Summary
Period: 2nd to 5th of July, 2013
Skins: Minuteman Gangplank, Statue of Karthus and Uncle Ryze
Champions: Thresh, Nocturne and Xin Zhao
Discount: 50%
Overview
Skins:
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Conclusion:
The theme linking this trio of skins is quite evident, with the 4th of July around the corner. While that would increase the skins’ appeal for United States citizens it also heavily restricts its audience. Overall, the skins have a good implementation but don’t stand out in any particular way. Adding this to the concept behind them they become a product which lacks worldwide appeal.
That being said, Minuteman Gangplank lacks historical fidelity and looks unexciting despite being the most approachable concept of the three. Statue of Karthus wears a nice metallic robe but the specific implementation and additional changes aren’t as satisfying. Uncle Ryze’s aim is clear and rather effective but the result may be too close to a caricature.
In general, the skins are good for what they offer. However, those outside of their target audience will find few reasons to be attracted to them even considering their low price.
Champions:
| Xin Zhao | |
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| Thresh | Nocturne |
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Conclusion:
Sometimes the best way to avoid IP farming is to simply hire the services of an expert scythe wielder. The fact that he can be a very persuasive warden also helps. Thresh is the choice in this case as long as you aren’t eagerly awaiting his Deep Terror look. In that case, there’s no reason to rush as the skin will probably take a good while to go on sale. Still, it may pay off to be prepared.
Nocturne is also an option worth considering thanks to his sharp blades. However, his IP price may not seem as high depending on your IP accumulation. He also offers quite a good selection of skins but both Void and Frozen Terror were already discounted this year. That leaves Ravager and Eternum open which actually aren’t bad ideas at all.
Finally, there’s little reason to purchase Xin Zhao due to his reasonable IP price. Moreover, RP is better reserved for an eventual sale of his Warring Kingdoms persona; especially considering its price increase. Additionally, Viscero Xin Zhao was already discounted this year so there’s ample time until Warring Kingdoms visits the realm of sales.
Source: League of Legends News: Champion & Skin Sale: 7.02 – 7.05