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League of Legends: Syndra Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Sep 202012
 
Syndra, the Dark Sovereign
Syndra, the Dark Sovereign

Syndra, the Dark Sovereign has a distinctive look for a mage: she conveys power and seduction with her ornamented helmet and revealing dress. Her skins don’t forget the base and usually offer different takes on the same design. Just like with most things, there’s more than meets the eye so read on and discover what lies behind her uncontrollable power.

Justicar Syndra
Justicar Syndra Splash Art Justicar Syndra Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Syndra wearing a golden armour and wielding light spheres.
Model: New model for Syndra and new Dark Spheres.
Particles: New light particles for her spheres and auto-attacks as well as her abilities with and without the Transcendent bonus and death.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: New light sounds for her abilities.
Splash Art: The splash art of Justicar Syndra is magnificent because it not only makes the new look attractive but it also nicely frames the action. The background displays a city or fortress being levelled behind Syndra. She darts through the air surrounded by her spheres allowing for a clear look at her astounding golden armour and helmet. The light spheres with the Ionian logo inside are a nice touch while the feathers around Syndra’s waist are unusual but acceptable. On the whole, the piece is impressive in every aspect providing an impactful portrayal of Justicar Syndra; one of League of Legends best pieces.
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Conclusion: Justicar Syndra appears to oppose Classic Syndra’s attractive aesthetic but it also reinforces the theme of ultimate power, with a twist. The golden armour and light spheres communicate an alternative vision of Syndra. Justicar Syndra could be considered as Syndra accepting her training and following another path through her Ionian life. This version of Syndra displays the Ionian logo inside her spheres, protects her body with exquisite armour and feels more detached as well as less emotional. As much a divergence in her path, Justicar Syndra also is a distilled way of showing her absolute power from a different angle. Actually, Justicar Syndra doesn’t oppose Classic Syndra, instead the skin complements her original look and together they provide a whole view of what is and what could be of the Dark Sovereign.

Atlantean Syndra
Atlantean Syndra Splash Art Atlantean Syndra Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Syndra as an oceanic sorceress.
Model: New model for Syndra and new Dark Spheres.
Particles: New water particles for her spheres and auto-attacks as well as her abilities with and without the Transcendent bonus, recall and death.
Animations: New running and recall animations.
Sounds: New water sounds for her abilities, auto-attack, taunt, joke, laugh and recall.
Splash Art: A whirlwind of water is the sole background and setting of this piece. The water drops are nicely done though in places their colour is too saturated and they seem unusually solid. That’s particularly noticeable in the water spheres but it’s also fitting. Syndra floats amidst the watery chaos looking surprisingly dry. Still, the portrayal is attractive with great shading despite the depth of field effect making her hair fuzzy; among other areas. The stance deserves special mention because, while it hides most of her legs, it also suitably presents her as emerging from the water. All in all, this is a splash art with a great portrayal of Syndra but a background that leaves an underwhelming feeling; more could’ve been done with it.
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Conclusion: The first thing that strikes one when looking at Atlantean Syndra’s model is that it isn’t nearly as blue or as bright as the splash art. That is a problem as those are elements that expose the water theme in her appearance so, she looks unnaturally dry. Nevertheless, the model is rather nice even if unsurprising. The aesthetic incorporates features of a mermaid without forgetting the requisite sex appeal. The water orbs, though, are very good looking and, along the auto-attacks, add the essential dose of splashes in both visuals and audio. However, they lack impact as weapons and, despite having the right feel, they also appear inoffensive.
To be fair, Syndra surely looks attractive but the water theme gives the sense of being added on top of her persona instead of integrated into it. Ultimately, Atlantean Syndra seems like a superficial skin: it offers a new water theme for the Dark Sovereign but doesn’t fully transform her into a water sorceress. Nonetheless, it delivers its theme reasonably well and the visuals are distinct and attractive despite lacking impact. Considering the consistency of the skin and the visual as well as aural additions, it’s a charming option for fans of the Dark Sovereign despite its flaws.

