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League of Legends: Braum Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
May 132014
 
Braum, the Heart of the Freljord
Braum, the Heart of the Freljord

The stoic defender is a position that many have held but that none have dedicated fully to, yet. Braum comes to change things with his formidable shield and chilling abilities. When you need a protector, you choose Braum and if you need help for choosing his gear then keep reading on his skins’ review.

Dragonslayer Braum
Dragonslayer Braum Splash Art Dragonslayer Braum Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Braum as an armoured warrior wielding a dragon-shield.
Model: New model for Braum and his shield. New colour for his poro and poro moustaches at the Howling Abyss.
Particles: New red glow for his shield’s eyes and new red particles for his abilities and auto-attack.
Animations: New joke and recall animations.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: As it’s a tendency recently, we get a few rocks that suggest some blasted battlefield, at best, and nothing else. So Braum gets the spotlight all to himself, in theory, but instead ends up behind his shield. The shield makes a dramatic performance, with overflowing lava from its maw and excellent use of colours. Braum doesn’t look bad either but he’s half in shadow and his lower body is blurred by the shield’s effect. The result is that the shield, while important, overtakes the piece. Thus, it isn’t easy to get a clear view of Braum’s new armour as he seems like a diffuse addition that holds the main attraction. In conclusion, it’s a splash art that gives a great first impression but that struggles to fulfil the aim of displaying a champion in all their splendour.
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: Dragonslayer Braum is without a doubt an uninspired skin. It takes the broad warrior and increases the amount of armour with a veiled dragon design. On top of that, a shield with a huge dragon head is added so along the red particles and subdued sounds we have a dragon-warrior. That’s not to say that the look is bad as it all comes around well: the shield and the fire particles manage to convey fire-breathing. Therefore, the appearance is distinct and even appealing to the eye. Still, the armour isn’t remarkable and the changes do feel like treaded ground. The bottom line is that Dragonslayer is a skin for fans of Braum. They will find it a nice alternative with a different style and attractive visuals. However, if you are not a fan, while Dragonslayer looks distinct, it’s hardly innovative and probably won’t be convincing enough.

El Tigre Braum
El Tigre Braum Splash Art El Tigre Braum Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Braum as a Mexican wrestler.
Model: New model for Braum and his shield. Moderate model changes for his poro and poro moustaches at the Howling Abyss.
Particles: New golden particles for his abilities and auto-attack.
Animations: New recall and beginning of match animations.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: A ring is the setting and one has to guess most of what’s present due to the inexplicably foggy scene. The difference in quality between Braum and the background makes the latter feel like a sketch made by a different person. Braum looks radically different to his surroundings: the colours are bright though a bit waxy and light is well used. The poro by his side is a good touch to remind of his kind personality even if his face doesn’t represent it well. To a point, it could even be a different person. In addition to this, his physique appears too deformed by the perspective which, after a while, starts to get in the way. The fact that his legs seem to start to meld with the area fog doesn’t help matters either. In the end, it’s an evocative portrayal of Braum surrounded by an insipid yet fitting background.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: With El Tigre Braum one has to take the skin with humour. While the skin isn’t outright funny it certainly draws heavily from Braum’s jolly nature. This also appears as a warning that the concept is somewhat forcefully adapted instead of integrated.
For starters, the outfit is evocative but unimpressive. It looks pedestrian and dull without even adding tiger elements as the name and theme would suggest. The shield-chair certainly doesn’t work well. Besides feeling preposterous it simply doesn’t carry the same weight as his massive shield. The costumed poro seems like too little an addition to compensate for such basic problems.
The golden particles provide the skin with a distinct trait to define a unique personality. However, one can feel that they’ve been seen before. That might be the case as Glacial Fissure looks like a modified and re-coloured version borrowed from Dragonslayer. The new sounds are actually added over the classic ones most of the time and are barely noticeable. The new animations are alright and follow the style of the skin. Still, they feel like too little and certainly not enough for its high price.
In conclusion, El Tigre Braum is a nice skin with a charming style that takes Braum’s bright personality into the world of wrestling. Unfortunately, the skin price is rather high and despite the changes being good not enough is present to justify a price of 1350 RP; especially a beginning of match animation alone. If you like the skin, get it on sale. If you are a great fan of Braum, know that you’ll be paying quite a bit more for very little.

