheart theme to be a bit more developed

  14. I feel like the splash art on Goth Annie deserves more credit–Annie is portrayed incredibly well and the small details, down to the tear marks in her eye makeup, make her look amazing and downright intimidating. Plus, the mass of papers in the background fits well with the whole angsty little schoolgirl feel. This along with the creepy Tibbers incantation make it one of my absolute favorite splash arts. It just fits Annie as a champion so well. They clearly made more of an effort with this splash art compared to Panda Annie and Classic, where Tibbers is the only real background.

    • You raise some valid points. In fact, we do agree: the protrayal is surprisingly good. We mostly find fault in the partial background which leaves the action half-floating in ether. We completely agree that it’s a good depiction of Annie but as a whole we expect a better defined setting.

  15. I really like panda annie :). But I’m still tossed over betwee frost and panda. Which one do you think is better?

    • Both are quite nice though Panda also has a new recall as it’s a newer skin while Frostfire only re-colours her particles. Thus, in sheer technical terms, Panda is better than Frostfire. However, in practical terms both execute their themes rather well. It may be better to decide on which concept you prefer: ice or fireworks, winter clothing or an eastern style.

      Neither is a bad skin and there’s no reason not to enjoy Frostfire even if it’s a bit less elaborate and older than Panda. Panda isn’t perfect either but offers some really nice features. The thing is which one you like more. Remember that you can always wait for a sale and get them at half price.

  16. Ever since I’d been mystery gifted Frostfire Annie, I’d been playing her with that skin, but I only recently realized that her classic is pretty refreshing from the blue! Sometimes it’s nice to rotate off the skins you have and play a few classic games.

    • Indeed, skins tend to be used a lot so as to justify the expense and so the classic one goes unused for a long time. Once you return to classic it feels fresh and novel because it has actually not been used much. Without a doubt, rotating skins is a good idea to keep them all fresh. A freezer should work too but there are some technical limitations.

  17. When will be the next legacy vault? They only did it twice…… And I already got Red riding Annie in my first ac (which hacked by my classmates) and prom Queen Annie on my second one…. I’m really an Annie fan cause when I first play Lol it was Annie that was free to play and I bought her only 450 IP Phil server I really want red riding Annie and Annie in wonderland skin 🙁 I took a lot of effort to bought red riding Annie first 🙁 and it just wasted (bully classmates)

    • The current Legacy Vault sale doesn’t include Red Riding Annie but there could be another one at the end of the year that makes all retired legacy skins available again. It’ll take a few months and could even be delayed because of the current sale but there should be one.

      There could also be other smaller sales like this one before the end of the year; one of which could have Red Riding Annie. It’s difficult to know with Riot but we are sure that Red Riding Annie will be on sale in the future. Legacy skins are no longer unavailable forever: you just need to have patience.

  18. Maybe you should mention somewhere on Frostfire Annie’s review that her indicator for full Pyromania stacks (the white swirl around her) is hard to be seen on the model, and that’s really good because then your your enemies will have a harder time trying to guess when her stun is up? I heard about it somewhere and I find it a really cool thing because they keep the swirl white and her colours are like a light blue on her jacket, so really no one will know whether the stun is up except for the player. If a person really likes to surprise enemies with Annie’s stun, then that’s a great skin for it.

    • We’ve seen that mentioned too but we’re not that sure about including it. The thing is that it could be rather subjective as to whether it makes Pyromania more difficult to notice. The same could apply to Gothic Annie as her colour scheme is black with some white; which also applies to FrankenTibbers.

      That’s not to say that it’s something that should be ignored. However, we don’t know exactly know if it warrants being part of the review as it could be rather variable. Some people may use the skin expecting a gameplay advantage and find out that the opponent has no problem seeing the indicator.

      We appreciate the suggestion but we’ll need additional arguments to be convinced.

  19. Will you have the review for Hextech Annie out soon? I’m curious to see what you have to say. It is funny how there are people willing to spend 19500 RP for that skin. (buying bundles of 10 chests costing 1950 RP that each guarantee one gem)

    • Well, it seems to be a rather good skin. As we didn’t see any release announcement about the skin, only about crafting, we were waiting for the skin to be available. We checked the posts about crafting and it says nothing about Hextech Annie. We’ll see if anything official appears about it, if not we’ll review the skin sometime in the future. It’s also strange that not even the patch notes have mentioned Hextech Annie in any way; though they always mention new skins.