Queen of Diamonds Syndra
Queen of Diamonds Syndra Splash Art Queen of Diamonds Syndra Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Syndra dressed in a diamond suit motif.
Model: New model for Syndra.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: In spite of the extremely blurry background one can get an idea of the setting. The throne room is inexplicably foggy and its architecture can only be guessed at but, at least, there’s a setting. In the throne we find the King of Clubs with his golden armour glinting under the sunlight. On the stairs, we find the elegant but distant Queen of Diamonds; not far from the sinister Joker. On the other side, in the darkness we find a knave discretely hiding his presence. In the foreground, a confident aristocrat greets us as we approach the room.
In general, each champion receives a portion of the spotlight and, mostly, characteristic traits are noticeable. Perhaps Shaco should’ve been in the darkness while Twisted Fate charmingly received the viewer or presented the court to us. Besides, Mordekaiser doesn’t say much sitting in the throne and doesn’t really strike as imposing; except for his title.
Ultimately, the splash art presents the champions in a rather clear way in an appropriate setting. The background could’ve been clearer and some champions could’ve been better presented. Still, considering how many champions vie for the viewer’s attention, this is a piece that manages to give each a relevant place that is supported by the others.
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Conclusion: The aesthetic presented by Queen of Diamonds Syndra has much in common with her classic style. The colours are brighter and more varied but the sexy Dark Sovereign is left intact. She does look more like a classic queen seen from a fantasy angle. That also means that some elements make her look more serious and cold. For instance, her crown and neckpiece give her a more detached air that is supported by her empty eyes. This contributes to the identity of the skin but not everything works. Although the upper body enjoys a classy designed dress the cloth pieces hanging from her waist would’ve been better made into a skirt so that the skin could have a more iconic style. The general sense of a Victorian dress is present but not accomplished due to the adherence to the classic lines. The boots have a nice pattern and follow the general style minimally but they aren’t really fitting for a queen.
Therefore, Queen of Diamonds Syndra is a skin that tries but not hard enough to give the Dark Sovereign a regal appearance. The idea is fitting but the implementation limits itself by keeping the classic elements instead of trying to be more daring. More than a full re-model the skin feel like the classic base was modified leaving the same elements but changing their look. As such, it’s a skin that wastes its potential and becomes only a passable alternative.

Snow Day Syndra
Snow Day Syndra Splash Art Snow Day Syndra Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Syndra in winter clothes wielding ice magic.
Model: New model for Syndra and new Dark Spheres.
Particles: New snow particles for her spheres and auto-attacks as well as her abilities with and without the Transcendent bonus, recall and death.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New ice sounds for her abilities, auto-attack, taunt, joke, laugh and recall.
Splash Art: Blue sky, blue clouds, even the ice fortress looks blue. Without a doubt, blue is the main colour and few things contend with it. Some trees defy its domain with dark leaves and clear snow as well as some more of said element nearby. However, sans some penguins in and out of ice, there’re only champions to see. As a setting, the background is largely filler to give the snow day a place.
The depictions vary greatly in quality. Not only that but the champions stay independent of each other and there’s no integration or interaction between them or with the setting. They could each be on their own anywhere else and their generic pose wouldn’t pose any problem. There’re some exceptions but, at large, that’s the feeling the piece gives.
Going into specifics, Gnar is depicted with bright colours that get diffuse as easily as looking away from his hand and left glove. The dull colours make little sense but the chased penguin adds a nice setup for his appearance.
Bard sits with a hot cocoa cup in one hand and a penguin in another. The idea is simple but works though not much of his look can be seen. On top of that, the colours are a bit dull and so his portrayal isn’t as striking as it could be.
Syndra is in a league of her own: her portrayal looks like a sketch. It’s not just that the colours lack any vibrancy but it’s also that the proportions seem slightly amiss and the look strikes as flat and devoid of life. The idea that she may be readying to respond to a snowball attack does little for the lifeless depiction.
All in all, this is merely a functional splash art. It shows the three champions against a sensible backdrop and that’s it. There’s little that makes the spotlight exciting or that shows something different about the champions or shared theme. By and large, it’s a disappointment.
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Conclusion: Snow Day Syndra is a skin that gives a great first impression that is only reinforced afterwards with the spectacle it can provide. The winter clothes make Syndra look very elegant thanks to the simple but classic designs of her coat and boots which nicely contrast with the light-blue sweater and cap as well as her dark tights and gloves. The new hairstyle and hair colour add to the different personality but risk making her look like somebody else; her face seems different too. Regardless, even if conventional, the new appearance is appealing.
What starts good only gets even better once the impressive snow particles start exploding and their chilling sounds slash the air. The spheres by themselves look nice but don’t make eyes turn. They are just a change of element for Syndra’s magic. However, things change once they are put to work. There’s no doubt that a lot of work has gone into making her abilities and auto-attacks impactful as well as faithful representations of the snow theme. The complexity of the abilities’ visuals is palpable and the sounds make the cold aspect even more perceivable. It surely is a great example of how to make effective visuals supported with good audio. The recall is a fine addition that only serves to reiterate and underline the message that the whole skin has clamoured all along. Yet, it does so in such a fine and attractive way that it only can be a plus. Sadly, the animations department is devoid of any additions; recall excepted.
Without a doubt Snow Day is a skin with much to offer. The work that went into the particles is clear and yet Atlantean is also a skin with a wonderful presentation of its water theme. That’s why it seems strange that Snow Day offers just as much yet costs more. Syndra is no stranger to extraordinary displays of elemental magic and for a special occasion something exceptional is expected. It is delivered but at the same level as before.
All things said and done, Snow Day Syndra is a spectacular skin with a fine model, fabulous particles and exemplary sound. It’s a great demonstration of how much can be done with a traditional theme. It’s only the price that doesn’t seem to suit the skin. At 1350 RP, along a legacy tag, an extra effort is expected but that shouldn’t discard the fantastic features offered by Snow Day Syndra. Ultimately, it’s a great skin but expensive so fans should be aware that they’ll be paying more for the same amount of features as other skins of her. If it’s any consolation, it’s a set of features that is admirably done; as Syndra deserves.