Braum Lionheart
Braum Lionheart Splash Art Braum Lionheart Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Braum as a knight in armour.
Model: New model for Braum, his shield and poros
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A group of friends make a campfire and share a quiet time on their travels. A lake enchants the view with its moonlight reflection and only cartoony soil makes it company with regards to setting. It’s simple for a background but works. The stars of the piece are the merry men that follow the soil’s cartoony depiction.
There’s a knight petting his poro which draws the attention of the bowman; perhaps. That doesn’t distract the knight from having a firm grasp on his cup but the one responsible for the pouring of spirits can’t take his eyes from the wonders at the fingertips of the wizard. Even though there’s a clear disconnection between some of the champions, Varus and Ryze seem to be on their own more than part of the group, there’s interaction between most of them. This links them together and also allow a view that goes round them covering their activities. The portrayals differ in quality with Braum and Varus having more elaborate shading than Gragas and Ryze who appear to economize on details despite being part of the central scene. Additionally, it’s difficult to get a good look at the two champions closer to us and legs tend to look sketchy as well as some gear and Varus’ right hand. The cartoony feel pervades the whole piece, mostly, and where it doesn’t fit feels out of place as if borrowed from a better piece.
In the end, the composition of this splash art is great. Simple but effective, it gathers all the champions and allows a rather good look at them all. There are problems with how close some are and how uneven the depictions are. Besides, the setting feels too simplistic and even neglected around them. Overall, it’s a splash art that does a good job at offering a group view of the champions despite some annoying flaws.
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: Not far from being a knight in shining armour Braum Lionheart is a clear re-model that suits the Heart of Freljord in armour and leaves it at that. The result is actually rather good as Braum appears as an affable and picturesque yet evidently strong and brave knight. The armour design leans towards the fantastic more than the practical but is reasonable as well as fine looking. There’s a good balance between effectiveness and decoration and while there’s nothing particularly impressive there are no obvious flaws. His new shield is the only explicit connection to the Lionheart part. It’s largely ornamented yet appears sturdy and solid as it should.
The presence of ice powers comes out of nowhere because there’s not even a hint about them in the model. Even the shield’s blue glow comes from blue areas so despite not being out of place they don’t make much sense. It’s an aspect that seems abandoned and left to fare on its own. In that regard, it’s not terrible but isn’t sensible either.
All in all, Braum Lionheart is a nice re-model that captures the style of a knight in armour without going into details. The surface is adapted but nothing is done to link his ice powers to the new aspect. This makes the skin a fitting change of clothes but lacking in the integration of classic and Lionheart personalities.