      • Hmm, indeed, but I have already seen several people obtain the skin from the crafting. (and, subsequently, use it most likely)
        Perhaps this one will not include a release announcement considering how unique it is. If one doesn’t show up with images/videos, I’d be happy to provide in-game shots of it. Let’s give it some more time.

        • Interesting, considering how big crafting and its presentation prize is supposed to be we’d expect, at the very least, a skin release announcement as any other new skin. Let’s give it more time then; that sounds reasonable. If not then we’ll have to get the images the old fashioned way and present the review without further ado.

          • Quite a lot of people I know own the Hextech Annie skin, myself included. So if you need screenshots of the model I would be willing to provide you with them. I doubt if Riot Games plans on officially announcing the skin release, but the Hextech Annie skin has been shown as one of Annie’s skins since patch 6.4 if that counts. But I would love to see the review. I am a huge fan of your website and appreciate the effort you have put into making quick reviews and organizing them all efficiently! Keep up the good work.

          • We appreciate the offering about the images. We have kindly received images done by Mettaton so that’s not an issue. We just checked the 6.4 patch notes and we don’t find mention of Hextech Annie or anywhere else. We are simply waiting for the final product to be released before we review it. In fact, the hextech crafting announcement implies that Hextech Annie is made available from the beginning to finalise the release but there’s no official release statement.

            We are glad that you find the reviews useful and we do intend to add one for Hextech Annie. We think that we’ll wait a bit more to see if Riot does present the skin in an announcement as should be done. If no release statement come we’ll simply finish the review and publish.

  20. You can also apparently get hextech Annie if you own ever other skin in the game and combing 3 skin shards. Just a nice bonus if you have been playing that long. I don’t know if they include limited skins with that.

  21. did the star of frostfire and panda annie just decrease?

    • Not recently, but we do recall that at some point they had five stars. According to what we can gather they changed their rating with the improved technical features of Annie’s skins after the visual upgrade. They are still great options but they are more on level with the other ones after the VU. In the past the difference between old and new skins was more pronounced as skin technology advanced.

  22. Are you going add Hextech Annie to the review?

    • Yes, we have every intention to do so. We are awaiting the official release of the skin; though it seems like there’ll be none. It hasn’t even been mentioned in any patch notes and only barely written about in the hextech crafting support page. For the time being, we’ll wait a bit more to see if it gets a proper release, as it should, and if it doesn’t we’ll just get the review done.

      • Hextech annie got released with hextech crafting, you can already start crafting her and its been a while since that she went live on pbe.

        • We are waiting for an official announcement for the release of the skin. Hextech Annie seems to be available to craft on the live servers but there’s no indication of its release in patch notes or anywhere else; except some lines on a PBE hextech crafting post. We’ll wait a bit more for an announcement and if there’s nothing to be said about it then we’ll just finish the review.

  23. This is from patch 6.6 notes
    http://prntscr.com/ao83gj

    • Interesting, still there was no official release announcement as they do for new skins. Nevermind, we’ll try to have a review available soon.

  24. When you obtain Hextech Annie as a skin shard from Hextech crafting, it says that Hextech Annie is worth 2450 RP. This is above legendary skins of 1820 RP. Perhaps you could update your review to reflect this.

    Fortunately I have been very very lucky. I have played Hextech Annie and the experience is truly magical, a different flavour, something completely new compared to all the other Annie skins. Until you play it, you won’t see it.

    In my opinion, the quality of this skin is clearly above that of other 1820 RP legendary skins like Dragon Trainer Tristana. The model is on par with the ultimate skins but it does not include the extras that ultimate skins offer.

    I agree with you that hextech crafting is definitely not worth it: and it is probably unethical to use a such quality skin as a money grabber.

    • Hextech Annie is the intended hook to get people started on hextech crafting. Then the gambling mechanisms take care of keeping you trapped. That’s probably the reason why it’s so good but we don’t think that it reaches a legendary level. It only has a new model, particles, sounds and a recall so it’s a great 975 RP or a very good 1350 RP skin. It needs more features to really be legendary. However, we completely agree that even if changes aren’t as extensive as they could it’s a very fine skin.