SKT T1 Syndra
SKT T1 Syndra Splash Art SKT T1 Syndra Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Syndra dressed in blue and gold.
Model: New model Syndra and new Dark Spheres.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New crystal sounds for her abilities, auto-attacks and recall.
Splash Art: There’s no real background or setting to speak of. At best, we could say that the champions are framed by a sky of undefined characteristics. What stands out is the setup of the piece. The ensemble appears like a group of superheroes in a composition that brings to mind the Justice League. Their general appearance seems to convey a pantheon of Greek gods, each with their unique symbolism. There’s also a suited coach that stands in for the ward skin. While it’s good that such an addition is made part of the team it’s fair to say that his look doesn’t fit that of the heroes well.
Each champion shares the spotlight making use of uneven parts of the splash art. Champions on the left tend to be able to make use of more space while those on the right see their lower bodies abruptly cut off. There’s empty room on the left which means that everyone could’ve made some extra room by advancing a bit forward. In addition to this, it’s clear that the centre of the piece has sharper lines and more vibrant colours; though tones tends to be subdued to the point that all metal seems dull. The blur is particularly noticeable towards the left and bottom areas which does the portrayals no favours.
The ornamented armour characteristic of each champion in their SKT gear is noticeable but with varying degrees of success. Individually, Zac looks too subdued and solid with little attention given to his armour; which is the only characteristic that sets him apart from Classic besides the new colour. Jhin’s upper body is quite explicit but the rest is barely visible and the depiction seems rather pedestrian. Nami barely emerges from the blur and shows too much of her naked back and too little of her armour so that it’s more notorious her familiar mermaid body than the new gear. Syndra almost appears in full with nice shading and a good demonstration of power; despite small spheres and dull colours. Ekko is only partially visible and while the new look is prominent enough that’s because of the clothes more than the portrayal effort to make him special, even if the pose is dashing and dynamic. Finally, Olaf closes the formation with good use of light and shade but a partial depiction with much blur and opaque colours that is only saved by the suitable stance. Not to be forgotten, KkOma looks sketchy with a cartoony look that doesn’t suit the more elaborate shading used for the champions; much as his suit doesn’t fit the classical style of the champions.
All added together, this is a splash art that makes a brief but impactful presentation of the champions thanks to its composition. The individual portrayals are marred by several issues so that each champion struggles to attract attention and even convey their actual look. For all that the piece does well in its setup there is an evident need for a good layer of polish to finish the potential of this splash art.
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Conclusion: The appearance of SKT T1 Syndra isn’t far from an alternative look for her. It follows her classic pattern of elaborate headgear and a decorated dress with a bit of armour. The design is elegant and the colours soft and dark except for the gold. The blue skin seems to come out of nowhere even if it makes for a nice match for her Dark Spheres. Their shape is more irregular which makes them more interesting and the soft blue with golden decoration echoes Syndra’s aspect rather well.
Particles mostly follow up the classic template respecting the new colour palette. Explosions, links, waves and beams become light blue with tips of gold for the respective abilities and auto-attacks. With the Transcendent bonus each ability displays more gold. Additionally, Dark Spheres leaves a clear ‘T1’ print on the ground when they are summoned or thrown, right above the cracks, which feels like a bit too much self-promotion.
New sounds add a crystal chime to the abilities and auto-attacks. It’s more noticeable in the auto-attacks, Dark Sphere and Unleadhed Power while the other abilities have a duller, lower pitched sound that isn’t as appealing. The classic sounds seem to remain but with the added crystal sound which sometimes works well as in Dark Sphere and sometimes it gets lost amidst the classic sound as in Force of Will and Scatter the Weak.
The recall takes advantage of Syndra’s distinct magic to present a trophy over the signature of the respective player. It makes for a good show that suits her though not to the point that it supports her unique identity.
All added together, this is a skin that does just enough to show changes even if she does look nice. There’s a new model for Syndra, her Dark Spheres and new colours along crystal chimes for her abilities plus a new recall. Yet, truth be told, it feels like too little for the price tier the skin belongs too; add to it that it’s a legacy skin and the special feel isn’t really there. Considering the prominent use of the T1 logo there’s a perception that the skin is more promotional material than sold product, in which case it shouldn’t be paid; at least, not priced so highly. It’s a good skin, it suits Syndra and looks nice but there’re many better and more interesting alternatives for the Dark Sovereign.