Santa Braum
Santa Braum Splash Art Santa Braum Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Braum dressed as a Father Christmas.
Model: New model for Braum and his shield plus new flames for his shield.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New high-speed run and recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: Straightforward but fitting, there isn’t much context that isn’t obvious to the naked eye. In that regard, the background consisting of a mere night sky over a snowed pine forest is little more than a frame. The poros aim to add a bit of meaning to an otherwise direct portrayal but they do little. The queue to ask for presents and receive in kind is brief and unassuming. It doesn’t help the fact that the thick brushstrokes that make the fur of the poros give a noticeably sketchy feel. The shield doubles as a portable fire-place surrounded with presents and the dim colours used in all cases continue the feel of a draft. Even the light of the flames is weak and subdued; especially for the chosen setting. For all their simplicity, the Christmas lights hanging from the fireplace actually look rather nice.
Braum, as expected of most portrayals, tries to escape this pervading feeling. The sharp lines and elaborate shading helps but a familiar problem remains. The colours used are dim and the brushstrokes thick. When looking at hair and fur the effect is good at a distance but from up close the granularity is low. The light from the fireplace looks binary without a soft dégradé from bright to dark areas. This abrupt change surely doesn’t help the fact that either areas lack colour variety. The pose also strikes as exaggerated and the face too stern. It’s clear that Braum is bombastic and strong but the general portrayal seems to try too hard to capture that feeling to the point that he appears aloof and distant instead of warm and welcoming. At least the poro on his left shoulder adds some comic relief even if it’s only a small touch. The fact that both his boots are hidden, something easily solvable by moving the presents on the right a bit to the side prevents a full view of his clothing.
All in all, this is a portrayal that doesn’t go beyond presenting how Santa Braum looks. It could be considered that there’s an impromptu gift wishing session but that’s as far as the piece is willing to go. Even though it’s a suitable and effective portrayal it feels more serviceable than evocative.
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: Santa Braum is a simple costume and doesn’t have any ambitions to be more than that. There’s a slight air of wrestler due to the open coat, oversized shield and Braum’s boastful personality that is largely ignored. It’s his jolly side which actually meshes better with the Santa angle but some depth would’ve been welcomed. Besides the costume there’s the shield turned portable fireplace which is as preposterous as it is unwieldy. Regardless, the whole of the skin is consistent in its suspension of disbelief so it can be funny; even if not forever.
The particles embrace poros and gifts alike. Concussive Blows relies on a large poro icon that results in an explosion of poros that, to be fair, wouldn’t be unfitting in Classic Braum; considering his close relationship with said furry beings. Both Winter’s Bite and Unbreakable base themselves on presents with large, classy ribbons that surely stand out; though Unbreakable is only colour changed, ribbon aside. Stand Behind Me has a disappointingly subtle golden shield that seems too shy given the effusive demonstration of Christmas spirit elsewhere. Finally, Glacial Fissure starts with a puzzling eruption of candy canes which result in a row of snow-tipped pines which are a great addition to the recognisable frost flanking them. While there’s much retreaded ground the ultimate adaptation is fitting and clever.
Sounds are particularly subdued and uneventful. It’s possible to notice the difference yet all seems familiar. The aural adaptation strikes less as a support for the new visuals and more as a way of finishing the consistency necessary for the skin. The recall is a clear allusion to Santa but with poros to carry the sleigh into the air. Simple, elegant and effective: a good choice in few words.
When all is added together one can’t shake the feeling that everything is done in too direct a way. It’s as if the shortest path was chosen even if that meant reusing assets. The result is effective as the Christmas message is evident but also lacking in flourish. For what it attempts to do it works but, apparently, without going out of its way or exploring any additional angles. Fans of Braum and Santa will find it an acceptable proposition provided they don’t ask for anything elaborate.

Mafia Braum
Mafia Braum Splash Art Mafia Braum Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Braum as a stylish member of organised crime.
Model: New model for Braum and his shield.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: A bank is broken into and two poros are dealing lead and gold left and right. That’s all the setup and it’s serviceable. It’s also less than a quarter of the piece so that everything is brief and relegated. Still, it works.
Braum takes, roughly, another quarter of the piece. The stance is dynamic and allows the viewer to appreciate his suit. His clothes are rather plain in appearance with dull cloth and rough folds. In fact, Braum appears rather sketchy. His expression of glee at his heist is fitting to the situation but strikes as out of place for Braum; this isn’t the Braum we all know, probably a good touch to define his new identity. The bag of valuables behind him shows clearly well what his priorities are.
The other half of the piece belongs to the shield turned safe door. Not only does it monopolise the piece but it also relegates even the champion himself as well as the whole scene. The fact that the shield is unevenly depicted only adds insult to injury. For taking the central stage more than its side should be sharply depicted. Instead, most of it is dull and muddy.
Truth be told, what little is seen of the scene is good but it’s pushed to a side by the weight of the shield. Not that the shield does anything worthwhile with all the space it takes. At best, it could be considered a sneak peek at the action; though that sounds like an excuse given the sketchy nature of the piece. Thus, it’s a piece that covers the basics but employing a composition that simply wastes space in droves.
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: Mafia Braum may be better called thief or bank robber but the criminal theme is presented in a cartoony and noticeably straightforward way. In terms of clothes there’s a classy suit with no jacket and short-sleeved shirt. Tattooed arms and a crest haircut make the skin feel more modern and add some aggression to the elegance but they aren’t significant elements. What stands out the most is the new shield which is a safe door. Why there’s a large gem on its centre and seems to be coated in gold can only be explained by the cartoony approach. Besides poros wearing fedoras and wielding machine-guns those are all the model changes there are to see and there’s nothing sophisticated about them.
Particles keep the cartoony feel so that abilities turn into references to stolen valuables, diamonds and gold, with more emphasis placed on the latter; as the ultimate shows. Everything looks good enough and nothing strikes as outstanding. Perhaps the wall of gold ingots displayed by Unbreakable could be considered memorable; though Braum punches right through its translucence. One thing that disappoints is the frost left by Concussive Blows: it’s a clear classic remnant unfitting of a current skin, especially at this price.
Sounds tend to rely on metallic sounds given the use of gold in most abilities. What strikes as strange is the importance that rocky sounds have in Glacial Fissure despite the use of gold. While ground is visibly broken the metallic sound are barely noticeable. Unbreakable’s sound when stopping a projectile is rather good which further elevates the ability as the one with the best adaptation. Concussive Blows seems to retain its classic sound which is another dent on the adaptation’s surface.
The new recall is more cartoon fun with Braum and his poros opening the safe door he carries to be transported away. This is an eloquent element that shows the whole approach of the skin.
Ultimately, Mafia Braum is a funny skin that instead of trying to offer jokes instead employs a cartoony adaptation that ends up being quite appealing albeit straightforward. There aren’t features that really stand out, perhaps Unbreakable, but the skin is rather consistent and well done. It doesn’t seem to have enough ambition to be great but if you like the goofy criminal theme, it delivers.

