Nothing hurts more than spending the entire game farming and playing safe, only to be one-shotted later on and lose the game. So you should at least have the common courtesy of giving your opponent something cool to look at while they say goodbye. Thankfully we have cosmetics for that. So let’s have a look at every one of Talon’s skins, ranking them based on price, overall appeal, aesthetics, and my own opinions.
9. Crimson Elite Talon
Released: August 24th, 2011 Price: 750 RP This skin just did not age all that well. The concept of Talon wearing this cool-looking Predator mask was definitely a step in the right direction. But I think they fumbled on the execution a little bit. His head kind of just looks like a corn kernel. And that’s not really the vibe you want while playing a badass assassin. His cape is alright, and the splash art is rather okay as well. But I just can’t get over his head. Plus, this is one of the few skins that doesn’t actually add any new particles or animations. So it doesn’t even have that going for it. Some might like it, but I just keep thinking about corn.
8. Renegade Talon
Released: August 24th, 2011 Price: 520 RP Renegade Talon and Crimson Elite Talon. They came out together and they’re taking the fall together. Although I like this a lot more than the previous skin, it’s still undoubtedly subpar compared to every skin that came later. Even the splash art cues you into how old this is. And it also doesn’t offer any new particles or animations, but rather just changes the character model. The design isn’t bad, as it looks like a more rugged, torn down Talon that probably came out of the slums. But it also isn’t all that different from the base. Then again, it’s also the cheapest skin around – making it somewhat worth getting.
7. Enduring Sword Talon
Released: September 4th, 2018 Price: 1350 RP This is probably the most disputable point I have ever made, but here we go anyway. There’s no denying that Enduring Sword Talon is polished beyond belief. The particles, the animations, the character model, it’s all pretty top-notch. However, making Talon actually hold the blade instead of the usual assassin approach turned me off completely. When I think about thin swords in League of Legends, I think about the Int Brothers, not Talon. Plus, the ult and W (although undoubtedly pretty and well fleshed out) look more at home on Irelia and not Talon. Although I will admit, the splash art here is an absolute masterpiece. So if you want a skin that changes up things the most, this is the perfect skin to snag. But if you want something that still stays true to what the base design laid out then we need to keep looking.
6. Withered Rose Talon
Released: February 11th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP I don’t even know what to say about this skin, other than it’s really pretty. Being a newer Talon skin, it has so many particles that it just feels like a brand new Talon. Although I was skeptical at first, I will say that the rose design on his W and ult looks gorgeous. It gives Talon magic/occult vibes. And it honestly works better than expected. The splash art is a bit too “Jack the Ripper” for my taste, but it still isn’t bad. So why is this not ranked as the best Talon skin? Because I just don’t get that same level of “badass assassin” vibes while playing. The color palette for the character model, as well as the animations, just seem too distant from the Talon I learned to love. But hey that’s just me, and the skin is still objectively excellent.
5. Dragonblade Talon
Released: January 10th, 2012 Price: 975 RP Dragonblade Talon is basically the polar opposite from the last skin, as it doesn’t do much in terms of new particles or animations – but it just makes you feel like a badass assassin. The character model is devilishly simple: It just took the base model, made it a lot darker, and then added bright red ornaments on his cloak and sword to pop out. The animations and particles are more of the same, with the W and R blades just being a bit redder. All of this sounds like a reason for this skin to be bottom tier stuff – and yet it isn’t. Maybe it’s just the nostalgia since this skin was the go-to for so long. But it definitely improves the core champion fantasy of Talon. Also, it’s cheap.
4. Talon Blackwood
Released: March 19th, 2020 Price: 1350 RP The second you pick up this skin, you’ll get a strong RPG Rogue vibe. I mean, you’re literally an elf. The splash art has you drinking with the boys in a tavern. And the color palette has all the dark purples you could ever want. Your passive marks also look very fantastical, almost like runes or curses. And your W just has the most satisfying sound effect I have ever heard. I don’t know why, but it just makes the ability feel ten times more impactful. Your blade also looks quite Elven, with a nice silver base and some golden stripes here and there. And if you had any doubt at this point that this was an RPG Rogue skin, you start backing and see that your backing animation has you find a chest full of gold. Can’t get more obvious than that! Overall I absolutely love this skin. And it only lost out to the others on top because they stayed truer to the core champion fantasy.
3. High Noon Talon
Released: May 12th, 2022 Price: 1350 RP This skin is just amazing. First off, just look at that character model! Not only are you a cool Western assassin, but you even get a nice mix of golden and fiery particles throughout. Plus this is one of the few skins where the base feels like a Prestige. This is quite impressive – especially given the fact that this skin has an actual Prestige Edition. But probably the biggest selling point (at least for me) is the passive proc animation. Not only does it look cool as hell, but it also sports one of the most satisfying gunshot sounds I’ve ever heard. The other animations aren’t as impressive but they’re still decent. Your W and R have some nice fiery particles. And your Q feels way more massive and powerful than ever before. The backing animation is maybe a bit bland, but it still has you shooting a gun – so it feels right at home. And beyond just the Prestige Edition, this skin has a whopping nine chromas to choose from – all of which are decent at the very least. Overall, I could 100% see this skin topping the charts for a lot of Talon mains. And I’d be lying if denied being in love with it as well.
2. Blood Moon Talon
Released: February 9th, 2017 Price: 1350 RP If you simply want to rock the absolute best Talon skin and don’t care about the price, and you want some gorgeous new particles and animations too, then you’ve found your pick. I know I mentioned it a few times already, but being a badass assassin is Talon’s schtick. And Blood Moon just fits within it perfectly. The passive marks look like actual blood and are easy to keep track of, so utility plus immersion. Your blades have a red coating, which makes sense, and blood particles have been liberally placed everywhere too – which just looks badass. The character model also perfected what Crimson Elite attempted. And the splash art here makes me worry for my life. This is just an amazing skin that’s only held back by its price tag.
1. SSW Talon
Released: May 13th, 2015 Price: 750 RP It is not every day that a World’s skin ranks at the top on one of these lists, but here we are. You really don’t have to think about it all that much in order to realize why Talon mains absolutely adore this skin, as the Assassin’s Creed likeness sticks out quite a bit. And for some reason, that alone is enough to make this skin top-tier. The white coat with some slick blue edgings and a logo already makes you look quite fierce. So slapping a simple hood on the whole ordeal makes it the entire package. SSW Talon does technically offer some new particles and effects – but those are honestly less important and not really that noticeable. We are simple creatures, and we crave iconic designs. What more could we ask for? Note: this content was created under Riot Games’ “Legal Jibber Jabber” policy using assets owned by Riot Games. Riot Games does not endorse or sponsor this project.