Star Guardian Syndra
Star Guardian Syndra Splash Art Star Guardian Syndra Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Syndra as a magical girl wielding the magic of the stars with her familiar Multi.
Model: New model for Syndra and her spheres.
Particles: New particles for her abilities, auto-attack, death and recall.
Animations: New animations for her spheres, high speed run and recall animations.
Sounds: New sounds for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: A dark sky tinted in blue by an intense beam of light. There’s only Syndra and her familiar Multi before the empty vastness of space. Her dress extends into space as if part of it but the effect is too subtle in-game for the relevance that is given in this piece. Also while there are many Multi to see some are rather blurred and, surprisingly, they don’t display their whimsical personality as well as they do in-game; they mostly surround Syndra without doing anything significant. In spite of this, those close to Syndra appear soft and with believable volume; even if the liquid feel present in-game isn’t communicated.
Syndra floats looking from a side which, sadly, conceals too much of her look. Nevertheless, lines are precise and shading vivid yet soft. Gold appears dull and her eye-patch as well. The headpiece is bluer than in-game, simple and seems to float before her head; a detail which isn’t clear in-game. Her hands look simplified by the light, the skirt looks a bit sketchy and her legs a tad dim but the rest of her outfit is well depicted. Her clothes can look photorealistic at times; especially the area around her waist and right elbow. Her hair swirls around her though at the top it seems more vibrant than below. Her expression is also full of mystery, which suits the evasive pose, but more is lost than gained by this choice.
On the whole, this is a splash art that wastes a monumental amount of space: almost half of the piece shows nothing. What is shown is taken advantage of as much as possible, one would like to think, but there are problems. Multi don’t reflect the importance they have in-game and Syndra conceals more than show her appearance. While this could aim at telling about her Star Guardian persona the sacrifice is never compensated. This leaves us with a portrayal that has ambition to be special but never fully realises it.
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Conclusion: Thanks to her magical prowess the Dark Sovereign’s transition to magical girl is a rather smooth one. Star Guardian Syndra keeps the touch of darkness intrinsic to her yet also adds an appealing humorous touch given by her new spheres turned into familiars. Her dress is, notoriously, a bit of a departure from the usual mahou shoujo. Her headpiece is large an elaborate, there’s a weird eye-patch without much justification, the skirt ends in, at best, inconvenient golden shards, dark tones abound in her dress with little contrast and the asymmetry of her boots isn’t echoed throughout the rest of her outfit. The strap around her left thigh doesn’t amount to much and her gloves should definitely echo the asymmetry of her boots. However, her hair appears almost magical and the lighter areas of her dress stand against the dark colours making for a good contrast. It could be said that the design respects her classic self more than the magical girl concept. Nonetheless, perhaps thanks to the classic influence, the outfit stands apart from others not only in colour but also in its distinct albeit impractical design. Special mention deserve Multi, the new familiar-spheres. They orbit around Syndra while placidly rotating around themselves and making faces. Once they are unleashed on the battleground they become even more expressive. They offer a fantastic support, as few other familiars do, becoming secondary characters as appealing as saplings are.
Particles base themselves mostly around the spheres. Auto-attacks have Syndra throw a purple star followed by a thick trail of the same hue at the enemy; which is quite good looking but nothing spectacular. A purple trail is also used for her high speed run; used for homeguard. Dark Sphere explodes with a star on the centre which prompts many more to appear until a Multi is conjured. Multi glows with a smoky purple and look around or bounce in place making faces until they disappear in a brilliant light with magical bubbles afterwards; with a face full of pain. Familiars are full of personality and are the most salient feature of the skin adding a lot of character to what otherwise would be simple spheres in purple. Force of Will uses a purple lash to grab a Multi which doesn’t stop their usual actions when being carried by Syndra. When thrown the purple explosion makes several shard-like stars erupt on a hemisphere which looks well enough. Scatter the Weak shows a bright star that originates a purple wave filled with thin, dark stars that push everything forward; which isn’t unexpected. Unleashed Power gathers Multi and throws them leaving a bubbly echo behind after their deformed bodies are propelled against the enemy to be further deformed on impact. The effects are subtle and brief but noticeable. Her death also sees the familiar disappear with their painful expressions. As mentioned, there’s no doubt that abilities have little personality without the sphere-familiars. They could even be accused of being re-colours with a touch of stars for effect. However, Multi, with their extroverted personality, make every action special. Their identity even allows for some to have a scar on their left eye and to behave in different ways when lying on the ground. When the Transcendent bonus is gained abilities show larger effects tinted with a touch of red. It makes the extra power felt with a colour that isn’t out of place though it doesn’t suit the style as well as it could. Perhaps adding a bright white to paint certain areas of the skills could’ve been a more star-like touch.
Sounds tend to be playful like Multi. Her auto-attack has a bubbly sound on impact and Dark Sphere also shows a stronger mischievous bubbling when a Multi is summoned. Force of Will furthers the use of playful bouncy sounds for grabbing and throwing familiars. Even Scatter the Weak sounds like a lighthearted wave is merely toying with Multi and enemies alike; the former sound like bouncing after the wave hits them. Unleashed Power has Multi sound like slapping the enemy and laugh afterwards as if enjoying the trick. The feel of liquid, easily deformable yet indestructible familiars is felt with a touch of their mischievous personality. The Transcendent bonus adds a noticeable bell chime to Dark Sphere. There also a bit for the other abilities though they are a bit too subtle on them. Instead they redouble the bouncy feel. Except for Unleashed Power abilities tend to soundconsistent yet also similar. In all cases there’s nothing extraordinary to be heard but the playful tone given to the abilities is probably the best characteristic they could have to make Multi shine.
Animations are centred on her familiar. As mentioned, being an animated particle, Multi looks around, bounces in place and makes several expressions like blinking or suffering when disappearing. Their personality may be limited as more work could’ve and should’ve been placed on their expressions and actions; as they are simple and few. Nevertheless, there’s enough to create a distinct identity for Syndra’s familiar. Her high speed run sees her fly with one arm forward like a superheroine; nothing fantastic. Her recall conjures Multi and purple magic to surround her until she’s inside a large Multi and she flies away. It may not be impressive but it further develops the relevance and appeal of her familiar.
All things considered, Star Guardian Syndra is a skin that can be considered straightforward in its approach but saved and made all the more attractive thanks to the appearance of her familiar. Multi gains significance and reveals its personality with most of her actions to the point of becoming an indispensable companion. Thanks to this formidable support and effective adaptation Star Guardian Syndra is a skin that fans of the Dark Sovereign and unusual mahou shoujos will certainly appreciate.