Conclusion

Braum’s skins aren’t exactly noteworthy but they are far from bad as well. Between the two, Dragonslayer Braum is the recommended choice. For a release skin, Dragonslayer Braum seems to have been chosen based on how straightforward its implementation was. In fact, everything seems to have been chosen so as to reuse the present foundations. Due to that, the skin seems like more of the same. Nonetheless, it has good looks and the design works. So, it’s a good option for Braum’s fans that want something different yet clearly recognizable.

The alternative is El Tigre Braum which offers an appealing Mexican wrestler theme. The outfit is passable, the particles distinct but mostly due to the colour and the animations reasonable. However, nothing explains the high price of the skin. If you are a great fan of Mexican wrestling or Braum you should try to get the skin on sale. At least, you won’t be paying that much more for almost the same additions as a 975 RP skin.

A cheaper option is Braum Lionheart. As a change of clothes it’s a fine skin with a suitable appearance that Braum effortlessly adopts. The ice powers aren’t linked with the new suit of armour so they feel coming out of the blue. Regardless, his aspect is appealing and so stands as a good armoured version of the Heart of Freljord.

The legacy option is Santa Braum, a skin evidently tied to Christmas but also, by design choice, chained to it. There’s the small potential of a wrestling Santa but that is ignored in favour of a direct adaptation to the concept. The particles are nice though straightforward and sometimes rely too much on the classic assets. The sounds barely stand out but the recall is a great finishing touch. Therefore, this is a skin that manages to provide what it intends to: a somewhat basic costume with some extras.

Mafia Braum is a skin that embraces a cartoony adaptation of its concept to offer a goofy criminal theme that is quite appealing. There aren’t real highlights of the skin but it’s rather consistent and effective. The skin doesn’t do enough to be great but if you like what it offers know that it’s quite effective.

  47 Responses to “League of Legends: Braum Skins’ Review”

  1. Isn’t there a new animation for the joke?

  2. I think the sounds on his Q and R are changed to be a dragon’s roar (subtle but noticeable)?

  3. I have been a big fan of this site for awhile, but I might stop visiting due to frustration with your star ratings lately. This isn’t the first time where you continually describe how unoriginal and bland a skin is, but then you give it 4 stars out of 5. I’m not accusing you of this at all, but it is almost as if Riot is paying you to give skins ratings they don’t deserve. Here is some of the negative language you just used in the review above:

    struggles
    uninspired
    isn’t remarkable
    treaded ground
    hardly innovative

    The frustrating part is I absolutely agree with all of that. The thing I don’t agree with is a 4 out of 5 rating for an uninspired, unremarkable skin. 4 and 5 star ratings should be reserved for skins that are better than that. Otherwise what’s the point of this?

    • We probably didn’t express our opinion in the most clear of ways. We think that the concept isn’t anything remarkable and that the execution is done in the expected way: new gear and particles but same identity for the champion.