      We don’t know if it would be particularly useful to note an arbitrary price that may be used as a way to overvalue the skin. It’s a very good skin but we don’t think that spending more than 975 or perhaps 1350 RP is reasonable. We approached the skin as a promotional gift for playing. If we are to take the skin for a purchase price then it would be something completely different. We aren’t sure about the equivalent price in RP but we do note in the review that more that 975 RP it’s not entirely justified.

      It’s clear that as an overpriced way to get people to buy chests and keys the skin is something to avoid. We focused on the good angle of the skin but it clearly has a dark side that we warn to avoid. Perhaps we should explore that dark side more though there isn’t much beyond: don’t spend so much on the skin. It’s something to consider though.

  25. Dear Zero,

    awesomely detailed conclusion! Although, where is Frankentibbers Annie in it? It is a legacy skin, but it may appear in legacy sales or Halloween sales in the future.

    I am interested in Goth Annie. While I got the champions offered in the bundle already, since the skin was never on sale, can you please tell me a plus side and a minus side about it just like you do with all the other skins for sale?

    Never letting us down! Great analyzing of Annie in Wonderland and Prom Queen Annie splash arts! Looking forward to the other two. Do you think new Goth Annie’s face impacts the quality of the splash art by much? Also, isn’t the upcoming Frostfire splash a serious downgrade in realism at least? They do go for more faithful representation of the model in game over realism, but I can’t wait for you to tell us your opinion on how or whether is the new one better than the other.

    • Also, is there a reason why the Red Riding Annie review has a link for the Legacy Skin Project?

    • Glad that you find the review useful. Legacy skins weren’t included in the conclusion because they were rarely available. Nowadays legacy skins aren’t so shy but we haven’t been able to update everything. Thanks for the notice, we’ll add FrankenTibbers to the conclusion.

      Goth Annie is a fine skin but only available in the Digital Collector’s Pack; which means it’s set at a fixed 975 RP price. The good of the skin is the fitting dark aesthetic which is spread over most of Annie’s features. The bad is that the changes aren’t that elaborate: technically, Tibbers is mostly re-textured and the particles re-coloured. For what it offers, it’s an attractive skin as the concept makes sense for the Dark Child and the execution is effective. It can feel a bit expensive but shouldn’t disappoint Annie’s fans.

      We haven’t seen all new splash art but given Annie’s constant frown it’s unexpected to find her so jolly. It doesn’t fit the Goth style much either. If it were suitable for the concept and also reflected in-game then it would make sense but in this case it doesn’t. If they switch the Frostfire splash art for the anime-styled one then it won’t only affect the realism. From what we see, the current splash art gives a better idea of her look.

      Red Riding Annie has a link to the Legacy Skin Project because it was one of the first skins retired to the Legacy Vault. If possible, we try to link to useful announcements regarding skins. This being the first time that the Legacy Vault revealed we though it fitting to explain what was going on with the retired skins.

  26. Um… I think Panda Annie has some kind of sparkler noise added to Tibbers when he’s summoned, not just recall sounds. I remember feeling it was kinda annoying, but I could be wrong though.

    • We checked and we couldn’t notice it. If you can find a video or something else to check we’d add it to the review. Thanks for the information.

  27. After reading some of your comments on Annie’s skins, particularly those regarding Hextech Annie, I wanted to ask you a question regarding your criteria of how skins should be priced. You seem rather insistent that Hextech Annie should only be considered a 975 skin, but this seems like wishful thinking to me considering the level of work put into most other 975 RP skins. I consider many (if not most) skins to be somewhat overpriced, but even I would admit that this is worthy of being a 1350 skin.

    It is, as you say, an amazing skin with a huge amount of work put into it, and everything seems to fit in together very well. It even has a very different feel to it in-game, and it is one of the few skins out there where I find myself noticing and appreciating the changes even during the excitement of a match.

    I wanted to ask, then, what the skin would have needed to be worthy of costing over 975 RP? The clear criteria of skin pricing is that the price should reflect the level of work put into the skin, and to my mind this skin puts most 975 RP skins to shame in terms of overall quality and sheer number of changes. The only notable change it lacks is a new voice-over or new lines, and although new lines would have been nice, a new voice-over would not make that much sense.