Conclusion

Syndra’s wardrobe slowly extends with new alternatives. The themes are interesting but, so far, the concepts tend to be the deciding factors in how worthwhile they appear. With that in mind, Justicar Syndra is the recommended skin for fans of the Dark Sovereign. It’s a good example of the relevance of a good concept as the base for a skin.

Justicar Syndra is a success as far as release skins go. The distinct light-based look shows a different Syndra that coupled with Classic Syndra draw a full picture of the possibilities behind, but also ahead, of the Dark Sovereign. Ultimately, it may disappoint those that simply wanted more skin. However, those that liked Syndra for her display of power will appreciate the novel take on her persona.

The alternative is Atlantean Syndra with her interesting water theme. The main issue is that the implementation leaves the theme as a mere change of appearance. In fact, the water could’ve been further incorporated to make a more compelling water sorceress. As it stands, it offers a nice, watery look that’s hardly disappointing yet leaves the feeling that it could’ve been more.

Inspired by the winter season Snow Day Syndra is a wonderful skin. The model is elegant but the particles are amazing as they eloquently reflect the snow they are made of. The sounds provide an effective aural backdrop for the visuals and so the skin pleases at every turn; except one. The price is expensive when compared with her other options that offer just as much for less. Therefore, Snow Day is a marvel, like her best skins, but an expensive one so expect to pay extra for such a well done skin.

A cheaper option is Queen of Diamonds Syndra. The new dress has a nice look but its design is too close to the classic one so that it’s unable to define a new identity. It feels like a re-model that stopped short of doing something innovative so as to keep the classic lines. This makes it a letdown that offers a fine concept only partially executed.

SKT T1 Syndra is a skin with suitable and appealing changes. The new model for Syndra and her Dark Sphere is good and the new look of her abilities fit well; even the recall does. It still feels like too little change for a clearly promotional product. At its price tier, more is expected; especially considering the ample selection of interesting and cheaper skins at the Dark Sovereign’s disposal.

Star Guardian Syndra may not be the usual magical girl. With a touch of darkness she starts to stand apart though her adaptation closely follows the classic design in many ways. Fortunately, spheres turn into a familiar with a lot of personality. Multi cements a unique identity for the skin while adding many appealing features. The result is a skin that oozes appeal and that fans of Syndra and majokko’s will surely like.

  46 Responses to “League of Legends: Syndra Skins’ Review”

  1. Great skin review! Love this skin too, just wish that they could also change syndra’s voice so that it sounds less corrupted to reflect the theme.

    • Glad that you like the review, we completely agree: Justicar Syndra is very nice.

      A processed voice-over would’ve been a great addition. Maybe if there’s enough interest Riot could do the change; after all, Arclight Varus has a cleaner voice-over.

  2. I have to ask, doesn’t the Justicar skin have new sounds for when she moves a sphere (smashing it down with W or knocking it into someone with E)? I am not too sure but I am certain there are these new, “heavenly” sounds when I use this skin. Same with Archlight Varus and his Q.

    • We haven’t noticed but we’ll give them another look. Thanks for the notice.

      • I’m pretty sure thatjusticar syndra has new sounds. When se uses ther e on spheres or lands a sphere using her w *maxed* theres this overwhelming heavenly wave ish type of sound. Similiar to Arclight Varus. P.S Is is me or Atlantean Syndra like obese compared to her default and release skin. As i have both i constantly switched between them and I easily noticed that her Atlantean Syndra’s thighs is the size of Katarina’s waste. Just pointing it out by the way. Keep it up on the skin review! Was impressed with River Spirit Nami’s review 😀

        • Glad that you like the reviews.