      In terms of looks, the skin stands apart from the classic counterpart. Besides, it’s appealing enough to be a good option for fans. However, if you are not a fan of Braum then Dragonslayer won’t change your mind. In this case, what do you think is the appropriate rating?

      We’ll update the review to clarify our view but, do you think that in cases where a skin looks good yet doesn’t really feel original we should be more strict with the rating? For instance, should we detract a star from Dragonslayer Braum and leave it at three stars?

      Lately, we’ve been wondering if it’s enough for a skin to be visually attractive to warrant four stars or if it should show some innovation to do so. There’s no doubt that at five stars a skin has to impress in at least concept or execution while the other should be attractive. Yet, what happens when a skin is good in both aspects but isn’t exactly impressive?

      Maybe we should reasses the whole star rating and reduce a star from all re-models and reserve four and five stars for skins that incorporate futher additions, like particles, animations or sounds, and also show a superior quality.

      The problem is that we could end with a good re-model, like Dark Crystal Ryze, at three stars just like a skin with extra particles like Dragonslayer Braum. We do have Lunar Goddess Diana at three stars but her problems are evident. Dragonslayer Braum doesn’t actually look bad he’s simply derivative.

      What are your thoughts on all this?

      • Alright, my faith is somewhat restored by your very thoughtful response. (Yes, I wrote the previous comment under my super secret poro alias.)

        I’m absolutely in love with Braum; Support and Tank are pretty much my favorite roles so this might be my favorite champion ever. That’s why I feel such strong disappointment with the skin – especially since it’s unlikely he will get another for quite awhile. So again, I agree with what you wrote in the review but feel it deserves 3 stars at most.

        I think one problem is that old skins were less detailed than newer ones. So now a skin like this, in comparison to the majority of skins previously released, looks better than average. However, in my opinion you should rate a skin in relation to *current* skins. (Riot can always retire a skin they don’t think is worthy of sale anymore, after all.)

        In the Battlecast Vel’koz review – a skin that I own and enjoy – you said in closing that “[f]ew champions are released with such a strong skin.” We know that the same can’t be said about Dragonslayer Braum, yet they share a 4-star rating. This is my confusion.

        Perhaps 5 stars just isn’t enough to accurately rate a skin. Maybe you should rate on theme/originality and visual appeal separately. And maybe it would be a good idea to revise previous star ratings to reflect the current market.

        Personally, I wouldn’t even mind if you just removed star ratings (though others might disagree). Because I liked reading the review, but when I saw the rating it just left me more confused than anything. An unexciting skin like this that, at a glance, could almost appear to be a recolor, does not deserve 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

        Excitement and impressiveness are definitely keys to a good skin, and I think you should take them into account. Buying a champion is like buying a car based on its performance, but buying a skin is more like getting a car for its looks: you want it to be a bit flashy and standout. This one doesn’t really achieve that. At least that’s my take on the matter.

        Anyway, I appreciate your reply and hope that you do change things up a bit.

        • Scheming poros! What’s next? An invasion?

          You make a good point in that we should rate skins with regards to the current technical level. We still think that there are a few re-models worthy of four stars as they offer a good concept and striking execution. However, those are the exception rather than the rule.

          The idea of the star rating is to have a quick way of getting an idea of how valuable a skin is. Yet, it should reflect what we expose in the review instead of having a review that, practically, bad-mouthes a skin and then five stars: confusion guaranteed, as you said.

          In the case of Battlecast Vel’Koz remember that it’s a 1350 RP skin and so the comparison to Dragonslayer Braum should take the price into account. Whithout a doubt Battlecast Vel’Koz is a better skin but it’s also more expensive which is why it can stand at the same rating.

          We think that Dragonslayer Braum has a clear identity despite not being really exciting. It easily stands apart from the classic aspect but we agree that it fails to impress. We understand your point of view and we certainly aren’t completely sure whether three or four stars is the right rating for the skin.

          Usually, if the skin has evident problems that simply can’t be ignored then we get strict. Conversely, if the skin has problems that are somewhat subtle, like not being innovative, but still provides good looks we are more generous. The idea is that a fan of the champion would still appreciate the good looks as far as the skin doesn’t have problems that detract from the fantasy.