    • If we are to strictly consider the amount of changes then new animations or something extra in the area of model, particles or sounds would’ve been necessary to comfortably fit the 1350 RP. A skin at such a high price has to do a wonderful job with only a new model, particles, sounds and recall to reach five stars. It’s happened, once currently, with Program Lissandra. Could it happen with Hextech Annie? Perhaps it could or it might be a four star skin at 1350 RP. The model for Annie is charming and Tibbers looks great. The particles are quite attractive even if not revolutionary but the sounds are just nice and not that impressive. As a 975 RP skin it very well does a lot and good enough. At 1350 RP a little extra effort is expected. It should also be an effective effort.

      It’s certainly debatable as this isn’t something that can be accurately measured and can devolve into a sheer matter of opinion. We do think that there are certain basic expectations at each price point that should be taken into account. Lately, skins have been carrying the famed 1350 RP price for little reason as they usually offer just as much as normal 975 RP skins do. It seems like it’s the new base price for skins. So what once was a welcome evolution in the technical merits of skins with 975 RP being the normal price has now become a higher price with hardly any noticeable technical improvement. This is all in general terms, there are exceptions but it’s the overall feel.

      We do think that Hextech Annie, despite the conventional approach in some regards, does manage an appealing aesthetic and an attractive whole. As far as Annie’s skins go there’re a lot of skins at 975 RP that do just as much and are also very good. Therefore, we put Hextech Annie at 975 RP and say that it’s an excellent skin. If you pay a bit more then it can be passable as long as you are conscious of what you are doing; it may be worth it. In our opinion, we can’t consider Hextech without the other skins so within this context it’s an excellent 975 RP skin but at 1350 RP we expect it to shine in more areas.

  28. Do you know whether goth annie will ever go on sale? Recently i’ve picked up playing annie and she has a very ‘selective’ set of skins in her arsenal. I really don’t get how goth annie has particles for all of her abilities then they come up with something like annie in wonderland for double the price with next to nothing xD. But with frostfire annie going on sale next month just wanted to know. I got jaximus at full price because i never thought it would go on sale because it was limited and stuff but it went on sale like 2 months ago :/
    Also, which do you think is better, frostfire or goth annie? Regardless of price which do you think has like the better concept overall. I like the darkness to goth annie but also the complete reverseness of frostfire.

    • As a skin exclusive to the Digital Collector’s Pack it won’t probably go on sale. That could change someday as legendaries weren’t supposed to ever be discounted yet they now go on early sales. For now, the price will stay 975 RP if you own the champions included in the pack.

      With regards to Goth and Frostfire both have interesting concepts and similar executions. Whereas Goth is a refinement of the Dark Child, Frostfire is a twist on her power. Both skins offer a new model for Annie and Tibbers with re-coloured particles. Therefore, it’s a matter of which concept you like the most. One isn’t inherently better than the other and each has something to like.

      We could criticise Frostfire for having her wear a dress instead of something warmer but she’s wields cold flames after all. We could also say that Goth Annie retreads the classic concept but it take a more direct yet fitting angle. There is one difference of note though: Frostfire Annie will eventually go on sale so you can get it for 487 RP. That may tip the scales in its favour but both are good skins that any Annie fan can appreciate.

      With regards to Annie in Wonderland it’s an old legendary from the time when a re-model was quite the thing. Nowadays it’s only worth getting at a discount. By the end of the year there should be a Legacy Vault sale that returns all retired skins to the store and also puts them on sale. It’s strictly a re-model but if you like the source material and are able to forgive its simplicity it can be a fun option.

      • Oooh thanks for the review, yet i just opened a couple chests and got panda annie xD. Crafted it right away and luckily got it because I was literally a day away from buying frostfire annie as I didn’t expect its half price sale this early in the month.
        I find it a nice skin overall and i like how they manage to stick to the fire concept but still manage to add particles that fit the overall theme.

        • Hope you enjoy the skin. Panda Annie is a rather nice skin especially with the distinct look that Tibbers received. We would’ve liked more emphasis on fireworks as that is heavily implied in the skin’s concept.

          While the new fire particles are interesting they could’ve added some sparks or a different feel so that they could be the flames that start the fireworks. As it is, it’s a nice skin that sometimes doesn’t develop all of its ideas but that has its own unique identity.