          We checked and have played with both Justicar Syndra and Arclight Varus and haven’t been able to notice new sounds for their abilities. It’s possible that there’s only a subtle difference and it wouldn’t be the first time. We’ll give it another look just anyway.

          It does seem that Atlantean Syndra has a different silhouette to Justicar or Classic. It could be a matter of opinion but her body seems proportional in all cases.

  3. First 1350rp skin with five stars, I am impressed. Are they because of the skin on its full price or only until its discounted?

    • We just checked the release article and the store again to make sure and there’s no mention of the skin being on sale. If 975 RP is the actual price of Atlantean Syndra then the five stars are correct but if there’s some error we’ll have to adjust the rating.

  4. The Atlantean Syndra skin has a new walking (flying) animation, I am absolutely positive of it. Her arms are more spread out and it is more fluent. Please check it again.

  5. I find both of these skins pretty lame, irrespective of price. The themes aren’t too hot, with the whole water theme first having been claimed by a Cass skin, then being ‘stolen’ by Nami, and finally making its way to Syndra in the most unfitting way, combined with a Janna-esque splash art that again doesn’t fit Syndra…
    Justicar skins are a lot like Arclight skins, in that they’re just pointlessly bright and goldish. The splash art there looks more like Ahri, pose-wise. I’d give each three stars. Atlantean Syndra has very pretty water effects, so it’s a 4/5 visually (compared to the rather ugly initial PBE version), but one of the most powerful casters in the game suddenly hitting her enemies with … water? Come on.

    Syndra without a skin > Syndra with a skin.

    • We agree that the water spheres that Atlantean Syndra weilds lack serious impact and feel rather inoffensive as a weapon. We still think that the visuals along the new sounds are well done even if the concept isn’t very inspired; like her outfit.

      We think that Justicar Syndra has to be considered, like Arclight Varus, as bright and goldish because that’s the intention: a light based skin that counterbalances their classic darkness. It’s the day to their night and as such feel like an interesting couterpart.

      Of course, if you want something dark that enhances or continues their classic style, so far there’s nothing available.

  6. Hello, I think the new Atlantean Syndra skin has a new movement animation when moving. From what I can see, she sort of sways genitally left to right when moving. Please have another check, I could easily be wrong.

    Oh and great reviews keep up the work fella.

    • We’ll certainly keep working hard.

      We checked and she does have a subtle balancing to the sides when running. Thanks for the notice.

      • Glad to help…..ish 🙂

        Quick question though….please may you name your favorite 3 skins? you don’t have to justify why, only the skins. I will read the reviews after. Of course you don’t have to answer this question I am just curious because of you wide knowledge, on what is a good skin and why it is. Please exclude sewn ori I already know you like/love? that skin. (oh yeah i didn’t see the other persons call about the new animation eek).

        • How did you know that we like Sewn Chaos Orianna? Psychics everywhere, there’s no privacy in one’s mind anymore.

          Don’t worry about reiterating something that we didn’t notice about a skin because it helps. The more people notice it the more sure we can be that we missed something. Besides, it helps to get as much information as possible.

          With regards to our three favourite skins it would be difficult to answer though you can be sure that we tend to like skins that reach five stars; Captain Obvious is always present. However, we also like some skins that don’t reach five stars.

          We do like skins that expand on the lore of a champion like, Sinful Succulence Morgana, Professor Ryze or Creator Viktor, even though they may not be the best skins available. Also, skins that enhance the style of a champion like Blade Mistress Morgana are quite nice.

          Come to think of it, it would be useful to have personal statistics in the LoL client about the most played champions and skins. That way it would be easier to know one’s preferences and how they change over time.

          • Gee thanks for the response, you are a great team with good knowledge of the subject. I want to ask so many questions and tap into your what feels like infinite knowledge! A last question if you will?

            How did the person ‘lkz’ get a cute little bunny as their picture? (They are up there somewhere ^^)

          • That would be a Gravatar, a Globally Recogniced Avatar. You go to gravatar.com and add an avatar along an e-mail address. Afterwards, whenever you post using that e-mail address you will get that avatar. If you want to change it you do so at the Gravatar site and it automatically updates everywhere. As far as we know the service is free.

            If you have more questions we’d be glad to answer them. We surely don’t have infinite knowledge but we do know a thing or two about some stuff that some people might find of interest; sometimes.

  7. Heya ! I am a fan of your Site/reviews and I’m an undecided skin seeker who only has enough to buy one more skin. I really want to make sure I make the right choise on my purchase and you seem like the man to ask, so here are my choises : Neon Strike Vi or Muay Thai Lee sin another problem is I play them both equally and enjoy them both. Any feed back is great, have good day/night/morning 🙂

    • Glad that you like the site. The one you ask is not an easy question to answer. At a glance, Neon Strike Vi is more eye-catching and showy as well as fantastic. Muay Thai Lee Sin is more discrete and realistic as the animations are more subtle yet interesting nevertheless.

