You were just this vroom vroom rock fellow that gave mages depression, and forced people to punch you before they die. After the rework, you lost some of the vroom, but got quite the visual update. But not all Galio skins were created equal. And today we’re gonna determine the best out of the bunch, considering each skin’s cost and what they bring to the Demacia table.
8. Hextech Galio
Released: August 10th, 2010 Price: 520 RP When discussing Hextech skins, the formula usually goes “it offers some amazing changes, but costs way too much”. But this skin decided to be a little rebel and charge next to nothing, while offering a rather mediocre skin instead. The main issue with this skin is the character model design. It looks clunky, the colors don’t really fit together all that well, and the head piece makes Galio look like a really weird clown. Red flags all around. The animations, on the other hand, are quite well executed, especially taking into the account the low cost. Besides just the color swap from yellow to blue, you also get some nice particle effects of electricity that goes really well with the whole robot theme. Even the splash art is pretty nice! But Galio is just not the type of champion who can get by with animations alone. So I’ll have to put this skin in last place.
7. Debonair Galio
Released: April 13th, 2015 Price: 750 RP Believe it or not, Hextech Galio was really the only bad skin. So everything from this point on is on a roughly level playing field. Debonair Galio focuses on making our stone warrior into a stone gentleman by putting him in a rather dashing suit, giving him some nice black hair, and topping it all off with a rose upon his breast. It does offer some minor visual effects too – but they aren’t all that noticeable. Overall, the skin is okay. It doesn’t really raise the stakes of what a skin can do. But that said, it isn’t all that shabby either. So if you want to move away from the usual stoic and fearsome Galio and head towards a slightly more sophisticated path, this is an excellent pick.
6. Commando Galio
Released: January 18th, 2011 Price: 520 RP This is the second skin in a row that gives Galio facial hair. Am I missing a very important and very beard-obsessed part of the Galio mains community? Besides the bushy beard, this skin really focuses on the Demacia theme, making Galio look like a true soldier. You’re decked out in green armor, wearing a utility belt around your waist, and rocking the backwards hat into headphone and shades combo. Commando Galio doesn’t offer any significant visual or sound effect changes – but it doesn’t really need to. This is just the Demacian Galio we already know, only now he can somehow fit into clothing. A very tame skin that should be right up your alley if you don’t want to stray too far away from what made you love Galio’s design in the first place.
5. Enchanted Galio
Released: August 10th, 2010 Price: 520 RP This just makes Galio look like he’s about to save the universe or something. The skin has a very galactic theme, with a nice combo of blue and black throughout the character model design, and even within the ability animations. Although your passive, E, and R have been just recolored for the most part, your Q and especially your W have some very nice particles that just make Galio feel like a rather universal being. Plus, I really like the design for his head piece. You can’t quite tell whether he’s evil, ancient, or a combination of the two. All in all, this is my favorite among the cheaper Galio skins.
4. Infernal Galio
Released: September 5th, 2019 Price: 1350 RP The following skins are nothing short of perfection, so get ready to be hit with a lot of praise and a severe lack of complaints. Infernal Galio just checks every box that a cool League skin needs. It has a very clear and consistent theme, in this case fire. It also has an amazing character model, in this case a six-packed knight from hell that’s here to take your soul and your lunch money. And it has something badass that no other skin has, in this case the backing animation, which has you detach your wings and make them form a giant sword like you’re auditioning for the new Devil May Cry game. The animations are very slick and polished, the splash art is badass, and the character model is brilliant. So if this is your number one, know that I was almost there with you buddy.
3. Birdio
Released: March 29th, 2018 Price: 975 RP I honestly considered putting this skin at number one, as I have never seen such a cheap skin offer this many features. Yes, it’s a joke skin. But the joke is way more fleshed out than you might think. And it doesn’t just stop at Galio wearing a chicken costume, oh no. Your Q has you throwing buckets of chicken, your W has particle effects like boiling grease, your passive proc has a chicken sound effect, and your ult literally has a rooster call. But wait, we’re not finished yet. When you die, you turn into discarded chicken legs. And your backing animation has you cook up some chicken – and even your dance has been altered to now be the chicken dance. Birdio offers so many features, and all of them work together so brilliantly, that I honestly think this skin would have this exact same placing even if the price was bumped up to 1350 RP. And that should tell you something.
2. Gatekeeper Galio
Released: April 23rd, 2012 Price: 1820 RP Deciding between this skin and the following one was nearly impossible, but here’s where I landed. Gatekeeper Galio just makes you a demon lord, and no, not the high school type that anime likes to showcase. You’re just this terrifying demon with bulky armor that’s riddled with spikes, and you have wings with literal jaws at their tips. It’s some pretty epic design work. Your animations have also been changed, but it’s nothing too drastic, mostly color swaps into green. Gatekeeper Galio also features some completely original features, like new voice lines where you belittle the mortals trying to fight you, as well as a respawn animation where you walk out of a portal. The same portal is also opened when you recall, making the excuse “dying is just a prolonged back” cannon. All in all, an amazing skin that only really lost out to the number one spot because it was equally as epic, while carrying the higher price tag.
1. Dragon Guardian Galio
Released: April 15th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP I must say that Riot brought their A game when they designed this skin. The character model looks like a mix between a dragon and a griffin, with some ethereal armor to really bring it all together. Your ability animations have been altered in a way that really puts focus on the wind powers of this mystical creature, and your backing animation showcases why this skin is the only one that makes perfect sense for Galio. I say this because I find it difficult to believe that KFC Galio or mister Satan over here are going to jump to an ally’s defense. But with Dragon Guardian Galio, it’s his main duty. The skin really looks very mystical, plus all of the animations are very clean and holy hell does the splash art make me want to play Darksiders. 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.