          In comparison, Frostfire Annie shows its age a bit. After all, the particles are only re-coloured and not re-done as in Panda. Regardless, it’s a skin to keep in mind for the future if you become a great Annie fan. Dropping a giant, flaming bear in the middle of a group of plotting villains is always satisfying.

  29. Zero, I love your website. The thing I most like about it is the fact that you simply answer to all the comments. I am sorry if this is annoying but I just wanted to point it out. You have a huge website and still manage to answer all the comments, it is amazing. I am so close from getting hextec annie. I have 9 gemstones. I will buy 27 chests to see if i can get the last one tomorrow. I hope i get it. Keep up the good work.

    • Thanks for the kind words. We try to make the effort to answer comments because we think it’s the least we can do if someone takes their time to write to us. We may sometimes not be able to answer as fast as possible and some comments may sneak by unanswered but we make an effort to keep those instances as exceptions.

  30. Assuming that I will only ever buy one annie skin. Should I go for panda or frostfire? I know that you’ve talked about this above, but I was thinking of frostfire over panda because it looks more obviously different than the classic skin.

    • In that case, Frostfire stands out more. Panda is a great skin with its own charm yet even though the flames are different they are still flames; not fireworks. Frostfire’s flames are only re-coloured but the difference is plain to see. Annie’s model is good in both cases, though for the cold she should cover all her legs and her dress could have some dragon pattern or bear in Panda. With regards to Tibber’s model Panda stands out while Frostfire relies on the classic model. Therefore, in general, both skins are on equal terms with advantages and disadvantages.

      At a glance, Frostfire stands out easily thanks to the different colour palette. If Panda employed fireworks then it would be another story. If you prefer model changes over particles then Panda might be more tempting. Regardless, if you only ever want one Annie skin we have to suggest Hextech. We understand that the random nature of crafting is an obstacle but, currently, it’s her most accomplished skin.

  31. Have you seen the new Super Galaxy Annie skin on PBE? If so, what do you think about what we’ve seen so far?

    • The idea is great but the execution doesn’t fully reveal Annie as a pilot. She summons Tibbers as always so perhaps she should’ve been presented as remote controlling her mecha. An alternative would be to go further with new animations but we’d be getting into legendary territory; at least. We also find quite a bit of style borrowed from Hextech Annie. Super Galaxy Annie is good but we have some qualms about the approach.

      • Thank you for responding ive been reading for years!!!
        I agree that it seems a little too similar to hextech, plus its her 11th skin so thats a lot for annie lol

        • Not at all, glad that the site seems useful enough for you to use it for so long.

          Indeed, with some many skins any new skin should try to carve a unique identity. There’s room for it and Super Galaxy Annie has a concept that allows for a distinct execution. However, it seems that they didn’t choose the right approach to make the implementation a good fit whithin the restrictions imposed.

  32. Hey Zero,

    I just got the Annie in Wonderland skin shard, I’m kinda curious what would you do with it if you got it. I saw that Red Riding Annie has 4 stars, however Annie in Wonderland has only 2. Given that these two skins are based on fairy tale and the skins are only model changes, so I guess that the only thing that affects the rating should be the pricing/skin tiers. But, what if we ignored the price and tiers and judge them based on theme implementation, will Annie in Wonderland have the same rating as Red Riding Annie?

    I have Frostfire Annie, Panda Annie and Sweetheart Annie currently, but all I ever use are the former two (I only used once Sweetheart Annie because I’m not a fan of the Rococo hairstyle and that creepy Carebear ensemble for Tibbers). So I’m kinda tired using the 2 skins and I thought getting a new one should be nice, plus it’s for free.

    • If Annie in Wonderland were priced like Red Riding Annie it could get four stars. It’s an effective re-model but certainly nowhere in the realm of a legendary skin. If you like the skin and play Annie often then getting it for free is hardly a bad proposition. The main problem is that there’s only model changes on the skin so it’s not as elaborate as any of the other skins you mention, except for Sweetheart.

      The Wonderland references are nice so Annie in Wonderland but it also has Tibbers stuffed into a rabbit costume which could be creepy in a way, depends. It’s a good skin if you can get it for free. You could do much worse in fact. If you like Annie then Annie in Wonderland it’s a nice extra if you can accept the skin for what it is.

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