      You could choose one based on what you prefer: fiction or realism, great visual displays or sober shows of skill. An alternative is to wait for a sale on each skin and so get two for the normal price of one. However you’ll need to be patient as sales take time due to the huge amount of skins.

      Regardless of what you choose, both are great skins and chances are that you won’t regret purchasing any of them. The question might be, which one you want now and which one can wait a bit longer?

  8. hey, Zero, which skin do you prefer in the end? Justicar is gonna be on sale soon, should I get it instead of Atlantean? i like them both but not sure which is better

    • Both are great skins so it’s difficult to go wrong with any of them. If you are a Syndra fan getting both on sale, with a lot of patience, is the ideal option. Justicar has a better concept while Atlantean has a more elaborate execution yet both are quite good.

      Consider which concept you prefer and how much you expect from the execution. They are different skins that offer dissimilar but interesting elements. Personal preference should be your most trusted guide in this case.

  9. Hey Zero, can you do a review on the Winter Wonderland Syndra Skin? Thank you.

    • We’ll try to have a review soon. It may take a while as there’s been a lot of skins released lately but we’ll try to review the skins as soon as possible.

  10. Hey! Love your guys skin reviews!

    Was just looking over the new Snow Day Syndra, and at the 3 star rating.

    From the tone of your review, you consider the skin to generally be on the level of Atlantian and Justicar (both of which I own and love!), yet rate it as only 3 stars because of the price. I kinda agree, so I made sure to snag it while it’s on sale for the first couple day at 975, but was just wondering if it shouldn’t be 4-stars instead?

    You basically state that if it’d been 975, it could reasonably be a 5-star skin. So why rate it 3? Is it because of its legendary status and the fact that it SHOULD include more, but does not, that brings it down to 3 stars?

    Either way, great review! Can’t wait to take this skin on the Rift! 🙂

    • Glad that you like the reviews.

      You got it right, it’s because it’s an expensive legacy skin and so it won’t go on many sales. It’s a skin that surely feels on the level of Atlantean or Justicar but is priced much higher. On top of that, this release sale may very well be the only sale it ever receives; perhaps an early sale some time or a bundle could add another discount but that’s speculation. Therefore, the skin has a higher than usual price so it should go farther than usual to be special.

      If the skin is going to stand at the same level as other 975 RP skins then that should be its price. The fact that it’s a legacy skin doesn’t help matters. Being, currently, discounted to 975 RP it’s a better option; you can add a star in that case. However, we just don’t like the fact of offering just as much as a cheaper skin and then adding a higher price and a legacy restriction on the skin. If that’s the case the skin should explain it with unusual additions.

      After all, it’s not as if that hasn’t happened before: Snow Day Ziggs and Dark Candy Fiddlesticks are two great examples that it’s possible. Both skins go beyond their price to be special and that, legacy tag and all, makes them excellent choices. We certainly expected the new Snow Day skins to be on that level but in any case they should be priced according to what they offer.

  11. I was reading your reviews and I was hoping you could help me make a decision. In your humble opinion, while Snow Day Syndra is discounted which is a better decision, Snow Day or Atlantean? Thank you!

    • Snow Day has a layer of modernity that makes it cross the fantasy stated by the game which Atlantean doesn’t. That is, Atlantean fits the water sorceress role but Snow Day doesn’t go the ice sorceress route and instead takes a bit of a funny angle; Lissandra may have something to say in that case. This may not bother everyone but it’s not the same seeing casual clothes as a fantasy sorceress outfit in a magical battlefield.

      Both are quite good skins with great particle work and nice sounds. Each has their own flaws but, being strict about what they offer, Atlantean does a better job. That’s not to say that Snow Day is bad, in fact it’s great, but treads aways from the fantasy realm and also has a rather high price for offering the same as Atlantean.

      If you are interested in Snow Day the best time to get it is while it’s on sale; you can add a star in that case. At its full price we don’t think it justifies the expense and Atlantean or Justicar become the recommended options. Of course, you can also wait for a sale on Atlantean to get it at a lower price. That way you can save a good amount of RP and, if you like Syndra a lot, get both skins or save for another champion’s skin.

  12. Hey zero Osmic here wanted to ask should i buy snow day syndra because she is going to be gone from next week. So yea…and can you give me the cons and duhhhh uhhh forgot what other one was but im pretty sure you know so please help me zero. ^w^

    • The pros and cons of Snow Day Syndra are, briefly, that it’s a skin with a nice, elegant look with wonderful particles and a price too high for doing just as much as Atlantean or Justicar on top of being a legacy skin. We recommended getting it during the release sale. That’s no longer possible so you may be better off with one of her other skins.

      There could be the fact that you already own them or you particularly like Snow Day’s ice theme. In that case, we still maintain that the price is too high. It could still be worthwhile to you despite the expense but that’s a more personal choice. Does it offer enough for its price? We aren’t convinced but if you like the skin a lot you may find the price not that high of an obstacle.