          Dragonslayer Braum falls into the second category: good looks but unexciting concept. Therefore, we thought that it’s a worthy skin for a fan of Braum as an alternative to the classic style. It doesn’t impress but looks nice for the price.

          The problem in this case is that not everybody weights issues in the same way. While some people might be content with good looks others are more intersted in a different take on the champion. In our view, four stars stand for a skin that is nice but has problems though not major ones. Three stars would be reserved for a skin that is good but that has noticeable problems.

          In the case of Dragonslayer Braum, we find that the concept, model and particles are acceptable. Besides, it goes an extra step and also adds particles for the auto-attacks and also for the shield; the new animations aren’t really significant. Adding it all up we thought that it was a bit more than average though still far from excellent; thus the four stars.

          However, the particle changes are necessary more than an extra and they feel mostly as a re-colour of the effects. With this in mind should High Noon Yasuo, who shares some of the same problems, go down to three stars as well? Are there other skins that should have their rating adjusted?

          Rating is far from a science and we do make mistakes so your opinion is appreciated. How do you think we should approach rating recent skins? Could you give us some examples?

          • Another enlightening reply, thanks. I now understand!

            As you said, rating is not an exact science, and I found out exactly where our opinions differ: I would prefer to use every star as much as possible, but you seem to skew toward the upper level ratings a bit.

            There’s nothing really wrong with that. After all, it is probably the most common way people rate things. I believe the average IMDb score supports this theory.

            This is what you said: “In our view, four stars stand for a skin that is nice but has problems though not major ones. Three stars would be reserved for a skin that is good but that has noticeable problems.”

            I would drop both of those down a notch like so…

            1 star: ugly or has major problems – unlikely to happen on newer skins but possible
            2 star: “skin that is good but that has noticeable problems”
            3 star: quite “nice but has problems though not major ones”
            4 star: great skin with no problems. if you play the champ, it is likely you will want it!
            5 star: must-have skin!! so good you may not play the champ much but still might want it!

            However, I do realize you take price into consideration. That complicates matters a bit, and I’m not sure I’d do that personally because of it. But I realize the main purpose of the site is to help people get the most value for their money, not just as an art critique!

            Now I finally see how you rate things and, though I disagree, at least I’m not as frustrated as I was when I wrote the original post.

            Oh, and it is great that you take your readers’ comments so seriously. You have now written way more in the comments than you did in the review above, which I think is awesome 😀

          • We think we should write a good article explaining our review process so that readers can comprehend how we do things. We certainly appreciate your opinion and we are glad that you have given us your point of view. We may disagree for the moment but we’ll definitely take your feedback into account.

            We think that it would be fair to be a bit more strict with skins. A problem we have with champions with a single skin is that we don’t really know how much more room for improvement there is. When there are many skins available it’s easier to compare and see the extent of what can be done.

            The rating you described is mostly the one we’ve been using in the site; until we noticed that we simply couldn’t ignore the relevance of the price. Therefore, while a skin might be so fantastic that can be considered a must-have the price could be a detracting factor; as it happens with ultimates.

            Indeed, there’s no doubt that there’s merit in assessing the quality of a skin but as paid products the price is an essential factor to take into consideration. The four stars for Dragonslayer Braum would be something like: nice skin, has some problems but is worth the price; especially on sale. Of course, if a skin can’t go on sale, as with legacy skins, we are more strict with them.

            As more skins are released for Braum, Yasuo or any other champion we’ll reassess the rating and give or take some stars. The idea is that with another example of what that champion can offer we can make a better recommendation. If a skin has five stars then it should be the best that champion has to offer. If it gets a three then it should be the minimum acceptable.

            This has the consequence of making skins from different champions have ratings that can be difficult to comprehend: different champions can offer different kinds of skins. Usually, we put more emphasis on recommending what a champion has instead of how good a skin stands among all the others. Of course, this could be easily understood if it were explained somewhere.

            We are glad you have given us a different angle to look at skins. We’ll certainly try to be more strict as new skins are released and reconsider ratings based on what each champion has. While the centre of a review is to recommend the best a champion has it should make more sense when compared to what other champions offer.