      Once Snowdown is over the skin will be buried in the Legacy Vault until next year. It may resurface within a bundle with a small discount when it does return. Regardless, with legacy skins discounts are hard to come by. Chances are that there won’t be any major discount for it but you never know for sure; consider Challenger’s Ahri’s recent sale.

      In the end, if you like it enough you may excuse the price. It’s not a bad skin, on the contrary, simply greedily priced. If you can wait a year you can see if there’s a better opportunity of getting it; though it’ll hardly be with a discount that goes beyond the release one; 28% off. It depends on how much you like it and whether you can wait to see if there’s a better chance. There may not be so it’s a bit of a wager.

  13. Thank you, zero for the help ^o^

  14. My guesses about the deadeye thing is about lunar revel.
    Or an event that you were saying, and if its a skin garen might have an emerald colored skin.
    Just my thought on the animated picture of garen.

    • For Lunar Revel it seems that Caitlyn, Morgana and Wukong are receiving new skins but it could be something related to it all the same. There’s so little information that only speculation is possible so it’s better to wait and see what’s it’s all about. Or, with some cynism, what they are going to sell us this time.

  15. Oh yea zero on the conclusion you said diamons not diamonds.

  16. こにちは Zero, this might sound strange but i got syndra in the snowdown shop for 975 rp or it might of been a glitch.

    • If you got the champion then that’s something strange because the Snowdown Shop was supposed to offer only skins. If it was a skin then it should’ve been Snow Day to be discounted if not it was probably some sort of glitch. In the case of Snow Day Syndra at 975 RP it’s a fine price to get the skin as the regular price is simply too much for what it offers.

  17. Hey Zero,
    I got Snow Day Syndra in My Shop for 20% discount ( the skin now costs 1080 rp )
    Do you think I should buy it?
    And just a random question, do you know when Pulsefire Caitlyn is coming out?
    Thank you for the amazing skin reviews!

    • Not at all, glad that you like the reviews.

      Considering that it’s a legacy skin and that outside of a bundle it would be unusual to see a discount it’s a way of saving on some RP. Take into account that while the skin is good it does more or less the same as cheaper skins. Regardless, it has its unique appeal so this may be a good option if you want to buy it with a discount.

      No idea when Pulsefire Caitlyn will be released. It could be today or next week. It may be sensible to wait for next weak so that Elementalist Lux’s sale doesn’t compete with the release. However, that decision is on Riot’s hand and as we can be sure by now: they can be unpredictable.

      • I got the discount in the “My Shop”.
        I think I’m lucky, I got 4 legacy skins in the My Shop, but I got project Kata for 70% off and I don’t want Kata skins… It’s an amazing deal though which is kinda unlucky. I probably just don’t want a Kata skin because I’m bad at her but no one has to know that hehe :p (1350rp skin with -70% is 405rp)

        I thought Pulsefire Caitlyn would be released yesterday/today but I guess she will be released next week.

        • Lucky indeed, also because of PROJECT: Katarina. If you don’t like her then no point in worrying about it. However, if you do like Katarina but aren’t good with her it’s only a matter of practice. It may be worth considering this as that’s quite a good price for the skin so if you ever plan on playing Katarina consistently this could be a great chance to get PROJECT; if you like the skin.

          It seems we’ll have to wait for Pulsefire Caitlyn. Better a good release than a rushed one, we’d say.

  18. Hi,
    I got snow day syndra in my shop for 675 rp. It worth the price or should i just wait for a star guardián sale?

    • It’s worth it. Snow Day Syndra it’s quite well done and works rather well as an ice sorceress; it’s just the she wears more modern clothes than one could expect. Regardless, particles and sounds make a great job of giving the necessary chilly touch to the skin.

      A big problem the skin has is that it’s legacy so it doesn’t go on regular sales and it’s expensive. To get it at half price is a great opportunity. If you like Syndra then Snow Day won’t disappoint. Star Guardian is also centred on the particles and sounds but with a different angle. There will be a sale eventually so in the meantime you can get a lot from Snow Day.

      Specifically, given the legacy nature of the skin: now is the time to get it. It’ll be difficult to find the skin discounted again; perhaps in a bundle. If you like Syndra, Snow Day is a great choice.

  19. Justicar Syndra or Snow Day Syndra? :/ Not minding the price, but the better skin quality…

    • There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that Snow Day Syndra is a Snowdown skin so it’s no longer available at the store as the event has ended.

      That said, Snow Day Syndra’s particles are more elaborate and distinct than those of Justicar. However, Justicar Syndra has a more interesting concept which is very well delivered by the execution. While the particles aren’t as distinct they have a unique and attractive identity.

      In the end, both are good skins but it depends on what you are looking for in the skin. We prefer Justicar due to how well rounded the skin is. Snow Day relies more on the particles but it’s also an appealing option.

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