            Finally, we definitely take all your feedback very seriously. This site is made for you, to help you. If it’s not being clear or useful then there’s a significant problem that we have to correct. If you see anything else that you don’t understand or have a suggestion to make we’ll be glad to receive your feedback. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

          • Sorry for beating what seems to be a dead horse, I know this is really old but… isn’t there anyway to simply change the rating system to add half stars, or alternately make it a 10 point rating system? Making the skin a 3.5 or 7/10? I think this would imply the difference between two moderate skins without having to go so far as label it a 4 giving the appearance that it is better than it is, or going with a 3 and dragging it through the dirt.

          • Perhaps the problem isn’t that half points are necessary but that three stars have a bad reputation. A three star skin isn’t a bad skin by any rate. In fact good skins range from three to five stars and bad skins are the ones that get two or, sadly, one star.

            A five star system has the problem that the difference a star makes is significant. However, it also simplifies the recommendation. After all, how much someone likes a skin is something subjective. Thus, can one really go into so much detail about whether a skin is half a point or a tenth better than another? We don’t think so.

            We prefer to keep things simple: a skin is horrible, bad, good, great or excellent. The actual definition of the star rating isn’t so simplistic. We rather focus on the skins’ issues and what it offers with regards to the price. We also understand that we should explain our reviewing process in more detail.

            Still, we think that one can’t really be as precise as to give a 7.9 to a skin without having a complex system that, usually, ends up needing some adjustments beyond pure maths.

            Usually there isn’t much difference between two skins at the same rating. There maybe some details but nothing major; if not the rating should be different. Perhaps the issue is that we don’t find much use in trying to make things more complex than they are.

            A skin at three stars is a good skin. It may have noticeable problems but nothing so terrible that would make the skin a bad choice. If it gets two then we are talking about problems that can negatively affect your enjoyment of the skin. If it gets a four then it’s a skin with some minor issues but largely very good. The extremes are extensions of the previous ratings.

            In addition to this, we aren’t flawless and we make mistakes. If you think that a skin deserves a different rating we welcome your opinion. We have changed ratings before due to feedback.

            There’s something else to remember. The rating system isn’t a way of objectively assessing the quality of a skin. It’s just a system to recommend a skin based on what we perceive. Our opinion of a skin isn’t better than anyone. Actually, the most important opinion when it comes to buying a skin is yours. If you like the skin the rating is irrelevant.

            Our intention is just to give you a guide to better analyse a skin and find out whether you would enjoy it. We are only interested in providing advise to make a purchase. The technical merits of a skin are important but what matters the most is whether you like it or not.

    • The skin is 3/5, the new joke (?) animation where he sticks his head into the shield is 4.5/5. The poro recolour is 5/5.

      • Totally, that’s the main issue: different additions have different relevance to different people. Some could disregard those additions as insignificant while others may find them a great way of adding to the personality of the skin.

  4. The scar is on the wrong side compared to the splash art. Splash is left; model is right.

  5. Whaaaat? Really? How long has it been since Riot released a skin that has a modified version of their base model and not an entirely new one? Are you certain it isn’t a new model?

    • We gave it a closer look with a model viewer and the changes seem quite significant that it could be considered a new model. However, at a distance the base seems identical so we compared both models side by side with a viewer. The armour is new but the head is only re-textured and the arms modified.

      In fact, it’s possible to notice the base outline of Classic Braum in Dragonslayer Braum which doesn’t always happen with other release skins. However, it’s possible that we haven’t noticed it in other skins as they could make a better job at masking the base; like in Bloodstone Lissandra’s case.

    • We’ve been checking reviews and updating the model section as to whether there are major changes or an actual new model . If you notice any inconsistencies or mistakes we appreciate your feedback.

  6. I like Dragon slayer Braum. I don’t like the color blue too much and Braum’s skills explodes that color. I would buy Dragon slayer just so my eyes would be pleased.

    I also like screaming “HADOUKEN!” everytime i use his Q >_<

    • It’s a nice skin, nothing groundbreaking but what it does it does well. Then, his R would be a Shinku, Denjin or Metsu Hadouken?

  7. i keep seeing PBE videos where his passive was in the shape of a dragon head now it’s just a lazy orange recolor what happened? i’m so sad that was a main reason for buying for me ): good info on this page though thank you

    • Glad that you find the review useful.

      We have no idea what happened but it’s possible that the change was reconsidered for clarity. Regardless, the dragon’s head would’ve helped develop the theme.

  8. I bought this skin a log time ago and i agree with the 4*out of 5
    Its is VERY well executed, yet a bit unorigional

  9. Bought El tigre on its sale for 975. Was it a good call?

    • If you like the theme and usually play Braum then it certainly wasn’t a bad one. After all, the skin isn’t terrible by any means just a bit expensive for what it offers.

      • i’m going to buy this skin tonight but i wonder is it worth for 675 rp ?
        Regards

        • We think it doesn’t do that much to justify its 1350 RP price. At 675 RP the expense is lower but it’s still more than usual. We don’t really see anything remarkable about El Tigre but it is a good skin. If you really like it then the sale is definitely the best time to get the skin. For a wrestler it may be the best and only option available.

  10. Dragonslayer Braum has a different sound when his passive is triggered and also a new sound for his Q. Recently his passive indicator has been changed too.

    Hope you add this, thanks :).

    • Sorry for the late response, we now have it under ‘new particles for his abilities’ and ‘new sounds for his abilities’. Thanks for the notice.

  11. hi,
    can u review ward skins? im not sure which one i should get. :l

    • Sorry for the late answer. We have considered it though we find that ward skins aren’t as complex as champion skins. Perhaps we’ll have some brief reviews detailing changes and what’s good about them. It’s something we are considering but haven’t yet reached a final decision on.

      Try to watch some videos on Youtube of the ward skins. When in doubt try to get what you like the most without worrying so much about which one has the most changes or technical features. There’s no point in having an advanced skin that you don’t enjoy.

  12. Awe man, about the splash opinion, I was hoping to see like “it has that old style to it just like those old wrestling posters”. That’s a big value to this skin.

    • From a quick look at wrestling posters online we don’t find much in common between them and the splash art. Even if the splash art is a nice spotlight for Braum we still think that what matters the most is what is seen in-game. If the actual skin has problems or doesn’t justify the price a great splash art doesn’t change the real experience.

  13. Jesus Dragonslayer braum has a joke dance taunt poro colors and animations for everysingle ability. Alright his splash might be a little dull but I think it deserved more than 5 stars. And to me, its the champ in game that counts not the splash.

    • More than 4* stars

    • Perhaps you mean for every emote: joke, taunt, dance and laugh? We see emotes as extras that in actual play aren’t used much. What matters the most is the abilities, auto-attacks and other actions that are essential for each champion. Making the emotes special is a nice touch to add to a skin but we think that what truly makes a five star skin is when the most relevant aspects are superb.

  14. Hey Zero, what ate your opinions on Santa Braum so far?

    • Are*

    • From what we see it’s a joke skin that may be too little ambitious for its own good. It seems to do a lot of things to communicate its message but there isn’t much to say to start with. It’ll probably be a good skin if taken for what it is. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to want to expand on the joke to be more than a funny reference.

  15. Mr zero do you think the braum lionheart skin is worth,because I want to buy his skin and I don’t want to spend much.

    • As long as you accept it for the re-model that it is and don’t expect the skin to be more than that it’s not a bad choice. There’re more elaborate skins so Lionheart feels superficial even if it’s effective. We’d recommend to get it on sale. As sales are, you’ll need patience. However, both patience and sales pay in the end. If you are a fan of Braum, Lionheart is a fine change of clothes.

  16. Yo, Zero!
    Quick thoughts on Mafia Braum, before you do a full on review? It’s the first Braum skin that I actually like theme-wise. The splash is a lackluster, but I think the theme is very nicely realized, and the mix of gold/silver/diamond particles makes up for a rather good product. And I’ve seen the chromas, which go from giving him a full on suit, to making him shirtless and even having tattoos/body hair add ons.

    So I’m wondering if you checked the skin out yet, or the chromas, and what your quick-ish opinion of it is?

    • It’s a nice, cartoony interpretation that has its appeal. We aren’t impressed by any aspects of the adapation but it’s done well enough so as to be a good option. If you like Mafia Braum perhaps a sale is recommended because the skin is rather expensive and we don’t see anything that makes it irresistible.

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